Bike shop boss texted me today with this pic and a request for help. Wanted to get it down before it uprooted and blocked his driveway. First thing on my mind is barber chair. So I decided to plunge. While I got it down, I’d call it a learning experience. Not optimal. Tree fell directly the way it leaned. I tried to get it to go a bit to the right, to avoid a little split rail decorative thing they had w/ a name plaque. Pretty much hit it. Post was unharmed so not a total loss. As I was cutting that back wood, it came apart pretty quick. Holding wood a lot thinner than I’d prefer. I had lots of room to gtfo but it fell w/o drama. I always appreciate critique so feel free share my shortcomings. Cleared his driveway and called it a day. I’ll go back later to buck it all. More pics to follow. Nice clear sunset this evening on the way home. Really enjoying the longer daylight hours. Cheers fellow hoarders. Enjoy that evening beverage.
No critiquing here. Ive never tried that technique before. Its on the ground safely and your in one piece. You getting the wood? Nice sunset, just not fun driving into it.
Absolutely getting the wood. With such a small ring of sap wood, I’m trying to talk myself out of milling it. Sure wood make primo lumber.
There’s a bunch of stored energy in that tension wood. If you think about the tree as a lever, the taller the lever the greater the force is on the lever. The high and short canopy also increases the bending force. I have smashed sidewalks and fences. It’s why I started using a persuader whenever possible.
Good for you Jason. Yes, that would make some nice looking lumber. What would you use ir for? btw, are you planning on going to the GTG in PA in June?
This is my go to for hard leaners. Have learned to really get to it when cutting the trigger or they will pull off like that one did. I'd say your holding wood failed you on directional. Had that happen to me plenty of times. I'm always questioning how much to leave for the trigger. Obviously want to leave as little as possible, but holding the tree is a lot to ask of it sometimes. I'd have left as much as you did or maybe even a little more considering how heavy the lean was. Can't tell from the pics...did you come in on same plane as your bore cut to release or step up slightly? I usually do step up the trigger cut a smudge from the bore plane. I have no science for it, that was just how the guy in the video I watched many years ago did it.
No ideas on its use and I already have slabs galore around here. Hoarding tendencies I guess. I do hope to be at the GTG.
As I was cutting back to leave trigger wood, it started crackling and the bar started getting pinched. Then I definitely should have “pulled” the trigger faster. Yes, same plane to release. I’ve seen people come down at an angle though. I’ll keep that in mind for the next time. One question I do have, is it standard practice to bore in then cut toward the notch to set hinge width? Which I didn’t do and feel I should have.
That's the way I've been doing them. Give myself a little wiggle room (if tree diam is large enough) and work towards the hinge and set. Then start the backcut and take it as far as I have the courage to. Then come in from the back. I have done an angle before, but horizontal is how I see it done most. Again, no idea if moving up just a smudge really does anything to help or not, but it has seemed to do ok for me. I have had them completely let go before while cutting back to set the trigger and that's not cool really. lol None have barbered on me so far but one did tear off a big splinter from the stump. The saws and myself have come out unscathed but it's always a bad time (I mean who doesn't enjoy those split seconds of panic?) when a fall doesn't go according to plan.
I would say yes. Put your face cut on, and get the front of the hinge right, ie clean it up so it's a nice union (not compromised with the two cuts not making a good 'joint'). Bore, and work the bar towards the hinge to 'set it'. Depending on the size of the tree, should still have lots of wood in the back, behind the cut where you bored in. Again this depends on the size of tree, and assuming it's a solid tree. Then I start working back , usually from still inside, to set my holding wood, or 'trigger'. The trigger set work sometimes requires cutting from the outside, depending on wood, size and if I'm using any wedges. As with the hinge, the size of the trigger is based on tree size, whether it's good wood vs compromised wood, lean, wanted direction of fall etc etc.... And sometimes even if you do everything right, your trigger is gonna bust before you totally release it.... Just my exp...
Thanks for the feedback. My bore was too close in this instance to allow me to make the hinge as wide as I preferred. When the tip came through, I was .
Another thing I have had to do, especially if cutting a dead tree where the outer wood is gone punky, or is questionable.... The trigger in the back doesn't have to be a 'half moon' shaped piece of the tree. I have often had to set the trigger being more of a rectangle going into more meat, so that it's got more solid wood to it. But if you're doing this, you need to have that plan from the get go, or fairly soon into making your trigger so that you don't cut towards the back too much. Then you can take the sides, or wings, off, setting up your trigger. But be careful working around the back, esp with lean like that, in case it goes...sometimes the butt can shoot backwards. Not sure if any of the above makes sense... If not, maybe I can draw a pic later, getting ready to go light a fire....
It does, I can picture what you mean perfectly. Probably won’t need to do it often but it’s good to know when the need arises. Thanks. This one was a live (apparently) healthy tree so the sapwood wasn’t decaying.
I cut with a guy that's a foreman for a powerline trimming crew. We did a couple cuts with a trigger and he was pretty adamant about cutting the trigger several inches if not a foot below the backcut. His reasoning was that it would then peel slowly rather than pop like a gun. The distance below the backcut was determined by how much lean and weight you were trying to control.
I don’t fell trees often so for me I cut like I normally would with one extra step. I will tighten a large rachet strap about a foot above the cut. I have seen the tree attempt to split/barber chair and it just can’t because it cinched down so tightly. If I had to fell trees all the time and time was a factor I’d probably learn other techniques.
I’ve only done a few leaning plunge cuts so let me ask. What’s the point of the trigger. I find it easier to plunge, set the holding wood, then just cut to the back until it goes over. Only benefit of removing the saw and cutting the trigger is you could back further away from the tree.
