Senior Arborist suggesting Angled BackCut

[rico]

So the other day I had the Senior Arborist of my crew, who has more than 20 years experience on top of my four, suggest that I use an angled backcut to enhance the hingewood on one side.

I never use angled back cuts and never have, nor did I in this equation. I have never been entirely certain of WHY however when taught to fell I was taught the level unity of a backcut is of crucial significance and have adhered to it since.
I also know of other methods to safely enhance the hinge to one side, while maintaining a level back cut.

It ought be mentioned that this is the second seasoned Arborist I've had suggest this. The first who I called out on the slanted Back Cut when I first learned to fell assurred me that it "Makes no difference".

I respect both Arborists, they are competent, safe, clever and passionate.
However I disagree about the slanted back cut, I'm just not certain as to why?!

So
How do you folks judge the Slanted Back Cut? Also am curious of an analysis of the angled Back Cut?

Cheers

Your Senior Arborist has fed you misinformation, plain and simple.

 

[ghostice]

Sloping backcuts are also discussed in Professional Timber Falling - A Procedural Approach by D. Douglas Dent (pp84 and pp89) as one form of improper "At The Stump" technique:
"Mechanical analysis: Basically sloping backcuts undermine the function of the holding wood. . . . . The backcut should always be never less than 2 inches above the horizontal cut of the face and level."
Maybe folks will debate about the 2" (tree size) but not about the level. Sloping backcuts are really frowned upon in modern felling technique as far as I'm aware and if you have a hang up, you'll end up kinda hooped with a sloping backcut, at least as far as stacking wedges, etc. Yikes. Agree with only place to use sloping cuts is in crane picks, but there you're already trussed up and know where the top's going to go. My 2 centz. Cheers.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

@ghostice Thanks for the quote

Mr. Dent wrote his book in reference to felling old growth NW trees. When I read that book many years ago I scaled down what he was saying to the tiny trees, by comparison, that I worked on.

The only time that I've heard about angled back cuts were from amateurs. In EVERY training class or literature a level back cut is taught.

 

[Treezybreez]

Felling a tree too low to the root flare can have a similar effect to the angled back cut, because the wood grain is typically not vertical. A friend of mine had a hinge tear out as a result and the tree fell on a house.

 

[ghostice]

Thanks Tom - in the Province to the west of us, BC Faller Training I think sez something like 3/4" to 1 1/2" (wow, at the "preciseness" . . . ) above the horizontal cut of the face I think or something. But like I said, whatever, the backcut is still horizontal.
And Mr. Dent's diagrams of/ advice re bucking large wood are still good in my book - lotta good stuff in his book I think. Cheers

 

[Roger_Barnett]

Your Senior Arborist has fed you misinformation, plain and simple.

That he did, that he did..!!

 

[KootenayKlimber]

Thanks Tom - in the Province to the west of us, BC Faller Training I think sez something like 3/4" to 1 1/2" (wow, at the "preciseness" . . . ) above the horizontal cut of the face I think or something. But like I said, whatever, the backcut is still horizontal.
And Mr. Dent's diagrams of/ advice re bucking large wood are still good in my book - lotta good stuff in his book I think. Cheers

The falling dogs on your saw can be used as a measuring tool to achieve these exact measurements

 

[rico]

Commonly known as stump pull, it can have devastating effects. Some species are very prone to this problem.

 

[evo]

Do you mean what's the benefit of an even back cut or rather their justification for using an angled one?

Justification

 

[JD3000]

I figured as much.