Solo cutting

[turnkey4099]

I know we all advise the newbies to cut with a partner. I wonder how many of us actually do that. I have been cutting since 1976 and can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I have cut with someone.

Yes, it is a poor practice but reality rears its ugly head. Rarely will your schedule and someone else's meet up more than one or two times a season.

Do I think about the 'what ifs' while I am out there? I certainly do but am resigned to the fact that were I to be trapped somehow, I am going to be out there for some hours until the wife sends help. I always leave a detailed note on the refrigerator on just where I will be that includes my cell phone and the landowners numbers.

Harry K

 

[wooddog 066]

Yeah you have a great point there i know i cut by myself 99% of the time its not a great thing but face it unless you have a fetish like us guys nobody wants to do this work anymore

 

[Circle B MN]

Solo cutter here. At times it would be nice to have some help, perhaps loading or unloading, but it is also enjoyable to have some time alone.

 

[johnzski]

just me and the trees

don't want to worry about someone else around who might get hurt. someone usually knows where I am though

 

[Circle B MN]

don't want to worry about someone else around who might get hurt. someone usually knows where I am though

That part is important. Last summer I was working on a huge oak tree and it got into mid day while I was still working. I ran out of water, and the heat was getting to me. Not a good time to be trying to explain to the Mrs to take a left at the white farm house, go to the split oak, and over the hill, etc.

 

[Mike PA]

I cut alone and I cut with someone. It used to be that I was alone all the time, until a good friend started burning wood again. It is a lot more efficient for the two of us to go out together and cut, so now I mostly cut with someone else. I'd like to say that I do it this way because it is safer, but that is not the case. I'll go back to cutting alone, if need be.

 

[DJ4wd]

I never cut alone,and its not because Im particularly against it, its that I always have my boys with me.

 

[mdotis]

I cut alone most of the time as well

Most of the time I am cutting alone. For a few reasons. One is that my boys are both very young. 3 and 5. The 5 year old I can trust to do what I say and stay where I put him the 3 year old no way will he stay put. The other reason is that I can only get a few hours at a time to cut. I just cannot wait for anyone else to show up for me to cut. Planning a full day of cutting is just way to complicated and then usually the other person bails on me. The other reason is that I work fixing other peoples computer problems all day and time alone is very very nice. For example it is 7:12 am and one person has already screamed at be because her problem is not fixed yet.

 

[Laird]

Mostly solo here as well. It make the use of ALL of your PPE that much more important. I would personally not cut somewhere where there was no cell phone service though.

 

[savageactor7]

Solo cutter here... and I think what turnkey thinks.

 

[Mike PA]

I just cannot wait for anyone else to show up for me to cut. Planning a full day of cutting is just way to complicated and then usually the other person bails on me.

I guess I'm lucky that way. I don't worry about the other guy not showing up. We each realize that we need to get wood when we have access to it. We sometimes get sites that need a road cut or sight lines cut and have a short period of time to get it done. When we get these sites, we are very motivated to get in, cut the wood, and get out. There are other people that will cut with us that are less reliable, but I don't really care if they show or not.

 

[jcappe]

99% of the time I cut alone. My buddies that burn wood always cut on Saturday mornings in the winter. I work on Sat. mornings and usually cut on my afternoon off or Sunday afternoons. I really enjoy cutting with other people but my work schedule doesn't allow it for the most part.

 

[Highbeam]

It's a one person job. I would always worry about the other guy cutting me with his saw, knocking a tree or branch onto me, or even start bucking the same log. Same with splitting wood, there's only one operator on the splitter and then the operator pitches splits into the pile. Maybe the helper could stack while I split but then I might throw a split on him by chance.

Tight quarters, in the woods, cutting, and loading a truck, I need my elbow room to avoid getting smashed.

 

[Mike PA]

It's a one person job. I would always worry about the other guy cutting me with his saw, knocking a tree or branch onto me, or even start bucking the same log. Same with splitting wood, there's only one operator on the splitter and then the operator pitches splits into the pile. Maybe the helper could stack while I split but then I might throw a split on him by chance.
Tight quarters, in the woods, cutting, and loading a truck, I need my elbow room to avoid getting smashed.

I can't decide if you are a control freak or a klutz

Anyhoo... I always appreciate the help and find that it is more efficient with another person, you just have to be careful who that other person. Judging by this, if the other person is you, maybe I am better off alone???

 

[Blackjack1234]

I always cut alone but have become more conservative and careful as I get older. For instance, if my wife is not home I won't cut or I'll call a neighbor and tell him where I'm cutting and to check on me if I don't call him back.

 

[Cedarkerf]

My wife a cutter so shes always rarin to go cut Shes even a member here so I rarely cut alone.

 

[TreePointer]

I prefer not to cut alone for safety reasons, but I do most of my firewood cutting alone, and that's always with full PPE. I'll also leave a note on the farm map of where I'm cutting so my family knows where I am. If there's more risky cutting on the agenda (usually felling a nasty snag), I'll wait until a cutting buddy is around.

 

[gwiley]

As badly as I need to get the firewood I just won't compromise on the solo cutting thing - I need to be alive more.

I have it easy with 2 great boys that are willing to help (16 and 13) and I am happy to pay them when it is a hard job.

If you insist on cutting solo then at the very least you have to make sure you have a cell phone on your body and that it can make calls from your cutting spot.

Call me a wimp - I don't mind taking reasonable risks, cutting solo for me is just not reasonable.

 

[Highbeam]

I can't decide if you are a control freak or a klutz

Anyhoo... I always appreciate the help and find that it is more efficient with another person, you just have to be careful who that other person. Judging by this, if the other person is you, maybe I am better off alone???

Ha! Both really. I want to be in control of my and the other guy's klutziness. Firewooding involves lots of big things that can smash fingers, trucks, toes, and heads. Not to mention cutting the same things.

Of course I would cut wood with someone if we were to make a fun day out of it vs. going out to fill the truck. I would spend a lot of time watching and being overly careful to be efficient if we were both cutting on the same tree and filling the same truck.

 

[Kingsley]

My neighbor and I ALWAYS cut together. We don't cut on the same tree, we look over in the others direction to check every now and again, and if we have a big snag we work together safely (1 saw) to get it down. We both heat with wood and like the work.

The camaraderie in the woods is great. It is where men feel like men. We take breaks and just bs about whatever is in our heads. We kid each other about whose saw cuts faster. Sometimes he brings one of his sons and we tease him about how hard he isn’t working.

Typically it feels like I’m alone out there. When I’m running my saw I can’t hear anyone and we are far enough apart we can’t harm each other. I know I’m safer out there with someone near “just in case”.

I’m really looking forward to getting back out there! :greenchainsaw: