Wondering how successful you guys are at felling trees. I thought I was decent at this but I got going this year maybe a month ago and my felling is not so good, lol. Like today, it was a water oak about 18 inch DBH. Kindof a medium size oak. Routine cuts. I cut a good open face notch. Once I got deep into the back cut, the tree sat on my bar! I thought it would go down easy. After it sat, I assessed what happened and I think it was... the tree looked to be pretty much vertical, I didn't give it any lean. But after backing off a ways and looking at it I could see that the back side of the tree was heavier with limbs because that was an open yard on the neighbor. The felling direction side of the tree didn't have as many limbs because it is woods. And I could see a slight lean toward that heavily limbed side. So, looks like I should have recognized that from the getgo. (And know that it would sit on my bar.) I finally got it with wedges but I had to go get a metal splitting wedge to even get it into the back cut, a plastic one would not go in. I finally got it down with wedges and some more sawing once I got my saw out of the cut. I could not believe how hard that tree was to get to tip. Man, that is some strong wood; it was just staying there with only about a inch of hinge. This is just one example. I have felled several trees lately and a good percentage of them have not gone as planned. I get 'em done but I have gotten my saw stuck on these problem trees. (I have to carry two saws, lol.) I guess all of them were not such big trees that putting wedges in is routine. Meaning, if you have a big tree, you can make a pretty deep back cut and the tree is going nowhere and you can easily insert and whack on a wedge without cutting the wedge with your saw. If it's a smaller tree, you don't have as much room to hammer a wedge into so that you can continue your back cut. I thought I was better at this! Do you often have trouble or not so?
I have days where I can drop a tree within an inch of where I was planning and then other days you would think it was the first tree I've ever tried to drop. It seems like I have no in between lol
One thing that helped me many moons ago was that we made a contest out it. Partially drive a stake in the ground far out from the stump. Drive that stake into the ground with the falling tree and all was well. Miss and you would be buying the drinks. One rule we had was on wedges could be used. One learns fast. Of course it helped as we could learn from others. Wedges can be your friend sometimes but to this day I rarely use them except on the tough ones that have to be persuaded. It can take some practice but some seem to learn quick while it takes longer for others. Isn't that the way with most things? Just consider all the folks who to this day still struggle with what others consider simple math.
Not trying to toot my own horn but I have become pretty proficient at felling. Practice/experience is key and knowing the right technique. Shouldn't be getting the bar pinched if you are reading the tree right and using wedges where needed. The smaller stuff you have to either read the lean or rope it and get a pull.
Be careful when you “rope it”! With the reduced daylight hours in winter I have become fond of night felling, it’s way more exciting than felling in the light.
The hinge is super important, but there is a lot more to it. The species of tree, where the canopy load is, decay, notch depth, size of notch opening. Dead trees can have a mind of their own. It takes practice like sharpening a chain. Like others have said I have days when I impress myself and times I say what the f was I thinking. It’s best to have a safety backup rope if there is property, or other trees you don’t want to destroy.
Dennis, cool to know you don't use wedges. I didn't either until I watched a ton of videos and I noticed that some experts in Scandanavia were routinely using wedges, so, I started trying that. Say, I note in your sig that you list a 261 saw and a 180. That's all? You have a lot of wood, you do all that with a big saw being a 261? Seems I have seen pics of you with big rounds, just curious. I sometimes think "Heck with it, I am forgetting big trees and only process 20 inch and under!" But I hate to waste big oaks that fall on my woodlot, 30+ inch DBH.
Look at ReelFaster. He has a saw that used to be my only saw! A Stihl 290 with a 16" bar! Sure, I've had bigger saws but only when I was logging. I've ran a few big ones too to cut some huge trees. But I've owned smaller saws for many years now and had no problems. Most of what I cut are under 30-33" and it is no problem doing that with these saws. Yes, the bigger saws are faster, but not totally necessary. Keep a sharp chain and you can do a lot and a small saw is easier to handle too. btw, I think the biggest tree I ever cut up for firewood was around 37" and it was done with said 290 and 16" bar. Also after leaving logging I never owned more than one saw until just a few years ago when I got that little 180, for limbing just because it is light and I am getting a bit older. The 261 is a much better and bigger saw than the 290. It is also lighter. In addition, that saw was a surprise gift to me at one of our GTG's from a fantastic group of hoarders and good friends.
That's one of my down falls, I have a tendency to cut to deep so it wants to go back on me, I "oh just a little more " more then I should. But most times I can get it to go were I want.
I usually examine the tree's canopy and keep a small level in the truck to stand back and get a feel for where it's leaning and where the weight of the limbs will pull it. Then plan the type of cut and where I want to drop it. If there's any doubt, I put a bull rope on it and nudge it with the truck.
As with anything the more you do it the better you get at it. Common sense plays a big role as well. Where's it leaning, where do I want it, is the tree dead or alive, what type of tree am I felling, should I climb it and put a rope on it and have a friend or a bobcat help with the direction I want it? Again, the more you do it the better you get at it.
If the tree has a full canopy of leaves, keep a close eye on wind direction. Hard to drop a tree where you want with a sail working against you. If the wind direction is wrong I leave the tree for another day. I sometimes use wedges but not often.
I made that mistake once, I was clearing a acre for a guy to build a house, it was mostly popple, I only had a few trees left, I made my face cut and started in on my back cut, it just started to move, everything was looking good, going the way I planned and had a big gust of wind came up the river and cought the top of the tree and set it right back on the back cut and pinched my saw.
I've been dropping a lot of trees in the last couple years. As soon as I start feeling competent, I get reminded that is is indeed "hard." Thankfully, nothing bad has happened. I almost always use a rope and come-along to to help with steering, even if only for added insurance.
Funny you mention that. Today I tried to take down a standing dead red pine. long story short, it’s hung in a tree in the opposite direction I wanted it to go. Make sure you have cleared your exit paths is all I can say.
I am getting better and most of the ones I have cut lately have fell pretty much exactly where I aimed them at. But I always study them pretty hard before I cut, and I pretty much always hold my ax up like a plumb bob and sight up and down the ax handle to check lean from at least two different directions, at the same time identifying where the tree is heavy at. I have not tried to fall any trees over about 90 degrees from where they appeared to naturally want to go.
Dont fell too many trees. Last few i did were spars (a trunk with no limbs) Tough to fell as no top weight. No issues with pinching. I use wood wedges to keep from pinching and used metal wedges to get em to lean. I used the smaller saw to slowly nibble at the hinge til they went and not hit the metal wedge. All were over 20" at stump. One was in an awkward spot on the edge of an embankment. Tough to get positioned to cut. Pounded stell wedges in all the way and no go. Recut another notch from the front and inadvertently cut through the hinge. Over it goes sideways while i went the other. Landed on the saw and it still worked, but broke shortly there after. No problem where tree landed but lesson learned. Other than this recent incident rarely a problem cutting em down.
One thing I have started doing is cleaning away any limbs, brush, even rocks if I can at the base of the tree, to make sure I have a good escape path or two to get away from the tree when it starts to go, just in case, I mess up and read it a little too wrong.
