I believe it was Peter Capstick that said...

[Dave Shepard]

"Use enough gun!" Well, "Use enough saw!" is pretty important too!

The little Husky 66 just wasn't fast enough.



That's ok, we figured it was going to split, the lean matched the big shards left on the stump. We figure this way we don't have to quarter it to get it on the mill. : ;D

We got the butt and most of the lower leaders on. We left the top for another load.



With a bigger saw and a full skip chain I think I could have kept up with the cut, but the 66 couldn't keep up with the sawdust. It felt good to do some sawing outdoors, and without hardware. ;)

Dave

[logger]

Ok, well I've had too much saw before.  My friend's, friend needed trees cut.  I asked how big are they.  They said real big!  So, I get there on a saturday at about 4:00 and we had my 440 and 460 in the truck(remember they said it was big), we figured it was going to be a 2 saw job.  So we get there and the old lady greets us and I said where are the trees?  She said over here.  So we followed her to the trees, and we found 2 dead, half rotten virginia pines. They hardly had a limb on them.  One was 16" at the base and the other 10".  And mind you this in a suburban type place.  There is 2 houses right next to her house, and a little maybe 1/2 acre patch of woods in her backyard where the trees are.  As soon as I look at them I said Jezz.  So I went up and got my 440 and in 15 minutes they where down and cleaned up.  I didn't want the wood.  So I said how long do you want em'  She said 3 ft long so she could use them for a border for a garden or something.  Well, I got 20 bucks for the deal, and I didn't even want anything.  Think that's a little too much saw? :D ;) ;D 8)     

[leweee]

Dave...I think you had enough saw , just not enough technic for a forward leaner. ;D

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=9418.0

[Dave Shepard]

leweee, I did bore behind the hinge, probably not far enough though. This was a really bad leaner. I was considering a Coos Bay cut, but I didn't want to risk landing the tree into a nearby maple. This was the first time I have had a problem with sawdust bogging down the saw, although I usually use the 394XP(may it rust in peace).


Dave

[macpower]

I think it was Robert Ruark, (1915-1965) "Use Enough Gun: On Hunting Big Game " published 1966
If you like reading Capstick, you will like Ruark.

[Giel]

nice pics! I am bit surprised though. Boring the hinge definately makes a lot of sense in situations like the one described, but what amazes me is that generally few people on the FF seem to use sapwood cuts (correct me if I am wrong). I was taught this technique while doing the basic chainsaw course years ago. What they told me was that the difference in structure and strength of sap- and corewood creates tension when the tree hinges down. This tension is one the possible causes of splitting and so-called widowmakers. I always had to cut the sapwood on the sides of the hinge prior to starting the backcut.

Have used this technique ever since and in about 12 years of felling and tree climbing, had just one widowmaker, but that was a hollow ash without any corewood left.

In a small saw and big leaning tree scenario shown here I think if one makes sapwood cuts and starts the backcut by plunging the saw behind the hinge wood (from both sides if the blade is too short) and subsequently cutting towards the backside of the tree should bring it down safely without splitting.

So who uses sapwoodcuts?

Giel

[Dave Shepard]

macpower, that makes sense, Capstick has written much about Rourk in his books. As you can see from the title, I wasn't sure who to credit, but I knew I read it in a Capstick book. In the book I just started Capstick mentions someone who was killed when he shot an elephant with "what was definately not enough gun". He was a great writer, no matter what he was writing about. It saddens me to think of how much more we could have gotten from him had he not died so young.

Giel, you can't quite see it in that pic, but the sapwood has been cut. I was taught this by one of the tree companies I worked for. I have since come to the conclusion that I should have carried the plunge cut much closer to the back of the back cut. Cutting the sapwood seems to be common around here, at least with the more professional companies.


Dave