Plunge cuts and noodling vs. kickback.

[PatrickIreland]

I've always been taught to avoid using the top half of the saw nose to avoid kickback which has never been a problem - I've never needed to use it. But I see a lot of pictures of people either making noodles, or displaying their many saws by having a few of them "dived" into a large log at suitably attractive angles so as to splay them out for the picture.
Not something I intend to do any time soon, as I have no need to (and only one decent saw ), but how is this done? Is it safe if BOTH sides of the nose are being used, i.e a "stabbing" cut, or are these pictures just taken by mad lunatics?

 

[cjnspecial]

Start with the bottom edge of the nose, keep your saw revved up and a good grip. Here's a video:

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[SawTroll]

The initial part of a plunge cut should always be made with the bottom of the tip - after that the worst thing that can happen is a push-back - be prepared, or :jawdrop:


...but not as dangerous as a kick-back.


Best chain for fast plunge cuts today most likely is Stihl RSK, followed by the Oregon LP design.

 

[Banshee]

If I'm going to stab a log, I don't give it full throttle and I watch it close. Once the bar is dug in I open it up.
I'm not sure what your talking about when you say noodling can cause kickback. I can't see where noodling would be more prone to kick back than standard cutting.

 

[Banshee]

The initial part of a plunge cut should always be made with the bottom of the tip - after that the worst thing that can happen is a push-back - be prepared, or :jawdrop:

Yeah push back can suck. Especially it it taps your stuff.

 

[PatrickIreland]

I'm a million miles from an expert - but I thought noodling was basically making a plunge cut down the centre of the log, from the end? Hence my wondering about using the nose of the saw.
I won't be doing anything daft any time soon - att least until I find a "Chair Birch" and a nice slippy muddy bank to do it on...

If I'm going to stab a log, I don't give it full throttle and I watch it close. Once the bar is dug in I open it up.
I'm not sure what your talking about when you say noodling can cause kickback. I can't see where noodling would be more prone to kick back than standard cutting.

 

[Lakeside53]

The initial part of a plunge cut should always be made with the bottom of the tip - after that the worst thing that can happen is a push-back - be prepared, or :jawdrop:


.

In many cases that's just not possible....... You can also start on the top back slightly from the tip and keep the angle such that the wood protects you from any kick... all with a sharp chain, good power, a firm hand and solid stance... and confidence as to the outcome.

 

[Lakeside53]

Yeah push back can suck. Especially it it taps your stuff.

lol been there.. another reason to stand to the side.

 

[PatrickIreland]

Thanks, Troll. If I ever feel the need, I'll tell my brother I need to rest the back of the saw against his junk.
I've had a push-back once before, and it was a fair old jolt. I had a friend round today who helps out around his late FIL's farm - he was complaining that the saw (a Stihl) always gets caught and them jumps out of the tree. I gave him 2 wedges, an old maul and a pair of chaps, but I think he might be better off with a full suit of medieval armor.

The initial part of a plunge cut should always be made with the bottom of the tip - after that the worst thing that can happen is a push-back - be prepared, or :jawdrop:


...but not as dangerous as a kick-back.


Best chain for fast plunge cuts today most likely is Stihl RSK, followed by the Oregon LP design.

 

[PatrickIreland]

That's what is lacking - I'm not going to mess around, I've done a lot of hours of cutting, but nothing fancy or difficult and don't intend to until I have a lot more experience. Learning slowly is the best way - or, via a near-fatal accident, I suppose it's a lifestyle choice.

confidence as to the outcome.

 

[Tzed250]

Start with the bottom edge of the nose, keep your saw revved up and a good grip. Here's a video:

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The operator is to aggressive with the plunge, RPM should be kept constant.

 

[PatrickIreland]

Great, thanks. I see the technique now - start with the safe side of the tip, until you are a way in, then straighten up and just push through. I have absolutely no need or reason to do it, I just wondered how ir was done!
As they say, "You learn something every day, if you don't try hard enough not to!"

 

[cord arrow]

If you've ever reached deep under over hanging roots in a muddy river in total darkness...with water gushing in over the tops of your waders...trying to ascertain if a 30 pound snapper is in head first or butt first...

You know how dangerous noodling can be....

 

[XJWoody]

noodling

Noodling is making a cut through a section of wood with the grain, and it makes long 'noodly' chips.

The only real (good) reason to do this is to work large rounds down into moveable-sized chunks. The noodles make great tinder for firestarter, and you can make a lot quickly.

For fun, adventure, and to break in my 460, I've ran 4 tanks so far doing nothing but noodling 18" rounds into fireplace size 'splits' with a 20" b/c. One must be mindful what's beyond the log, where the bar tip is, and read the binds, just like bucking...

 

[PatrickIreland]

I get it now - I thought it was a plunge cut into the end of the log, then working your way up or down if cou can't split it...
In that case I've been noodling for years when my maul goes missing, and it does indeed start fires well, even with green wood!

Noodling is making a cut through a section of wood with the grain, and it makes long 'noodly' chips.

The only real (good) reason to do this is to work large rounds down into moveable-sized chunks. The noodles make great tinder for firestarter, and you can make a lot quickly.

For fun, adventure, and to break in my 460, I've ran 4 tanks so far doing nothing but noodling 18" rounds into fireplace size 'splits' with a 20" b/c. One must be mindful what's beyond the log, where the bar tip is, and read the binds, just like bucking...

 

[scotclayshooter]

Great, thanks. I see the technique now - start with the safe side of the tip, until you are a way in, then straighten up and just push through. I have absolutely no need or reason to do it, I just wondered how ir was done!
As they say, "You learn something every day, if you don't try hard enough not to!"

It works real well with a tree thats leaning a fair bit you bore in behind your hinge and cut out of the tree and bingo it goes down nice without barber chairing, On a bigger tree take the saw out of the cut with a few inches to go and finish the cut from the outside.

 

[PatrickIreland]

Scott, I normally drop 12" or so trees - these have to go across the lake in a fibreglass dinghy with a 4hp outboard!
I do however want to fell a large one at some stage to give me a good thick round for splitting on - at the minute it's a half-buried railway axle with a fat cookie on top ( which means lots of bust cookies!), or straight onto concrete, which means I can't split all the way without risking blunting my maul.

Ps - as a shotgun man, I'm sure you can see a problem here in the first pic - that sign gets renewed every year.
And as a man with a good eye, I'm sure you can see the problem HERE, in the second and third pics - that car seems to be a little out of square, to me. Rolled it twice over, fell out the window and got nothing but scrapes and bruises. As you know, these things happen on empty country roads...

 

[polexie]

Damned that was a Golf, at least the rims are stil ok (BBS?).

 

[GNAR13]

If you've ever reached deep under over hanging roots in a muddy river in total darkness...with water gushing in over the tops of your waders...trying to ascertain if a 30 pound snapper is in head first or butt first...

You know how dangerous noodling can be....

+1 for grabbin' catfish haha

 

[scotclayshooter]

Hope that dont happen to my Golf with a boot lol
Its never an empty road anyone crashes on here everyone uses the Deer or Sheep excuse !

Yep putting up a sign with No shooting written on it is like a magnet to shooters lol

Are you North or South? Ive been shooting at Ashbourne and Ballykinler army base.

Ashbourne was really good we got a lock in in the Ashbourne hotel lol a proper lock in with no way out!
Funny thing was the Scots Irish and Welsh all went out together and the English went back to the team hotel and never mixed!