Barber chairing- stay on the stump?!

[SeanKroll]

Wedges are easy to retrieve from the stump, rather than getting a rope out from under a tree, especially if one can leave the tree lay where it falls.

OTOH, being very solid on skills with a throwbag/ line launcher pays the bills, too, especially with a non-isolated base tie.

 

[Burnham]

Talking tall. Did you ever meet you match?

Sure. But not often enough to make me decide wedges was more work than pull lines as a general thing.

Sometimes it was a real battle, though I can recall only one time I absolutely couldn't get a tree to commit with wedges when I thought I'd be able to. I put in a jack to solve that one.

 

[greengreer]

Each have their place for sure. I feel like wedging skills are not as much of a thing in the east coast. Most timber cutters I've seen here may have one or two wedges and a mini sledge. Most of the time that stays in the skidder.

I learned pulling first but wedging can be so much more efficient, especially in the woods where a rope can become a nightmare to get back.

When the stakes are high having a pull line is certainly a confidence booster

 

[stikine]

Wedging is grunt work for sure but so important to learn and use. We have a whole module on wedging in the new training curriculum we are finalizing. Good stuff.

 

[friedrich]

feels like its not one vs. the other but rather to use all the tools to their fullest potential. beeing able to set up a pull line is a beautiful thing and so is beeing able to use wedges.
seems to me that beating on wedges can be very exausting with the wrong tecnique/tree

 

[SeanKroll]

And with too thick of a hinge, definitely exhausting.

A jack is a good complement to wedges, sometimes.

 

[greengreer]

I'd like to work with a jack sometime. It seems like being able to read that gauge would really help you dial in hinge wood and whether or not you "got it".

That being said, another plus for wedging, feeling out the progress as you drive them.

 

[stig]

Sure. But not often enough to make me decide wedges was more work than pull lines as a general thing.

Sometimes it was a real battle, though I can recall only one time I absolutely couldn't get a tree to commit with wedges when I thought I'd be able to. I put in a jack to solve that one.

One thing that has changed about that is that "back in the day" when you screwed up and ended up unable to wedge a tree over, you were truly screwed.
Today, grab the bigshot and set a dyneema rope and pull it over.
Easy as can be.

Some 25 years ago I had 2 fallers ask me if I would climb up and set a winch line in a tree, they couldn't get to commit.

It was already cut and standing on wedges.

Guess what my answer was!

 

[WoodCutr]

One thing that has changed about that is that "back in the day" when you screwed up and ended up unable to wedge a tree over, you were truly screwed.
Today, grab the bigshot and set a dyneema rope and pull it over.
Easy as can be.

Some 25 years ago I had 2 fallers ask me if I would climb up and set a winch line in a tree, they couldn't get to commit.

It was already cut and standing on wedges.

Guess what my answer was!

speaking of dyneema, dynaglide is under rated for pulling trees!
I got mine tangled in a hackberry that I wanted to set a line in, couldnt get it by hand so I hooked the skidsteer to it, pulled the skidsteer over instead, eventually broke in a knot that was in it (overhand, first time using throwline cube and wasnt perfect)


MBS is like 1K on it, mine had a knot in it and still broke way over that 1K, for such a tiny strand its amazing, dyneema is great stuff

 

[WoodCutr]

man I have a history of ropes tied to trees that my equipment could barely budge lol
only ever snapped 2 ropes, that throwline and my already very short due to "new" groundie stablebraid
atleast I got a groundie now for weekend jobs that runs his own stump business and has half a care to give towards my equipment

 

[SeanKroll]

I'd like to work with a jack sometime. It seems like being able to read that gauge would really help you dial in hinge wood and whether or not you "got it".

That being said, another plus for wedging, feeling out the progress as you drive them.

I have a 20t bottle jack on the truck. On a calm day, it's a help, on rare occasions. Pumping a lever is easier than beating wedges with aging joints.

Keep the wedges tight.



I consider a real tree jack, but rarely have use... money better spent on other things.

 

[greengreer]

I consider a real tree jack, but rarely have use... money better spent on other things

I hear that, they're not cheap by any means.

I've though about welding a ring or cup onto a piece of plate and trying out the bottle jack. I've got a decent sized one riding around in the truck.

 

[gf beranek]

Given good standing timber, of fine tall forest form, and steep slopes to graze, a west coast timber faller could never perform their exquisite skills as efficiently or safely without the wedge. Laying timber in lead on the slopes of a mountain like a volcanic blast laid it out. All with just a tap or slam of a wedge. Listen... the beat of wedges echo through the canyons of the Pacific northwest.

Never a logger paid enough for my skills to use a jack. Never.

 

[flushcut]

I hear that, they're not cheap by any means.

I've though about welding a ring or cup onto a piece of plate and trying out the bottle jack. I've got a decent sized one riding around in the truck.

I welded a ring on some 4”x4”x1/4” plate for my 20 ton stubby, but it really should be 3/8” plate or thicker. And I put a grid of weld blobs/tacks on top for grip. Very low use tool but nice to have.

 

[Tree09]

Take a chunk of pipe that just fits over your adjustable screw pad and cut it really short, like 1/4 to 1/2 inch long, and then weld that in the middle of your plate. Now it can't slide off because the pipe will keep it centered. I use one with a couple grab hooks welded on and a chain to compress pipe repads and stuff, pretty handy trick.

 

[flushcut]

I used some small angle iron pieces because I didn’t have any pipe the fit the top of the jack.

 

[SeanKroll]

Take a chunk of pipe that just fits over your adjustable screw pad and cut it really short, like 1/4 to 1/2 inch long, and then weld that in the middle of your plate. Now it can't slide off because the pipe will keep it centered. I use one with a couple grab hooks welded on and a chain to compress pipe repads and stuff, pretty handy trick.

Needs a picture.

When I've used my bottle jack a few times, the compression of the wood formed an impression/ socket for the screw-cap to fit into. Tree jacks have a cool ability to have the plates swivel that are on the ends of the rams.

 

[Tree09]

How about a drawing......

 

[CurSedVoyce]

I really need to get you that set of crayons we talked about. Just have to promise not to eat them bud.

 

[Tree09]

Yeah i can't promise that...

 

[Burnham]

I just have a smallish square piece, about 5"x5", of diamond plate steel, 1/4 inch stock. Has a small hole in it I can tie to for keeping it with the jack as the tree goes. It works, but is surely ghetto. 20 ton jack.

 

[WoodCutr]

It works, but is surely ghetto

I might have to steal this line if you dont mind

there is a possibility this could maybe apply to everything I own

 

[flushcut]

Ghetto fabulous!

 

[sotc]

Many a tree I've set a pull rope, jacked and wedged to limp up and over little pull, little beating little jacking. Lather rinse repeat. I really hate when wedges just tell you NO, I'M NOT GOING ANY FURTHER!

 

[WoodCutr]

Many a tree I've set a pull rope, jacked and wedged to limp up and over little pull, little beating little jacking. Lather rinse repeat. I really hate when wedges just tell you NO, I'M NOT GOING ANY FURTHER!

when the axe starts bouncing off them with a bang instead of a thud, you already knew to put a rope in, tis why I try to put a rope in most trees unless its forward leaning
I dont have enough ass to bang wedges all day