Sheared off the tip of my wedge

[Cobleskill]

I was cutting a smallish Ash- about 14" at the cut. I gutted the hinge so the wedge wouldn't bottom out. The shelf of the notch was about an 1/2" below the back cut. The wedge went through about one inch into the notch. Sheared it right off when the tree went over. Anybody ever shave down a wedge? Maybe on a table saw.?

 

[gf beranek]

Wedges are cheap for the amount of service we get out of them. Some have lasted me years and others only days. All depends on the situation. Even if the leading taper gets knocked off a wedge it can still serve good utility.

 

[NickfromWI]

As long as you can get it into the kerf, it should be good to go!

 

[gf beranek]

Being able to set a fine leading taper into a back cut is the primary reason why you end up with blunt wedges. The fine edge is nice for starting in tight cuts though.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Wedges are cheap for the amount of service we get out of them.

Exactly.
I generally just buy new ones ..

 

[SkwerI]

Moneybags.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Not with my head count and diapers...

 

[gf beranek]

No matter what they don't last forever. Those blunt ones come in good for starting in a small tree where you don't want to run a wedge into the chain. And their great for busting out undercuts.

 

[sotc]

In that scenario, you will break your wedge everytime. If you know you will have to drive your wedge through into the face, I find it better to lay you bar flat against the horizontal part of the face to bore. If you want stump shot, you can make two back cuts. Above and to either side of your wedge. In this video at about the 1 minute mark, you will see me bore from the front on a conventional face.

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[gf beranek]

Worked out good, Willie, but what did I miss? Hard to have the video in two different perspectives at the same time. In a lot of small trees I'll just start the back cut and wedges first.

 

[sotc]

I wanted it in the road, dead, back leaning, wasn't sure I would get it over as it wanted to go down the hill and I thought the hinge would be too mushy to hold it. Thought it might take out the nice manzanita right below it. Just showing him the bore from the front so as not to kill his wedge.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Wedges pushed trough a table saw . I recut them with a band saw, and you can use a bench or portable grinder to even and dress them up a bit, like the small taper on the end. Never have learned to like the smell of melting plastic though...

 

[Reddog]

Belt sander with 36grit is quickest way I have found to dress the angle back on. Go across the wedge and the grooves left by the sander help hold it in the kerf.

 

[squisher]

In a lot of small trees I'll just start the back cut and wedges first.

Yup, works like a hot damn.