How well does green eucalyptus hinge?

[davidwyby]

I backcut mind at the top of the full gap.

Yes, I usually do too. The physics of it is super interesting to me. With a high back cut, the falling part of the tree will split away vertically from the remaining part of the tree. Once it splits, it falls faster I would think. Hinge below that may or may not still be attached. The way mine ended up, the front half of the hinge was in compression and the rear in tension and I think that fiber pull helped to slow the fall and also made a lot of noise. I think this is what the shark gill guy was going after and emphasizing. It would be interesting to see how it would have gone if I had added some gills. I think my method slowed the fall but gave less guidance or control than a higher back cut.
@Burnham @gf beranek thoughts?

 

[davidwyby]

*this tree was winched over

 

[Burnham]

@davidwyby

For my money, attempting to slow a fall is almost never indicated...not to say never, but surely seldom.

Also for my money, that splitting you mention is exactly what I want to happen with a gapped hinge. This maintains directional control of the hinge longer, something I try to accomplish with every fell. Which is pretty much just what you stated in your last sentence.

I set my back cut above the gap. Even without a gapped back cut, I almost always set my back cut above intersection of the horizontal and sloping cuts that form the face.

 

[Burnham]

@davidwyby, Have you seen this thread? It's an old one at its beginning but seems to get started up again from time to time. Lots of interesting discussion, worth a read through...I think you might enjoy it if you have not yet.

High Back Cut, Burnham Style! | The Tree House (masterblasterhome.com)

 

[davidwyby]

Was looking for an old post and found this I had forgotten about. This ironbark is the only Euc I have ever cut that hinged well. I’m wondering if it just the species or the low back cut creating more pull.

@Trains @Bermy @gf beranek ? 🤔

Thanks

 

[davidwyby]

It’s a bit on the thick side as well. I have been trying to make hinges tall and thin so they flex and they just break. Perhaps thicker with more area to compress and pull is the ticket. Tree was winched over.

 

[Burnham]

Thick it is. Never get that to tip without the winch.

 

[davidwyby]

Thick it is. Never get that to tip without the winch.

Yes...do you think the thickness improves the pulling/hinging time? Talking to an eastern faller buddy, he said hinge thickness is actually kind of species specific, not just diameter. Makes sense.

As difficult as it is to split, I doubt it's very prone to 'chair, haha.

 

[Burnham]

By improves, do you mean slows it down? I seem to recall you have made that a goal in some of your felling. Me, I don't like to slow the fall at all...more likely to get splitting or barberchair that way, imo.

I bet you are right though, that stuff being so hard splitting, it probably won't 'chair on you no matter what you do. More likely to just hang there and defy your attempts to make it fall .

 

[davidwyby]

@Burnham mainly just hold/guide longer instead of snapping immediately. Slowing would be nice…

 

[Trains]

Some hinge better than others, look at the fiber pull, that tells you a story right there.
rainfall, growth rate, climate etc all contribute to it as well.
thick hinge can bring in other issues too, remember the vid I sent you where I dropped that dead one with a thin hinge / bore cut as there was rot further up the stem ?

 

[davidwyby]

Some hinge better than others, look at the fiber pull, that tells you a story right there.
rainfall, growth rate, climate etc all contribute to it as well.
thick hinge can bring in other issues too, remember the vid I sent you where I dropped that dead one with a thin hinge / bore cut as there was rot further up the stem ?

I think there is some hope for getting green Euc to hinge. Down here I have no hope of anything dead hinging.

 

[Trains]

As has been mentioned, and I have also said here and pm'ing, that euc does not hinge well, or at all, and any attempt to make it do so is for fun and research purposes only.
We only drop them to the lay, or use ropes to make them go where we need, but if there are any assets in the area of its natural lay, just climb, limb it out and then drop the stem when it will clear the assets.

Some euc hinges better than others, but ive not the experience or years to tell you exactly which, and what I do know is that its also dependent on its climate and growing conditions too on those that do hinge a bit.

So approach them like they wont hinge and plan from there, anything more is just for entertainment and fun, dont rely on them in a target rich environment to do what you want them to do, you will end up squashing something you dont want to squash.

Love your gear, and what your doing, but please be careful with those pesky aussie imports, they are pretty un co operative when it comes to dropping, and I always approach them with the mindset that when Im falling them, they want to kill me in return .

T

TreeclimberHarry has some great vids on large euc's on yt, love his channel, his approach, attitude, execution of work, and content of his vids.

 

[gf beranek]

This is a good thread.

I luv reading all the posts. Great advise and insights.

 

[SeanKroll]

Consider trying a triple hinge, all the way through. Stick a wedge, dowel, whatever, in the first kerf (allowing you to visually extend the first bored cut) to help you when lining up the next bored kerf, rinse and repeat.

If any hinge is too thick, you can whittle it thinner.


I'd aim to backcut, stopping before it wants to fall, then pull.


(Sitting in my armchair 😉)