Landing pieces flat

GreenMntnBoy410

GreenMntnBoy410

New member
Location
Vermont
Any of you fine gentlemen have tips and/or tricks for landing pieces flat? The scenario being when you're chunking down a spar and you're attempting to avoid denting the hell out of the drop zone. I'm aware there's a lot of variables involved, how tall the piece is, how high up it is, how much it weighs, does the spar lean a certain direction, etc. I've seen guys use really narrow notches and some just cut right through the chunk. I've attempted the trick where you give the chunk a little flip with your hand as it breaks off with about a 50% success rate.
 
The best tip I've ever been given is to cut pieces that are 1/5 the total height. Assuming the spar is vertical and you use a conventional notch they land flat after doing a perfect 3/4 rotation. Obviously lean can have an influence so you can cut cut the piece shorter or longer once you get the feel for it. Just remember that the piece length is 1/5 the height above ground, not necessarily the length of the spar if you were working on a slope for example.
 
Never heard of the 1/fifth rule. I will have to try that some time.

I usually snap cut chunks about 10' long. Rock the trunk to break it loose and briefly hold the butt end till the top passes the height of the cut then pull the but end up to flip slowly. They usually land flat.
 
GreenMntnBoy410 said:
Any of you fine gentlemen have tips and/or tricks for landing pieces flat? The scenario being when you're chunking down a spar and you're attempting to avoid denting the hell out of the drop zone. I'm aware there's a lot of variables involved, how tall the piece is, how high up it is, how much it weighs, does the spar lean a certain direction, etc. I've seen guys use really narrow notches and some just cut right through the chunk. I've attempted the trick where you give the chunk a little flip with your hand as it breaks off with about a 50% success rate.
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If you get it 50% of the time every time ..your half way there!
 
I always have ground pull rope on chunks to land flat . cut my conventional notch . back cut to set my hinge where i feel right about it depending on the many different variables of the particular situation.. put the saw on harness .. Give ground the signal of choice after I'm in a ready position to flip the piece as it releases . Works close to flat sometimes ..usually flat most of the time . Hardly ever just spears right in the ground ,but if it does its cause was probably my shitty hinge. Usually getting to the toughest time of day to focus .. The hinge is most important. Imo
 
I have never used the 1/5th rule, but have talked about it. In many situations though it would not be feasible due to DZ limitations. Very seldom, when chunking pieces down, do I use a notch I normally stick to the snap/bypass cut. I have found that if you make your back cut first (2/3rds or better) then your front cut under (just to avoid the saw snatcher), you can hang the saw up and use both hands to push the piece off. When doing this I have been able to control the butt and make sure it doesn't hang up on the spar (which is what has always given me the uncontrolled flips) and give it a little push to land it flat. I'm normally 90% or better with this method, and after the first few as long as they land close to flat, they are landing on other wood which softens the blow to the ground.
 
I tend to use snap cuts as well but im curious about this 1/5th concept. So your taking 1/5th the total spar height? I think im missing something. Care to explain...
 
MikePowers321 said:
I tend to use snap cuts as well but im curious about this 1/5th concept. So your taking 1/5th the total spar height? I think im missing something. Care to explain...
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Take 1/5 total current height of the spar. That means that the length of those chunks will shorten as you work your way down the trunk.

1/2 length= chunk will land tip first and kick back at spar.

1/3 length= chunk will land tip first and kick away from spar.

All information from Gerry B. And it's not guesswork. You can amaze some customers with those techniques--especially older guys who grew up admiring lumberjack work.
 
its actually 18%.. and 1/5th works well... I've been playing with it.. there is some effect from how the piece moves, and as Gerry says, the length is the most important factor.. Next we need to figure out the length for horizontal and near horizontal limbs
 
flyingsquirrel25 said:
I have never used the 1/5th rule, but have talked about it. In many situations though it would not be feasible due to DZ limitations. Very seldom, when chunking pieces down, do I use a notch I normally stick to the snap/bypass cut. I have found that if you make your back cut first (2/3rds or better) then your front cut under (just to avoid the saw snatcher), you can hang the saw up and use both hands to push the piece off. When doing this I have been able to control the butt and make sure it doesn't hang up on the spar (which is what has always given me the uncontrolled flips) and give it a little push to land it flat. I'm normally 90% or better with this method, and after the first few as long as they land close to flat, they are landing on other wood which softens the blow to the ground.
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I guess length of "chunks" is the missing piece to my puzzle . I thought we were taking longer pieces . That is what I describe in my previous post. I feel some are talking 4 footers .. I'm thinking 8 or 10 some longer ..smaller stuff bypass and push works well. Gerry B is the man .. Would love to see some of his work pics as well!
 
Aaron Cipolletti said:
I guess length of "chunks" is the missing piece to my puzzle . I thought we were taking longer pieces . That is what I describe in my previous post. I feel some are talking 4 footers .. I'm thinking 8 or 10 some longer ..smaller stuff bypass and push works well. Gerry B is the man .. Would love to see some of his work pics as well!
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I think its all in what the climber is willing to put onto the ground at once. I never liked putting much more than 6 feet (of large wood) down at once. Many times Ill just go with 4 footers just because. Especially because short fits my operation better. I have to cut the big wood shorter anyhow for the mini to pick up so might as well get a big saw and do it from the tree. Guess some guys will think that's stupid, but... I guess I am, that's just how I do it.
The way I understand the 1/5th rule is a 50' spar, the first piece will be 10' long. The second 8', third almost 6.5 feet and so on. So that piece of the puzzle is there, I just don't like the numbers.
 
Aaron Cipolletti said:
I always have ground pull rope on chunks to land flat . cut my conventional notch . back cut to set my hinge where i feel right about it depending on the many different variables of the particular situation.. put the saw on harness .. Give ground the signal of choice after I'm in a ready position to flip the piece as it releases . Works close to flat sometimes ..usually flat most of the time . Hardly ever just spears right in the ground ,but if it does its cause was probably my shitty hinge. Usually getting to the toughest time of day to focus .. The hinge is most important. Imo
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I doubt your stupid flyingsquirrel..stupid climbers don't last and generally aren't found around here .
 
I will say if I was doing one tree I may chunk it all the way down as mini moves them out .. but if your doing multiple removals and breaking out the big saw up there may be more strenuous than its worth for what you want to accomplish. I getting to were they'll fit to be felled and run up the next .. Its all about what the drop zone will tolerate after all we wanna lay them flat .. I don't think to much about the numbers myself . i just stick to my plan ,but takeing shorter chunks usaully works in favor as they may/ probably inncrease in diameter the lower we get .
 
I like to load 9 footers with my skid steer. All those different lengths would drive me crazy. But I do think having a system to make 'em land flat is a cool idea. Haven't heard of it. Can't wait to try it.

What about using a Humboldt when necessary? Maybe get it to slide off?
 
I personally have had better success with a conventional notch than humbolt. Can make it less than 45 degrees and bore out hinge center from face cut on larger diameter pieces to help release and flip begin ..leaving enough of the strap on each side to keep desired direction of fall .
 
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