short bar technique

M

murphy4trees

TreeHouser
Joined
Nov 28, 2008
Messages
4,102
Location
Philadelphia PA suburbs
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oODJMoX32pI" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>



When you cut the horizontal cut of a Humboldt first, matching the heights of the angled cut isn't an issue. There 's another cool video linked in the comments
 
Daniel, I have a suggestion. After cutting your angle cut first (as far across as the bar will reach), you could start your horizontal cut from your near side, then, (presuming that the saw bar is kept horizontal), you will have no trouble getting your cuts correctly aligned. You then simply have to walk around to the other side of the tree & finish both cuts. :)
 
Daniel: Thank you so much for taking the time to make that vid. I'm going to suggest that it takes absolutley no more time to make the horizontal cut first and then the Humboldt second. I am purely a tree-service guy. I have absolutely zero experience falling commercial timber in the woods, and yet, I am convinced that the best way to cut a tree down is with the horizontal cut first, followed by the Humboldt diagonal. Dutchman?... clean it out. Gap? Knock it out with the axe... you should always have one on hand anyways... don't matter what Coast a guy is on... you should always have a wedge in the back... don't matter what species yer fallin'.
 
What about guys in the midwest? We don't count. :(


I think I am the only tree guy in the area that uses axe and wedge as SOP.
 
Lots of use in backyard, of course, out of the box!


Nothing takes long it sawyer a good feller. It's not that hard. Honest.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #9
pete mctree said:
Daniel, I have a suggestion. After cutting your horizontal first (as far across as the bar will reach), you could start your horizontal cut from your near side, then, (presuming that the saw bar is kept horizontal), you will have no trouble getting your cuts correctly aligned. You then simply have to walk around to the other side of the tree & finish both cuts. :)
Click to expand...



I'll give it a try...

SeanKroll said:
Lots of use in the backyard, of course, out of the box!
Nothing takes long is sawyer a good feller. It's not that hard. Honest.
Click to expand...

I'm all ears Sean... make the list!
 
Fallers here, during the 1970s and early 80s, routinely run 42 to 60 inch bars. That's when the saws truly become light enough for a single man to handle, and be powerful enough to still pull those long chains. Stumping a tree from both sides with a 60 inch bar was routine. The top fallers run hot saws, and some even built their own chains.

They were masters of short bar techniques, understanding parallax error, and knowing how to square a cut, all the while standing on a spring-board.

The technology and skill level during that era was at its pinnacle. It's a whole new era today.
 
Am i the only guy that usually leaves a small gap and just knocks it out with an ax? That way i ensure no dutchman, and the vertical fibers flex more as stated in the fundamentals... is this wrong?
 
K good, thx. If I'm cutting a tree 99 percent of the time it's next to structures, so it counts. I'm a very firm believer of stacking the deck
 
If you don't have the chops to fall to a tiny placement with full confidence, that's your best option. Most arbs don't have this level of skill, while most woods fallers do...it is what it is.

No slam intended.

Tree09 said:
Am i the only guy that usually leaves a small gap and just knocks it out with an ax? That way i ensure no dutchman, and the vertical fibers flex more as stated in the fundamentals... is this wrong?
Click to expand...

This is so totally right, and really is throwback to the old school days stuff, young man :). Good on you.

gf beranek said:
Fallers here, during the 1970s and early 80s, routinely run 42 to 60 inch bars. That's when the saws truly become light enough for a single man to handle, and be powerful enough to still pull those long chains. Stumping a tree from both sides with a 60 inch bar was routine. The top fallers run hot saws, and some even built their own chains.

They were masters of short bar techniques, understanding parallax error, and knowing how to square a cut, all the while standing on a spring-board.

The technology and skill level during that era was at its pinnacle. It's a whole new era today.
Click to expand...

Aww, Jer..how many of these young Turks today even know what the term parallax error means?

Help here...

https://www.masterblasterhome.com/showthread.php?11314-Parallax-problems&highlight=parallax
 
I know what it is because: 1) I read about it in Jerry's book, and 2) I STILL routinely commit that error out on the resi-jobs on the big, fat Red Cedars.

A gap takes a bit longer, but is always better except on the compression side of a side-leaner. (renders the hinge more vulnurable to torsion failure).

But who wants to preach on a thread where Berenek and Burnham are in the House? Man, I feel myself to be amongst august company... a midget standing on the shoulders of giants.

Man you housers have it good. Can't believe I was jackass enough to stay away for so long. Thanks Corey.

Butch: How's it goin mang?
 
I'd suggest getting good at under-bar-length cutting, then move to barely under bar length trees.

I cut a 5'ish fir with a Husky 346xp with a 20" bar. Heart rotten enough. 20" deep facecut, on the front at about 5', back-cut was over-eye height, maybe head height, as the back side of the tree was lower. Easier with a Humboldt. Skipped the springboard and ms660 pilot cut, and ms880 with a 60" Cannon. Way heavy. Been there, done that, as the park wanted a high stump, about 10'.


Short bars are easier for some jobs, not others.

I can double-cut from spurs fine, but haven't tried off a springboard.

Mechanics are the same.
 
Tree09 said:
Did not know the torsion thing, thanks Jed!!
Click to expand...
It got me maybe on my first try for this cut. A relatively small plum tree, side and front leaner with a decay in the middle. I tried the gap cut to keep my aim by a bit more flexible hinge, as the wood doesn't bend nicely, even in good state . Worked well at the beginning. I saw the wood splitting as intended and the hinge folding at the bottom. But suddenly, the half hinge of the side under the lean folded at the top and was pushed back by the load. The wall of the gap became basically vertical again on this side while the other side continued its travel to the horizontal. The fibers hold well on both sides, so I got a nice twist/swing and the plum tree landed off.
So now, (if needed) I put a gap at the tension side and a regular hinge on the compression side with a tilted cut. It worked well recently with some skinny regrowths of a previously toped ash, surprisingly brittle. The regular hinges just broke flat without even taking note of my aiming. A triple hinge (my first try) failed too. The half gap made it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

gf beranek
Forming a Steel Sphere
Replies
7
Views
1K
gf beranek
gf beranek
gf beranek
Puckle Gun
Replies
10
Views
1K
gf beranek
gf beranek
gf beranek
Hidden Radios in Home Devices
Replies
13
Views
2K
Bart
B
M
trying to make $ on youtube by the trying to impress w speed of making a mess
Replies
8
Views
2K
murphy4trees
M
RegC
MasterBlaster - Explosives in Treework
2
Replies
33
Views
4K
murphy4trees
M
Back
Top