Appreciation post: My plan to fell a big oak in one piece went sideways when the hinge wood snapped early

It happened yesterday morning on a job in Springfield. I had the notch cut perfect, but the trunk had a hidden crack I missed. The whole thing went over way before the back cut was finished, landing about ten feet from my drop zone. I learned to always sound the trunk with a hammer first, even on a healthy looking tree. Anyone else have a tree surprise them like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_faith2mo ago

Hidden crack? That’s the kind of thing that keeps me up at night. @jamiew83 is totally right about checking all the way around, because missing one spot is all it takes. Ten feet off target is a huge miss, you must have had a real heart drop moment. It’s crazy how a tree can look perfect and still be ready to go on its own. Makes you realize every single step in the check is there for a reason.

gray_patel2d ago

Four feet of hinge wood is no joke, that's a healthy tree. @jamiew83 is right about the full circle check, I learned that the hard way with a mostly dead elm a few years back. The bark looked solid on one side but the other was practically hollow, could have gone anywhere. Those extra few seconds of inspection make all the difference when things get sketchy.

jamiew832mo ago

Glad you're okay, that sounds scary. Your point about sounding the trunk is spot on. I'd add that you should check all the way around, not just one spot. A crack on the far side can be easy to miss. It's a good reminder that even a tree that looks solid can have hidden problems. That extra minute of checking can save a huge mess.