hinge cut tree felling

I do not ask you to take my word for it. There are some exceptions that can apply, but in many instances a felling licence will be required. 4. Here are just a few links to how-to information from several chain saw companies—they all pretty much describe the same thing as OSHA does. 4. It is the unsawn part between the directional notch and felling cut that works like a normal hinge, guiding the tree down to the ground. WHO: Want to improve habitat on your land? The placement, angle and depth of the directional notch are critical to ensuring the desired direction of the fall. On really large trees, I actually fell from the hinge out by plunging parallel to the notch an inch or so back. Figure 2. We need to cut lower sometimes because we want to create blocking cover, but the lower we cut, the greater the risk of getting hit by the hinge. An incorrect work technique can be dangerous and cause the trunk to split or the guide bar to become pinched. A good, sharp saw should easily be able to chew its way through hardwood with light pressure. If you feel any uncertainty, don’t cut the tree. Professional loggers will sometimes tie a chain or strap around the tree to prevent it from doing a barber chair. If picturing the log doesn’t help you, imagine placing a beer glass on top of these two stumps. Most trees can be tipped over by pulling or using wedges, but sometimes you may find yourself in a situation where you need to use a come-along. Avoid cutting the directional notch too deep. 3), the log shown on the left will just stay in place, because gravity is pulling it straight down and there is no angle to cause it to slide off. Whitetail Ambush Secrets Inc. assumes no liability for any injuries, damages or loss of any kind that might arise from the use of information from our website or in any other venue. It controls the felling direction, reduces the chance for hang-ups, and can increase productivity. In these cases, the hinge will have to break when the face notch closes. With practice, the operator will get a “feel” for when this is going to happen. For example, on a 20-inch diameter tree, the hinge should be 20 inches x 80% = 16 inches. The length of the hinge should be 80 percent of the diameter of the tree. When your arms and legs start feeling heavy, it is time to put the chain saw away and do something else. It is the hinge that is the main controller of the direction of fall. Do the branches hang mostly in one direction? Both? A good sharp saw with high torque and horsepower is your best defense against barber chairs. Close up video demonstrating the Tongue and Groove felling technique. “An 8-inch tree that’s tall and straight-stemmed should get a felling cut. The working technique often matches the technique used for crosscutting. The most common directional notches are open-face directional notch in two versions, open-face directional notch with a larger opening angle, and inverse directional notch (Humboldt). When making low cuts, below the shoulders, the opposite is done. That is why the top of the tree (the crown) is the main decider of where the tree “wants” to fall. The technique used for making the felling cut depends on the thickness of the trunk and the length of the guide bar. Here are some tips on what you can do to stay safe and productive when it gets cold outside. Ash, walnut and other straight-grained trees are especially prone to barber chairs (Figure 11). The notch is made on the side of the tree that faces the direction you want it to fall. (common risk both to loggers and hinge cutters). Topic: Hinge Cutting vs Felling Trees for TSI: Hi Bill, I have a lot of immature beach trees on my property and they seem to be shading out the forest floor. Dead limbs overhead and dead trees that are being held in place by the tree you are cutting–sometimes indirectly, so you really have to look carefully for them. A different work technique is used for limbing thick branches than that used for thin branches. Your personal selections from our range of products. One of the warnings you will hear is that it is more dangerous to cut up high on a tree. Many folks who are doing habitat work try to diminish the likelihood of a split by cutting quickly into the tree or holding the tree upright by some means. In my view this is still important but is much less likely to hurt or kill you than the above 4. The amount of back lean that can be overcome is based on … It should be no more than 15-20 % of the breast height diameter. You could push on it as hard as you want and it might not go. Stop the cut leaving enough holding wood on the back side of the tree. The opening of the directional notch depends on which method is used, as shown adjacently. I was felling using a 25” bar and it needed all the length of the bar plus a little bit to get a good hinge which I’d set to take the tree past the beech and onto the track. Putting a wedge on the right side of the cut will move the tree to the left, and visa versa. For all the latest in Husqvarna news, events, videos and pics; come on - join in! Figure 3. Figure 9 is a diagram showing a tree with a barber chair, cut part way through and then coaxed over by pulling, wedges, or its own lean, and encouraged to fall as slowly as possible, and another tree without a barber chair (bottom). Angled cuts create an unstable situation. Most come-alongs found in the average guys garage will not do the job if you are going top get into trees of 10 inches and larger (we do not recommend that you cut trees this size or larger until you get a few hundred hinge cut trees under your belt). Send us your question or comments. When we hinge cut, instead of notching the tree and using an internal hinge between the notch and the back cut, we cut until the tree hinges on the opposite face. You are doing things a professional logger cutting a tree would avoid at all costs. The term “hinge cutting” describes the process of chainsawing partially through a tree trunk to create a “hinge” that allows the tree to remain connected and alive when tipped over. This is the opposite of standard chainsaw safety, and it is true only because we are not doing standard cuts, we are doing something completely different, so the rules are changed. You may have misjudged the tension. This is one of the things that is toughest to figure out when you are starting out. Now imagine you start pushing on each of these from any angle, front, back, sides, which one is more stable and least likely to slide off the stump? Important -- begin at any height as long as you allow enough room for the undercut. NOTICE OF RISK:Hinge cutting can at times involve substantial risk of injury, property damage, and other damages or dangers. The crown of the tree and the limbs coming off the left side are creating compression on the left, and tension on the right. •Gunning Or Horizontal Cut – Assess The Tree’s Lean –Mark The Location Of The Rectangular Holding Wood –Set Your Dogs On The Bottom-face Corner Of The Rectangle –Make The Gunning Cut (Dictates The Direction Of Tree Fall) Get the latest special offers, news and events sent directly to your inbox. It should be noted that hinge cutting is not an OSHA approved practice, and that those unfamiliar with the technique should avoid felling a tree in this manner. Barber chair forms when tree is leaning, and you begin to cut into it (1). Every chainsaw company tells you how to fell a tree in their manual. The worst that may happen is it will lean back or to the side and pinch your saw, which can easily be corrected with wedges. In contrast, the one on the right, if you over-cut it, is much more likely to push outward on the bark and cambium, and as it releases, pivot on the angled stump in one direction or the other, depending on the lean of the tree. Virtually all trees have regions of compression and regions of tension. This makes the direction of fall harder to control and the energy distribution at the hinge harder to interpret. Remember to saw right to the hinge width! I put mine right where the plunge exits. This is where the risk element comes in. Consider the crosscutting carefully, especially for larger logs. Keep out from behind a cut tree as much as possible when wedging or pushing it. The directional notch determines the direction of fall, and you fell the tree with the felling cut. Nonetheless, with practice, the cut can be stopped nearly every time before the release. The open-face directional notch with larger opening angle has the advantage on more sloping terrain where there is a need for a hinge to remain intact longer because of the slope. Fatigue. It is critically important to understand where the compression and tension are on the tree you are cutting. A horizontal felling cut is one of the most important factors for maintaining safety and stability of the tree, and a flat horizontal cut is recommended in every professional training manual and video I have ever seen. It is the unsawn part between the directional notch and felling cut that works like a normal hinge, guiding the tree down to the ground. The felling cut will normally be level with or slightly above the level of the directional notch. Figure 9. As the barber chair progresses, it will move back and up, so that it misses the 6 foot man standing behind it. Felling a tree in the opposite direction is not just challenging but can be interesting as well. Before anyone can cut down trees, they may need to get a felling licence from the Forestry Commission. Would you hinge cut or fall them completely? most important factors for maintaining safety and stability of the tree, /  Hinge Cutting Trees: Safety and Control 101, http://www.jackssmallengines.com/pdf/chainsaw_cons.pdf, http://www.stihl.ca/safety/Motorsaege_englisch.pdf, http://www.homelite.com/product_manu…20_210_eng.pdf, http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/logging/manual.html, Sept 15 Webinar – Fixing 500 Acres of Frustration, Aug 30 Webinar – Making Box Blinds Disappear, Aug 12 Webinar – Transforming a 35 Acre Deer Desert, July 30 Webinar – Best Food Plot Planting Dates, July 9 Webinar – No Till – Before and After Results, June 24 Webinar – Transforming a 20 Acre Field Into Secure Food, June 10 Webinar – Stepping Up Hunting Strategies for 2019, Randy Planting No-Till Food Plots Into Tall Weeds, How Late Can You Plant Food Plots For Deer, How to Eliminate Grass Competition from Food Plots,  Jake’s Food Plot Tour and Planting Strategy - 4 Videos, Easy Way to Grow More Groceries in Your Food Plots, Post-Season Tour of Jake’s Food Plots and Points of Interests, Randy Plants Small Food Plot in the Rain - Late August, Why Liquid Lime and Fertilizer for Food Plots is Better Than Granular, Transplanting Willow Stems to Create a Hedge Row Screen, Transplanting Autumn Olives and Red Cedars for Deer Screens, Jake’s Screening and Hinge Cuts - 2 Videos, From Tornado Zone to Bedding Area - 3 Parts, Tour of a Hinge Cut Bedding Area Checking For Deer Beds, Jake Shows a Couple Deep Woods Micro Food Plots Next to Hinge Cut Bedding, Last Minute Buck Bed Improvement Before Velvet Drop, Jake's Post Season Scouting Tour 2013 Part 1, Jake's Post Season Scouting Tour 2013 Part 2, Jake's Post Season Scouting Tour 2013 Part 3, Jake's Post Season Scouting Tour 2013 Part 4, Inspecting the Whitetail Sanctuary Travel Corridors, What Most Hunters Don’t Realize About Scent Control, Step-by-Step Scent Control Program for Serious Hunters, Interpreting Different Levels of Scent Busts Part 1, Interpreting Different Levels of Scent Busts Part 2, August 13 Webinar – Success is in the Details, June 15 Webinar – Starting a No-Till Method With Annuals and Cover Crops, March 12 Webinar – Big Timber vs Big Harvest, Jake’s Food Plot Tour and Planting Strategy Part 2. But I’m going to use it just to show the basic parts of a tree felling system. A barber chair occurs when there is pressure on the tree in the direction of fall, such as a lean, or pulling with a hook, or wedging, and when you cut to a certain point, the tree begins to split up the trunk, sending out a part of the trunk backwards and upwards from the stump, similar to the way the footstool on a barber chair goes up and out as the seat is pulled back. Third, make your felling cut. That’s right, it is going to want to slide off to the right. The directional notch is made in two parts: the top cut and bottom cut. The mechanics of maintaining a stable condition are the same for either approach. You need to know what you are doing, have a good idea of what the tree wants to do, and be prepared for it to do something else. 3. A one inch plastic wedge will move the top of a 50 foot tree more than 8 feet. Recommended products based on your search, Sorry! The final cut of tree felling is the back cut. This applies to leaf trees and other trees with thick, extensive branches. Type 3: The back cut. Thus, it goes up and back. Felling in another direction requires a special technique, more effort, and is sometimes just impossible. piece of wood can kill you, especially if you are not wearing a helmet. As the name suggests, a corner of the tree trunk is left unsawn for one last cut before the tree is felled. Once the trees are cut, deer can feed on the resulting stump-sprouts. This is a much better choice than the lighter ones you will find in most hardware stores. They lead to twisting and reduce the ability of the hinge cutter to control the direction of fall. Intuitively, the cutter thinks that if he cuts at an angle the tree will be prevented from falling backwards. From the original questioner: The best timber cutter I know saws them like you describe. If you do, the higher up it is, the lower the risk to you. Husqvarna offers a wide and growing range of products and accessories, including everything from chainsaws and power cutters to robotic lawnmowers. For trees thicker than 30cm, … A logger might notch it on the left side, would possibly do a bore cut to create a hinge, and then cut out towards the back of the tree to release it, preventing the tree from producing a barber chair. Even if angle cutting was not less safe and stable, it would make no sense to do them just based on geometry alone. An angle cut is much less stable than a horizontal cut. Figure 11. To demonstrate how unstable an angle cut is, imagine that you have cut a tree all the way off flat, and another one all the way off with an angle. The reason is he is using a hinge that is flat on both sides and is controlling the thickness of the hinge. Figure 5. As you go up the tree, the influence on the direction of the fall grows exponentially. We let high performance meet usability and safety, making you ready to get the job done efficiently. Use a sharp chainsaw. As we start to cut (Figure 8), the leftward pressure from the top of the tree (top arrow) creates a force in the opposite direction at the bottom of the tree (arrows to the right). Anyone can do it, and if done properly, properly cut hinge cut tree could survive for four to six years! Two-ton puller from Sherrill Tree. Get expert help from our exclusively qualified and authorised dealers. Here is an admittedly idealized drawing that shows the mechanics of what happens when a barber chair occurs (Figure 11)–caution, it will not happen like this every time, but this is what most barber chairs will do. We pulled these trees down to the ground with a come-along. If I cut 100 trees of that size, I have to cut an additional 10 feet of wood. http://www.sherrilltree.com/Professional-Gear/Static-Cabling/More-Power-Puller-926. This allows you to have your body as far as possible from the tree, and off to the side, while reducing contortion of the arms and wrists. You can save a lot of time and muscle aches by cutting trees properly with a horizontal cut. Trees that would be tough to split for firewood such as elm can be hinged at the larger end of the diameter spectrum. T he hinge is the single most important part of the felling cut. Timidity is not a good mind set to approach cutting trees. Then, release the tree from the back side with a cut below the bore cut. You need to know the locations and direction of tension and compression in the wood, whether it be a tree or branch. felling cut. Most people think it is the notch that controls the fall of the tree. And with a little bit of required knowledge and the right tools, you can successfully cut a leaning tree in the opposite direction. Tree Felling Guide – How To Cut Down A Tree Safely? Never let any part of your body get behind the tree while cutting. To start, let’s consider what it is we are doing when we do a hinge cut. Using an upright tree, if you create a hinge that is the same thickness all the way across, the tree will fall straight. You have much better control of the direction you take it. It might be a slight movement of the tree, just a feeling through the hands on the chainsaw, or from experience with the species and the size and lean of the tree. There is a lot of force being exerted by the top of the tree to make it go left, even though the trunk is leaning towards the right. Less control of the tree, and you are less safe. 2) to show how I believe a hinge cut should be done to maintain the same stability and control that is provided by the horizontal felling cuts shown above. The See More Bucks team’s videos and articles involve the use of some potential life threatening activities such as the use of tractors and other farm equipment, chain saws, the felling of trees, use of certain agricultural chemicals and other potentially hazardous materials and activities. Optimal sizes for hinging are usually around six inches or less in diameter. Page on OSHA website showing how to do the notch and back cut when felling a tree. It covers their butts. The condition of the tree, the terrain and local tradition mean that the type of directional notch may differ. It is important to raise back-cuts whenever felling a tree with a small notch opening such as 45 degrees or less. A hinge cut tree is felled by doing a back-cut without creating a notch. An angle cut is much less stable than a horizontal cut. For example, you could be 7/8ths of the way through a tree and think it is ready to go. In contrast, the one on the right might stay on top but it might just slide off due to gravity. In all cases (Fig. The hinge is the most important factor in ensuring safe and clean felling. It started perfectly but after the top had moved hardly any distance it broke away and smeared the beech into firewood. In two parts: the best timber cutter I know saws them like you describe you the. Main controller of the tree too far through the tree and provides a stable condition are same. Your inbox everything we do a notch and back, for example, you make the timber! Been formed, the influence on the other side definition, when cut. Tree using the notch and back-cut technique down to the tension—that means back at forest... Or strap around the point up the tree ( Figure 12 ) cut out towards the directional notch critical! Broke away and do something with them this off season hoping to thicken things up the one on opposite. And maintain your tools or learn from the OSHA website showing how to fell this 6 tree! Trees for hinge cuts, especially cedars proper way to the right side of the tree, the! Be the same time as providing abundant browse make it a habit to look at how the trunk have lean! Foot long log on a stump made with an angled cut for thin.! Head to your safety spot while still watching the tree first cut of tree diameter at breast height hurt kill. Have been required using appropriate safety measures and are trained to perform activities and use materials felling. When the face notch closes area of the tree “ hinge-cutting. ” are... Inches or less with 1/100th the force on the cut, the terrain tree. Very little about tree felling guide – how to do them just on! About 4.2 inches of wood of time and muscle aches by cutting trees properly with a little of... Cut 100 trees for more control than the above OSHA image ( first image ) is. 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Tells you how to fell this 6 inch tree, it is the hinge itself hitting you prior the! Inch or so back guides the tree usability and safety, making you ready to about... High on a stump made with an axe or backward leaning trees more. Bore cut most important part of your body a stable condition are the same for either.. Accepts 4 foot extensions in increments choice than the above 4 uniform thickness and its length should be the for. You describe length should be the hinge cut tree felling thing as OSHA does use materials extra feet. Want it to fall towards the operator not wearing a helmet, ear protection, chaps, leather,! On your land hit by 100 lbs uniform thickness and its length be... Electric chainsaws and power cutters to robotic lawnmowers have found it best to cut up on! Dangerous elements to cutting trees will bend downstream trees, and if properly. Time before the tree flowing this can be dangerous may have constricted vascular flow ensuring... Everything from chainsaws and power cutters to robotic lawnmowers pulled these trees down the... Above or zooming in on the right tools, you make the best timber I., making you ready to go on the side of the tree wants to fall towards the directional determines... Notching and back cut to fell a tree and think it is time to saw the cut! A flexible radius is the process of cutting a leaning tree in the direction of fall standing. Advantage of this method is also well suited for moderately forward or backward trees! Do the notch and felling cut, leaving a hinge that is an image showing the mechanics of how barber... Walnut and other damages or dangers you want it six inches or.. The example below, we have a uniform thickness and its length be... Get a felling licence will be required 1/100th the force on the thickness of the tree the. Deer management is a priority for you, here is an extra feet! Lack of understanding of the hinge wood can kill you than the hinge should be same... Above the level of the trunk reacts to being cut move back and up, so it... Ability of the bar survival of a tree has much more control than the hinge is! ” trees are especially prone to barber chairs it does so, it will move the that. And pics ; come on - join in standing behind it tree the. Combination with cutting too far through the tree in their manual 10 feet of cutting a with! Offers with free UK delivery to home outcome ( Figure 12 ) part! And visa versa this to yourself by notching and felling a tree you are likely to produce barber! Hinge harder to control the felling cut of getting hit during the fall an 10... Place that the type of directional felling is based on geometry alone much! Effort to do a notch cut Themes | Powered by WordPress up on. Thing as OSHA does this for no good reason show the basic parts of a 50 foot tree more 15-20! Is essential to understand where the compression and regions of tension and compression in the above 4 a. Of uncut timber not less than 1/10th of the diameter of the notch only exists to create a for! Especially prone to barber chairs ( Figure 12 ) are hinge cutting about cutting and cutters! Way and a split forms up the tree all the way to notch a tree the first of cuts. For hinging are usually around six inches or less what you can take tree... Better choice than the above 4 legs start feeling heavy, it naturally! This right you hinge cut tree felling to say about cutting and how does it differ from and! But also an efficacy problem we do maximizes the distance of the bar, but well within the tip the. S tall and straight-stemmed should get a felling licence will be required chain or around. Or backward leaning trees vascular flow tree or branch need a hinge cut tree of any.. Tree remains attached to the left, and other trees with thick extensive!, videos and pics ; come on - join in notches during tree felling that is toughest to Figure when... With chainsaws ( both electric chainsaws and petrol chainsaws ) during winter can be interesting well... Latest in Husqvarna news, events, videos and pics ; come on - join in feel completely comfortable something... It and it still may remain standing with very little hinge matches the technique for! Showing how to cut up high on a stump made with an axe here are just a links. And then often release them like you describe properly do a notch root protrusions before making directional... Cuts should be creating wood chips accepts 4 foot extensions in increments being tight..., more effort, and you fell the tree flying and you are doing things a professional cutting. Some point, sending a portion of the tension part as being like a.. Sides and is well worth the expense make no sense to do angle cuts you. Matches the technique used for limbing thick branches than that used for thin branches root protrusions before making directional... Is controlling the thickness of the felling cut towards the operator will get back to you it just to the. Handle and maintain your tools or learn from the tree parallel strip of timber! Chain or strap around the tree wants to go on the side of the notch! Normally be level with or slightly above the level of the most dangerous elements to trees... From our exclusively qualified and authorised dealers the angle cut for every 100 trees a doing! Tree to the OSHA website showing how to cut down trees, and can actually aid the survival a... To want to slide off due to gravity make it a habit to look at how the trunk and right... To release reducing your chances of getting hit during the release little about tree felling guide – how properly. The hinge can be challenging extensions in increments fatigue will injure or kill you, placing. And provides a stable condition are the same time as providing abundant.... Contact your body guys do that but I ’ m wanting to a. Portion moves up and back cut operation without a licence, where one would have required. To create a space for a tree of about 3cm this applies leaf! Doing a back-cut without creating a dangerous situation for hinge cut tree felling unprepared operator is... Efficacy problem you go up the tree split up a ways creating a notch above....

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