"Shooting undercuts" Tricks of the trade???

[bnmc98]

oh
You guys probably know this one....
another trick I do, especially if I am using a half wrap handle saw (because I hate back barring all day) or on steeps on the downhill side. I will make top cut, and pull it straight out tip the saw to the angle I want the undercut, and bore all the way across connecting the back of the first cut with the top of the bar. Then when I get through, I dog down, cut down and cut the wedge out. When you bore, the kerf in the first cut will actually act like a guide and hep you run the top of the bar along it.
doesn't wear you out as much either.

 

[bitzer]

I do that a lot on marms and high stumps.

 

[Westboastfaller]

I always take a quick glance at my bar (visualize where its pointing) before I pull it out of the kerf, then I pretend I can see through the tree to the edge of the cut on the other side and line it up and let er rip.

That's what I would do if I start my Humboldt from the side, which I seldom do.

oh
You guys probably know this one....
another trick I do, especially if I am using a half wrap handle saw (because I hate back barring all day) or on steeps on the downhill side. I will make top cut, and pull it straight out tip the saw to the angle I want the undercut, and bore all the way across connecting the back of the first cut with the top of the bar. Then when I get through, I dog down, cut down and cut the wedge out. When you bore, the kerf in the first cut will actually act like a guide and help you run the top of the bar along it.
doesn't wear you out as much either.

I would do something similar if the dogs won't reach also for forward Leaning trees. I start tip cutting up the side on the backbar. Seems easier to visualize the right angle. Them bore in and cut down.

 

[bnmc98]

I start tip cutting up the side on the backbar. Seems easier to visualize the right angle. Them bore in and cut down.

Yeah that's what I do too, just didn't verbalize it. Tough to get the right angle just boring straight in imo

 

[Westboastfaller]

Yeah that's what I do too, just didn't verbalize it. Tough to get the right angle just boring straight in imo

Yes for sure, it's not the same. You can get a good read this way.

If I have to cut a big tree from the side
I can visualize better this way than I can setting the dog in the corner of the mouth. Starting with the dogs in the corner is a small tree tecneque for me or for when I have to be really accurate.

 

[Westboastfaller]

best advice i ever got when dropping from a top cut to a lower cut is to not think. literally, from buried in top cut to making second cut in one motion. if you stop to think for even a second your ****ed. the body naturally has the angle but overthinking it results in mistakes. 80% of my undercuts just drop out, 15% need minor clean up, 3% are major clean ups, and the other 2% are absolute **** up i just dump to avoid making a totally unacceptable stump which of course i clean up best i can afterwards lol

That's the only way to fly in bar size and bigger. Straight out the front and set fast and without the dogs. The secret is lock all your joints to your top cut aim. When I come out of the LEVEL top cut I only move my uper torso laterally a bit and twist my bottom forearm to the max which gives me a natural '40°' . If its 18" deep I go for about an 8" mouth. Once I set I go to the Dogs obviously. If it looks like a miss more than an inch and a quarter then I'll go back into the top and bottom out again and reset then 'lock up' again. Once I get close a will sight through the top cut and cut until I think it's time to go back into my top cut reference point. them I stand so the corner of the mouth hits my midline.
Every time I extend my top cut (aim cut) I pistol grip and cut the bottom some more.
Sometimes it takes 3-4 times ...maybe it could take 7 times if I'm shallow but there won't be bypass cuts. If you don't have a lock in point like an ankle of Hip then you lock your body and come back to a joint lock or where its anatomically correct.

I'm concerned about you percentage rate.
because it's sounds better than mine. lol. I showed a guy and he had the best U/C's I have ever seen in my life and he said that was the best thing he had ever learned. whatever! some people are just better Pool players eh. true dat!

 

[bnmc98]

I've never even tried to start and dog from the corner. I always start about 1/3 of the way around and cut in and work back up to the corner and then dog in. Probably because I learned humbolts on forest service sales.
At that time it was6" high stumps on the high side required with only a 10% screw up margin. I learned on pine and on those if I started from the corner I would run my tip in the dirt.

 

[Westboastfaller]

I've never even tried to start and dog from the corner. I always start about 1/3 of the way around and cut in and work back up to the corner and then dog in. Probably because I learned humbolts on forest service sales.
At that time it was6" high stumps on the high side required with only a 10% screw up margin. I learned on pine and on those if I started from the corner I would run my tip in the dirt.

And here I had you pegged as a MT rocky mountain boy...lol.. I'm just right above you brother in AB
and will be for the winter. I'm Here cutting and burning Pine on contract. I was a snag faller for 10 years B4 probucton so I learned at a comfortable height.

 

[chipper1]

oh
You guys probably know this one....
another trick I do, especially if I am using a half wrap handle saw (because I hate back barring all day) or on steeps on the downhill side. I will make top cut, and pull it straight out tip the saw to the angle I want the undercut, and bore all the way across connecting the back of the first cut with the top of the bar. Then when I get through, I dog down, cut down and cut the wedge out. When you bore, the kerf in the first cut will actually act like a guide and hep you run the top of the bar along it.
doesn't wear you out as much either.

Never heard that one.
Sure would be an incredible learning experience to be out with you guys even just one day.

Jamie what's your purpose in starting this thread.
Hope all is well up that way, be safe bro.

 

[madhatte]

I'm a huge fan of the Humboldt rather than conventional face because it's so easy to clean up a face cut by looking down the back of the bar like a rifle, and push the chips away as you fix your mistakes. You can't do that with a Sag face because the bar is in the way. Also, start the face cut and the back cut from the same side. That makes everything way easier. Even if it's not level, it's at least parallel. Don't pound wedges if you don't have to -- plan cuts accordingly. Palm a wedge in to keep it from sitting back in the wind. Sharp chain is the first and best mod. Look up. Wear your damn PPE. I'm just a dumb forester and I know this stuff, so anybody can learn it.

 

[Big_Wood]

That's the only way to fly in bar size and bigger. Straight out the front and set fast and without the dogs. The secret is lock all your joints to your top cut aim. When I come out of the LEVEL top cut I only move my uper torso laterally a bit and twist my bottom forearm to the max which gives me a natural '40°' . If its 18" deep I go for about an 8" mouth. Once I set I go to the Dogs obviously. If it looks like a miss more than an inch and a quarter then I'll go back into the top and bottom out again and reset then 'lock up' again. Once I get close a will sight through the top cut and cut until I think it's time to go back into my top cut reference point. them I stand so the corner of the mouth hits my midline.
Every time I extend my top cut (aim cut) I pistol grip and cut the bottom some more.
Sometimes it takes 3-4 times ...maybe it could take 7 times if I'm shallow but there won't be bypass cuts. If you don't have a lock in point like an ankle of Hip then you lock your body and come back to a joint lock or where its anatomically correct.

I'm concerned about you percentage rate.
because it's sounds better than mine. lol. I showed a guy and he had the best U/C's I have ever seen in my life and he said that was the best thing he had ever learned. whatever! some people are just better Pool players eh. true dat!

no need to be concerned, i was trained by old culls in big wood before i even worked my first day in the woods. probably why i was alone on my second day. those percentages are pretty dang close to accurate. WCB could come walk my quarter and i wouldn't even be concerned.

 

[bitzer]

Usually from gun cut to bottom cut it's full throttle. I put it in the bottom cut(Humboldt) or top(conventional) beyond the corner. Like bnmc said not in the corner but out a ways then hit the far corner and saw it back to the near corner. It's really just a feel of where to put it and on goofy shaped trees I know almost immediately if I have to re adjust. Sometimes I will go months hitting the corners perfectly everytime and sometimes there's day I can't hit the far corner to save my life. Usually on those days something else is out of whack in my life.

 

[northmanlogging]

****, I can barely get half of mine to hit in one day. But then I'm a little lazy and sloppy too.