Folling the Big Ones

By Rolf D. Glerum, West Coast Lumbemen's Associetlon

Comparing modern man with his ancestors, we find many things in common. But a notable similarity exists in the material both use to make their homes-wood.

The first and major step in the involved process of making a tree into lumber is, of course, cutting down the tree. This is no mean trick, and he who thinks that it just takes a few saw cuts and a dramatic cry of TIMBER-R-R-R! is sadly misinformed. The act of falling a tree is a tedious process, and one which, like countless other jobs in the forests and mills, takes years of on-the-job experience. It is doubtful indeed that one can find a book called, "IIow to l'all a Tree ln Ten Easy Lessons."

Present-day logging operations have changed considerably from the past, both in scope and method. Today's stump is much closer to the ground, for instance, because of the added amount of good, clear lumber that can be obtained from two or three feet of stump growth, often left on the roots by logg:ers of tfie past so they could work above the thick underbrush. Many tools essential to Paul Bunyan and his friends are hardly used to fall a tree today-the hand crosscut saw, double-bitted axe, and so on. These jobs are done largely by machines.

The main consideration when falling a tree is to incur an absolute minimum of breakage in the tree. Even the largest Douglas fir can snap in two if it should fall across a stump or a high piece of ground. And if the tree should fall across a ravine, the top could break ofr upon impact and ruin scores of feet of otherwise good timber.

After the path of fall is determined, the falling crew clears away all underbrush and growth from around the base of the tree to provide working room and give them a clear avenue of escape,

The direction of fall is determined mainly by the undercut, put in by a gas-powered chain saw. The undercut may be made by two parallel cuts close together, with the wood pried out or a wedge shape, reaching r/s to r/z the distance into the tree. Taking into consideration the degree of lean and the distribution of upper branches, the undercut is made so that, upon t}te tree's fall, the two adjoining surfaces of the cut will meet and direct the tree to its predetermined bed.

Wedges are placed in the tree for two reasons-to prohibit pinching of the saw and to help direct the tree in its fall. It sometimes happens, especially in big timber, that the undercut is made and the final cut comes in from the other side aII the way through, and the tree still stands, balanced, as it were, on its own trunk or held by limbs of adjoining trees. In this case, wedges must be inserted in the cut to topple the tree.

The flnal cut, from the opposite side of the undercut, is extremely important in that it must meet the undercut just right so that the stump will not "barber chair," that is, have a series of long splinters pulled from the middle of the tree when it falls. Here again, good wood can be ruined.

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Weather conditions in the woods naturally are important to logging operations. High winds will shut down most falling, as it is impossible to direct a tree's fall in a 10 or 15-mile-per-hour variable wind. West Coast forests also are shut down during periods of hot weather and low humidity, due to the forest-fire danger created by man and his machines.

Pacific Northwest logging has changed a great deal in the past century. Crawlertype tractors have replaced oxen, gas motors have substituted for men's muscles and powerful chain saws now do the work of the old crosscuts. But one thing that will never change is the sight and sound of falling timber.

ilohn Holla,nd Wtth Lujon

John Holland, who spent four years in the sales division of Hammond Lumber Co. and two years as F'resno branch manag:er of Horizon Door Co., is now vice-president of Lujon Corp. in Van Nuys.

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