Comments on: How to Fell a Tree

By: Aurora

Aurora — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 06:43:42 +0000

What if you start to cut a tree, about 2 percent to one percent but past the bark, just a straghitline then change your mind not too will the tree fall?

By: charlie

charlie — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 06:06:22 +0000

we used to cut wood with a crosscut and a swede saw, doing about 4 cords a day with 2 guys, try that

By: Br. Patrick

Br. Patrick — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 02:56:30 +0000

Love the website and this article especially caught my attention. There is nothing like felling a tree, limbing, bucking and cleaning the area…makes me feel manly. I’ve got an embarassing, but humourous story. While working on the farm, the farm manager pointed out an oak tree he needed dropped. It was about 30″ at the base, so I knew I’d have to do it on a day I had more time. I came back a few days later all ready, two saws, gas/oil, extra chains for each, ax, wedges, and water jug. My goal was to get it down all the little stuff cut up and piled for burning, all the firewood sized pieces piled and three or four “logs” for the sawmill. All was going well, I was a little over 1/2 the way through my cut for the fall, when I took a break, walked over to the gator for a drink of water. I’m standing there admiring my work, wiping the sweat from my brow and realized “I’m cutting the wrong tree!” I could make the excuse it was winter, but I know better than that, I just wasn’t paying attention! Of course I had to finish it and still had to cut the right one down. The farm manager was not too pleased, let me tell you. But the guy working the sawmill was happy to get 7 nice oak logs out of the deal and everyone around still likes to tease me about it.

By: Col

Col — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 18:32:34 +0000

P.S. – the bloody tree landed exactly where I wanted it.

By: Col

Col — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 18:31:06 +0000

We were out in the field cutting firewood, and all day I was eyeing an enormous dead red gum just begging to be felled. Toward the end of the day dad finally let up (we had collected everything already on the ground) and we attacked it. Put the directional notch in it, went around back and cut until “timber”, and made our escape. Funny thing though, was that the sun being low in the sky, it threw the tree’s shadow right over us as we retreated. We looked like Wil E Coyote, running like hell with the shadow chasing us. The whole “eye on the tree at all times” thing went out the window as we ran for our lives. I was clutching the saw, and had one hand over my head (yeah, that’ll fend off 5 ton of timber), and dad, running beside me, had both hands up. We heard the crash and felt the ground shake, figured we were still alive, and after a long pause metaphorically to clean the trousers, realized how silly that must have looked and laughed out loud. One of my brothers had observed the panic without understanding its reason. 15 years later he’s still laughing at us about it. I’m sure there’s a lesson in here about this. Don’t ask me what.

By: William

William — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 04:38:33 +0000

Haha, a few things I forgot – Andrew, great info.

The chainbrake is your only friend.

Cut as close to the handle as possible (some saws have great teeth to help with this).

Never trust a tree to fall in any particular direction. Even if it “should”. Some trees need to be taken apart while standing by professional treeclimbers.

By: William

William — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 04:30:25 +0000

Ahh, very nice. I grew up in the country and got to use chainsaws, axes, mauls, and hatchets.

Two things I’m not sure are on here:
LEFT HANDED PEOPLE should read up on chainsaws. Never grip a standard chainsaw “leftie”. You lose the physics that let you fight bucking.
Never cut with the top of the saw. Most especially, never cut with the top of the tip. You’re asking the chain to bite, climb up whatever you’re cutting, and pivot the blade into your head/torso.

Also, get your saw tuned, sharpened, and checked every year or two. Don’t use a saw unless you know how to check the chain and make sure it’s good to go.

All that said, I probably wouldn’t fell much myself. Never have played with conifers either. They grow too close together :P By the way, splitting wet wood is hard!!

By: Danman

Danman — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 16:56:46 +0000

Nice job, well covered. One point. That’s a beautiful little lab you’ve got with you.
Don’t bring him along when tree cutting, or tie him up until the trees are ON THE GROUND, I once saw a golden retriever take off after a squirrel at that very moment the tree started to fall. It was close, but near disasterous results.

By: Trimegistus

Trimegistus — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 00:38:27 +0000

The few times I’ve had to fell a tree (rather than cut up one toppled by the wind) I cut the notch with the chainsaw but finished the back cut with a handsaw. Two reasons: first, you can hear the crack of wood better if you’re not wearing ear protectors and running a motor, and second, it’s a lot easier to drop a handsaw and run!

By: Rob Glenn

Rob Glenn — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 23:16:30 +0000

Not to point out the obvious here, but NEVER go felling trees by yourself. If something does go wrong you probably won’t be able to go for help.