Lombardy Fell Incident

[Khriss]

3 hours ago, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi said:

Im rather jealous of your shiny capstan.  Is it any good for skidding?

 

It makes a good lowering bollard, Arcto, cos it can lift when engine engaged, but for skidding timber out, I would think a front ground anchor would need attaching. K

[oldwoodcutter]

Whenever we tug trees over with a truck I always make sure someone reliable, and with a clear view of proceedings, stands next to the drivers open window, so that precise instructions are given on tension and when/how to move as the fell progresses. Not standing back in the road wiggling their fingers around.

[Jamespepperpot]

The sound profile of the cutter's saw didn't instil a great deal of confidence that he was a competent feller...  Which might leave open the question of face cut and back cut accuracy and hinge integrity?  Just thinking out loud....

My thoughts too, if you cut through the tension side of the hinge on a side leaner/wind direction it’s always going to go sideways. Even with a quick pull it’s likely to end up not going where it’s desired. Saying that I’ve felled pops with slight side leans and the whole stump has failed or one of the buttresses tears off with the hinge.

[Mick Dempsey]

1 hour ago, oldwoodcutter said:

Whenever we tug trees over with a truck I always make sure someone reliable, and with a clear view of proceedings, stands next to the drivers open window, so that precise instructions are given on tension and when/how to move as the fell progresses. Not standing back in the road wiggling their fingers around.

That rope went slack immediately, pointing to a hinge being cut through.

 

Agree though, clear communication in a tricky situation is essential (and easily organized)

[oldwoodcutter]

Yes Mick, I noticed the slack rope. Most of us who drop trees nearly every day will have studied that vid in the closest detail, almost being there with them in your minds eye.

[Richard 1234]

Being a complete idiot in regards to this, would the tree not have gone in the right direction if the line was kept tight or could it still have gone the wrong way?

[htb]

It would have helped if pull line was being kept tensioned in the right direction ie much more to the left onto the grass, but then tipper no use on grass so would have to change plan

[Canal Navvy]

 Pulling through a snatch block is good in that scenario, the block anchor could have been biased into the wind and the driver could have maintained a good view of the chainsaw operator  ;-)

[skyhuck]

2 hours ago, oldwoodcutter said:

Whenever we tug trees over with a truck I always make sure someone reliable, and with a clear view of proceedings, stands next to the drivers open window, so that precise instructions are given on tension and when/how to move as the fell progresses. Not standing back in the road wiggling their fingers around.

I generally both cut and pull.

 

I attach the rope and tension. Then make the cut, leaving a good hinge, the get back in the mog and pull. Normally reversing to allow a good view of whats happening.

[wicklamulla]

10 minutes ago, skyhuck said:

I generally both cut and pull.

 

I attach the rope and tension. Then make the cut, leaving a good hinge, the get back in the mog and pull. Normally reversing to allow a good view of whats happening.

yep that sounds ideal as you can leave an over sized hinge as yer Mog will have the required grunt totug it over.