Logs bounce.

Flying~Squirrel said:
I got really lucky that this one bounced right instead of left, or else it would have been inside their living room. Still, I learned a serious lesson about keeping the drop zone clear. It's worth the extra time it takes.


The damaged bark on the longest log is where the problem log hit the ground. It bounced about 10 or 15 feet in the air and did a full 360 before coming to rest on the fence. It probably weighed over 3000 pounds and it floated through the air like a feather.

Sorry boss.
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Stay in this business long enough and you'll see some crazy things happen.
 
we had a small chunk of wood hit a stub on a buttress root. Damn thing flew! Tree was about 10' off the edge of a lane and a half road, cleared the fence across, and landed through the window of the neighbor. Total distance only about 50' but the wood was dropped about 20'
 
Aside from bounce there is "pierce". In the winter months and soft soil conditions you can drive a log pretty deep into the ground. Make sure there are no pipes under that area.
 
My favorite bounce was when the homeowner didn’t have their leave cleaned up and we were working in four inches of oak leaves.
I took a five foot section of spar out when it hit the ground there was a rock under the leaves. It bounced and slammed the house. Had to fix that one.
 
Merle Nelson said:
Aside from bounce there is "pierce". In the winter months and soft soil conditions you can drive a log pretty deep into the ground. Make sure there are no pipes under that area.
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I wish I had a picture from a job a decade and a half ago. I was in the next tree over prepping the rigging while the boss and groundies were using the bucket taking down the stem I'd just come off. Boss in the bucket, does the usual notch and through cut. Watched it start to tip, turned back to my rigging, heard an atypical crunch followed by the boss swearing. Look at him, he's fine. Look down, there's maybe 8 feet of what had been a 16'-20' spar sticking out of the ground. Found the old septic tank. Still better than finding one that's still in use.
 
Ha.

Old abondond septic tanks are bad. We were doing what was basically a logging job right around an old farmhouse. Cat 988 is deftly swinging around with a 41 foot log about 4 feet in dia. Back tire rolls over and punches right through an old redwood topped tank.

Loader was hopelessly stuck till we got other equipment in to pull it out. We were just glad the log was cradled low and my buddy was unhurt.
 
Man, I busted a big concrete septic tank lid before as well. The homeowner didn't know where it was, the ground/lid was covered in probably 6" of forest duff making it totally invisible, and I even checked before I stared bombing wood if I could drop chunks there. No idea how much the repair cost.... but I gave a deal on the work.
 
not a bounce or a tank, but my neighbor had a friend doing some tree work, winchline from the truck to a block and up to the tree (From what I know) trying to pull the tree away from the house, cable snapped and apparently the tree spun around and fell backwards the header at the end of their carport did a good job stopping it (3 x 2x10 [might have been 2 x 12] bolted together)


I looked at the stump, unless they cut a large disc off, they went clean thru the holding wood (Not even any holes from the tearout)
 
Treetopflyer said:
Don't forget about the often under utilized vertical speedine.. I do believe that you would've been OK there . Some good cheap bullrope and a rigging ring will work wonders keeping large wood from flying radical.
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Was doing a removal today. Tree on a very steep slope with a small bluff below, leaning towards a fence, patio and house. I remembered your mention of a vertical speedline. It was perfect for this situation. Easiest way to put wood on the ground without worrying about damage. Thanks! (Photo is from maybe 50' up in the tree, the rest of the elevation is from the hillside.)20210408_135534.jpg
 
I still laugh a little. The dumbest bounce I've seen was a big leaf maple. A stub cut of about 2" diameter resting on a root was hit by a 12" short log. It was hit just right and flew pinwheeling across the narrow gravel drive, cleared the fence on rotation going through the neighbors living room window as they were on the couch watching tv.
Nothing hurt other than the window and pride.
 
oldoakman said:
Definitely an "Oh Shit" moment there. I had a boss once that was limbing up a hemlock that was about 40 feet from the front picture window of the clients house. The limb was about 25 feet long and skinny, hit tip first and sprang towards the window but first. Took the window out.
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I've seen it happen.... I had a huge beech limb hit and bound over a fence once and land in the driveway without damaging the fence. That would have made some serious video.
 
I usually target a length of twice the diameter. 1x approximates a ball, which rolls. More than 2x leads to those flippy-mcflippers. 2x tends to wander less for me.
 
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