Storm damaged Beech tree

R

Reg

Branched out member
Location
Victoria, BC
http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=-4816237954181183346

This was almost one for ‘Awakenings’.

We fell a storm damaged Beech for one of my regular clients.

Unfortunately the gardener’s had already made an attempt. They had inexplicably cut about a quarter of the way through the wood, on the tension side! At this stage it appears they hit some metal and decided not to continue. They did not tell the client about this, only that she should call me to deal with it.

The video shows their cuts but not the state of the area at the time the cuts were made. We spent three hours prepping the area i.e clearing all the fallen timber/brush, removing the mangled fence and barbed wire so to establishing our escape routes etc. These guys obviously had no experience, no game plan and not even the consideration to warn other’s about the potential hazard of which they’d just added to.

There is a lesson here to anyone whether you’re a gardener, handy man, occasional tree faller etc, if you have even the slightest doubt when deciding on a plan of action… Please, just walk away, not many second chances in this game.

We carefully bore-cut the notch, the middle, and then nick the tail leaving the tapered hinge to pull the tree away from it’s adjacent neighbor to fall harmlessly into the valley
 
allmark

It doesn't really matter where the cut is started or at what angle, so long as its close and on target when nearing the bypass. The sloping cut is also more comfortable for the chainsaw operator and in this case kept my saw away from the embedded nails. Try it and decide for yourself.
 
If the cut is made high the fiber could pull before the wood is severed and snatch the saw from your hands.
It's always best to make the final cut below the strap.
 
Kevin

Where the cuts are horizontal and perhaps where there is only a slight or no lean, and no hinge, I agree. However, wood grain will always break at its weakest point.

If your back cut is sloping, and heading towards the boar cut, the weakest point will always be at the point of severance, which is where it will eventually break, there is no reason why it would break further back at a stonger point. I would draw it but I'm sure you can visualise what I mean. Its the sloping cut that changes the dynamics.
 
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there is no reason why it would break further back

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I guess I respectfully disagree.
There's always a chance that the wood fiber will pull below the bar and it doesn't take much wood to capture the bar.
 
No Worries Kev, but remember, we are talking about tension wood, which is very predictable. All I can suggest is that you try it only when you feel safe enough to experiment. Sometimes sketching can also help in getting a visual, dont forget the hinge. But hey, its all about practicing what your most comfotable with. Getting late here now, goodnight.
 
CC. I agree with avoiding the nails. My thought was cutting it lower would sever the fibers same as higher cuts woud. Your reason makes sense. As far as catching the saw it didnt look like a big enough piece of would left for the release cut to do that.
 
allmark

Cutting it below or cutting it level is the norm, I accept that. Ive posted the reasons for my preference, and I can honestly say that Ive never even felt so much a a hint of the saw being snatched for all the time Ive used this technique.

On this particular occasion, the position of the saw was the most comfortable for enabling me to keep a watchful eye on a hazardous tree. You could actually hear the grain breaking inside before I even started the release cut. On the notch cut it appears as if I could have made it from the ground, however my chosen, awkward looking positioning was actually the safest. The notch was also bored with a climbing saw for the same reason. I suppose you had to be there really. Dont forget, at one time we used to think the world was flat, if you get my meaning. The thread was intended to be about recklessness, not mine hopefully.

allmark, I always wonder what youre doing on your picture, are you cooking or fabricating? I can see fire but not what its for.
 
Not with the limited power we had yeserday, too much lean and top-weight in proportion to its narrow trunk. Also, to pull it against the lean would have meant felling it onto someone elses land. Plus I priced just to get it down safely leaving it cut and stacked. One of the perks of woodland jobs.
 
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