Types of undercuts

I don't like high stumps, but sometimes you gotta make'm. That's just the way it is. You got to be smarter than the rules.

Conventional or Humboldt? It's more often just a matter of personal preference. I think. But there always comes a time when you have to apply one or the other in the hopes that it really works out the way it's supposed to. There's subtleties with openings, depths and employing snipes and boring and modifying this and that. When it works you pat yourself on the back. When it doesn't you just say, "ah shucks, that was a big waste of time." And then go to the next one.

That's where John Ciro would look at the same tree and just ring it and run and then buck up the chunks.
 
I thought of the Ronin scene reading this thread, where the guy asks Robert De Niro's character what kind of gun he favors. He replies "lt's a toolbox. You put the tools in for the job."

I think a person's goal should be to assess every cut individually and tailor the cut appropriately. Not thinking "should I use a humboldt or a conventional" but " how long do I want the hinge to hold on for" and " is there a danger that the butt will want to kick off the stump." And many more questions...
 
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  • #55
That is what this thread is about. Care to expound on your theories?

Ronin's one of my favorite movies don't make me ambush you with a coffee cup.;)
 
I've worked with quite a few different people, who have abundant enough experiences at felling, to make their own decisions about how to approach different situations. They all made or make a living at it, and aren't limping around too damaged. Partially schooled possibly, but it seems that the only real way to progress in ability, is to try things by yourself, and to develop your own nuances and instincts, especially if being fast, along with safe, is a motivation. It isn't just the felling part, but just about every aspect of the work....pulling out trees from a jam, how the load in the truck gets secured, etc. etc. I see that no two guys do it the same.
 
i like the humboldt if i want the piece to stay closer to the tree,
conventional if i want it to fly away a bit,
and open faced if i really want it to hang on and be darn near horizontal when it pops off the hinge,
its been awhile since i read GB's books but i believe there's some theory in there that might be worth visiting
Ps...columbia helicopter is on the slope above my house in nanning creek right now, about every 2 minutes sweet mrs vertol comes back for a turn...sounds freaking great
 
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  • #63
I've worked with quite a few different people, who have abundant enough experiences at felling, to make their own decisions about how to approach different situations. They all made or make a living at it, and aren't limping around too damaged. Partially schooled possibly, but it seems that the only real way to progress in ability, is to try things by yourself, and to develop your own nuances and instincts, especially if being fast, along with safe, is a motivation. It isn't just the felling part, but just about every aspect of the work....pulling out trees from a jam, how the load in the truck gets secured, etc. etc. I see that no two guys do it the same.

I hear what you're saying and my groundsman is a certified faller with over 40 years of sawing experience, I myself am no stranger to the saw being practically born with one. Still I started this thread to try and learn more about undercuts and why people would choose one over another in any given situation. Feeling out The House so that I may glean even the smallest tool, trick or insight to add to my arsenal.

It is definetly not a thread about how to load a truck!:P
 
So you are not familiar with the truckloading undercut? A very small gapped face and a series of kerfs below the floor so that the log can fall over,gradually crushing the kerfs and crash into the truck gently.
 
Ain't never happening to MY trucks!
Well it goes without saying that it's best to keep your equipment out of range of a falling tree . A certain Ontarioian ,now missing in the Yukon can most likely attest to that fact .:P You know maybe he should have had the name "squisher" because I think he has the record for doing just that .
 
The only undercut I care about is the one that keeps my competition starving.:lol:
 
I like the undercut where when the tree goes over, you say to yourself, "Now isn't that a thing of beauty". About once a month it seems.
 
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unfreakin'believable!

also, If it was hinged, it could have gone over backwards when line let go; especially with slanted backcut IMLHO..
 
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