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Are Ratcheting Tie Down Straps Safe To Prevent Barber Chair?

Started by modussn, September 28, 2017, 03:31:34 PM

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modussn

Hello,

I do all my logging by hand. I use various hand saws for felling,

and bucking. I am dealing mostly with Oak and Maple trees. They

range from 4 inches to about 36 inches. By far the vast majority

of them are 12-16 inches. The trees average 40-75 feet. Most are

closer to 60 feet.

I am starting to come across trees that are leaning. Since I'm

not using a chainsaw I cannot make plunge cuts to prevent a

barber chair.

I saw that some people bind the trunks of leaning trees with a

chain above the cut to prevent splitting.

I was wondering if I could do the same but use some ratcheting

tie down straps instead?

I have some that are 2 inch 3,300 lb working load, 10,000lb break

strength.

Do you think 1 or 2 of these cinched down tight would work.


Thank you for your time and effort.

Cheers!

Bert

Even if it does hold, Id think your going to seriously pull some shoots out of the butt. I wouldnt do it. Not only are you risking the barberchair but also risking an exploding ratchet strap.
Saw you tomorrow!

longtime lurker

Doing things manually is nice but way back when that was the standard way of doing things... they left the leaners behind as too dangerous, or they put a front in them then dropped other trees onto them until they broke off, or they blew them over with dynamite.

Sooooo... ratcheting tie downs might work but you are betting your life on those straps. My advice is to either do like the old timers did and leave the leaners alone or invest in a chainsaw. It just aint worth being dead over. But if you really got to do it well a couple of the heavy tiedowns is probably as good as chain and maybe even better.
The quickest way to make a million dollars with a sawmill is to start with two million.

thecfarm

We never cut many oak,but we cut alot of maple.He always cut the notch,than cut on each side of the tree a few inches, a 4 inch tree would be hard,but a tree 18 inches across he would cut 2-3 inches on each side. Than he would do the back cut.He wanted to get into the wood,cut through the bark.  I never saw a barber chair with my Father. We only cut for our firewood.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

coxy

I wouldn't use a strap those things hurt like hell when they brake and hit you  I watched my dad years ago use a 20ft 5/16 chain he just keep wrapping around the tree till he came to the ends and hooked them together    welcome to the FF

treeslayer2003

no. don't do that. if you must use a hand saw, study methods of dealing with leaners using a hand saw, i am sure there must be some. or leave it.

mike_belben

Better than nothin.  Just dont stand behind that donkey, hopefully you wont get kicked.
Praise The Lord

Ianab

Might be OK for smaller trees. Forces involved go up as the trees get bigger with more weight up top.

If you are going to do it, wrap the strap around several times. This multiplies the binding strength.
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

Riwaka

The larger ones usually have the most potential for problems. Tap (with the back of an axe etc) the area of the base of the tree and a general visual inspection can; sometimes help you tell if the core of the tree is rotten.
Two person handsaw (plus saw lube) is preferable to a one person saw, third person to watch what is happening. Mechanical felling wedges  & explosives  cut_tree might be helpful.
Just a single wrap of a strap on this tree. Tied mostly above or below head working height.  Really rotten trees can collapse on themselves.
https://youtu.be/VGu75q8wNAE


PA_Walnut

I own my own small piece of the world on an 8 acre plot on the side of a mountain with walnut, hickory, ash and spruce.
LT40HD Wide 35HP Diesel
Peterson Dedicated Wide Slabber
Kubota M62 Tractor/Backhoe
WoodMizer KD250 Kiln
Northland 800 Kiln

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