Final cut here. 5 cm above
center of notch.
First cut
Notch
Second cut
S After removing the wood from the notch,
make the felling cut on the opposite side of
the notch. This is done by making a cut about
5 cm higher than the center of the notch. This
will leave enough uncut wood between the
felling cut and the notch to form a hinge. This
hinge will help prevent the tree from falling in
the wrong direction.
Hinge holds tree on stump and helps
control fall
Closing
of notch
NOTE:
Before felling cut is complete, use
wedges to open the cut when necessary to
control the direction of fall. To avoid kickback
or chain damage, use wood or plastic wedges,
but never steel or iron wedges.
S Be alert to signs that the tree is ready to fall:
cracking sounds, widening of the felling cut,
or movement in the upper branches.
S As tree starts to fall, stop saw, put it down,
and get away quickly on your planned retreat
path.
S DO NOT cut down a partially fallen tree with
your saw. Be extremely cautious with partial-
ly fallen trees that may be poorly supported.
When a tree doesn't fall completely, set the
saw aside and pull down the tree with a cable
winch, block and tackle, or tractor.
CUTTING A FALLEN TREE
(BUCKING)
Bucking is the term used for cutting a fallen tree
to the desired log length.
WARNING:
being cut. Any portion can roll causing loss of
footing and control. Do not stand downhill of the
log being cut.
Important points
S Cut only one log at a time.
S Cut shattered wood very carefully; sharp
pieces of wood could be flung toward operat-
or.
WORKING TECHNIQUES
5 cm
5 cm
Opening
of felling
cut
Do not stand on the log
S Use a sawhorse to cut small logs. Never al-
low another person to hold the log while cut-
ting and never hold the log with your leg or
foot.
S Do not cut in an area where logs, limbs, and
roots are tangled. Drag the logs into a clear
area before cutting by pulling out exposed
and cleared logs first.
TYPES OF CUTTING USED FOR
BUCKING
WARNING:
or hung in a log, don't try to force it out. You can
lose control of the saw resulting in injury and/or
damage to the saw. Stop the saw, drive a
wedge of plastic or wood into the cut until the
saw can be removed easily. Restart the saw
and carefully reenter the cut. Do not attempt to
restart your saw when it is pinched or hung in a
log.
Turn saw
and use a plastic or
OFF
wooden wedge to force cut open.
Overcutting begins on the top side of the log
with the saw against the log. When overcutting
use light downward pressure.
Overcutting
Undercutting involves cutting on the underside
of the log with top of saw against the log. When
undercutting use light upward pressure. Hold
saw firmly and maintain control. The saw will
tend to push back toward you.
WARNING:
down to undercut. The saw cannot be con-
trolled in this position.
First cut on pressure side of log
Second cut
First cut on pressure side of log
BUCKING WITHOUT A
SUPPORT
S Overcut through
1/3
log.
S Roll the log over and finish with a second
overcut.
If saw becomes pinched
Undercutting
Never turn saw upside
Second cut
of the diameter of the