Chainsaw: episode 2

Well I brought the chainsaw back to the dealer, explaining that I must
have pulled the starter rope off the pulley... He looked at me with disbelief in his eyes, and carried the chainsaw outside. He then pulled the cord and of course it started. I guess you have to pull the starter cord hard. Hard!


When I got home I went back to the chainsaw instruction manual and realized that when the starter cord is pulled the opposite arm pushes down, on the handle, with equal force and 'Voila', the chainsaw starts. I've started it twice now with the same positive result.

Emboldened with my new skill, I felt it was time to fall some trees.

There are 4 trees on the property that are dead and with the numerous wind storms we get here I felt the need to fall them before they blew into the house or greenhouse (or powerline).

Being a wise and thoughtful soul I knew I needed to practice before attempting one of the trees close to the house or powerline, so I picked out a small tree in the back. This tree was about 7" in diameter and about 30-40 feet in height; a small one compared to the dead Maple tree.

The instruction book illustrates the correct method so I started up the chainsaw and went to work....

The first cut is at 45 degrees, at an angle towards the ground, about 1/3 into the tree. This cut is carefully considered as this determines the direction "where the tree will fall." A 45 degree cut on the North side of the tree will eventually make the tree fall to the north, or so the book explained....

The second cut is on the same side as the first cut only parallel to the ground; the cut is made slightly below the first cut and creating a wedge which is dislodged from the north side of tree. If this 'wedge' does not pop out, a sledge hammer is used to hammer it loose.

The last cut is called "the hinge" as it is performed on the south side of the tree, slightly above the 'where the wedge was', and allows the tree to fall North.

Simple!

Right?

Well, after I cut the wedge opening, I began to realize that this 'small tree' was actually big for me! The instruction book warns that the base of the tree can, in some cases. bounce back as the tree falls forward. So I looked over my 'escape route, just in case...

Well I cut the 'hinge' and immediately the tree started falling 'South'. It stopped, closing up the gap created by my hinge or third cut. After, resting awhile I realized that it's Ok if the tree falls to the south and went about cutting above my first attempt. I creating a new wedge on the South side of the tree and hinge on the north. The Tree just stood there.

So I cut a little further into my wedge and my hinge. Still the tree stood unwavering. Then I remembered the book explained that in these cases a wooden wedge is hammered into the hinge-opening, forcing the tree over. So I went and got my wedge and started hammering it with my sledge hammer into the tree. I hammered and hammered.

I stopped when I realized that between the first set of cuts and the second set of cuts that the tree had moved on the stump and now was overhanging. I found a long wood pole and started banging the tree until it slipped off the tree stump. At this point I went and got my camera as it was hard to believe what was happening. The tree had landed beside the stump but was still in a vertical position as the branches from the other tree held it up (mocking me!).

I now got a rope and pulled at the base of the tree until the tree fell; I was a treefaller.

I have learned that I can't control the direction of the tree fall so will now hire a professional tree faller for the large maple tree.

Oh Well!