The bore cutting rage/fad

[clearance]

Not sure whether this should be in this category, seeing as so many of the bore cut advocates are not pros, but here goes. First off why? In the gov't Falllers and Buckers manual here it is shown for use on leaners only, but it is an option as other methods are shown as well. Now, people here that bore cut are rarely fallers so why not, to be safe, wrap a chain above the cuts and just use the triangle standard backcut? And why do people use it for straight up and down or back/side leaning trees? It is a method of falling that requires more cuts, more time at the stump, and more room for error. Are people just using it to be "cool", basically, WTF? And please state your experience, weekend warrior/firewood getter, arborist, faller, etc, thank you.

 

[PA Plumber]

Not a professional faller, so maybe I meet the criteria.

On trees over my bar length (24") at the root flare, I will notch and then bore from the downhill/non-safe side of of the tree just behind the notch and then cut my way around to the safe side. This seems to help me keep my backcut a little above the notch along with keeping the backcut level.

I don't due a true bore (from both sides leaving a small portion of holding wood) unless it is a heavy leaner.

Just my 1/2 cent's worth.

 

[GASoline71]

I have noticed this "fad" too. I can count on one hand the trees I have used a bore cut on over the last 25 years. One thing I bet some of the "bore cut" advocates don't do properly is remove the saw after making the bore cut and flip it over to cut the strap out with the bottom of the bar instead of the top.:help:

Anyways... it is just a very unecessary and impractical way to fall trees safely if you ask me. Like clearance said... it takes more time screwin' around at the stump. You wanna make 3 cuts and get out of the way. Plus a lot of guys don't look up when makin' the bore cut. Don't know why... but they just don't. "Look up, Look out!"

There is a place for the bore cuts... but not on every tree. Guess it is just "fun" for some to do... but I digress.

Gary

 

[DonnyO]

agreed

As an Arborist the large butts that I fall are usually topped out anyway, and always have a pull line as close to the top as possible. I am in agreement with your WTF? stance on bore cutting. I just don't get it...........

 

[frashdog]

Not a professional faller, so maybe I meet the criteria.

On trees over my bar length (24") at the root flare, I will notch and then bore from the downhill/non-safe side of of the tree just behind the notch and then cut my way around to the safe side. This seems to help me keep my backcut a little above the notch along with keeping the backcut level.

I don't due a true bore (from both sides leaving a small portion of holding wood) unless it is a heavy leaner.

Just my 1/2 cent's worth.

pretty much same here, starts off looking like a bore cut

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

A lot of the trees we bore they are being pulled against the lean. I find it eaiser to set up the cut, get the hinge where I want it then cut the strap when I know the ohter guy is on the crank.

As for looking up, I do not know why people would not do it on any fell. On a striahgt back cut i alternate between my wedge in the curf and the top of the tree and the ground guy on the rope.

 

[BC_Logger]

Gasoline , Clearance I agree with you both 100 % the use of the bore cut is limited and if not done properly can lead to some serious issues , in my opinion people should stop thinking on how technical they look and just fall the dam tree the old way

 

[BC_Logger]

A lot of the trees we bore they are being pulled against the lean. I find it eaiser to set up the cut, get the hinge where I want it then cut the strap when I know the ohter guy is on the crank.

As for looking up, I do not know why people would not do it on any fell. On a striahgt back cut i alternate between my wedge in the curf and the top of the tree and the ground guy on the rope.

thats a text book use of the bore cut. preload, cut and run

as for looking up , thats a common green horn mistake but just like Gasoline said in the past

'there called a widdow maker for a reason rookie'

watch the ending

http://youtube.com/watch?v=EsfYR2kK81M

 

[ShoerFast]

Week-end warrior here, have been for over 30 years, back in the time a lot of gobberment pamphlets were written, back in the age of solid-nose bars when nothing was the quality we see now.

I will routinely use a bore cut if I am bucking from a pile of skidded logs, boring from the middle of the log up so the chain is cutting out of the dirty bark , tossing the dirt instead of cutting through it, really saves some chain.

My idea of felling, keeping safe, if your learning something, practicing on trees that are not a serious problem , gaining the skills needed if a heavy leaner comes along, your that much ahead of the game.

Having not yet found a way to use a bottle-jack with out doing a little bore-cutting? I think the equipment we use today can stand a lot boring and cutting with the top of the bar. Good judgment still applies.

Using a bore cut and a release cut can buy you some retreat time.

 

[Bermie]

bore cut has its place

Ok, I'm a climber and a limited feller - NOT masses of large trees on a commercial production basis.
We have a lot of invasive trees that have to be felled, some of them have crazy leans from being windblown or have had tops blown out and regrown wierd or just grew with a lean to begin with. Their sizes range from 18" to over 3' diameters, from 20' tiddlers to 70' monsters. The wood is extremely hard.
I will use the bore cut for heavy leaners TOWARDS the direction of fall, that is, this is the way it's going, no doubt. Why carry a heavy chain and take the time to set all that up when a bore cut will achieve the same result - i.e, no barber chair and a controlled fall. Always taking into account the condition of the tree and its size, if it's badly damaged, there certainly is reason to chain or strap it in addition to the bore!

The other time for a bore cut is for felling trees larger than the bar I have, I will 'fishtail' that is, bore in through the front of the 'wedge', to remove some of the wood in the centre of the tree, to ensure that when I cut the backcut, coming in from one side and working around the back of the tree to the other (using wedges), that all the wood in the centre will be severed. With the hardness of the wood, this reduces the strain on the saw when it is buried in the tree as the bar is not cutting along its entire length. I don't yet have the $$$$ for a bigger saw, when I do get one, I won't need to fishtail, just blast on through, but it is good to know and practice cuts that will allow you to fell trees bigger than your biggest available bar!

It is a type of cut, that when used APPROPRIATELY is extremely useful.

In the UK the bore cut and its appropriate application is taught right from the beginning of training (after the student is safe and competent with regular cuts), with heavy emphasis on the inherent dangers that go with it. Several of the guys I trained with had been professional foresters in Wales.

My 5cents!:greenchainsaw:

 

[PA Plumber]

I'm not sure why a bore cut would be more unsafe than a traditional backcut. If a tree has obvious lean in the desired felling direction, why not notch, bore and cut the 1" strap (with the bottom of the bar)? I had a long time logger show this to me a couple of months ago. It gives the feller plenty of time to remove himself/herself from the base of the tree and still gives all the benefit of control.

Now, if the argument is that on borderline situations it can be easily used inappropriately, then I understand why it shouldn't be used as regular practice. I personally do not prefer it because it seems more natural to work my way around the tree leaving wedges and then wedging over if necessary. I guess the other thing that just came to mind, is the strap would probably be where I would like to place my main lifting wedge and that sure would be inconvenient!

 

[smokechase II]

bore cutting and geography

Anyone notice any tendencies so far?

 

[rbtree]

Yep, easterners and Euros are the only ones who seem to like bore cutting.....maybe due to training from people like Ard and sorenson, who certainly are accomplished fallers and trainers.

I agree with clearance, the triangle shaped hinge is a technique I use in a tree to cut head leaners. It seems to mitigate the risk of barberchair effectively, and is simpler than bore cutting, plus, besides the quarter cut, works for small wood where there's no room to set wedges. (No wedges needed for head leaners), As for back/side leaners , I have never seen a reason or need to preset the hinge and bore cut later. It means you have to set wedges on the sides of the strap...and hope that the preset hinge width is correct. I'd rather set wedges, cut up the bad side to where it looks right, then ease into the hinge from the safer side, while watching, reading the movement, and wedging or pulling.

 

[bound]

Well, for what it's worth, up at Paul Smith's College in New York(upstate, not city) I was a forestry major for one semester. The first thing they taught us there after saw safety, was felling using a bore cut and wedges to control the fell. They talked a lot about how much safer it was and how much more control you had with the bore cut. So there's a forestry school's perspective. The instructors were all Game of Logging certified to teach and certify the students, so it could well be a Euro thing. Who knows. I'm still learning as much as I can. I don't get why some of y'all are so against bore cuts, though. It's one more useful technique, among many.

 

[GASoline71]

Yep, easterners and Euros are the only ones who seem to like bore cutting.....maybe due to training from people like Ard and sorenson, who certainly are accomplished fallers and trainers.

I agree with clearance, the triangle shaped hinge is a technique I use in a tree to cut head leaners. It seems to mitigate the risk of barberchair effectively, and is simpler than bore cutting, plus, besides the quarter cut, works for small wood where there's no room to set wedges. (No wedges needed for head leaners), As for back/side leaners , I have never seen a reason or need to preset the hinge and bore cut later. It means you have to set wedges on the sides of the strap...and hope that the preset hinge width is correct. I'd rather set wedges, cut up the bad side to where it looks right, then ease into the hinge from the safer side, while watching, reading the movement, and wedging or pulling.

Great post Roger! I also see the geographic trend SC2.

Gary

 

[Ianab]

I'm not a pro tree cutter, but I commonly (50%) bore cut due to the trees being big, leaning and prone to barber chairing. I believe it's simply the safest way to cut them. Now on a 'normal' tree (reasonably straight and medium sized) a conventional notch, backcut and wedges is fine. No problem with bore cutting that sort of tree, it's just more work and complication for no real benefit.

It's just a matter of knowing several felling methods and when it's best to use them.

Cheers

Ian

 

[SWE#Kipp]

I bore cut allot of tress, for the reasons, I can make the hinge with out any stress and make sure the face is directed to were I want the tree to fall, if not (mistakes happen) I can start over again, I get a second chance !!
I set the wedge, look around so there's no persons/animals near or in my work-zone, and then I let the tree fall when I feel ready

I use other regular cuts as well but I really like the bore-cut-safe-corner method

/Kristoffer

 

[tawilson]

Occasional weekend warrior here. I cut mostly smaller trees for firewood and trail clearing. I like the bore cut for the ones where I don't have room for a wedge in the backcut. I also use it on leaners. I first started using it when cutting stumps off.

 

[Boa07]

State Forestry trained and qualified, professional feller, use bore cuts for heavy leaners, use split back cut with wedges for nearly everything else. The latter being the safest method I've been shown, seen and used to fell all kinds of trees.

 

[alanarbor]

I fail to see how the bore cut is any less safe than a traditional back cut, other than cutting with the pushing chain. From an arborist's standpoint, it's nice to have the hinge and strap set, take a second to survey the scene, double check the all clear and then zip through the strap.

If I was falling in the woods, I would use it a lot less.