What are you going to do with all the felled trees? I cant image that you could use it all as firewood. Looks too small for lumber. You don't seem to do much with hugels (which I find and others have reported are tough to get to really be productive). So I am curious what you plan to do with the trees, limbs, etc. Thanks!
We're leaving them in place for soil and the next forest. Not commercially viable really, around here. And not worth beating up the site for a few grand.
Hugels take 2-3 years before they start to really be productive...you can speed this time up by the amount of (already decomposing) organic matter you add versus green material that takes a while to start decomposing.
Been waiting for a decent video of this back leaning technique. I have pictures from when I went to the GoL course, but haven't used it enough to remember the order of the cuts. Thanks.
Outstanding video, thank you for posting. The plunge cut into and under the hinge is definitely new to me and I would not be comfortable doing it. But you did it well and obviously had a system that has worked for you.. One piece of equipment I have and which has changed my forestry experience is the Portable Winch 5000. What a huge advantage it is in remote areas. Those red pines you dropped and left had some nice wood. At least the first 16' or 20 foot log. You might consider trying that.
Talking about safety, noticed a quick subtle thing at 2:00 . . . after stopping the saw and switching to wedge work, he flipped his ear muffs up so he could more easily hear creaks and cracks happening in the tree.
Ben that's a great video thanks for sharing. I like what you said about wedges. ONE is good, TWO are better, THREE on you is great and having a couple more nearby is also nice to have. GOL is the bomb for our smaller trees here on the east coast. It's so much safer than traditional back cuts, especially for homeowners.
Where did you learn that technique where you did you plunge cut through the face cut. It's interesting because I've never seen anyone else do that, but it was really creative as it allows you to get the wedge in the back where it wouldn't normally be possible due to the fact that the tree is too small to fit in the back cut with the saw. That was also neat how you did the next plunge cut above the wedge...
Adapted it from The game of logging technique I was taight, just seemed to fit the size trees really well. Smaller hinge wood but sure worked well, every time.
@@wholesystems Thanks! Yeah, I mean it does make for smaller hinge, but then it seems like you can easily make the hinge wider to accommodate the loss in the center, right? Plus, it's not like you'd be using this on huge trees because then at that point you have enough room to fit the wedges in from behind. I just find it interesting that this technique isn't more widely used on the popular tree felling channels where they're trying to fit wedges in sideways in the back cut and stuff like that - there was obviuosly some thought put into your technique with how the wood is going to break and making the appropriate cuts. I dig it!
Nice work, The forest service has adopted many of the game of logging techniques and now focusing on the human factors influencing the felling process. New size up process, OHLEC (objective, hazards, lean, escape routes, and cutting plan) and the use of a boring back cut with trigger wood strap have been a real game changer in making our fallers safer.
Ben, I’m using my brush/slash on contour/ terrace line....stitch tops together bigger top logs on top (for weight)...no burning, no chipper..animals like it
Good video. One suggestion - use a piece of tubing or similar as a sheath to protect at least one of your files. That will keep them from dulling each other and people like me won't have to cringe at the sound of files rubbing together as they're removed from their pouch.
I deal with a lot of dense forest situations and I suggest you get yourself a peavey, hang ups are not always avoidable however with my peavey I am able to roll the tree sideways out of it.
Excellent example and discussion about safety! Maybe you should look into Georgia Boots... They have been my favorite brand for about 8 years now. Steel Toe, thinsulate logger boot with steel safety plate in the soul (for nails etc.) extremely warm, 9 inches of waterproof and steel toe. I always make myself put them on for saw work... even in hot summer. I add rubber cleat sets for icy conditions in the winter.
hey Ben, I've never seen the bore cut through the hinge before. I've also taken a game of logging course (just the first level). just curious about that technique!
When the tree is small enough to limit wedge insertion this is the way we were taught in GOL. How would you do it without the bore cut through hinge? Seems to work very well, leaving the hinge a but wider than one would without boring through it of course.
Ben Falk we were taught that after making the face cut, to make the bore that runs parallel to the hinge and start working it toward the back but not far enough to release it, pull the saw out and put wedges in both sides but angled toward the hinge, make the release cut, and tap the wedges til it goes down. I'm not very experienced but it's worked so far. I'd like to take some of the other levels of GOL because it's great and helps me feel more confident!
murkofaeons also to be really clear - this is exactly what our class was taught to do with small trees - I might tend to use it on slightly larger trees as I really like getting a wedge in there as soon as possible to avoid bar stuck situations. On large trees I do what you described but only then as there is plenty of holding wood to work with and wedge space.
no worries, i know your a busy guy, been following your work for years, you and Geoff Lawton have been my core motivation for doing what i now do, suburban permaculture and free design and implementation. Thanks again, will continue liking, sharing, and commenting
Nice technique! As I usually winch the timber as I go I often just use the tractor to convince the tree with the winch, but wedges are indispensable none the less. I use an older 52cc Jonsered with a 14" sword, sharpening is quicker, its easier to manouver in our very difficult terrain, and with a bore cut I can cut trees close to 3x that widht easily. And most trees are smaller than 2x anyway. Never tried the skiptooth chain, what is the advantage? I don't force the saw so it never bogs down anyway, and I keep the depth guides taller when cutting hardwood. I would really recommend a file guide in that kit. I use the roller design, but the rail type is ok too. I prefer the roller type because it doesn't obscure my view. Check your airfilter and sparkplug before messing with the carburettor. Sometimes the spark arrestor screen in the muffler is the culprit. A saw in good condition really doesn't need adjusting unless you changed fuel type or altitude, and it gets expensive really fast if the saw runs too lean. Premixed alkylate is a lot better for you and your saw. (I have some years experience repairing farm equipment professionally for a dealer, and have seen some stupid things done to machinery over the years)
Frode Haugsgjerd the advantage of a skip tooth chain is that you can use a longer bar with a lighter powerhead that otherwise wouldn’t be able to handle the length (less teeth means less drag so the overall length can be extended to sort of normalize the drag I guess). The downside is that the saw will cut remarkably slow, and having a slow saw is very dangerous for those good ol times when you need to make quick last second snipe to control the fell. Basically the downsides outweigh the benefits here. If you know your trade, skiptooths should just be poulans way to trick a homeowner.
That wedge should have been used behind saw when back cutting up to safety strap left, of wood-- before reorientation of your body to finish cut. Source: Husqvarna training and instruction, which is viewable on TH-cam.
I was going to suggest a CAT aswell , then I saw Joe's comment. It stands for Combat Application Tourniquet, I have one in my hunting pack, and keep it on hand when I am cutting firewood. They can be applied quickly with one and and will Stop The Bleed.
I'm not surprised - same with my tiny 16" bar. This is a modification of a well accepted professional felling technique used here - tweaked for small trees. Has worked very well with all trees going right down where intended and no bar pinches for years. But I get that larger trees have a very different approach.
Not trying to be smart honestly but what is the professional staandard in Nw America, I’m from Europe and just want to know different ways to look at it
What are you going to do with all the felled trees? I cant image that you could use it all as firewood. Looks too small for lumber. You don't seem to do much with hugels (which I find and others have reported are tough to get to really be productive). So I am curious what you plan to do with the trees, limbs, etc. Thanks!
We're leaving them in place for soil and the next forest. Not commercially viable really, around here. And not worth beating up the site for a few grand.
Ben Falk thanks!
Hugels take 2-3 years before they start to really be productive...you can speed this time up by the amount of (already decomposing) organic matter you add versus green material that takes a while to start decomposing.
I love it. Great info my friend. I'd love to see what else you have going on this spring and summer.
Very good safety equipment and operational techniques.Well done young man.
Been waiting for a decent video of this back leaning technique. I have pictures from when I went to the GoL course, but haven't used it enough to remember the order of the cuts. Thanks.
Outstanding video, thank you for posting. The plunge cut into and under the hinge is definitely new to me and I would not be comfortable doing it. But you did it well and obviously had a system that has worked for you.. One piece of equipment I have and which has changed my forestry experience is the Portable Winch 5000. What a huge advantage it is in remote areas. Those red pines you dropped and left had some nice wood. At least the first 16' or 20 foot log. You might consider trying that.
thanks...
i'll check that out...
Neat approach. Seemed to work well. Should clean the spikes off the stumps so you don't trip and impale yourself.
Thx - Good call!
Just barely touched mt left knee yesterday... good thing my chain was pretty dull.....
Talking about safety, noticed a quick subtle thing at 2:00 . . . after stopping the saw and switching to wedge work, he flipped his ear muffs up so he could more easily hear creaks and cracks happening in the tree.
Good eye - i once had a branch almost hit me and heard it barely with the ear pro on, hearing is a massive safety piece.
Ben that's a great video thanks for sharing. I like what you said about wedges. ONE is good, TWO are better, THREE on you is great and having a couple more nearby is also nice to have. GOL is the bomb for our smaller trees here on the east coast. It's so much safer than traditional back cuts, especially for homeowners.
Holy cow is out of Vermont casting stove! Had one on my life! Great video as well. 👍🏼
Where did you learn that technique where you did you plunge cut through the face cut. It's interesting because I've never seen anyone else do that, but it was really creative as it allows you to get the wedge in the back where it wouldn't normally be possible due to the fact that the tree is too small to fit in the back cut with the saw. That was also neat how you did the next plunge cut above the wedge...
Adapted it from
The game of logging technique I was taight, just seemed to fit the size trees really well. Smaller hinge wood but sure worked well, every time.
@@wholesystems Thanks! Yeah, I mean it does make for smaller hinge, but then it seems like you can easily make the hinge wider to accommodate the loss in the center, right? Plus, it's not like you'd be using this on huge trees because then at that point you have enough room to fit the wedges in from behind. I just find it interesting that this technique isn't more widely used on the popular tree felling channels where they're trying to fit wedges in sideways in the back cut and stuff like that - there was obviuosly some thought put into your technique with how the wood is going to break and making the appropriate cuts. I dig it!
Nice work, The forest service has adopted many of the game of logging techniques and now focusing on the human factors influencing the felling process. New size up process, OHLEC (objective, hazards, lean, escape routes, and cutting plan) and the use of a boring back cut with trigger wood strap have been a real game changer in making our fallers safer.
Put a line on it too with a Matsan continuous rope winch with some pull pressure in direction of planned fall....👍
Why is there a house behind it? He knew exactly what he was doing.
Tourniquet wouldn't be a bad idea - I have one in my truck. I need to put a belt together, I keep stuffing things in my pockets. Great video, thanks!
Nice low stumps there Mister !...
Good video, lots of useful information and advice, well done
Ben, I’m using my brush/slash on contour/ terrace line....stitch tops together bigger top logs on top (for weight)...no burning, no chipper..animals like it
I do not see the advantage for the deep cut in the middle of the hinge, all it does it weakens the hinge for a potential lost of control
It allows a better place
For the wedge on little trees when a wedge would come up against the hinge quickly.
Good video. One suggestion - use a piece of tubing or similar as a sheath to protect at least one of your files. That will keep them from dulling each other and people like me won't have to cringe at the sound of files rubbing together as they're removed from their pouch.
I deal with a lot of dense forest situations and I suggest you get yourself a peavey, hang ups are not always avoidable however with my peavey I am able to roll the tree sideways out of it.
Ray Duerksen indeed I have a couple of them.
Excellent example and discussion about safety! Maybe you should look into Georgia Boots... They have been my favorite brand for about 8 years now. Steel Toe, thinsulate logger boot with steel safety plate in the soul (for nails etc.) extremely warm, 9 inches of waterproof and steel toe. I always make myself put them on for saw work... even in hot summer. I add rubber cleat sets for icy conditions in the winter.
Nice job
Great technique!
hey Ben, I've never seen the bore cut through the hinge before. I've also taken a game of logging course (just the first level). just curious about that technique!
When the tree is small enough to limit wedge insertion this is the way we were taught in GOL. How would you do it without the bore cut through hinge? Seems to work very well, leaving the hinge a but wider than one would without boring through it of course.
Ben Falk we were taught that after making the face cut, to make the bore that runs parallel to the hinge and start working it toward the back but not far enough to release it, pull the saw out and put wedges in both sides but angled toward the hinge, make the release cut, and tap the wedges til it goes down. I'm not very experienced but it's worked so far. I'd like to take some of the other levels of GOL because it's great and helps me feel more confident!
murkofaeons yes us too. But on smaller trees that gets sketchy and easy to get bar pinched - what I've found anyway.
murkofaeons also to be really clear - this is exactly what our class was taught to do with small trees - I might tend to use it on slightly larger trees as I really like getting a wedge in there as soon as possible to avoid bar stuck situations. On large trees I do what you described but only then as there is plenty of holding wood to work with and wedge space.
Ben Falk cool thanks for the explanation!
I've tipped over a pile of wood in my years but that is the oddest way I've ever seen a leaner brought down...be safe.
Not what I learned in forestry school in 1980. I’d never do it this way.
Old Pete, it’s called tongue and groove technique
@@peterh4446 Good for you? lol
Excellent list. You might want to add a combat tourniquet since a pressure bandage may or may not work well as one and requires more fiddling.
Good call - i've heard that from another person too.. thanks..
Just curious, what do you do with all the fell trees?
He leaves them on the ground as biomass for the next forest.
Thanks for the advice Sir
Nice video. You sound like you have it figured out.
Chaps are not very protective , and get logging boots and with corks for winter, you will love them
Yes got Hoffman caulked boots recently and love
Em. Chaps are better than none tho right?
Do not store your files touching together it ruins them
thanks as always ben, i appreciate all the info you share... as always. dont even know why i still comment.... you never respond, but thanks.
Sorry I don't look through all the comment sections on all of them...
no worries, i know your a busy guy, been following your work for years, you and Geoff Lawton have been my core motivation for doing what i now do, suburban permaculture and free design and implementation. Thanks again, will continue liking, sharing, and commenting
Well thanks much...!
Never cut more then a 90 degree face cut. Good use of the bore cut though. Always watch your saw dust
Josh Ferguson you mean face cut?
Never seen a tree cut down like that ever
Perfect !
Why are you boring the tree and not just backing them up?
Please see another reply or two - due to small size
Of tree. Also backing up alone won’t tip em since many are back leaners.
Nice technique! As I usually winch the timber as I go I often just use the tractor to convince the tree with the winch, but wedges are indispensable none the less.
I use an older 52cc Jonsered with a 14" sword, sharpening is quicker, its easier to manouver in our very difficult terrain, and with a bore cut I can cut trees close to 3x that widht easily. And most trees are smaller than 2x anyway.
Never tried the skiptooth chain, what is the advantage? I don't force the saw so it never bogs down anyway, and I keep the depth guides taller when cutting hardwood.
I would really recommend a file guide in that kit. I use the roller design, but the rail type is ok too. I prefer the roller type because it doesn't obscure my view.
Check your airfilter and sparkplug before messing with the carburettor. Sometimes the spark arrestor screen in the muffler is the culprit. A saw in good condition really doesn't need adjusting unless you changed fuel type or altitude, and it gets expensive really fast if the saw runs too lean. Premixed alkylate is a lot better for you and your saw. (I have some years experience repairing farm equipment professionally for a dealer, and have seen some stupid things done to machinery over the years)
Frode Haugsgjerd the advantage of a skip tooth chain is that you can use a longer bar with a lighter powerhead that otherwise wouldn’t be able to handle the length (less teeth means less drag so the overall length can be extended to sort of normalize the drag I guess). The downside is that the saw will cut remarkably slow, and having a slow saw is very dangerous for those good ol times when you need to make quick last second snipe to control the fell. Basically the downsides outweigh the benefits here. If you know your trade, skiptooths should just be poulans way to trick a homeowner.
LOVE YOU
That wedge should have been used behind saw when back cutting up to safety strap left, of wood-- before reorientation of your body to finish cut. Source: Husqvarna training and instruction, which is viewable on TH-cam.
You should consider carrying a CAT tourniquet instead of an israeli bandage.
Ok i'll look into it, haven't heard about it.
Maybe both.
I was going to suggest a CAT aswell , then I saw Joe's comment. It stands for Combat Application Tourniquet, I have one in my hunting pack, and keep it on hand when I am cutting firewood. They can be applied quickly with one and and will Stop The Bleed.
That look like alot more than 80 percent for the notch.
No offense Ben but in the Northwest if you were seen using these cuts you would be run off the job and be told you don't know what you are doing.
I'm not surprised - same with my tiny 16" bar. This is a modification of a well accepted professional felling technique used here - tweaked for small trees. Has worked very well with all trees going right down where intended and no bar pinches for years. But I get that larger trees have a very different approach.
Not trying to be smart honestly but what is the professional staandard in Nw America, I’m from Europe and just want to know different ways to look at it
@@themaxwellnator look up. WCB felling standard videos.
@@themaxwellnator Husqvarna has a TH-cam instructional video which clearly shows, in class, and demonstrates, in field, the standard.
Terri Landreth
Or, you could give some advice so he improves. No offense !
When you finally learn how to put it undercut in a tree then maybe you should be making videos on how to do something