First Humbolt

[Nailsbeats]

All morning in the woods just wasn't enough for me today so I decided to tackle a 24" hard maple right behind my shed when I got home. This tree has been dying in the top so I figured I would take it down while I could still get a good log. The tree was slightly heavy to the shed side so I climbed it and free fell what I could off that side and set a rope in it. Once on the ground I hand tensioned the rope and tied it off to a nearby tree. Then came the notch, what should I use? How about a humboldt for the logs sake.

I put in my level face cut and then started bringing my notch up from the bottom. I was over 1/3 through the tree and still didn't meet my cuts so I chipped the rest out with a wedge. Time for the back cut. Leveled my saw and started into it cutting my hinge width on the one side and bringing the saw around the other while starting a wedge. Pounded in a second wedge for safety. As I finnished bringing the saw around she began to open up. I hung with it to avoid fiber pull and she hit the lay, a beautiful sight! As Beranek would say, "saved out to the tassle". This was my first humboldt experience and I loved the way that tree layed out flat. First 20 feet is perfectly straight and top grade.

The stump, my new wedge pounder and the steel wedges that did the job.

The butt.

Me and the 460 that did the job with the new 24" windsor speed tip bar.

Rooster tail. The end to a short story in the beginning of a series of short stories.

 

[2dogs]

The Humboldt is a good skill to own. I would politely suggest some plastic wedges though, instead of splitting wedges. I can't tell from the pics but how wide was your hinge?

 

[ShoerFast]

Good job.

And if I may politely say, it dose look like you know what your doing, and seeing the tree in person can tell a lot more then the picture. But a lot of trees are better limbed before the logs are sectioned.

Just one less thing that could go wrong if a underlaying limb twist and snaps.

Least that could happen, the saw binds, worst, well we know how that story goes.

 

[oldirty]

nails i love the humboldt. seems to slide off the stump and hit butt first nicely.

good stuff.

i see youve been working on your saw pose. lol



definitely get some plastic wedges.



"saved to the tassle" lol

 

[smokechase II]

Be good

I think a cutter needs to be good at several techniques.

Some reasons for the Humboldt are:
1) Saves lumber on trees with butt swell,
2) Tree falls off stump and this can prevent/reduce kickback of butt,
3) If you have to fall a tree where it will likely hang up and you cannot (are not allowed to) remove the obstacles, a humboldt will let the tree and stump separate easier. This jump can help the tree make it through a hang-up.
4) Many mills in the West require flat butts,
5) Again in the West, if you can't Humboldt, you're dog meat.

 

[Nailsbeats]

Yeah Oldirty, the saw pose is something I have been working on. I just knew somebody would bite on those wedges! Love it. The plastic ones were tied up splitting some rounds at the moment. lol.

Nobody said anything about chaps or safety glasses?, a little dissapointed.

Right on about the limbing so you don't twist a log, that is good advise for a novice.

 

[Burvol]

You cut a really nice, low stump Nails. I will say this, someday when trying to avoid pulling wood by sawing that hinge all the way off, you may be gambling with your safety or your life. Not saying it will happen to you, but that hingewood is super critical on steep ground or certain situatuions. Like the old timers said, "Hingewood is your life". You might also become associated with cutting on the uphill side of the side lean (smasheroo), as well as watching your corners on the backcut. But it looks like you got it goin' on, I'll shut up!

 

[Nailsbeats]

The Humboldt is a good skill to own. I would politely suggest some plastic wedges though, instead of splitting wedges. I can't tell from the pics but how wide was your hinge?

In the third picture down you can see it pretty good.

 

[Nailsbeats]

Good job.

And if I may politely say, it dose look like you know what your doing, and seeing the tree in person can tell a lot more then the picture. But a lot of trees are better limbed before the logs are sectioned.

Just one less thing that could go wrong if a underlaying limb twist and snaps.

Least that could happen, the saw binds, worst, well we know how that story goes.

I had some snow piles mounded up in the lay of this tree. She layed out like it was hitting a pillow. Also, the tree was pretty flat on the ground side, not many horizontal limbs bound up under it, therefor stress in the log cuts was very minimal. 90% of the time conditions would not be ideal for bucking logs with limbs left on.

 

[talltimber]

You cut a really nice, low stump Nails. I will say this, someday when trying to avoid pulling wood by sawing that hinge all the way off, you may be gambling with your safety or your life. Not saying it will happen to you, but that hingewood is super critical on steep ground or certain situatuions. Like the old timers said, "Hingewood is your life". You might also become associated with cutting on the uphill side of the side lean (smasheroo), as well as watching your corners on the backcut. But it looks like you got it goin' on, I'll shut up!

what he said x-2 hingewood is your life.

 

[slowp]

Saw Posing

Might I suggest a wad of chew or gum in the cheek for authenticity? And a bit of a grubbier look? I'd give the pictures a perfect score except for the lack of the above. This is an authentic shovel operator. Kind of blurry as the camera was brand new. He has the proper "look" for his job. Note the stern look which is required in a shovel operator.

 

[oldirty]

Might I suggest a wad of chew or gum in the cheek for authenticity? And a bit of a grubbier look? I'd give the pictures a perfect score except for the lack of the above. This is an authentic shovel operator. Kind of blurry as the camera was brand new. He has the proper "look" for his job. Note the stern look which is required in a shovel operator.

you mean this like this slowp? lol

 

[Nailsbeats]

Nice guys, nice. I quit chewing about 7 years ago, Copenhagen for about 6 years. Funny thing is the cravings never quite go away completely. Cutting wood is the perfect time for it though. Sorry, the picture was taken after a day at the spa. Just took those damn cucumbers off my eyes too.
Oh, by the way, the log was not top grade it was graded as a number 1 log. The tree was tapped and the heart wasn't too great because of it.

 

[oldirty]

whoa now, hold up a sec. nails is that the 2hunge i see in the stable? you are going to love that saw. flat out love it. might i recommend a 14 inch composite lite bar to add to such a fine saw.

looking like that lineup is getting ready for a big push come spring.


i like it nails.



2hunge baby! woooo.


lol