Good critique from a utility guy changed my notch cuts

I was doing a big takedown near some power lines last spring. The utility foreman watched me notch a maple and just said 'your open face is too small.' I thought he was just being picky. Next tree I tried his way, bigger notch with a wider opening. Tree went exactly where I aimed it. Has anyone else had an old timer give them a simple cut tip that made a huge difference?

2 comments

2 Comments

singh.blair4d ago

Huh, is this really that big of a deal? I mean, I get that the guy knows his stuff, but how much difference can a slightly bigger notch really make? Seems like a lot of people overthink this stuff and blame the cut when it's just bad placement or wind or whatever. Not saying you're wrong, but I've had plenty of trees go where I wanted with a basic notch.

the_kai4d ago

Read something from a logging safety report that said even a 10% difference in the notch angle can change where the hinge wood breaks by like 2-3 feet. That's plenty to land on a shed or a power line instead of the open spot you aimed for. Plus the holding wood on the back cut matters way more than most folks give it credit for, a bad notch there messes up the whole thing regardless of placement. So I think it does make a bigger difference than people realize, especially when you're dealing with a heavy lean or dodgy wind.