Just to be clear with everyone, I’m not suggesting one should take any risk with the notion that a saw can cut quickly enough to close in on the face cut apex. No, I’m fact, in most cases, there is no saw truly capable of doing so. Again, alternative techniques would need to be used.
Also, I’m not suggestion any face depth in particular, as the nuance of a situation should inform the sawyer.
But for a moment, try to imagine a saw that could immediately make the desired back cut, and the natural lean was directly into the lay…would you be concerned with the depth of the face cut?
No worries, I am not suggesting you or I would take any unnecessary risk, nor ignore any of the other factors that come into play with accurate felling.
I see this as a discussion and exchange of ideas, thoughts and experience. I hope some are finding value in the discussio.
Given your hypothetical scenario of the perfect saw, I would not be concerned with face cut depth, but that is a bit of a trick answer, as the ”depth” is not something I monitor under normal felling conditions. I, as many others in this thread, look to hinge length. So I go as deep as necessary to obtain the hinge length I want for the given situation. Of course, the center of gravity of the tree, et al will influence the decision.
So depth only becomes a consideration if my hinge will behind the center of gravity of the tree. This is soemthing under normal circumstances with whole trees I avoid, but with stubs and wood will do quite often.
I think, in the end, we are saying the same thing, but from different angles, pun intended! A 6 of one half dozen of the other, but I find value in seeing how others view these concepts and how they explain them. I am appreciative of all the well thought out responses.
A face cut accomplishes three things in felling:
1. Gives space for the tree to move. Think of the space in front of a door. Of couse with out a face cut the tree will also move, but with less predictably and no face cut (space to move) will exacerbate the forces you so eloquently described a few posts ago.
2. The apex of the face cut forms the front of the hinge wood. This is true no mater the type of face cut you use.
3. Lastly it removes a section of support. Think about breaking 1 leg off of a 4 leg table. The table can still stand on a level floor, but as soon as some force is applied it is much more likely to tip towards the broken leg. (To follow the analogy a face cut positioning the hinge behind the center of gravity of the tree is like breaking two legs off the 4 leg table.)
In a front leaning tree this third aspect is much less of concern, but all three are just factors to consider and manipulat.
The goal is to use the combination of face cut and back cut to form a hinge and provide as much predictability as possible. There are many ways to accomplish this.
This My .02 and the gist of all the felling training I do, have done and will do. While methods come and go the principles have remianed constant since the days of crosscut and ax.
Respectfully,
Tony
