Tips wanted from Pros on cutting straight

[flyboy553]

when I am making the face cut or the back cut, I have a terrible time cutting level cuts. I always seem to angle downward when cutting. What do you use for benchmarks to keep your bar flat? Sure would appreciate some advice. I cut with a Husky 359. Always in red oak.

 

[Locust Cutter]

when I am making the face cut or the back cut, I have a terrible time cutting level cuts. I always seem to angle downward when cutting. What do you use for benchmarks to keep your bar flat? Sure would appreciate some advice. I cut with a Husky 359. Always in red oak.

I think it's more of an experience/feel thing than anything else,... Not trying to offend (I'm still learning every time I cut). I've seen some old men do things, that I never would have believed if I hadn't seen it while spending time w/family in Northern CA. I have a pretty good feel for my 20" and 25" bars on my Stihls, but am still getting the "hang" of my 36"er and am no-where near as proficient as I'd like to be w/it. it is an entirely different feeling and is going to take some practice, which is a bit more scarce in the mid-west than the Pacific N.W. If all else fails, you could always use a level and a scribe of some sort to initially lay out your cut lines, once you have your intended fall directions/angles figured out. :confused2:

 

[mdavlee]

I don't know if the 359 has a line on it parallel to the bar. Most saws do and when that line is vertical the bar is level.

 

[blsnelling]

I'm afraid experience with your saw is the only thing that's going to teach you that. It's a "feel" thing. I'm certainly no expert myself.

 

[cgarman]

When you start the cut, get a good stance and straighten your left arm. You'll get a feel for where the saw needs to be so that the bar is level. For me, the back of the gas tank hits right around the belt buckle. If my left arm is straight, the saw is on my belt, and my feet are level, the cut will be good. If it's crooked, on the next cut, change the position of the gas tank. Don't try to compensate by lifting the saw with your left arm - you'll get tired, the bar will drop, and the cut will wander.

 

[oscar4883]

Are your bar and chain in good shape? LIGHTLY scribe a line with your saw where you want the cut. If you are off, and have scribed to deep, the extra kerf caused from re-cutting the back cut can cause a loss of lift if you have to wedge. Let the saw cut and don't twist on the powerhead. Its pretty much a practice thing however.

 

[2dogs]

You can use a bubble level or a string level set on your bar to get the feel of a level bar. Try to find a level with a magnet so you can walk from tree to tree and throw the saw up and level it out.

Having a partner who knows what to look for and can give you directions can help during actual cutting. My son helps me this way often on larger trees. This way is faster than cutting in and walking around to see how the backcut is lining up with the gunning cut. It is also very useful when cutting up to the hinge on the off side.

 

[Locust Cutter]

You can use a bubble level or a string level set on your bar to get the feel of a level bar. Try to find a level with a magnet so you can walk from tree to tree and throw the saw up and level it out.

Having a partner who knows what to look for and can give you directions can help during actual cutting. My son helps me this way often on larger trees. This way is faster than cutting in and walking around to see how the backcut is lining up with the gunning cut. It is also very useful when cutting up to the hinge on the off side.

It's always nice having a good spotter. My father (56yrs) normally does this for me when falling. I used to buck limbs while he felled them, now the roles have been reversed w/his bad back. That and he won't turn loose of my 346xp,.... LMAO

 

[sawinredneck]

Good bar and a SHARP chain are the best cures. But yes, set the saw up on the side of tree how you want the back cut to go and make a small cut. Follow that cut, do both sides if needed to learn to keep the saw level both ways.
It's odd at first, but it comes with time and the sharper the chain, the faster you cut, the less time you are jacking around creating opportunities to screw it up!
Start where you are comfortable, if you need to leave a 3' high stump because that's were it's comfortable to cut it off, do it! Stump the tree later! As you get more comfortable and used to doing it right, you can start to change it up.

 

[flyboy553]

I have been cutting all my life, and never gave a rat's a$$ until learning on here how dangerous it is to have bad cuts, and how to read a stump after the tree has been felled. Now that I know, and am trying to be more careful out there, things bother me that never did before! I even bore cut into a large dead oak yesterday to be sure it was not hollow! Never would have done that before. lol Guess I have been lucky all these years.
The last 20 or 30 trees have come down safer, just from trying to watch closer, but still have miles to go! lol
Was just hoping there was a trick to getting the cuts straight.
Thanks for all the input guys! Nice to have a place to go where I can not only ask these kinds of questions but get answers as well!

by the way, bar and chain are fairly new. When I put new chain on, my dealer trues the bar, blows all the crap outta the machine and fires it up to make sure it's tuned right. All for the price of the chain, which is Stihl full chisel on my 18 inch bar.

 

[jmethodrose]

the guy who showed me how to fell trees gave me this advice:

"imagine you're balancing a beer on the end of the bar"

I don't know how it works, but it does!

 

[komatsuvarna]

Im a long ways from expert, but I do better with longer bars. Seems like I can put the 20'' on the 372 and the bar just isnt long enough to tell if its close to level or not. I can put a 28'' on it and do alot better, but far from perfect. The extra 8'' of bar really helps me though.

 

[komatsuvarna]

the guy who showed me how to fell trees gave me this advice:

"imagine you're balancing a beer on the end of the bar"

I don't know how it works, but it does!

I think Ill give that a try...

 

[Dan_IN_MN]

I too am still learning different cuts and getting them streight.

Have you checked you tube? I learned a few cuts from them.

 

[grandpatractor]

Come on over to my GTG and you can practice or watch a bit.

http://www.arboristsite.com/chainsaw/163335.htm

 

[promac850]

Another idea... buy one of those mini string levels and tape or glue it onto the clutch cover or side of the saw, wherever you prefer, as long as it is parallel to the bar. There, good to go. Just thought of that a few seconds ago.

 

[forestryworks]

Practice, practice, practice. It's a feel thing as well as a see thing.

 

[dk27]

When making the undercut, instead of running the throttle in the traditional manor with youre index finger

Rotate youre hand 90 degrees to the top and run the throttle with youre thumb instead

I find this keeps me from cranking my wrist around allowing me to keep the bar level

 

[indiansprings]

Sawingredneck gave some excellent advice. Tried to rep him but it says I have to spread some around first.

It comes with time. I've found for myself it is always easier to cut them off about waist high where it is comfortable for my stance. I always stump them later.
I've found it's harder for me to do at ground level or off my knees. I'm teaching one of my sons to fall now. I paint a line on the truck for him to use as a guide, practically outlining the notch for him until he gets a feel for it on his own.

 

[flyboy553]

Lots of good things to try! Thanks again for the suggestions! Will have to try some of these ideas, although not all at the same time! Saw would look pretty funny if I did! lol Would love to make one of those GTG's, will have to see whats happening on that day!