Shindaiwa 69033-94310, 502s manual Felling Larger Trees, Bucking, Limbing

Felling Trees (continued)

Felling Larger Trees

(Over 6” (15 cm) diameter)

■■If a tree is otherwise healthy and not seriously out of balance, its direction of fall can often be encouraged by first “notching” the tree on the side facing the desired direction of fall.

■■After the notch is completed, start the felling cut slightly higher and on the opposite side of the tree, away from the direction of fall.

■■The goal of the method is to leave a sturdy wooden “hinge” for the tree to pivot on while falling.

1.Determine the direction of fall.

2.On the side of the tree facing the direc- tion of fall, make a single 90˚ cut through approximately 1/3 of the tree’s diameter.

Direction of

Fall

Wooden

Hinge

Notch	Felling
	Cut

WARNING!

Failure to leave a proper wooden hinge during the felling or “back cut” can cause the tree to pinch the saw’s guide bar and may also change the direction of fall!

WARNING!

Always make your falling cut parallel to the bottom cut! An angled falling cut may cause the tree to split, possibly changing the direction of fall!

3.Working from the same side of the tree and at a 45˚ angle to the first cut, make your second cut in an upward direction to remove a notch from the tree as shown.

4.Working on the opposite side of the tree and starting approximately 2” (5 mm) higher than the bottom of the notch created in steps 1-3. Set the bum- per spike just behind the felling hinge.

5.Use full throttle and bring the bar and chain slowly into the tree. Make sure the tree does not start to move in the opposite direction to your intended felling direction.

	Wooden
	Hinge
	45°
Direction	Of
Fall
	Escape
	Path
	45°
Bumper
Spike

6.Drive a wedge or breaker bar into the cut as soon as it is deep enough.

7.When the tree begins to fall, stop the saw, and put it down on the ground.

8.Use your retreat path to exit the area quickly.

NOTE:

If the cut appears to be closing on the bar, use a mallet to drive one or two plastic or wooden wedges into the cut behind the bar.

Bucking

WARNING!

Always cut downed timber from the uphill side of the wood! Be alert for potential injury from rolling or shifting logs! Downed timber may shift or roll unpredictably during cut- ting or handling operations!

Techniques

■■If the log is well supported, start your cut from the top of the log. Keeping the guide bar parallel to the ground, cut straight down but do not allow the saw to cut into the ground.

■■Cutting downed timber, or “bucking,” increases the possibility of the wood settling and pinching the guide bar. Driving one or more soft plastic or wooden bucking wedges can help pre- vent bar-pinching during a cut.

Limbing

Limbing a standing tree is usually accom- plished in the same manner as bucking, with a third and final cut used to remove the remaining stub of the limb.

NOTE:

When cutting unsupported logs or limbs, starting with an underbuck cut will mini- mize the possibility of the wood splitting during the bucking cut.

■■Use two cuts when bucking near the inboard end of an unsupported log.

1.Make the first cut as an overbuck approx- imately 1/3 the diameter of the log.

2.Finish the job with an underbuck com- ing up from beneath and joining the first cut.

■■Use two cuts when bucking the out- board end of an unsupported log. Your first cut should be an underbuck, cutting upward through approxi- mately 1/3 the diameter of the tree. Finally, move to the top of the log and finish the cut by bucking down (over- bucking) to your first cut.

WARNING!

Kickback danger increases in over-height or out of position cut- ting! Do not overreach or attempt to cut above shoulder height!

Second Cut (overbuck)

First Cut (underbuck) About

1/3 of Tree Diameter

First Cut

Second Cut

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