Tractors and wood! Show your pics

[Runner]

If it was “very stringy and tough”, it was probably Elm, not Ash.

Actually, as long as it's not hedge, I'm a happy camper! Although I do hate losing anything that's not hedge or locust.

The tree immediately to the right of the one one I took down is the only hickory on the property, as far as I know. I have a sprout from that tree growing in my nursery now and it is about 3 feet tall. Just need to decide where to plant it.

 

[WinterDeere]

Thanks. There is another dead one about 50 feet from this one that I will be taking down in the near future, so will try your method.

Try making your face cut apex a little deeper into the tree on the next one, as you're leaving the hinge awful thick. I suspect you had to tug a bit to get that one moving, given the hinge looks nearly 5" thick. I usually aim for a hinge thickness around 10%-15% of tree diameter, and definitely way below 20%.

If EAB-killed ash, which it appears it could be, there are a few added precautions. EAB-killed ash can get very brittle if left standing dead any extended amount of time.

1. Wear a hardhat. You should always wear a hardhat when felling, but particularly with these, as they can drop a lot of branches on you from above, as they start moving.

2. Don't dally in your back-cut, and don't walk or stand behind tree. That's because many have reported EAB-killed ash has a tendency to barber chair or otherwise "explode" if a gust catches you during the cut. I've personally never seen it, and I've cut miles and miles of the stuff, but others swear they're prone to it.

There are techniques for avoiding barberchair, in fact getting the hinge thickness down as I suggested above is top among them, which might be why I've never experienced that problem on EAB ash. In addition to that, using a bar long enough to access the whole cut from one side and not taking too much time to get it done, are both useful measures. The idea is to limit the time from which you start compromising the tree with that back cut, and when you've got the hinge formed down thin enough for the tree to safely fall. If the hinge is still too thick and stiff when it starts to go over, chance of barberchair is increased substantially.

Pro fellers will tell you they spend all their time looking up while cutting, not looking at the cut they're making. That's a developed skill, easier said than done, but do keep it in mind. The part of the tree in front of your face will almost never kill you, it's the branches that come raining down from above, when the thing starts moving.

 

[John_Mc]

Try making your face cut apex a little deeper into the tree on the next one, as you're leaving the hinge awful thick. I suspect you had to tug a bit to get that one moving, given the hinge looks nearly 5" thick. I usually aim for a hinge thickness around 10%-15% of tree diameter, and definitely way below 20%.

If EAB-killed ash, which it appears it could be, there are a few added precautions. EAB-killed ash can get very brittle if left standing dead any extended amount of time.

1. Wear a hardhat. You should always wear a hardhat when felling, but particularly with these, as they can drop a lot of branches on you from above, as they start moving.

2. Don't dally in your back-cut, and don't walk or stand behind tree. That's because many have reported EAB-killed ash has a tendency to barber chair or otherwise "explode" if a gust catches you during the cut. I've personally never seen it, and I've cut miles and miles of the stuff, but others swear they're prone to it.

There are techniques for avoiding barberchair, in fact getting the hinge thickness down as I suggested above is top among them, which might be why I've never experienced that problem on EAB ash. In addition to that, using a bar long enough to access the whole cut from one side and not taking too much time to get it done, are both useful measures. The idea is to limit the time from which you start compromising the tree with that back cut, and when you've got the hinge formed down thin enough for the tree to safely fall. If the hinge is still too thick and stiff when it starts to go over, chance of barberchair is increased substantially.

Pro fellers will tell you they spend all their time looking up while cutting, not looking at the cut they're making. That's a developed skill, easier said than done, but do keep it in mind. The part of the tree in front of your face will almost never kill you, it's the branches that come raining down from above, when the thing starts moving.

Good advice when dealing with dead Ash.

The other things I do when dealing with dead trees (particularly Ash):

1. Don't worry about making your cut down close to the ground. That's great when you are trying to maximize the timber value. However, with a dead tree, bending over like that presents a larger, unprotected target for falling branches. It also makes for a slower getaway if something unexpected happens while cutting. Standing up while cutting something approximately waist high mitigates both of these issues.
2. Consider making your notch, then doing a bore cut to set the hinge thickness (I usually aim for the low end of WinterDeere's range: about 10% of the DBH.) Cut most of the way back, leaving a bit of wood holding the back of the tree. When you are ready for it to drop, cut that last bit to release the tree. This minimizes the chance for barber chair if the tree starts to go before you finish the back cut.
3. Be very wary when pounding a wedge to tip the tree over. That pounding can shake loose a hanging limb above

I'm sure this next statement will be controversial, but I'll put it out for your consideration anyway...
Unlike WinterDeere's comment that "Pro fellers will tell you they spend all their time looking up while cutting, not looking at the cut they're making." I spend little time looking up, especially when cutting dead trees. To me that is just asking to get smashed in the face by falling debris. I focus on the cut. By watching closely, I can easily see signs of movement from changes in the saw kerf. Some people will put a wedge hanging loosely out of the back cut: when that wedge starts to move, that's an indication that the tree is moving. I don't often find that necessary, but it can be a helpful way to magnify any motion of the tree.

 

[Runner]

Try making your face cut apex a little deeper into the tree on the next one, as you're leaving the hinge awful thick. I suspect you had to tug a bit to get that one moving, given the hinge looks nearly 5" thick. I usually aim for a hinge thickness around 10%-15% of tree diameter, and definitely way below 20%.

If EAB-killed ash, which it appears it could be, there are a few added precautions. EAB-killed ash can get very brittle if left standing dead any extended amount of time.

1. Wear a hardhat. You should always wear a hardhat when felling, but particularly with these, as they can drop a lot of branches on you from above, as they start moving.

2. Don't dally in your back-cut, and don't walk or stand behind tree. That's because many have reported EAB-killed ash has a tendency to barber chair or otherwise "explode" if a gust catches you during the cut. I've personally never seen it, and I've cut miles and miles of the stuff, but others swear they're prone to it.

There are techniques for avoiding barberchair, in fact getting the hinge thickness down as I suggested above is top among them, which might be why I've never experienced that problem on EAB ash. In addition to that, using a bar long enough to access the whole cut from one side and not taking too much time to get it done, are both useful measures. The idea is to limit the time from which you start compromising the tree with that back cut, and when you've got the hinge formed down thin enough for the tree to safely fall. If the hinge is still too thick and stiff when it starts to go over, chance of barberchair is increased substantially.

Pro fellers will tell you they spend all their time looking up while cutting, not looking at the cut they're making. That's a developed skill, easier said than done, but do keep it in mind. The part of the tree in front of your face will almost never kill you, it's the branches that come raining down from above, when the thing starts moving.

Winter,
Thanks for all that good advice, appreciate all I can get. Was wearing hard hat, face shield and eye protection. Agree the hinge was extra thick, you'll notice it is also triangular shaped, wider on the far side because it was leaning toward me (side where the pic was taken from) and there is also a tree (hickory) that I really wanted to protect behind me and to my left.

Would normally go with thinner hinge, but for four things. First see above. Second, did not know how long this was dead and did not want to take any chances on it breaking off and going over my shoulder. Third, I have had problems, in general, with keeping ENOUGH hinge in the past and have lost a couple of trees in the past. One took out another tree I was trying to save, and the other nearly took me out. So, a little gun-shy about not leaving enough hinge. Fourth, I knew I would be pulling it over with a tractor and that I would have enough force to do it. Since I knew I would be far away, wasn't too worried about barber chair (or being showered with dead branches) as it fell.

If this tree wasn't so close to my fence/neighbor's property, I would have probably just left it to decompose and fall on it's own.

I have another one just like it about 50 feet to the east that has to come down next, for the same reason. It will be a little more complicated because it is surrounded by more trees/brush and there are other trees in the fall zone. Fortunately, the trees in the fall zone are mostly (if not all) crummy little redbuds, most of which are dead, so not worried about what happens to them.

On the next one, I don't think there is as much lean, but it's a little taller. I will have to cut out an escape route through the brush and will be using the tractor to pull again to make damn sure it doesn't go towards the fence (which is about 10 feet to the right of the stump in the pictures).

 

[Runner]

I'm sure this next statement will be controversial, but I'll put it out for your consideration anyway...
Unlike WinterDeere's comment that "Pro fellers will tell you they spend all their time looking up while cutting, not looking at the cut they're making." I spend little time looking up, especially when cutting dead trees. To me that is just asking to get smashed in the face by falling debris. I focus on the cut. By watching closely, I can easily see signs of movement from changes in the saw kerf. Some people will put a wedge hanging loosely out of the back cut: when that wedge starts to move, that's an indication that the tree is moving. I don't often find that necessary, but it can be a helpful way to magnify any motion of the tree.

Not really controversial at all. Totally agree with not wanting to be smashed in the face. Case to be made for looking up and for looking ahead.

For instance, in this case, I knew the tree wasn't going anywhere until I started pulling on it (which is why I left the giant hinge), so didn't feel much need to look up to see if it was moving. Also, I am aware that I REALLY need to concentrate on getting the hinge right, so was dedicating my attention to that.

On the other hand, when free-falling a tree, I am definitely going to be looking up (as long as I'm sure I've got the hinge in good shape) so I know when to get the he!! out of there.

One of these days, I will show some pictures and tell the story of the tree that almost fell on me for educational purposes. That incident happened about 25 feet from next tree I'm getting ready to cut.

Again, thanks to all for the educational comments.

 

[deezler]

2520 was on tree duty yesterday. Used to pull over a large dead tree in the pasture that was too close to the fence line for comfort. Tree was tied off to a D-ring on the carryall receiver hitch. Would appreciate tree identification if anyone has ideas. Best I can come up with is ash.

Yeah, definitely looks like Ash to me. Great firewood!

 

[Runner]

Yeah, definitely looks like Ash to me. Great firewood!

Too bad I don't burn firewood.....

Can you use Ash in a smoker?

 

[deezler]

I don't think it offers any good flavors.
But yeah you can see the squiggly trails of the emerald ash borer beetle on the trunk of the tree under the bark that fell off.

 

[Jstpssng]

Too bad I don't burn firewood.....

Can you use Ash in a smoker?

I know that it doesn’t work very well in a bean hole. There’s a reason why they are called “ash” rather than “coals”.

 

[WinterDeere]

Sounds like you know what you're doing, Runner. I'm not a pro, just a guy who heats a large house with wood, and thus ends up felling more trees than the average amateur.

I spend little time looking up, especially when cutting dead trees. To me that is just asking to get smashed in the face by falling debris.

Glad I'm not the only one! I actually try to look up when cutting, since that's what two different tree pro's have both told me I should be doing, but it's a pretty difficult skill to master. I also feel vulnerable when I first glance up after checking what I'm cutting. Like you said, if something's already on its way down at that point, you're catching it in the face!

I drop 95% of the trees I process myself, but once in awhile I'll have one technical enough that I call a local pro to come put it on the ground for me. These are sometimes ones that have to be "steered" around other objects on their way down, making them initially fall one way, and then turn 90 degrees to that direction on their way down. That takes a level of careful timing and experience that I'll probably just never perfect, but I do notice these guys spend all of their time looking up at the tree as they work, really only glancing down to start the cut. I suspect some of them don't even look at hinge thickness, rather judging whether it's right based on how the tree is moving.

It takes awhile for a branch to fall from the canopy to where you're standing, so if you're already looking up when it breaks loose, you should have plenty of time to move out of its path. But each time you glance down, then you make yourself vulnerable to anything that broke loose during those seconds, when you look back up. I'm just not sure I'll ever get good enough to not have to at least glance at what I'm cutting, dropping maybe only a dozen big trees per year. Some pro fellers probably drop more trees than that per hour, all day every day for years on end, and even our local yard tree guys probably fell more trees in a week or two than I do per year.