JackAXE
OPE Member
Great analigy with the pencil.
Great post!
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!!!