Do & Don`t

[The Count]

Hi guys, I was thinking that would be both funny and very helpful to share small tips from your experience with the saw;
The replies may be witty or focused, either way will be fun.
If pictures available, then even better.

I have a fresh one: when someone asks you to cut a tree, make sure it is the owner of that tree; (LOL)
I have a friend that was fooled by that: a neighbor hated this guy`s tree for it was blocking it`s view somehow.
needles to say the circus that started when the owner came home and found my friend doing the finishing touch.

I`m sorry I wasn`t there to film it.

another one, you all know: when chainsawing in the forest and thirsthy, never eat yellow snow.


Cheers and happy Holidays.

I`ll go now have a blody Mary... LOLz

 

[ropensaddle]

Though their wood and you may think their neat. Don't take any wooden nickels:monkey:

 

[Bob Wright]

I came home one day and there was a guy hacking on my 10 year old Oak tree. I asked what he was doing and he said the neighbor didn't like it and wants it cut down. Needless to say i sent him on his way and the tree is still there. He said that she said that she owned the property it was on. Nope its mine...Bob

 

[andrethegiant70]

Once we had moved to the mountains and I had decided to cut my own firewood, I got myself a raggedy 041 Farm Boss. A great saw, of course, but a truly horrible choice as a first saw. I'd never even HELD a chainsaw before. I did my research on where to go, spiffed the saw up some (didn't know anything about saws, of course), bought a little Toyota four wheel drive and headed out to the woods. It took me about 45 minutes to get where I decided to go, stuck the saw in the wood and it stopped cold after about an inch of cutting. Couldn't get the thing to pop to save my life. I had not thought to bring even one tool... no screwdriver, no scrench, no nothing. Packed up and went home. GREAT first outing!

It ended up being a tiny piece of carbon that bridged the spark plug electrode. If I recall correctly, my next visit was to AS to figure what the h$ll I should be doing.

 

[zogger]

If you have a one saw plan...

If you have a one saw plan...don't go out without at least an extra bar and chain, an ax, and your scrench...

don't ask me why I know this.... 0_o

 

[bobt]

I told this story once before on AS, but here goes again in a shorter version.

Dad and I took care of a cottage of a friend who was unable to do much work. This was way back when I was about 16 years old.

Dad, Don (the friend), and an old lumberjack named Elmer were sitting around at camp one hot summer day drinking beer when Don comes out with "Why don't we take down that big dying Maple over there by the water pump".

Dad said no, because it's too hot today, and it will only fall toward the camp unless I climb up there and take off that huge hanging limb.

Old Elmer said it could be done, and to make a long story short, Don and Elmer went about cutting a notch, and started the back cut. They were pounding in wedges and everything.

Dad said to me "You better move the truck or they'll have that tree right on top of it!" So I did move the truck. Good thing too!

Next I knew, there was this loud crack, and the tree twisted on the stump and fell right on top of the camp deck and roof that covered it!!!

Of course Dad started with the "I told you so" routine.

Well, old Elmer hightailed it for town, and you know who got left to clean up the mess!

Bob

 

[spudulike]

Dont forget the files when going out with one saw.

I hit the dirt with the first cut using the Jonsered 630 and spent another hour cutting or perhaps, "wearing" my way through wood would be a more accurate description. Silly thing is that I had enough tools to strip the saw down to bits......just no files, Doh!!

Spud

 

[Anthony_Va.]

Don't cut yur dang leg off!

One thing I learned from a bad experience is to keep your eyes to the treetop while cutting whenever you can. Watch for them dead and hanging limbs (widermakers).
I was cutting out a fencerow just this summer and had been working my way down the row pretty good. Most of the trees were around 30" with an occasional 40" or 20". I had got to this half dead large Oak tree and I noticed there was a big limb hanging loose in a fork in the tree about 20ft up. I warned everyone not to walk under it.
I get ready to cut it and start planning my attack and forget all about the limb. I swear I had not even touched the tree. I hear the noise of it falling and hear someone holler at me. Look up and see it coming but could'nt move out of the way in time. I ducked down and it jabbed me right in the back. It was about 8ft long by 8" or so round. Sucker had probably been hanging there for years and just decided to fall right then. It was a lone tree and I know that no other trees has brushed against it while falling or anything. It just decided to fall at that time. I was lucky it did'nt hit me in the neck or even the helmet would have been rough. I did'nt knock me down, only down to one hand. The guys could'nt believe it did'nt take me down and they took it to the barn and weighed it. 140 lbs! :help: It had to have glanced some, because a direct hit of that weight from 20ft could have broken my back.

SO keep them eyes up! I can't help but keep mine up after my little accident.

 

[mowoodchopper]

dont screw up and have a big cottonwood go the wrong way and come back on you, Do get the hell out of the way if this happens!

 

[WoodChuck'r]

Don't keep rubbers in yer wallet.

 

[sefh3]

Stay out of apple orchards!!!!!

A few years ago, I had a load of apple dropped off to my cousins house. The said all of the trees where old overgrown apple trees. They where free and I enjoy the smell of it burning. After cutting up half the load, we came to one and within seconds of touching the wood, sparks where flying. Come to find out most of these trees had grown over the stakes that hold them up when they are young sapplings. Half of the load was like this and I had one heck of a good smelling bonfire that night. Thankfully it was free. I would have been upset if I would have paid for this wood.

 

[edisto]

SO keep them eyes up! I can't help but keep mine up after my little accident.

That's important advice, and the one thing I never developed as a habit. I put myself through school running a saw, so now my habit of not looking up has been firmly ingrained. I know better, and always look up first, but once I start cutting, it doesn't pop into my head. Hopefully whatever does pop into my head doesn't teach me a permanent lesson.

Like I used to tell the kids when I taught firearm safety in Kansas: learn what is safe, and do it every time so that it becomes a habit. Unlearning is much harder than learning.

 

[jeepyfz450]

My only advice for a chainsaw Newbie is TAKE YOUR TIME. People come on this site and see vids of guys cutting cookies really fast or pro loggers dropping trees real fast. Just take your time. Rushing will get you hurt in the woods, on the landing, and even in your yard. I have taught a few people how to run saws and they always seems to want to try and cut as fast as possible and not watch what they are doing.

 

[WoodChuck'r]

My only advice for a chainsaw Newbie is TAKE YOUR TIME. People come on this site and see vids of guys cutting cookies really fast or pro loggers dropping trees real fast. Just take your time. Rushing will get you hurt in the woods, on the landing, and even in your yard. I have taught a few people how to run saws and they always seems to want to try and cut as fast as possible and not watch what they are doing.

In all seriousness, that's some DAMN GOOD advice.

Noobs see ported 7900's on YouTube and immediately they want one for their first saw. That's not really a great idea. These are very unforgiving machines and with very little error they will cause extreme injuries and fatalities.

Cut safe everyone.

 

[SteveH]

If you are gonna drop a bad leaner, or even an iffy leaner, or a tree you might think is cracked and/or leaning, whatever, look it over, plan the drop, plan your escape path, then take a break and do it all over again. There have been a few trees over the years that I even went home and came back another day, rested up [and having mentally planned it out again]. A pro might not have to, but it has served me well after a couple of calls so close it is amazing I didn't kill myself.

 

[CTYank]

My only advice for a chainsaw Newbie is TAKE YOUR TIME. People come on this site and see vids of guys cutting cookies really fast or pro loggers dropping trees real fast. Just take your time. Rushing will get you hurt in the woods, on the landing, and even in your yard. I have taught a few people how to run saws and they always seems to want to try and cut as fast as possible and not watch what they are doing.

That's certainly not just for Newbies.

Saving a second or two per cut is nothing compared to time spent sitting in an ER waiting for stitches, or waiting for wounds to heal. Think ahead.

You don't want to become known as "Lefty."

 

[PLMCRZY]

Take your time drop smaller trees then move to bigger ones. Towards the end of my firewood season i was getting faster and dropping bigger trees with accuracy. I dropped a good sized oak a while back and i had to go between 2 power lines with about 3ft of clearence on each side. I got it perfect made me very proud of myself. Def. be on your toes though!

 

[blackoak]

At the end of the day, no matter how tired and worn out you are . Go ahead and spend a little more time prepping your saw for the next mornings use. Blow to crud out of it and sharpen, or change out the dull chain and fill it up with gas and oil. While the rest of the crew is doing this the next morning, you can be drinking coffee and eating doughnuts.

 

[PLMCRZY]

At the end of the day, no matter how tired and worn out you are . Go ahead and spend a little more time prepping your saw for the next mornings use. Blow to crud out of it and sharpen, or change out the dull chain and fill it up with gas and oil. While the rest of the crew is doing this the next morning, you can be drinking coffee and eating doughnuts.

Yep everyday i got home after cutting i took the clutch cover off got all the grime out cleaned the airfilter, sharpened the chain, refilled everything for the next morning.

 

[crane]

My advice, is to learn the basics of maintanence. Take the minute or two to clean your saw after cutting. Blow it off and wipe it down. It'll cost you nothing but time, but pays dividends in the long run.
AND DO NOT store your saw for long periods with fuel in it. If you can fill it, you can drain it.
You invested in your tool, use premium fuel and quality mix oil. How many threads are started here, and the culprit was using the wrong mix/poor fuel?
Last- READ the Manual! I have more people come into the shop with concerns that could have been remedied by simply thumbing thru the manual. Takes all of 20min and who knows, you might learn something. Telling me that you've run a saw for 20years is not a valid excuse. Mix ratios have changed, carbs have been updated, filter designs are different, etc

Drew