visual indication of a barberchair possibility

Lorenzo · January 26, 2015, 05:34:32 PM

What makes it apparent when you walk up to a tree and your first thought is

" This might barberchair on me"

What are you seeing?

Just wondering if there are tattle tail signs.

clww · January 26, 2015, 05:40:32 PM

Each one is different, so very hard to give a general "one-size-fits-all" response. I will say the ones that worry me most are a very pronounced lean, and a tree that is hollow on the side I want it to fall towards.

beenthere · January 26, 2015, 08:13:04 PM

QuoteWhat makes it apparent when you walk up to a tree and your first thought is

" This might barberchair on me"

What are you seeing?

Has a lot of lean to it.. I'd say is #1.

Then seams up the trunk (stem) show weakness. But mostly is lean. IMO

Southside · January 26, 2015, 08:31:18 PM

Lean or rot is a big sign as the tree begins to fall before you have set the hinge. Bore cutting behind a small notch helps to give you a better chance for success. Species can also be an indicator, around here a leaning ash is a very high candidate to chair.

WDH · January 26, 2015, 08:45:35 PM

A lot of lean + a thick hinge = barber chair. It is both the way the tree has grown and also how you cut it from my experience.

Magicman · January 26, 2015, 09:54:59 PM

A leaning Black Locust is a prime candidate.

WV Sawmiller · January 27, 2015, 10:45:11 PM

I did not even know they had Black Locust in Mississippi. We have them here and great for fence posts and barn poles but they will splinter on you. My son and I cut a medium red oak at his place a year or so ago. It has a little lean and we hooked a long cable to it and he pulled it with his tractor. Apparently he put too much tension on it and we did not know it had heart rot till it chaired off about 12', just missed me and punched a hole in his tractor shed roof. Indicators there were the lean and the dark wet area on the stump. Combined with the extra strain pulling it added to the risk.

WDH · January 28, 2015, 07:54:38 AM

I have a real nasty leaner to fell. A very old shortleaf pine. Walked away from it yesterday. Did not have that right feeling. The little voice said to walk away.

Lorenzo · January 29, 2015, 08:45:33 AM

Thanks guys, Those were all great response's and lots of good advice.
I will use them wisely.

BEEMERS · January 31, 2015, 10:43:13 PM

The leaners are the obvious ones.The ones that get you are the ones that you dont see.a straight up and down tree will barberchair if it has a top is heavy enough in the falling direction. they foo you ,you think its an easy one and it gets you.You have to study all the physics involved all the way up.
Ive cut straight trees with small notches,keeping the hinge to the outside of the wood,no top lean and no problem perfect falls then it got quite a bit colder and they all started to barber chair.A bigger notch took care of that.
Anything in question at all use a bore cut its the only barberchair stopper I know of.Ive had guys tell me about a chain and binder tight as you can get it just up the trunk from the cut....I wouldn't ..sounds like it might help...but I see other problems that could make it a recipe for disaster.
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