Angled back cut| backcut| tree felling| back cuts

dcarter · 19th May 2011, 02:16 PM

I just read this thread. I had never made an angled back cut, but have seen a few stumps over the years and thought to myself, "fools". I was trained by some really great folks who always impressed upon me the idea that you study each tree, from butt swell to tip, all the various leans and curves, all the branches for weight and the "bed" you're going to land it in before cutting anything. If needed, use a plumb bob to determine lean. Look at slope, plan your escape routes (two minimum) at 45 degrees away from direction of fall, always, always, always keep your cuts level with the only exception being the Humboldt bottom angle or traditional face cut top angle. Every other cut should be as level as possible, or 90 degrees from long axis of the tree. Always leave a step for kickback prevention and always watch the tree tip for motion and branches falling. When it starts to tip, tickle a little more holding wood out and slide your bar out and move away, allowing the hinge wood to control the descent while you watch from a safe distance....Points I have refined a little but stick to religously. I cut using twisting weight to my advantage, dutchmens when necessary and really like the video Eric put together about leaning trees and the stick trick. People need to watch those and learn. I cut with a guy not long ago who told me to cut an angle back cut with a couple of sixty degree opposing face cuts. It worked but I didn't like doing it and won't be doing it again. His theory was that it would allow the tree to "move" a little keeping the bar from being pinched. FOOEY!!! Thanks for posting EKKA. Glad to see someone is trying to help curtail the BS and Know-it-all "experts" that are teaching people bad techniques and creating an environment of unreasonable risk for otherwise unsuspecting do-it-yourselfers. Thanks Again.

Tony Knight · 19th May 2011, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcarter

I just read this thread. I had never made an angled back cut, but have seen a few stumps over the years and thought to myself, "fools". I was trained by some really great folks who always impressed upon me the idea that you study each tree, from butt swell to tip, all the various leans and curves, all the branches for weight and the "bed" you're going to land it in before cutting anything. If needed, use a plumb bob to determine lean. Look at slope, plan your escape routes (two minimum) at 45 degrees away from direction of fall, always, always, always keep your cuts level with the only exception being the Humboldt bottom angle or traditional face cut top angle. Every other cut should be as level as possible, or 90 degrees from long axis of the tree. Always leave a step for kickback prevention and always watch the tree tip for motion and branches falling. When it starts to tip, tickle a little more holding wood out and slide your bar out and move away, allowing the hinge wood to control the descent while you watch from a safe distance....Points I have refined a little but stick to religously. I cut using twisting weight to my advantage, dutchmens when necessary and really like the video Eric put together about leaning trees and the stick trick. People need to watch those and learn. I cut with a guy not long ago who told me to cut an angle back cut with a couple of sixty degree opposing face cuts. It worked but I didn't like doing it and won't be doing it again. His theory was that it would allow the tree to "move" a little keeping the bar from being pinched. FOOEY!!! Thanks for posting EKKA. Glad to see someone is trying to help curtail the BS and Know-it-all "experts" that are teaching people bad techniques and creating an environment of unreasonable risk for otherwise unsuspecting do-it-yourselfers. Thanks Again.

My education, training and assessments were no different to yours and I'm on the other side of the globe. One exception thou, whilst not being taught a angled back cut we were given the option of drawing the saw on a downward angle for a back release/strap release. I had been cutting for a long time before gaining my quals and always, always came in horizontal and inch below for the release and just couldn't bring myself to even try drawing down on the angle. Funny this thread has come up as I was at a place the other day were a dozen standing dead messmates had been felled by a old bushy, every one of them was identical to Erics first post pic. Now I have to do the difficult ones.

Regards

Tony

19th May 2011, 02:16 PM	#91
dcarter Semi-mature vigorous tree Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Florida Posts: 77	Re: Angled back cut\| backcut\| tree felling\| back cuts I just read this thread. I had never made an angled back cut, but have seen a few stumps over the years and thought to myself, "fools". I was trained by some really great folks who always impressed upon me the idea that you study each tree, from butt swell to tip, all the various leans and curves, all the branches for weight and the "bed" you're going to land it in before cutting anything. If needed, use a plumb bob to determine lean. Look at slope, plan your escape routes (two minimum) at 45 degrees away from direction of fall, always, always, always keep your cuts level with the only exception being the Humboldt bottom angle or traditional face cut top angle. Every other cut should be as level as possible, or 90 degrees from long axis of the tree. Always leave a step for kickback prevention and always watch the tree tip for motion and branches falling. When it starts to tip, tickle a little more holding wood out and slide your bar out and move away, allowing the hinge wood to control the descent while you watch from a safe distance....Points I have refined a little but stick to religously. I cut using twisting weight to my advantage, dutchmens when necessary and really like the video Eric put together about leaning trees and the stick trick. People need to watch those and learn. I cut with a guy not long ago who told me to cut an angle back cut with a couple of sixty degree opposing face cuts. It worked but I didn't like doing it and won't be doing it again. His theory was that it would allow the tree to "move" a little keeping the bar from being pinched. FOOEY!!! Thanks for posting EKKA. Glad to see someone is trying to help curtail the BS and Know-it-all "experts" that are teaching people bad techniques and creating an environment of unreasonable risk for otherwise unsuspecting do-it-yourselfers. Thanks Again.

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