Dutchman/soft Dutchman

[MattyF]

Put a vid up years back its

Grainy long and boring but the swing Dutchman we used worked well in its job that day and put the tree with a heavy lean were I wanted with out the aid of a winch or line that tbh with the lean the tree had probably would of only been capable of doing the same job but with more hassle.

I like using a normal dutch mans to get a stick to jump a few feet off a stump like say felling high over a fence and to avoid hitting it. .. Never tried the soft dutch mans though.

[daltontrees]

Well, I managed one today, and I tell you what, it's the devil's work. You can get a left leaning tree to go right without ropes, wedges, winches, pushing etc. I watched with amazement as the tree swung away from me then back to the right then landed exactly where it ought to have. Unfortunately I had no camera with me. Maybe tomorrow I will get a picture or two. I've worked out how it happens too, it's cunning and magic and now I want to do them all the time. Except if there is something to hit if I get it wrong, because the cuts have to be bang-on, and even then I can't vouch for how well it would work in some species.

 

If I can't get a video or pictures I will post a sketch and maybe an explanation of how and why I think it works.

 

Woohoo!

[pault]

Well, I managed one today, and I tell you what, it's the devil's work. You can get a left leaning tree to go right without ropes, wedges, winches, pushing etc. I watched with amazement as the tree swung away from me then back to the right then landed exactly where it ought to have. Unfortunately I had no camera with me. Maybe tomorrow I will get a picture or two. I've worked out how it happens too, it's cunning and magic and now I want to do them all the time. Except if there is something to hit if I get it wrong, because the cuts have to be bang-on, and even then I can't vouch for how well it would work in some species.

 

If I can't get a video or pictures I will post a sketch and maybe an explanation of how and why I think it works.

 

Woohoo!

 

Nice one bud!

I was a bit sceptical before i first tried it but to my amazement it worked.

Just another trick to add to your repertoire.

Was it the soft dutchman you used or just the normal one?

Be interested to see any pictures you get.

Cheers.

[daltontrees]

T'were the soft dutchman. 7 cuts in all. Might get a chance again tomorrow.

[Old Mill Tree Care]

It looks to me a bit like making a tapered hinge. Something i do regularly to control the falling direction.

[Stubby]

It looks to me a bit like making a tapered hinge. Something i do regularly to control the falling direction.

 

Just google soft dutchman . Some very good vids showing how the soft side under the gob collapses pulling the tree up right from the advers lean to the desired lean and over it goes ......

[daltontrees]

It looks to me a bit like making a tapered hinge. Something i do regularly to control the falling direction.

 

A bit like, but not really. It also causes the tree to fall against its lean, which a tapered hinge will not do without a push or a pull.

 

Last week's job proved increasingly difficult to get a good SD demo tree. Almost gale force winds on Loch Lomondside meant the one I did try wouldn't quite go without a nudge because of wind forces. It did swing round though and once started did a lovely sweep. I have the felling cut in the back of the truck, I will put a picture of it on here soon.

[steve collins]

What i call a cornetto cut, its just a tapered hinge to swing the tree, also can be done with two ears on larger timber when the middle is bored out and two smaller hinges left to control the fell

[Stubby]

What i call a cornetto cut, its just a tapered hinge to swing the tree, also can be done with two ears on larger timber when the middle is bored out and two smaller hinges left to control the fell

 

Thats not a soft dutchman though ....

[John Shutler]

used to great effect today felling a multi stemmed conifer. used it to swing the individual stems round into the narrow dropzone