Windblown tree qualifications

[Haironyourchest]

I was just in the process of editing my last post - just realized I have been talking about this windblow thing from my experience, which is not production forestry. I forgot, in a commercial setting it's saw and wedges, and get on with it, of course, so all the talk about polesaws is rightly OTT if that's what the setting is ... "Windblown" to me means pickup sticks, random species, in neglected private woodland, domestic, without the backup of a company. Lone working etc. So my insistence on exotic equipment stems from risk reduction. Efficiency doesn't factor into the equation, for me.

[spuddog0507]

1 hour 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

Should we be using quick release trigger cuts in windblown ? i was taught many years ago by a elderly chap who had worked in forestry all of his working except for what should of been his first 3 working years, but he was posted to North Africa with Montgomery, he taught me and drummed it in to me that only slow release cuts in windblown, as it gives you a chance to see what the tree/root plate is doing, the cuts he taught me i never knew the name of them (thats if they had one at that time) since then i have had to do a windblown certificate and learnt that the cuts used where exactly the same as i was shown 25 years prior but where called a V cut for timber say up to 15" and a J cut for the bigger stuff, step cuts work ok but can cause problems and again can just pop with the tension loaded in the stem, As Spruce pirate said above 2 heads in windblown are better that one, i dont know what any one else clears in a day on windblown but we try to work on any where between 15-25 trees a day each but every site is different and on some we might get 10 each done and the next site might be some smaller stuff and get about 30-35 done each,

[drinksloe]

12 hours 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

 

Just thinking about this.

 

But if u vertically bore down a 'typical' winblow ( ie under cut 1st followed by a top cut, expecting tension to be on the top of stem) would ur bar not get nipped as it gets nearer the bottom and starts cutting the comprssion timber after it has cut the top tension timber??

Even leaving ur 'triggers' each side i would imaginge tree would be starting to drop after boring in throu the very top timber.

I now when u sometimes just single cut fresh stuff if bottom of butt covered in soil and u want a low stump, it doesn't take much of the top to get the tree falling and root plate rising to go down

 

If it works for u great but  the standard step/J cut and open gub have been used since chainsaws were invented and work well if u read the tree correctly

[Baldbloke]

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... 

Totally agree about Tirfors being the most useful safety tool for remote pulling. Even with the hassle of the weight. In the 70s and 80s when I earned money by the ton that was always my ‘go to’ if there was a job involving a jumble of trees whether they had rootplates attached or not. I remember seeing another chap cutting free a root from such a jumble and an entire mature Sitka getting re-erected by others springing free. I was filling my saw away from it at the time and recollect the surprise on the chaps face.
I last used my old Tirfor winch two days ago to anchor back a split beech limb prior to freeing it to save the neighbouring cemetery building having a ton or so land on it. Except for a couple of replacement hawsers it’s the one I’ve had and used for the last 40 odd years. A very useful tool.

[Khriss]

Every tree n cut will be different 😳 expect anything! But i have enjoyed doing it, makes you think. K

[Haironyourchest]

 

That's what I'm at this week. Not a windblown but might as well may be. Somebody else dropped it but wouldn't/couldn't process it to logs. I can stand under the high end.

 

I used an 800kg tirfor and the polesaw yesterday to sever and pull a broken and wedged side branch on top. No safe way to do it with a normal saw, I'd wager.

 

You can see the curved branch in the upper right hand corner:

 

 

Edited February 14, 2022 by Haironyourchest

[Khriss]

Just needs a Robin sat on the log in that shot 😋 k

[john k]

I’d take a portable capstan winch over a Tirfor any day.

 

In the absence of proper machinery it’s the only thing that’s going drag felled trees out of the way reasonably efficiently. A Tirfor is definitely better than nothing but it’s hard work and very slow.

 

[openspaceman]

22 minutes ago, john k said:

I’d take a portable capstan winch over a Tirfor any day.

 

In the absence of proper machinery it’s the only thing that’s going drag felled trees out of the way reasonably efficiently. A Tirfor is definitely better than nothing but it’s hard work and very slow.

 

I totally agree not only are they lighter than a tirfor and wire rope they are quicker to set up and of course more powerful. Probably cheaper new too.

[Stubby]

Anyone used the old Trewhella monkey winch ?