Many times in videos of log bucking, I see the operator rock the entire saw forward, pointing the tip of the bar at the ground and then return the saw to horizontal to finish the cut. What's the point of this technique?
I'll do that when I'm cutting on the ground or close to it. I can watch the tip and see how close I am to the ground and then pull back and finish my cut on the side close to me. If that makes sense.
The only reason would be if the bar won't reach all the way through. The "see sawing/teeter tottering" often seen in videos is just a way to really slow down the cut since you pull a lot more saw dust out going back through the cut again.
I do it when using the 170 on stuff just past 16”.... I could use a bigger saw, but the 170 helps my lower back stay in the mood longer. Cut vertical from far side (after checking for any bad things/rocks) til I know the horizontal cut will have the bar tip in the clear. Also eliminates cutting from both sides. And log rolling, which tends to put my lower back at risk. But- that’s just me dealing with chronic back issues. YMMV. No Benjamin’s needed.
Eric: Benjamin needed for the incredible consult. PM for address. My back problem solved with log rolls with an extension for the peavey handle==torque.
"The point of this technique" as questioned by the OP: To reduce the length of wood in contact with the cutting teeth. Why would you want to reduce the number of saw teeth in contact with the wood? - Manage the flow of chips out of the cut, a saw can bog down if more chips are cut than are ejected. - Reduce the load on the saw motor, all saws have either a maximum or optimum horse-power and engaging too much wood can be less optimum or exceed available hp. What is the "optimum"? For most folks, the operating conditions which cut the round under the saw as quickly as possible. Another choice would be based on saw sound, high speed unloaded. A cutter that does not rock the saw considers the "optimum" to be engaging as many teeth at the same time as possible while cutting. A cutter who does rock the saw considers the "optimum" to be engaging a limited number of teeth at a time. The best part of sawing, you get to choose.
Your whole argument falls on it's face when you watch skilled operators in chainsaw races. THEY DO NOT ROCK THE SAW. They make 3 cuts as fast as possible and "Rocking" is not part of the equation.
Slightly to the contrary, and not to be wholly argumentative- those races are based on a dimensioned cant on a horse/support. Been to several of those races myself to watch.
Firewood Bandit has it right. I only do that if the log is wider than the bar other wise it is faster to cut horizontal all the way through.
On a horizontal log that is wider than my 16 bar, I'll reach to the far side an cut as much as I can, with the bar nose pivoting down.. Then bring the saw back horizontal an cut down through the now thinner log. I think others have said that. But my 2coppers
Right. In ideal conditions, the whole cut horizontally is fastest. But sometimes limitations present themselves.
I heard it refered to as overbucking. As mentioned above, if the bar is not quite long enough to reach through a log. I do it a lot because i keep a 16" bar on the 241 in the toolbox on the quad
I'll use the technique initially when bucking a log that is off the ground and would pinch the bar if cut straight down. By reaching to the far side and cutting vertically, I'm eliminating wood to be cut while leaving a narrower but vertical intact piece of wood. Kind of like a wide joist. I'll then cut from the top down until I see or feel the wood pinch a bit and then cut from the bottom up to finish the cut. The log is going to pinch about the same place vertically in the cut whether or not wood on the far side has been cut. By going after the wood on the far side first, I am reducing the amount of time that I need to spend doing the bottom up cut to finish off.. The cut on the far side that goes to the bottom of the log also gives me a reference point from which to start the upward cut.
