Tree stem cracking

[jjll]

Just something I've come across on a large sycamore tree being removed.

As the timber gets bigger, cracks begin to open internally. You can feel them popping when cutting through with a saw. When you see the cut surface, some cracks are large enough to fit a pound coin in.

My question is what causes it to crack?

Is it to do with the timber under tension and this tension being released when cut and this happening because of the time of year? It may not happen in the summer?

 

Thanks for any replies.

[se7enthdevil]

any timber cracking as you cut is purely down to stresses in the timber and them being released as you make the cut.

[skyhuck]

Just something I've come across on a large sycamore tree being removed.

As the timber gets bigger, cracks begin to open internally. You can feel them popping when cutting through with a saw. When you see the cut surface, some cracks are large enough to fit a pound coin in.

My question is what causes it to crack?

Is it to do with the timber under tension and this tension being released when cut and this happening because of the time of year? It may not happen in the summer?

 

Thanks for any replies.

 

Happens all year, can go with a fair old bang sometimes.

[Steve Bullman]

Very common with Sycamore especially

[skyhuck]

Of cause when its a big stem your dicing down and would like the discs to halve so the groundys can move them, they will always stay solid!!

[Joe Newton]

Of cause when its a big stem your dicing down and would like the discs to halve so the groundys can move them, they will always stay solid!!

 

 

It was a big help on this one!

 

[Steve Bullman]

Metal wedges rule!!

[Joe Newton]

Metal wedges rule!!

 

 

Only for splitting. They bloody hurt when you drop 'em on your finger though!

[skyhuck]

Metal wedges rule!!

 

Oh yes!!, you can't beat that sound!!!

[Joe Newton]

I had it on a row of pops I killed. Kept the same high anchor point for all four. Was chogging the 3rd one down (with my main line still in the last one) and about 30' up I heard this creaking/cracking noise. The stem I was stripped to and discing down had had a fair lean, and it was the tension/compression fibres separating. I very slowly hung my saw off my harness, released my strop, and climbed on top of the stem and rolled a smoke.

 

The split went 3' down and was up to 2" wide.

 

Quite enjoyed that job!