Chase the cut or go higher/lower with new face

[olbudzer]

Hey all, scenario; my family property, solo, learning by error, underestimated finger length of remaining lead, result, hit old scrap metal fuel tank 150 gal(empty), 40'+ log in multiple pieces... ? If could figure out would include pics, but working on that... Anyway, when it came down, looked, but knew, that I chased UNDERCUT, knowing it moved point of impact to left, resulting in destruction. Move up or down or deeper face...general lean in desired direction, all is good, nice story at dinner table though... Just eating me

 

[monkeylove]

I've looked at those pics a few times and unless I'm missing the amount of lean you were trying to compensate for none of those cuts looked like the stood a chance of hitting the preferred landing zone. Sorry, just trying to help.

 

[classictruckman]

your notch was off to the left, if you're going to go up or down to cut a new notch go down if possible. I went up a few years back when the notch closed it split down to the original notch which was now below my lanyard so it squeezed me into the tree enough to suffocate me if the tips hadn't landed. I cut the holding wood to release my lanyard, but it left me sore for quite a while.

 

[olbudzer]

Sorry guys, I clarify... Did not check undercut prior to committal, decided to change directional cut to positition of undercut...moved directional about 6" to left at stem, still in favor of lean, basically, to heck with it, its scrap metal anyhow... This is just for future reference...thanks classic, was worried holding would fail if higher, then paranoia set and said oh well...just don't have that option in a professional setting

 

[GoodYautja]

Looks to me like your notch wasn't level? I'm not sure if that is what you guys meant by "off to the left" but it appears that the notch was horizontally tilted to the left, towards the direction it landed.

 

[olbudzer]

Predator...correct, now on, level important for final resting place, thanks

 

[GoodYautja]

Awesome, thanks for sharing. I always enjoy learning from other people's mistakes much more than my own!

 

[JeffGu]

The first pic... is that tree flipping me the bird?

 

[Daniel]

looks like an unintentional Dutchman or bypass in the face cuts, by the looks of the second pic.. may or may not have effected the direction of fall. looks like the tree fell with the notch (front of the face)... sometimes they turn with the back cut... sometimes they don't

more pics of the stump would be helpful

 

[jmcscrap]

You said you moved the face cut 6" to the left of the original face? That's the part I don't understand - if your first face cut was further right you would have been fine. That's only if I'm understanding that part correctly.

 

[Treetopflyer]

your notch was off to the left, if you're going to go up or down to cut a new notch go down if possible. I went up a few years back when the notch closed it split down to the original notch which was now below my lanyard so it squeezed me into the tree enough to suffocate me if the tips hadn't landed. I cut the holding wood to release my lanyard, but it left me sore for quite a while.

Good shit to share right there.

 

[NE Tree]

The first pic... is that tree flipping me the bird?

I was thinking the same thing

 

[olbudzer]

Daniel, pic of 'stump', where rope hangs down...JM, gunned first cut, direction, pulled out and started second cut, face(? Right term?), did not check that far sides would intersect properly, and continued that cut to my gunning target...this cut went past my horizontal first cut, bout 6", decided to continue first cut to intersect with second, they met on left side perfectly, but that moved point of impact... Should I have considered deeper face matching right sides of cuts... Would have been bout 50% of diameter

 

[SterrettTree]

the 1/3 rule for setting a notch is not set in stone, you can take it deeper if you screw up. 50% isn't a bad notch. stepping away from the stump and making sure the notch is pointed exactly where you want it is a minute well spent. leaving an ugly notch and trying to make up for it with over cutting one side or the other rarely works. take your time, plan your fall, select a run path, execute. i agree with the earlier comment the tree fell directly on the notch, it was just off about 10degrees from where you wanted it to go. be careful of the non-matching face and undercut, it can really distort your perception of what you think is good hinge. on conifers i like to score both sides coming back from the notch about 1.5 inches so that elastic wood doesn't hold and pull it. i also will make vertical score marks behind the notch especially if i have to put some pull on the stem. depending on the tree i make as many as 3 of them spaced about an inch apart. that way you can cut to the first one even on both sides put a little tension on it and then rinse and repeat until she comes over.

 

[olbudzer]

Sterrett, thanks, gonna start doing score at notch for the elasticity, and, if I understand correctly, vertical scores will help me keep the back cut square and even to notch, kind of a visual aid...thanks again

 

[craneguy1]

Looks like some by pass and notch was off...looks like it landed where it was faced up too.

 

[Daniel]

nothing wrong with 50% of diamete4r on a stgraight stick.. just more work to re cut it..
I still think that the cuts didn't match perfectly, though sometimes it looks like they do, when its really sawdust filling the bypass...
Stump doesn't lie..

nest time, make sure angled first cut is level, then just start the base of the bar ( near the dogs) at the bottom of that cut and make sure its level too. A good way to match the cuts...

 

[Daniel]

Daniel, pic of 'stump', where rope hangs down...JM, gunned first cut, direction, pulled out and started second cut, face(? Right term?), did not check that far sides would intersect properly, and continued that cut to my gunning target...this cut went past my horizontal first cut, bout 6", decided to continue first cut to intersect with second, they met on left side perfectly, but that moved point of impact... Should I have considered deeper face matching right sides of cuts... Would have been bout 50% of diameter

and yes... when there is a bypass in the face you MUST cut a deeper face to make sure its a clean notch....
Its clear from the close up that a bypass in the face casued the hinge to seize and resulted in little or no control from the fractured hinge (no stringy fibers)