2nd of 3 new videos

Daniel

Daniel

Carpal tunnel level member
Location
Suburban Philadelphia (Wayne)
How many of you get over to treeworld?

There was this thread over there about a video ekka made showing that the backcut cannot steer a tree..

Here's the thread:
http://www.treeworld.info/f7/training-style-vid-felling-side-leaner-140.html

I know its a rediculous argument to anyone that knows much about tree falling.. that said, I did go to the trouble of making a video to show that the backcut can steer a tree..

Here's that link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W28q8sVJLOs

its a pretty simple video that could begin some fertile discussions..
 
I'm of course from the other side of the hinge argument, as Laurie and Jean-Mathieu were classmate and instructor at Olds College. I'd say the difference is, and it's a huge one, is their's is like taking a sighted aim and your technique is like shooting from the hip. Why bother if there's a better way?
 
When I gun a tree, i sight in both the notch cut and the backcut.. there is a reason for that.. The backcut does, or at least can effect the lay.. I proved it here once on video, and can prove another 100 times if needed.. If their conclusion is incorrect, then others might mistakenly believe it, and that could cause a problem. I don't like talking in absolutes. Not in this business.. there are too many variables..

They cut down what, 20 or so trees. Do you think there is some absolute conclusion about the effects of tapered hinges that can be drawn from that... Just because they can't do it on those 20 trees, doesn't mean it can't be done.. Its a commentary on the primitive state of science in this industry.

Also know, one can correct for a slightly misgunned notch with the backcut sometimes.. Knowing when it can and can't be used to this effect is helpful.. The more knowledge the better...
 
[ QUOTE ]
Not necessarily..
sometimes it will go with the notch even with a cut like that... I've got video of that too..

[/ QUOTE ]

Sometimes??, where's the science there?
Why not just cut the notch in the direction of fall? On open face notches, I always make my back cut even with the center of the notch. Much better hinge.
Bad accidents can happen when a timber faller cuts through the notch. I wouldn't have posted a video like that.
Timber fallers beware!!
 
here's the post of my results from that day over at tree world:

WOW,
I was really surprised yesterday..
REALLY surprised...

FIrst three drops were white ash, generally an OK hinging wood, but certainly not good..

First tree was dropped with a tapered hinge, pull line directly in line with the notch, notch was measured with a dry wall T to get an exacxt direction and a line was laid on the ground to show the riecrtion of the notch. Cone placed at end of line.. tree fell right in line with notch..

The back cut was ever so slightly below the notch, so I thought tat may have been the cause, or perhaps it was a combination of the direction of the pull line and wood fiber charactorsitics of the species of tree.

The next tree, same species, was cut with a tapered hinge, backcut just slightly above the notch and no pull line, as it had a slight head lean..
this tree fell directly in line with the backcut, some 15º+ off line with the hinge..

3rd tree, same species, was cut exactly the same as the second, with a pull line and it fell exactly in line with the notch.. which again surprised me..

4th tree was a black walnut, might have fallen just slightly off the gun, but hard to say as the tree might have rolled when it hot the ground.

5th tree, wild cherry with a lot of side lean. taperd hinge seemed to have fought the lean , and tree seemed to fall in line with the gun, though hard to say, as the limbs were all over the place..

SO anyhow, the reuslts clearly show that the backcut can steer the tree, which I was able to clearly and unmistakeably do exactly once yesterday.. but was not able to do reliably in these species.. I do not yet understand all the factors contributing to the results, but hopefully will get a better understanding with future experiments.. More later






SO... the point is that I still need to figure out when and why the tree falls sometimes to the notch and sometimes to the backcut...
And for someone to say that the backcut does not effect the fall is rediculous.. how many times have you steered a falling tree during the fall, to adjust the lay in a tight drop zone... I've done it plenty and hope to get that on tape too..

One lesson here is that the guin needs to be sighted on the backcut as well as the notch for extreme precision falling..

It would be nice if other wanted to discuss this with an open and curious mind, rather than a bunch of pre-concieved notions and small mindedness..
 
I cut the backcut and get the hell out the way. The last thing I ever want to do is try and steer a falling tree as it is falling. I give the wedges a pound to see if the tips up top wiggle, I then walk out the danger zone and tell the pullers to pull.

If i have made a bad face cut then I made a bad face cut, no trying to fix it with the backcut... its too late at that point. No way am I going to mess around at the base of the tree while its falling. By the time the tree starts going over, I'm as far away as possible.
 
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