What size mallet for felling wedges

[NickfromWI]

What do you all use? I've used long handles sledge hammers before, but it was too awkward. My preference is short handled mallets. It seems 3 pounds is doing the job.

I recently saw this: http://www.idealtruevalue.com/servlet/the-170126/Detail in the local hardware store and thought, "string a lanyard through that hole and this thing would be nice up in a tree. Full metal handle, you won't have to worry about the head falling off like sometimes happens with wooden handled tools.

They had it for $25. A lot of money for a heavy hammer.

What are y'all using?

love
nick

[JIML]

ummmm.. I tooth shank off an excavator bucket I carved up into a splitting maul lookin thing. It works well, weighs 4 pounds maybe. Ill have to get a picture..

[Newfie]

4 lb. hammer works for me, with an 18"handle. Compact yet allows some leverage for the tough ones.

[MasterBlaster]

Mine does double duty.

[Newfie]

Mine does double duty.

I tried that for a while, I like the bigger striking face of the hammer/sledge.

[Old Monkey]

I like using something larger. I use a splitting maul, an eight pounder I think.

[Stumper]

Pitiful, just pitiful. Real fellers use a short handled 5 lb, Collins Single-bit axe.:P

[stehansen]

I use a long handled 8 lb sledge.

[Al Smith]

I haven't done so for a while but when used,steel wedges and an 8 pound hammer.What in the world is a Collins axe? Any relation to Tom Collins of drink fame?:)

[Burnham]

Pitiful, just pitiful. Real fellers use a short handled 5 lb, Collins Single-bit axe.:P

I could not agree more, Justin. All those other tools are just wannabe efforts :D .

Be professional ;) .

[flyboy]

I use a 5lb sledge with a 20 inch handle that I made myself out of hickory.For no more than I wedge trees it works.

[Al Smith]

Heavens,I've had a half dozen wedges strategically located try to tip a big oak.If I used a little hatchet I would still be thumping on them.:P

Oh,I suppose I could have left a thinner hinge if I wasn't such a fraiddy cat.The thought of 20 tons of oak on top of me some how doesn't appeal to me.They might call me shorty.

[treesandsurf]

anyone have pics of this colins-axe that true true fellers use?

jp:D

[squisher]

Y'all use hammers? Weird?

[Burnham]

Here ya go, a well used and loved tool...been packing this one about for 20+ years.

That's a five pound head...not a little hatchet by any means. I have driven over some really big boys with substantial back lean with it. The trick is alternating hits on 2 or 3 wedges.

[squisher]

Damn Burnham you must be a pro that handle looks well used and in nice shape. I leant my old hatchett/belt to a buddy who was felling some trees on his property, as well as one of my 046's. My saw came back with a new bar and tank/handle and my felling belt never came back at all :( . I learned my lesson the hard way, I got that rigging for my birthday last year.:thumbup:

I don't lend saws to no one now. I'm glad my buddy didn't get hurt he apparently was going to be having a 'pro' neighbor helping him. I should've clued in to the fact that the 'pro' never had no saws of his own!

[Bounce]

For use while climbing, anybody ever try one of these? http://gear.sherrilltree.com/iwwidb.pvx?;multi_item_submit
I've been thinking it might be nice not to have to carry wedges as long as I was just tipping over tops and such (no heavy lean).

[Burnham]

Damn Burnham you must be a pro that handle looks well used and in nice shape. I leant my old hatchett/belt to a buddy who was felling some trees on his property, as well as one of my 046's. My saw came back with a new bar and tank/handle and my felling belt never came back at all :( . I learned my lesson the hard way, I got that rigging for my birthday last year.:thumbup:

I don't lend saws to no one now. I'm glad my buddy didn't get hurt he apparently was going to be having a 'pro' neighbor helping him. I should've clued in to the fact that the 'pro' never had no saws of his own!

Ha Justin, I thought that outfit looked a little too shiney and new :P .

For whatever reason, I have the ability to accurately hit what I'm swinging at with axe, maul, hammer, sledge, or whatever. Nothing I can take credit for, just the way it is for me. Handles last me a good long time ;) .

[GASoline71]

Yup... single bit axe here too. (Must be a PNW thing again...) It had a straight handle on it when I bought it about 20 years ago. It got busted when it got run over in the woods awhile back... have a "curved" handle on it now.

Works just as good. :thumbup:

Gary

[lumberjack]

I, like Al and Steve, use a 8lb (or heavier) maul.

I can not immagine using a ax or anything smaller, but I haven't seen it all.

I've also sent some big un's on their way with wedges, nothing ax sized about it.

I guess if I had some steel thinner wedges, that would make it quite easier. The plastic wedges I like to use break at an alarming rate. Then again if I used a hammer I bet they would last much longer.

[sotc]

i use a 3 pound falling axe

[Burnham]

I, like Al and Steve, use a 8lb (or heavier) maul.

I can not immagine using a ax or anything smaller, but I haven't seen it all.

I've also sent some big un's on their way with wedges, nothing ax sized about it.

I guess if I had some steel thinner wedges, that would make it quite easier. The plastic wedges I like to use break at an alarming rate. Then again if I used a hammer I bet they would last much longer.

If you didn't use that massive overkill maul, or even if you did if you'd hit the wedges square and true, you wouldn't break wedges :P . Doesn't anyone understand finesse these days :? :D :lol: .

Or maybe you're going too cheap on the wedges you like ;) .


i use a 3 pound falling axe

On the other hand, 3 lbs. is too light to really drive a heavy leaner, IMHO.

[Old Monkey]

If I had to hike into the trees I would use a falling axe. I don't anymore and that is why I now use a splitting maul.

[sotc]

if its a heavy leaner near targets it gets a pull rope to do most of the work anyway;)

[Burnham]

If I had to hike into the trees I would use a falling axe. I don't anymore and that is why I now use a splitting maul.

Good point, OM. Little wimp that I am, swinging a maul would not be my choice even if I could park beside every tree. My right rotator cuff is in bad enough shape as it is.

And besides, there's tradition to be respected, ya know? :)

[Burnham]

if its a heavy leaner near targets it geis a pull rope to most of the work anyway;)

Chicken!:P

[sotc]

bock bock:D

[GASoline71]

I have a maul that stays in the truck "just in case"...

But for the most part... I just use my single bit axe.

Gary

[stehansen]

if its a heavy leaner near targets it gets a pull rope to do most of the work anyway;)

If it has any lean at all that isn't in my favor, I put a rope on it. Bock bock here also.

[NickfromWI]

How about these fiskars ones?

http://www.fiskars.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&langId=-1&catalogId=10101&categoryId=10283&productId=10527

http://www.fiskars.com/wps/wcm/connect/d26d5b8045cd9239bcd9fc0fc61cf272/7857_p.jpg?MOD=AJPERES

love
nick

[Old Monkey]

I wouldn't if I were you.

[Newfie]

I have a maul that stays in the truck "just in case"...

But for the most part... I just use my single bit axe.

Gary

Oh now the truth begins to trickle out of the PNW....:D ;)

[Rotax Robert]

Just a 4 to 5 lb single or double jack here. start hitting with 8/10 pounders ? hell you can pick the tree up right off its stump if you go to light on your hinge.

[GASoline71]

Oh now the truth begins to trickle out of the PNW....:D ;)

LMAO...

I keep a maul in the truck all the time... never know when you will need it. ;)

Gary

[Old Monkey]

Your daughters are getting older and there are those things called boys around.

[inztrees]

boys ax

[Stumper]

Nick, The Fiskars axes are useful tools but they suck for driving falling wedges in anything sizeable.

[NickfromWI]

Yeah, I was looking at the specs, and they are not heavy at all. The longer handles have only 2 pound heads.

Funny thing is, I could go buy a 5 dollar thing somewhere and I'm sure i'd be quite happy with it. Let's be honest. An appropriately sized stone would do the job.

love
nick

[Al Smith]

Just a 4 to 5 lb single or double jack here. start hitting with 8/10 pounders ? hell you can pick the tree up right off its stump if you go to light on your hinge. Well,now that you mention that,I did so once,scared hell out me,run legs run.Put a slight back leaner right into another one,30" oak.:\:

Thumping with an axe you guys must be using plastic wedges or have damned tough axes.Somebody dummied up my 100 year old 5 lb splitter,likely driving wedges at one time or another.

[Burnham]

Yeah, I was looking at the specs, and they are not heavy at all. The longer handles have only 2 pound heads.

Funny thing is, I could go buy a 5 dollar thing somewhere and I'm sure i'd be quite happy with it. Let's be honest. An appropriately sized stone would do the job.
love
nick

Hell, no it wouldn't Nick...you need some mass and high head speed to drive a set of wedges under a tree 4 feet in diameter and 200 feet tall...or that 20 ton oak Al was talking about.

[Burnham]

Well,now that you mention that,I did so once,scared hell out me,run legs run.Put a slight back leaner right into another one,30" oak.:\:

Thumping with an axe you guys must be using plastic wedges or have damned tough axes.Somebody dummied up my 100 year old 5 lb splitter,likely driving wedges at one time or another.

Absolutely Al, plastics for everyday use, though currently hardhead plastics are my favorite. Mag alloy wedges come out for really tough wedging jobs.

[sotc]

yes nick a 5 dollar axe is good. i buy them at yard sales any time i see them

[Cedarkerf]

Another PNWNER here 4 1/2 lb 26" handle singlebit axe. Works great fits right in out here.

[JIML]

Has anyone ever broken their handle or just lost the axe/maul/hammer completely and carved one? I carved a hickory mallet one time to beat on a wedge. Felt like an idiot cause I brought wedges but no hammer :D. It worked but was not real comfortable on the hands.

[squisher]

Yup I've been on the hillside before with wedges and no axe, sucks. Nick your rock idea, it doesn't really work to well in practice.

[sotc]

i used a limb once kinda sorta helped but didnt drive it over

[GASoline71]

Yup I've been on the hillside before with wedges and no axe, sucks. Nick your rock idea, it doesn't really work to well in practice.

I tried the rock thing one time too... when I forgot the axe in the truck and I was 100 yards down the hill...

It don't work as good as you would think.

Like Burnhan said... head speed. Just like in baseball and golf... it's all about head speed to drive through the wedge. Good hand eye coordination helps too...;)

Gary

[sotc]

the grcs bar does ok:)

[squisher]

I've cut a few pretty long two man push poles in my day before :what: a last, last resort. Amazing what 15' of leverage can do for ya.

[GASoline71]

I also used a tire iron from the truck once!

Gary

[pantheraba]

Felt like an idiot cause I brought wedges but no hammer :D. It worked but was not real comfortable on the hands.

Ever had a hammer but no wedges?

We used these at Katrina to free up a pinched saw...

whadda ya think, Burnham...maybe I can auction these? :lol:

[sotc]

my buddy has some oak wedges his grampa made for falling

[Old Monkey]

Has anyone ever broken their handle or just lost the axe/maul/hammer completely and carved one? I carved a hickory mallet one time to beat on a wedge. Felt like an idiot cause I brought wedges but no hammer :D. It worked but was not real comfortable on the hands.

We call it a whomping stick.

[Ax-Man]

I don't have many oppurtunities to drive wedges to fall a whole tree in one shot. The most we use wedges for are to keep saws from being pinched when doing the last cut on a spar or bucking the log. I use a 3-4 lb short handled sledge with a fiberglass handle. I got tired of broken wooden handles or the heads working loose which is a big pet peeve of mine.

[Stumper]

Gary, More than once I've chainsawed a felling wedge out of the face cut or a limb (limbs work better).

[pantheraba]

my buddy has some oak wedges his grampa made for falling

It may be that grampas excel at wood wedges...it was an 80 year old fellow that made those for us...we were working on his trees at Katrina and he heard us grousing about needing a wedge. He got busy and made us some.

[Frans]

this thread gave me the idea to clean out my day-to-day wedge bag.

Also is a pix of my friends Lamborghini tractor. Air cooled like a Deutz

[MasterBlaster]

Lamborghini makes a freaking tractor? How 'bout chainsaws? That would be sweet... I think!

[Tom_Scheller]

They also used to make a "Rambo - Lambo"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Lamborghini_LM-002.JPG
I saw one in NYC with spinners. Possibly, the ultimate tricked-out ghetto sled.

TS

[Al Smith]

My father told stories of driving wedges back in the old days.

They would fall a big old dead oak or whatever.Then they used some big old 14 inch steel wedges backed up by oak wedges to split the trunks into smaller pieces ,small enough to feed through a buzz saw.

You have to remember the times,mid 30's right dead in the middle of the great depression.Gasoline saws were all but nonexistant and if so,who could afford them? He said the few they encountered,those young strapping farm boys could out cut with their misery whips.

They packed in a sizeable amount of fire wood and saw logs with just two man cross cuts and horses.He said a team of Belgians could drag a pretty good sized log out of the woods.The mules didn't do too badly either.

[Burnham]

Ever had a hammer but no wedges?

We used these at Katrina to free up a pinched saw...

whadda ya think, Burnham...maybe I can auction these? :lol:

Sure ya could, Gary :lol: . That is an experienced wedge that knows what the job is all about!

I guess I am just a boring ol' cutter...I have no stories of makeshift wedge drivers...I don't forget my axe and I don't break my handle and I keep the head tight by working in the PNWet and paying attention to when it needs attention in late August.

We used to get GSA wooden wedges years ago, oak I think...they made good door stops and kindling. I'd consider them dangerous for actual use felling real trees.

[GASoline71]

Ol' Faithful, and Ol' Reliable...

Ol' Faithful (axe) has seen it's fair share of wedge poundin' over the years... :)

Ol' Reliable (maul) has only been used twice on some big wood to drive wedges.

Gary

[stehansen]

I have used a prybar before when I didn't have any wedges.

[MasterBlaster]

Those old ones they use on a railroad crew are awesome! You can pry the planet with one of those big suckers.

[gf beranek]

5 pound Stroh Axe. I still have two heads. One on a short handle for beating wedges in the redwood clumps. Those long handled bastards got me in nuts more than once.

[MasterBlaster]

Theres when having brass balls comes in handy! ;)

[Burnham]

Want to sell that second Stroh axe head, Jerry? Serious offer.

[jamie]

we mainly use a maul to knock em over. not that we do a lot of wedge felling.

We have alu and wood 'high lifters' but i prefer using steel wedges. i love the sound of steel getting melted into teh tree. 2 hits here 2 hits there 2 hits.... etc.

dumping big tops off and sending trees over on wedges are two of my favorite things.....and splicng

Jamie

[Bodean]

5 Pound falling boy so you can chip out the
back cut and smack them wedges deeper.

[GASoline71]

I agree Deva... I couldn't imagine not havin' at least a single bit axe with me to drive wedges... that sharp side of that single bit comes in handy just like you said.

Also comes in handy swampin' out brush. :)

Gary

[Al Smith]

I do have an 8 lb sledge I have used for various things including driving a wedge.The short handle does have the advantage of not wacking you below the belt ,a foul in boxing and a rather humbling experiance .This brings up a story.

Years ago my middle bro was driving home from a night of carousing ,about three sheets to the wind. He smoked at that time.He flipped a butt out the window but neglected to first roll the window down.In bounced back and landed in his lap.Unthinking he beat the fire out,oops.This lose of concentration ,as well as added pain caused him to put that Ford Maverick directly on top of a 6" elm tree,all four wheels off the ground,in a snow bank no less.

After all was said and done my bro decided that smoking was injurious to his health.He never smoked again.As far as the Maverick,I suppose it's a bumper on a Chevy or something by now.I really think the danged thing started out as recycled tin cans in those days any ways.

[gf beranek]

I once used some splitting wedges to drive a pine stub over, my early years before I knew what the F I was doing. Anyway, the pine stub was cock over about 20 degrees and the wedges were drove in so far they cut through the hinge and was comeing out the face. Swinging a 6 lb maul like a pro.

Yeah, those were the good ol'days.

[Big A]

we mainly use a maul to knock em over. not that we do a lot of wedge felling.

We have alu and wood 'high lifters' but i prefer using steel wedges. i love the sound of steel getting melted into teh tree. 2 hits here 2 hits there 2 hits.... etc.

dumping big tops off and sending trees over on wedges are two of my favorite things.....and splicng

Jamie

maul here too, steel is good, but the other day I was splitting into some beech, I heard a zzzzzzziiiiiiiipp! and a piece of shrapnel had broke off the head of the wedge and struck a shed about 30yds away. Lesson #1, keep them dressed!!:O

[Blinky]

5 pound axe in the car but usually I use a short felling bar I keep in my takedown bag... truth is, I use a rope for felling. I use wedges for bucking big stuff more than for felling... that is, big stuff by East Coast standards anyway.