Wedges and Rope...

Wedges and Rope...
By Tim Ard, Forest Applications Training, Inc.

I have used wedges in directional felling of trees almost exclusively since my learning years with Soren Eriksson. He taught me to calculate how many wedges and what they can do; wedges assisting in lifting and supporting trees during the felling process.

When beginning to train with a lot of tree care and storm related workshops, I began to learn from the Arborist's the value of ropes and rigging. How to calculate what is necessary to understand the limitations and the right knot or attachment accessory to make the rope assist successful.

A Participant in a class recently explained it and defined my stand completely on Wedges and Rope work with trees... Don Roppolo said, "I always use a wedge when rope is used in felling a tree, but I don't always use a rope when I use a wedge."

Both the wedge and the rope do basically the same thing- they assist to lift or support a tree to a desired felling plan.

The wedge in felling can afford the chainsaw operator the ability to finish, or set up the felling cuts without the tree binding the saw. This eliminates the need to have someone or something pulling on a rope, while the sawyer is cutting, to keep the tree from binding the saw. The rope is a great tool if there is resistance in the top of the tree and to reduce the hammering of the wedge work.

I hope you realize the wedge or the rope will not steer a tree to a targeted lay. The notch and hinge is the control and steering in the plan.

How to place the wedge? How many wedges? How far to pull and just how much rope do you need?

It all starts to come together as you complete the plan...

For answers and or more information visit www.ForestApps.com

Good Sawing!




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