I really like the "open face" - face cut!

[Billy_Bob]

I've been using the "open face" face cut on small trees I have been felling for the past couple of weeks. (Tree stays attached to stump after falling.)

I REALLY like this face cut! This leaves the butt of the tree up in the air and makes limbing quite easy. I can easily cut the limbs on the underside as well, so saves time.

I've been having fun with these small trees. I keep thinking "big tree" though and need to change my thinking to "small tree". I keep leaving the hinges too wide (as you would do with the larger trees we typically have in Oregon). Then the tree does not fall. Just sits there. But I can easily push them over with my hand.

 

[hammerlogging]

skidder drivers/ chokersetters like it like that too. rare the hinge holds on steep ground though.

 

[Bushler]

Good way to slab your butt log. I prefer fell and bucked clean.

 

[smokechase II]

Difference

Bushler makes the point about slabbing.
I expect that is worth something. I have no experience trying open face on larger green trees but it just feels like he is right on that one.
I know that they are plenty of times you don't want the tree still attached to the stump.

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The slow motion speed a wide open face goes down on the smaller trees seems great often in that world.

Unless you're trying to get your tree down through a tight spot. Then slow is your enemy.

You want to be sure and get it to go over fast and free up to give it some give at the stump end too.

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You can combine an open face with a conventional back-cut to get a tree to go over even slower.

Open face in place.
{Back-cuts from the rear can slow some trees down compared to a plunge cut releasing it all at once.}
So take a back cut just far enough by feel to get a tree going slowly.
Caveat - barber chair potential so do some face center boring prior to back-cut etc.

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There are advantages to boring back-cuts. Understood.

But among other things they don't give you a feel for each tree.

That feel can allow a cutter to take a tree slower and that could keep your hinge from popping and then you get to limb some at a nice height on more trees.

Unless you're in a dense stand of tall trees with high limbs at the top and the limbing is basically back at the ground anyway.

 

[smokechase II]

Saves time

With regard to saving time by easier limbing.

Most fallers will tell you they make their money by
1) accuracy,
2) limbing.

Limbing takes the most time. You find a way to make it easy and even keep your saw away from dirt you've got a winner.

For firewood cutters sometimes you can lay a couple trees at a right angle to a group, limb and buck them and get ground separation that way for the rest.

 

[Fuzly]

I like it too!

Just keep room in you toolbox for other ways as others have explained better than I could. Good info.

 

[smokechase II]

Part of the time

Yesterday I dropped 13 dead Lodgepole near a cabin before ligntning fires and went on patrol.

Was only able to do 3 open face cuts (90 degrees+) as the other trees needed to make it to the ground and a slow intact hinge was not appropriate.

Score for those three:
1 held; it was nice to limb as about 2/3rds of the stem was off the ground.
1 broke but stayed on the stump; was able to carefully limb it paying attention to potential for log movement. Level ground not a big deal.
1 broke even with a very wide face. (A 12 inch tree perhaps 80 feet tall.)

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These trees are just now dying and turning red. (Mountain Pine Beetle). Needles still on - with some green needles - bark intact - no rot at cuts. 70-85 feet tall. Smaller diameter 8"-12". The stumps throw reasonably good chips but should be classified as droughtish at a minimum.

I suspect that open faced hinges in green LP in this size class would hold 80 - 95 % of the time. As you get to taller LP those percentages will go down.


Billy Bob: Caveat; to stay on the stump, even with smaller trees, you need good hinge wood.

 

[John Ellison]

Some of the pine in this area have all the limbs on one side and they are at a right angle to the stem. If you need to fall the tree in the direction that the limbs are on, and if it is anything but rocky hard ground, you will have a nice mess if you feel the need to use an open face/plunge/release. The limbing will be ten times harder and way more dangerous.

With a 45 face the hinge breaks, the limbs catch the air are are turned upward on the way down making everything a lot easier.

But I agree that it sometimes is necessary to keep one from turning on the way down or stay attached to the stump.

 

[hammerlogging]

Good way to slab your butt log. I prefer fell and bucked clean.

True. Super thin hinges, the thickness must be minimal, especially in the spring/summer. And, even when we stick em on the stump, better trim whats still holding of the hinge or you can really anger a skidder driver trying to free a butt. So what's the point after all that? Something different- barberchair and escape before trees starts tipping. So what anyhow, depends on the situation. As also noted, its other things can make a cutter much more productive (more money) such as limbing skills, not running out of fuel while way down there limbing and topping, one or 2 extra chains in your backpack so you don't have to file a bad chain during the day, and not rocking you chain in the first place. And coffee. And getting in the flow really good.

 

[GASoline71]

Plus it depends on how long you want your holding wood to stay intact. I have used open faced cuts that are at greater than 45 degree angles on top and bottom... just to have the hinge hold as long as possible. A little trickier to gun the lay that way... but if you take your time... it works great.

If I want to jump the stump... I use a Humboldt...

Gary