# how to match corners



## sierratree (Nov 30, 2010)

Always have had trouble matching corners with sloping and horizontal cuts with humboldt undercut. Tips appreciated.


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## joesawer (Nov 30, 2010)

One thing that helped me was to not move your feet or change your grip on the saw when you take the saw out of the gunning cut and starting your undercut.


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## forestryworks (Nov 30, 2010)

joesawer said:


> One thing that helped me was to not move your feet or change your grip on the saw when you take the saw out of the gunning cut and starting your undercut.



:agree2:

Also using your sights helps too. When the sight on your match cut lines up with your gun cut, stop cutting and check the corner(s).

I never matched up on my first of many attempts at the humboldt. Practice makes perfect.

If you do it enough like pro fallers do, it becomes muscle memory I'm sure.


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## GASoline71 (Dec 1, 2010)

Tilt the saw a little more than you think it needs to be tilted when making that Humboldt undercut. It's not rocket science but it is a deceiving cut that takes a little practice.

Gary


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## sierratree (Dec 1, 2010)

*humboldt underut perfection*

just looking for that perfect undercut which slips right out. you know, the one where you just say out loud, "yes".


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## Burvol (Dec 1, 2010)

Better off to come up a tad short and pin your dawg in and take a little bit of the dutchman out rather than go too far and end up faced half way in. 

Good advice Jameson. Exactly. Remember where you gunned the top sight to. When your close to it on the bottom, you should be right about there. Don't rely on an axe to pop out the cut every time. Learn to do it right.


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## Slamm (Dec 1, 2010)

Burvol said:


> Remember where you gunned the top sight to. When your close to it on the bottom, you should be right about there. Don't rely on an axe to pop out the cut every time. Learn to do it right.



Agreed, you will miss sometimes but getting to where you can get the wedge to pop out or sling out with the bar and chain is a real time saver when compared to recutting or fighting it with an ax. 

Sam


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## Gologit (Dec 1, 2010)

sierratree said:


> just looking for that perfect undercut which slips right out. you know, the one where you just say out loud, "yes".



 That's what _we're_ all looking for, too. If the tree and the terrain allow it you can experiment a little, take the time you need, and learn as you go.
Nobody gets it perfect every time and part of the learning is figuring out how to correct your mistakes.
I've found that dogging in real tight on the corner before you start your bottom cut seems to help. If the tree is small enough you can see if your angle is good and just sweep up to the first cut. While you're learning, try for a shallower second cut than you think you need. If your angle is off, and sometimes it will be, you'll see it pretty quick and you can either adjust or back out and start again. No disgrace in that. I've seen stumps that looked like they were gnawed on by a beaver with two or three tries to get the angles right...some of them were mine.


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## Meadow Beaver (Dec 1, 2010)

Put a small twig on the far side of your sight cut. That way you have something to aim for that's easy to see.


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## Burvol (Dec 1, 2010)

Match that cut from the side with the tree to your right shoulder. Gotta have a sharp chain that means it with stout saw to back bar it, other wise flip her over and use that wrap handle. Don't cut under the lean cause you don't want to get it figured out. I can't stress this enough.


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## 056 kid (Dec 1, 2010)

It just takes practice. When I worked, I could slap em in like a machine, a few months without falling and my cuts are all Fed up. 

Just being able to manipulate the saw is important, gaining accuracy is about being able to keep that saw from moving around in your hands when you give it the juice, dogging in before you start the 2nd face cut can be helpful. Once you get real good, you can pull the saw out the gunning cut and slap it on into the 2nd face cut without much thought at all.


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## bitzer (Dec 1, 2010)

Comfort. Cut where its easiest for you if you can. If its high stumps or on your knees. Like Burvol said better to come up short first too. Clean it up after if you need too. Take your time. I've seen a lot of guys hurry through the face like the damn tree is going to fall on them. Pick your gunning point a little ways out.


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## ChainsawmanXX (Dec 1, 2010)

sierratree said:


> Always have had trouble matching corners with sloping and horizontal cuts with humboldt undercut. Tips appreciated.



I dont do any humboldts But i make a regular chip. My method is alittle more time consuming, first i start my cut on the left side of my chip. Mark the end of the cut on my chip with the saw. Then i crawl over to the right side of my chip look down my bar and line up the bar with the ends of each of the chip and start my cut. I get it perfect everytime!


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## Gologit (Dec 1, 2010)

ChainsawmanXX said:


> I get it perfect everytime!



Every time? Really? Wow.


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## forestryworks (Dec 1, 2010)

There are wood chips and then there are tortilla or potato chips...


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## Gologit (Dec 1, 2010)

forestryworks said:


> There are wood chips and then there are tortilla or potato chips...



Corn chips, chocolate chips, and maybe some bull chips too.


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## 056 kid (Dec 1, 2010)

I got a bunch of blue chips, they still good??


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## 2dogs (Dec 1, 2010)

A Humboldt is more natural to me than a conventional undercut. I hit my marks most of the time using a Humboldt. Sometimes though I have to wonder why I ever picked up a chainsaw in the first place. That's when I cut the top of the stump off and hide it.


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## bitzer (Dec 1, 2010)

2dogs said:


> A Humboldt is more natural to me than a conventional undercut. I hit my marks most of the time using a Humboldt. Sometimes though I have to wonder why I ever picked up a chainsaw in the first place. That's when I cut the top of the stump off and hide it.



Tossin cookies. We've all had too.


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## forestryworks (Dec 1, 2010)

bitzercreek1 said:


> Tossin cookies. We've all had too.



I sent one down the hill and into the creek today. The fish are using it for poker night.


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## slowp (Dec 2, 2010)

forestryworks said:


> I sent one down the hill and into the creek today. The fish are using it for poker night.



You'd save the taxpayers millions of dollars if you did that out here. No more helicoptering in fish logs, you could just launch them in. Way cheaper. Only no TV coverage. TV news likes to film helicopters doing things. 

This thread is making me want some sour cream and onion chips. Yum!


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## ChainsawmanXX (Dec 2, 2010)

Gologit said:


> Every time? Really? Wow.



well most of the time, sorry I like to exagerate. I mean what logger doesn't? :deadhorse:







forestryworks said:


> There are wood chips and then there are tortilla or potato chips...



...Or cool ranch! Hmm... Cool ranch chips, with sawdust dip! lol I take it no one uses (I dont know the technical name for it?) A regular chip?


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## whitebutler (Dec 2, 2010)

Yep them wood chips is good eatin I love the quick poke a chew in and you get half a pinch of wood and half chew YUMMY

Or the good old emty your pockets just before u sit down to a plate of food and i then looks like it snowed on it i love loggin


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## Gologit (Dec 2, 2010)

ChainsawmanXX said:


> well most of the time, sorry I like to exagerate. I mean what logger doesn't? :deadhorse:



Hey, if I've told you once I've told you a million times...don't exaggerate.


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## bitzer (Dec 2, 2010)

forestryworks said:


> I sent one down the hill and into the creek today. The fish are using it for poker night.



Yep anything tossed into water sources we call "structure" around here. As in that old refridgerator will make some good structure for the fish to hang in. Or if we sink this old boat over here that'll hold them fish. Honestly though we do sink a lot of cribs around here. Legal of course, made of timbers and rocks. I've found both of the above listed when snorkeling though. I knew a guy once who would sink his beer cans. Just making some structure he said.


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## Cedarkerf (Dec 2, 2010)

Always funny when the floods wash half a million dollars of "structure" out to the ocean the first fall after they put em in. Those hairy log trucks always look funny driven down the road.


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## teatersroad (Dec 2, 2010)

Cedarkerf said:


> Always funny when the floods wash half a million dollars of "structure" out to the ocean the first fall after they put em in. Those hairy log trucks always look funny driven down the road.



Along with $30,000 worth of stainless brackets and through bolts. mindboggling.

good thread, Not much use of the humboldt in thinning/clearing around here (in fact often just a single kerf is used for the face cut) but I get time to practice stuff now and then. Surprising that the humboldt isn't as intuitive as a conventional, bit of work for me.


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## deeker (Dec 2, 2010)

You guys are making me feel like less of a Gomer.

A work in progress to say the least.

Thanks for the information. I am Stihl learning.

Great thread.

opcorn:opcorn:opcorn:opcorn:


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## Gypo Logger (Dec 2, 2010)

It sorta comes natural after awhile with experience and hard to describe.
The best way to match corners is to have a true cutting B&C.
When you think about it, It's your horizontal cut of the wedge that is most important and must be accurate to the front of the hinge, even if you intend to cut off a corner.
In the angled cut up or down, humbolt or apple pie cut, it's not so critical if you have a stray kerf in the butt or the stump as there is no mechanics there.

I called it a stray cut as opposed to a dutchman, since the dangerous dutchman is usually in the horizonal cut.
Does this sound right to you guys, even to some degree?
John


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## whitebutler (Dec 2, 2010)

yeah it sound right but i had the expiperience that a perfect match with the gun can throw it in tha spot damn near every time. But, when it cut the under part its ok to take a little extra care and a few seconds (on the small stuff) to match it with the gun then let it fly. This does get to be a pain in the butt as its best to keep those trees flyin after all they were made to fly right :chainsawguy:


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## The Count (Dec 3, 2010)

I think I`ve seen some videos around here but can`t find them;


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## ChainsawmanXX (Dec 3, 2010)

deeker said:


> You guys are making me feel like less of a Gomer.
> 
> A work in progress to say the least.
> 
> ...



Hehe *STIHL* learning


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