Tools Needed to Fell a Tree

Series Summary

People fell (or cut down) trees for a variety of reasons, from necessity, if for example a dead tree threatens to fall on their house, to aesthetic preference, if for example a tree blocks the view from a multi-million dollar home to a lake. The controversial logging industry cuts down millions of trees per year for sawmills, the wood products industry and the paper industry. But the felling of a tree is a complicated process and can be dangerous if improperly attempted.

In this free how-to video clip instructional series, our expert demonstrates how to fell a tree using either a chainsaw or a rope or both. He informs us about the correct tools to use to cut down a tree and about the safety equipment one needs to fell trees. He also explains the process of cutting down a tree, including planning the felling, planning escape routes, wedging, cutting notches in the tree trunk, using a felling wedge, felling a tree with a rope and a truck cutting down a tree with a chainsaw. This free video series on how to cut down a tree safely will help you understand the theory behind the process as well as the actual process of felling trees.

Video Transcript

"Hi! I am Drew Finn here for Expert Village.com. We are going to discuss how to cut down a tree safely today. This video is brought to you by Black Dog Video. You can visit it on blackdogvideo.biz. These are the tools we are going to be using to cut down the tree. Obviously a chain-saw is the most important part of it. The Husqvarna has a 20 inch blade on it. One thing we are going to make sure before you start cutting down any tree is that you have got gas ready to go. You do not want to be halfway through the tree and run out of gas. So it is very important to have the gas ready to go and maintenance of your chain-saw. You will have to refer to your guides because they are so many different ones. But primarily add oil to it, chain bio-oil and then your gasoline, but make sure your gas is full before you start. The falling wedge is another item. It is very important to use. You can use it for fallen trees or even when you are cutting logs later. It is a plastic wedge so if you do hit it with your chain, you will not destroy. If you use the metal one and hit the chain, you could destroy the chain, you could jam it, you could really cause you serious injury. So, the plastic one is ideal. With a come along, we attach one end to something solid like a tree trunk, a toe hitch on a vehicle so that we can pull on it. We put a rope on one end and other end, we extend and then we put, this is only twelve foot width of cable. So, from there we go to a rope that is around the tree. Now how this operates is there is a ratchet here, so when we push it, this clicks over and notches it up. So, we really have good mechanical advantage. That’s why this is just a short throw, you can pull a ton, a 2000 lb. force on the cable itself and then there is a release on the top for unwinding the cable so that you can pull it out. All those instructions are usually on the side of the come along or on the box in which you purchase it. I look at this as the central part of cutting down a tree."