Back cut question
- Thread starter Saddle
- Start date
Help Support Arborist Forum:
too high or too low has a lot to do with the face cut, humboldt it doesn't seem to matter much, standard it can back slip and crush the cutter, both will make it a total PITA to wedge over, and I've been told it can lead to chairing, but haven't witnessed such.
Slanted, depending on direction of slant, can cause it to pull one way or the other, if its mostly a left to right slant.
If its slanted towards or away from face cut, it can cause the hold wood to shear, especially if you need to use wedges, or the stump may split off and then shear... all of it bad... sloping back cuts are foolishly intended to prevent the tree from sitting back, but all they do is provide a fulcrum to shear the hold wood. best to keep it as level as possible.
In general, a low backcut is frowned on, however, if you are pushing with say an excavator on a very hard leaner, the low back cut can keep the hold wood from shearing, or worst case if it does shear... you don't need to buy a new cab for the new operator... gravity will hold the butt down and the low cut provides a "chock" to help push tree over.
Thanks for the detailed response !
On a somewhat related question: Does this change at all when taking the top off a tree? While aloft, I had used an open faced notch on a 9" diameter tree over the weekend. I was about 35' up a 50' tree.
When I made the back cut, the top leaned back and pinched my saw. Ultimately I had to use a pull line to get it down in the proper direction.
I am thinking the weight of foliage was distributed against me.
On a somewhat related question: Does this change at all when taking the top off a tree? While aloft, I had used an open faced notch on a 9" diameter tree over the weekend. I was about 35' up a 50' tree.
When I made the back cut, the top leaned back and pinched my saw. Ultimately I had to use a pull line to get it down in the proper direction.
I am thinking the weight of foliage was distributed against me.
When in doubt, rope it out!
Yes, based on your questions, I am going to suggest your experience level is a ways away from free dropping tops. Take the extra few minutes and set a pull line in every top until you gain some more experience.
Not really, though you have to me even more careful about chairing, cause it can and will go in either direction, having the stem you are roped into split on you is a bad bad day...
Personally bird mouth faces are pretty pointless, but it make folks feel good about something? I guess?
As for sit back and pinching bars, either have a rope set before cutting or carry a wedge, whether you're aloft or on terra-firma more so if your are aloft, real hard to get away from one you are strapped too if it goes the wrong way.
Have to disagree, North. An openface notch can have a huge influence on how a top comes out of a tree if done properly. And even on the ground, your chances of leaving it attached to the stump are way better when you use a birds mouth.
