Check this out by using the "gunning sights" which are built into most saws. Insert the bar into the face cut all the way with the bottom of the bar against the wood where the two cuts come together. Aim down the gunning sights and if you cut your backcut correctly, the tree will land right where you are aiming.
Q: Explain the backcut.
Carl Smith: The "backcut" is a cut placed approximately two inches above the point where the two face cuts join. When starting your backcut stay on the same side of the tree you were on while making the face cuts. Cutting with the bottom portion of the saw bar, you should begin the backcut.
Once the bar is partially into the tree, stop and check both sides of the bar and make sure that your backcut is level. You want to do this several times during the backcut process. You also want to check to make sure that you leave enough "holding wood". Do not cut your holding wood all the way through. Holding wood is the remaining wood fiber left between the face cuts and the backcut. If this hinge of wood is cut completely through or angled, control of the tree's direction of fall will be lost.
You can also leave too much holding wood. When cutting larger trees, leaving too much holding wood can cause the trunk to split upwards and abruptly stop the tree's momentum. When the tree stops, the uppermost part of the tree can break off and come slamming down around the base of the tree. Heavy, leaning trees should have the proper holding wood when making your backcut.
If you are cutting a big tree insert a plastic wedge behind your bar to prevent the tree from sitting back on the bar and chain. As you continue on the backcut make sure that the wedge follows the bar in by tapping it with your hatchet or falling ax. Do not to drive it into the chain as this could cause the wedge to kick out.
Q: Carl, everything can go smoothly and still something unexpected might happen. You mentioned escape routes. What are they and how do you pick one or several.
Carl Smith: When the tree begins to fall, remove your chain saw if you can. Move quickly down one of your two previously prepared escape routes. A primary and secondary escape route should be pre-planned before cutting any tree.
Normally, the primary escape route is 135 degrees away from the intended fall line of the tree. The secondary is figured from the other side of the tree, once again, 135 degrees from the intended fall line of the tree.
Never run directly in the opposite direction of the fall line of the tree. Bad news can travel in that direction as well as in the direction the tree is falling. Do not take your eyes off the falling tree. Never turn your back completely on the tree. When the tree is on the ground wait for at least 30 seconds to allow falling debris to settle.
Learn how to "read " stumps made by other chainsaw users. After you have cut your trees, take the time to look over your stumps and analyze what happened. This is the best teaching tool available to you.
Steve Nix: Carl, we are all done. I can see that we only scratched the surface on handling chainsaws. I would suggest that people and companies consider asking professional cutters like you for training. Thanks again for this great information.
Carl and I have discussed how hard it is describing the process and hazards of felling , limbing, and bucking a tree. There is a lot of technique and art to felling and preparing logs that has to be done many times to get the true feel. Please feel free to contact Carl by e-mail at backcut6@msn.com if you have questions.
