Shoutout to the old timer who told me to try a different notch on a big maple removal

I was taking down a 70 foot sugar maple in Burlington last month, and my usual Humboldt notch just wasn't sitting right with the lean. An older guy on the crew said to try a standard open-face instead, which I never use. I made the cut, and the whole thing hinged way smoother than I expected, landing exactly where we wanted. Has anyone else had a go-to technique totally flipped by a simple change like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

rosew3722d ago

Yeah that "go-to technique totally flipped" thing is so real. It's easy to get stuck in your ways with one type of notch. Sometimes the tree just tells you it needs a different cut.

the_sage22d ago

Totally get that. I used to swear by a bore cut for everything, thought it was the safest play. Then I had this nasty, hollow oak with a back lean, and my usual method just bound up the saw. A more experienced climber on site told me to just go with a straight open face and leave a fat hinge. Felt wrong, but it sat down so soft. Made me realize I was using my favorite tool even when the job called for something else.