Tree sounding? What’s the deal?

[Unemployed]

I’ve heard about old timers sounding trees with the butt of their ax to check for defect and that it’s a lost art. Does anyone with some knowledge on this want to fill me in? It seems simple enough that dead wood or defect will sound different than a live healthy tree, but I’m missing the part where it’s an art. I‘m about to start whacking trees to find out for myself but wanted to know what the deal was and what to listen for first.

 

[PCTREE]

I would say it’s an art because it takes years to develop an ear for. Basically if it sounds like a drum it’s hollow. I used to get valuable feed back from spiking up a tree by the way the spikes sounded. That was one of the few drawbacks I found to riding a Wraptor

 

[Bermy]

We routinely use a 'Thor' nylon hammer to sound trees. Its a part of every biomechanics, or tree assessment course I have done.
Some people are really good at it, those who are very knowledgable about decay fungi and the fungi's methods of decaying a tree and which parts they concentrate in.
The arborists almost build a 'database' of sounds and tree species and fungi species in their brain and can diagnose a lot with the white hammer sounds and the evidence of their eyes.

 

[Unemployed]

Yeah the live ones you can hear it resonate through the whole tree almost. I was just wondering if people could tell you what the defect was and precisely where the good holding wood was or something. It seems plausible enough. Just not sure I’d want to stake my life on it. 😂

 

[Bermy]

Yes, I know of one guy who can pretty much do that. However he will back it up with a drill or Picus or a pull test or monitoring.
In the end, its a tool in the toolbox, and the target and potential for damage, injury or death also plays a big part.

 

[Unemployed]

That’s pretty neat, I’m going to have to start sounding all my trees and take some notes.

 

[Bermy]

It can give you a basic idea of whats going on beyond what you can actually see. Cross match sounding with external evidence of bulges, splits, cracks, bark texture, reaction wood, distribution of mosses and lichens...
Try it on some trees you know have to come down, sound them first, form an idea, cut it, and see what is revealed!

 

[ruel]

Useful on standing dead too. Helps you figure out where the decent wood is before committing to a face cut. Soggy/ non resonant sounds = no real wood

 

[gf beranek]

D.D. Dent put it like this, "Sounding a tree is a skill forgotten"

In my neck of the woods... what Dent said rings so true. because 99% of what we cut today is second-growth timber and 99% of it is years away from ever being rotten. No body sounds trees anymore.

We have some big second-growth trees, and a lot of them have defects you got to work around, but despite the defects most are still not rotten.

Knowing your species is half of knowing what could be rotten anyway. A big old black oak? Automatic, 99% of them are rotten. Even if they look perfect from the outside.

Grand fir, even second-growth, can fool you and get you running for your life. So on those I always made it a habit to sound them. Just because.

So when it comes to sounding trees at all... it's what you learn and know. and for the treeworker it should never be "a skill forgotten."

 

[Burnham]

Well said, Gerry.

 

[flushcut]

The best is when doing the estimate and the custy hears what’s leaning over their bedroom. I liken the sound to dollar signs or the ring of an old cash register. Cha Ching!

 

[Altissimus]

My one cent ... far from a lost art and a skill worth having even if not used that often. Wood axe handle can tell you alot at the butt , I tend to use it more climbing when deadwood is to be trusted or not for tie ins using the handle of the hand saw. Fundamentals covered it well and got me into it , solid dead wood has an almost ringing quality wheras punk makes a dull thud. (crossover into the Ski biz , the tube steel lift towers are all sounded twice a year for good reason)

 

[Altissimus]

Also (probably belongs in the Bird thread) , in the nature world ... the Woodpecker Sounds quite a bit. Nothing to do with food they simply pick a nice hard dead resonate piece (in my observations many times broke off staubs) and seemingly endlessly repeat the same pattern just to communicate territory. Many times they'll choose a metal roof as well.

 

[flushcut]

My one cent ... far from a lost art and a skill worth having even if not used that often. Wood axe handle can tell you alot at the butt , I tend to use it more climbing when deadwood is to be trusted or not for tie ins using the handle of the hand saw. Fundamentals covered it well and got me into it , solid dead wood has an almost ringing quality wheras punk makes a dull thud. (crossover into the Ski biz , the tube steel lift towers are all sounded twice a year for good reason)

So what does a bad tower sound like or do you listen for falling rust flakes?

 

[Altissimus]

Take the Machinist Hammer to it low and high , should have good hollow ring , dull thud says it can have water / ice inside which has caused catastrophic failures

 

[flushcut]

I would have thought the towers would have a weep hole or just be open at the bottom. I know the light pole towers around our high school stadium are open at the bottom. The opening is covered with a corse mesh to keep out critters.

 

[Burnham]

Best tool for sounding?...you should have it with you anyway...felling axe.

 

[gf beranek]

Amen.

 

[stig]

Bah Humbug!

 

[gf beranek]

Did I hear a squeak?

 

[stig]

Nope, a blow from a falling maul.
Which BTW I don't use on residential trees, I use a rubber mallet on those.