coos bay for large heavy leaners

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  • #8
this would be my first CB. it's a big time leaner. giong to size it up tomorrow and will post some pics tomorrow eve.........got any pics of large stems that were CB'd?
 
Gerry B. or Burnam may. They will be on here time to time. I am sure they will pipe up soon enough. Never did anything over 12" with a CB myself. Thus far :/:
 
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  • #10
yep///thanks..................this tree is going to make a huge noise.........
 
Nice!!! One time when I was cutting firewood I was tipping this good sized oak maybe 30" on the stump by 80' or so. I had her gunned to miss this norway maple about 12-14" DBH but the two got hung up and the oak was just imposing its will on the maple so I ran further back, pulled my ear muffs and watched as the maple snapped it two. That was the loudest crack I have ever heard in person from a tree, it evened echoed around Delavan Lake.
 
Coos Bay cut on a 48" DBH stem is no place to be messing around with an underpowered saw, a less that razor sharp chain, and a shorty bar. Be absolutely sure you have the lean direction accurately read. The CB is only of use if the lay you are gunning to is directly to the lean. If you have a little bit of side lean too, you can get away with it by making the first cut on that side and placing a couple of wedges tight before making the second cut.

Perhaps the most valuable advice I can give you is, don't be hesitant. Slap those side cuts in and move with alacrity to the back cut. Hit it fast and furious and don't spare the power.
 
Perhaps the most valuable advice I can give you is, don't be hesitant. Slap those side cuts in and move with alacrity to the back cut. Hit it fast and furious and don't spare the power.

Heed that advice x10. Make damn sure you sized up the tree proper. You are doing your first one on a decent sized stick. Heads up and stay on the balls of your feet.
 
Any reason it can't be bored and tripped from behind instead. Way safer if you can get away with it.
 
Yeah the Coos Bay works wonders, but there are a few things about it and the trees you use the cut on that you should always remember.

Number one, the Coos Bay is a release cut only. There is no directional control with it.

Two, a well balanced head lean is what you want. If the tree has side favor to the angle the cut is executed it is going to twist or tear cockeyed off the stump. But for subtle side favor,, saw that side up first and stick a wedge in it to keep the cut open.

Saw at least a third in on each side. Leave a tapered aspect of holding wood. More wood on the tension side. Do not saw through the support wood or you will get stuck. It is usually best to sever the tension wood immediately upon completion of the second side cut. Easy to do with small stems anyway.

A sound stump is a must, or again you will get stuck, and or the tree will split, twist or tear cockeyed off the stump.

Last but not the least, even if all the criteria is met and everything is done right, you still have to always remember that the primary purpose of the Coos Bay is to "trip heavy head leaners." And the trunk of a heavy head leaner bears tremendous tension and pressure forces. And anytime you deal with high tension and pressure forces something terrible can go wrong. It's the nature of the beast. So you should be cautious every step of the way and ensure that you have a way to safety. always

Other than that everything should go hunky dory.
 
Excellent input/clarification, Burnham, Jerry and Dave...us lurkers appreciate it.

One quick question, Jerry...that "tapered aspect of holding wood"...is the apex of that triangle at the center of the (what would be the) face? I think that is what you mean by "More wood on the tension side."....capisce?

Is this drawing right?
 

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That is the way we do it in Scandinavia, nicknamed the " golden triangle" cut, because it saves so many valuable logs during storm cleanup in the woods.
 
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  • #23
k folks.......here are the pics........lots going on........the backstrap is the first issue.........i have a plan, here it is:

cinch down the backstrap above head high. tickle and cut through the backstrap, leaving it cinched up.......then, drop the tree as a heavy leaner.

keep aware of the backstrap releasing tension to the rest of the tree, overall movement as a result of the release of the backstrap. keep my running shoes on........

open to your feedback
 

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