today's job "step cut 3"

[dadio]

Here's a job we did today.. Its a perfect example of why I love to use the step cut.. Its a big time and energy saver. Stump was 40"+ at the cut. Took me less than 60 seconds to finish the flush cut and run the piece through the chipper. I left the saw's audio in for that cut only, so you all can tell that the flush cut was put up in real time and unedited.

 

Even though its gonna make me sound as arrogant as ever, here the details.. 85' tulip.. up and down in the hooks, lowered everything out to protect the lawn and make clean up easier. 24 or 25 cuts roped down. I threw the customer a bone and spent almost an hour in the bucket doing a bit of pruning on the two trees in the background (locust and maple) take all the wood and grind the stump (gridings backfilled) ... $2500.. I doubt customer got other prices as his landscaper refered me, though I bid it last summer and only got the green light last week.

 

Tree was on the ground in 2:45 after I stepped on the property. Alternator on the bucket went, so I had to go back to a vehicle left at the AM job to get jumper cables, then home to pick up the stump grinder, as my neighbor had borrowed the truck that pulls it, then picked up lunch. Even with all that this job grossed right around $100/man/hour, including travel both ways and lunch.

 

Moral of the story:

$$$ talks and BS walks...

Even with a nice number on the job, the only way to make that kind of coin in this business is by operating with efficiency in all areas, from setting lines to clean up.

 

Here it is, 3:43 :

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQ8syV5LVOE]YouTube - step cut 3.mov[/ame]

[Rich Rule]

i still dont get why you try to push this technique so much? Surely a gob level to the back cut (bottom of the step cut) would be a lot neater and more efficient as you wouldn't need to have the wear and tear on your back and on the chipper to process that half round?

[Big J]

I'm sorry mate, but I just don't see the point in the cut. Gob cut it flush to the ground, come in from the back, flush to the ground. Leave a reasonably meaty hinge to account for the lack of a high difference and pull it over. Job done (in half the time) and a much neater end result.

 

Jonathan

[bjam1964]

I understand this is an alternative method of felling but not one I will be adopting any day soon.

 

1. Our domestic gardens are a lot smaller and access for large pulling equipment is not always possible. If there is room then conventional felling cuts are used.

2. I would rather not damage my ropes by pulling hard to break the step and then not knowing just how hard they were pulled?

3. Other conventional methods work just as well and don't require other mechanical means to be a success.

4. All of my wood goes to firewood regardless. Putting a huge piece in the chipper is wasteful.

 

Putting up a technique video: great

 

Boasting about how much money made: unnecessary showing off

[Samuel]

i think this cut is a safer way than a normal cut because it gives the feller more chance to get into a safe zone before they pull it over, but another nice video Daniel:thumbup:

[Rich Rule]

i think this cut is a safer way than a normal cut because it gives the feller more chance to get into a safe zone before they pull it over, but another nice video Daniel:thumbup:

 

Really?

 

Please explain. A regular face cut and back cut with a decent hinge would do the job or if it was a leaner then dog tooth.

[Samuel]

Really?

 

Please explain. A regular face cut and back cut with a decent hinge would do the job or if it was a leaner then dog tooth.

 

ok see where you are coming from there and i would use this cut if it was a dangerous tree or something like that.

[dadio]

there are many times when it just isn't good to make the gob down low in the trunk flare.. whether its rot present down low, or just a tight drop zone or some side lean or whatever. The spiralling grain that can be present in the trunk flare is nearly useless as holding wood. You don't know what kind of hinge you're gonna get down low like that until you cut it. And in really big wood with a large flare, its just plain more work to cut the notch in the flare than above, as all the loggers do it.

 

If you are cutting firewood or don't have a machine to pull with, then this technique is not going to do you much good. I firewood less than 2% of my wood and almost always have a machine.. And I LOVE IT!

 

Like anything else, its good to practice in safe situations to learn, before applying it in critical scenarios.. The step definitely creates a MUCH stronger fuse, than just a well cut hinge. Again, it may not be practical for a lot of you, yet there may come a situation somewhere down the road, where it's just what you need.

[Matt Butler]

if time is money then why didn't you just knock those tops straight out? Looks like there was enough room to me.

[3dogs]

there are many times when it just isn't good to make the gob down low in the trunk flare.. whether its rot present down low, or just a tight drop zone or some side lean or whatever. The spiralling grain that can be present in the trunk flare is nearly useless as holding wood.

 

But good enough to control direction until gravity takes over. Or just pop a few ears in and job done:thumbup: