Trees can be a real feature of beauty in some gardens, but in others they can be nothing but a pure nuisance. Unfortunately, the process of felling a tree is certainly not a safe one and there have been some frightening stories over the years of homeowners attempting to perform the job themselves, without any guidance whatsoever. Get detailed information about the gardening methods, on this website: www.hellotalja.com
Bearing the above in mind, here is a short, three step guide to take you through the process of felling that troublesome tree. It goes without saying that we will always recommend sourcing a tree surgeon before you even consider felling a large tree, but if you are adamant that you wish to carry out the process yourself here is our brief guide to get you started.
Step #1 – Get your apparatus in order
You’re hopefully well aware that you won’t simply be able to take your standard saw to your tree – unless it happens to be very small. In most cases, trees need specialist equipment and a chainsaw is the usual tool of choice.
The felling process is dangerous at the best of times but when using a power tool as lethal as a chainsaw, the risks are taken up a notch once again. Therefore, have a look at the chainsaw boots at skylandequipment.com – with these providing your feet with incredible protection if the worst does happen and you drop your chainsaw. Unfortunately, this is only the start of the equipment buying process and you’ll also need a loggers helmet, which will protect your head from any falling debris. Kevlar chaps are another crucial piece of equipment and again could be lifesaving. For those who are not aware, they are worn over the trousers and will provide instant protection should the unthinkable happen and the chainsaw drop against your leg.
A lot of tree surgeons will make use of goggles, to prevent the constant backlash of dust, while felling wedges are another handy piece of equipment and will wedge the cutting gap open while your saw deals with the rest.
Step #2 – Planning
While the first step may have seemed quite extensive, it’s even more crucial to get this next one correct. The planning process is arguably the most important stage and involves a great degree of accuracy.
Your first task will be estimating how the tree will fall. Unfortunately, there’s no room for guesswork here although it’s also very difficult to be completely accurate. The general rule of thumb is to take an axe, close one eye and walk backwards. Keep moving until the top of the axe lines up with the top of the tree – this is the end of the falling zone.
The planning stage also involves making a notch. Experts suggest making the notch around one-fifth of the tree’s width and it should be of a triangular shape. This stage is absolutely paramount to the safety and success of the fell, with the angle that the notch points at dictating the direction the tree will fall. It will involve two cuts although on a lot of occasions, you will have to extend both so that the notch falls out of the trunk. If you happen to be dealing with a big tree, make use of the wedge that was discussed in the first stage to prevent the saw being trapped during the fell.
Step #3 – The Fell
Everything has been leading up to this, but no matter how much safety equipment you are wearing and how much planning you have performed, this final step is the most dangerous.
Using your notch as a guide, make a narrow cut parallel to it. Then, start a new cut from the notch opening, and watch carefully for the tree to fall. It really is advisable to have someone else watching this for you, because as soon as that tree starts to move you need to move in the opposite direction.
