Felling trees. Tutorial(s) and technique(s) with safety.

[Stressless]

In the Show us your Wood Pile thread there are many references of felling trees and also deaths while doing so, Brock, Jesse and others. Many of us head out and fell plenty of trees but without full knowledge of the 'how'. Hopefully this first video, showing and explaining the best examples of cuts and techniques for getting them to go down in a safe direction will help some folks. I saw this video two years ago, I had been feeling trees for 45 years but learned so much from it. You might incorporate many of the cuts they demonstrate depending on circumstance for you and your teams safety.

A couple secondaries in this is the High Performing Team traits they demonstrate in a risk rich environment, video editing is top notch. Also the bowline on a bite knot for high tension with loop that comes apart afterwards easily.

A great tribute to one of the young men in the above video that was killed, felling a tree in Jan of this year.

Let's be careful out there.

 

[P8riot]

I watched that video! It is definitely worth a watch. I saw trees notched both ways and wondered why. That video explains it. I'm mentally preparing for next winter to start my first time felling and bucking. There are a lot of tips, tricks and never do things. I'm always on the hunt for more knowledge.

 

[Big_Holla]

Very good information right there. Cutting trees can definitely be intimidating especially if you don't have experience or someone to show you the ropes. I haven't really cut trees on any scale, mostly trail clearing and occasional dead tree removal around the house. Seems I always make a wrong cut or get the chain pinched and learn a little more each time but still don't do it enough to feel comfortable with anything with size. The tribute video was eye opening in that someone with so much experience can still get caught in a bad situation.

Family of 3 brothers started a tree cutting service, I worked with 2 of them at the state park through college and we all deer hunted in the UP together for a few years. They quickly made a name for themselves and were very busy with work, especially removing ash trees in the area. They would also split the wood and sell it to the campground there at the state park on the side, to say their business was thriving was an understatement. One day the youngest was up on a tree cutting a top off and it swung around and hit him, crushing him between another trunk. He died from his injuries that day, just a horrible way to go.

 

[Bighoun52]

Me and my boys like watching those guys. My boys just like watching the trees fall but I def learned a couple things from them. Our area is known for its high quality cherry, so a lot of friends and neighbors are loggers. Many guys with missing legs or worse. Dropping trees can be very dangerous stuff

 

[brock ratcliff]

I know a lot of timber cutters. They all have been seriously hurt. Cutting trees is dangerous. I used to cut them often. Sorta had to learn on the fly but it was necessary considering we live in the middle of a woods. I’ve made mistakes that could have killed me. As expensive as having a tree professionally removed is, it’s cheap when you consider the risk. Especially with all these dead ash trees. I’ve cut a few the last few years and paid for several to be removed. In fact a dead ash is what killed our friend a couple years ago, and he was a professional. Trees are unpredictable even for those who make a living predicting.

 

[hickslawns]

People know I burn firewood. I get messages all the time"hey I got a big tree for you but you have to cut it down and it is next to my house and hanging over the garage." (Run on sentence on purpose because it seems like they often are like this. Lol) Nope. I burn wood. I don't cut trees down. Outside of a 10" trunked dead pine for my mom, or maybe some 2-3" mulberries growing up without permission to be there. . . I don't drop trees. I would say 95-99% of all my firewood was already on the ground. I'll let the tree service guys earn their living. It is dangerous stuff.

 

["J"]

Complacency kills….

 

[finelyshedded]

Thanks for sharing cuz I’m always learning. Sad to hear about Jed. Dang

 

[jagermeister]

Thanks for sharing. I look forward to watching.

Trees absolutely SHOULD be intimidating. There are way too many people who fell trees with virtually no knowledge or fear of potential consequences. In my line of work I have cut down my fair share of trees, usually in unfavorable conditions. Despite being relatively knowledgeable about felling trees, every single one still scares the shit out of me. A lot of deaths caused by felling timber are caused by “fluke-ish” and unexpected movements of the tree. Even very seasoned, experienced timber cutters aren’t safe from these sudden tragedies. That’s why I fear them. Getting my life ended by a seemingly routine act of habitat improvement or property maintenance is a stupid way to go. All you can do is educate yourself as best you can, learn from the close calls, always have an escape route and always assume something is going to go wrong. Danger never sleeps.

 

[Bowkills]

Ive cut to heat a house almost 20yrs now. The very 1st top i ever cut on could have ended my life. I made a cut on a branch just under a volleyeball sized limb that had tons of pressure that kick back and smacked me in the chest. Im lucky it was close and threw me only knocking the wind out of me and left me wondering what happened.....i cut to drop a big dead ash tree that split, it chaired kickback fast and rolled and almost fell on me far away from the stump. I have complete respect for trees after my dumbshit moves. If it seems iffy dont do it. When you least expect it shit happens. Overthink everything when felling or cutting wood with tension. Pros die that know their trade very well....