Largest Diameter Tree Felled with Small Chainsaw?

[aspenarb]

21 hours ago, Khriss said:

@aspenarb  boss knew full well I didnt have it - werent bothered as long as jobs got done - oddly a view I have come across many times with tree companies . I have abt 30 fells x3 bar length , like that one under my belt - one Lombardy poplar did go wrong and stripped side off another tree , but competent ??? Who can say  . K

As a one off and away from the yard I can see the sense in a small saw/big tree but to go felling with a small saw is just hard work. I had to winch a load of roadside Chestnut in the other day and one of our sausage jockeys thought he would fell these with a small saw. It was painful to watch, he set the gob at waist height and he was backwards/forwards sorting the back cut for an age, hinge/holding wood was all over the place. Next day they bring the felling saw to reduce the stumps , we now have dozens of ugly chogs to clear off site that could have been in the stick earning a few quid. Waste of fecking time in my book. Take a big saw, cut them low, job done

 

Bob

 

 

Edited November 22, 2020 by aspenarb

[Lowestoft Firewood]

Watching some of the yank fallers on YT and some of them use what looks like 30 inch max in some huge trees, it's all about knowing how to "double cut" (or whatever they call it) the gob. 

[Khriss]

55 minutes ago, aspenarb said:

As a one off and away from the yard I can see the sense in a small saw/big tree but to go felling with a small saw is just hard work. I had to winch a load of roadside Chestnut in the other day and one of our sausage jockeys thought he would fell these with a small saw. It was painful to watch, he set the gob at waist height and he was backwards/forwards sorting the back cut for an age, hinge/holding wood was all over the place. Next day they bring the felling saw to reduce the stumps , we now have dozens of ugly chogs to clear off site that could have been in the stick earning a few quid. Waste of fecking time in my book. Take a big saw, cut them low, job done

 

Bob

 

 

Thats a different job Bob, any value timber volume will be cut different, upside down  gob etc, one off arb stuff is often on a push fr time. Timber saving on For is crucial, Arb is just get it in the truck n go. Bat Willow particularly. K

Edited November 22, 2020 by Khriss
Wots a sausage jockey ? Or shouldn't i ask ?

[ESS]

10 minutes ago, Khriss said:

Thats a different job Bob, any value timber volume will be cut different, upside down  gob etc, one off arb stuff is often on a push fr time. Timber saving on For is crucial, Arb is just get it in the truck n go. Bat Willow particularly. K

To cut an upside gob you would need to cut higher.  

Cutting for timber, particularly hardwood, the bottom cut of the gob needs to be level as close to the ground as possible, we always had to scrape around the base of the tree to gain the extra inches.

Even in arb i can never see the logic in felling a tree then cutting the stump off, how that saves time is beyond me.

Bat willows are cut without a gob.

[Khriss]

39 minutes ago, ESS said:

To cut an upside gob you would need to cut higher.  

Cutting for timber, particularly hardwood, the bottom cut of the gob needs to be level as close to the ground as possible, we always had to scrape around the base of the tree to gain the extra inches.

Even in arb i can never see the logic in felling a tree then cutting the stump off, how that saves time is beyond me.

Bat willows are cut without a gob.

They bloody are ! An not with me near it ! Watsons turned up and wouldnt let us cut them , they got big saw out n just step cut it and ran K

[Mark Bolam]

Arb and forestry are two different beasts.

If we’re doing a ‘big’ tree, let’s say 3’ dia, we’ll have the big saw in, so why not use it?

 

If I had to hump the 660 500m across a windblow site it might be a bit different!

 

As for felling high, we do it whenever the situation dictates.

Let’s face it, most big trees in arb are compromised in some way.

I don’t see the point in fannying on with a 3’ dia flared mushbag pop or willow butt if there is 2’ dia of sounder, straight grained timber above it.

Flop the stick, flush the stump, all the timber is being diced up and carried out of the garden anyway.

 

This attracts the ‘have you got a bad back?’ comments from a few heroes, as if we’re production felling mahogany!

 

Generally cut low if we can, like, and sometimes you need the buttresses to help you.

 

Situations can and do vary.

[drinksloe]

The difference with ARB u will likely have the luxury of a 2nd saw to sned/breakdown crown, and most likely easy access.

 

In forestry will need to use that saw all day and likely carry it there and back and the fuel for it ( as many finding out with the 500i)

Last time I took a 2nd saw up the wood bloody harvester dropped a tree over it.

 

To be honest aspen sounds like ur man hadnae a clue, really should be cutting stumps the same hieght anyway wether big or small bar.

Althou if u need to take a load off toes off it will take time, but ud prob need to trim the toes for the sawmill anyway.

 

Seen me caught out more if im brashing with a 15" and u knock an O/S tree over as ur passing on way out, plus u usually won't have the right gear with u either. Seen me cutting my own wedges and using a big branch as a sledge and a lot off swearing.

[Khriss]

@drinksloe  you sayin those 500i gobbling fuel  ?  K

[mtt.tr]

3 hours ago, aspenarb said:

As a one off and away from the yard I can see the sense in a small saw/big tree but to go felling with a small saw is just hard work. I had to winch a load of roadside Chestnut in the other day and one of our sausage jockeys thought he would fell these with a small saw. It was painful to watch, he set the gob at waist height and he was backwards/forwards sorting the back cut for an age, hinge/holding wood was all over the place. Next day they bring the felling saw to reduce the stumps , we now have dozens of ugly chogs to clear off site that could have been in the stick earning a few quid. Waste of fecking time in my book. Take a big saw, cut them low, job done

 

Bob

 

Ill make an exception for one the firms 661 which keeps loosening its bar nuts off   

 

Mid cut standing there with just a powerhead in hand 

[drinksloe]

Not my biggest trees, but decent enough sticks. ( quite rare for me to take phone out van, rarely gets a signal anyway)

In fact really just wee bit over average sized OS, depending on spec but OS usually starts about 80cm ish and most harvesters running 70-80cm bars.

So bulk of work is felling trees 3ft ish + and most hand cutters i know tend to run 20 bars for all but very biggest stuff and mange fine

Edited November 22, 2020 by drinksloe