Checking Chain Brake? Also, new logger questions

[Canyon Angler]

Hey, guys,

Sorry this is so long winded but I wrote one question, and that led into more. TL/DR - Tried to break it up with CAPS --questions in red

I've been running saws for firewood for a number of years, and I try to follow all the safety rules and have been lucky not to have any accidents or scares, but I'm now moving into some fairly new territory for me – felling and logging in some woods that aren't super remote, but I'll working be alone. (Building a bandsaw mill to cut the yellow pine and oak into timber/furniture grade wood.)

CHAIN BRAKE QUESTIONS
When I use the saw for cutting firewood, I usually engage the brake between cuts if I have to move around or pause, then disengage the brake when I want to cut. Do you guys check to make sure the brake works properly, by stopping the moving chain from time to time? If so, how often? And does this wear or degrade the brake band (or anything else) enough to worry about?

SAFETY AND RIGGING QUESTIONS
Plan to use my chainsaw chaps and a face shield/hardhat, and read up here on what to do if you get hurt, but could also use some advice on some of the technical stuff – felling, rigging with wire rope and snatch blocks, etc. (Will be using my truck and a backhoe and sometimes a home-built log arch to drag logs on sandy level ground in coastal Virginia, and since it won't be a clearcut situation, I'll need to drag logs out of the woods to where I can get a straight pull on them.)

Anyone know of any good, simple online guides to rigging snatch blocks and tree-saver straps, d-ring shackles, chains, wire rope, Amsteel, etc.?

Planning to fabricate a steel log skidding shield like this from the bottom of a 100-gallon propane bottle, to drag out logs without them tearing up stuff and getting hung up as much.

FELLING
I've felled a few smaller trees, and I've read and downloaded all sorts of guides on how it should be done, and think I have a decent understanding of how to do it, but I've also been told that I should find/hire an experienced feller to show me the ropes in person for a day before attempting it myself. Do you guys agree with this? (Will eventually be felling yellow pines to 50-60' and maybe 24" DBH or so.)

Sorry for the long post and thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Jeff

 

[northmanlogging]

Hey, guys,

Sorry

Do you guys check to make sure the brake works properly, by stopping the moving chain from time to time? If so, how often? And does this wear or degrade the brake band (or anything else) enough to worry about?

could also use some advice on some of the technical stuff – felling, rigging with wire rope and snatch blocks, etc.

Anyone know of any good, simple online guides to rigging snatch blocks and tree-saver straps, d-ring shackles, chains, wire rope, Amsteel, etc.?


FELLING
I've felled a few smaller trees, and I've read and downloaded all sorts of guides on how it should be done, and think I have a decent understanding of how to do it, but I've also been told that I should find/hire an experienced feller to show me the ropes in person for a day before attempting it myself. Do you guys agree with this? (Will eventually be felling yellow pines to 50-60' and maybe 24" DBH or so.)

Sorry for the long post and thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Jeff

1 rarely check my brake as it comes on fairly often on its own from being thrown or dropped. Dont worry about it wraring out parts are cheap faces are not.

2 rigging... use 3/8 or 1/2 cable at a minimum 5/8 is better get snatch blocks rated for 3 tons or better, get 2 of em match shackels/clevises to the cable size or bigger. Invest in a couple chokers i prefer cable type some like chains... either way better then shackels and broken lines. Learn the difference between a redirect and 2 to 1 rigging.

As for amsteel or other synthetic winch lines i won't use em fer skidding logs to many abrasives and sharp stuff is hard on rope.

That said good rogging rope is good for pulling trees over.

As to tree savers... a rated nylon strap is cheaper... or a choker on a stump is safer.

As to the falling... many books on the subject d douglas dent probably the best one out there if you can find it, other wise carry wedges use one on every tree... every tree.... make the face cuts clean... if your cuts don't match up stop and chunk it out dont chase yerself trust the aimed cut. Go slow its not a race.... LOOK UP... LOOK UP.... and keep looking up. Better to have to much hinge wood then cut it all the way off.

You get tired STOP dumb **** happens when exhausted.

Hope that helps

 

[Canyon Angler]

Thank you, Northmanlogging, that sounds like great advice. I'm surprised to hear a logger say to use wedges...I have them and use them but thought real loggers might not mess with them. Also glad you advised 3/8 to 5/8" cable because I was just getting ready to buy some 1/4" ...you saved me some money! All this looks like great information. Thank you again for your reply.

Jeff

 

[Gologit]

You could take a look at this...http://faculty.forestry.ubc.ca/bendickson/FOPRLibrary/Library/Safe Work/WCB fallers_buckers.pdf

Finding somebody to teach you in person is the best way but you'll have to make sure they know what they're doing. Plan on spending more than just one day with your mentor.

The main thing is you won't be under any pressure to produce like a regular logger so take your time, think things through, and stay safe.

 

[northmanlogging]

Thank you, Northmanlogging, that sounds like great advice. I'm surprised to hear a logger say to use wedges...I have them and use them but thought real loggers might not mess with them. Also glad you advised 3/8 to 5/8" cable because I was just getting ready to buy some 1/4" ...you saved me some money! All this looks like great information. Thank you again for your reply.

Jeff

a really good faller, might not use wedges often, but they still use em.

Unless the tree has obvious lean in the right direction, I at least palm a wedge in every tree.

 

[madhatte]

Unless the tree has obvious lean in the right direction, I at least palm a wedge in every tree.

Exactly. Cheap insurance against wind shifts, and a good safety habit to do automatically. If nothing else, it prevents the tree sitting on your bar.

 

[Canyon Angler]

Thanks everyone. This is all good info. I'm reading that pdf now, Gologit. Not sure I've seen that one before.

How often do you experienced folks use a bore cut to help prevent a Barber Chair? For big trees, I'm thinking I'd likely use it most of the time to reduce pucker factor. Any drawbacks to this?

 

[northmanlogging]

Thanks everyone. This is all good info. I'm reading that pdf now, Gologit. Not sure I've seen that one before.

How often do you experienced folks use a bore cut to help prevent a Barber Chair? For big trees, I'm thinking I'd likely use it most of the time to reduce pucker factor. Any drawbacks to this?

Not never... but rarely.

A coos bay or cutting around werks better.

Bore cutting while generaly "safe" is slow and isn't a guarantee agsinst chairing.

I will bore a tree if it has severe lean, but its rare.

 

[GilksTreeFelling]

Thank you, Northmanlogging, that sounds like great advice. I'm surprised to hear a logger say to use wedges...I have them and use them but thought real loggers might not mess with them. Also glad you advised 3/8 to 5/8" cable because I was just getting ready to buy some 1/4" ...you saved me some money! All this looks like great information. Thank you again for your reply.

Jeff

Wedges serve alot more purposes then lifting a tree over the lean too, they are great for keeping the kerf open and preventing set back and pinches also make an excellent bobber to give you a heads up Etc. The wcb book posted is an excellent resource for knowledge and safe practices.

Biggest thing I can add to the advice given, keep your chain sharp and your kit in good shape, dont be to proud to ask for help of your unsure of a situation, stay alert and don't rush, also hydrate appropriately. Nothing sucks worse then a Charlie horse from not drinking enough water.

 

[RandyMac]

find a partner, don't work alone.
say me who did it often

 

[northmanlogging]

Most important

Have 2 escape routes when falling.

Most cutters are killed within 10' of the stump.

Run from all of them.

Bucking is as dangerous as falling, limb and scribe then buck from the top down. This also helps with oopsies and makin better lags by being able to add or subtract a little to get better paying lengths.


Oh and call the mills see what lengths they want and what they will take

 

[Canyon Angler]

Thanks, guys. I've got a bag of wedges...really like the "rifled" wedges. Sometimes use them bucking in the woods to prevent kerf closing. I won't use a dull saw.

Face shields: Mesh or polycarbonate? I need to get one to fit my hardhat. My late father gave me some chaps ... gotta start using them.

I'll be bandsawing the logs into lumber myself, Northmanlogging -- just saw your post. I like that tip about 2 escape routes, and "always run."

I really appreciate all this help and advice. Hope y'all don't mind me posting here in the pro's sub-forum...

 

[northmanlogging]

as for face sheilds, I personally don't use one. But mesh don't fog up, and chips stick to the poly.

on chaps, they do have a shelf life, so be careful,

 

[Canyon Angler]

Thanks, I had a feeling the mesh would be better.

The chaps have got to be 10 years old or so by now, and I think I maybe used them once. They've been stored in a dark closet, if it's UV rays that degrade them. I'll investigate more, maybe call the mfgr. Thanks again.

Jeff

 

[madhatte]

How often do you experienced folks use a bore cut to help prevent a Barber Chair? For big trees, I'm thinking I'd likely use it most of the time to reduce pucker factor. Any drawbacks to this?

Second vote for a Coos. Faster, which means less time at the stump, which means safer. Major drawback to the bore is the extra time at the stump. I mean, it works, but it's not magic. Thinking that any one method is always better is dangerous. Take the time to read each tree and each situation. Build a bag of tricks and use the tricks as appropriate. Most of the time a face cut and a back cut with a parallel hinge are all you need, no trickery whatsoever.

 

[GilksTreeFelling]

Thanks, I had a feeling the mesh would be better.

The chaps have got to be 10 years old or so by now, and I think I maybe used them once. They've been stored in a dark closet, if it's UV rays that degrade them. I'll investigate more, maybe call the mfgr. Thanks again.

Jeff

Mesh is definitely better. As to the ages it's not so much uv Ray's as it is material fatigue, chemical contamination (oils gas etc) that degrades the material at least that's the way I see it. My saw pants get replaced every 2 years or when they show signs of failure or the safety portion has been put to use. But 10 years is a long life for a set of chaps. I always err on the side of caution I'd look at replacements but definitely contact the manufacturer for thier input

 

[northmanlogging]

On the subject of boring...

You mentioned you would be cutting pine? I think?

Pine generally grows pretty straight and isn't know to be chair prone, so face it and back cut it, no need to get real fancy. (unless it has sever lean)

 

[Canyon Angler]

Madhatter- Thanks, I googled coos bay and cut around falling technique, and found an old thread here at arboristsite that talked about a "no face" cut ... but the pics had all disappeared. I'll dig into it more.

Northmanlogging - Thanks, that's good to know. Most of my SYP are very plumb and straight, but there are also some bad leaners (we get some STRONG winds here along the coast and had one really bad blow of 40-60 kts for 36 hours straight this winter) but I probably won't go within 50 yards of those for a while. (I've also got a big red maple maybe 24" dbh x 40 ft that mostly severed at the root crown and hung up in some other trees at about a 20-25° angle off plumb ... I need to think about how to attack that one for firewood. Thinking about wrapping a chain around the base of the tree and using a LONG cable/chain to drag it backward away from the lean with the truck...)

Really appreciate all the advice.

 

[northmanlogging]

Get some pics of it from multiple angles.

you might be on the right track already....

Though I bet if you cut the stump mostly free it will go a lot better, without pics or an image its hard to say though.

 

[madhatte]

Madhatter- Thanks, I googled coos bay and cut around falling technique, and found an old thread here at arboristsite that talked about a "no face" cut ... but the pics had all disappeared. I'll dig into it more.

Avoid the "no face" unless you have a specific reason for using it -- you give up all directional control by losing the hinge. Coos is entirely a backcut trick and doesn't sacrifice the hinge. The one exception, which you may have found me mentioning, is cutting small brushy stuff under tension. Often I'll coos it to prevent chairing and skip the face, so that it will tear a strip straight down into the stump. That strip substitutes for a hinge, which is an acceptable compromise in wood that it too small to put face, hinge, and back in but which is still under tension and therefore likely to split. This is mostly a "clearing roads after a storm" kind of application.