Which way did he go...the OP that is.
Could use advice on how to address a challenging situation with the chainsaw...
- Thread starter klondike204
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I'm not sure, he never PM'ed me or anything. Maybe the email are going to his spam box, been there before.
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Like a moron, last year I had a similar situation, and didn't pay attention to the limb situation, I cut a limb that I should have payed more attention to. ER visit cost me $250 plus the 7 stitches. Always be aware of any possible hazard. That branch coming back almost cost me my eye. Thanks to GOD I only got 7 stiches. Learning lesson, the hard way.
dor-moor hands
ArboristSite Member
If you need help and are near Bay City I will be in the area until Wednesday.
bigfellascott
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Yep very dangerous situation - had the same thing happen to me just the other week, I was cutting a downed tree and didn't do my due diligence and have a good look before cutting, anyway I cut a branch and next thing you know I'm sailing through the air and landed about 2m away with a dazed look and WTF moment, luckily the chainsaw went one way (the brake activated) and I went the other and no damage to me or the saw (the saw took the brunt of the force) but I do know of a fella who had the same thing happen to him and the branch smashed him in the jaw and did all sorts of damage and 4mths in hospital as a result.
I'd also be very wary of cutting that root ball too, they can be under load and spring back up real quick resulting in you getting your head ripped off if you aren't careful (keep your body well away from it when cutting) but I would if you can drag that whole tree to make it safer to cut up.
What's up neighbor. I don't think I've seen you around the site before.
Where abouts are you up that way.
I'm just east of Grand Rapids if you ever need anything down this way.
Brett
dor-moor hands
ArboristSite Member
I have been on and off over the last couple of years. I was on pretty frequently than got a little frustrated with some of the internet tough guys. So I backed off for awhile but here I am again. I am in Essexville. My full time job is with the Coast Guard but I do some freelance climbing work up here and had heated with wood. I am transfer to South East Alaska soon my last day in Michigan is the 18th. I appreciate the offer of help. I imagine I will end up back in Michigan again. I have done two tours here and one in Duluth so I am bound to come back and maybe retire here.
Sorry to hear about the bullies, seems everywhere you go there they are. I try to find places I can hang out without dealing with them unless they are trolling which can't be avoided, but they don't last to long when they don't have all their buddies to back them up.
I've been up that way a good bit, used to make steel deliveries up in Augres, Pinconning, sebawaing, Caseville, Bad Axe, my daughter also road in the state finials for high school equestrian team all four years in Midland
.Do you work with the boats or the choppers.
I've always thiught I'd like it up in AK, I see a lot of similarities to MI, just not as many people
.Keep in touch, if you head back down we'll hook up.
Hope you have a great time up there.
dor-moor hands
ArboristSite Member
I run boats working on lighthouses and servicing buoys. I am looking forward to less people and more space. I have wanted to get to Alaska for some time. The opportunity finally came up and I jumped on it.
Cool.
I like people, but I like open space as well. It can be hard finding the balance there lol.
I still hope to make it up there one day. Glad your getting that opportunity now, and with a job to boot
.
I hate to give advice in case it produces false confidence...
We had a tornado through our woods about a month ago, and I have been dealing with a lot of these. The tornado stayed about 30 feet in the air, so it only took down (or snapped) the big trees.
What I have been doing is cutting the stump off first, using a box cut. Generally, when there is air under the log, it is going to want to fold downward. I cur a wedge in the top, cut the far side vertically, and then use the tip to cut vertically on the near side, then slide the saw forward and cut up from the bottom.
Using the tip is bad advice if you don't have enough hours behind a saw, but you can switch sides to make the second cut. The big problem with a blowdown like that, as was pointed out, is that it is likely the stump will want to right itself, which reverses the pressure on one side of the cut. It looks like you have room underneath, so I would make a wedge on the top and bottom, and pay very careful attention to which way it starts to pinch as you are cutting.
Also...don't use the longest bar you have just because you have one. It turns out that it takes a long time to pull a long bar out when things go the wrong way and you are likely to pinch it if you are used to a smaller bar. Ask me how I know...
We had a tornado through our woods about a month ago, and I have been dealing with a lot of these. The tornado stayed about 30 feet in the air, so it only took down (or snapped) the big trees.
What I have been doing is cutting the stump off first, using a box cut. Generally, when there is air under the log, it is going to want to fold downward. I cur a wedge in the top, cut the far side vertically, and then use the tip to cut vertically on the near side, then slide the saw forward and cut up from the bottom.
Using the tip is bad advice if you don't have enough hours behind a saw, but you can switch sides to make the second cut. The big problem with a blowdown like that, as was pointed out, is that it is likely the stump will want to right itself, which reverses the pressure on one side of the cut. It looks like you have room underneath, so I would make a wedge on the top and bottom, and pay very careful attention to which way it starts to pinch as you are cutting.
Also...don't use the longest bar you have just because you have one. It turns out that it takes a long time to pull a long bar out when things go the wrong way and you are likely to pinch it if you are used to a smaller bar. Ask me how I know...
How do you know
.Welcome to A.S. !
You passed the first step, by asking for help. Very hard to diagnose trees just from a photo. In storm damage trees can have a unusual tension and compression stresses, which can release explosively.
Good comments about not working alone, and using a tractor or 4x4 if available. Great offers to assist!
I really like using a pole saw for storm damage cleanup. It lets me release tension from a distance, as well as reach the higher limbs.
In general, make a cut, then reassess each time, to see if anything else moved. Work intentionally through the wood, making deliberate cuts, not just randomly cutting things that are close by.
I like to 'simplify the problem', by removing all of the non-weight bearing wood first. This is stuff that you can grab and shake, or kick, and see that it is not holding anything else up. Then you are left with the structural stuff, which you can assess separately.
Take your time, and let us know how it works out!
Philbert
You passed the first step, by asking for help. Very hard to diagnose trees just from a photo. In storm damage trees can have a unusual tension and compression stresses, which can release explosively.
Good comments about not working alone, and using a tractor or 4x4 if available. Great offers to assist!
I really like using a pole saw for storm damage cleanup. It lets me release tension from a distance, as well as reach the higher limbs.
In general, make a cut, then reassess each time, to see if anything else moved. Work intentionally through the wood, making deliberate cuts, not just randomly cutting things that are close by.
I like to 'simplify the problem', by removing all of the non-weight bearing wood first. This is stuff that you can grab and shake, or kick, and see that it is not holding anything else up. Then you are left with the structural stuff, which you can assess separately.
Take your time, and let us know how it works out!
Philbert
I'm not sure what happened tot the OP, as he hasn't been here since he posted the thread, sure hope nothing happened.
Funny thing, I asked my son what he would do with the situation in the pictures, he said he would use a pole saw. I said like I have a hand one, he said no a gas powered one, he's never seen me run one and he's 9yrs old
.
Right on, but I only have a 36, would that be good enough.
I spent a couple of years in the pan, I was on the USDA Invitation list for some years. Are you driving and taking the boat up from Seattle? Nice scenery if you do that or drive up through WA. you can boat in from Prince Rupert BC too.
Up awfully early today Jamie
.
quit bullying me!Up awfully early today Jamie
How's it going Brett?
I owe I owe...it's off to work I go
Cycledude
ArboristSite Operative
Looks easy enough just take your time and be very careful , don't work alone, assistance from someone that experienced would be nice.
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