My felling technique needs work

[Kensterfly]

Having an abundance of good, downed wood already available, I don't often fell a tree. Maybe once or twice a year. I tend to make my back cuts a little bit angled and not perfectly parallel to the ground. Yesterday I dropped a very large, 105 year old oak. I'm guessing close to 50 feet tall. Recently dead due to our drought here in Texas. In reviewing the drop after the fact, I see that not only was my back cut slightly angled, it was also almost perfectly on the same plane as the notch in the face cut. This made me have to work a long time pounded in wedges before I finally got it to drop.

So, my question is... In the future, after I realize I have made a bad back cut (either badly angled or too low) is there any reason that I should not make another, more correct cut? In other words, if I find that the back cut is at the same level as the notch of the face cut, can I just make another back cut a couple of inches higher? Is there any danger to doing that?

Of course, I will do my best to get it right the first time but, just in case..."

Thanks.

 

[tex]

depends on how deep you cut before you realize you need to re do it. Once you are so far in, you are committed, and are best off correcting yourself with wedges rather than a recut. If all you do is score the bark, the you can move the saw. It is really a loaded question, and the answer varies on each occation.

Best bet is to start it right. Use the saw to score the bark from one corner (1inch or so up) of the notch to the other side. That will be your guide for the back cut. If the score is off you can readjust that until its right.

 

[rhunt13]

you back cut SHOULD be lined up with the notch. the hinge works the best that way.

 

[Metals406]

There's a lot more to it than what you posted, and the tree should have went over even when you're level with your face. Even a slightly angled back-cut won't make a huge difference (slight angle, not a farmer Johnny sloping back-cut).

If you had to bang a lot of wedges, sounds like you were jacking it against it's lean?

There are several factors involved in getting a tree to do what you want safely.

Not being rude when I say, it sounds like your inexperience made it more difficult, and not the face being level with the back-cut.

Search the Forestry Forum, there's lots of threads there with pictures that show felling in detail.

 

[Kensterfly]

I don't take that as being rude at all. I admit to inexperience. I've been cutting and burning going on five years now. I've dropped maybe a dozen. Everything else was already downed by storm/wind or whatever. I posted this for advise and critique. I have no illusions of expertise, just want to learn.

Yes, there's more to the story. Please check the link below for a bunch of pictures and a detailed description. But I would like to say this. The tree was not leaning back on me. If anything, it leaned slightly and exactly in the direction it fell, which my face cut was designed to follow. Plus virtually all the remaining limbs were on the front side of the tree, which also would induce the tree to fall in my chosen direction.

check this thread and tell me what you think.

********** | Wood Stoves, Fireplace, Pellet Stoves, Gas Stoves and More - Forums!

Ken

 

[lfnh]

your pics
Might make sure the two cuts made for the felling notch meet in a clean V.
Back cut up a couple of inches.

 

[CWME]

Sounds like you had too much meat left in your hinge if you had to wedge it over with the lean. As already stated having the back cut level with the notch is the way to go for a basic drop. There are other techniques that adjust up or down from the hinge but for a simple drop a level cut leaves the stump nice and clean.

View attachment 212120

This one is pretty basic. I left a little more meat on the back side to help fight a little lean 90 degrees to the fall.

 

[Kensterfly]

CWME, I'm thinking the thickness of the hinge was the main culprit. After looking at the remnants of the hinge, one end of it was quite a bit thicker than the other end. I'm pretty sure that's why it was such a battle to wedge it on over. I erred too much on the side of caution in trying to avoid slicing through the hinge.

 

[CWME]

CWME, I'm thinking the thickness of the hinge was the main culprit. After looking at the remnants of the hinge, one end of it was quite a bit thicker than the other end. I'm pretty sure that's why it was such a battle to wedge it on over. I erred too much on the side of caution in trying to avoid slicing through the hinge.

I had one today that I left a little fat. Couldn't figure out why it wouldn't go over:hmm3grin2orange:

P.S. That is why we use plastic wedges, can't hurt the chain if we need to cut a little more. Erring on the safe side is the way to go for us weekend firewood guys.

 

[Metals406]

Yup, that hinge was what was fighting you. . . That oak looks tough too, which isn't helping.

It also appears you were using a pretty short bar. . . 18"?? short bars in big wood makes everything more technical (matching cuts, etc).

I can't blame you for nerves if this was near your 12th tree you've felled.

Looks to me like you're learning from your work, and ya can't ask for more than that.

 

[Kensterfly]

Yup, that hinge was what was fighting you. . . That oak looks tough too, which isn't helping.

It also appears you were using a pretty short bar. . . 18"??

Sixteen inch bar on an MS390 with muffler mod.

 

[lfnh]

Crude drawing, but was wondering if the felling cuts looked anything like this ?

In any case, one of many threads with reference to felling

View attachment 212136

 

[Kensterfly]

Crude drawing, but was wondering if the felling cuts looked anything like this ?

View attachment 212136

No sir. The face cut did not go beyond the angle of the notch. The hinge was a little more toward the front. I would say the hinge was about 1/3 the way back from the front face. Basically, if the diagram showed the hinge right at the point where the two face cuts meet, you'd be right on.

 

[lfnh]

Good on the face. Hard to tell from the stump shot looking down.
As long as the lean is in favor, a deeper face on standing dead can get the geometry to work in your favor with less need to wallop them wedges. Yup on the thinner hinge and corner nips.

 

[Metals406]

Sixteen inch bar on an MS390 with muffler mod.

Dude, grab a 24" bar and throw some full skip on it. . . You can thank me later.

 

[stihlrookie]

Looks like you were a little deep on your face cut, I like my face cut to be no more than 1/3 of the way into the tree. This gives good holding wood, commonly referred to as "hinge". The further you cut into the holding would the greater the chance of the tree coming back on you or spinning off the stump, especially if you cut the "hinge" at an angle.
As others have said, the back cut being on the same plane with the center of your notch is not a bad thing at all. Having the back cut be lower than the center of your notch is very dangerous. I believe the rule of having your back cut 1" higher than the center of your notch was just to ensure novices did not end up going below the center point of the notch. Better to error more on the safe side.
Get yourself some plastic wedges if you don't have already and use them. Don't be afraid of nicking them with the bar, thats why they are made of plastic, get them in the tree as soon as you can, really. Again, this is a precautionary method, but its one that I like. As far as hinge thickness, on a 20" diameter tree" I would leave about 1-2" of meat, certainly no less and make sure it is the same width the whole diameter of the tree, not angled as it appears in your pics. Stay safe and good luck.

 

[tex]

It looks to me like you left quite a dutchman in the notch, based on the pictures. You said that you cut into the notch deeper and pinched your bar. Did you cut strait in like the scetch? I'm assuming that is what happened based on you being able to drive a wedge in the notch side to protect your bar. The rule of thumb is to get the notch perfect before starting the back cut. With a good notch, make the back cut evenly on both sides as others have said, and you should be ok. Sometimes you do have to wedge the crap out of them though. Read "to fell a tree" by Jeff Jepson. It has a lot of good pointers and ilustrations to get you started. You can pick it up at Baileysonline for around $15. I'd been cutting trees for a lot of years before reading it and learned some good new stuff. Its worth the money.