I just thought I knew how to cut a tree down

Sorry no pictures but I was unloading a load of wood one day and the neighbor come by and was talking to me and ask If I would be interested in taking some locus amd wild cherrys down for him and I said OH YEA. We went to look at them and there was about 15 and most of them was no brainers / easy to cut well the tough ones could have wiped out houses cars buildings ect. I knew hokie94 was good with a saw so I give him a call and the show was on. I watched him cut the first tree and it was like trying to understand somebody from another country. I had never seen nothing like it before. He would cut his notch (so perfect) it looked like it was cot with a skill saw and then about 2 inches behind the end of the wedge he put the tip of his bar through the tree and cut back out of the tree towards the way we did not want it to fall. After that he would just stand back like nothing was going on and tell me something to do to make the tree fall I mean these things he was having me do was like a 1/4 of a second. On one Ijust touched my saw to it and another a wedge hit twice ect ect and they were falling on a dime. Hope this didnt bore yall but it blew my mind. I ask him a tree don't fall until you want it to. He give me a umble no. I got to get video of this on here.

 

This thread is useless without videos
Just joking but I would have liked to seen that! My wifes uncle is the same way felled trees for years and some of the stuff I have seen him dumbfounded me that it you could have dropped the tree with a pin when he was done! Always impressive to watch! He was the one who taught me how to bore cut and it is something that I use frequently now.

 

Similar to this?

 

Pat here is slick.

 

Hey Griz, I learned a long time ago, when it comes to felling trees, that when you start thinking that you're "good" is when you get in trouble. The fact is cutting trees is dangerous work and there is a lot of bad information out there and a lot of bad habits. (Just look at utube). There's good information out there too, and people who do know what they're doing. Its not too hard to figure out which is which. One of the best things we can do is spend time with someone who knows what they're doing. Hokie94 is one of those guys.
Keep in mind that every tree is different, and should be treated accordingly. There are nearly as many different techniques out there as there are trees. The more I learn, the more I realize how much more there is to learn.
Do what you are comfortable with. There is no shame in walking away from a potentially dangerous situation. Smart move recognizing that and asking for help on this job.
Good post. Safe cutting.

 

That Pat Lacey vid shows his skills with a saw, that's for sure. It also shows that even the pros check and re-check everything when making a back cut. His saw (which I believe is a ported/messed with 660 w/ muffler work) sounds great chugging through that softwood...great vid!

 

Yea but hokie94 was even smother than that.

 

That guy has some saw skills.

 

Be like this guy


Not like this guy

 

That video wasn't a great example. I'm sure hokie was smoother.

 

Thank you buddy it was a good call to get him and a great experience. He cut timber for 8 years and been with the forestery dept for 18. He is a enginer there.

 

Here's a member on here.

 

Yea he is as good as the springboard cutter there, Good video

 

Easy big guy I am by no means an expert timber feller. I have been served a big helping of humble pie on several occasions. Just when you think you know what your doing you get bit in the butt.

 

Just to set the record straight I work for the forestry dept. And have been there 16 years. Don't hold that against me I know how some feel about government foresters. Before that I was a procurement forester, log buyer for a couple different mills. I have cut thousands of trees over the years and have nearly been squashed like a bug on several occasions.
I have never been an everyday timber cutter and never will be those guys are a heck of a lot tougher than me!

 

Watch this video for some seriously awesome falling. The one at 2:40 scared the hell out of me.