First Coos Bay cut and dealing with broken limbs

[HolmenTree]

Very early 1980s our logging camp had to shut down production and all the crews had to cut fire line to divert a large fire coming our way. What the skidders couldn't push over us fallers had to drop the rest. A lot of half pushed over trees that needed a fast saw to get them down. I was using a brand new Jonsered 920 -20"
Sad to see beautiful 24" BHD 100' white spruce laid down left to burn.

 

[Burnham]

The same sad story that fallers have told since people decided to stop wildfires, eh? Ye gods, the magnificent oldgrowth Ponderosa pine I have laid into the hot side of the line, in my times on fire duty. And I'm not talking 24"...more like +48". But we worked a different ecotype, me and Willard, no slight intended.

 

[stig]

Being the patron saint of borecutters, I naturally use that tecnique on the majority of my leaners. Where I have had PLENTY of use for the CB, or rather the european version of it, is during storm clean-up.
In a mass blowdown covering untold acres, the few trees left standing will usually be pushed over to 45 degrees or more. In conifers that is relatively easy to deal with, in large hardwoods, less so.
There it becomes a question of whether one can save both the log and oneself.
Knowing how far one can go with a borecut, and when it is imperative to switch to the CB is really important then. It is to a large degree species dependent as well as lean lependent.
I have had several apprentices during storm clean-up ( Cleanup after the 1981 storm took about 1½ years) and once they have made it through the first couple of weeks alive, they'll have gained the necessary experience to keep them safe.

 

[HolmenTree]

The same sad story .Ye gods, the magnificent oldgrowth Ponderosa pine I have laid into the hot side of the line, in my times on fire duty. .

This summer I witnessed the mountain pine beetle destruction on the Ponderosa pine in the Black Hills in South Dakota and it' one heck of a sad site. $15 per tree cost to spray, lot's of spraying done around Mt Rushmore, no beetle activity in sight.

 

[Tucker943]

I should clarify my post. Every tree is different, as we all agree on that. Ive used a CB cut a handful of times, but those were on trees with a severe lean. Head weight on one side, but a rather upright trunk, no. With our east coast hardwood trees, Ive made the mistake of bore cutting an outrageous leaners. Have not had one blow up prematurely, but I have had them compress the hinge and bite down on the saw.

 

[stig]

Which is where my tecnique of boring out the tree before you saw the facecut comes in handy.

 

[Tucker943]

Which I just made a mental note of now that you remind me of it. A few times Ive started the bore well behind the hinge and inched forward towards the hinge until I felt a little bit of pressure forming. Then I resume cutting the bore in the opposite direction towards the back. This method, as you well know Stig, can still bite you in the ass if the tree settles a little quicker then anticipated. Ive made the mistake earlier on in my bore cutting days of starting the bore right behind the hinge like normal on a severe leaner and had the tree bite down on the saw almost at once.

I have to make sure I keep your method in mind.

 

[HolmenTree]

Making a bore backcut before the facecut is fine, but on a heavy front leaner I'd have to say that's not a good idea. I'd stick with 2 side kerf cuts and quick backcut
For felling a tree of this nature by someone other then a pro faller, I would say apposite to lay guy line anchored to a port o wrap to anchor the tree should be done.

 

[stig]

I only use it when I need directional control on a heavy leaner.
If I can just let them go where they want, I go CB

 

[Cold Logging]

When I have a guy bucking for me on the coast. ( breaking a guy in) . I use some of the bucking cuts to teach how to cut heavy Leaners. Cutting old growth on the coast there is always a lot of compression and tension. . . For out soft woods I don't do a lot of bore cutting. Its real easy for the tree to sit on the bar, then start to come apart when pulling the powerhead off the bar and chain. .
As has been said, when there is lots of lean you gotta get with it and get gone !!!!!
Bucking logs can give a new person some valuable training experience with dealing with a lot of those issues. And often the factor of stump rot is not an issue.

 

[oldtimber]

We live in tornado alley, it presents unique circumstances every time, combined with downed power lines. The more tools you have to deal with tension, with a clear understanding of where you need to be when it lets go, the more you'll live to tell about it. Then we have ice storms......Bill

 

[gf beranek]

John Ciro's father actually had a climber rig the the trees to hold the head lean so he could cut them up without all the pressure and tension forces on the stump. When he was done the Cat released the winch and the trees went to lay. Another tool in the kit. Ha!

 

[oldtimber]

.......Bill

 

[cory]

Wow, would that be hard on the winch to let the line out that fast?

 

[HolmenTree]

Wow, would that be hard on the winch to let the line out that fast?

I don't see a problem when the brake bands release it's a free for all.
Good story Jerry I can see a cable skidder doing the same in smaller timber.

Is there brake bands on a pickup truck mount electric winch ?

 

[gf beranek]

Boy, I don't know about that at present, Willard, but just talking about it may put it into the works in the future.

Look what Paul did with the Wraptor. Minds are at work all the time.

 

[HolmenTree]

I just did some early spring cleaning and gave away a repairable 20Ton Gearamatic Tree Farmer skidder winch, to a young local firewood guy who has that model cable skidder. I also threw in a spare set of brake bands for it too.
But I didn't stop there, I also gave him a homemade firewood chain splitter conveyor that I built 20 yrs ago, I used to do good at firewood then .....but now a full time arborist living in the 'burbs I'll never touch firewood again, ha.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I hate firewooding, too.

 

[oldtimber]

Me too Butch, cutting my own wood is just another chore. Having to resort to it to get the bills paid is a backbreaker, but still better than many alternatives. On more than one occasion it's put food on our table.....Bill

 

[Cold Logging]

Being this is the first year in about 10 years I have had the time to build a woodshed and fill it. I'm really enjoying filling it. Especially considering thatmost of the wood I got paid to fall and buck up. Most of it has my spur tracks on it. . And we r having a beautiful fall!!!! . Temp was in the teens here this morning.

 

[oldtimber]

Hope you get to enjoy a long beautiful fall, doing something with a smile...........Bill

 

[Cold Logging]

My goal this wintered to NOT have to go get firewood on my day off when it 40 below.

 

[gf beranek]

I did fire wood for a couple years and then quickly give it up, because it's was just so labor intensive on me and the truck. Then I bought a house and built a big wood stove to heat it with. And I was right back were I started making firewood again. Though just for myself there was a sense of satisfaction in it.

 

[oldtimber]

Oh man, stobbing a tire coming out with a big load on the truck, and money tight at the same time. Makes for a tough day. Nowadays I just buck em up here on the farm and bring up the logs with a front end loader. It's like cheating, but easier on this old man, and I still get to run my saw . Had my eye on a on a back leaning white oak all summer, when it cools off a little more, I'll tug it over and get after it.

 

[gf beranek]

That aint cheating. That's smart!