How'd I do?

[bert0168]

I wanted to post this here because this is where I think I've learned the most about how this is done. I only cut for a couple of reasons; I love running the saw, I like heating with wood and I like the challenge of falling trees and trying to better my technique.

Here's a shag bark hickory, 17" across the stump (I know it's small by most of your standards, but hey, that's what's here). Wanted to try a Humbolt so this was my chance. I had it gunned right but had trouble getting my face cuts to meet on the upcut. Did cut part of the hinge on one side. Ended up with 3 12 footers.

I was pretty proud that I was able to hit the target stake, didn't exactly drive it in but only missed dead on by about 3" at 25' out from the base. :msp_smile:

So how did I do?

The stump and butt log

The stump

The target

 

[bert0168]

I wanted to add a thanks to you guys and gal for the numerous pictures and tips you post here. It's because of them that I've learned as much as I have, or as much as a person can without actually following a pro faller in the woods.

I know I have far to go..........

 

[Gologit]

The first picture showed up, all the rest triggered an "invalid attachment"

 

[bert0168]

The first picture showed up, all the rest triggered an "invalid attachment"

Yea, I was editing it, I forgot how to embed, then remembered :bang::bang::bang:

Should be there now

 

[nhlogga]

Ya got the tree on the ground where ya wanted it and noone got hurt and nothing got damaged so i'd say ya did ok.

 

[lfnh]

Bert is the stump in upper right of the Target photo (last one) ?

 

[tbow388]

Good

I would say that you did good to get it where you wanted.

I am not a good feller so I usually let someone better do it.

If I could give you a tip it would be that your wedge cut was WAY too big. From what i know, 1/3'rd wedge cut is way more that enough.

Please let me know if i am wrong.

 

[tbow388]

by the way

By the way. Rep is sent because you are doing it rather than talking about it!!

 

[bert0168]

Bert is the stump in upper right of the Target photo (last one) ?

No, that's standing at the stump looking up the tree towards the top.

 

[bert0168]

I would say that you did good to get it where you wanted.

I am not a good feller so I usually let someone better do it.

If I could give you a tip it would be that your wedge cut was WAY too big. From what i know, 1/3'rd wedge cut is way more that enough.

Please let me know if i am wrong.

I think so as well. I definitely took too much at the face, more than 1/3. I was having trouble getting my up cut to meet my level face cut, which was probably too deep to begin with.

 

[Sheldon Cooper]

I wanted to add a thanks to you guys and gal for the numerous pictures and tips you post here. It's because of them that I've learned as much as I have, or as much as a person can without actually following a pro faller in the woods.

I know I have far to go..........

Yes there are a lot of smart dudes here that like to help us newbs out.:msp_smile:

 

[tramp bushler]

I would say that you did good to get it where you wanted.

I am not a good feller so I usually let someone better do it.

If I could give you a tip it would be that your wedge cut was WAY too big. From what i know, 1/3'rd wedge cut is way more that enough.

Please let me know if i am wrong.

Your face and how deep it goes thru the stump depends alot on the plumb of the tree in relation to where you want it to go . 1/3-1/2 the diameter of the stump will usually do .

 

[tramp bushler]

Your humbolt cut was kinda tall . That will keep a tree from parachuting but thats not an issue if you are logging it . If you start a cut and its off just pull out and start again . Different bar lengths will change how the saw hangs in your hands . Generally a shorter bar will put your humbolt shy of your gunning cut ..
a long bar if your not used to it will put you past it . If you Know you will have to wedge the tree 1/3 rd the diameter of the stump is good .
If your gonna drive a stake . Put it at the tip of the tree . Makes you learn to be more accurate . . How tall your face is should be the same as how deep it is . .

 

[bitzer]

Well you definetely got under the center of gravity on that one. If it sat back you'd really been having fun or it may have split out. Honestly you get to a point where you can feel if you are going to come up short or long on hitting the far corner. Watch where you gun and then stop on the undercut just before your sights zero in on the target again. Check your progress and re-cut if you have to. Better to come up short than long and have to re-gun. Its eaiser to re-cut before your pie falls out too, because you won't get chips in the face. On hickory you really need to keep your hinge cut up tight in the back cut because a slow falling one with a lot of hinge will split out. You really have to watch the top when cutting that deep (if intentional) to see if it starts to favor the lay. Watch the top in the back cut too. That steep of a humboldt probably had the butt on the ground in a hurry which is fine. The pitch and width of the face will have different reactions.

 

[pdqdl]

Some folks prefer a humbolt, but not most. Generally, it is used to maximize the amount of lumber harvested from a tree with a significant root flare. Also, it has a greater tendency to jump off the stump. I'm not sure that I have ever worried about using that cut; I never harvest the wood, and I don't care if it jumps off the stump.

Your very deep face cut suggests that you were undercutting the base, rather than using wedges to send it where you wanted it to go. It is usually considered wiser to only cut about 1/3rd deep face cut, so that the wedges have more leverage to force the tree in the right direction. You have quite a bit of pulled fibers on that log; poor form for a timber feller. Regular firewood guys wouldn't care a bit.

It's a heck of a lot more work putting in a deep face cut; about 1/3rd more cutting than necessary. If you did that all day long, it would add up.

 

[lfnh]

No, that's standing at the stump looking up the tree towards the top.

interesting top. was the tree plumb up to the point where it looks like it grew out to the sunlight ? if so can see the deep undercut you put in.

 

[Gologit]

Bert...

The Humboldt is probably the hardest face to learn to do right. You've got the basic idea...just keep at it and things will come together for you. You've got the interest and the attitude...the rest is just practice and learning.

 

[madhatte]

it has a greater tendency to jump off the stump.

That's one of the best things about that face -- if the log jumps off of the stump, it's NOT going back into one of your escape routes. This may not be desirable in hardwoods with complex crowns, but it's great for tall, narrow conifers.

 

[stihl~freak~13]

I was going to say the same thing as pdqdl about the fiber pull. Should have bore cut it through the face of the notch to keep the fiber pull to a minimum. Then bore from the side leavin approximately 1 inche of hinge and your notch should be about a 70 degree angle. The face of the notch should have about 80% of the wood showing. Meanin about 1/3. This is the way i cut all of the trees that are big enought to cut that way. Boring throught the center of the notch also makes room for your wedge too.

 

[madhatte]

This is the way i cut all of the trees that are big enought to cut that way.

This is why we discuss other methods -- while it's good to become expert in a method, it's dangerous to treat anything as a "do-all-be-all". Every tree, every species, every lay is different. The more approaches you have available, the better able you are to do the job safely.