Tree trouble

[white eagle]

was cutting down a dead oak tree on my property (24-28" oak)
the fron wedge cut was made and while making my back cut my saw just stopped cutting,dull chain
so I go get another chain for my 20" bar and start at the back cut again and the same thing happens,huh
Well now out of 20" chains I go get my 24" bar and chain and start making my back cut cept this time there is sparks coming out of the kerf. The tree is on the edge of my field so I think there must be some fenciing in there that I am running into
My problem is I am almost to my wedge cut I say 3-4" from the hinge but can not finish the cut, any thoughts on how to proceed ? I was thinking of trying to hammer in some wedges to make it fall.

[Omega]

Wedges can possibly work, they exert quite a force on a tree.

[garandsrus]

I have seen where a space for a bottle jack is cut into the back of the tree and then the jack is pumped and the pressure fells the tree towards the wedge cut.

[contender1]

I would definitely pound in some wedges to keep it from toppling the wrong direction. Next,, I would then consider changing my cutting places. Go above the wedge cut & make another wedge cut. Then do the back cut above it too.

Often,, things get nailed to trees & then the tree grows around them. Fencing, (wire) is the top problem.

[white eagle]

Yeah it took out 3 chains already
thanks for the tips

[Omega]

Yeah it took out 3 chains already
thanks for the tips

If you have an idea about where the metal may be, maybe you can make a few plunge cuts once you put a couple wedges in the felling cut, to thin out the hinge.

[JimB..]

Pound in a wedge, rope and a tractor, or switch to an axe.

[Baltimoreed]

I was also going to say use an axe. Sounds like there’s some steel in there. I have a volunteer oak that has grown around a steel or aluminum pole I drove next to it 40 years ago. Somebody’s going to get a surprise one day.

[samari46]

Besides the plastic wedges I have two steel ones and the taper on the steel ones is much greater and the steel wedges are about 1 3/8" thick. Big rounded heads so probably designed to be started with a drilling hammer then set in place with a sledge hammer. Frank

[Thundarstick]

On thing for sure, If it don't matter where it falls, just stay away till the next storm rolls through! If it does matter, then wedges are in order! It looks like she's coming down one way or another!

[john.k]

A few ounces of blackpowder will have it down.

[pworley1]

If the sparks you saw came from some old fence wire you are already through the wire, there is most likely something larger in there since it has been hit three times and you are still not through whatever it is. At my sawmill I have found horse shoes, railroad spikes, pieces of chain, and lots of unidentified pieces of metal inside logs. I would skip up about a foot and just start over.

[wv109323]

Definitely warn anyone that might be in the area of the danger. A good puff of wind could bring it down. I agree it is more than fence wire if you have dulled three saw chains.

[Gewehr-Guy]

I'd try using a cordless drill and start drilling with a long 3/8 or bigger twist drill bit, to identify just exactly where the metal is. Once you find it, cut through your holes with a hand saw , so you don't ruin any more chains.

[dverna]

I have seen where a space for a bottle jack is cut into the back of the tree and then the jack is pumped and the pressure fells the tree towards the wedge cut.

I have seen this work. There should be a YouTube video of how to do it.

[KenH]

I have seen this work. There should be a YouTube video of how to do it.

There seems to be a YouTube video for just about everything these days.

[LAH]

You're probably hitting a spike of some sort. I'd try a little higher.

[waksupi]

I was cutting a larch that was around 30" on the butt, and the saw got pinched. I had used my wedges, and couldn't move it. I took the saw off the bar, then started working on the hinge with my Sharps and 500 gr. bullets. Took a couple dozen shots, but the tree came down!

[farmbif]

I use a magnet to locate metal in trees I'm cutting. also you can use a sharp axe to cut away the bark so you can see the wood of the tree, steel objects in trees make black stains. if the metal is deep inside you can extend your cut from the outside of tree and hopefully get it to fall. another option is to continue cutting from the side you cut a wedge into and be prepared to pull out saw and get out of the way

[jimlj]

A metal detector would tell you where the metal is. Cut above or below it if you can.
I suspect you have bigger metal objects than wire if three chains haven't made it through it. Maybe great grand dad leaned his Winchester against the tree when he shot that deer and forgot it?