I climb and usually only fell medium sized trees around here. I noticed some of the logging videos on YouTube show the loggers cutting down the sides of the tree, prior to the back cut. What's the purpose of this? I'm referring to larger trees
Cutting the sides of the tree before the back cut ?
- Thread starter Saddle
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Are they videos of large redwoods or other trees with a thick bark layer ?
I need a video link so I can watch as well lol
I need a video link so I can watch as well lol
Are they cutting the root flares? Reduce pulls on the sides maybe? I've cut root flares / "sides" away to make room for a bore cut. It isn't unusual to see those who cut veneer cut away root flares
I think this was it. They shave down the sides of tbe tree prior to bore cutting
It's a good practice, especially on green conifers or other limber trees to either shave or make a small sidecut to prevent the cambium layer from twisting the tree as the hinge breaks...
When cutting trees with stringy bark I usually cut a ring around the tree first through the bark and a little bit of the good wood. It also helps me keep everything lined up when cutting. Anything 18” or larger I’ll do it no matter the species.
Did one to day that ended up getting veneer price, cut hinge in the root flare & cut the root flare on the camera side ( I video'ed this one ) so the 28 inch bar would poke thru. It didn't because of the root flare on the OTHER side. But that one could have been interpreted as cutting the sides I guess. video will eventually follow.
Check this one out for clues 
A channel I happen to like & frequent , he's pretty innovative. But THIS might help answer the original focus here, this fellow is a veneer focused logger. Root flares either get cut on the landing or as part of the felling operations, he's got his deal going pretty efficiently.
A channel I happen to like & frequent , he's pretty innovative. But THIS might help answer the original focus here, this fellow is a veneer focused logger. Root flares either get cut on the landing or as part of the felling operations, he's got his deal going pretty efficiently. 
Check this one out for clues
It is to release tension, yes?
Prevent heart cracks?
Europeans nip the sap wood on either side of the hinge on stringy conifers so it doesn’t pull down into the stump and possibly pull the tree off it’s intended lay.
@weimedog i was watching a euro fell a large tree with a short bar and under powered saw…took forever to “mill” straight down and take the flares off. I hate cutting with the grain like that. It occurred to me that it would be faster and easier to noodle them off once the tree was down…unless they’re in the way of the felling cuts.
Often do exactly that once on the landing. The exception is when I can't get enough lift on the log when I have to skid a distance THEN it's worth taking the flares right there to both allow the bar to get thru ( Big trees ) and to change the "shape" of the log that might dig in to something more likely to "skid"
So do New Yorkians
If skidding from the skinny end/top, the flares might keep the log out of the dirt a bit.
you'reapeeins, new yorkians, same when it comes to cutting :-D
I would nip the sap wood cutting next to a house but not bother in production.
Every tree every log is it's own set of issues. On this last job I pulled some from the small end, some from the big. Depended completely on what was presented and possible with out large amounts of work. So generalizations don't fit this world. One I cut the root flares because the only access I had was from the big end, another I left them on because I could pull from the small.... Have to simply flex to the conditions that exist. That is the point.
Forgive me this might be a newbie question in reference to the sap wood cut or side cuts as their called . Before I make my back cut can I palm a wedge on the side cuts for more control ?
I certainly do. It's easy to stuff them in after face cut / bore cutting from the side as the "trigger" of hold wood keeps the tree from closing up. Especially if you know it has to be wedged over. I bore cut everything from the side anymore. Also wedge more often as I try to keep the hinge out of the money wood, sometimes you can and sometimes not, depends on the tree. But doing the face cut, bore a little out of the center of the hinge on the stringy wood. Bore from the sides where the "two points" of the hinge and the hold wood to the back keep the tree from moving, closing up. Stuff in wedges, nip the hold wood / trigger. It either goes or now with wedges already in place I can hammer it over. But I'm just a farmer , not a pro.
Pfft. Lies, all lies. ;-)
Boring.
