Felling Trees Safely for a Lifetime

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The proximity of nearby trees also plays an important role in establishing direction. Be sure there are no other trees in your cutting direction, as trees that hang up on others can produce a tricky situation. Slight contact or brushing of branches as the tree is well into its fall usually causes no problems, but in the first second or so, a falling tree has very little inertia and can hang up easily.
Having decided on the direction, get your equipment handy at a comfortable distance opposite the direction the tree will fall. Clear away all small brush and fallen branches so you have good footing, should you need to move quickly. Always decide beforehand on an unobstructed path or two so you can move away from the falling tree with confidence when the time comes.

Before getting directly under the tree, inspect for dangerous or loose overhanging limbs. Sometimes such limbs are barely hanging there and may come loose as the tree begins to fall. Be aware of these and avoid the dangerous-looking ones.

With your saw running smoothly, make the undercut into the tree, square to the direction you want the tree to fall. Make the first cut at right angles to the trunk about 18-20 inches off the ground. The undercut should be about ¼ of the tree's diameter. The undercut is also called the notch and must be cut square, as this serves as the hinge for the falling tree. A "V" or rounded undercut can cause problems, so be sure the cut is square. With the initial cut made, cut out from above the initial cut, at a 45 degree angle, all wood so the hinge is now clear. This hinge clearing can be done with a chain saw or ax, as long as all wood back to the initial undercut is removed.

A somewhat deeper undercut will help shift the tree's directional falling force in a chosen direction. But don't undercut much more than a third of the diameter of the tree, or wedging may become difficult, particularly on smaller diameter trees.

After the undercut is made I like to make a circular mark around the entire tree just above the undercut, which I use as a guide for the saw blade when cutting the tree down. Chinking with an ax or a slow-running saw does a good job of making this guide mark. As you begin the back cut (the cut that fells the tree), stand comfortably with good footing. Just start a nice, even cut with every effort to make the saw cut directionally toward the undercut. It is best to take your time and rest after you've made a good start into the back cut. Stay calm. On proceeding with the back cut—at a depth beyond the saw—it's time to start the saw wedge. Using an aluminum or plastic wedge, begin driving it into the back cut. This will prevent the saw from binding should the tree rock back on its hinge just before it falls. Don't force the wedge. Just keep tapping it in as the back cut is deepened.

If you've done things correctly, the back cut should begin opening as your saw gets within a few inches of the undercut. A few good taps on the wedge are in order here and starting a second wedge is sometimes helpful. Again, don't hurry. Observe carefully that sufficient hinge wood remains at laterally opposing sides. Cutting away too much of the hinge wood could result in a free-falling tree, which you must avoid. Normally the tree will fall exactly as planned and as you near this final point, all that is required is a bit more work with the wedges. Listen carefully as you saw or drive the wedges for the typical creaking and snapping sounds just before the tree begins the fall. It is best to periodically stop the saw motor for a few seconds as you listen for these last sounds.

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