Does felling backcut "have" to be level/90 deg?

[Billy_Bob]

I sometimes come across several trees growing very close to each other. And it is best to fell a certain tree first.

But the necessary direction to fell the tree makes the backcut so there is not enough room to get the chainsaw in there because another tree is a few inches away.

So two tree trunks here close to each other ----> OO

Need to fell the first tree (O) to the left.

Plenty of room on the left of this tree for the face (wedge) cut...

Then for the backcut, the other tree is blocking, so why not cut down at a 45 degree angle to the hinge instead of a level backcut to the hinge?

I have done this several times and it works OK. Just wondering if there could be a potential safety problem with this.

Sorry no pictures, I never have my camera when I need to do this!

 

[ddhlakebound]

Put in your face cut, then bore in, set your hinge, and backcut out. No need to start the back cut from the outside, just be very careful that your hinge is set the way you want it before finishing the back cut from the inside.

 

[460magnumMOD]

Not sure how true it is, but I was told years ago that it has something to do with the grain of the wood. Cutting a 45 may weaken the hinge wood? I have made many cuts the same way in certain situations and had no problem. I try to make it level all the time anyways, but I don't really see much problem with it. So long as there a proper face cut and enough hinge.

 

[Climb_High]

I have heard of a 'Shark's Fin' Cut which is when after making the face cut, you make a series of cuts at a 45 or greater and slowly release the pressure of the wood fiber. Not sure why this would be a better than to just bore in and release the back strap but it is something different.

 

[clearance]

If I hear one more thing about bore cutting..........

 

[tree MDS]

The bore cut is useless to me and I've survived years without actually ever really needing it. Lol.

 

[ddhlakebound]

So what are you guys gonna do to back cut co-dom's which need to fall opposite the included bark? Even if you bore in between the stems for a standard back cut, you still have to bore in....

I took down a 10" mimosa a couple weeks ago with the stem against a foundation, and needed it to fall straight away from the house. How do you not bore cut when it's needed?

 

[tree MDS]

So what are you guys gonna do to back cut co-dom's which need to fall opposite the included bark? Even if you bore in between the stems for a standard back cut, you still have to bore in....

I took down a 10" mimosa a couple weeks ago with the stem against a foundation, and needed it to fall straight away from the house. How do you not bore cut when it's needed?

Probably just do the 90 angle thingy like he said,... I dont know, just never found a situation that I can remember when that thing saved my a$$ thats all. Maybe I could climb it and piece it down-or get at her with the bucket? Box it higher?

 

[motoroilmccall]

I don't understand why you guys ##### about the bore cut, its not that hard to do, and sometimes it can save you gobs of time. Personally for what the OP is asking about, I'd just bore cut it.

 

[clearance]

I don't understand why you guys ##### about the bore cut, its not that hard to do, and sometimes it can save you gobs of time. Personally for what the OP is asking about, I'd just bore cut it.

Cannot save any time, think about it. It is like a religion to some here, pro falllers use it about one in ten thousand times, not ever single freakin tree like the GOL devotees. Nothing wrong with the Humbolt at 1/3 of the diameter and a level backcut a little above. Has worked well millions of times.

If it ain't broke........

 

[smokechase II]

I am amazed by the bore cut or else religion

But this is a perfect instance where its use can be appropriate.

 

[treemandan]

I sometimes come across several trees growing very close to each other. And it is best to fell a certain tree first.

But the necessary direction to fell the tree makes the backcut so there is not enough room to get the chainsaw in there because another tree is a few inches away.

So two tree trunks here close to each other ----> OO

Need to fell the first tree (O) to the left.

Plenty of room on the left of this tree for the face (wedge) cut...

Then for the backcut, the other tree is blocking, so why not cut down at a 45 degree angle to the hinge instead of a level backcut to the hinge?

I have done this several times and it works OK. Just wondering if there could be a potential safety problem with this.

Sorry no pictures, I never have my camera when I need to do this!

I don't know if its a borecut or not but I would just do the notch the jam the saw in behind it and go, a little angle ain't that bad but you can just push it straight in between.

 

[treemandan]

Oh and people who run around sinking bore cuts into every dam thing are just NERVOUS.

 

[motoroilmccall]

And people who refuse to use it when it can save time or good wood are thick headed... Running around bashing something because you don't need to use it doesn't mean others don't. I rarely use it, usually when I do its for quarter cuts on small tree's, if you have a better alternative for me then please, stand up and say it, but if not, stop hijacking a thread to put down a well proven technique.

 

[Billy_Bob]

A bore cut would work in my situation, but I was just wondering if a backcut at 45 degrees down to the hinge would work as well - or if there were any safety issues with it.

So instead of a level backcut like this...

[Hinge]_____<---backcut


............../<--cut down to the hinge like this (less steep of angle).
............/
........../
[Hinge]

 

[neil_004]

The bore cut would work great for the problem you have.
A 45 deg back cut should not cause you any problems. The main reasons I have seen that people do not recomend them is they are hard to line up and you can not use a wedge in that type of cut (at least not effectivley since it will tend to split the wood off the angled part on the stump).

 

[Nailsbeats]

I would use the 45 degree backcut as you described, I do it all the time when cutting smaller trees growing in clumps or when near something else that makes it hard to get the saw started straight from the back. When doing the cut visualize where you need to stop the cut to get the tree to go, cause you only get one chance. Another tip, come in high on the hinge, this way if you misjudge you can still cut more and not end up below the apex of the notch.

On bigger stuff that can bored, the bore cut would be in order. Perfect situation for it.

 

[Climb_High]

I didn't realize that bore cuts were such a sensitive subject. First off, you're right, most times it would be an over-cautious person using a bore cut. But a really hard leaning hollow tree and your going to risk getting chin music by not using a cut? That's like saying I only ever NEED chaps 1 out of ever 10,000 cuts but you still wear them every time right? Bore cuts are useful if nothing more than just to change it up a little bit.

 

[Jlarnard]

Spoken by a true backyard warrior......(thats me)
And since I would be bucking the stuff up anyway, I would just move the notch up high enough to be able to make the proper back cut.
I guess the biggest factor in my mind is how big is the tree and if I am comfortable. I mean you wouldn't hesitate a moment if it was a sapling. Some tree men I have seen will notch a tree that I would have spent 3 hours climbing to remove. The man who trained me 15 years back had a motto; It is always better to error on the side of caution. Heck maybe I'll make that my signature.