leaning tower of oak

LeafCollector

Treehouser
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Northwest Indiana
So I got this other dead oak thats aboot 30" across the stump.
side lean,back lean and 67' tall.
got a Masdam puller to keep the tree off my bar when putting in the back cut.
my question is one of geometry
which is better? notch and back cut matching the lean of the tree or should I put a level notch in the direction of felling?
does that make sense?
thanks
 
Think about the purpose of the notch and back cut, as well as the mechanics of how it works. The whole purpose is to create a wooden hinge that bends in order to steer the tree in the desired direction. So therefore what you cut isn't as important as what you don't cut. The uncut wood is what does the work.

With that in mind, I usually try to make my hinges perpendicular to the grain of the wood. I want uncut fibers running up and down in both directions from my hinge. If you have flares on the sides of the trunk then use them to your advantage as the outer wood is usually more flexible and elastic than heartwood. Incorporate those flares in the trunk into your hinge whenever you can. The notch and back cut are simply a means of eliminating the holding wood we don't want.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #3
thanks for your thoughts on this
does this photos make more sense? I'm well versed on the purpose of hinge wood. this is my first hard leaner. i'd like to think i know exactly what to do but it only makes sense to review with the pros.


trrhouse.jpg
 
I would keep it level until you have more experience. A tree can be steered with a angled face and back cut but practiced deep in the woods away from any targets of value.
 
Keep your wedges tight in the back-cut. Have a good stackable pair ready, too, since it has backlean.
 
Be sure to trim the mushrooming, if needed. Mushrooms lead to slippery stacks.

If you cut a kerf partway through a log, and bang in a wedge tight enough, you can backchain the mushrooms off, carefully. If you're back-chaining, it should flick the wedge away from you, if the wedge let's loose, working from the tip toward the flat end for beating.
 
A trick to stack two wedges very dependably, or even 3, is to gut the hinge from the face toward the back, all the way through with Bore-cut 1.

Go around the back of the tree.

Bore cut 2 just below Bore-cut 1, back toward front, half way through the trunk or more, about 1/2" below the Bore-cut 1, leaving a small bit of wood between the two kerfs.

If you want plunge in again, put Bore-cut 3 about 1/2" below Bore-cut 2, vertically aligned with Bore-cut 1.

Wood on top of plastic, on top of wood, on top of plastic, on...

Set all three wedges (moderate tapering and good condition, tip to striking end), #1, #2, #3, #1, #2, #3.

Then drive all three, #1, #2, #3, #1, #2, #3. until they're tight and the wood is somewhat compressed between.

Cut the two remaining sides of the back-cut, up to the gutted hinge.

Drive, you wedges, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3...

If there's a chance of the wedges spitting out, use the sides of the back-cut for other back-up wedges, kept tight while driving 1,2,3. I've never had any spit-out issues doing this. Stacked wedges plastic on plastic wedges, yes a few times. Back-up wedges safe the day. All in all, about 3 pounds of plastic, and an ax.


If you shave the bark off the hinge area, you can sometimes find hidden branch stubs in the hinge, and also watch the hinge flex, or start to split.


Be sure to tip the tree, not jack it up off the hinge.


I've used this triple-stack quite successfully in backleaning dead/ dying doug-fir, with no mishaps.
 
. If you have flares on the sides of the trunk then use them to your advantage as the outer wood is usually more flexible and elastic than heartwood. .

Are you saybing that becasue you believe it?? have you seen ot through personal experience or do you now of any science to support it??


The outer fibers of the hinge hold better against side lean because they are better positioned for leverage to fight the lean.. I have been carefully observing hinges for many years and have found no evidence to indicate that the outer fibers have more flexibility or holding ability...

Another potential reason for misinterpretation could be from the fact that outer fibers will tear and rip down the trunk sometimes strong enough to pull the lay off to that side... making it seem like they are stronger. Once again this effect is purely due to their position as they are the only fibers that can rip down the side of the tree

A trick to stack two wedges very dependably, or even 3, is to gut the hinge from the face toward the back, all the way through with Bore-cut 1.

Go around the back of the tree.

Bore cut 2 just below Bore-cut 1, back toward front, half way through the trunk or more, about 1/2" below the Bore-cut 1, leaving a small bit of wood between the two kerfs.

If you want plunge in again, put Bore-cut 3 about 1/2" below Bore-cut 2, vertically aligned with Bore-cut 1.

Wood on top of plastic, on top of wood, on top of plastic, on...

Set all three wedges (moderate tapering and good condition, tip to striking end), #1, #2, #3, #1, #2, #3.

Then drive all three, #1, #2, #3, #1, #2, #3. until they're tight and the wood is somewhat compressed between.

Cut the two remaining sides of the back-cut, up to the gutted hinge.

Drive, you wedges, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3...

If there's a chance of the wedges spitting out, use the sides of the back-cut for other back-up wedges, kept tight while driving 1,2,3. I've never had any spit-out issues doing this. Stacked wedges plastic on plastic wedges, yes a few times. Back-up wedges safe the day. All in all, about 3 pounds of plastic, and an ax.


If you shave the bark off the hinge area, you can sometimes find hidden branch stubs in the hinge, and also watch the hinge flex, or start to split.


Be sure to tip the tree, not jack it up off the hinge.


I've used this triple-stack quite successfully in backleaning dead/ dying doug-fir, with no mishaps.

good to know though rarely needed in the suburbs
 
i think,
bring hinge back as far as possible to widest part of wood
>>for thinnest flexible hinge at given strength
>>also for best side to side control.
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i like overwhelming leveraged rope pull high up over top of tree and back down to base
>>look at tree as lever dragging CoG uphill to peak height at inline over stump, then splashing down on other /downhill side.
>>on smash down side might consider step dutchman on push off side
>> thinner hinge needed to flex longer distance harder to extrude tapered hinge shape to control offside pull of sideLean.
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Would center punch face if not for the drier heartwood not as flexible theory
>>then exactly and precisely to re-schedule the removed fibers to widest part of hinge to control sideLean
>><perhaps being able to pull tapered shape out of it
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i always pull in line to path of lay, not against sideLean.
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work time..
 
Thought i'd take time to explain more comments from last week
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i don't say much about backleaners cuz to me is just pull from rear position into high noon over stump and let splash down on target side
>>just follow prescription of front leaner after brought into place
>>except can't really force hinge same strength and hinge probably has to be thinner for more flexing, and more open face to allow movement.
Backleaners are a fair test of theories, and nerve tho!
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edit:sorry not exporting correctly to web publish side so segmenting pic:
pull-backlean-cog-uphill-then-splash-down-hill-dimensional-theories_a.png

C (in pic)>Now supporting hinge is in more normal forward lean state of CoG "lunar cycle".
Without sideForces this all happens on the same axis of least resistance across the narrowest path of supporting hinge.
This would be a 2D(imensional) fall scenario
>> 2D scenario classification includes direct backlean Per pivot of compressed part of hinge as pivot, and downward gravity force column to pivot as 1D:
>>1D(imensional) telephone pole model is not a fall, until other acting force gives imbalance
>>2D is simple fall forward w/o sideLean but includes 'simple backlean' w/o side forces
>>3D scenario finally invokes side forces into the mix
>>>>tapered hinge is control side ballast against side force to neutralize 3D to 2D scenario
>>>>step Dutchman is a 'late life' correction diverting force flow 3D over run to 2D scenario
>>0D is CoG alone, will fall to Earth like a negative ground calling a positive charge (in my imagery)
>>0D is NOT pivot, for pivot is position is defined as closest /most efficient support of CoG
***CoG is the only active,persisting force as force input to passive/RESPONDING tree architecture***
***Pivot, compressions, tensions etc. are all passively responding forces AND positions***
1D is not a fall,cuz is in balance. Only imbalance 'wanders' seeking equall/opposite that balance already has
>>world is in balance cuz item out of balance moves to balanced,motion itself making up the temp. imbalance
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centerpunch-face-re-apportion%20fibers.png

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hinge-positioning.png

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http://mytreelessons.com/images/over-the-top-pull.png[img]
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[img]http://mytreelessons.com/images/tapered-hinge-ballast-dutch%20correction-against%20side-lean.png
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2d-horizontal-lever-model.png

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Something i've referenced before,but not pushed out too strong is this theory;
it seemed to serve me well as i grew more confidence with it; but didn't get enough trials, especially in backleans to fully recommend w/o reservation
i only tried in good woods, and it seemed more suited to felling trials than 'in-tree' cuts/rigging.
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vertical-bypass-chainsaw-theory.png

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Going for easier start, forcing thicker hinge, then more bolstered support as things commence.
Sine is the mathematical leverage of lean
Sine changes MOST drastically, for highest IMPACTING changes in first 15degrees benchmark to either side of pure vertical (and really on into 30 degrees)
With the full leveraged length and loading of a tree any change can be IMMENSELY good or bad per it's disposition!
Shallow and rear leaners can be very tricky for this reason; and any cards played into hinge, lean etc. can be critical!
 
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