978-1-4222-3389-4

31 Chapter 3: Using Timber

The trees that are picked for cutting are usually felled in the winter. This is when the trees contain the least moisture, making them lighter to transport. The number of trees to be cut determines the tools that are needed. If a few are slated to be cut in a day, a chainsaw may be enough to tackle the job. More trees may call for larger teams of tree cutters and more heavy-duty machinery. To cut down a tree, all it takes are four cuts with a chainsaw. Two cuts are made in one side of the tree, carving out a V-shaped hole. Another V-shaped cut is made in the other side of the tree. The logger is thus making two triangles in the tree, so that it is balanced as if on a hinge before the last and final cut. This helps the logger control where and when the tree falls. Right before the final cut, the logger may shout out “Timber!” to alert others that the tree is coming down. Once the tree is on the ground, the limbs are cut from it, and the big tree is cut into smaller, more manageable logs. The logs are then stacked until it is time to ship them to the sawmill. This stacking does more than keep the lumber in easily accessible piles. It also provides time for more moisture in the logs to evaporate. Many trees may be more than 50 percent water, so allowing time for as much water to evaporate as possible will lighten the load significantly.

This photo shows the V-shaped cut made to fell a tree.