6 ms·

How to buck a tree: Cutting logs for maximum yield (2018)

138 points by brudgers 4y ago

nocy 4y ago
(2018)
- dang 4y ago
  Year added above. Thanks!
js2 4y ago
Here's a really good companion video to go along with the subject: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYJKd0rkKss https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYJKd0rkKss
- Animats 4y ago
  The modern way: https://youtu.be/j2SwTK6p72U https://youtu.be/j2SwTK6p72U
bfung 4y ago
Way more interesting than any computer articles ;)
dang 4y ago
Submitted title was "Getting the most from your logs". Since most of the replies were about that, I'm going to move them underneath this stub. Please use the original title, unless it is misleading or oh never mind.
- dsimmons 4y ago
  Am I the only one that (wrongly) assumed this was in reference to application logs and not... literal logs? xD
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]
  - dopidopHN 4y ago
    I kept scrolling to see what type of software logs that article was about. While scrolling I was thinking it was the most well researched and involved tongue in cheek intro I read in a while.
    - brudgers 4y ago
      “type of software logs” Showing results for *softwood logs*
  - m_antis89 4y ago
    yes
- LewisVerstappen 4y ago
  Very good advice. Great tips on logging when you're working with trees.
- joshxyz 4y ago
  come on. hahahaha.
- hlieberman 4y ago
  I feel like I just got rick-rolled. I love it; brudgers, you are a mad genius.
  - hamasho 4y ago
    I'm redesigning my project's architecture and like "Wow! This article is so timely!" It's exactly what I felt too.
- mandeepj 4y ago
  The title can be edited to include “Tree” before “Logs”
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]
  - whitesilhouette 4y ago
    Nah! This one's better. A mood uplift.
    - mandeepj 4y ago
      Alright! Perfect example of a little thing bringing happiness for some :-)
- AbraKdabra 4y ago
  I don't know if you deserve a prize or a ban from HN for using that title.
- physicsgraph 4y ago
  The best part of this was getting to the tab I had opened long ago and wondering, "how did I get to this page?" and then realizing (after reading it) that I was rick-rolled by HN.
- manibatra 4y ago
  The one time I decided to open the link first rather than read the comments.
- dvtrn 4y ago
  Oh for crying out loud Thanks for the evening chuckle brudgers
- helsontaveras18 4y ago
  Haha love it. Question regarding getting the most from your application logs. My practice is to prefix log statements with the file name and function that’s generating the log. Jumping to that code is just a quick search away. But it does require a bit of manual work to write that extra metadata. I do this because devs just put random logs and it’s so hard to know where they’re coming from. Any best practices?
  - MarkSweep 4y ago
    Various languages have ways of automatically including file paths and line numbers without the caller having to include them every time C# has CallerFilePathAttribute https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/system.runtime.compilerservices.callerfilepathattribute https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/system.runtime.c... C has the __FILE__, __func__, and __LINE__ pre-processor macros.
  - jdadj 4y ago
    Not sure about best practices. But at our small shop, we’ve rigged up our homegrown logging infrastructure to do that automatically by using the C/C++ macros __FILE__, __FUNCTION__ and __LINE__ We hide the data in our log viewer to reduce clutter but display it as a tooltip.
  - dmckeon 4y ago
    Recently overhauled my rsyslog setup to do timestamps in rfc3339 format. Almost as good as keeping a chain saw chain nicely sharpened, and not replaced backwards!
- TuringNYC 4y ago
  I kept thinking this was going to be an Allegory for system logs until I realized it was literal
- fnordpiglet 4y ago
  Really I prefer structured logs.
  - brudgers 4y ago
    Something like a log cabin maybe?
- brudgers 4y ago
  Are you saying the title was a clear cut violation?
trey-jones 4y ago
As someone who grew up cutting trees for milling, this all seems quite intuitive. We also used to just carry a tape measure... though I have flipped the stick on occasion as well.
softgrow 4y ago
I cut up broken trees as a volunteer emergency responder. I'm always fascinated by these puzzles, in that every tree is different in species, condition and nature of the fault. The aim is to make the tree safe for the public by getting the broken bit on the ground then cut up into manageable chunks. in practice it requires more time thinking than cutting. There are heuristics like remove unsupported bits to remove weight, avoid rolling etc but it often seems that you end up at a dead end. Then think, discuss and move forward (maybe). Could make some sort of game, where the top levels are branches suspended in trees, e.g. a bit of tree A comes off and lodges into trees B and C.
- password4321 4y ago
  Coming soon: Gary's Mod - Lumberjack
- ggm 4y ago
  Naieve use of chainsaws is a significant risk. I know, I've tried the baby ones and its very easy to do what cartoonists love to lambast (cutting off the limb you're standing on) (I meant tree-limbs, but the sentence works with the other ones)
  - otherme123 4y ago
    I've never used one of them because they cause me panic. But my father has used plenty, and he always advised me _against_ the smaller ones. He says the small ones tend to refuse to cut a lot, so they kick back, and their small weight make the kick more quick and you end having an accident. The big ones on the contrary, tend to bite hard and when they refuse to cut they are so deep in the wood they doesn't kick back but get stuck.
    - ggm 4y ago
      Yes. The guy with the chainsaw preferred the big one for this reason but he let me cut small branches with his small one until I did the classic "cut the soil" thing which blunts them fast. Chainsaws are one of those "a lot more skill than you think" devices. Even something as judging where to do an undercut before the main one implies impressive thinking. Every tree is different.
ConstantVigil 4y ago
Here's a helpful trick for those of you who might need to get some firewood going but the chainsaw gave up the ghost. It can be kind of tricky and kind of dangerous for the foot if you aren't careful; but you can split a log length wise using only your axe and some torque. Carefully work your way up the length of the log slamming the axe down into the wood in a straight line, or as straight as possible. Depending on the tree and your strength; this may take one or two passes to get it splitting apart nicely. Worst case scenario is you start cutting off small chunks on the side; but honestly you gotta be wailing pretty hard to get that happening on a strong log. Otherwise, once you have your first pass done, start bringing the axe down harder to finish the split; twisting the axe each time to help spread it apart. If you did it right, you should end up with two long halves of a full log. Once that is done, you can do it again with each half; and then buck it down into smaller pieces with a hand saw. Yes, you could use the hand saw first; but this is a much faster method. Or at least I think it is. I can get through a full log in about 5 minutes or so. 10 minutes tops. Never timed it; I just know how long I can stand outside chopping wood with a pair of jeans and t-shirt in -30c weather.
- silisili 4y ago
  Being pedantic, but generally you shouldn't use an axe for splitting wood. Mauls are much heavier and meant for the purpose.
  - drewzero1 4y ago
    A maul would be the proper tool when you've already got the log cut up into firewood length, and you can enter into the end grain. I think what GP is describing is to split the log before cutting it to length, which (as far as I'm aware) is also an unorthodox technique. A maul wouldn't be acute enough to cut into the face grain.
    - silisili 4y ago
      Ahhh, thanks. I must have read it wrong and kinda was wondering why a long description for basic wood splitting. I think you're right, they're splitting an entire tree lengthwise. I've never attempted such a thing, so have no idea what would work best. I'd probably start it with an axe, then try to finish with a maul, but that's a complete guess. But it's just pedantry anyhow, as many people in the US use 'axe' to mean everything from hatchets to mauls to fireman's axes. I do wish people would use the correct terms in general, as it causes a ton of consumer confusion. There's a really light felling axe I like, and every bad review is a broken handle trying to split giant pieces of wood.
sk8terboi 4y ago

138 points by brudgers 4y ago

nocy 4y ago

(2018)

dang 4y ago
Year added above. Thanks!

js2 4y ago

Here's a really good companion video to go along with the subject: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYJKd0rkKss https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYJKd0rkKss

Animats 4y ago
The modern way: https://youtu.be/j2SwTK6p72U https://youtu.be/j2SwTK6p72U

bfung 4y ago

Way more interesting than any computer articles ;)

dang 4y ago

Submitted title was "Getting the most from your logs". Since most of the replies were about that, I'm going to move them underneath this stub. Please use the original title, unless it is misleading or oh never mind.

dsimmons 4y ago
Am I the only one that (wrongly) assumed this was in reference to application logs and not... literal logs? xD
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
- dopidopHN 4y ago
  I kept scrolling to see what type of software logs that article was about. While scrolling I was thinking it was the most well researched and involved tongue in cheek intro I read in a while.
  - brudgers 4y ago
    “type of software logs” Showing results for *softwood logs*
- m_antis89 4y ago
  yes
LewisVerstappen 4y ago
Very good advice. Great tips on logging when you're working with trees.
joshxyz 4y ago
come on. hahahaha.
hlieberman 4y ago
I feel like I just got rick-rolled. I love it; brudgers, you are a mad genius.
- hamasho 4y ago
  I'm redesigning my project's architecture and like "Wow! This article is so timely!" It's exactly what I felt too.
mandeepj 4y ago
The title can be edited to include “Tree” before “Logs”
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
- whitesilhouette 4y ago
  Nah! This one's better. A mood uplift.
  - mandeepj 4y ago
    Alright! Perfect example of a little thing bringing happiness for some :-)
AbraKdabra 4y ago
I don't know if you deserve a prize or a ban from HN for using that title.
physicsgraph 4y ago
The best part of this was getting to the tab I had opened long ago and wondering, "how did I get to this page?" and then realizing (after reading it) that I was rick-rolled by HN.
manibatra 4y ago
The one time I decided to open the link first rather than read the comments.
dvtrn 4y ago
Oh for crying out loud Thanks for the evening chuckle brudgers
helsontaveras18 4y ago
Haha love it. Question regarding getting the most from your application logs. My practice is to prefix log statements with the file name and function that’s generating the log. Jumping to that code is just a quick search away. But it does require a bit of manual work to write that extra metadata. I do this because devs just put random logs and it’s so hard to know where they’re coming from. Any best practices?
- MarkSweep 4y ago
  Various languages have ways of automatically including file paths and line numbers without the caller having to include them every time C# has CallerFilePathAttribute https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/system.runtime.compilerservices.callerfilepathattribute https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/system.runtime.c... C has the __FILE__, __func__, and __LINE__ pre-processor macros.
- jdadj 4y ago
  Not sure about best practices. But at our small shop, we’ve rigged up our homegrown logging infrastructure to do that automatically by using the C/C++ macros __FILE__, __FUNCTION__ and __LINE__ We hide the data in our log viewer to reduce clutter but display it as a tooltip.
- dmckeon 4y ago
  Recently overhauled my rsyslog setup to do timestamps in rfc3339 format. Almost as good as keeping a chain saw chain nicely sharpened, and not replaced backwards!
TuringNYC 4y ago
I kept thinking this was going to be an Allegory for system logs until I realized it was literal
fnordpiglet 4y ago
Really I prefer structured logs.
- brudgers 4y ago
  Something like a log cabin maybe?
brudgers 4y ago
Are you saying the title was a clear cut violation?

trey-jones 4y ago

As someone who grew up cutting trees for milling, this all seems quite intuitive. We also used to just carry a tape measure... though I have flipped the stick on occasion as well.

softgrow 4y ago

I cut up broken trees as a volunteer emergency responder. I'm always fascinated by these puzzles, in that every tree is different in species, condition and nature of the fault. The aim is to make the tree safe for the public by getting the broken bit on the ground then cut up into manageable chunks. in practice it requires more time thinking than cutting. There are heuristics like remove unsupported bits to remove weight, avoid rolling etc but it often seems that you end up at a dead end. Then think, discuss and move forward (maybe). Could make some sort of game, where the top levels are branches suspended in trees, e.g. a bit of tree A comes off and lodges into trees B and C.

password4321 4y ago
Coming soon: Gary's Mod - Lumberjack
ggm 4y ago
Naieve use of chainsaws is a significant risk. I know, I've tried the baby ones and its very easy to do what cartoonists love to lambast (cutting off the limb you're standing on) (I meant tree-limbs, but the sentence works with the other ones)
- otherme123 4y ago
  I've never used one of them because they cause me panic. But my father has used plenty, and he always advised me _against_ the smaller ones. He says the small ones tend to refuse to cut a lot, so they kick back, and their small weight make the kick more quick and you end having an accident. The big ones on the contrary, tend to bite hard and when they refuse to cut they are so deep in the wood they doesn't kick back but get stuck.
  - ggm 4y ago
    Yes. The guy with the chainsaw preferred the big one for this reason but he let me cut small branches with his small one until I did the classic "cut the soil" thing which blunts them fast. Chainsaws are one of those "a lot more skill than you think" devices. Even something as judging where to do an undercut before the main one implies impressive thinking. Every tree is different.

ConstantVigil 4y ago

Here's a helpful trick for those of you who might need to get some firewood going but the chainsaw gave up the ghost. It can be kind of tricky and kind of dangerous for the foot if you aren't careful; but you can split a log length wise using only your axe and some torque. Carefully work your way up the length of the log slamming the axe down into the wood in a straight line, or as straight as possible. Depending on the tree and your strength; this may take one or two passes to get it splitting apart nicely. Worst case scenario is you start cutting off small chunks on the side; but honestly you gotta be wailing pretty hard to get that happening on a strong log. Otherwise, once you have your first pass done, start bringing the axe down harder to finish the split; twisting the axe each time to help spread it apart. If you did it right, you should end up with two long halves of a full log. Once that is done, you can do it again with each half; and then buck it down into smaller pieces with a hand saw. Yes, you could use the hand saw first; but this is a much faster method. Or at least I think it is. I can get through a full log in about 5 minutes or so. 10 minutes tops. Never timed it; I just know how long I can stand outside chopping wood with a pair of jeans and t-shirt in -30c weather.

silisili 4y ago
Being pedantic, but generally you shouldn't use an axe for splitting wood. Mauls are much heavier and meant for the purpose.
- drewzero1 4y ago
  A maul would be the proper tool when you've already got the log cut up into firewood length, and you can enter into the end grain. I think what GP is describing is to split the log before cutting it to length, which (as far as I'm aware) is also an unorthodox technique. A maul wouldn't be acute enough to cut into the face grain.
  - silisili 4y ago
    Ahhh, thanks. I must have read it wrong and kinda was wondering why a long description for basic wood splitting. I think you're right, they're splitting an entire tree lengthwise. I've never attempted such a thing, so have no idea what would work best. I'd probably start it with an axe, then try to finish with a maul, but that's a complete guess. But it's just pedantry anyhow, as many people in the US use 'axe' to mean everything from hatchets to mauls to fireman's axes. I do wish people would use the correct terms in general, as it causes a ton of consumer confusion. There's a really light felling axe I like, and every bad review is a broken handle trying to split giant pieces of wood.

sk8terboi 4y ago