"I wouldn't be too proud of that notch"

[notahacker]

Tree felling is my forte! If I were to hit the lotto and be a gazillionaire, I would fell trees for free. Something about getting the tree to do what you want it to, you know? :Monkey:

 

[huggybear]

There is also a difference between felling a spar and felling a tree with a top filled with brush. When spars (with no brush) hit the ground they tend bounce, sometimes violently. When whole trees are felled the brush hits the ground dampening the reaction of the tree falling. In addition to what others have said wide face notch is ideal because the spar/tree tends to hold on longer reducing the chances of a violent reaction. A narrow notch closes sooner causing the tree/spar to release from the hinge causing graivity to take over and direct the tree. Meaning if tree has any lean/weight to the sides the tree will follow,

 

[CoreyTMorine]

By making an initial intentionally high horizontal cut and removing a wedge, I can get a much better look as I Am making the final floor cut and make sure there is no bypass and the cuts are meeting perfectly. The saw operator can see exactly where the bar is at all times.

Good technique that. I cut a notch when doing crane work for the same reason. sometimes i don't need the notch, it just helps to see into the cut. Thats one of those posts that will make me a more effective worker.

on a different note, seems like there's an awful lot of thin skinned loggers out there. "We are talented to, its harrd to be a big wood chop-air like me, you should listen to log truck driver man." lol nobody said that logging industry workers were not skilled, you guys gettin all flustered over nothin is like wearing a sign that says "scared".

As for notch depth, I've always been taught that if there is lean or heavy pull on a red oak you should cut a deep notch, and bleed it out. That, or plan on using it for firewood. With white pine i have alot more luck directing the fall with a shallow notch, as the wood is pretty brashy.

That notch looks textbook perfect to me Murph. Bet it behaived just like you wanted it to.

 

[Shaun Bowler]

wHAT ABOUT THE 12LBS OF IRON/STEEL THAT WENT THROUH YOUR CHIPPER?

 

[CoreyTMorine]

you're alright doing that to a backyard tree. but if you were logging (which you obviously arent) you couldnt get away with a face like that. Cuts on a log try to save as much wood as possible, and they want the trees to slide off the stump, so they usually do the diagnol cut from the bottom, Humbolt cut. You also end up with a log with a flat end.

PNW logging is the only place where Humbolt cuts are common practice. Maybe New Zealand or Down Under, I've never been. But as for the rest of the US and Canada traditional face cuts are the rule. And like Gypo said, because most of the wedge is taken from the root flair there is little or no loss of board feet from Murphs cut.

Ive been involved in some pretty lively discussions on wether or not you lose board feet with a Humbolt. To my eye you often lose feet when cutting the diagonal cut up from the ground. But it depends on the tree and how the root flair is in relation to the ground. The real magic of the humbolt is that it allows the tree to rest up against the stump after it falls, whereas a traditional face will often roll off to one side or stay on top of the stump when falling up hill. There is not much advantage to using the humbolt on level ground. Its good to know both ways, as they each have their uses. But ultimatly proffesional timber fallers have to cut trees the way the mill or logger wants them to, while treemen have to cut in a way that gives the most control and will cause the least amount of damage to the surrounding landscape.

 

[Onelick]

Here's what we teach:
Width of hinge 80%-100% of dia of tree. Doesn't matter how deep in the tree, just the width of the hinge, if you can cut shallow and get the width, good, if you have to cut deep to get the width, then so be it, you just won't have as much lifting leverage with your wedges. Controls the direction of fall.
Thickness of hinge 10%-20% of dia of tree depending on species. Controls speed of fall.
Notch ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS 90 degrees or more, nothing less. Controls the tree on the way down. When notch is closed, tree is on the ground.
Ninety percent of trees felled are bore cut to set up the hinge correctly, with a falling wedge driven as far from the hinge as possible, and a backstrap left. Size of wedge depends on Procut sightcard and how many segments are in the tree.
Backstrap cut,setting chain brake, walking away, shutting off saw, while tree is falling.
Basic Game of Logging stuff. But still the safest way I've found. I've done Humbolt, conventional, and GOL, and GOL is by far the safest.
Onelick

 

[xander9727]

The width of your notch with health wood should be 80% of the DBH. With a perfectly round 24" tree you may need to go in 6". If the notch side is unusually flat you may only need to go in 2-3". There are exceptions to every rule but this is the generally accepted rule. The thickness of your hinge should be 10% of the DBH.

I'm sure most everyone will have opinions on this.

 

[pbtree]

I asked "what's wrong with it"... His reply "it's too big... you just need something to relieve the pressure"

I like it just fine!

 

[CoreyTMorine]

Here's what we teach:
Size of wedge depends on Procut sightcard and how many segments are in the tree.
Backstrap cut,setting chain brake, walking away, shutting off saw, while tree is falling.
Basic Game of Logging stuff. But still the safest way I've found. I've done Humbolt, conventional, and GOL, and GOL is by far the safest.
Onelick

Whats a "Procut sightcard"?

Whats GOL? i imagine its the procedure that you described, but what does it stand for? Time Passes, enter edit mode Game Of Logging, Ahh haa, got it.
Thanks

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

The width of your notch with health wood should be 80% of the DBH. With a perfectly round 24" tree you may need to go in 6". If the notch side is unusually flat you may only need to go in 2-3". There are exceptions to every rule but this is the generally accepted rule. The thickness of your hinge should be 10% of the DBH.

The center of balance thing sounds good, and once in a while it works out, but the center of balance is rarely only a few inches off center, and if it's more, cutting the huge notch won't help, you'll still need wedges or a rope.
That's why Xanders comments above are valid. The difference between a small notch and a large one is minor in the resulting hinge size, most times.

Going over 90 degrees, can help keep the spar connected, but with a flat base cut, that's not possible, and with a huge notch it takes a long time to make.
Also, with a huge notch, it's very hard to correct should you want to change the angle a bit once it's cut. The notch can get too big and go past center, leaving an unstable situation.

If you've ever been suprised by a very hollow, decayed trunk, or unseen crack, you'll be happy you didn't make a huge notch too. A small notch leaves more wood, and a safer tree.

The biggest reason not to use the giant hinge, is it's just harder, and slower to cut, with little or no advantage, and many disadvantages.

 

[a_lopa]

i really like murphs ways of getting things done,