Hung up tree spring loaded....first cut technique.

[rasawing]

Hello. Question: I was doing some cutting this weekend of blow down that is hung up in some adjacent trees and I had a question. The technique I normally use is a single, vertical cut (perpendicular to the ground) on the top of the log. Once the cut is in far enough, I typically drive in a felling wedge, and then keep on cutting. This works well either way: if the stump is going forward, it normally just shears off.....if the root ball is flipping back into the stump hole, it just opens the cut up and you won't get pinched.

It does have it's drawbacks: if it is going forward, you got to get your saw out of there fast.....if it is rolling back in the hole you have to follow that as it begins to happen.

So I just wanted to ask: what do *you* typically do? What is your technique of choice? Thanks.

 

[Alan]

Good question, and also one of those “things go from fine to spicy fast” situations. When folks say “spring loaded” or hung up, what are you watching most before you commit, top compression, bottom tension, side bind, or root ball movement? If you can describe the most common bind you see, people can give way more specific cut sequences.

 

[rasawing]

Seems like most of the time the root ball wants to rock back on me (especially once the cut really gets going). A good demo of the situation I am talking about is below (at 4:00 of the first video; although kind of small scale in terms of tree size). Note how the cut opens up.....that shows the root ball is trying to rotate back into that hole. Also note as he is getting towards the end, he is being very careful about going all the way through (feeling like it is gonna pinch)....and he is probably right. Sometimes, I like to finish those with a axe (or tractor).



This technique is also used sometimes even when it isn't attached to a root ball (see at 4:35 in the second video below). Of course, he is cutting Bradford Pear which is pretty brittle.



Most of the time though (when it isn't attached to the root ball) it seems like most people prefer to do that deal where you cut the wedge out of the top of the log....and finish with a single cut on the bottom. (See the last video below.) Anyway, like you say, this can kind of be touch and go....that is why I am interested in opinions.

 

[cut all.]

isn't a single vertical cut on a leaner risky? the tree can barber chair or snap suddenly.
I’d recommend looking into the step cut or offset cut. make two parallel horizontal cuts from opposite sides, one a few inches higher than the other

 

[rasawing]

It isn't a leaner in the traditional sense. When people think of leaners (that have to be plunge cut).....we are talking something unsupported at the top. (I.e. a cantilever. That's a lot more stress internally in the tree) If it did barber chair, it would be (most likely) away from the cutter. (Although that still could create a safety issue, as the top could come straight down toward the cutter.) I've never heard of a barber chair with this kind of cut.

 

[Steve Woodrow]

I have bore cut into the middle of the log and then slowly moved up and down until I figured out what was wanting to go where!!!!!!

 

[eita]

Good question. Hung blowdown can get sketchy fast.

Your method makes sense, especially using a wedge to avoid getting pinched. I’ve done similar, but I usually try to really read the tension first and open up the compression side a bit before committing. And I stay well off to the side, root balls can move in weird ways. I actually had strobert services help me on a nasty one last year, and watching how they approached the tension/compression before cutting changed how I look at hung trees. If it feels unpredictable, I’d rather pull it with a line than rely on the saw alone.

If it feels unpredictable, I’d rather pull it with a line than rely on the saw alone.