Blowing the top out of a tree!

Jamin_Mayer

Jamin_Mayer

Location
Longmont, CO
In the context of "sending" the top out of a tree (with or without a block) I am curious with the habits we have at the Buzz.

Here are 2 videos to observe and learn from.

First Video

Second Video

One of my habits in this situation is this: When making the back cut, I cut close enough to give me time to turn off the saw, hit the brake, and clip it on my harness. Then have the groundie pull it over. And if there is not a tag line necessary, I cut close enough to do same procedure, but finish with a hand saw.

The last thing I want; is a out of control & running chainsaw if I got bounced off balance!
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If you're not ready you're probably gonna get slapped. A 3' saw lanyard is a good start'cause you can set the brake and drop the saw. This gives you valuable time to position for the ride. I push as hard as I can against the trunk of the tree holding myself away from the trunk and riding the wobble. Don't ever underestimate the force of the wobble 'cause it's like riding a bull. Once you're loose you're off.
 
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In this situation, I climb out further and take smaller pieces.

jp
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Same here. If the top's on a rope I go with small pieces. I like a nice ride when pitching tops but not rigging them. A good groundie goes a long way rigging out tops. A lousy groundie will give you a bad day.

I do the backcut at chest height and burn through fast till I get to the hinge and have the saw off before the top is really moving. I push on the tree with my left and hold the saw with my right. I don't try to clip the saw on because that takes my eyes off the top.

Usually I go up into the top and skin the side opposite of the lay, I throw the pieces into the front side to add weight so it won't set back.

I got to watch one of those crazy rides in person once. It was a complete ragdoll job... that was when a big piece went early though... no backcut, tiny jump cut notch, tupelo if I remember right.
 
When i take a top out i normally play it by ear, wheather or not i clip my saw back to my saddle or just hang onto it, but i always push back with my opposite hand bracing myself. Since gaining experience i can't remember the last time i wasn't able to take the time to clip my saw. I would rather finish with my handsaw and risk dropping that then go to far and risk dropping the chainsaw.

But i'm far from being great at this yet, maybe even a ways from being good. haha
 
For exceptionally large tops, I will often use a open faced notch to reduce the amount of lateral force the top creates on the spar I am on.

But, I would say 90% to 95% of the time I make sure I do the same procedure. The other times are my misjudgment with timing or wind.
 
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I don't try to clip the saw on because that takes my eyes off the top.

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My Tree Motion saddle is nice. I am able to put my chainsaw on my saddle without looking. I don't have a problem with that anymore.
 
My groundie doesn't hang stuff either. He won't pull the tag line until my saw is off and hanging on my saddle. It is a team effort to keep a climber safe.

With that said, some of these guys getting tossed around like a rag doll aren't always the the climbers fault.
 
That's true about getting ragdolled not always being on the climber. If that rope goes tight without running, the energy is waaay high and half the time it's out of sync with the spar harmonics generated when the hinge broke... jerky as hell.

I rigged off a big pine top a couple of months ago and the ground guy (an experienced climber) left too many wraps on the porty. There was a large knot right in front of me about crotch height... you can figure out the rest.

I can't say enough about having a good ground person on the rope when rigging. It's a joy to watch a big piece fall away and slow down to a soft stop. It takes experience and a good head on the ground to do that.

I use a modified open face on tops fairly often because I usually work in densely treed yards and have to thread them through other tops. Jump cutting tops in the open is fun though, I like a nice smooth ride when opportunity permits.

Topping in the wind... I hate it. Wind was what made that tupelo go early and do the ragdoll job i witnessed.
 
How bout; cut the open face notch, bore cut to set up the hinge, leave a 'strap' to cut with your handsaw, put the chainsaw on your harness and cut the strap with your handsaw?
Having an experienced roper can 'make ya or break ya'.
 
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I've seen that 3' saw lanyard become a 3' pendulum around which the saw swings. Clunk!!

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Good point Mark. No doubt that does happen. It comes down to the lesser of two evils. Never broken a saw doing the drop and never never been hit by a swinging saw.
 
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