TIL about the 3-cut method for removing big branches

I was reading a forum post from a guy in Oregon who said he always uses the 3-cut method for any limb over 3 inches, and I tried it on a maple tree in my yard last weekend. That undercut first really does stop the bark from peeling down the trunk, why didn't anyone tell me this sooner?

2 comments

2 Comments

joseph5294d ago

Hey @alex_taylor10, are you me? I just did a 5 inch limb on a silver maple and that undercut trick made the whole job feel like cheating. The bark didn't even split a tiny bit, and I was ready to patch it up but ended up not needing anything. Have you tried it on a wet branch yet?

alex_taylor104d ago

I did the same thing last year on a big oak limb and the undercut saved the bark so clean it barely needed wound dressing afterward. Just make sure your final cut lands right outside the branch collar not flush with the trunk.