Windblown tree qualifications

[Stubby]

7 hours ago, Haironyourchest said:

Handiest thing for windblown is a polesaw. A cheap one. Do bore cuts and cut the triggers with the polesaw 

I've done that ! keeps you away a bit . 👍

[drinksloe]

Its all very well doing single windblown trees to get ur experience and confindence, and most times they will be relatively straighnt forward and simple.

 

But always check and double check for any side tension even with single trees ( if it has weaved inbetween 2 standing trees) or if u think the root plate will come down towards u?

Side tension and the root plate going the wrong way are wot will really hurt u.

Normal straight tension/compression can be a pig for getting saws pinched or going with a sudden bang but as long as no side movement u should be out the way of any danger

[spuddog0507]

On 12/02/2022 at 11:17, Haironyourchest said:

Handiest thing for windblown is a polesaw. A cheap one. Do bore cuts and cut the triggers with the polesaw 

What size of bar will a pole saw take ?

[Haironyourchest]

1 hour ago, spuddog0507 said:

What size of bar will a pole saw take ?

14 inch. You bore cut the stem with your main saw, in this case, probably vertically, cut out the inside of the stem and leave trigger wood on each side. Wedge it well, and cut the triggers with the polesaw

[Spruce Pirate]

On 10/02/2022 at 17:55, openspaceman said:

That's extremely cautious, I agree it's best not to stray into the carnage @spuddog0507 portrays but cannot see a reason not to tackle some windblown and learn, I don't think the qualifications existed when I tackled the bulk of my windblown experience in 1987 or 1991.

I thought '87, or the aftermath, was the reason we had tickets in the first place!

 

 

On 05/02/2022 at 14:03, IronMike said:

Ah yes, windblown sites create the rare and unique thing known as comptension 🤣🤦🏻‍♂️

Nothing quite like getting pinched when the cut clearly "should" be opening!

 

 

On 12/02/2022 at 11:17, Haironyourchest said:

Handiest thing for windblown is a polesaw. A cheap one. Do bore cuts and cut the triggers with the polesaw 

I'm not sure a pole-saw is actually all that handy compared to knowing what you're doing and how to do it!

 

 

On 10/02/2022 at 15:39, Jimmy56 said:

Thanks for the advice, I'm trying to refuse to tackle windblown trees until I get the ticket and the experience (if I ever do)

A course will only take you so far, if you do the ticket then probably best also to get someone who knows a bit about it to give you a hand when you start off.  Single stems are relatively straightforward, but complex multiple blow can take a bit of working out and two heads are better than one.  It's not impossible to learn as you go if you're doing relatively small simple stuff, but you still need to take care and be aware of all the tensions, side and up and down and that even small trees can have a lot of force stored in them and even small root plates are HEAVY.  You can learn a lot from assessment schedules, FISA guides and YouTube, but better to do a course, get advice from someone with experience or both. 

[Haironyourchest]

4 minutes ago, Spruce Pirate said:

I'm not sure a pole-saw is actually all that handy compared to knowing what you're doing and how to do it!

 

Trust me, it's handy... Lot of bones in the ground belong to men who were quite sure they knew what they were doing.

[Andrew L]

Got to say as someone who suffered a broken leg from a hung up tree, I think anything that keeps the operator further away from suddenly moving massive bits of timber is a good thing.  I personally go for the longest bar and lots of hard thinking/talking about possible scenario's with team before going for it very carefully.  Hate them+++

[drinksloe]

30 minutes ago, Haironyourchest said:

14 inch. You bore cut the stem with your main saw, in this case, probably vertically, cut out the inside of the stem and leave trigger wood on each side. Wedge it well, and cut the triggers with the polesaw

 

Must admit the pole saw is handy for clearing footpaths and BT lines where u can hack off the tops of hung up/partially blown trees until safe to sever them.

 

Like others i do struggle to see how u could use them practically in the forest the way u describe, usually if dealing with more than 2 or 3 stems u only have safe access to 1 side of the stem anyway.

Can see it being a real pig to handle in a lot of spaces and more stuff to carry up the hill with u, also be a bit too slow at cutting for my liking and i doubt u could 'feel' just the same while ur using it the way u can with a normal saw incase u have misread the tree

But definately a time for longer bars and plenty of grunt in ur saw.

 

Also watch the smaller trees i often find them worse than big heavy stuff, 

1 they look easy as they're small so u get complacent and make a schoolboy mistake that u really should know better

2 less room for putting the cuts in, get nipped easily

3 i think they move more/quickier as the timber is lighter, if u've got a big 3-4ft butt the bottom 4.9m log could be a few T, takes a lot of effort to move that at speed any distance whereas a smaller 18"-2ft butt with similar side tension will travel further and flex more.

 

As with all cutting ur escape route is important but esp with multiple windblow, if it moves can u get trapped squashed by anything, will severing the tree ur on react with another tree either already severed or not.

I know more so when felling diseased larch to waste over a ridge line i will nip along the ridge cutting all the stems sticking up in the air so when a tree lands on top it doesn't create a see saw effect and shower u in debris

 

If ur in the pick up sticks u really ned to be thinking 3 or 4 trees ahead or better still leave it to the harvester, not so bad if ur moving each tree out as u sever it but can be dodgy if u can't move trees out to create some clear space

[Haironyourchest]

10 minutes ago, drinksloe said:

 

Must admit the pole saw is handy for clearing footpaths and BT lines where u can hack off the tops of hung up/partially blown trees until safe to sever them.

 

Like others i do struggle to see how u could use them practically in the forest the way u describe, usually if dealing with more than 2 or 3 stems u only have safe access to 1 side of the stem anyway.

Can see it being a real pig to handle in a lot of spaces and more stuff to carry up the hill with u, also be a bit too slow at cutting for my liking and i doubt u could 'feel' just the same while ur using it the way u can with a normal saw incase u have misread the tree

But definately a time for longer bars and plenty of grunt in ur saw.

 

Also watch the smaller trees i often find them worse than big heavy stuff, 

1 they look easy as they're small so u get complacent and make a schoolboy mistake that u really should know better

2 less room for putting the cuts in, get nipped easily

3 i think they move more/quickier as the timber is lighter, if u've got a big 3-4ft butt the bottom 4.9m log could be a few T, takes a lot of effort to move that at speed any distance whereas a smaller 18"-2ft butt with similar side tension will travel further and flex more.

 

As with all cutting ur escape route is important but esp with multiple windblow, if it moves can u get trapped squashed by anything, will severing the tree ur on react with another tree either already severed or not.

I know more so when felling diseased larch to waste over a ridge line i will nip along the ridge cutting all the stems sticking up in the air so when a tree lands on top it doesn't create a see saw effect and shower u in debris

 

If ur in the pick up sticks u really ned to be thinking 3 or 4 trees ahead or better still leave it to the harvester, not so bad if ur moving each tree out as u sever it but can be dodgy if u can't move trees out to create some clear space

Hundred percent. I hear you about extra weight and space. A kombi-tool length polesaw is what you want, not the full telescopic one. Situationally dependant. I dunno, I gots the tools, I uses all of em, ymmv. Tirfors are essential, in my view. I know it's a lot of extra gear and weight... 

[drinksloe]

I can see how in an ideal world a lot of tools would come in handy.

 

 

But in reality clearing windblow in commercial forestry sites all ur really going to have is wedges and saw ( iseally with a 2nd bar and chain in ur piece bag, just incase ) not that they do an awful lot of good in the situation. Most other thing are jus too heavy to carry in very far

U just have to figure out the safest way u can and hope a machine can come in to help u or do the lot.

 

To be honest i never know where i stand cutting blow anyway now, that many rumours and told not to cut it on different sites/management companies but then the harvester ops need some cut, so u cut it anyway

Just before the big storm we were told not to touch any blow on 1 site, which actually made the job more dangerous for us as we had to crawl about under and over them and drop other trees over them , so we ignored it and cut them,, yet the trees that were left were all O/S which was why they were left standing so too big for the harvester.

But now they're o the deck with different tension/compression the harvester will miraculously process them??

Do the bosses think the trees shrink in size when there windblown??