Tree Felling 101

[Bigwolf]

Tree Felling 101
In years long gone by, timbering was done with chain saws and wedges and sometimes cables to pull them in the right direction.   There is a science to that kind of timbering but even with the science, timbering was ranked in the top 3 for being the most dangerous profession.  That was before the big machines that are used today were even thought of.
There are still times when trees need to be felled the old way…….and the danger is still just as real as it was in those old days.
I have cut a lot of trees the old way to fell them in fields, woods, and in tight places like close to houses and or power lines.  I was lucky enough to survive the mistakes I made when I first started cutting trees.  Now I am very cautious and take my time to size up a tree and plan meticulously just how to put it where I want it to fall.
Events in recent months have reminded me of other times when I have realized that most people have no clue as to the science of tree felling.  However, I just stumbled on a very good instructional  video on Utube.  It is not a complete book of tree cutting knowledge, but it covers a lot of important information.  If you are going to be around any such tree cutting, you might want to watch this: https://youtu.be/nLIEYvHMS8U

This was an 83 ft tall gum tree just outside my privacy fence.  It was heavy on the side opposite from where I put it on the ground.  I had meant to take step by step photos but forgot until I had it on the ground.  

Be safe my friends!
Bigwolf

[hubcapsc]

I'm real careful with my chainsaw. I just clicked on the youtube link.
I ain't NEVER gonna try to cut down a tree as big as the one on the
splash page! It i$ prohibitive to call them unless necessary, but
when my neighbor Anthony (https://www.facebook.com/topnotchtreeinfo/)
and his partner Carl come over it is magical to see what they can
do, and how hard they work. Carl, the prototypical 60yo Marine,
can climb around in an 80 foot oak tree like a monkey. I clean up all
the little stuff and cut down small trees that aren't near my buildings.
And that's plenty dangerous.

Thanks for the link, I'll enjoy watching it  



-Mike

[Reb]

Fellers... They make machines for that 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWCp74wVD0M

[HayHauler]

Fellers... They make machines for that 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWCp74wVD0M

"They"????

Hay

[Jess from VA]

I'm paying for my row of Leeland Cypress which fell over in the big snow to be cleaned up.

I chopped up the ones that went clear over with a hand saw, and I could do the others, but it's cold and muddy and heavy and the outfit I use is a friend who just lives down the street.

The big chipper and chain saw woke me up a few minutes ago.  And he has a bucket truck with a boom that goes up 80 feet or so.  Brrrrr  (but didn't need it for my job)

Trees are down all over the region, and I had to wait in line.

For NoVA he always makes me an offer (price) I can't refuse.

The biggest problem I see around here is, people let trees get too tall without routine topping and trimming to keep them manageable before the ice and snow and wind get to them.  Me too, with those Lelands.   I'm going to replace them with weeds and whatever else decides to grow out there.

EDIT:  I now have a row of 8 uniform stumps about 16" high (you do this so you have a lever handhold to assist if you later want to dig out the stumps).  I've decided to buy 8 plastic flowers, drill a hole in each stump and stick the flower in each one.  Done.   

[carolinarider09]

When I started at Clemson University in 1964, I was majoring in Electrical Engineering.  That did not work out and, since my dad was a Forester (graduated Penn State), I switch to Forestry.  

That was almost fun.  Each summer, between semesters, we had a Forestry Summer Camp.  One day we did a survey with a hand held compass (took all day, 200 acres if I remember but its been a few years).  

Another day we did something that had a name I cannot remember but what we did all day was thin a wooded area filled with large pines.  We used a large two man cross cut saw (no chain saws allowed).  Everything we did that day was manual.  And we cut the logs up into short lengths that could be easily stacked for loading (not the long timbers you see on trucks today)

The intent was two fold.  One, to see what it took to safely fell a large tree and Two, to understand what persons working for us in forestry really had to do in the field.  

I wish I could remember the name of that days work.  It was cool and spot on.  

It is interesting that felling trees is basically an example of Physics and how the laws of Physics are and can be used for "normal" tasks.  


Update:  I think it was called "The Taxonomy of Woody Stems" since we also had to count the growth rings of reach tree we felled.  I think we also had to measure the age of other trees we did not feel with that tool you screw into the tree to extract a sample to count the rings. 

[0leman]

I too graduate as a forester.  Spent a lot of time in the woods, watching trees hit the ground.  Mostly where the fellers wanted them to.   I also had the "opportunity" of felling trees on fire.   One of those "other duties as assigned".   Felling a 120' tall, 36"in diameter ponderosa pine on fire at night using headlights is the sort of thing one remembers.  Yeah, we used chainsaws to fell them.   Of course, that happened before OSHA started watching firefighter more closely.   

When we moved into our present home, there was a 60' tall lodgepole pine against the back corner fence.  it needed to be removed.  Yeah, I could have put in on the ground, but with some weird heavy limbs decided to have it removed by "professionals".  Took them less than 2 hours to do the job including picking up all the small branches.  Well worth the $500 I paid them. 

[Patrick]

If there is any question, I lasso the tree as high as I can. Hook it to the tractor and let the clutch out. While the rear wheels are spinning I whack off the tree and let the tractor direct the direction. If the tree is too tall the two get tangled up with each other, but, I eventually get them apart. Haven't destroyed much since I started doing that.

[carolinarider09]

Two things, I did not graduate as a Forester.  Lets say my grades were not that great.  I spent the summer of 67 working with my dad's company doing real forestry (killing trees, clearing land for planting, ect).  Lots of time outside, manual labor and, in reality, very good for me.  I then joined the navy (Submarine Service).

As for felling trees, I have cut down some big ones on my property when we were building our house but now, I only cut the ones that I can do safely (that is they would not fall on my buildings).   And I stick to the small ones mostly (12" in diameter probably max).  

I will say one thing, I did, later in life get two degrees.  When I look back, the Forestry School was really geared to doing forestry stuff.  Identification of trees, scientific names, understanding the way things worked in the world of nature.  It was a lot of hands on stuff.  I learned a lot that, as you can see, I remember to this day.   Far different from my MBA and the other degree I got.  

[hubcapsc]

The computer job that got me started on UNIX was
at Clemson's Forestry department in the 80s. Roy
Hedden... Steve Perry... Knight Cox... Dr. Keasler...

Recognize any of those names?

-Mike

[carolinarider09]

Nope, sorry,   I remember only a couple of faces and only one real name.  The name was Dr. Lehostky, head of the Forestry Department back then.  He now has a building named after him.  Two things.  You always had to wear socks in the classroom and had to have your shirt tucked in.

My short time in EE at Clemson was mostly in the basic science stuff and, of course, History.  I remember the history class, guy was spot on and never used notes.

Unlike my Chemistry class where the Professor was well known down at the local "establishment" and seemed to be suffering the next day. 

But, since I have had he chance to attend several other colleges and schools, Clemson still is/was the best.  Don't know about today..

[Bigwolf]

Fellers... They make machines for that 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWCp74wVD0M

Yes they do!  And I am certain that those machines have saved a lot of lives!  But sometimes the space round a tree is to small for big machines.  Other deciding factors also can override the use of such machines since transporting those machines to and from the job site is time consuming and expensive.

I had 2 trees to drop and plenty of room to drop them (even using a big machine).  I was not keen on doing that work myself and did not want the wood so I called a few companies for estimates.  The estimates were beyond what I was willing to pay.

Rams and I cut one tree down and my young neighbor assisted me with getting the other one on the ground.  Now I am taking my time cutting those up and cleaning up.

Bigwolf

[flsix]

When Irma went through Fl we lost power for 8 days. Didn't farm out any of the fallen trees in the yard. It did however take a full year to clear them all up. Got real tired of cutting and hauling wood.

[Hook#3287]

Back in the late 70's I worked with a crazy Irish man that ran a mostly residential tree removal service.

The crap he did was amazing.

One of my first climbs was in a 110-120 ft tall pine that doubled about 3 feet up.

It was in a junk yard, what they call a "automobile recycling facility" now, and had paths between the stock.

For obvious reasons, the facilities owners did not want to crush the stock.

Kerry, the tree cutter, told me to climb up one side, tie in the bull rope, swing over to the other side, tie in and come down.

I did as told, except Kerry either got inpatient or just to mess with me, before I could repel down, he cut the fist side down.

All I remember is him yelling at me " don't move" him starting his big a$$ husky, and feeling just about every cut the chain made while he cut.

I'll never forget watching half of that tree falling from 3/4 up the other side.

He landed both side in the paths, the guy was amazing.

His equipment was basically saws, rope, and a truck to haul wood and brush.

[Bigwolf]

Hook,
Yes, some guys have learned an awesome art of tree cutting!  I once watched a crew of 3 take down a large maple tree in a very small front yard without touching the power lines or the houses.  One guy went up the tree with a rope and a saw.  He would throw the rope over a limb above and then tie the rope on a limb  he would the cut.  When the limb he cut dropped, it would swing in between the houses and on the way back, the man on the ground holding the other end of the rope would let go at precisely the right time and that wood would land on 1 of 2 piles on the ground.  If it was small brush, it landed on that pile.  If it was firewood size, it landed on that pile.  The space in that yard was not even big enough or free enough of power lines to safely get a small bucket truck in there,…..yet those 3 guys took that 25 to 30 inch diameter maple down without mishap!  I was very impressed!

[Jess from VA]

Many people have been killed or maimed when up a tree halfway or so, taking it down in parts, when the part cut off jumps back with all it's weight and smacks him.

A guy who cuts down part of a tree I'm up in, is a guy I'm not going to work with ever again.  But my tree climbing days are over.  I did use my 16' extension ladder yesterday to remove the snapped off parts of the top of a red cedar, but that was ladder climbing not tree climbing.  I could not find the saw end of my telescoping pole saw.

[carolinarider09]

Speaking of telescoping pole saw, I have one that is at least 15 years old, probably older.  It was my dads and when passed away, I took it home.

It still works.  Still saws limbs really well.  The cutter does not work as well but it will still cut off a small diameter limb.  I guess it extends about 12 to 16 feet (never measured).

Edit to note:  They don't make them like that any more.  Last way to long.  Need more sales and I bet a majority are made off shore. 

[hubcapsc]

Speaking of telescoping pole saw, I have one that is at least 15 years old, probably older.  It was my dads and when passed away, I took it home.

It still works.  Still saws limbs really well.  The cutter does not work as well but it will still cut off a small diameter limb.  I guess it extends about 12 to 16 feet (never measured).

Edit to note:  They don't make them like that any more.  Last way to long.  Need more sales and I bet a majority are made off shore. 

I have one that is probably 20 years old or older. When the blade wore out,
I was able to get a similar blade from Lowes or Home Depot and replace it.

A few years ago I got one with a lithium powered chainsaw on the end.
It is the bomb! But it is not as long...

-Mike

[Jess from VA]

A few years ago I got one with a lithium powered chainsaw on the end.

This is the one I want, but only needing it 3 times a year, I'm too tight to spend for one.

I use my telescoping pole saw for the lopper 50 times more often than the saw blade (that's why it's off and I can't find it).  And reaching way up, the saw blade is prone to getting pinched and stuck up there, which is a PITA.

[RP#62]

Speaking of telescoping pole saw, I have one that is at least 15 years old, probably older.  It was my dads and when passed away, I took it home.

It still works.  Still saws limbs really well.  The cutter does not work as well but it will still cut off a small diameter limb.  I guess it extends about 12 to 16 feet (never measured).

Edit to note:  They don't make them like that any more.  Last way to long.  Need more sales and I bet a majority are made off shore. 

I have one that is probably 20 years old or older. When the blade wore out,
I was able to get a similar blade from Lowes or Home Depot and replace it.

A few years ago I got one with a lithium powered chainsaw on the end.
It is the bomb! But it is not as long...

-Mike

I've got a couple of those from Harbor Freight.  They work great, we use them to trim our trees.  I've cut 10" mesquite trunks with them.  The best part, is that if you get the warranty, HF will replace the whole saw if the blade gets dull.  I don't know why, but they do.

-RP

[DIGGER]

My favorite….

https://youtu.be/UYrNXVdZq7Y

[0leman]

While I still have three 60' Blue spruce in my yard, I only have been cutting tops of crabapple trees.  When we took ownership of our home some 12 years ago, these crabapple trees were over 40' tall.  MY DW bought me an electric powered pole saw.  The first year, I reduced their height by 20 feet.  then two years later after they grew 10' for more, reduce the height to around 15'.   As I have gotten a bit older the height keeps getting closer to the ground when I cut them every two years.  Lot easier to run a pole saw that only is going up 10'.   

I do have an electric chainsaw that I have used to removing lower limbs of the spruce's trees. 

It would be easier to use a battery power pole saw, but they weren't very good 12 years ago.  better now.

[Bigwolf]

My favorite….

https://youtu.be/UYrNXVdZq7Y

I am thinking somebody needs to buy that man a beer!!! ………….and a steak dinner!  I have never cut one that close!  I don’t think I would even try one that close to possible serious damage.