It seems like you overthink all this, Robert. Set your line, make the cut and pull it over.
Am I missing something?
It’s not an unexploded bomb. Just fell it.
Butch, Mick ----
Asked and answered ----- that
was my concern (seriously) that it might be like an
"unexploded bomb"
that's all I needed to know but I personally am benefiting by everyone's responses!
You cut it down already right? Good job!
Seriously, Put a rope in it, shallow face notch, borecut behind the hinge, cut toward the hinge until desired thickness acheived, cut back leaving a couple inches thick of rear holding strap, then pull out and make back cut just under lining up with bore cut, and it will pop and go.
I figure aiming your hinge line appropriately and pulling at the correct angle too would allow it to avoid smashing the log pile, not like it's too much concern.
I think I drew this up correctly
(picture removed for space) ---- yes exactly! -----
And if it falls 180 degrees backwards, you've got skill
...................
I didn't read your initial post. I wouldn't worry about cutting beyond the defect. It doesn't affect the sides of the hinge, and you might end up chasing it too far back.
Your concerns are justified, I prefer being on the concerned side just to be safe, but nothing will probably happen. Just be ready and careful as you make the cuts.
Thanks
Nutball!
Looks like a very old lightning strike. As Nutball said, the defect will not affect the hinge. Remember that the hings is the wood you DON'T cut, not the piece you cut out. The hinge is what bends and steers the tree. Since you are falling it with the lean there is very little chance of it going any other direction (unless you are very good or very bad). You have solid hinge wood on both sides. Whether or not it is hollow makes no difference in this case. The gap in the front has nothing to do with your hinge wood.
Can the people above who said to put a rope in it please explain to me what the purpose would be? What in the world would you do with a rope in that tree other than waste a bunch of time that you should have been running a saw?
Brian, thanks, sir. I really appreciate you taking the time to share your experienced advice with all the contextual reasoning!
For the practice. And maybe to help save the milled wood by pulling it aside.
Yes.... I currently have the luxury of not being a "production" worker ..... in this regard, time is on my side.
NOTE: that WAS a consideration ---- i.e.
missing the logs and woodpile ---- but it wouldn't be the end of the world if I did hit it ---- as long as nothing catapulted off in the wrong direction.
Hey old buddy - I recanted and said just throw it. It 'twernt me!!!
IMO if the notch is so far off as for the tree to hit the lumber, then I can't see how a rope would help. As soon as the tree starts to move the rope would go slack and it will follow the hinge (and gravity) anyway. What exactly are you going to do with the rope to steer the tree? Pull it off at a 90 degree angle and tie it off to another tree? Might as well use a rope to pull a log out of a dump truck.
Doesn't seem like good advice in this situation. Unless you want to play the "put a rope in every tree no matter what" game. That is just a case of replacing reason and critical thinking with blind obedience to a self imposed rule.
And before Butch goes off on me telling me that I'm being mean again, I'm simply trying to get some educational discussion going instead of just blindly following rules about putting a rope in every tree without knowing exactly what happens or why. Robert has little knowledge or experience and if we are going to get off on a tangent it might as well be one that may be useful to his understanding.
Brian, maybe I might put a rope in it and anchor it out
50 or 60* from the lay and aim just to the side of the wood targets in front..... enough tension in the rope to keep it from going into the woodpiles? ............ if nothing else it would be a safe learning experience........... or
is my physics off?
Face cut, back cut fast, nice and even. Limb. buck.
If you're not up to a fast backcut to an even hinge, then sure, bore-cut and backstrap release.
Its pine, not straight-grain, forest-grown/ crowded-grown hardwood prone to barber-chairing.
Sean, ha,
I've seen too many of those BC Training videos so that I am afraid of a
"fast backcut" ![Smile :) :)](/styles/default/xenforo/smilies/vbulletin/aaf_smile.gif)
... (if a smiley face is not in-appropriate here)...
.... but, thanks for validating my thinking on this.
It seems I have seen Pine as a species that is more than average to
barber chair (?) ..... not necessarily so?
So you have a tree that has a defect, and considerable side lean? Anything in the direction of the lay? If not, then why are you pulling it to the side? Please don't take this the wrong way, but have you ever done this before? If not, then are you doing this for hire or for someone? Once again targets that can be hit? Although this tree is run of the mill for many here, i think this may be out of your comfort zone at the moment.
Hey
Kyle, thanks a lot for commenting! ..... ha just about every tree I do is out of my comfort zone ...
heart always pumping ...
adrenaline always going.... that is my challenge to be able to think clearly and calmly in these moments, right? ....
... yeah this is my own tree and my own stuff.... so no need to worry about damaging anyone else's stuff this time.
you know, around The Treehouse here, I hate to talk with any kind of confidence... or "push back" with any advice....being a pipsqueek among giants.... but it is a fact that I have cut down leaners with the face-cut, bore-cut, release the backstrap ......... but this one, ha, because of its extreme head lean (probably the most/widest one I have ever attempted) -- and the defect --- I did wonder if it was like a
ticking time bomb, waiting to
explode as soon as my saw touched it. ----- ha, totally irrational -- but that's what I wanted to verify here.
As far as skill and confidence............ I feel like if I could cut down 100 trees in a day, starting with 6" in diameter and moving up to 2 or 3' I think I would have my cutting skills dialed in pretty good --- still paying careful attention to every cut --- always knowing exactly where the bar/chain is..........but I think I would maybe be at sort of a plateau with a general confidence ---- i.e. that I *know* I will execute all cuts *exactly* according to pre-determined plan..... as it is, there is some doubt.... but i have to offset that doubt with extra time and care.