How To Fell A Tree With A Chainsaw | Step By Step

Thanks for the precise measurements information. I just used all of it today, and actually used a slightly larger hinge to swing the tree away from my fence . Ive watched my dad when we were hauling pulp wood make trees turn almost completely around, or make them fall uphill all kinds of stuff, and always wondered how he knew so much about it. He showed me the wedge process but not the why of it. It was always well thats good enough or cut a little more, leave some on this side, etc, that was 40 plus years ago, and ive always done ok with my trees, but today i was putting them exactly where I wanted them and I knew why they were falling there and how to duplicate the results time and time again. So thanks again. Hap

What this video refers to as a wedge is more commonly called a hinge because it's the line along with the tree bends as it falls. A wedge is a small inclined plane, usually made of metal or plastic, that you drive into the back cut to push the tree over in a particular direction.

I believe you meant to say hinge not wedge? Wedge, as some people call it, is that piece of wood leftover from the face cut... Personally, I think it looks like a a piece of pie? However, it can become very confusing for people new to this process, because wedges are important tools and should be within reach anytime you fell a tree! (Knock them in your cut, then cut a little more, hammer them in further and/or add additional wedges.) Basically what ends up happening, if used correctly, is you push the tree precisely where you desire it to land. Rope puller is also used to accomplish same thing!

I'm assuming the reason why the tree "popped suddenly" and came down (at the 5:30 minute mark) may not have been so much about the "soft spot" but more about the radical 20 degree lean that stressed the rear of the tree (to hold up the tree). With the open face cut and then, the plunge-cut and removal of most of that center wood leaving only a tiny bit (at the back end), that tiny bit of wood left wasn't enough to hold back against the severe lean, and it tore out. Popped. This is probably a good lesson. If a tree leans drastically, you probably have to leave a sizeable bit more wood at the rear of the lean to be safe ––– before you make your final release-cut.

He made the face cut very wide so the tree would fall a long way before the gap closed, which prevents the bottom of the tree from kicking backwards. This effect can also be achieved by making the back cut an inch or two higher than the face cut.

The back of the tree split vertically as it fell. Had he not used a plunge cut it almost certainly would have split sooner and produced what's called a "barber chair", which is very dangerous. The split could have been avoided by making a shallow cut through the bark on the back side before extending the plunge cut outwards. It's also a good idea to wrap a leaning tree with strong ropes, straps, or chains before felling it to prevent splitting.

Dull saw, Dutchmen in your notch, uneven/unleveled notch, improper cut on the trigger of your plunge cut, notch cut should be 30% average. I’m not stating this to ridicule your work, I’m saying this because I’ve seen people get hurt doing what you’re doing.

About to buy some land and need to clear some trees. Thanks for the know-how to safely. Hopefully I can use some of it for a log home.

Showing the proper PPE was the best part of the video. “Sawing” back and forth shows inexperienced use of a saw. Let the saw do the cutting (like you said a sharp saw would have been best option for an informational video like this. The “hinge” not the wedge is used to guide the tree down. Would not recommend telling people to use the plunge cut method for setting the hinge without actually showing how you properly do it. The video skipped that part entirely! Someone who tries is and accidentally cuts through their hinge will end up in big trouble. Never cut from the inside out with the final cut. Leave a nice trigger when you’ve set your trigger and always finish from outside at full throttle. This will not allow that ugly piece of fiber that pulled out at the end and won’t have the chance to catch your saw and take it down with the tree. Huge fan of the channel but this was poor advice to people learning

I stopped watching when I saw the saw dust coming off that chain instead of the nice shavings that you get with a sharp chain. Also, the sawing motion made me quite nauseous. How did it turn out? 🙈

I have a new chain, how do I get it dull enough to fell a tree properly?

Ha! Dutchman in the face cut sure showed experience I would advise you find a different video for learning how to fell a tree

I'm new to felling and trying to absorb as much as possible. Thank god for the comments, looks like you could've got me killed. How bout removing this video and save some lives.

Watching you use a sawing motion with your chainsaw, shows just how inexperienced you are... you have a good idea of what you're doing, but have never fell a tree bigger than 1-2 feet at the butt.

First - Kip Adams needs to learn how to fell trees before YT demonstration. I'm really just want to be nice, simple good advise. What you doing there will get someone hurt! - And second Learn to sharpen your chain. 3. Be smart, learn proper procedure, practice, think safety ... and please, again ... sharpen your chain sir!

Thanks for the great video. In Germany we cut the trees lower to the ground and do a different style notch but you showed al relevant security points. By the way, if the tree is hanging as much in the felling direction it makes sense to do the very last cut backside in, then the wood will not splinter as much in the end.

Dude, you need to delete this video immediately. Don't be posting BS like this until you know what your doing.

Clear and concise unlike many of the other similar videos.

3:34 This guy should not be teaching anything.

Need to see how, where, when you began cutting into the side of the tree (plunge cut)