About Felling Wedges

[@lucpainchaud1053]

Thanks Mr Hale to share with us your knowledge! I love your vidéos by the intelligent and informative way you make them! Keep going!

[@terryhale9006]

Thank you, Luc!

[@Human1337]

A TERRY HALE VIDEO!!!!! Making my night =)

[@terryhale9006]

Thanks much for your video clip!

[@alexbeedie6940]

Human it's been too long hasn't it?

[@tom_olofsson]

This is an excellent primer on wedges. Thanks for being so thorough.

[@terryhale9006]

Thank you, Tom.

[@MeadowFarmer]

Stacked wedges need to have sawdust placed between them. The pros call it woodsman's glue. The sawdust compresses as the wedges are pounded in. I love the videos in this series. Your "AxHammer" is a great tool.

[@Bman10496]

It’s been awhile! Making a wedge by yourself out of a chunk of steel is quite impressive. Thanks for the video.

[@BrunoVilelaIS]

Thank you, for being so patient Terry. Great job creating those so interesting "alternative versions" of tools. It's really inpiring and show a demand people really have. Some popular wedges don't give us the necessary lift for pushing some leaners. I'm not a faller, just a very casual chainsaw user that loves to see the techiniques I learn on the internet working when I'm doing some chainsaw job.

[@terryhale9006]

Thank you, Bruno.

[@BrunoVilelaIS]

Ahh, sharing on facebook! :)

[@erik30012]

Nice to see you again Terry!👍

[@terryhale9006]

Thanks, Erik!

[@gmonet8753]

Terry - you do great work. Keep it up.

[@karldarrington3697]

Always enjoy your videos. Thank you for taking the time to to make them. I am liking your wedge banger axe.

[@terryhale9006]

LOL. Thanks, Karl.

[@FellerCraftsman440]

Double Taper, and K&H both make extra lift wedges. These start out with a standard taper at the tip and then switch to a more aggressive taper at the butt that provides a higher lift than a standard wedge. Also Black Bear makes "rifled" wedges that have grooves and ridges formed into them, which keep the wedges driving straight and when stacked stop them from splaying apart. And I have found that if you put a little bit of dirt between the two stacked wedges, it increases the friction between the two slick plastic surfaces of the wedges, and really reduces the chances of them kicking out.

[@jamesstanley5503]

Thanks for posting your video, I was just looking for any information on types of felling wedges and came across your video. I wasn't even thinking of injuries that could occur while driving the wedges and your video may have saved me a knock in the leg or worse yet between the eyes.. thank you

[@terryhale9006]

I'll hope that awareness of the possible risks proves to be adequate protection against bad luck.

[@mr.h5436]

Boy, did this video make me recall laying on the ground and crying as a boy from wedges flying into shins. My dad had a logging business and our farm. He had a wedge custom made very similar to your product. It was an alloy, lightweight, and would spark but never mushroomed. I loved using it. He also had a 16lb post maul with his initials on it! As a feat of strength- he would hold the end of the handle, bringing it down(straight armed) to touch his nose and back up. No other logger ever succeeded. Holding the post while he drove it in was a real experience. If he glanced- the post would shatter. Great videos, thank you.

[@terryhale9006]

Thanks for the recollections. Your dad sounds like an impressive guy.

[@liamkent8305]

Terry, as a new enthusiast to arboriculture and potential change of career these videos are brilliant! Proper Nerd Out keep making them Terry.

[@pr0ximityl0w53]

Just for the record, you videos are awesome!! Thanks so much for your time and content.

[@terryhale9006]

Thanks, Prox. Nice of you to say.

[@diceman220]

A lost art. Awesome to see what it takes to hand forge a piece of steel. Great videos.

[@dawsonwelborn6300]

I know this is from 2 years ago but I like how you showed the forging process and took the time to make your own tools.

[@terryhale9006]

I'm not a very good blacksmith, but that is one thing I love about blacksmithing; the ability to make your own tools.

[@dismayedtrinket2518]

00:36 - Basics of felling wedges. 06:11 - Wedges popping out. 07:38 - Forging larger wedges. 16:37 - Finished product. 17:42 - Striking tools. 20:16 - Forging a hammer. (There is brief audio overlap) 25:02 - Second final product 26:04 - Trying out the new tool.

[@steveww1507]

I have been cutting my own fire wood for about 10 years and come to rely on wedges . I did find a lot of useful information in this vid . Thank you

[@terryhale9006]

Thank you, Steve.

[@btcolber]

In all the years I've been working with trees I have only used wooden wedges. I use a bandsaw with a taper jig to knock these up out of oak, or any tough dry wood. They don't last like the plastic ones my colleagues use, but they cost nothing- well my time only and they work really well. You can make them with whatever taper or length you fancy. If you hit one with the chainsaw its no big deal. I guess before the days of plastic they were pretty common ? I leave the surfaces as they come off the saw which gives them a certain grip , even when stacked.

[@terryhale9006]

Did you find that including knots or crotch wood would make them less likely to split?

[@btcolber]

@@terryhale9006 HI, all my wedges tend to be made from clear wood, so no knots or crotch wood. In the UK ( where I am ) Elm was always regarded as the common wood which resisted splitting best of all. Hence its use for windsor chair seats and wheel hubs where multiple holes were bored into it , then spokes, chair legs etc were inserted. I've never tried Elm- its not too common in my part of the Uk , and since Dutch Elm disease not used as much commercially as it was. It certainly would be worth trying some wedges made of it.

[@LadDox_]

I love your videos man. Best teacher ever

[@5herwood]

Great video. When I need a thicker wedge I take my banging ax which I keep moderately Sharp and I carve a wedge from whatever wood is laying around. Then I make a baseball bat size banger out of a limb. That saves me stacking wedges and also gives me a broad faced tool to drive wedges if I need it.

[@5herwood]

By the way, to make a wedge Chop a chisel point on a 3-foot limb and then Saw it off. I learned never to use an ax on a small piece of wood the hard way. Bloody, very bloody.

[@terryhale9006]

Resourceful.

[@terryhale9006]

I prefer to keep my blood on the inside.

[@StrangeTu]

Beginner here and had similar thoughts, found and ordered Estwing fireside friend with a drill hammer side and a splitting axe side. Halder simplex splittaxe has similar build suited to pound steel wedges.

[@5herwood]

Thanks for years of useful, well-presented ideas and explanations. Hope you are doing well. I pass your work along to other people a lot.

[@terryhale9006]

Thanks much, Ed.

[@TheCycleProf]

I am binge watching your knowledgeable, articulate videos this afternoon getting tuned up for annual firewood harvest, but this year of borer-killed ash which will present some new challenges. Your steel wedge fabrication is impressive. Just a mention that opposing angled rips in the waist high stump of a small maple, beech, oak or ash will yield felling wedges to any configuration needed.

[@patrickcleburneuczjsxpmp9558]

I've used wooden (dogwood) gluts for riving logs. Is there a reason you'd suspect wood couldn't also be used for a felling wedge? Thanks, by the way, for all your great advice but particularly for the tip on using wedges to lift a fallen log off the ground so as to be able to create clearance underneath the log. I've used that method at least a couple times since first watching your video, and it's been very handy.

[@yangyuan9384]

The PITTSBURGH 5 Lb. Wood Splitting Wedge at harbor freight tool can be used as the stubby wedge. Only $9.99

[@gordonpeden7432]

Who'd of thought, plastic wedges seguaying into black smith stuff. Love your work Mr Hale. Thank you!

[@TheBirdGardenNB]

I make thicker wedges out of hard wood, they do break eventually but they’re free and take about a minute to make. Yellow birch seems best.

[@ryanbrowne4374]

Hey Terry, thanks for the video. A couple thoughts, one, have you tried the K&H Triple Tapers? They're pretty thick. Maybe not as thick as your custom model, but thicker than a standard wedge by a long shot. And second, a helpful technique when more than one wedge is needed is to bore a slot for the second wedge about an inch above where the first wedge is gonna go. By putting that inch of wood between the two wedges you greatly reduce the tendency of the wedges to pop out.

[@armensargsyan9263]

You are great on all directions.

[@LongBinh70]

I believe you invented a "haxe"... I have a couple of steel splitting wedges that are very similar to your hand forged steel wedge. They were hand-me-downs from previous generations, so I have no clue where to get them now.

[@daveboyt6810]

Thanks for the video. Interesting hinge you started the video started with. For the high lift, you might try 3/4" thick hardwood shims. Lift as much as you can with a single wedge, then slip in a shim and another wedge on top of that. You can make a dozen shims in less than a minute, so breaking them is no big deal. I've even cut shims with a chain saw. Love the trick lifting the log on the ground! I've subscribed, and going back to watch the rest of your videos. You're a terrific teacher!

[@terryhale9006]

Thanks, Dave. Rather than lugging aroung what I made, cutting a shim on site would be easier.

[@mrln247]

I like how carried away with forging this got. When stacking wedges they are best struck one at a time (axe head actually helpful) and also usually not overly hard, I call it walking them in often by the time your stacking there is less vertical pressure on the cut so guess the elasticity of the fibre deformation gets a larger share of the force's helping spit them out like when trying to push past something where a little limb is just holding the top. Ensure any mushroom is dressed off wedges which can be done with an axe. Cutting slices off nearby stumps is a useful technique and have resorted too when stacked wedges where not enough. I do round off the poll of the axe head as many will cut and shorten the life of wedges. Own and use a Koller mechanical wedge which does what your forged one will but for a lot lot more money. Bottle jack is cheaper and a good solution to some situations. That was a long comment.

[@terryhale9006]

With large trees, I find I have to really strike them to drive the wedges in against the squeeze.

[@mrln247]

@@terryhale9006 Yes sometimes I've spent well over half an hour fighting some really big bugger's having to lift over 7m3 of log plus biomass against ntge lean up and over it's balance point against the wind is a character building exercise.

[@terryhale9006]

Long, but good.

[@mrln247]

@@terryhale9006 Better than the wrong way. Started logging a few of the interesting/tricky trees I get into, not very instructional yet as I'm a bit caught up in the job at hand.

[@rickhayes4278]

You can buy “High lift” wedges, alloy wedge with wooden insert for longer driving. Excellent tools with an alloy rig to stop the replaceable wooden inserts from wear and damage. I have habitually used two rings per wedge and the inserts last years

[@N8URNURD]

Nice tip regarding lifting a tree with a wedge! I can see a few uses for that.

[@hosiercraft9675]

I do a bit of blacksmithing too. But I do have an idea that would be less work and safer for your saw. Make it from cast aluminium. You could do an oil sand form with 2 wedges, then melt some cans and pour them. Thanks for all the good info.

[@wassnlous]

The stubby wedge you are looking for is called a "Nachsetzkeil" in german. It looks like you might find some items from international ebay sellers under that term. Thank you for the detailed technical insights you provide with your series!

[@terryhale9006]

Thank you for that tip.

[@alexbeedie6940]

Never apologize for the length of your videos my friend

[@terryhale9006]

Kind of you.

[@sireliot2149]

Mr. Hale I am very interested the vertical plunge and "tall hinge" thing you are doing at 4:00. If I had to guess you are trying to get the tree to stay on the stump as long as possible, or never fall off? Is this in another video?

[@terryhale9006]

Yes, Sir. Good observation. If the tree has a lot of side lean, you don't want the hinge to fail allowing a sideways fall when the tree starts to go. With a tall hinge, the tree can bend quite a bit (falling) before the hinge is stressed so much that it starts to rip apart. It probably deserves an explanatory video with a demonstration.

[@sireliot2149]

@@terryhale9006 Thank you taking the time to reply! In searching around I have finally found the term "block face" to describe this type of cut. It looks like it might turn into a barber chair so I would tend to put a ratchet strap above it on the trunk, but it looks like it would be very useful in combination with pull ropes and guy lines. I have heard of something similar being used when "lowering" trees with mechanical advantage in order to keep the log on the stump all the way down.

[@MrHandoverfist]

You REALLY ARE #AMAZING, Terry! kat

[@jeffreyrubish347]

I am very much enjoying your content. Forging a steel wedge and a maul. Wow. What's next?

[@terryhale9006]

Probably something that involves an easy chair.

[@jeffreyrubish347]

Terry Hale Ha! I don't blame you. That was a lot of metal beating.

[@DrHavok1]

My only advice is that when you need to stack wedges use two of the exact same type and size and take your time finesse them and be careful...this is the only thing that works for me when stacking them with very good rate of success....here in WA state there are hardly any cuts I make without a wedge coming into play on these giant trees..... P. S. The axe can be used to cut thick bark away from back cut areas for accurate safe wedge use

[@terryhale9006]

I've been impressed with how thick the bark is on some of your western conifer. We rarely see much over an inch in the East.

[@sfcscottgmatthews]

Looks to me when you done with trees we can look forward to metal videos? Love your videos, get up the good work sir

[@terryhale9006]

Thank you, Scott. I'm even less of a blacksmith than I am a climber, but we'll see what happens. I hope to stick with the Weakened Woodsman theme for a while longer. When I can swallow my pride a bit better, there is plenty of material under the heading of "Mistakes I've Made".

[@peterbannister5083]

As always, its a treat to have another Terry Hale video essay. Many thanks. Did you come across 'high lift wedges' in your research? I always have at least one in my kit bag. Combination of aluminium and replaceable beech core make them nice and light.

[@terryhale9006]

Thank you, Pete. I have seen those high-lift wedges in European videos, but I haven't found them in the US. I'll look harder and may resort to swallowing the shipping cost.

[@peterbannister5083]

I'm surprised you don't have them in North America. I can send one over to you if required.

[@terryhale9006]

I appreciate the offer, Peter. I think I'm all set for the time being. Yes, I was surprised. I would have expected that any any good idea from the UK would have been embraced here, as well.

[@BryanClark-gk6ie]

For stacking wedges we use texture on one side and notched on the other to keep them from kicking out.

[@dcvariousvids8082]

High lift wedges are certainly available now. Though the metal one are very heavy; aluminium cup with hickory/oak/ash insert are lighter but are long and can be unwieldy to carry. The yellow Oregon wedges, have a tendency to delaminate and then breathing isn’t far off. The UK puts mallets are something’s called a mel/mell. Depends what part of the country you’re from. For a weighted basher, some people use a splitting mail, (squared hammer on one side and axe like face on the other). Only the axe side isn’t much broader than the hammer side and it thickens from a sharp edge to apx. 3” width in 2”-3”. With a weight of 5LBs or greater. Not much good for chopping but great for slitting firewood logs.

[@mapleridgefarm1026]

Lol That is one giant calorie burning wedge Terry! But u are right about the problem with stacking wedges, have had them pop out many times. I hope like you that a thicker wedge becomes availabe soon. Thx for posting Terry 👍

[@terryhale9006]

Thanks much, Joe. We'll keep our fingers crossed.

[@migueljose2944]

i have 2 plastic wedges. When I need something more I cut wedges out of a limb usually with my little top handle tree saw. Limb must be secure. always works

[@scatoutdebutter]

Nice to see you back, sir. I didn't know plastic wedges could be so dangerous. Cool innovations and fabrications! Are you still climbing?

[@terryhale9006]

Only a couple of dismantles so far this year, but I've got five lined up. It's tougher when you have to figure out where the D-ring is by feel, rather than by sight.

[@scatoutdebutter]

How about some videos of your recent climbing :) What is the highest you've gone up for a dismantle? thx

[@bonsaidevelopment1016]

Seeing you make one/work w/ metal, you just became like a hero/idol lol!! I've gotta say though.....I'm perplexed that someone like you, cannot get-to-market such an obviously-practical product as the larger wedges you spoke of. I'm new to "precision wedging" (before they were just casual lean-correctors and, mostly, pinched-bar savers) and now have a 6-pack of shorties tethered to my belt w/ my hand axe to drive them, am nearly done with your notches/hinges/felling series - A++ work there man I feel very indebted - with how easily produced such a thing is, I mean just a chunk of plastic, and your name-recognition, it blows my mind you can't work something out w/ Wesspur/etc (I'd say TreeStuff as a most-likely, though I hesitate to ever recommend them for anything..but they do seem to have helped a lot of small, single-item products to market!)

[@terryhale9006]

BD, I do appreciate the suggestion, however, I am still working full time as a civil engineer and computer programmer and don't have the energy to become an entrepreneur. I'm more than happy to let someone else try to capitalize on an idea and make a good commercial product available to me.

[@siddokis2945]

I'm guessing there's a reason they're not made already.( safety regs. etc.) because I'm sure everyone who's ever used them have had the same idea, I know I have also and I'm not very experienced yet with felling large leaners.

[@olimacfarlane930]

How about using a Stihl High lift wedge, which is made from aluminium rather than stacking plastic wedges?

[@terryhale9006]

Oli, thanks for the suggestion. This appears to be another one of those puzzling cases where a worthwhile product in the UK just hasn't penetrated into the US market. Kinda baffling.

[@mikagami69]

Terry, love your vids, man! Super fun/informative to watch. Regarding wedges, try out Black Bear rifled wedges! They stack and have rifling so they stay together and don't pitch sideways. Really helpful! I bought some from Madsen's (big supply store in Washington state, will ship wherever) and they are one of my favorite brands of wedges to use. You can get them on Amazon, too.

[@terryhale9006]

Thanks! Had not seen or heard of those.

[@gregkiger7286]

always appreciate your videos. On the stacking issue we have good luck stacking as long as the are at different angles vs right on top of one another. If we need more lift we insert a slice of tree perhaps 1'2 thick as a shim or we cut a bigger steeper wedge from a near by sapling and drive that, We prohibit steel however due to dangers you outline. Thanks, keep up the great work

[@terryhale9006]

I like the shim idea.

[@johntilbury2097]

if your in the woods with a chainsaw....just cut the size wedge (shim) you'd like. Most of us that would be cutting tree size stuff enjoy wood working, so you could spend a little money on an exotic and make yourself a fancy wedge! {Janka hardness test data via google}

[@jackdawg4579]

I'm also a blacksmith, it is a lot of hard work upsetting steel that size by hand. I made a similar wedge using a piece of 45mm square trailer axle, which is a medium carbon steel. First I cut the wedge shape in roughly using a lot of angle grinder cut off disks, going from 45mm at the struck end to 20mm at the business end, before putting it into the forge to refine it and then heat treating it. It is way to heavy to keep in your normal felling kit, but I have it if i need it.

[@terryhale9006]

I agree on the weight. One problem is not being able to predict when it will be needed.

[@stankowalski4574]

Mr. Hale, instead of forging a steel wedge, could you simply use a steel splitting wedge ? The splitting wedges I have are pretty wide towards the top, but they do unfortunately have the propensity to pop out, as they do not have gripping teeth like the plastic wedges. By the way, your instructional videos are very informative, among the best I've seen. Keep up the great work, and thank you, sir.

[@terryhale9006]

Thanks, Stan. The wide leading edge was intended to provide a flatter angle and thereby, hopefully, to reduce that propensity for popping out.. Regardless, I will try just a regular splitting wedges when the next opportunity presents.

[@jimwallace4045]

Your videos are much appreciated

[@terryhale9006]

Thanks!

[@TomBrooklyn]

Could you elaborate on why, after the tree started moving, you hit the wedge three more times before moving away on your escape route?

[@thomasgronek6469]

He's a physicist, that's why we only allowed them to use foam hammers in the lab

[@KarlBunker]

I wonder if you could find a plastics-injection shop that would make small runs of double-thick felling wedges for you that you could then sell. I don't imagine it would be a patentable idea, so if it got to be a popular product, some big company would probably start making them and they wouldn't have to pay you for thinking of it.

[@terryhale9006]

Other than demonstrating that a need exists, I'm feeling too old to put more energy into it. I'm hoping some "big player" grabs the need and fills it. I have no commercial interest in the idea.

[@davidwyby]

Terry, can you give your thoughts on the effect of backcut height on the amount of leverage that the wedge has on the tree? I think lower is less leverage and higher is more, but my geometry is weak. Thanks

[@Jake_Cotumaccio]

Not Terry but I think I can help. Short answer: In theory there’s a slight difference but you won’t be able to tell, so go with whatever’s safest. Using an extreme version of the situation can help clarify your intuition. Consider a back-leaning tree where you make a back cut 95% of the way up the tree. The section of the tree ABOVE the wedges still needs to be tilted the same amount (in terms of angle) to get it past perpendicular. That element won’t change regardless of how high you make the back cut. The thing that WILL change is how easy it is to drive in the wedges. There’s very little weight above the wedge because it’s so high up. You don’t have to overcome the whole weight of the tree leaning back, it’s just the weight of the top 5%. You don’t get “better” leverage necessarily, but tilting the tree requires less force/leverage. In practicality, making a backcut 12” vs. 24” off the ground won’t make much of a difference for most trees because it’s such a small difference relative to the height of the tree. Therefore, safety is the much more important consideration. Hope that helps!

[@fearlyenrage]

I dont exactly undrstand your question but i can tell you that when you angle the backcut 10° above zero you wont have to wedge that 10°. That is a way to safe some wedging. When you want to kbow how much a wedge is qorking the treetip into its fall you have to quess the height and diameter and then calculating what effect the 1" wedge has. Or you search an app or script for. That is very well docimented and easy geometry. But to safe most work fall a tree into its natural lean and work with a good aimey joint where you want it.

[@9mmkahr]

Came for wedges, stayed for forging.

[@terryhale9006]

LOL. Sorry about the unintentional false advertising.

[@Garysopinion]

The wedge I look for has groves in it such that you could put 2 wedges together and they will not slide sideways.

[@jeremyhussey4645]

Maybe a dumb question but instead of making a double wedge from steel why not just epoxy 2 normal plastic wedges together? You could add a metal roll pin etc on the large end to ensure it didn't slip apart.

[@michellekozaczok8201]

Wait, our Master Arborist is also a Blacksmith?!? What other hidden talents does he possess, I wonder? 🤔

[@terryhale9006]

While I appreciate the thought, I can't accept being credited with being a Master Arborist, much as I wish I could.

[@bearwoodcraft3591]

Should try and find a high lift wedge

[@thedevilinthecircuit1414]

Mr. Hale, I used ethylene dichloride to "solvent weld" two polycarbonate plastic wedges. I prepared the mating surfaces by sanding them flat; that produced a permanent bond. Thanks for the great video!

[@adamwashebek6403]

Thanks for all your videos Terry. I sure appreciate them. Do you find any functional difference between single and double taper wedges? I never have but I know some folks swear there is a functional difference. Thanks,

[@terryhale9006]

Thanks, Adam. I'm with you. I can't say I've experienced any significant difference.

[@thomasgronek6469]

you DO have the best videos I've seen,,,, really , thank you.

[@terryhale9006]

Nice of you to say that! You're welcome.

[@tomcurran1538]

Using the wedges to raise the log is amazing. Terry is the duelist1954-Mike Bellaveau of logging.

[@miladne1092]

hey Terry, one idea, you could have welded two steel wedges together instead of this agony. are they expensive to buy?

[@terryhale9006]

Hi, Milad. They're pretty cheap. I'm going to use the excuse that I needed a way to burn off some of the protective blubber I stored up over the winter.

[@miladne1092]

+Terry Hale good on you. I use my bike for this purpose. always nice to hear from you.

[@bestseedorchard1107]

I have s large scar on my face from a wedge rocketing out of a kerf when hit. Face hurt for months. Failed to wear face shield.

[@terryhale9006]

Yikes! Wish that risk didn't exist.

[@scottcampbell8482]

I apologize if someone else suggested this and I missed it. You could manufacture your own plastic wedge(s) with a 3D printer! Perhaps even market them!

[@terryhale9006]

Thanks, Scott. No one else had suggested such a high-tech solution. Not sure if the 3-D printers can handle the right plastic needed.

[@rigelstar99]

Amazingly well done

[@dukeflem]

I thought this was very interesting, having had problems with plastic wedges in general. I have an Estwing 5.5 pound Solid Plastic Dead Blow hammer that is 20 inches long. This solves one problem... not beating the heads into bits that fly off at random. It has a heavy material inside (probably lead shot) and I have not had any problem with it. It does not bounce off of the wedge head. So, the heads are safe now; but they frequently get cut on the other three sides. I guess that's just a cost in saving the saw chain or felling the tree. Now about stacking. I've had that problem also. I wonder if there is a dead, low coefficient, rubber material like sorbothane that we could place between them to help them act together as one wedge and maybe locking them together by shape. Any thoughts on this?

[@terryhale9006]

I like the dead-blow hammer idea. Like you say, it goes a long way towards reducing damage to the wedges. For most trees, the energy you can impart to drive the wedge in will be sufficient. For big trees or ones with a lot of back lean, a heavier hammer with a longer handle may be necessary. If you know that's what you'll be tackling, it's easy enough to take a big hammer for that special occasion. I'd say the same about trying to increase wedge thickness. If you know you're going to have to lift through a big angle, taking a purpose-built thick wedge would be preferable. With the big energies generated when hammering on a wedge, I am skeptical that there is any good way to ensure two normal wedges can be made to act as one.

[@congamike1]

Thank you for this video.

[@dougreid2351]

Renaissance Man!!

[@dukeflem]

I have continued to "wonder" about this problem with the wedges jumping out when they are doubled and I have two thoughts. If the plastic could be molded so they would interlock or that they could be bolted together in the thick portion or if there is a "Dead" rubber material to put between them to keep them from slipping apart. It would also be "nice" if they would just mold a thicker wedge that didn't require doubling.

[@terryhale9006]

I vote for the pre-molded thicker wedge. If you try to use two, you are starting with a plane of weakness and bolting or interlocking them would concentrate some pretty high forces at whatever point you are trying to lock them together, whether near a bolt or at some form of shear key. I thing the easiest solution for me is to just try to age gracefully and leave the trees alone.

[@dukeflem]

@@terryhale9006 I hate that thought of leaving you alone because of your ingenuity and technical ability and I have always liked your desire to think through problems that exist with a mechanical system or process. If I could convince some company to solve this problem which many people have using these slick hard plastic wedges being doubled and create a thicker wedge, I would try but I don't think I can and these wedges are already too expensive and they are even made in great quantities. I could use steel splitting wedges which already exist but one mistake and the chain is dead (expensive). My current thought is to put some existing wedges together with SS pop rivets that are countersunk below the friction surface in the fatter portion of the wedge and to use K&N RedHead Wedges. They are tough especially in the head area. Hang in here with me.

[@bearwoodcraft3591]

Best axes for wedges is some custom Onse of the old rafter axes as you have to carry this on your person for big wedges a sledge hammmer is used

[@terrygreen2243]

do you think a driving hookeroon might be more useful then the axe ? because I purfur the mashittie to leme with also

[@markpinther9296]

I wonder if two plastic wedges could be welded together along their edges with heat? I am already telling myself that it would never hold up under pressure. I was also thinking of just making some wooden wedges with my shim tool for the table saw.

[@terryhale9006]

That would be my expectation, as well.

[@alexanderlaver4934]

In Europe we use aluminium high lift wedges. www.clarkforest.com/shop/forest-garden/felling-wedges/high-lift-wedges www.clarkforest.com/shop/forest-garden/splitting-wedges/ochsenkopf-aluminium-massive-wedges

[@EliteprosoldierMW3]

Thank you

[@bob_frazier]

They used those here in the northwest USA in earlier times too.

[@marinsaitis1972]

It's always a great pleasure.

[@terryhale9006]

Thanks, Marin.

[@dr.torque-o-maticwithoverh6597]

Estwing makes a tool called a "Sure-Split-Wedge" that could possibly be used as an aid in tree felling. But it's most likely too stout for that type of task.

[@davidwyby]

Poll needs to be narrow enough to hit wedges individually.

[@pocket83]

Is there a reason that you make no mention of wooden wedges? They're extremely useful if you use seasoned Maple, which is incredibly hard once cured. You can fill a plunge cut up entirely with custom sizes, and they aren't a concern when you sever the trigger. Plus, the increased surface area of multiple wedges makes the individual easier to drive. This question is one of genuine curiosity; I have nowhere near your experience, but I have yet to purchase a wedge. I appreciate the content!

[@terryhale9006]

Primarily because I don't have any experience with wooden wedges. I intend to get some experience with them so I can speak knowledgeably about them.

[@OTEP1234567891011]

Your voice sounds just like Richard Mumford. I had a video of his open as well and I had to check to make sure I was watching the right one. lol.

[@thomasgronek6469]

Great video thanks. When I worked in the lab, the Chemists and Physicists were issued FOAM hammers,,, and no wedges (LOL). Can us poor folks use wedges cut from hard deciduous wood (cherry, apple, walnut, oak, etc.) ?

[@terryhale9006]

At least one commentor has said they do that. I would not expect such wedges to last very long. When struck, the instantaneous compression not only drives the wood forward, it expands it sideways. That can very quickly cause the wood to split along the grain. That is why struck wood almost always has some version of a steel band around it to prevent that lateral expansion and cracking.

[@thomasgronek6469]

@@terryhale9006 Thank you.

[@Dibblah1900]

@@terryhale9006 They do work for me and have the advantage that both the source material and the tool to make them is generally easily available. For anyone who hasn't done this in an emergency, obviously cut a limb so the long grain follows the wedge length with the chainsaw. Cutting the edge square is optional, but makes misstrikes less likely. They put up with at least a couple of good poundings before giving up the ghost.

[@laurencelance586]

I notice at the end of your video that your kerf on the undercut is at an angle, rather than parallel to the ground and in line with the back cut. It appears that the result of this is the butt of the tree falling off to the low side. I'm wondering if this would be a reliable way to position the fall? Would there be limitations as to the size of the tree? Are there safety concerns? Thanks much for all your work on these presentations. I'm picking up things from every one.

[@terryhale9006]

To my great sorrow, you should infer nothing from the sloped cuts other than that I am getting old and developing balance issues that affect my ability to tell when my saw is level. As to your speculation, you may have something there, but I wouldn't want to rely on it.

[@laurencelance586]

@@terryhale9006 I think it was 1976 when I was running a small jewelry store in a small town in Western Washington. They old buzzard, probably younger than I am now, walked in. I looked up and said 'How ya do'n?" He looked back and replied "Young fella, first you lose yer hair. Then ya lose yer eyesight. Then ya lose yer teeth, and God I'm glad it starts at the top and works its way down!" Not so sure about it going top to bottom, but I do know my knees don't like me very much either!

[@juliusu6615]

There are also steel, aluminium and magnesium wedges! Sub’d by the way, I did like the video.

[@terryhale9006]

Thanks, Perseus. The beauty of plastic is that it won't instantly dull your chain saw if you make contact with it.

[@juliusu6615]

Terry Hale thank you for replying, sir! That is true what you said, it wont dull or crack the teeth of the chain, unlike metal wedge. Out of intrest, are u still making new content? I have to say that ive enjoyed ur content greatly, some of the best tutorials on the subject! I hope u plan to make some more for us viewers, and also that u r well, health and otherwise.

[@TS-xj5mt]

You sir have an amazing mind

[@naddorassociates]

I have a small tree that I got to fall half-way (it hit another tree which was unavoidable). I'm using a sawzall and keep hacking away at new cuts which seem to keep closing in.

[@terryhale9006]

Hello, Rachel. Cut out a shallow notch on the top side of the trunk, probably just about a quarter of the way through, then cut from the bottom side up to meet the bottom of that notch. The cut from the bottom should open up as your cut advances upward.

[@tomcurran1538]

Then watch your toes!

[@13bravoredleg18]

I use a Swiss miners axe to drive wedges.

[@terryhale9006]

Not familiar with those. You've piqued my curiosity.

[@andrewmcdaniel677]

Wonder if you could print one in a 3D printer

[@andrewmcdaniel677]

I mean the wedge by the way, not sure if it would take the punishment of being hit repeatedly

[@terryhale9006]

Probably could get the shape right pretty easily. Not sure about the material.

[@vvrroomm68]

There are 3D printing platforms online that offer a wide variety of material for printing. Shapeways is one, they must have a sturdy, dense plastic among their choices. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[@falfield]

Food for thought is the best form of entertainment, I think. But the drift nowadays towards using the word as code for ' brain off: no thinking needed' means we will soon be unable to describe videos such as this as entertaining. So Thank you Terry, for a diverting half-hour. In England, the fence-post hammer you pictured has a specific name - a mell. Its key feature is that the striking surface is flat, unlike the convex head of a sledgehammer. This produces no spreading force on impact, and is less likely to split the fencepost. I've used one, and found it much less tolerant of poor technique than a sledge, and making two large flat surfaces meet flush at impact needed a) more strength than I had to give control, and b) a platform for me to stand on so that the handle could be horizontal at waist height or lower on impact.

[@terryhale9006]

A "mell" rather than a "mall"? Being at the right height is definitely important. For this project, I actually built a pair of 4.5 inch stackable wooden platforms to stand on to use the 20-pound sledge.

[@falfield]

Yes, "mell" - I'd never heard the term until moving in with country folk. en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/mell I thought it might have contributed to the 'pummelling' you gave that piece of iron...but dictionary says no.

[@terryhale9006]

Interesting. A variant of "maul". Thanks for the education.

[@pamtnman1515]

Neat video. I make wedges from air dried oak boards. They work great and are cheap.

[@terryhale9006]

That would definitely be a lot less work than making them from metal. I have not tried that, as I feared the wood splitting after repeated hammering. You said you "make" them rather than you "made" them, so I infer that some of your original ones have not survived. About how many fellings does one of your oak wedges last for?

[@pamtnman1515]

Terry Hale I would say the air dried oak wedges last for two, maybe three trees. Depends on how big the tree is and how many wedges I put in. Because I'm afraid of being hurt, I put in up to six wedges on a leaning tree. Using a small three lb hand sledge probably saves them from serious damage. I use a portable mill and we get a lot of thin cast offs, usually around a half inch thick. They air dry and get hard pretty fast. Cut them to size on a table saw and angle the sharp edge on a band saw or table saw. Paint them orange. I use spray paint. Not much, just enough to help find them. They're really cheap and while less durable than plastic wedges, I don't feel bad when the blade hits them.

[@terryhale9006]

Thanks for the info. Good logical use of a resource.

[@vjmacintyre]

Hey! Regarding the hammer-axe.. why not use a 5- or 6- pound splitting maul?

[@thomasgronek6469]

I'm thinking a hammer with a wooden head (only because it's lighter to haul around).

[@whiteryno1989]

there is a wedge in the uk that big i have 2 there hardwood with an alloy point and a ring to stop them mushrooming

[@SignedSign]

You're better off making a wedge with a wider angle in hardwood like oak instead of from steel, the wooden wedge will not harm your chainsaw chain same as the plastic wedges.

[@terryhale9006]

The thick wedge will only be needed after the chainsaw use is done, so material type is not important.

[@jimdillon4278]

I like this idea, and I already have appropriate wedges (gluts, my teacher calls them) in osage orange and ironwood (hophornbeam) that I use to rive wood for crafts. I won't be back in the woods for several months, but one or two gluts will come with next time.

[@Bman10496]

Cool hammer as well.

[@terryhale9006]

Thanks. I hope someone starts making something similar commercially available.

[@bob_frazier]

Gonna guess that not all plastic wedges are created equal. We use K&H wedges here in the PNW, never seen one break in half, even when banging it full on in big timber.

[@terryhale9006]

Essentially all plastic felling wedges are made of ABS plastic, Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene. This includes the H&K wedges. While it is pretty strong, it is also a bit on the brittle side. If the strike is a bit off, it is easy to knock a chunk off the end. If you're really lucky, you can strike it enough off center to snap the wedge and turn the fat end into a nasty missile. I have been lucky not to have done either, but my aim is deteriorating.

[@Tallsup2]

Why not weld two plastic wedges together to get a thicker wedge?

[@terryhale9006]

It needs to be thicker at both ends in order to keep a less aggressive taper. A too aggressive taper will pop out too easily.

[@Don.Challenger]

Good to have another video out. Why not use the longer wedges weld those and trim the front off to regain your front width?