What happens when the lad has a go !

[Dean Lofthouse]

Was the pull line to take the side weight ??

[Bomag]

Very interesting thread, thanks for posting it

[bjam1964]

Was the pull line to take the side weight ??

 

Spot on but not too tight to avoid a barber chair presuming the right cut and plan was followed !

[rowan lee]

I'd fell into the category of a young lad with limited experience - and i'm glad I saw this thread. Dind't know the term was 'barber chairing', but splitting trunks has crossed my mind on several occasions before, and thankfully it has never happened to me. I do a small bit of chainsaw work on a weekly basis in my spare time. Mainly its small scale wooding, but recently i have started practicing small tree felling (~12-14inch) on birch and ash thinnings.

I knew they were both brittle woods, noted for there fast 'cracking' 'snapping' effect rather then the 'slow chewy' effects of something like oak - but never imagined something so potentially dangerous could have occurred.

 

I noted this thread early this morning, just the pictures and thought very little of it, until i read a guys very harrowing life changing story a little further on (Thanks for posting that Leyburn). It was quite a heavy read and on reviewing the pictures again, i suddenly began to view them in a more respectful manner.

 

It would be great if any one else could add to the list of possible 'barber chair' trees for any other young lads/less experienced guys who may not be in the full know. So far from reading this thread ive got ash as the worst offender.

I suppose birch, sycamore, etc could be added to this list as well.

 

A few tips on how a barbers chair can be avoided would also be appreciated. I gather from the picture example given above, that this occurred because the knotch was too small, the back cut was too low, too much tension on the pull rope, didn't use a dog tooth cutting technique. I started thinking about how i might have gone about felling this tree if it had off been me, given the job brief, etc. Really helps putting things into perspective a thread like this, so thank you to all the contributors.

 

Also - a small dedicated space for this kind of discussion would be a great addition in time to come. Although this forum is dedicated mainly for the benefits of those directly involved in the industry, it is also a great source of information for the likes of myself, the 'domestic user', who after some formal training, and varied experience, wants to get to the next level, i.e. the sort of knowledge they can't teach you out of a book.

I have to admit after keeping track of this forum for sometime, i've noticed that safety related incidents are rarely discussed aloud ( I have to admit i don't cover every section of this forum in great detail). Perhaps on occasion this is for good reason, but it would be interesting to hear more on this.

 

Thanks Rowan.

[Matt Butler]

A few tips on how a barbers chair can be avoided would also be appreciated.

 

Do a dogs tooth or get a fast reeving saw and go for it

[Bolt]

I'd fell into the category of a young lad with limited experience - and i'm glad I saw this thread. Dind't know the term was 'barber chairing', but splitting trunks has crossed my mind on several occasions before, and thankfully it has never happened to me. I do a small bit of chainsaw work on a weekly basis in my spare time. Mainly its small scale wooding, but recently i have started practicing small tree felling (~12-14inch) on birch and ash thinnings.

I knew they were both brittle woods, noted for there fast 'cracking' 'snapping' effect rather then the 'slow chewy' effects of something like oak - but never imagined something so potentially dangerous could have occurred.

 

I noted this thread early this morning, just the pictures and thought very little of it, until i read a guys very harrowing life changing story a little further on (Thanks for posting that Leyburn). It was quite a heavy read and on reviewing the pictures again, i suddenly began to view them in a more respectful manner.

 

It would be great if any one else could add to the list of possible 'barber chair' trees for any other young lads/less experienced guys who may not be in the full know. So far from reading this thread ive got ash as the worst offender.

I suppose birch, sycamore, etc could be added to this list as well.

 

A few tips on how a barbers chair can be avoided would also be appreciated. I gather from the picture example given above, that this occurred because the knotch was too small, the back cut was too low, too much tension on the pull rope, didn't use a dog tooth cutting technique. I started thinking about how i might have gone about felling this tree if it had off been me, given the job brief, etc. Really helps putting things into perspective a thread like this, so thank you to all the contributors.

 

Also - a small dedicated space for this kind of discussion would be a great addition in time to come. Although this forum is dedicated mainly for the benefits of those directly involved in the industry, it is also a great source of information for the likes of myself, the 'domestic user', who after some formal training, and varied experience, wants to get to the next level, i.e. the sort of knowledge they can't teach you out of a book.

I have to admit after keeping track of this forum for sometime, i've noticed that safety related incidents are rarely discussed aloud ( I have to admit i don't cover every section of this forum in great detail). Perhaps on occasion this is for good reason, but it would be interesting to hear more on this.

 

Thanks Rowan.

 

The reason a tree "barbers chairs" is simply because there is too much hinge (its easier for the tree to split up the trunk, than it is to bend all that hinge over).

 

This can be caused because the tree has a lean in the intended direction of fell and starts to fall 'too soon' before the back cut is finished,

 

or its being pulled (again going too soon)

 

or it cops a sudden gust of wind (again going too soon).

 

Having a back cut that comes in below the bottom of the sink cut also increases the risks.

 

Ash is great at splitting like this, as is sweet chestnut. However, Oak (I have found) is also surprising good for doing this.

 

Conifers generally don't do it so much.

[skyhuck]

Any tree can BC if cut badly enough.

[rowan lee]

Do a dogs tooth or get a fast reeving saw and go for it

 

Does dog tooth go under any other name. Don't know it by that name. Is it the same as a 'boring cut'?

If not would you mind explaining briefly, Thanks.

[slack ma girdle]

Cheers Layburn Lad for posting that. I have just printed it off and it is now in the Landrover to remind me.

Enjoy felling everyone, but go carefull.

[rowan lee]

This can be caused because the tree has a lean in the intended direction of fell and starts to fall 'too soon' before the back cut is finished,

 

Another thing that made me have a second think. What is the industry preferred practice for controlled felling in this situation? Is the 'dog leg' the most common? Cheers