The Basics Of Bore Cutting

To fell trees safely and correctly, you must know the basics of bore cutting, sometimes called a plunge cut. On trees with forwarding lean, the customary race to the hinge back cut will sooner or later cause a dangerous barber chair in which the tree breaks at the base, falling in a wild manner. On trees leaning backward, a bore cut lets you use wedges to influence the direction of its fall.

When you do a bore cut, a strip of wood at the back of the tree keeps it secure, giving you all the necessary time to create the hinge precisely the way desire.

Why are Folks so Unwilling to Bore Cut?

Folks are usually reluctant to use the bore cut since they believe it causes kickbacks. Your saw won’t kickback if you direct with the bottom of the bar tip instead of the top. Practice getting use to it.
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The next time you fell a tree, have a stump around two to three feet high on which to practice bore cutting. Steady the saw to make a horizontal cut. Instead of using your index finger, use your thumb on the throttle. It’s much better for parallel cuts. Vision where you want your hinge to be.

Hold the saw, so the bar is vertical to the back of the hinge and start to cut into the stump with the bottom half of the tip. When the bar tip is entirely covered by wood turn, the saw with the tip as the pivot until the saw is equivalent to your hinge’s backside.

Create the bore cut in the hinge’s back until you have sliced entirely through the tree. Then cautiously cut in the direction of the hinge until it is the right size. The hinge length should be around 75% of the tree’s diameter at chest height. The thickness of the hinge should be about 10% of the tree’s chest height.

When you are satisfied with the hinge, cut the opposite way (away from the hinge), keeping a strap of wood on the backside that will keep the tree securely on its stump. Slicing through the strap from the outside is easy and quick. You can be securely away from the tree when it falls.

If you don’t feel comfortable cutting into your tree, contact Buffalo Tree to do your bore cut for you.​

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