My folks got an awful lot of work out of their kids....but that was 50 years ago. You're right, today it seems kids are no longer expected to work for the families betterment. Sad days are upon us.
firewood cutting with a bad back
- Thread starter Jacampb2
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I have an old Kubota B5200 compact tractor with a 3 point hitch that I use to drag around all my small 4x8 trailers. (i have 6 - 4x8 trailers I found on CL for cheap money. They are just the rite size because I can reach all the way across from one side. I have a few 5x6 trailers but that extra foot makes it impossible to reach across from one side. Any hoo, I bought the tractor new in 1986 and it has been a solid work horse. It has the standard 6 speed manual transmission (no hydrostate) and it will pull a lot more then you think a small tractor could. I am on flat ground so I don't have any hills or slopes to deal with.
You might look for an old small beater tractor that you can use to pull your trailer around with. I put a ball hitch on the 3 point and I can simply back up and lift up on the trailer hitch and away I go. It makes it easy and fast to grab a trailer without even getting off the tractor to hook it up.
A N-series Ford can be had cheap. I've worked those tractors to the bone logging and they keep going. Probly the tractor 2000$ + rear forks 250-500$ depending on how beat up they are. Parts are a dime a dozen for those fords and easily worked on and anyone who has ever had any tractor experience probly has some knowledge about them repair wise. Seems like 100 million of them were made.
I went through about 10 years in my 40's, about every summer working for tree services mostly, my back would go through long periods of daily acheing from moderate to extreme. When i used Husqvarna's with 16inch or 18in bars was worse, especially when the chains were less then perfectly sharp. Seems like for me the cutting I do, a trimly built saw that manuevers comfortably without bumping into your thigh sooner then a bulky saw makes it more comfortable maneuvering. I personally don't care for the angled handlebar position Husqvarna uses. I find it good for felling, but bucking up wood or branches to length i feel it works my back more then the angle my Stihls use. Basically Husqvarnas with under 20in bothered my back the most, 20in not so bad. A 20in stihl 034 feels much better. 22in and up the best. I can stand straight up without bending and around 22 or so the bar tip just misses the ground with my stihls. I wouldn't reccomend short bars except maybe if mostly just falling trees.
A near perfectly sharp chain will make it much less stress probably more then anything. I hate working with poorly sharpened or dull chains. Definitely if your back aches, they will make it ache plenty more.
A near perfectly sharp chain will make it much less stress probably more then anything. I hate working with poorly sharpened or dull chains. Definitely if your back aches, they will make it ache plenty more.
At 61 years old, and a bad back I have to work in short shifts most of the time. As we get older we have to pace ourselves.
My cs-400 with the 18" bar makes life easy but I'm a short guy 5'4. I see guys using 30"plus bars so they don't bend over but being nose heavy with a saw seems counter productive. Something has to support the arms a d shoulders holding that much bar and that's usually the back
Unless you belly's big enough to use as an arm rest.
My friend has an 8N for sale right now. 3 point finish Mower and back blade. I think he said he would take $600 for it. He let a local handy man "TUNE " it up, now they can't get it started. I don't think the guy ever heard of positive ground and switched some wires and fried something. I know I could have it running in a couple hours, but if I get it running, then I'd want to keep it. I already have 5 tractors.
Sorry, we're in one of the other M states, MD.
Not much to fry in those. Basically like a 5hp points and condensor briggs. Probly that's all that would need replaced in it and that's a great deal.
Fatherwheels
Addicted to ArboristSite
We don't get the 4310 or the 4910 here in Ireland, or I would have both.
I now ended up with an Efco MT5200, which for the money I paid will be fine,
but in my hear I wanted to try both those echos, I have yet to resign myself
to AT or MT controlled saws.
Fatherwheels
Addicted to ArboristSite
Yep, the powers that be are doing their best to destroy the family unit,
kids are a law onto themselves now, a one way track, take take and then some.
I forgot to mention earlier, my two younger kids, 13 and 11 are our helping every weekend. I make it fun for them, I hide small "rewards" along the trails. They drive a pair of Polaris 250cc air cooled 4x4 bikes with 3x6 trailers. They aren't always happy about it, bit once they get outside they get into it. My oldest is not an outdoorsy type girl, but she pulls her weight inside. Does a lot of our weekday meals now and helps around the house. I normally cut, my wife will stack on the trails and my kids come around and run loads up to the woods pile. When it's just myself and the kids I will stack too. I have a couple of picks I made so I can just grab a log with each hand, not have to bend over, and I'm pretty well balanced that way.
I've tried a 16" and 18" bar on my saw. I am in way worse shape after running those. One of the first things I taught myself was how to properly sharpen chains. I've got that but dialed in. If I feel I'm having to lean into it at all I switch chains. I bought about $2k of oddball chains that were on clearance at my local hardware. I picked the lot up, 2 totes full for $200. I bought a chain breaker and rivet spinner and have made a plethora of chains out of the lot. I carry enough that I don't have to sharpen in the field. It's all Oregon 20 series chain, but most were uncommon lengths like 67DL.
I am always working on something mechanical... I don't know that I want a tractor that's going to need a day of work every week too. I haven't been seriously looking yet though. I went to one dealership and got a bit overwhelmed by the options...
Thank you all for the advice. I tried to do some of my cutting on my knees today, and that wasn't really working that well for me. It's really swampy where I'm cutting right now so I was up and down a dozen times trying to reposition. I'm far better off on my feet than up and down it seems.
Thank you,
Jason
I've tried a 16" and 18" bar on my saw. I am in way worse shape after running those. One of the first things I taught myself was how to properly sharpen chains. I've got that but dialed in. If I feel I'm having to lean into it at all I switch chains. I bought about $2k of oddball chains that were on clearance at my local hardware. I picked the lot up, 2 totes full for $200. I bought a chain breaker and rivet spinner and have made a plethora of chains out of the lot. I carry enough that I don't have to sharpen in the field. It's all Oregon 20 series chain, but most were uncommon lengths like 67DL.
I am always working on something mechanical... I don't know that I want a tractor that's going to need a day of work every week too. I haven't been seriously looking yet though. I went to one dealership and got a bit overwhelmed by the options...
Thank you all for the advice. I tried to do some of my cutting on my knees today, and that wasn't really working that well for me. It's really swampy where I'm cutting right now so I was up and down a dozen times trying to reposition. I'm far better off on my feet than up and down it seems.
Thank you,
Jason
Cutting is one part of the process. Consider a log arch and setting the logs on some smaller rounds, or hand position a junior arch to lift the end of a log to buck.
I use a pulp hook a lot if loading rounds or limb wood into a trailer, or ground to splitter.
We bought a Thule atv trailer almost ten years ago. I like this one because it is tandem axle, with torsion axles. Which means it can haul a 1/4 cord, and it sits pretty level on it's own loaded or empty. I did add a removable tongue jack to lift the coupler when hitching a loaded trailer. Expensive? Yes. $1,100. back then but very well worth it. I have moved a hundred cord with it. Thirty cord in one year.
Also picked up a four wheel nursery wagon several years ago, a Kory 3000. It is a great rolling work bench for saws and tools, lunch break, and it does have a 3,000 pound rating if you used it for wood. Pin type hitch. I used that to mount a 2" ball coupler, same as the other equipment.
Mounted a bench vise on rear rack of quad for saw sharpening. Great working height, and always close by. I love love it. Makes sharpening much more enjoyable. A sharp saw is a grin to use. Doesn't matter what size saw or what brand. Pretty inexpensive and a game changer in the field.
Lots of small things you could try.
Even a winch to roll logs up onto a cutting bench like loading a bandsaw mill. Or a mini arch on a trailer to load logs on a trailer. Cutting bench on side of trailer.
I use a pulp hook a lot if loading rounds or limb wood into a trailer, or ground to splitter.
We bought a Thule atv trailer almost ten years ago. I like this one because it is tandem axle, with torsion axles. Which means it can haul a 1/4 cord, and it sits pretty level on it's own loaded or empty. I did add a removable tongue jack to lift the coupler when hitching a loaded trailer. Expensive? Yes. $1,100. back then but very well worth it. I have moved a hundred cord with it. Thirty cord in one year.
Also picked up a four wheel nursery wagon several years ago, a Kory 3000. It is a great rolling work bench for saws and tools, lunch break, and it does have a 3,000 pound rating if you used it for wood. Pin type hitch. I used that to mount a 2" ball coupler, same as the other equipment.
Mounted a bench vise on rear rack of quad for saw sharpening. Great working height, and always close by. I love love it. Makes sharpening much more enjoyable. A sharp saw is a grin to use. Doesn't matter what size saw or what brand. Pretty inexpensive and a game changer in the field.
Lots of small things you could try.
Even a winch to roll logs up onto a cutting bench like loading a bandsaw mill. Or a mini arch on a trailer to load logs on a trailer. Cutting bench on side of trailer.
I had a '53 Ford positive ground. Repolarize the generator.
Kids are what you make of them. They should do basic chores at minimum. There values are what you teach them.
Is that popple on the log arch.
I have a brush grapple (https://www.everythingattachments.c...e-by-Everything-Attachments-p/eta-wrg-cmp.htm) on my tractor but it works ok for logs too. Other companies make dedicated log grapples (http://www.frostbitegrapple.com/). My grapple does not close down all the way so smaller logs are just resting in the jaws unless I have a number of them. It's not been a problem and I have plenty of larger logs that the grapple grips. The log grapple will close down on smaller logs but will not handle brush as well.
Rather than cut trees into rounds in the wood and carry them out, I pull the logs to where I can get the grapple to them, cut into 8' lengths so I can carry them back to my wood processing area. I have used chains and cables and now have a winch so I can get logs that are farther back in the woods. Much of my land is steep and heavily wooded so I can't run the tractor or UTV in there.
If you carry logs back to a processing area, you could build a log table. Then you'd be cutting at table height. If the table is next to the splitter you can roll the rounds right to it. Another thing to consider is a splitter with a log lift.
Of course if the kids will work, they're getting to the age where they can be more useful.
I'll also recommend a lighter saw instead of a long bar. When the bar is too long for the saw it moves the saw's balance point forwards which means you're pulling up with the front hand. I'm in good shape and that will make my back hurt. I have a MS241 and an Echo 352, both of which are nice light saws. I have larger saws as well for bigger stuff. The 241 rips for its size. I think a 261 is not much heavier and it's got a larger engine, and is still being sold in the US.
Rather than cut trees into rounds in the wood and carry them out, I pull the logs to where I can get the grapple to them, cut into 8' lengths so I can carry them back to my wood processing area. I have used chains and cables and now have a winch so I can get logs that are farther back in the woods. Much of my land is steep and heavily wooded so I can't run the tractor or UTV in there.
If you carry logs back to a processing area, you could build a log table. Then you'd be cutting at table height. If the table is next to the splitter you can roll the rounds right to it. Another thing to consider is a splitter with a log lift.
Of course if the kids will work, they're getting to the age where they can be more useful.
I'll also recommend a lighter saw instead of a long bar. When the bar is too long for the saw it moves the saw's balance point forwards which means you're pulling up with the front hand. I'm in good shape and that will make my back hurt. I have a MS241 and an Echo 352, both of which are nice light saws. I have larger saws as well for bigger stuff. The 241 rips for its size. I think a 261 is not much heavier and it's got a larger engine, and is still being sold in the US.
There is a sled of sorts sold now thats made of hdpe plastic that is drug across the ground making it easy to roll or drag logs onto it then drag your load out of the woods. It has a simple steel cable loop so anything with a ball or hook can drag it. I was able to drag about 300lbs on one by myself by hand, we loaded it with 2,00lbs and the tiny yard tractor pulled it no problem. Can't for the life of me remember its name but being on the ground kids can load it easy and adults can roll large rounds onto it using a pick or hook.
Karrl
ArboristSite Operative
If you’re cutting smaller ash you might be served well by a timber jack. I got a Stihl log cant for Christmas and it’s amazing how much easier it is to maneuver large pieces of wood. A timber jack is a cant with a stand on it, it’ll keep your wood off the ground when you’re cutting it. If you had a light 60cc saw with a 24 in bar you could save a lot of bending. You could even go 28 with a skip tooth chain. A makita 6100 has easy start and could handle a 28 in bar with 14 in ash. The bar might be hard to find (k095) by I’m sure someone on here can hook you up.
The saw is only part of the strain on your back. Picking up the logs is another. I recommend cutting the logs with the aid of a log lifter such as the Timberjack made by Woodchuck tools, if you don't have a loader or grapple to get the logs off the ground. When the logs are cut, I find handling them with a good Hookaroon (I use the Fiskars long model) or the "Pinch-a-log" will greatly reduce bending over.
