I have a problem tree and would like a little advice from the experts.
I was cutting a big Hickory that I thought looked pretty simple so I made my notch in the direction I wanted it to fall and went around back to make my back cut. I had just started cutting and I heard a large crack and the tree started leaning a little. It scared me enough to just let it stand for a few days to see if the wind might take it down, no such luck.
My question is, what do you think about wrapping a log chain around the tree to stop it from splitting, then continue the back cut?
Are you familiar with bore cutting? If the tree has a heavy lean or big limbs on a side, a bore cut is the safest way probably.
Make your notch (humbolt or conventional makes no difference) then plunge your saw through the middle of the tree on the same plain as your notch. Cutting towards the back of your notch, set the proper amount of hinge wood. Then cut out the back of the tree, inserting wedges before completing this cut if necessary.
Is the tree hollow? This would effect the amount of hingwood you leave.
How bout a picture or two of the situation?
At this point, can't comment much until seeing a picture.
But being that the hinge notch is out, and some backcut already made, is the tree tending to fall in the direction planned or the opposite direction?
If there is no problem which way the tree might fall, then the next step will be easier to recommend.
chain and a binder would serve you well, bind it down tight, and place the binder opposite the side you will be cutting on, make sure the ends of the chain are out of the way... dull saws suck...
before you even put the wrapper on make sure you have 2 or more escape routes, real nice ones that could someday be freeways.
Since you are allready in your back cut, boring would be unwise... IMO.
but you might be able to pull off a coos bay, but its hard to explain without piktures...
Use a sharp fast cutting and powerful saw, pound your way through that back cut, and don't be looking around the other side to see whats shake'n, cut at full reach of the bar and your arms, that way you got a bit of a head start when it starts to go, and if it does chair on ya your more or less out of the way, stick a wedge in her for safe keeping in case it sits back on ya, you can allways pound wedges once you have your holding wood established.
good luck, look up, and run like Hel
My nick name used to be blow down, i've fell many thousands of these kinds of trees.
I've always used whats called a box cut on a bad leaner, never had on barber chair using this cut.
I would like to tell you what to do, but with out a picture its pretty hard to give you real good advice.
Don't cut this down on till you have your game plan together !!!!!
Make sure to let everybody know that it has been precut, this can kill somebody.
I think you're right northman.
Hickory's are full of tension, I'd wrap it and bind then do a bore cut it's still the safest cut.If you have room as your cutting back put wedges in.Where you stoped your cut from the back could pinch your chain a little from expanded woodslivers.
I've had hickory split 5 mins after hitting the ground.
We used to climb big cherry and put two chains and binders just below the crotch and two binders 4 feet up on the but never had one break yet. When your cutting a tree that brings 5 to 8 dollars a foot it's worth the time.
cables, chains and come-a-longs sometimes are your best friends!
come-a-long is put at point far away from the tree. tie the chain as high as you can go in the tree comming down. sometimes I throw the chains and cables on and pretension before I even start, do a light face cut, then tighten the come a long as much as I can, then back cut some.. then tighten more when about half way through.. then cut . it will splinter and crack, but you know its going to come down with a heavy tension .
Tying oaks even at 16 in dia, at 12 feet up, you can make them move with a cheapy.
never leave a hanger!
lumber jack,probably a box cut is how I cut all of my trees. I never saw a barber chair until I started to haul brush for a house lot clearing job. The guy hollered RUN and I wondered what was going on. Than I stopped and looked back and saw it. Told my Dad about it and than he told me why. I never saw him have a problem.
tomkat
What happened with this tree?