The term “fall” has its roots in the fellan of Old English, for autumn. A felled tree is one that has been brought down, representing the seasonal harvest of a logging operation. The person who cuts down the trees is a feller, and a feller buncher is a machine capable of cutting down a single large tree or grouping and cutting several small ones simultaneously. In manual felling, an ax, saw or chainsaw is used to cut down a tree, followed by brushcutter and cutting in traditional applications.
In the modern commercial timber industry, logging is often followed by delimbing and trawling. The felling of trees has been taking place for thousands of years because trees have provided the resources necessary for the survival of mankind. In the past, trees were sometimes burned to the ground, requiring a lot of time and care. This method gave way to cutting trees with stone implements, such as tomahawks.
In the not too distant past, the accuracy of felling, tree placement and landing improved with the use of a cross saw and an ax. To release the spring posts, locate the apex of the pole and cut it with the chainsaw or hand saw. Now you have the bare trunk. If you are going to use the log as firewood, cut it into appropriate lengths, usually about 24 inches.
Avoid driving the chainsaw into the soil by cutting up to the middle of the log and then rolling the log to finish the cut. The branches are then cut to a suitable length for disposal and grouped, as dictated by local collection law. Felling a large tree is too big a task for a single person who is often too close to the tree to know if it is falling as planned. The best way to ensure a safe fall is to have a reliable assistant known as a lookout.
The checkpoint should be a few meters away from the person who is cutting down the tree. To keep the gazebo at a safe distance, it must have a long pole or pole. In modern times, logging techniques have become more efficient with felling heads that increase efficiency and fall time. Periodically place the saw and remove debris for clear vision and movement around the tree.
If cutting down a tree seems too complicated when considering all these steps, call an experienced professional or your parent. It is usually easier to cut down the tree in the direction of inclination, unless it is tilted towards a house or other structure. If you suspect that logging will affect a power line, call the power company before starting any work. Once you've determined that the tree is safe within your felling capabilities, and you've established a fall path and assembled your equipment, it's time to clear the area.
For newbies to cutting trees, it may be helpful to wrap a chalk line horizontally around the bottom of the tree where you plan to cut to keep the cuts along the way. Also at this point, verify that you haven't caught an adjacent smaller tree by creating what is called a spring pole. If that is not possible, drop the tree from a position where its limbs cannot hit it if they break off. And finally, maintain control of the tree that is being cut down with a hinge by allowing it to articulate through its entire arc of fall.
Felling trees can be dangerous if done incorrectly or without proper safety precautions in place. It's important to take your time when cutting down trees and make sure you have all necessary equipment on hand before beginning work.
