not much of a face cut

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This is how they teach in the Forest Service, and other places...

I've never seen an FS faller use this technique, or recommend it, or even mention it. The FS (at least here in the PNW) uses the 'ol reliable 1/3 diameter face cut/notch then back cut method.
 
I've never seen an FS faller use this technique, or recommend it, or even mention it. The FS (at least here in the PNW) uses the 'ol reliable 1/3 diameter face cut/notch then back cut method.


Isn't this guy Forest Service:
Yes that is an open face cut and yes he's actually one of the five Park Service C instructors in the U.S.
If you see the saw tilted sideways he's boring into the tree to set some wedges to directionally fall the tree. I dont remember this tree or day, but he was my engine supervisor for the park I worked at this summer.

Just going by what he said...I am sure that things are different according to geography(kind of like between here and New Zealand:jester:) :cheers:
 
Attn. GypoLogger

If you read this please re post that picture where you were showing how to do an open face undercut. Very informative.

HaHaha Actually he was poking fun at another member and showing how he would do it. The top cut of the face was about five feet long.
 
Isn't this guy Forest Service:


Just going by what he said...I am sure that things are different according to geography(kind of like between here and New Zealand:jester:) :cheers:

Forest Service and Park Service aren't even close to the same thing. If thats how the parkies wanna cut trees then power to them... I'll continue to do it the "regular" way :cheers:
 
No, pretty slim face. BUT....
- you can do all your cutting, get prepared for escape route, etc., all before the tree even moves.

- Directional felling is not nearly as cool as all the tricks, some of which have been discussed here, but it is precise, safe, systematic- even on that tall straight small softwood, probably a good way to teach people till they can start playing around some.

- if you cut large diameter eastern hardwoods and you don't bore cut you are wasting money, the butt log grade, and compromising your safety from barberchair, tree falling before you've finished cutting to your hinge, etc.. You would be laughed off our falling crew. Theres time for play, and theres time for saving out big money wood ( er, 1/2 big money wood these days....).

- I really enjoy playing with humboldt techniques where apppriopriate--- like poplars. Still, If I tried to pull that crap with a 1000 ft redoak with 24' downhill lean to swing it sideslope, it'd bust, and still go over the hill.

- I can trim my hinge down to about 3/4 of an inch on 90% of the trees, trim my sapwood, tust me, its the way to cut big hardwood. The only time my hinge is more than 3/4 inch wide is of I REALLY want to pull it around or don't want it to go down hill. If it has a heavy downhill leasn and I'm going sidehill, I make generally just go for a wider hinge (>80% diameter) rather than thicker)

kiwilogger, if you read this, I've been curious if they preach directional felling down there---- I'm sure they use it on the native virgin timber, but what about on the radiatta? I know it wouldn't be necessay, but for safety and all, is it being pushed?

Its got its place. Just probably not for pro fallers on 12" pine!!!! But, just a little salt for the conversation.
 
" tried to pull that crap with a 1000 ft redoak with 24' downhill lean to swing it sideslope, it'd bust, and still go over the hill. "



I have to disagree with you there. but the rest is quite factual.
 
true, headlean is the real culprit, but if you were backcutting in that scenario your hingewood on the uphill side would still be busting into the log some as it pulls around. I don't know but man I love swinging them around, no matter how you do it! So you in OR ot VA?
 
I can prolly count on both hands how many times I have used a bore cut to fall a tree... and those were HEAVY head leaners...

Seems like a lot of extra work and BS... instead of just makin' a 3 cut fallin' job...

Gary
 
I can prolly count on both hands how many times I have used a bore cut to fall a tree... and those were HEAVY head leaners...

Seems like a lot of extra work and BS... instead of just makin' a 3 cut fallin' job...

Gary
to me it either will or wont go with a stock humboldt?if my guts tell me it wont,they are almost always right,thats where gaffs and cables(or a d6 winch cat)my personal preferance come in around powerlines and such,not to say i havent tried some heavy pulls,i do enjoy turning a tree but limit my pull ability to 30 degrees off the head lean and that is max.for me in softwood two log trees
 
I can prolly count on both hands how many times I have used a bore cut to fall a tree... and those were HEAVY head leaners...

Seems like a lot of extra work and BS... instead of just makin' a 3 cut fallin' job...

Gary

Yep. I'd actually like to see a GOL guy face and bore a 4' redwood or fir.

I was falling some small pine snags this past weekend in the Sierras. They tend to be limb locked and can be a real pain in the rear. I (tried to) fall an 18" Lodgepole (Tamarack) pine that I figured would be limb locked and it was. I pounded the heck out of two wedge stacks to try to unlock it. How would you do that with a GOL backcut with the strap hanging there. Yes you could cut it off but that just means more saw cuts and more time at the stump. A conventional backcut just makes things easier.
 
I can prolly count on both hands how many times I have used a bore cut to fall a tree... and those were HEAVY head leaners...

Seems like a lot of extra work and BS... instead of just makin' a 3 cut fallin' job...

Gary

Yup. If you're trying to get wood on the ground you don't have time to play.
 
not a 1/3

Without going too much into the discussion about bore cut or not I am still amazed that a lot of people have the impression that you have to make your cut 1/3 into the tree.

The general rule is more likely to be 1/5 or 1/6 which is a lot shorter/smaller than many guys cut.

I know it is a small tree but I don't care what anybody says Tim Ard knows exactly what he is doing. The fun begins at 3:15 and 4:07:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFTOlmCijjs&feature=related


I think his saw sounds bad###:chainsaw:
 
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Well I have trimmed the butt swell off many trees before so that part looked fine even though that was a small tree without much swell. It was hard to see the face but that part looked OK too. I don't know why he didn't just saw the backcut instead of boring it but that is just technique I guess. It did take him a LONG TIME to get that tree on the ground.

He was hard on the clutch too.
 
Without going too much into the discussion about bore cut or not I am still amazed that a lot of people have the impression that you have to make your cut 1/3 into the tree.

The general rule is more likely to be 1/5 or 1/6 which is a lot shorter/smaller than many guys cut.

I know it is a small tree but I don't care what anybody says Tim Ard knows exactly what he is doing. The fun begins at 3:15 and 4:07:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFTOlmCijjs&feature=related


I think his saw sounds bad###:chainsaw:

1/3 is a petty deep notch esp with a big tree. I do cut one that deep when falling snags that have no top weight.
 

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