sotc
Dormant hero!!
not mostly but whenever its practical. we do lots of back and side yard stuff we have to climb.
What's the biggest problem you have with tree work, technique wise?
- Thread starter woodworkingboy
- Start date
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squisher
THE CALM ONE!!!!
A bucket reachs most stuff here but definetly not all. I'm set to get sore here a few days before the snow.
woodworkingboy
TreeHouser
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #30
Last weekend I had a chance to flop fifty-sixty pines, mostly just initially nudged over with a bucket, due to lean in the wrong direction. It gave a great chance to experiment on face cuts, and a few there was little room for error in hitting the lay.
The bucket was a bit lower than ideal, so most back cuts were pretty high to give the tree a strong hinge to stand on and get pushed towards the lay. Consequently, the tree would initially go over slow, and follow the hinge. On the more evenly balanced trees, I found that a dutchman with a bit more holding wood on the other side, tended to give about a twenty degree swing. Thirty degrees seemed about the max I could get a tree to swing.
As Jerry mentions in his book, having a gap at the hinge gave better fold over holding qualities.
I was playing a little game with the guy operating the excavator, himself with a lot of falling experience. We'd agree on the lay, and see how close I could get. Then we might discuss what the result was, looking at the left over stump to help draw conclusions.
It was very good training for me, and gave the strong impression that having a well balanced face cut with no unintended irregularities, and a straight back cut, is definitely the way to hit the target. That entails straightening up things when the initial cuts are off, something that I don't always do, as mentioned. I'm now trying to do that 100% of the time, even when it isn't critical. It seems like a good habit to get into...for the ungifted like myself.
The bucket was a bit lower than ideal, so most back cuts were pretty high to give the tree a strong hinge to stand on and get pushed towards the lay. Consequently, the tree would initially go over slow, and follow the hinge. On the more evenly balanced trees, I found that a dutchman with a bit more holding wood on the other side, tended to give about a twenty degree swing. Thirty degrees seemed about the max I could get a tree to swing.
As Jerry mentions in his book, having a gap at the hinge gave better fold over holding qualities.
I was playing a little game with the guy operating the excavator, himself with a lot of falling experience. We'd agree on the lay, and see how close I could get. Then we might discuss what the result was, looking at the left over stump to help draw conclusions.
It was very good training for me, and gave the strong impression that having a well balanced face cut with no unintended irregularities, and a straight back cut, is definitely the way to hit the target. That entails straightening up things when the initial cuts are off, something that I don't always do, as mentioned. I'm now trying to do that 100% of the time, even when it isn't critical. It seems like a good habit to get into...for the ungifted like myself.
Burnham
Woods walker
Jay, you quite clearly state what is perhaps the biggest factor in acheiving accurate fells, imo. As long as one understands what needs to be done and of course most importantly, why.
Taking the time to set the face and back cut up correctly even when you don't hit it perfect the first try is the professional way to proceed. I don't believe there ever was a cutter so gifted or who got so good that they never needed to adjust a felling cut on occasion.
CurSedVoyce
California Hillbilly
Well said,,,,, sometimes I beat myself up on an ugly cut B.
But the truth is, fix it and get on with it and fell safely and professionally. Some days I am on my game, some days I need to clean up my face....
But the truth is, fix it and get on with it and fell safely and professionally. Some days I am on my game, some days I need to clean up my face....
darkstar
Rockclimber/ treeclimber
Keeping all the equipment running .
number one.
Number two collecting after a hard ass tree job , done well.
Those are not really what u are asking for .
Tecnique, keeping my body in a good state all the while climbing and rough housing a stuck limb etc etc.
number one.
Number two collecting after a hard ass tree job , done well.
Those are not really what u are asking for .
Tecnique, keeping my body in a good state all the while climbing and rough housing a stuck limb etc etc.
woodworkingboy
TreeHouser
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #34
Very encouraging and appreciated post, Burnham.
arborworks1
Treehouser
I am also guilty of leaving a large amount of hinge wood on pines mostly. They never fail to rip down the side, causing my lay to be slighty off. No mishaps just kind of frustrating. I have been putting kerf cuts in as of recent.
M
Mr. Sir
Guest
Making a higher back cut will not produce a stronger hinge, just a less predictable one.
T
top hopper
Guest
Thanks Butch Ive been meaning to read that again. Are you OK with me making some minor revisions and sharing it at work?
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
Knock yourself out. That's the intention of the thing.
T
top hopper
Guest
I figured as much, but wanted to ask first.
squisher
THE CALM ONE!!!!
But you should have to post the revisions.
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
T
top hopper
Guest
But you should have to post the revisions.
When I get around to it I will.
Mostly just a few things Id remove all together, as it seems the list is more steered towards companies of small scale. At my company we run around 8 full crews varying between 3 and 6 people per crew. We also have 2 full time mechanics. The list goes on.
squisher
THE CALM ONE!!!!
Bigtime company eh? Things are still going well for you there I assume? Hope so.
T
top hopper
Guest
Yessir big time company. Between the 7 or 8 different divisions, including office staff, consultants, etc. there is somewhere near 100 employees during peak season. During winter less.
And yes its going very well! Thank you sir!
And yes its going very well! Thank you sir!
sawinredneck
Treehouser
Well, being a newbie, and trying to learn through the school of hard knocks. About all of my technique sucks!
I am not fluid in the tree, I am uncofortable on a rope as yet. I know my cuts and they work fine, butmy rigging and weight judgement leaves much room for improvment!
I have yet to spike a tree, I can't wait to see how much I can screw that up!!
Yeah, right now I have no technique, just a HUGE learning curve!
I am not fluid in the tree, I am uncofortable on a rope as yet. I know my cuts and they work fine, butmy rigging and weight judgement leaves much room for improvment!
I have yet to spike a tree, I can't wait to see how much I can screw that up!!
Yeah, right now I have no technique, just a HUGE learning curve!
Brett, If we get ridiculous with it a higher back cut could get funky but cutting above the apex of the face yields a slightly more flexible hinge that maintains control through more degrees of fall before tearoff.
CurSedVoyce
California Hillbilly
We all go through it Andy... Took me a few climbs to get comfortable on my gaffs and I am just tackling rope climbing technique. Still working on different rigging and trying to bring the crew up to speed on it also... So much to learn. And I don't think we ever stop...
Just take it a step at a time and don't try to learn it all at once... Best I can say about how I deal with the learning curve.
Just take it a step at a time and don't try to learn it all at once... Best I can say about how I deal with the learning curve.
Andy, set a line and get tied in above before gaffing up. I know a lot of guys want to gaff up so they don't have to set a line first but IMO it is very worthwhile to set a rope first. Keep your slack tended and you'll have no need to fear falling or skinning the tree.
woodworkingboy
TreeHouser
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #49
I believe that Stumper already responded to the above post in an experienced credible fashion.
I don't get the point of minimal blanket posts like the quote. It doesn't quantify or qualify anything, or instruct, or show much understanding about tree work, where responding to the myriad of diversity with different methods, is the name of the game.
T
The Branch Doctor
Guest
Me and bidding are not getting along very well right now! There's some guys going around this area that are bidding really LOW and it's pissing me off!!
Also, I had to replace the rubber on my bigshot recently and I'm having a hard time getting it adjusted properly so it'll shoot smoothly.
Also, I had to replace the rubber on my bigshot recently and I'm having a hard time getting it adjusted properly so it'll shoot smoothly.
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