Bucking Rule Of Thumb

It's a general rule that you cut on the compressed side of a tree or log first. When making a bucking cut you dope that out, cut until you see the sides begin to close, then finish from the other side. Miscalculations usually mean you stick your saw. This is an embarrassment if others are working around you. Sometimes your mistake will split the log you are bucking, as happened to the log on the left in this photo.

Many years ago I was watching at a landing when one of the workers  bucked a walnut log wrong and split it nearly down the middle. That's an expensive mistake. It's important when falling a tree, too. Set up your front cut and hinge, then cut the heavy side of the back. Pound in a wedge, and cut out the light side. If you cut the light (tensioned) side first, the tree will sit down on your saw as you try to finish your cuts. It's unhandy, potentially very dangerous, and very embarrasing.