Back cut below gob cut?

[Georgesoton]

Hi all, newbie here

I'm working with a fella who got his ticket six months ago, and I'm concerned he might have got the wrong end of the stick with this. I don't have a ticket yet, but I have worked around many people who do, and I have never heard or seen anyone put the back cut below the gob. Is this something new? Or maybe for a particular situation, so slopes/leaners/splitty types? The fella reckons that's how he was taught by his instructor and is continuing to do it this way as standard. I'm just worried he continually sets himself up with a tree that sits on the saw and wants to go in the opposite direction to the gob. What do you think?

[Luckyeleven]

I read it wrong to start with! slightly below is a no-go. slightly above is ideal IMO

[stihlmadasever]

I was taught to back cut above the gob 1 inch or so

[Dinan]

Gob? Undercut I think. Anyways, the backcut is always above the undercut, you do not want the tree coming back at you. I prefer a Humboldt undercut, never seen one here. Humbolt is better if the log is going to the mill.

[SteveA]

I've sometimes wondered if there's any benefit in angling the back cut slightly downward (whilst keeping the whole back cut above the hinge). I've tried it on a few slightly (very slightly) back leaning trees with no problems.

 

Have I invented a new cut?....

 

cheers, Steve

[Steve Bullman]

Quick answer, no it should never be beneath the gob.

[Rich Rule]

There are times where I have winched trees with dead tops. Back leakers and limited sound wood higher up to anchor the pull line to.

 

Setting the pull line low in sound wood and then having the back cut under the bottom of the face cut creates a lip so you don't pull the butt off the stump when winching.

 

The faster the winch the better. I wouldn't recommend it on a hand pull or a tirfor.

 

It definitely works in that scenario, it was an old school cutter who showed me that one.

 

In nearly every other application it would be level or above the bottom of the face cut.

Edited April 13, 2016 by Rich Rule

[born2trot]

Only need the back cut higher to create the hinge on a 45 degree gob cause this coincides with maximum bending moment of the falling stem I believe . 70 degree gob when topping don't need the higher hinge as I understand . Nothing new in slightly downward back cut either , watched a guy chog down an extremely tall pine on YouTube using this method and certainly looked a talented arborist to me .

PS I've never put my backcut below ..

[josharb87]

There are times (flared buttresses) when back cut lower is safer. Back cut above with flared roots and even with an ideal hinge you can risk severing the fibers

[josharb87]

You see here, the top cut, although good thicknes in hinge has no complete fibers. The bottem cut has the most complete fibers

 

 

 

Something to think about