Ash Barber chairs, been seeing a few recently?

[Chris Sheppard]

 

Also if its a real strait tree, do enough of the back cut to give some space to smash a wedge in. Then you will just be able to keep cutting longer as it starts to go.

 

Not sure I agree with you there. If it's straight and you think it's going to start to go on it's own, then surely a wedge isn't needed. Also, surely you're increasing the risk of it chairing by taking more time and also leaving it with a semi cut back cut.

 

If it's not straight forward enough to think it might need wedging, surely it's just as easy to cut it properly.

[Ian88]

Not sure I agree with you there. If it's straight and you think it's going to start to go on it's own, then surely a wedge isn't needed. Also, surely you're increasing the risk of it chairing by taking more time and also leaving it with a semi cut back cut.

 

If it's not straight forward enough to think it might need wedging, surely it's just as easy to cut it properly.

 

Sorry, may have explained that in a weird way.

 

I meant strait as in its not going to start to move on its own. It could just as easily sit back on your saw. Not an issue really if your hinge is OK to keep it there but a wedge would stop this and get it over where you want it. You would need to be careful about how you go about getting a wedge in, making sure you are leaving enough support.

[Pete Mctree]

Sorry, may have explained that in a weird way.

 

I meant strait as in its not going to start to move on its own. It could just as easily sit back on your saw. Not an issue really if your hinge is OK to keep it there but a wedge would stop this and get it over where you want it. You would need to be careful about how you go about getting a wedge in, making sure you are leaving enough support.

 

If a tree is favoring to fall very strongly, why do you need a wedge? It's not going to sit-back or require any help getting it moving

[Ian88]

Yes, if a tree is favoring the direction you want it to go then you don't need a wedge. I didn't say you do.

[daltontrees]

Best way to pruduce a barbers chair is to do the backcut too high relative to the sink. It can be used deliberately to get the tree to stay attached when it is on teeh ground, you need to cut a 45 degree sink , cut teh back slightly too high and when the tree starts to go the sink closes and instead of the hinge snapping the rest of the tree's momentum goes into splitting the stem. As the barber's chair happens when the stem is almost over there is plenty of time to get out of the way and the split stem goes upwards instead of backwards. Then as someone said the tree is split already for easier firewood and because it's still attached at the butt it is easier to brash. Only works for some species though.

Worth a try when it is safe to do so is what I have just described but with the back cut well below the sink. Needs to be a clear-stemmed leaner though.

[santacruz]

If you watch forestry guys that fell all day every day they always chase the hinge. They look up and watch the tip as they chase it then step away by the time the tree is around 45 degrees. Only if you are felling uphill or over a bank is it unadvisable. I did a clearfell of poplar once that seemed prone to barber chairing. I had been felling full time for the skidder for 5 years so was pretty experienced, and also lazy, paid a piece rate and fast. I would never clear my escape routes, just a path to the next tree. That was until a 2-3 ton pop barber chaired and i had no where to go I was stuck right next to it as it chaired upto about 20ft then the stem fell off the chair and only by luck fell off to the other side otherwise it would have killed me. After that I found the best way to prevent it was to bore in both sides behind the hinge to form a tiny hinge then finish it off round the back, as they were all 2-3 times bar length so were too big to chase. In my experience if a tree chairs then your hinge is too big. Forget your 10% hinge rule the correct size of hinge is a hinge which is just big enough to send the tree in the required direction, and judging this taking into account species, lean, wind etc comes down to experience.

[Stubby]

If you watch forestry guys that fell all day every day they always chase the hinge. They look up and watch the tip as they chase it then step away by the time the tree is around 45 degrees. Only if you are felling uphill or over a bank is it unadvisable. I did a clearfell of poplar once that seemed prone to barber chairing. I had been felling full time for the skidder for 5 years so was pretty experienced, and also lazy, paid a piece rate and fast. I would never clear my escape routes, just a path to the next tree. That was until a 2-3 ton pop barber chaired and i had no where to go I was stuck right next to it as it chaired upto about 20ft then the stem fell off the chair and only by luck fell off to the other side otherwise it would have killed me. After that I found the best way to prevent it was to bore in both sides behind the hinge to form a tiny hinge then finish it off round the back, as they were all 2-3 times bar length so were too big to chase. In my experience if a tree chairs then your hinge is too big. Forget your 10% hinge rule the correct size of hinge is a hinge which is just big enough to send the tree in the required direction, and judging this taking into account species, lean, wind etc comes down to experience.

 

Can't fault that bud ...

[daddyola50]

on ash i normally bring the gob well back in then bore cut get all the center out , two dogs ears on the sides to stop spliting,then fell it . sometimes bore through the side just behind gob to leave hinge and leave dogs ear at back , tree will stand all day till you cut the dogs ear off at back. hope that makes sense to you . if it splits you wont be able to chase it in time and to stay there and keep cutting if your prep work is wrong is asking for a smack in the face eventually . hope that helps , but ash are killers

[Guss109]

- Video Tube for

 

Only vid of the Danish pie cut I could find. Used it a few times and feel it works good

[Backcut 89]

bore the gob and make your back cut slightly higher and you will have no bother