Barber chair

Yeah Butch, The vandals cut 75 ash trees over the viewing platform for a stunning waterfall. That section of bush had to closed off for safety until the damaged trees were removed.

The interesting part was to decide where to start. On a still day the whole area was creaking and groaning from the split standing trees.

It was like a game of chess!:\:

Graeme McMahon
 
It took 2 months to complete the task and rates for me as some of the most interesting problems to solve.

I have a water tight alibi for the night it was done.:/:

In regard to the thread, we had a section of forest that all had "barber's chair". Having to climb and remove these trees in the steep terain meant we had to understand and control the damage prior to climbing.

Graeme McMahon
 
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The tree damage and hazards to people, I could see bringing back the medieval penalty of stoning a person to death for doing that.
 
Same thing happened during the 1970s National Park expansion in Humboldt county.

In that case it was a political statement. The vandals ringed trees in several areas of the parks. Which had to be closed for months before all the trees were removed.

Pretty ballsy to go sawing on a tree in the dark like that.
 
Thank you for the diagram which showed failure of the inner fibers .I had no idea this is where the actual barber chair was started . I always just took for granted a chair was possible just never investigated why .
 
Graeme McMahon said:
Final picture shows a DIY attempt where 'faller' was very lucky. The cut end of the trunk landed about 8' behind the stump. On Mountain ash timber, that could've been 60'.
Click to expand...

That picture reminds me of the most "famous" barberchair around here:
During WW2 a parachute with a container of weapons sent from the US for the resistance landed in an oak tree in the forest, in the middle of the night. In order to get the stuff down, the partisans, some of which were loggers, who worked in the forest, had to cut the tree down, before the Germans got there. They started an undercut by axe, but the sound carried too far, so they decided to just cut the tree.
It barberchaired horribly, but since they were pro's and expected it, no one were hurt. The containers was saved, and everybody got away.But they had to leave the parachute for the germans to find.
The next day the Germans blew the house of the head forester up in retaliation.
The stump is still there, barberchair and all, with a brass plaque telling the story.
I'll see if I can take a picture tomorrow and post it.
 
Nice drawing, thanx. i believe it's been discussed about the center fibers being older, deader, stiffer; so face plunging would eliminate these from the hinge and make the load carry on the more outer, younger, flexible fibers. But, then docShigo didn't agree that the fibers would be stiffer in center(?). Also, not facing very deeply, could place hinge fibers before center(stiffer) core too, or in tandem with face plunge. This shallow facing also would then take away some of the head lean angle.

i'm still of the school that dutching face full across can also give barber chair operating on the equal and opposite side of the hinge. Such a simple, base machine (hinge); that at these large loadings every detail potentially making a large difference.

i like wide cargo straps for light bindings(especially hauling up in tree); easier to get out from under fall (but well set perpendicular to lay logs can spread out force and bridge load up off chain, rope, web; as well as help keep saw out of dirt bucking trunk). Not as tough as chain; but cheaper and lighter.

i
 
When falling split prone trees like the E. regnans, they are temperamental trees normaly. With a large heavy leaner we "sissor cut" the wood behind the proposed hinge (from either side) before "back releasing" the tree. That prevents the "BC", but in turn loads up the back of the tree to the point the stump can split and go with the roots. Most times the remaining strap can be cut and it parts with violent aggression.

This is a much safer option than creating "BC" and looks after the log. You do not stand behind the tree when its loaded up.:\:

I will see if Angus has the time to post (in the video section?) a 10 second short of a tree pulling up a root as it departs. We have just finished falling some mature rotten "tubs of manure" that behaved as described.

Graeme McMahon
 
Here's a tree that I would guess could be called a 'tub of manure' graeme (not my video)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tp8-3PA9au4
Click to expand...
Loving it! that video probably shows it a bit better anyhow

I think this is the video Graeme was talking about...
I shot it a few weeks ago in Tarabolga national park, it was one of two heavy leaners.

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1tQCrsuzvcg&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1tQCrsuzvcg&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
 
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