Felling with D. Douglas Dent

[T Collins]

I think skwerl said it best. " the safest place to be when the shit starts falling is above the falling shit."

I'm so glad that at a moments notice we have all climbed above the proverbial falling s#%t that I inadvertently cut loose.

 

[pantheraba]

Probably too many Alphas here,,,,can get kinda testy sometimes

 

[Mick!]

Ok Ok, relax everyone, it’s the internet.

 

[flushcut]

Probably too many Alphas here,,,,can get kinda testy sometimes

What did you say to me! lol

 

[pantheraba]

Took me a minute to get it, Good one.

 

[flushcut]

I try.

 

[gf beranek]

That all got settled quick.

 

[stig]

Nothing like a PM to clear shit up.
When I managed to piss Scott off, he wrote me a really nice, well thought out PM and while we'll most likely never agree on anything political, I think we are good with each other as 'Housers together, again.

 

[Bermy]

^^^ that right there...adulting the internet.

 

[gf beranek]

good deal

 

[Burnham]

 

[T Collins]

I have stumbled upon a video of a gentleman Reg Coates(I'm sure you all are familiar) . In the vein of D. Douglas Dent and his thoughts on "barber chair", I found Reg's thoughts and reflection of the subject very interesting from the perspective of a climber. If anyone can turn me onto more and better I would be very grateful.

 

[Bermy]

Reg used to be a regular here...we miss him

 

[murphy4trees]

 

[T Collins]

When I was a teenager and logging the old timers warned me about the old growth that were left behind because of defects. "Shake" is a well known condition in which the growth rings will be unbonded. The resultant growth stresses can be phenomenal. Worst case scenario they spiral and once when cut portions of the trunk can come into pieces like a garage door spring coming loose. We got out unscathed (not without a ton of prep and situational awareness), but that was the most catastrophic tree structural failure I have ever witnessed. Has anyone here and cut western larch or tamarack I've seen its spiral grain and wonder if it made it more or less stable?

 

[SeanKroll]

Watch out about tall stump shots, stumpshot with a thin hinge, especially a razor thin hinge.

 

[T Collins]

In Hawaii there's a tree that is called by common name of albezia. It grows incredibly fast. Gets huge and has super brittle limbs. Grows kinda like a pin oak but has a think dominant central trunk. Heavy when wet, lumber when convert is like strong balsa(light) and rots fast of left in the jungle. That bugger will stump shot! Wish I had pictures of 6' tall shots.

 

[Burnham]

T, your definition of stump shot and mine appear to be radically different. Do you mind describing what you mean when you use that term, please? I'll reciprocate with mine after.

 

[T Collins]

Perhaps I should have specified stump pull. The wood of the albezia will shear longitudinal just above meeting of the level and undercut of the face cuts. Although you can make them nice and neat and open face the stump often looks like you made a narrow face and left too much holding wood

 

[Burnham]

Mine echoes Doug Dent's...not too surprising, that .

 

[gf beranek]

Until I bought Dent's book in the late 1970's, no one I knew could explain, least to my satisfaction, what stump shot was. Why the need for it. Were there caveates?

Not long before that I recall reading the company OSHA safety manual and it said, ' 'In felling practice the backcut shall be placed 2 inches above the undercut." Without any further explanation of why.

Dent's book was 100,000 times more knowledgeable than any OSHA safety manual out there.

 

[T Collins]

Thank you both for forcing me to clarify. This misuse of the term stump shot comes from my witnessing multiple occasions where I would make a Dent text book conventional or Humboldt face and minimum 2" elevated to the undercut back cut felling cut. My hinges were parallel my back cuts made with wedges placed. I didn't waste time nor did I rush these trees had huge canopies and on many an occasion I would climb and remove back weight to help favor the desired felling direction. I tried my best to dot my i's and cross my t's, but every now and then more often with a conventional face the holding wood would shear vertical and with uniformity exactly at the face side of the hinge giving the appearance to me of an extremely tall stump shot. This always scared me. I didn't understand why so much stump hinge wood pull (holding wood) and why so shear and uniform. I have never before or since seen a tree of any other variety behave in such a manner. Falcataria molucanna is it's taxonomy for what it's worth. Hawaii especially the Big Island has some of the most unusual trees. Eucalyptus Robusta for example grows aerial roots in Hawaii and nowhere else. Part of me is glad to be here and have the aid of better knowledge form individuals such as yourselves. Thanks again to gf beranek and Burnham for if it had not been for the likes of you guys,your wisdom and having shared it I may not have lived as long as I have thus far.

 

[gf beranek]

Yeah, thanks. But try not to over think the simple things. Like I did with Stump Shot before reading Dent's book.

I declare, Stump Shot has sure mechanical features in the functionality of the felling cut. Features both real and imaginative applied at the stump to see a tree to it's good and proper lay.

 

[murphy4trees]

Stumpshot has it's pros and cons Jerry. It's more appropriately used in the woods as it is rarely needed in suburban backyard falling scenarios.

 

[gf beranek]

Thank you, Dan.