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Sloping Back Cuts - Why Not?

JackAXE

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Great analigy with the pencil.
Great post!
It is all about physics and the direction of strength of the wood fibers. If a straight back cut sits back, it puts a lot of pulling force in same direction as the wood hinge fibers, so the hinge has a pulling force on the fibers, not going to break if it is an inch per foot diameter of the tree, and the tree is solid.

If that force is not parallel to the hinge fibers, as in a SLOPING back cut, when the tree sits back, the force is more perpendicular to the hinge and it snaps.

What easier, pulling a pencil in half, or snapping it with a side force??

Do both cuts on a small tree with a hand saw, and pull the tree over backwards and you will see how much easier the sloped cut breaks.

I watched a video on YouTube that a guy did, and tried it myself, really amazing.


All that being said, my local county road guys mark trees and cut them to prevent hazards, and they have a 45' back cut angle!!!
 

JackAXE

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Saw this photo posted on another site:

View attachment 40231

Philbert
Point taken on the demonstration

Now consider the weight and size of the tree in the demonstration. Now considered the extreme force he used VS length and weigh, to break that? I have never tried it, (I may in the next couple days) but I have a hard time believing it would break healthy holding wood on most species I have ever fell by sitting back and closing the kerf How about I film it on FROZEN pine.


Question to all:

Multiple choice (Best answer) Why should you not use this technique given all information?
 
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JackAXE

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This is one?


Philbert
Did you see this happen? Answer: ?

Did you notice the the holding wood was cut in a V from the lookers veiw? Answer: ?

So this could have tore off from nipping off the corner of the high side and hit the Aspen or Cottonwood saplings in the background as well the other pine, giving the appearance of a tree going 180° opposite the direction of fall at its resting point? Answer: ?


That is a lot of holding wood to snap straight back. There is always a sceptic in the crowd. Possibly branch heavy to the low side and prehaps the wind contributing but the botton line here is; it's a bad cut.

I could bet my bottom dollar, that's what happened. This chit just came to me in a dream one night. What do you think?
 
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Deets066

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Did you see this happen? Answer: ?

Did you notice the the holding wood was cut in a V from the lookers veiw? Answer: ?

So this could have tore off from nipping off the corner of the high side and hit the Aspen or Cottonwood saplings in the background, giving the appearance of a tree going 180° opposite the direction of fall at its resting point? Answer: ?


That is a lot of holding wood and there is always a sceptic in the crowd.


I could bet my bottom dollar, that's what happened. This chit just came to me in a dream one night. What do you think?
You act like you are all for the angled back cut?
If there is a reason it should be used then please explain.
 

JackAXE

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You act like you are all for the angled back cut?
If there is a reason it should be used then please explain.
Really? You have got to read more than three words.
Revert back to my second post specifically. I'm sure there is clues I'm the 'clue closet' that blatantly say orherwise in all my posts.

At a guess, I would think it was introduced by "Joes" as a lock cut that MAY help prevent a full out Barberchair in hardwoods as It can only open 3/8....or bust the back out
 
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JackAXE

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It will be bad cuts when it comes to sound wood (dead or alive)99.9/100. I will try a few tomorrow
 

Dub11

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Let me see if I got this right . Drink heavily and cut in any direction that i feel comfortable in?
 

Marshy

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Question to all:

Multiple choice (Best answer) Why should you not use this technique given all information?
Simple, SBC is not the safest way to get a tree on the ground. It's always about taking the least amount of unnecessary risks while optimizing the harvest. SBC doesn't offer any advantages, just creates more risk and devalues the timber.

Talk less, listen more. ;) :beer-toast1:
 

Philbert

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This is a screen grab from a video on 'how a chainsaw works' (that was really a promo for STIHL bars).

It shows a sawyer starting out by over-cutting the face cut more than I have ever seen (can't even call it a 'Dutchman' - would have to call it 'Dutchmen'?) - see yellow lines. Then, following with a sloping back cut - see red line. Just before the video switches to another shot, the tree can be seen splitting downwards - blue line. *I added the colored lines in case folks have poor screen resolution, or are viewing on their phone.

Screen shot 2017-01-13 at 8.41.06 PM.png

I have heard this downward split referred to as 'slabbing', versus a 'barber chair', which would be a split traveling upwards.

Due to the sloping back cut? Due to the thickness of the hinge? Due to Dutchmen? All? Looked to be an 8 - 10 inch diameter tree.

Philbert
 
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