Snap cut...

[john87]

4 minutes ago, htb said:

Sounds like another candidate for the over 50's club

60 in march... I do a lot of voluntary work, some of which involves trees.. happily for me, as well as the many other things i have done, i have worked with saws on and off since i was about 20 something, so not a complete beginner. Climbing is all very new to me though, and i am not good with heights, but i suppose that is a result of not being foolish or reckless and not wanting to hurt myself, know your limits and all that.. Being up a tree certainly concentrates your mind though..

 

john..

[htb]

60 in June myself, still climbing.

[john87]

1 minute ago, htb said:

60 in June myself, still climbing.

Is it a lot harder now than when you were younger?? What if anything has changed?? Is there anything you cannot do anymore?? Thank god i am fairly slim though, i was 16 stone once, would not have got off the ground, never mind up a tree.. I am a far more sensible 11 odd stone now. It does worry me sometimes, what if a had a heart attack or something whilst up a tree...

 

john..

[htb]

Can't do it every day of the wee, like I used to. You just think more about working the tree, rather than rushing around like a loon. work smarter not harder.

Use SRT at least for access, depends on tree if work it SRT or MRT. Foot and knee ascender help.

Your just a wisp f a man, I'm 6ft 4" and 13 1/2 stone.

[Blah]

On 06/12/2021 at 06:26, Mick Dempsey said:

So many different factors will mean that in front/behind/dead level with the bottom cut is often irrelevant.

1: As ever species is a big factor, a cedar branch will pop off good as gold, a spruce will try to hang in there till it’s vertical. Sycamore and poplar will separate fast, oak, not so much.

2: Speed of cut, a groundsaw like a 550/560 will increase the likelihood of your branch doing as it’s told, but most of us usually have a topper in our hands when we’re taking branches off.

3: Length and weight and angle of branch.

The longer and more horizontal the more likely it’ll overtake the cut as it droops and make a mess of things.

 

I have read on here that making the top cut directly in line above the bottom cut is the new best practice.

I'd add to those factors time of year. Sycamore for example can be a completely different beast in winter.

 

Also, wind direction, condition of the branch etc. I quite often do a couple of test cuts where it doesn't matter to see how the wood will behave combined with wind direction etc.

 

On a heavier branch, I sometimes do an undercut, then nibble half of the width of the branch away, then a top cut if I think the saw I have on me might not cut fast enough to keep up with the brand drooping. 

 

If I'm in any doubt, it's getting rigged down.