Cutting Wood (Safely!) With a Chain Saw

Article Tools

Image Gallery

Print

E-mail

Comments

RSS

Move to one side of the tree, facing the planned direction of the fall. Aim across the top of your saw, along your front handle or across the falling sights (usually cast ribs in the saw's main housing), at exactly the place where you want the tree to fall. This will correctly line up your guide bar with the trunk.

Now make the upper cut of the notch, sawing down at an angle so that the cut, when completed, will go about one-third of the way into the trunk. Never cut as far as halfway into a tree with any cut in the notching procedure. Doing so will make the fall uncontrol lable. Next, make the lower cut to complete the notch and remove the wedge of wood. With a straight tree on level ground, make this second cut straight in to meet the first. The hinge of uncut wood will be created when you make your felling cut.

Now go behind the tree to make your felling cut. This is another horizontal cut, at least one inch (more, for large trees) above the horizontal notch cut. It is extremely important not to make the felling cut meet the horizontal notch cut. It must be at least an inch or two higher.

When your felling cut is partway complete, insert a plastic or wooden wedge into the cut, behind your bar but not touching it, to prevent the tree from settling back onto your bar and to help control the direction of the fall. Then keep an eye on the top of the tree and continue cutting until the tree begins to fall. Don't cut all the way through to your notch. As the tree starts to move, leave your saw on the ground and retreat quickly along your planned escape route”while glancing back over your shoulder to be sure the tree doesn't turn around and come in your direction. Remember that the butt end of the tree may kick backwards and that unseen dead branches may fall straight down or fly in any direction. Take no chances. Retreat quickly and without hesitation.

Felling Large Trees

To cut a tree with a diameter larger than, but not twice as large as, the length of your saw's guide bar, use the following method. Exercise great caution, because the technique involves making a plunge cut that greatly increases the risk of severe kickback. This procedure is definitely not for the novice cutter. Make a notch, as before . . . it may, however, require four cuts to complete. You should make one-half of the upper notch cut on one side and then move to the other side of the tree to complete it. Do the same with the horizontal cut.

After the notch is formed, make a plunge cut to one side of your planned felling cut. Start this cut about an inch or two above the base of the notch, keeping your bar horizontal. To minimize the danger of kickback, start the plunge cut with the underside of the tip of your bar and slowly cut inward (Fig. 11). When the bar has cut a few inches into the tree, cautiously straighten the saw to begin boring straight inward with the tip of the bar, being careful to leave adequate wood for the hinge. (Your bar should bore into the tree more or less parallel with the back of your notch, not toward it.)

RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print