Woodmanship

[Hugo]

I found this a very interesting read on woodsmanship.
Plenty of diagrams on how to do things.

http://www.woodsmoke.uk.com/documents/files/woodsmanship_by_b_mason.pdf

 

[Chambers]

Fantastic book, thanks for the heads up

 

[luckylee]

mate, thanks so much for this link, its a great read, have loved reading and looking at this, and a happy new year my friend.

 

[Deck]

Quality link, thanks for sharing

 

[Sniper]

Some great stuff there mate thanks for the link.

 

[robin wood]

Looks a good basic read at a quick scan through though clearly old and American. There are a lot of things folk would question today from pedantic stuff like mixed up etymology calling axes "pole axes" to differentiate from double bits. A pole axe was something quite different and the back of the axe is a poll not a pole.

The felling cut is potentially dangerous, the felling cut should not be level with the base of the gob but a little higher at least an inch for small trees and 2-3" for large trees depending on diameter otherwise the hinge is liable to break too early and leave the falling tree out of control.

Read with caution it is a good intro.

 

[Peter_t]

The felling cut is potentially dangerous, the felling cut should not be level with the base of the gob but a little higher at least an inch for small trees and 2-3" for large trees depending on diameter otherwise the hinge is liable to break too early and leave the falling tree out of control.

Read with caution it is a good intro.

no true, having the back cut slightly higher or level does not effect the hinge breaking. in fact the 'best practice' in the industry according to NPTC is to cut level as long as it is not bellow the gob.

having the back cut an inch higer can prevent the tree sitting back but not on a significant lean.


pete

 

[robin wood]

no true, having the back cut slightly higher or level does not effect the hinge breaking. in fact the 'best practice' in the industry according to NPTC is to cut level as long as it is not bellow the gob.

having the back cut an inch higer can prevent the tree sitting back but not on a significant lean.


pete

Best practice may have changed since I was in the industry though the NPTC assesment criteria found online mentioned nothing about cutting level and the only advice on the height of the cut was -

"Level cut(s) at appropriate height above level of sink"
and "A hinge is retained of adequate dimensions"

Source
http://www.nptc.org.uk/assessment-schedules/

Having said that my comments were not based on and written best practice but on having felled over 10,000 trees. (I have planter over 10,000 too) The illustration with the felling cut was a fair sized tree for which I would certainly not consider a level felling cut safe.

 

[Dangerous Dan]

Thanks for the heads-up guys

 

[Zingmo]

What an informative read. Highlights for me were the diagrams of the crooked knife on p35 and the rules for a spitting competition at the end!

Z

 

[Ben]

Hi Fellas,

I've uploaded loads of other cracking old books on our website, everything from starlore, trapping and wild foods to plantlore, track guides and seashore eibles - you can find them at the bottom of each of our course pages where you see this 'heads up' image - there goes my bandwidth! ;0)

[/IMG]
Hope this helps. Happy New Year!

Cheers, Ben

 

[treelore]

Have to agree with Robin on the book. It has some great bits in it but also a few bad ones too.

The felling cut is potentially dangerous, the felling cut should not be level with the base of the gob but a little higher at least an inch for small trees and 2-3" for large trees depending on diameter otherwise the hinge is liable to break too early and leave the falling tree out of control.

like Robin i have Felled many tree, 300 tonne of sweet chestnut this month alone and i never have a level back cut. Having a level back cut you have less control on the fell as you have no hinge.....

Could'nt find out either from NPTC or AFAG web site what is best practice as its been 12 years since doing my NPTC tickets. So to find out whats what i`ve asked two friends who are Trainer/Assessor on what is "best practice".

 

[Broch]

I've recently done some (re) training and the NPTC qualified instructor and assessor taught to cut at least 1" above first cut. But I don't quite understand the problem, the book says the second cut should be 1 to 2" above the first - I admit the diagram is not so clear.

I love these old books.

Cheers,

Broch

 

[Peter_t]

well when i did mine about two years ago they said to do the back cut level
i still don't think having it higher makes it break earlier as the hinge will be the same width. i usually do it a little higher but no more than an inch on a tree up to 15inch wide. i do know that when the hinge breaks as the gob closes that on large trees the butt can slip off the back of the stump if the back cut is level but it shouldn’t effect the trees direction.



Pete

 

[Peter_t]

take a look at some of the pictures on this thread from arbtalk, many people cut the stump level.
http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/general-chat/19382-rate-my-hinge.html

pete

 

[Broch]

Interestingly the HSE leaflet:

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/afag302.pdf

says at or above - so it would appear that there is no catagorical answer to this!

Cheers,

Broch

 

[treelore]

yeah Arbtalk is a great site, been a member for a few years now. but still would cut level, most of the photos slow sloped or dog tooths....

 

[flexo]

higher level saw cut is just to avoid tree kickback.

great ol' stuff that woodmanship!