What AM I thinking here?

[Slow1]

Ok - lots of references to saw safety. I just tried to search and find a thread on this topic. Can anyone point me to a thread and/or a good source for reading up on 'proper' chainsaw safety? Or perhaps I should just go start a new thread and ask the question?

 

[meathead]

May as well start a new thread.

We have a local guy who owned a tree business come in and give a seminar for employees every year or so (landscape company - so our guys ocassionally need to buck some fallen limbs etc).

I don't think you can beat a hands on seminar. Reading about it will only take you so far. I'd bet dimes to dollars if you called a reputable tree company and explained your situation and offered $40 or $50 to meet up with one of their experienced guys for an hour off work hours they'd have someone who would be happy to meet up with you and give you the run down. Chances are the driver of your log load won't be a saw guy, but you never know, it may be worth asking the company delivering your logs. It will be well worth a few bucks to have someone who uses a saw for a living show you how to use your saw. These guys run these thing 8+ hours a day sometimes - if they have been doing it for a number of years and still have all their appendages you can bet they are serious about saw safety.

 

[LLigetfa]

Eye protection is a must.
Hearing protection.
Kevlar chaps or pants for sure.

Be aware of the nose of the bar. Catching the nose on a log can kick back so fast you won't know what hit you even with a chain brake. The chain brake might only reduce the severity from certain death to a slower death. Bucking on the pile where logs are close together greatly increases the risk of kickback. Roll the logs out with spaces in between. Do NOT use the tip of the bar until you are very familiar with just how dangerous it is.

Don't hold the saw while you are kicking the bucked rounds out of your way unless you set the chain brake on. If you set the saw down and leave it running, set the brake. It's easy to walk or fall onto the saw.

 

[Got Wood]

Check out this web site...

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/logging/manual/manual.html

 

[Risser09]

I have formed the habit of always putting the brakes on after finishing a cut, because I might release one hand to move something or step over something. Even when I don't, I find myself putting on the brakes.

 

[meathead]

I'll add the following to LLigetfa's advice:

- Run the saw wide open when cutting, period.
- Keep your pivot arm locked and held out away from your body so the chain brake has a chance to do its job.
- A twig can bind the saw up and/or kick it back just as easy (or easier) than a 40" log. Don't fall into the mindset "i'll just knick this off quick"
- While you're getting used to running the saw, take frequent breaks. You will get tired running a chainsaw without even noticing it, and before you know it you're doing sloppy, dangerous work

 

[smokinj]

I have formed the habit of always putting the brakes on after finishing a cut, because I might release one hand to move something or step over something. Even when I don't, I find myself putting on the brakes.

a good habit to have!

 

[Slow1]

May as well start a new thread.

We have a local guy who owned a tree business come in and give a seminar for employees every year or so (landscape company - so our guys ocassionally need to buck some fallen limbs etc).

I don't think you can beat a hands on seminar. Reading about it will only take you so far. I'd bet dimes to dollars if you called a reputable tree company and explained your situation and offered $40 or $50 to meet up with one of their experienced guys for an hour off work hours they'd have someone who would be happy to meet up with you and give you the run down. Chances are the driver of your log load won't be a saw guy, but you never know, it may be worth asking the company delivering your logs. It will be well worth a few bucks to have someone who uses a saw for a living show you how to use your saw. These guys run these thing 8+ hours a day sometimes - if they have been doing it for a number of years and still have all their appendages you can bet they are serious about saw safety.

I just did create a new thread. Hopefully it will help whoever is next looking for this be able to find the information more quickly.. Here is the link:

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/30924/

Rather than further hijack this topic, and in the interest of making it easier for those who follow find this good advice I hope folks will post their advice over there.

Thanks.

 

[LLigetfa]

- Keep your pivot arm locked and held out away from your body so the chain brake has a chance to do its job.

To add to that, rotate your wrist away from your body (and closer to the chain brake) when cutting. You need that chain brake to engage as soon as possible. Try out the chain brake with the saw off by raising it toward your face to see just how close to your face the saw can get before it trips. It's a real eye opener! I found that out quite by accident with the saw running at full throttle

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Getting back to the original post, one question keeps coming into my mind. What kind of wood is this? Getting from some tree service, you might like or might not like the type of wood you get. For example, I'd be ticked if all I got was poplar, or cottonwood, or even box elder. So I would not make up my mind until I knew what I was to get for this load.

Another word of warning to those new at this. When cutting or splitting wood, do not do it when you are tired! Especially using the saw. Tired bodies are the ones that get injured fast. If you get tired, quit.

 

[cannonballcobb]

When y'all get logs delivered, how do you move them out to buck? Logs always weigh more than I think when I'm cutting. There are trunks that I can't lift that are only 18" long that I have to just leave at the site until I bring a splitting maul to half it. I can get a load of logs from a tree service for free and was thinking to do this, but didn't know how I would get them off the ground and move around without a forklift or bobcat.

I use a Timberjack, works great, you can get them at Northern Tool.

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200357988_200357988

 

[LLigetfa]

A cant hook (peavey) is a great way to move long heavy pieces and the modified version with the foot shown above is good for raising a log slightly off the ground. It won't get a heavy 18 inch long round into the back up your pickup unless you use it to roll the round up a ramp.

 

[JerseyWreckDiver]

$700 Bucks I guess I don't know how good I have it... around here the tree service guys are begging for people to let them drop a truck load. We get it for free...

I haven't paid for firewood once in the six years we've lived here and been burning for heat. I surely wouldn't pay 7 bills for something I still have to work for days to process.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

When y'all get logs delivered, how do you move them out to buck? Logs always weigh more than I think when I'm cutting. There are trunks that I can't lift that are only 18" long that I have to just leave at the site until I bring a splitting maul to half it. I can get a load of logs from a tree service for free and was thinking to do this, but didn't know how I would get them off the ground and move around without a forklift or bobcat.

I use a Timberjack, works great, you can get them at Northern Tool.

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200357988_200357988

I tried one of these things and it didn't work worth a hoot for me. I'll stick with the cant hook.

 

[Gooserider]

It's amazing how hard the work is. My hat is off to people who can do a cord in a few hours. Heck, I can't process a tree into lengths I can carry and load in my truck and dump in less than a few hours. Much less buck to length and split and stack. I don't have a splitter, but have a nice pile of 4-5' logs I'm going to buck everything and then rent a splitter when I get ready. I work alone so I've learned to just take it easy and I don't try to act like Paul Bunyan. When y'all get logs delivered, how do you move them out to buck? Logs always weigh more than I think when I'm cutting. There are trunks that I can't lift that are only 18" long that I have to just leave at the site until I bring a splitting maul to half it. I can get a load of logs from a tree service for free and was thinking to do this, but didn't know how I would get them off the ground and move around without a forklift or bobcat. I'd love to have a big bucking horse with some skate rollers on it to run it down after every cut. But how do you get a 10'- 8" diameter log up on it? I checked around at the rental places before buying a decent saw, they wanted $75 a day for a saw. I got mine for under $200 and it's handled everything I've needed it for. I'm going to wait on buying the splitter though, it rents for the same amount, but is a tad bit more expensive even used. When I'm feeling fat I go process some wood, it is great exercise and you are rewarded with extra seasoning time.

I almost never try to put something up on a horse - get a peavey or cant-hook and roll logs as needed to finish a cut on the ground. I like using a "felling lever" for this, as it combines the functions of a pry bar which can be used to open up a cut that pinched a bar unexpectedly, or break apart a round when two cuts didn't quite line up, as well as a "mini" cant hook that I find is an ideal size to roll small logs. What I do on a stack is very careful planning and cutting of rounds right off the ends of the stack, and along the length of the upper logs - With the saw off, very carefully look to see what is holding a log in place and plan how to cut so that the rounds either stay in place or fall off the stack where you want them. Start the saw, make the planned cuts, shut-off, and plan the next batch... If you just keep nibbling around the edges, you will get the pile gone surprisingly fast, and it's not a problem if you cut through one log into the round under it...

For handling, get a PAIR of "pulp hooks" - they will make it a lot easier to handle rounds, both by reducing the amount of bending you need to do, and by effectively putting "handles" on the rounds to move them with. I also will use ramps to help get big rounds into a vehicle or onto my wagon. A lot of wood handling is more learning tools and techniques than it is brute strength, though there's nothing wrong with having a brute handy as well...

Gooserider

 

[ansehnlich1]

I didn't keep track how long it took me to turn this......

(broken image removed)

into this......

(broken image removed)

All I can say is that after it was done it really didn't seem to be too bad of a job. I sawed the load up with my trusty craftsman 18 inch and poulan 16 inch chainsaws, and split it all with a 3 pt. hitch splitter hooked up to a ford diesel tractor. I think I worked on it probably 30 hours or more.