180 Foot Tall by 48" DBH Ponderosa Dismantle

[BOTS]

On another note, there are occasions, when working a leaner like that where the fibers are really holding on, I will cut the hinge almost clean through once the piece has committed. That lessens the force pushing and throwing the tree about when it lets go easier. A leaner, as you know, holds a great deal of tension in the wood. Spring loaded in a way. No need to get paddle boarded...

Yep, thats what I do as well, a thin hinge is fine on a leaner, dont have to be perfect.... less rodeo ride fo sho!

 

[BOTS]

As a matter of fact, I wouldn't even have bothered with hinges in a leaner like that.
Just done the "magic cut" and let them fly.
Only reason I can see for hinges would be to slow the rotation if one was going to land them flat, like Stephen did.

I always do a face cut on taking longer sections and never just cut thru, pine can tear/peal down to your flip line and get ugly fast...like grey pine (digger pine)

Snap cuts on smaller pieces for more control if needed...

 

[woodworkingboy]

Wearing PPE is a learned skill, just like cuts and how to put brush in a truck to maximize the potential.....almost anything else with tree work. Some of you guys haven't learned yet to take breaks.

 

[Sgriff]

A very wise eskimo once said -"skill is no replacement for safety and safety is no replacement for skill"....

 

[cory]

Ha.....it was 105 yesterday and 103 when I chunk ed that spar down. .

That is insane. I have no idea how you could do that. I once worked here climbing in a humid 104* for about a half day, went home at noon, it was more than enough for me. You couldnt drink enough water to compensate for the sweating.

 

[woodworkingboy]

The way I do it is to think to myself that life won't always be hell, and think of the people in the house or hotel in air conditioned conditions, as wimps.

 

[cory]

Absolutely. But there also are limits.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

That is insane. I have no idea how you could do that. I once worked here climbing in a humid 104* for about a half day, went home at noon, it was more than enough for me. You couldnt drink enough water to compensate for the sweating.

Its a dry heat... well, except for the running creek humidity coming up the tree

Anyway, lots of water and gumption I guess. I hate to come down and chill, but I can and will if I have to. The Wraptor is huge. You get tired, hot, need down. Set a line, come on down. Easy ride going back up. Have done it. But I rather finish the deed and come down for the break once the hard work is done.
If I feel it is a safety issue for me or a crew member, we shut it down and live to cut hours later or next day.

 

[rico11764]

Sorry. I didn't mean to imply that i have only seen guys with PPE get hurt, because I've seen my share of guy with no PPE get hurt also. I hope you guy can over my lack of PPE. I just want to share work photo's with you guys, and tell each other how awesome we are! This is how I have been rollin for a long time, and I'm not gonna change. I will let my longevity speak for it self. There's no saving me gentlemen, so lets move on.

 

[cory]

 

[woodworkingboy]

Rico, people here are the live and let live types too, and you seem to understand why some folks make comment about not working with PPE. It's been pretty common here to put forth a cautionary about not working with the protection stuff if it's seen happening, but it doesn't much go beyond that, especially with a person such as yourself who has their own experiences to dictate their thinking, and apparently yours are many. Actually it's not seen very often among members regularly posting, working without the added gear. Your statement about "freaking out" is a little off the mark though. People here are generally busy enough with their own concerns to not go to such lengths, and getting into someone's face about anything isn't their style. it's one of the good things about this forum. Anyway, just to clarify and as you say, move on.

 

[SeanKroll]

I reckon you stay in the shade of the spar as much as reasonable for getting your take done. True?

I've been using an EZ up canopy on the ground. Worth the effort, Imo, if there is no shade.






Rico, you seem like a good new face in the TreeHouse. Good pics & discussion!

 

[Burnham]

Lean trumps shade, in my experience. Seldom do they coincide .

 

[CurSedVoyce]

True... Often lean right into it

 

[squisher]

Sorry. I didn't mean to imply that i have only seen guys with PPE get hurt, because I've seen my share of guy with no PPE get hurt also. I hope you guy can over my lack of PPE. I just want to share work photo's with you guys, and tell each other how awesome we are! This is how I have been rollin for a long time, and I'm not gonna change. I will let my longevity speak for it self. There's no saving me gentlemen, so lets move on.

Enough said.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Enough said.

I'm with him!

 

[stig]

I always do a face cut on taking longer sections and never just cut thru, pine can tear/peal down to your flip line and get ugly fast...like grey pine (digger pine)

Snap cuts on smaller pieces for more control if needed...

I wasn't talking about cutting through, Scott.
The "magic cut" incorporates a face cut.

 

[murphy4trees]

Again not attacking CursedVoyce, but look and the cut right after the 3rd chunk. He overshot the angled portion of his face-cut, essentially negating the hinge on that side. The back cut is way to low on the far side and the hinge is completely cut off on the far side. If that looks like a good cut to you, then you either don't know better or don't care. In my world you can't get away with cuts like that. Eventually something bad is going to happen. There is never a goof time for a bad cut.

The questionable cut can be seen at 3:04
Took another look at it and appreciate soemone pointing it out.. I missed it because I was so enamored with the logs landing flat at height ...
I'd guess fatigue was a factor... tip was definitely dropped a little causing the low back cut... it was ugly but inconsequential... Definitley worth a discussion. Those are the types of cuts I feel guilty about for just under 2 seconds... Sloppy cut .. unintentionally low back cut on the far side, wasn't paying close enough attention when I started the back cut... be more careful and watch the tip before hitting the gas, especially on a tight drop... all those thoughts take just under 2 seconds...


Now the thought.. "THANK GOD I WAS WEARING A HARD" lasts a life time when it just saved your life, which has only happened to me once so far...

 

[rico11764]

A very wise eskimo once said -"skill is no replacement for safety and safety is no replacement for skill"....

Somehow I missed this. Classic! I first went to a logging camp in Alaska when I was 15, and my room-mate for 2 seasons was an older eskimo/indian named Jake. A truly amazing logger and human being! One of the best mentors in my life, and the toughest/strongest man I have ever worked with. A true beast!

 

[cory]

Please elaborate, sounds like quite a character!

 

[stig]

No clairvoyance brother. Just decades of experience. I was brought up not to wear all that stuff so I can hear, see, and feel what I'm doing, and choose to work that way. I am a better treeman without it, and its been serving me well for a long time. I appreciate that some guys are freaked out about my lack of PPE. I have seen my fair share of guys get messed up wearing plenty of PPE, and know plenty of guys who choose not do wear PPE who are fine. Each to his own.

I don't recall " Freaking out".
Takes a lot more than a faller in a cloth cap to freak me out.
Post some pictures of yourself topping a spar buck naked and I might freak a bit.

( There was a Danish radio station that ran a thing where different companies could offer to do something and people could bid on it.
The money was then used for charity.
This Copenhagen based ( Read: Big city hipster arbos) company offered to do a job without wearing shirts, so the lil' wimmen could get a thrill out of admiring their sixpacks.
I almost bid on it, just for the fun of sending them up an ivy covered Black Locust.

Any way, We are clearly on different wavelengths, Rico.
Like you say: " Each to his own" so we'll just forget about it from here on.

Just so you know, I'm not exactly a newbie myself.
40 years of busheling should count for something, even if it wasn't in the PNW
Seen my share of folks messed up,too, PPE or not.
That pretty much goes with the job. Had a few close calls myself, the closest being a fractured spine.

 

[rico11764]

Jake was the hook-tender on the crew I was working with, and also a great climber and faller.. The ground we worked on was very choppy and broken up, so we usually needed lift in the backend. I already had some climbing experience, so Jake took me under his wing. For the better part of 2 season he had me climbing, topping and rigging big spruce and hemlocks for lift. He instilled in me to always strive to make perfect cuts, and taught me how to become truly comfortable at height ( Jake was a true zen-master). Next thing I knew I was wedging over 100 foot tops at well over 100 feet, and my skill level was growing rapidly. He was a humble, kick-ass logger who knew every trick in the book. At the same time he had a very calm nature which made his job-site extremely smooth, productive, and fun. I have been blessed to have 3-4 truly world class mentors in my life, and Jake is one of them!

 

[MasterBlaster]

The world needs more Jakes!

 

[squisher]

Cool story. I learned in the woods cable logging too, I could've used a guy like Jake around to teach me from the sounds of it.

 

[cory]

Jake is Da Man!!

Thanks for sharing that.