Leaning white pine

[MasterBlaster]

On a tree that small you don't need wedges. I would leave them in my toolbox and instead just push.

 

[pantheraba]

As one of the pieces broke the hinge and tipped over, I snapped 2 quick pictures. The second is the block on the way down. I had tried this on the piece before this one...had everything set, chunk tipped, fell and I snapped....forgot to turn the camera on. Aaarrrggghh!!

Second time worked....screwing up is a great teacher.

That left a 25 foot spar. I top tied it, set up a transport tightening system, pulled hard and locked that down. Then I hooked a rope hoist to that and got it tighter, pulled out the slack and locked it all down.

I cut the notch (face cut), started the back cut and set 3 wedges. Then I used the rope system to slowly break the spar to vertical, reset the wedges, tightened again and broke the spar on down. No pictures of that...sorry.

 

[pantheraba]

On a tree that small I would leave my wedges in my toolbox and instead just push.

I hear ya...but you have the experience...I needed the practice. I probably chunked/wedged down several pieces I didn't need to. What I did like about the system was the element of control it gives...also, with the lean, the wood was setting back and pinching the saw...the wedge freed it up.

When I have a big piece I'll have some experience to fall back on.

 

[MasterBlaster]

What I mean to say is, I rarely use wedges.

 

[rumination]

Good work Gary. Thanks for sharing the pictures.

 

[sotc]

gary i wouldnt call that a dutchman, just need some clean up. a dutchman would be if your horizontal cut went past the vertical and or the vertical went past the horizontal

 

[sotc]

the point at which either cut passes the hinge

 

[pantheraba]

the point at which either cut passes the hinge

Good visual, Willie....thanks.

 

[Jonseredbred]

Gary, your right. Doing something for practice and experience is the right thing to do.

I assume you climbed by yourself to finish that job. The better way would have been to have a ground man there pulling the pieces over with a rope.

Some of you guys scare the chrap out of me when you post jobs that you are climbing solo, it is a big no no in my book.

 

[No_Bivy]

solo ain't that bad on some stuff...........

 

[pantheraba]

I assume you climbed by yourself to finish that job. The better way would have been to have a ground man there pulling the pieces over with a rope.

You are right, I was solo...folks in the house but not out with me. I did the earlier parts of the tree with a groundie pulling some of the pieces with a rope.

These 4 chunks I did very methodically...took about 1.5 hrs to do the 4...a slow-go. I had chainsaw pants on, double and separated tie-ins, checked each cut carefully, etc. I agree, with a groundie is better; much quicker, too.

 

[gf beranek]

In my younger years I climbed solo a lot, doing weekend jobs, and having the property owner run the ropes when needed. No qualified climber on site to rescue me in the event I was hurt in the tree.

Nonetheless, the thought of working alone in those circumstances was always in the back of my mind and I made it a concious effort to work double safe everytime, because I knew that property owner wasn't going to be of much help.

It is a written rule one shouldn't work alone, but we still do.

 

[lumberjack]

...(post 27, or click link <<<)...

In your first picture, your back cut is too deep, it cut through the hinge as it passes the apex of the notch. Can you see it or do you want me to "paint" the picture? (pun intended)

On the notch with the block in it, I agree it isn't a dutchman, but it would react similarly. Like you suggested, it would swing towards the camera somewhat, which could be exacerbated by a tapered wedge, the thick part on the camera side.

 

[sotc]

here gary i found you a "proper dutchman:
<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1_4OPTbATOI&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1_4OPTbATOI&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>

 

[Jamin Mayer]

Nice multi-branch technique. Saves time.

 

[pantheraba]

here gary i found you a "proper dutchman:

It looks just like the picture you drew..good find.

 

[Frans]

The guy repeated himself so much I think I finally got it!

One question: Did he cut the rear branch off so it would fall in the desired direction?

 

[Ax-Man]

Nice work Gary and good pics.

Just to add to the thread a little. What caused the pine to lean could also have been from J roots where the roots grow off in one direction instead of spreading out in all directions. This could be a natural occurance or caused by an underground obsticle like a rock. Like Burnham mentioned a wetspot could have triggered the lean if J roots are the the cause. J roots are not all that uncommon in mass plantings of trees for wind breaks, nursery stock, or wild trees that have seeded themselves. Gary's jobsite has the look of what may be the remanats of a windbreak planting. Both broadleaf and evergreen species are prone to J rooting. Most J root problems can be attributed to poor root mangement in nursery stock and planting practices but it does occur naturally due to genitics.

In the first pic there is some resin bleeding out from the main stem. When I see this on a White Pine I always suspect White Pine Blister rust which is a canker disease of the main stem. This could be a factor in a round about way contributing to the lean. The bleeding could be from anything though, hard to tell from just a far away picture. Just a thought is all.

Gary's notch is a conventional notch. A Dutchman is basically the same thing only in reverse with the angle cut coming up from the bottom to meet the floor cut.

Again good job done Gary. Finish that sucker off and get paid

 

[pantheraba]

Again good job done Gary. Finish that sucker off and get paid

Thanks, Larry...good info on the J roots. Her husband planted many different species over the years. It is unknown how he dug, prepped and planted the trees.

The job is all done except for cutting the stump down ALAP....that'll happen soon.

I'll get paid as she can...her money is tight but she'll take care of me.

 

[sotc]

Gary's notch is a conventional notch. A Dutchman is basically the same thing only in reverse with the angle cut coming up from the bottom to meet the floor cut.

sounds like a humbolt?

 

[squisher]

Yah I didn't follow that either, but figured it coulda just been me

 

[Ax-Man]

sounds like a humbolt?

Your right on that one, my error, I should have checked that out before typing. The correct name for all the different notches and cuts gets away from me because I just don't have that much use for them in the type of treework we do. A regular notch and sometimes an open face is the norm 98% of the time. The other 2% will call for a different type notch which is nice to know and how to cut them is even better.

Sorry for the mistake.

 

[sotc]

no need to apologize

 

[squisher]

Ya don't sweat it man, you continously offer up alot of really useful stuff here, I won't hold one little brain fart against ya.

 

[pantheraba]

It took me 6 weeks to get back and ALAP that stump. Here is a series of pictures of why the tree was leaning. The roots on the side away from the house were all dead...mostly dry and punky. I dug down a bit but couldn't determine what caused the die-back. I could easily dig out the rootwood and inner trunk with a shovel.

The gouged up parts of the stump are where I could easily dig out punky wood with my knife. There was a good bit of rot occurring in the trunk. Nothing real exciting, just a follow-up.