felling trees with the hinge intact

[Charlieh]

Humour me please, just got back from a two day meeting, was still in Flairs in Doncaster at half one this morning

 

Right if i wanted to fell a tree and keep the trunk attached to the stump, via the hinge would i be right in thinking that a very open notch/face cut of greater that 110degrees would be required? Also i assume i will need more of a hinge than normal, and just use some hi-lift wedges to drive it over, i have tried to illustrate below what i mean

 

I think i may have to go and practise this first, but if anyone for any bizarre reason has tried to keep the hinge intact when felling how did you do it?

 

i assume this will also be species dependant to some extent, i would doubt it would work on ash, but may be better on sycamores?

 

Charlie

 

please note the pictures are for illustration purposes and arent to scale! i dont normally do my felling cuts that high it will be as low as possible in this case!

[ecolojim]

used also for felling on a slope

[madmatt]

Yep it certainly works charlie, we use it felling down river banks.

[Dean Lofthouse]

I'd say it was hit and miss and species dependant. I wouldn't rely on the hinge holding.

 

I'd attach a sling and winch cable, to be sure, to be sure, jim bob

[Husqvarna King]

Well it has worked for me...give it a try, you dont necesarily have to leave a wider hinge..

[Charlieh]

cheers for the comments, Hopefully the hinge wont break on the trees ive selected as if they do it means im going to have to put my waders on and turn them into firework. I have selected a few trees i want to try this on but in true conservation style the site is really heavily designated so it will take some negotiation to be allowed to do it.

 

Basically many of the rivers round here are degraded due to lack of wood being left in which provides refuge for fish and aquatic invertebrates, and hopefully we will soon be demoing a couple of sites where log jams/wood debris are being used for flood attenuation

 

what are the chances of the tree surviving this if a decent hinge can be left?

 

 

Charlie

[ecolojim]

i would say slim but depends what it is. we have about 20 crack willow (salix fragilis) gone over into the beck near us and every one of them has sprouted up. However, theyve caused a flood issue where one didnt exist before so ive got my work cut out to remove them.

[Dean Lofthouse]

Just wondering if they were smallish trees whether just cutting thru from the back and laying them (like hedge laying) or barber chairing them. would leave more of the cambium layer intact???

[Ian150482]

Id be tempted to do what Dean said, if small enough, or put a wide mouth in them leave the hinge thick and pull over with a winch, depends what species they are though as you have already said.

[bob]

its often the speed it hits the floor that breaks the hinge or where the stem hits before the crown does if you want them to grow depends on species and size would agree with dean hedge laying style would work best