delimbers

Delimbers are devices and workers used to remove branches and limbs from trees during forestry and logging operations. Delimbing, the process, aims to strip limbs from felled logs to improve handling, transport, and subsequent processing. Delimbers help produce uniform log sections and reduce damage to milling equipment, while also shortening yarding and bucking times.

Manual delimbers include handheld tools such as pruning saws or other limb-removal devices used by ground crews to strip branches from trunks. Mechanical delimbers are commonly attached to harvesters or other processing machinery. In modern practice, a delimbing head or knife system is integrated into harvesting equipment, enabling automatic limb removal as the machine moves along the log after felling. This integration can occur before or during the bucking phase, depending on the operation and equipment.

The delimbing process typically involves the operator guiding the machine or tool along the trunk, where blades, knives, or rollers separate and remove limbs while minimizing damage to the core wood. Residual branches are often managed as slash or converted into byproducts such as chips or mulch.

Safety considerations are central to delimber use. Risks include blade contact, kickback, and entanglement with moving machinery. Operators require training, personal protective equipment, and strict adherence to established protocols. Regular maintenance of delimbers and their attachments is essential to ensure performance and reduce downtime.

See also: Delimbing, Logging, Harvesters, Feller-buckers, Bucking, Timber processing.