Lousy job of felling a tree

hmmmm, no reply from the op on this.....

no man said:

Look at the bright side. That much less you have to split.

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That's exactly what I thought when it happened to me... after my heart started beating again.

ansehnlich1 said:

hmmmm, no reply from the op on this.....

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Well, we have been kinda rough on him. I'm sure that we were all only trying to help him out and keep him safe.

Flatbedford said:

ansehnlich1 said:

hmmmm, no reply from the op on this.....

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Well, we have been kinda rough on him. I'm sure that we were all only trying to help him out and keep him safe.

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He's busy doing his laundry right now.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but can that happen right when the tree first starts falling? I mean if the tree has only gone over a teeny bit, can it pop out and whack you? I thought that only happens when the tree has started to go and you are still hanging around and/or cutting, which puts your noggin in danger. I always cut the hinge to no less than an inch or two and if the tree isn't going on its own I start pounding the wedges in. No mater what the hinge looks like, if the tree starts moving, I'm outta there. Also, I try to never have any part of my body in the danger zone directly behind the notch. The tree would have to pop sideways to hit me. I'm not trying to sound over confident, but those things scare the hell out of me and I never really understood what happens and when with barber chairs. I'm glad the OP survived to tell. If nothing else, it will make me and others think twice about what we are doing and hopefully make us more safe.

rdust said:

smokinjay said:

Cant say for sure but wheres the notch?

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I don't see a notch either. I was thinking since it was leaning maybe it was "thought" a notch wasn't needed?

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Notch should always be used unless it at a 45 degree or something crazy like that.

He said the notch was too low in the original post, looks like its right at the bottom of the pic. Probably wasnt quite deep enough but if the notch and felling cut were closer together there would be a better hinge.

Stuff happens, live and learn, all that good stuff.

I would be curious to see how it all turned out, still a lot of potential energy stored in that tree waiting to let go.

I watched my neighbor cut one like that, cuts were too far seperated, the tree just leaned over about 20 degrees and stopped, never did barber pole, he sat there and watched it for about 10 minutes and then went it and cut some more till it went over

This brings back memories:

Holy Sh#$%^#%^t That video sort of answered my question.... What do you think caused that particular barber chair? From the vid I didn't see anything obviously wrong with the cuts or technique. That scares me

Looks like the same problem as in the OP. Too high a back cut. Might as well make no notch at all if the hinge ends up being way too tall.

Here's a safer method I found that makes total sense to me:

Battenkiller said:

Looks like the same problem as in the OP. Too high a back cut. Might as well make no notch at all if the hinge ends up being way too tall.

Here's a safer method I found that makes total sense to me:

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None the less it is a notch! all tree's are different but most will need one.

smokinjay said:

Battenkiller said:

Looks like the same problem as in the OP. Too high a back cut. Might as well make no notch at all if the hinge ends up being way too tall.

Here's a safer method I found that makes total sense to me:

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None the less it is a notch! all tree's are different but most will need one.

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Of course there's still a notch, but there is also that thick strap of wood along the back. Even if that pops before the shallow back cut is made (let's say the back side has buried rot), the tree should still bend cleanly at the hinge. Still, things can (and will) go wrong.

Agreed, though, they're all different. That's why I stopped cutting them down, at least the bigger ones. I'm not a gambler, I like the odds to be 100% in my favor. Too many things go wrong when felling big trees, and I'm scared of them all. Lots of pros get killed every year, even the careful ones. I got a granddaughter to marry off now, and she's only three. I got a ways to go yet. ;-)

That first video was scary but I could help but laugh when he took off running.

no man said:

That first video was scary but I could help but laugh when he took off running.

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I am a runner to. Lots of people thinks thats funny but when I know its tearing over the top of the bar I get my boooost on!

Battenkiller said:

Looks like the same problem as in the OP. Too high a back cut. Might as well make no notch at all if the hinge ends up being way too tall.

Here's a safer method I found that makes total sense to me:

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That's better but his bore cut is too high and you want to establish your hinge first, then cut back leaving a strap to hold the tree, put in a couple wedges to assure it's going to go the right way and then cut below the strap to release the tree.

wendell said:

Battenkiller said:

Looks like the same problem as in the OP. Too high a back cut. Might as well make no notch at all if the hinge ends up being way too tall.

Here's a safer method I found that makes total sense to me:

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That's better but his bore cut is too high and you want to establish your hinge first, then cut back leaving a strap to hold the tree, put in a couple wedges to assure it's going to go the right way and then cut below the strap to release the tree.

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lol wendall Thats was a SweeeeeeT drop!

wood spliter said:

leftyscott said:

Never had one do this to me.
I think my felling cut was a little high or maybe my outside notch was too low.
Either way, it pizzed me off, 'cause I was not paying attention. Need to do better next time.

At least the tree fell where I wanted it to.

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#1 no one hurt.
#2 nothing destroyed.
Its a tree, they don't always do what we expect or want.

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managed to get 3 1/2 trees hung up . . . felling trees is not “my thing” . . . on the flip side . . . I walked out of the woods without injury . . . and with 1 1/2 loads of wood . . . it was a good day.

and the best attitude : "....it happens to the best of us...."

Not healthy, smart or safe. We get knowledge-based training to handle ordinance, firearms, rocks (climbing). Chainsaws are more dangerous than those in the wrong hands.
Why do many of you give this dangerous advice ? No one who cuts feels this way. Pi$$ poor way to go about telling or boasting about close calls.
Now the flamers .

Best approach for those of you with the desire to want to understand how to use a saw efficiently and safely is to get out, step away from the computer or books.

1. Find a pro arborist, logger, or tree guy. Watch, listen, use the tools (including the saw) with guidance. Offer to be a groundie or do the grunt for them. Learn how to maintain the tool.....by hand.

2. Many programs, some mandated for professionals. In N.H. and Maine look for CLP (Certified Logging Professional) and GOL (Game of Logging) classes. No, silly, it's not a "game" game. Serious learning, challenges, contests. Both offer techniques, trials, tests for using saws. Most of these are all over N. America.

3. Now to the meat: with experience and training, you don't need a MS660 or 395XP (large bore pro saws) with a 36" bar to cut that imaginary 70" DBH maple we hear about. CLP and GOL training gives anyone
the skills to fell big DBH trees with bars 1/2 the diameter. How ? Easy once you know how. Most loggers, arborists, woodlot owners routinely fell with shorter bars here in the east and midwest. Why ? Less maintenance sharpening in the field, less stress on your body, safer boring ( don't know what boring is ? ), wedge use to aim trees.
Don't use wedges ? Use 'em.

4. One thing taught in those programs: planning the fall. Where exactly to drop the tree with no hang ups, barber chairs, twisting, or those close calls some of you like. Escape path 45 deg from the line of fall cleared ? Got the mouth correct for the species or rot or crown or lean ? Back cut right on ? The few minutes spent thimking about the job (IBM slogan) could save your a$$, save time and $$$, give satisfaction seeing the beast go where you planned.

One read here is worthwhile since he does have chainsaw chops: Eric Johnson.

You don't need to own a chainsaw to be an idiot... or to be three idiots for that matter. I especially like the segment that begins around 1:29 in the video. Lucky that gal didn't get launched right up onto the roof of the house.

Hello leftyscott...you just met a barber chair condition......a dangerous condition that can and will kill you. Usually it happens on big leaners...even if your notch and cut are perfect. I have cut many big leaners but wrap a thirty foot chain around the trunk above my cut and use a chain binder to tighten up the chain....then I make my cut. As you may well know/or not know...logging or cutting firewood is a very dangerous job...and many have learned that the hard way. All it takes is one mistake and you can be hurt or killed in an instant. If your a green horn it's best to find someone that knows his s--- to teach you. Good luck...Oldmainer

The funny thing about the first one is. You could see he thought something wasn't right but he second guessed himself.

<shudder>

Battenkiller said:

You don't need to own a chainsaw to be an idiot... or to be three idiots for that matter. I especially like the segment that begins around 1:29 in the video. Lucky that gal didn't get launched right up onto the roof of the house.

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The trees are dancing to the music.

Battenkiller said:

You don't need to own a chainsaw to be an idiot... or to be three idiots for that matter. I especially like the segment that begins around 1:29 in the video. Lucky that gal didn't get launched right up onto the roof of the house.

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That was amazing. I liked when the cat took off down escape route around 2:33.

wsorg said:

Could have been worse...no permanent damage.

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It can ALWAYS be worse.