Caught in the peel

What factors cause an increased likelihood of peeling?

One that I've seen was when there were a lot of branches removed around the conifer top being felled. I cut the branches to the branch collar rather than flush cutting them. Kerf cuts saved the day.

Seems like felling near trunk flare will also increase the likelihood of it. I was felling a tree the other day at normal standing level/ hip high, and for some reason decided to put in kerf cuts, thankfully, as it was a drop centered between two houses with about 15'-20' between them. The one side ripped down to the sapwood cut on one side, and the tree fell to the lay as directed by the hinge. It would have squashed the house if it has swung 20 degrees.

I think a lot of people forego sapwood cuts when felling on the ground.
 
I had an Ash tree top peel once, sucked me right in to the tree pretty good. No kerf cuts--I knew about them, used them on occasion. This day I did not, one corner of the hinge peeled on the side the top was leaning. Could not bomb with the lean because of obstacles below. Put a pull line in and ground guy pulled on cue, and I was kissing a nice ash. I have learned that tops or trees that are felled perpindicular to the lean have a tedancy to peel on the compression side. Bore cuts are a great tool, but that day this ash top was too small to bore cut. On long horizontal limbs I always go overkill on the undercut and take the corners in. Species that are known to split easily along the neutral plane are good candidates for this jump cut or modified jump cut technique. Takes practice to get it right and can become challenging with large diameter limbs. Just don't get your saw pinched. just a few thoughts--work safe.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Kerf cuts = sapwood cuts. Horizontal cuts below the hinge that sever the bark and some of the sapwood. Basically, your bar/ handsaw blade will have the tip pointed toward the direction your top will fall. If the bark/ sapwood peel down the side rather than break with the hinge, it should hopefully rip when it reaches your kerf/ sapwood cuts. Does this come across clearly?

[/ QUOTE ]

oh cool. i have always done this when taking out tops. i didn't know it was called kerf cuts.
cool, good to know, thanks buddy.
 
Had a small peel happen to me in a norway maple didn't do any damage except give me a scare. After hearing a bunch of horror stories I've kerf cut every time I top a tree or am in a situation where my lanyard could get caught. Takes two seconds anywayz
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

New threads New posts

Back
Top Bottom