A lesson in felling

[Colin]

[ QUOTE ]
Gary;
Is there a bottom cut on that branch, I can't see one in the picture?
Here's a Red Oak branch that I cut.

[/ QUOTE ]

Here you go.

 

[pantheraba]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Gary;
Is there a bottom cut on that branch, I can't see one in the picture?
Here's a Red Oak branch that I cut.

[/ QUOTE ]

Here you go.

[/ QUOTE ]

Nah, I wouldn't have it that far out...I have had them as far apart as 2-3 inches but not feet. I am trying to get them basically overlapping now. Here is where I THINK I had it...but I can't see it. I'm thinking I just tried cutting this one straight thru, fast, to see what would happen...the DZ was clear, no worries about just dropping it.

 

[Jamin_Mayer]

[ QUOTE ]
Rupe, I'd like to try your version one day. I use the 'box' cut on heavy horizontals.
1. Bottm cut deep as possible w/o pinching saw
2. Two side kerfs as deep as possible w/o pinching saw
3. Blow thru the top a kerf width back of the above, no hesitating

Almost always sends limbs down level and flat, out from the stem a fair bit too.

[/ QUOTE ]

Mangoes: I often do the same technique. When the top cut is in back of the under cut, you will never get your saw snagged away from you. Ron Hartill teaches this and he calls it "cutting into the step." What I love about doing this is o big limbs is the loud blast of wood snapping. It goes off like a firecracker! /forum/images/graemlins/ahhhhh.gif

 

[pantheraba]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Rupe, I'd like to try your version one day. I use the 'box' cut on heavy horizontals.
1. Bottm cut deep as possible w/o pinching saw
2. Two side kerfs as deep as possible w/o pinching saw
3. Blow thru the top a kerf width back of the above, no hesitating

Almost always sends limbs down level and flat, out from the stem a fair bit too.

[/ QUOTE ]

[/ QUOTE ]

I think you mean this...if you don't want to watch the whole thing, I think you are talking about what I did at about the 2:00 minute mark...are we talking the same language?

Although, I didn't use the side kerfs...I think I did it more like Rupe.

http://tinyurl.com/ox8vg

 

[pantheraba]

Here are a few more...

 

[pantheraba]

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another

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[pantheraba]

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last one

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[Colin]

Gary, in the vid, why the underbed? Wouldn't a kerf cut worked just as well, and been easier?

Nice photography!

 

[Mangoes]

Panth, not really like that at all. If i get tme i'll make a short vid.

The technique is great on Willow and Poplar, sounds of violence reverberating in the tree as she pops and cracks away from the tree.

 

[pantheraba]

[ QUOTE ]
Gary, in the vid, why the underbed? Wouldn't a kerf cut worked just as well, and been easier?

Nice photography!

[/ QUOTE ]

Only because I was not used to cutting heavy horizontal pieces...I was not sure if 2 kerf cuts were adequate to prevent splitting. So, I used a notch, same as I used for a vertical piece...it was a case of not being sure how to handle long, heavy horizontal pieces and wanting to have as much control as possible...especially when I had to be tied into the piece itself sometimes. A running split really had me concerned sometimes. I know better now how to tie in to deal with a split now; but sure wouldn't want to have to.

And, yeah, those underbeds were a real pain to cut sometimes.

 

[Colin]

Live and learn, eh!