I bent my bar!

[Peter]

I had a little incident this weekend. Been clearing ice-storm blow down and decided to drop a tall pine that was in an inconvenient location. I had an opening ~20 feet wide about ~20 yds out. Thought I could hit it. I made my notch working from both sides and the back cut and holding my breath, over she goes. Damn. Double damn! Missed the opening and hung up on a nasty old oak. The odd growing angle on the oak and size of the pine pushing 90 degree to that lean worried me enough not to try and drop the oak. Dont exactly need any more fire wood, or a busted head. I started cutting the pine taking out three foot sections off the base. Making very deep notchs and a back cut and jump aside quick. Cut after cut I walked the pine right up parallel to the oak. Now I am in trouble. The pine is exactly vertical! I make a notch and back cut and just as the tree moves the chain binds. I pull the saw with all my strength and the tree just rips it out of my hand. Man that was violent, like a tractor kickback. Wanted to pull my arms out of my sockets. I step back, stunned and looking up to see which way its going to fall. Nope. Still stuck in that oaks bear hung.Then I look down and see the handle of my Stihl MS260 sticking up out of the ground. Engine, bar and chain all buried under by the weight of the vertical tree trunk.

Time for a break.... Return later with the bar from my old and deceased 028 and a new chain. Was able to dig around and unbolt the bar from the saw. The brake handle broke off too. Mounted the spare bar and made one more cut and the oak let it go. I guess I whittled about 20 foot off in 7 cuts and still that tree shook the ground!

the end.

[Steve Kunz]

I was cutting fire wood and loading it on a 16' trailer. It was supposed to rain so at the end of the day I slid the saw under the trailer so it would not get wet. A couple days later I hooked onto the trailer to move it and forgot the saw was there and ran over the bar. Luckily I missed the engine, did not even hurt the chain just put a new bar on.

[bill chasser]

I hate it when i hear home owner stories like this. Your damn lucky you didn't mame or kill yourself or someone else. Let alone cause untold property damage beyond a saw too small for the job and the Oak tree. There is a science and a degree of skill involved to felling trees. Saw cuts alone will not insure a proper lay.(Hopefully you realize that now) There are many factors to be considered before ever putting the chain to the tree. That is why we use wedges to slowly and carefully direct the tree. The few bucks you think you saved doing that job yourself is not worth your life and every cut you made trying to relieve the snag from the oak could have been your last. Snags take the lives of many a feller every year who earns their keep in the business. You really don't realize how fortunate your are to tell your story!!! I suggest next time call a professional to take down your trees, safely.

Bill Chasser
Urban Forest Mgmt

[Patrick62]

I might suggest you acquire a book.
[url="http://www.ddouglasdent.com/dent_books.htm"]

Then, to quote a famous person "You can't change the laws of physics".

Sounds like you had a side leaner. They can be tricky. Not to say it could not be done... After hanging it up in another tree (I have been there, done that) and blocking it vertical (again, BT&DT) I probably would have tugged it with the pickup, or possibly dropped the oak.

-Pat

[grub54891]

Had a problem like that once!Cut the bad boy and the thing twisted on the trunk,tipped,layed on another next to it.The thing stood straight up,looked like it grew there.It was in my private woods at the time so I did the smart thing,just walked away.Next day went out and there it was,laying on the ground.WHEW!You never know how they are going to go,heck i even had it weged and the heavy side was on the felling side.I watch that loggers show on the tube,even the pro's get into trouble sometime's.Alway's be carefull! never go alone, And keep a clear getaway path.Tom

[John in Maryland]

You're lucky, tree felling is dangerous work. I was dropping an old dead oak it fell right where I wanted it to but on the way down it broke a limb off a nearby tree that came down and glanced my knoggen and put me right on the ground. I wear a hard hat now.

J.I.M.

[Peter]

J.I.M.

Hard hat. You got that right. Safety is a funny subject. You can always do more, but a certain level is almost required and head protection is needed, at least in full size tree felling -absolutely mandatory. The woods around here are filled with widow makers from our big December ice storm.

I have to admit, I also learn that one the hard way. And - Not enough to buy the gear, you got to use it. A story for another day.

Like every tree is different, so is every person. For me the biggest personal safety issue is FATIGUE. I would say all my close calls, at least in recent memory, have occurred when I was tired.

A Saw Safety thread might be worthwhile, if someone wants to risk it. Please, not a thread about getting some else to do your work. I have been thinking about chaps. How effective, how comfortable?

[bill chasser]

Peter

There are Safety courses out there for the wood cutter and professionals that are available. Even professionals need to keep their skills up. Many organizations offer courses regionally. There are many arborists sites, one called Sherrill. They are a supplier of timber related equipment but they also have specialists that travel the country putting on seminars for the tree care industry. The public is welcome to participate and there are nominal fees involved for all, but it is a wealth of information. Visit a regional logging convention, tree care industry convention and take part in the seminars that they provide. Also check your community colleges that have arbor/forestry programs. Contact your local wildland fire dept for info. From beginning to advanced techniques you can never learn enough. Yes even professionals get into trouble. I lost dear friends in the timber industry from hang ups, snags, widowmakers, and trees that have laid badly from bad cuts. along with operators trying to free snags under the protection of erops on machinery. Every situation is different. I just wanted you to realize that what you did could have been your last outing. When in doubt please call a professional first. Listen to what they have to say. This is what we do for a livelihood and we certainly want to be there in the evening for our families. There are videos and books on the subject of felling basics and of particular hazards, but no amount of schooling and prep can prepare you for all situations. Other considerations are ground slope, weight bias, ;lean, weather and wind conditions, humidity, soundness of the wood being felled, escape routes... Always have several escape routes, keep you work area clear of brush and debri so you have a clear exit. trees have been know to bounce and twist on the stump when it breaks from a bad release. When planning a fell make sure your face cut is opened sufficiently to allow the tree to fall with out breaking your hinge. The hinge is what will hold the tree on the stump until it nears the ground. Felling saws have markings on the saw to help the operater direct his cut to ensure proper drop. As you begin your forward cut proceed slowly and back your cut with wedges. This provides safety in several ways. 1) It helps to put tension on the stump and the timber to keep you saw from becoming pinched if the tree wants to come back on you. A pinched saw is worthless at this point and puts the operator at risk for injury and ... 2) the wedges then can be advanced as you cut a little more. Advance the wedges incrementally in the direction you want the wood to land continue to advance the saw cut slowly but do not take out your hinge. The hinge left intact is as important as everything else you do. It acts to control the direction of the fell, and limit the trees ability to jump of the stump.

Another gentleman brought up a very good point. You should always have a spotter with you at a safe distance in case you get into trouble. One to provide urgent care should you be incapacitated and to call 911. Both of you should be equipped with high shrill wistles so you can get each others attention even when the saw is running.

Thats it for now
Bill
UFM

Hard hats are a must whenever there are overhead hazards from falling debris. Safety glasses to pretect your eyes from chips, dust and other debris, Leg chaps to prevent saw mishaps from taking you leg off. The chaps fibres are designed to jam up a running chain to prevent a more serious injury. They are added protection but won't keep you safe. Also arm chaps or full Kevlar shirts will protect your upper torso and arms in the same manner. Sturdy boots Leather and steel toed to protect your feet. Don't use power equipment when fatigued, under the influence of any medications or alcohol as all of these will hamper any good sense you might have had.