Kevin, Chet, I need your advice again

OneWithWood · February 27, 2008, 09:15:26 PM

Sharp eyes there Kevin. That spring pole will put some force on the stem that may push it back and twist it at the same time. I will definately take a closer look at that. Could put a new wrinkle into the whole thing.

Mooseherder · February 27, 2008, 09:57:20 PM

OWW, One of them nice fellars should come over and cut that for you for your Birthday. ;D
Happy Birthday!

Kevin · February 27, 2008, 10:41:45 PM

That's why the back is arched.
It only has one leader caught on that spring pole but the tip weight is still too much for it causing the bottom bind so it will have to be notched from the bottom and tripped from the top.

You might consider getting a rope on that loose leader and take some weight off the tree by raising the tip.
Use a couple 10k lb. straps both sides of the cut.

Nice pictures by the way.

Tom · February 28, 2008, 04:44:18 PM

That youtube video is a classic that I watched again when I posted it. Funny that it's not available anymore.

It's about a fellow that breaks for a beer regulary and calls himself a "tree man". This video is of him removing storm damage and he has climbed up a leaning pine that is caught in the top of a cabbage palm. His narcolepsy has him falling asleep with a chainsaw running and him straddling the tree with no belt, safety rope, spurs or any manner of tree climbing equipment. He proceeds to drop the top of the pine on a building next door, the log on a car, another tree on the house next door, etc. A professional crew shows up in the end. They apparently new him and were joking with him about "missed it that much". It's a wonder the guy is alive.

Go to youtube and look for "james, the narcoleptic tree cutter" Maybe you can find one that works. I found one and post it here again only to have to disappear as the first one did. It's like they make them go away as fast as I find them. Maybe they don't know they have them. :D

Jeff · February 28, 2008, 09:18:59 PM

VIDEO FIXED

Furby · February 29, 2008, 01:11:20 AM

???
It's gone totally and Reddog's video don't work either.

Reddog · February 29, 2008, 12:14:46 PM

the link I posted worked fine for me just now.

Tom · February 29, 2008, 03:52:29 PM

The tree cutter video had a scene in the trailer that we determined to be unsuitable for the forum and removed the link. Youtube probaby still has it, but we won't be putting it on here.

LeeB · February 29, 2008, 05:05:26 PM

It didn't offend me but I can see where some might find it a little over the edge. :D

Reddog · February 29, 2008, 05:39:24 PM

Quote from: beenthere on February 27, 2008, 05:58:32 PM

I've been doing more of the plunge cut for bucking lately, to avoid pinching the bar in the cut. Saves sticking a wedge in the cut at the top to keep the kerf open.

Alot of cutting bound up timber, is feeling the saw bar in the cut. No dogging in and cutting. You keep the bar moving back and forth to feel it start to bind. Then change your cut to release pressure.

And you carry a second saw to cut out your stuck one. ;) ;D

Plunge cutting is not the fix all. But it has it place.

Kevin · March 06, 2008, 09:15:19 AM

Along with notching the bottom and cutting wood off the far and near side, boring would also benefit this tree.
The important thing with all tension wood is to remove any tension wood last and leave as little holding wood possible.

routestep · March 06, 2008, 10:05:59 PM

That was an interesting video.

For that tree, I would try to trim the two branches first above the fork to releave some pressure. Then I would cut up from the bottom a slight angle leaning toward the top of the tree. The stump should lift up as the root ball falls back on its roots and the trunk should fall down into the ground.

Kevin · March 07, 2008, 07:27:13 AM

How would you trim the two branches?

beenthere · March 07, 2008, 11:20:09 AM

Thought a lot about this thread the last few days, when knocking down large, knarly willow trees that were growing out of huge stumps and long horizontal limbs with plenty of tension and stress. Most with diameters of 18-25", and no decent room to stand to make the undercuts and backcuts. Willow is tough. The trees are down now, and bucked up for clean-up. A couple pics (and yes, the guy is sawing!!)

Kevin · March 07, 2008, 12:18:22 PM

Quoteand yes, the guy is sawing

:D I don't think that would hold up in court.

I don't care for working in willows too much.

chet · March 07, 2008, 12:42:26 PM

Wooda never guessed dat..... ;D Looks like Kevin when he's writin' his name in da snow :D :D :D

beenthere · March 07, 2008, 04:04:36 PM

Quote from: Kevin on March 07, 2008, 12:18:22 PM
.................
:D I don't think that would hold up in court.

.........

For the ~~court~~ record, that is my saw on the ground...not his. ;D ;D

I've never had such a fight keeping the bar from getting caught as I did with knocking these willows down and brushing out the tops. Just a half-inch sliver of wood hangs on as the limb rolls, and grabs at the bar.

But I sure made good use of information from this forum, and plunge cutting, and wedging to get these buggers down. And a lot of good luck too.

Kevin · March 07, 2008, 04:48:53 PM

I know what that's like, you can hardly get an undercut in a limb without it pinching the bar.
Very little strength in the wood.

routestep · March 08, 2008, 12:58:29 PM

He would need a bucket to reach those branches, it looks pretty high up. If he can't get one in to the tree then he would has to guess if the tree will fall up or down if the root ball is cut. From the picture I think the trunk will still fall down and the rootball try to settle back in its hole. The trunk's weight looks greater than the branches weight and moment. If he cuts from the top side, I think he should slant from the branches to the root ball. Slant from roots to top if starting on the bottom side. Trunk falls down, root ball goes up or stays still. Disclamer: I have gotten my saw pinched more than a few occassions and had to use equipment to free it. One time I finished a cut with a large hand cross cut just in case it got pinched, leaving my chainsaw available.

Coon · March 08, 2008, 08:50:08 PM

Personally I have never had much to do with this kind of situation but..... I did see my grandfather, who logged and cut firewood every winter throughout his life, cut one one time. I phoned him earlier this afternoon and he reminded of what he did. He even remembered the particular tree he cut when I was watching him.

What he did was a plunge cut from each side on an angle pointed towards the stump. He plunged from the middle and worked his way down on both sides. Next he cut half of the way through each side from the top down at the same angle as the plung cut. From there he would cut a little more in one cut then the other and watch to see which direction the stump wanted to go. Once the tree started to move a little he then quit cutting and hooked on a loooong tow rope just above the cuts. From there he used the tractor on the far end of the rope. He put a little tension on the rope and would give it a few good hard nudges. If it didn't want to break free he then pulled from the other side. He says if you do this from both sides and it still doesn't break free then give the rope a half a dozen wraps around the tree before you hook it to the tractor.

Seems way too dangerous for me to even try this but this is what he says to do. My grandfather is 84 years old and never quit in the bush until 6 years ago and he still has all of his body parts. ???