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Tree bucking question

Started by Brushbuck, January 23, 2016, 07:51:50 AM

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Brushbuck

Hi I have a question on bucking trees that are almost flat on the ground. I'm talking about the ones that have a little space between the tree trunk and the ground but not enough space to where you can cut up from the bottom and if you try to cut all the way through on the top it just binds the blade. Whats the best way to go about this?

old guy

Cut down far enough to drive a wedge in the cut over the bar to hold the cut open.

  John

Mapleman

I just work my way along the trunk, cutting as deep as possible until either I get close to the ground or a pinch starts, move up one block and start again until I find a place where the trunk is off the ground enough to cut the block off completely, then roll the partially cut part over and finish the cuts.  A peavey or cant hook are very helpful if the wood has any size to it.
"The older I get, the better I used to be."

Ozarker

What Old Guy and Mapleman said.

beenthere

Welcome to the Forestry Forum

I often will plunge cut just below the top side, leaving about an inch of wood to act as a wedge so the cut cannot close on the bar (saves reaching for the wedge to slip in the cut).
Cut through to the bottom side (if you want to toss a piece of limb wood in the open space below then the whole log won't drop so far as to cause a small split near that top wedgie).
Then just nip to remove the top wedge of wood.
I also do what the others have said.
Many ways to "skin that cat" so to speak (old sayin). 
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

thecfarm

As I am limbing,I am putting some limbs under the tree to keep it off the ground. This helps alot. But sometimes I still have to roll the log over with the tractor.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

Spartan

I cut about a third of the way down from the top.  pull my saw out until a little more than the tip is still in the cut then keep cutting down with the tip to about an inch or two below where I stopped cutting from the top (this keeps your cuts lined up).  bore into the wood all the way through and cut down the rest of the way to the bottom.  (you will have about an inch of wood above your saw when you bore through)  when you cut through the bottom (don't hit the dirt) it should separate the bottom and pinch the top like on a hinge.  then just cut up through the strip you left from the bottom up and it should fall in two pieces.  There are other ways to do it as stated already by others, and if the tree is larger than your bar length then you will have to improvise and experiment.  Experience will be your best teacher.  And even the best get their bars pinched now and again.

Magicman

All of the above, and Welcome to the Forestry Forum Brushbuck.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

John Mc

When cutting firewood, I use a combination of Old guy and Mapleman's techniques:

I cut from the top down till I'm close to the ground or the log starts to pinch, then move on to the next cut. Hopefully, I run into a place where I can cut all the way through in one way or another. If I don't find a spot where I can cut through after a few cuts, I'll pull the wedge out of my holster and tap it in behind the bar after I've cut deep enough. If I pound on the wedge a few times, it will open up the kerf further, lifting the log up off the ground underneath the cut. Then I just finish my cut and roll the log to finish off the earlier cuts.

Pounding the wedge in the kerf also works when you are cutting longer lengths (and don't want to keep cutting the log into small sections). You can lift quite a good sized tree by this method (at least good-sized by New England standards).
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

old2stroke

All good suggestions above.  When you are cutting down from above and the cut starts to pinch the bar, quickly pull the bar straight back out of the cut, the pushing chain on top of the bar will help.  If you try to lift the bar up out of the cut, the cut gets tighter as you get to the top of the log.  The WALK OF SHAME is when you get your bar stuck and have to walk somewhere to get an axe or another saw to get it loose.
Not too many saws.  Not enough storage space.

ZeroJunk

Yep. Big saw with long bars can bang you pretty good if you are not careful as they can come out rather forcefully under power.

lumberjack48

  Cut from the top until it just starts to pinch, then bore cut it right though the middle and saw down just leaving the bark holding, then give it a kick or throw a block of wood at it.
Third generation logger, owner operator, 30 yrs felling experience with pole skidder. I got my neck broke back in 89, left me a quad. The wife kept the job going up to 96.

John Mc

Quote from: lumberjack48 on January 26, 2016, 06:38:37 PM
  Cut from the top until it just starts to pinch, then bore cut it right though the middle and saw down just leaving the bark holding, then give it a kick or throw a block of wood at it.

If you are on a thin-barked tree, that's a drill that will quickly increase your awareness of exactly where the tip of your bar is.
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

HolmenTree

The way a chainsaw is designed  with the bar pointing up at a slight angle you have no chance of grounding out the chain in the dirt as long as the saw is held level and the bottom of the power head sits flat on the ground.
Of course this can only be safely done if the ground is flat  with no rocks and the lay of the log produces no binding tension.
So rather then holding the saw at a downward angle while cutting risking grounding out the chain......always kneel down on one knee and cut with the saw's powerhead held completely level. Insert and tap in a wedge if a pinch will happen then proceed finishing cut and roll log slightly if log is flat on the ground.
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

lumberjack48

  When bucking up on the landing, i made that cut 50 to a 100 times a day. After you buck up enough wood, you know where the end of your bar is with in 1/4 to 3/8's of an inch, at least i did. If i hit the ground or got my saw stuck, i wasn't very happy with myself >:( >:( and the crew would be  :o and then  :D.
   
Third generation logger, owner operator, 30 yrs felling experience with pole skidder. I got my neck broke back in 89, left me a quad. The wife kept the job going up to 96.

Carson-saws

 lumberjack48...you are testament to the "other side of the coin" in his type of work.   When you get "hurt"  you get hurt bad.  For what it's worth...I respect your experience and your Wife's devotion....
Let the Forest be salvation long before it needs to be

sandsawmill14

Quote from: beenthere on January 23, 2016, 10:01:57 AM
Welcome to the Forestry Forum

I often will plunge cut just below the top side, leaving about an inch of wood to act as a wedge so the cut cannot close on the bar (saves reaching for the wedge to slip in the cut).
Cut through to the bottom side (if you want to toss a piece of limb wood in the open space below then the whole log won't drop so far as to cause a small split near that top wedgie).
Then just nip to remove the top wedge of wood.
I also do what the others have said.
Many ways to "skin that cat" so to speak (old sayin).

this s what i do but you have to be careful with the bigger saws and the "yellow" chain :) a 70+ cc saw can have a pretty hard kick :o if you dont start it in the log right :)
hudson 228, lucky knuckleboom,stihl 038 064 441 magnum

lumberjack48

Quote from: Carson-saws on May 01, 2016, 08:42:44 AM
lumberjack48...you are testament to the "other side of the coin" in his type of work.   When you get "hurt"  you get hurt bad.  For what it's worth...I respect your experience and your Wife's devotion....
Carson-saws i thank you, a guy can get hurt the first day on the job or 40 yrs down the road. Everyday were out there is just as dangerous as the first day. The wife really miss's logging, she just turned 65 and still has Detroit smoke in her blood.
You should have been there when i had two skidders pulling Aspen tree length into me. They were skidding out of co-piles about 1/4 mile away and said theres no way i could keep up. I told-em to start pulling wood.
I had my son running measuring stick for me, this is a big plus. I was running a 90 Johnsered, 16 inch bar with the rakers cut down to 0.80 [ DON'T DO THIS ]
After all said and done, my father hauled it, the tally was 76 cds. Thats not to bad in about a 7-8 hr day. That Ole 90 was a hand full, you have to be on your toes to hang on to the Ole girl.
The first saw i ran was a gear drive 33 McCulloch, back in 56. This is the most dangerous saw i ever ran. You really had to be on your game plan when bucking up. My father bought a new Ford pickup in 57. I was 9 yrs old and he let me use it to cut and sell firewood with. I got $3.50 to $5.00 a pickup load, talk about feeling good ;D. 
Third generation logger, owner operator, 30 yrs felling experience with pole skidder. I got my neck broke back in 89, left me a quad. The wife kept the job going up to 96.

CTYank

Another simple approach: start your cuts from above in desired locations, stopping each as kerf starts closing, or when more than 2/3 through as preferred.
Take cant hook or peavey and roll log 180 deg, setting some wood chunks to stop it rolling past position.
Finish cuts from above or below as desired.
Bingo! No rototilling!
'72 blue Homelite 150
Echo 315, SRM-200DA
Poulan 2400, PP5020, PP4218
RedMax GZ4000, "Mac" 35 cc, Dolmar PS-6100
Husqy 576XP-AT
Tanaka 260 PF Polesaw, TBC-270PFD, ECS-3351B
Mix of mauls
Morso 7110

trapper

lumberjack48 A gear drive super 33 McCulloch was the first saw I ever used that my father bought for me to cut our firewood at 15.
stihl ms241cm ms261cm  echo 310 400 suzuki  log arch made by stepson several logrite tools woodmizer LT30

Cedar Eater

Quote from: CTYank on May 08, 2016, 11:50:46 PM
Another simple approach: start your cuts from above in desired locations, stopping each as kerf starts closing, or when more than 2/3 through as preferred.
Take cant hook or peavey and roll log 180 deg, setting some wood chunks to stop it rolling past position.
Finish cuts from above or below as desired.
Bingo! No rototilling!

This works if you're cutting reasonably short reasonably light logs up for firewood, but not so good if you're bucking a whole long heavy tree into logs. For that, the wedge from the top works well.
Cedar Eater

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