# ?? Humboldt Notch ?? Does anyone know how to make this?



## Greenstar (Apr 25, 2009)

What is a humboldt notch, and how do I make one, and use it?

I have looked everywhere and cannot find any data, diagrams, or video describing this felling cut. A friend of mine out west (in Boulder, Colorado) was shown it two years ago and talks about it all the time. He swears by it. He says it is the most accurate, and safest cut he uses all the time. But no matter how hard he tries to describe it, I cannot figure this out.

Is it really that great? :greenchainsaw:


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## treeclimber101 (Apr 25, 2009)

Its a reverse conventional notch , where your top cut is straight and your bottom is angled up ....., why do you want to learn that you a logger...


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## D Mc (Apr 25, 2009)

Here you go. There is a time for each of these cuts, depending on the situation and goal.

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/logging/manual/felling/cuts/notches/notches.html

Dave


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## GASoline71 (Apr 25, 2009)

Here in the land of the big Doug Firs... a Humboldt is pretty much all I use... I didn't even know there were different types of cuts other than the Humboldt until was about 18 y/o. Heck... I'm 41 now... yikes! 

Used mainly to get every inch of BF out of a tree... plus it helps with stump shot, when you wanna "jump the stump" depending on your lay... also when takin' down a 40"+ dbh tree... the notch slides right out... and in wood that big, that farkin' notch is heavy!

Gary


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## md_tree_dood (Apr 25, 2009)

When dealing with very large wood, its useful because you can slide the piece off and gain some extra control towards your landing area.

Mainly though its for logging as others have stated


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## Raymond (Apr 25, 2009)

I've been doing them for years, sometimes. 
But just learned what it was called lately from my buddies here.


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## forestryworks (Apr 25, 2009)

practice practice practice will be the only way to do it.


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## Greenstar (Apr 25, 2009)

Oh, ok. I've been using it too..

Sorry, I thought it was something different. He was talking about something with some sort of "plunge cut" where he then cuts out i think..but definitely a plunge cut,. with great accuracy, even with counter leans.. etc.


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## John Ellison (Apr 25, 2009)

In some timber you will get more saw log with a Humboldt, but not always. Around here the pine comes pretty much straight out of the ground with very little butt swell. With a conventional notch the horizontal cut and the backcut can both be as close to the ground as you dare cut and the wood is still good. There is just no way to make a Humb. that low.

I believe that (assuming you are using the same backcut method) no matter what face you use (if the depth is the same and they are clean cuts) that the tree will fall exactly the same with any notch.....until the face closes. And that is when you may or may not need one type of undercut over another.


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## treemandan (Apr 25, 2009)

I smell a bore cut discussion, but don't let that bore cut give you a concussion, there may be some fussin, don't mind the cussin.


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## GASoline71 (Apr 26, 2009)

A Humboldt does not include a "bore cut"...

You're prolly talkin' about a Coos Bay cut... which there are variations to that as well... which is a whole new ball game. If you're new to fallin' trees... just stick with a conventional face cut...

Trust me... you'll thank me later.

Gary


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## Greenstar (Apr 26, 2009)

GASoline71 said:


> A Humboldt does not include a "bore cut"...
> 
> You're prolly talkin' about a Coos Bay cut... which there are variations to that as well... which is a whole new ball game. If you're new to fallin' trees... just stick with a conventional face cut...
> 
> ...



I'm not new to falling trees. I am very good. Its like a science to me. I've been felling trees professionally for 13 years.

Lets start a Coos Bay discussion!


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## Tree Pig (Apr 26, 2009)

Greenstar said:


> I'm not new to falling trees. I am very good. Its like a science to me. I've been felling trees professionally for 13 years.
> 
> Lets start a Coos Bay discussion!



Ive been practicing the Coos Bay for a while and getting good at it I think. Give me your opinions on my notch.


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## matty f (Apr 29, 2009)

whats a humboldt with a large kind of square taken out at the back of the face all about?? seen a few pics on large red woods being felled like this...
here in the uk all are felling is pretty much done using a conventional face or harvester!


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## tree md (Apr 29, 2009)

matty f said:


> whats a humboldt with a large kind of square taken out at the back of the face all about?? seen a few pics on large red woods being felled like this...
> here in the uk all are felling is pretty much done using a conventional face or harvester!



I'm not a logger but my guess would be the square is cut out to use a hydraulic jack to jack the tree over. Got any pics?


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## matty f (Apr 29, 2009)

its cut out of the face not in the rear if that makes sense,no pics im afraid theres plenty in high climbers and timber fallers though.


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## forestryworks (Apr 29, 2009)

matty f said:


> its cut out of the face not in the rear if that makes sense,no pics im afraid theres plenty in high climbers and timber fallers though.



that's the block out style humboldt.

used on old growth redwoods.

face is a gap (big) instead of in a pinch.


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## ozzy42 (Apr 29, 2009)

I use the humbolt sometimes when cutting tops.Seems like the butt comes off cleaner ,and more predictable,with the depth,and degree being decided by how I need the pc to land,ie; flat,flipwith butt landing away from trunk or spearing when drop zone is narrow.

Never use it on the ground though.


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## andosca (Apr 29, 2009)

what do you call the notch made in the rear, ive seen some pics, it appears it's used to drop a tree on a house?


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## motoroilmccall (Apr 29, 2009)

I'm either sensing sarcasm, or mis-interpretation... Which is it?


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## andosca (Apr 29, 2009)

a joke???????????


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## tree md (Apr 29, 2009)

andosca said:


> what do you call the notch made in the rear, ive seen some pics, it appears it's used to drop a tree on a house?



I would call that the oh $4!+ notch.


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## andosca (Apr 29, 2009)

how about the $10k notch, gives it kind of a positive spin if you don't know the $10k is what it's going to cost to fix your roof.


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## randyg (Apr 29, 2009)

matty f said:


> whats a humboldt with a large kind of square taken out at the back of the face all about?? seen a few pics on large red woods being felled like this...
> here in the uk all are felling is pretty much done using a conventional face or harvester!



If you see this square in the hinge wood on the stump, could be center of tree bored out by reaching through face cut so don't need as long of bar to cut tree?


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## matty f (Apr 30, 2009)

forestryworks said:


> that's the block out style humboldt.
> 
> used on old growth redwoods.
> 
> face is a gap (big) instead of in a pinch.



Thats what ive seen, it always apears on old growth red wood felling pics ive seen.
Just wondering what purpose it serves.


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## forestryworks (Apr 30, 2009)

true old growth redwood is brittle wood, so the gap in the face increases the hinge wood vertically and gives you more control at the stump.


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