Skills, Tools,
Time, Safety | Log
Wheeler | Peeling
and Storing Logs | Long
Log Construction
Ok lets assume you do have the time and the
logs available, lets get started. Find the straightest trees
possible in your wood lot. To test for straightness hold up
a straightedge at arm length and with your eye align down
the tree. Move to the tree and hold the straightedge against
the tree but
still sight up the tree with your eye to confirm it does not
have serious curves etc. Curves or irregularities will give
you nothing but problems down the road. Mark the tree with
surveyors tape and move on to find another tree. Try and find
trees spaced apart by 10 to 15 trees if possible. In that
way you are thinning the forest, not clear-cutting.
When to cut your trees is up to you but if you cut them in
winter the snow will allow for easier skidding out to the
site. If you cut them in the spring after the sap starts to
flow then they will peel easier.
Falling the trees must be down with care as this is dangerous
task. Cut a 60 to 90 degree notch at the base approximately
45% of the way into the tree. This notch must be in the direction
the tree needs to fall. Start your back cut above the tip
of V notch. The back cut must not reach the notch as the tree
will then pivot or set back on the bar. Carry wedges and a
small axe to put into the back cut to wedge the tree over.
Never cut on windy days as then the tree might come back on
you. Remember safety first.
Once your trees are down now you must get them out of the
woods some how and over to your building site. Remember logs
weight roughly 10 to 20 lbs per foot so a normal person is
not carrying them. Skidding your logs out to the spot where
they will be picked up by transport truck or even better directly
to the site is usually down by large machines. This is very
expensive but an alternative is skidding by horse. Horses
do not require roads to be built through out the falling site
and are very maneuverable. During winter farmers might be
more willing to provide the horses due to down time. Next
- Transporting Logs/Log Wheeler
Skills, Tools,
Time, Safety | Log
Wheeler | Peeling
and Storing Logs | Long
Log Construction |
