firewood cutting with a bad back

[Jacampb2]

Hi folks, I'm new here and am looking for some guidance. This is the first winter my family has burned firewood. I have a very messed up back. More than 20 years of botched surgeries and procedures have left me with a lot of permanent nerve damage and scar tissue.

Anyhow, I am using a Husqvarna rancher 450 *edit- the saw is not a 455* with a 20" bar. The saw is 0.325, so 20" is the longest I can go. I'm not cutting large stuff, I'm still cutting deadfall Ash on my property, so the biggest stuff I encounter is normally less than 14" diameter.

That said, I'm stooping over more than I would like to be. I'm thinking about picking up another saw that can pull a longer bar. I'd love to go 28", but I may not be able to afford that. My question is this, if I were to get the bigger Husqvarna rancher (I think it's a 460) for which they recommend a maximum 24" bar, could I get away with a 28" bar on it provided I'm not expecting it to cut enormous trees?

If not, could you all recommend a used saw to look for which might fit the requirements? I've been trying to Google models as they come up for sale, but frankly, the manufacturer naming schemes seem to be complete nonsense and I'm having trouble making heads or tails of which saws I should even bother trying to research.

Thank you for your time!
Jason

 

[REJ2]

It seems that often times the maximum manufacturer recommended bar length is already pushing the limits of the average homeowner saw. My Echo CS530 is recommended for 20 inches, I use an 18 inch with decent results. A16 inch bar would probably be ideal. I understand what you are trying to achieve with the bad back and longer bar even in smaller wood. Oiling the entire length of a bar 4 inches longer than recommended would be a major concern.

 

[lone wolf]

It seems that often times the maximum manufacturer recommended bar length is already pushing the limits of the average homeowner saw. My Echo CS530 is recommended for 20 inches, I use an 18 inch with decent results. A16 inch bar would probably be ideal. I understand what you are trying to achieve with the bad back and longer bar even in smaller wood. Oiling the entire length of a bar 4 inches longer than recommended would be a major concern.

I think he is after more reach due to lack of bending but I am of the opinion lighter is best for a bad back that's when I pick up my 241.

 

[djones]

What you need to do is get your work up off the ground with something like a log lift so that you're not bending over as much. A tractor with a bucket works of just the 3 pt. hitch with a chain to get the log up onto a couple of cutoff sections. Our motto is work smarter not harder. I too have had a couple of operations and try to get all my projects and firewood cutting and splitting up to an agreeable work level that takes the strain off of my back. When lifting bucked up wood I like to use hay hooks to get the wood off the ground. When stacking wood for splitting I like to use planks to roll the chunks up onto the stack. Anything that makes my job easier on my back is a plus. Using a longer bar just increases the chance of digging into the ground more. Look around on Harbor freight and Graingers or Northern tool to find inexpensive tools to make your life and work easier.

 

[REJ2]

I think he is after more reach due to lack of bending but I am of the opinion lighter is best for a bad back that's when I pick up my 241.

Yes I agree, my 16 inch bar comment was intended to be attached to the performance of my Echo, I wasn’t very clear on that. Still, oiling a longer bar would be a concern.

 

[Brufab]

Log lifter or a tractor with forks in front or on 3 pt hitch. We have pallet forks for the rear 3pt hitch. Makes moving saw logs easy and can use to get off ground for more level saw work

 

[Fatherwheels]

A set of pallet forks on the back of a tractor, lift everything to a comfortable working height.
An MS261 will cut 14 inch wood no problem, and its the lightest pro saw out there for the power.

Echo 4910 with a port job would be another good option, its cheaper than a 261 and
when ported will be a fast saw, port work will cost some, but I think it will still be as
cheap as a 261 stock saw.

Lots of options out there, I have a bad back, bad elbows, bad knee and hips, the one
thing that saves me is less weight, the lighter the better, it makes a huge difference.

The other alternative would be to train up a family member to cut the wood safely,
or do some less straining work in return for a few days sawing, the heavy low down stuff especially.

If you go to a Church, I find there is always someone willing to help, in exchange for your skill set,
thats an option too.

 

[Lionsfan]

455 and 460 Rancher both use small mount (KO95) bars, and you will have a hard time finding a 28" bar, and it probably wouldn't supply enough enough bar oil if you did find one.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

Welcome.
More info on would be helpful. If your using a saw and pickup, or side by side, tractor, etc.

 

[holeycow]

Get really good at sharpening if you want to over-bar a saw. Really good.

 

[sb47]

I think he is after more reach due to lack of bending but I am of the opinion lighter is best for a bad back that's when I pick up my 241.

As someone that also has a bad back I agree, lighter is better. I do a lot of cutting downed trees and logs that are already down, down on my knees. I can last much longer getting up and down off my knees then to stay bent over. Now I don't do it if I need an escape wrought or need to stay nimble.

 

[Goostoff]

Getting a bigger saw just makes more weight to hang onto when you are bending even though you are not bending as much you still end up with back pain. When I have to start cutting logs where I am bending over too long I will actually get down on my knee and just keep scooting down as I cut. Takes a lot of burden off my back.

 

[lone wolf]

Here's a cure

 

[sb47]

Getting a bigger saw just makes more weight to hang onto when you are bending even though you are not bending as much you still end up with back pain. When I have to start cutting logs where I am bending over too long I will actually get down on my knee and just keep scooting down as I cut. Takes a lot of burden off my back.

Yep, when limbing I always stand but when bucking logs I ether get down on one knee or sometimes both. It also reduces the chance of hitting the ground with the bar because it puts the saw at more of a horizontal position and keeps the bar level with the ground.

 

[savageactor7]

I have a bad back and like the OP, cut on our own property.

I use a 20 or 24 in bar, depending. I make a lot of tip cuts, bending by the knees trying to keep back straight. Hand file chains as needed, removed the toothed dogs to lessen the risk of torking saw threw a cut.

We cut/split/process a little bit every day day, maybe an hour of 2 or less. No, all day projects. all trees cut and limbed are dragged to staging area to be processed.

Our splitting is an American that's low to the ground. When splitting I use knee pads to stay-put on the ground while splitting from a pile made with the bucket loader.

We have forks that go on the bucket that will lift logs to cut <------- not as easy as I make it sound, but done properly is a huge back save.

ps If we didn't have all this wood in the backyard I'd be using a pellet stove.

 

[Jacampb2]

Wow, thank you all for taking the time to reply. Long story short, when we bought this property it was right next door to my best friend of 35+ years. He was a farmer and we bought the place with the knowledge that he would help us with all this sort of work. Well, last August he sneaked down here in the middle of the night and got my 15yo and her 14yo friend drunk. They were staying in our camper... He sexually assaulted them both and now he's in federal prison.

Ik that's a lot of background, but the point is, I counted on him for a lot of this stuff, and not only am I having to learn a lot of this stuff on my own, but I also don't have the right equipment to deal with out property.

We currently use a small team of Polaris quads. Some 3x6 trailers I built and the aforementioned saw.

I've been looking at tractors, but I want something that will fit in down my trails, but I also don't want a garden tractor in steroids. That's another piece of equipment I'm trying to learn about before I listen to a salesperson and pull the trigger on the wrong machine.

I'm going to cut wood a few hours this afternoon. I'll try doing as much on my knees as I can. I can't tell you all how happy I am that I found this community. You folks are awesome!

 

[sundance]

I'd be writing that my "best friend" suddenly passed away. Unfortunate confrontation with reality. What a POS.

If 14" is about as large as you're working, I'd look hard at a small light weight saw. I frequently cut that big with my old echo CS-346 or CS-352.My issue is bad knees not bad back but a small light saw is a blessing.

 

[lone wolf]

I'd be writing that my "best friend" suddenly passed away. Unfortunate confrontation with reality. What a POS.

If 14" is about as large as you're working, I'd look hard at a small light weight saw. I frequently cut that big with my old echo CS-346 or CS-352.My issue is bad knees not bad back but a small light saw is a blessing.

Yup ! A small 40CC saw is great when you have a back problem. I use a 241C.

 

[cookies]

Trails can be widened, get tractor that can handle a grapple and haul logs and hold them up at waist height for you to cut then pick up the rounds and drop them on a over sized table attached to your splitter. A picaroon/hookaroon helps a lot in reducing your bending down to pickup stuff. I would even go as far as suggesting to wear a mobility reducing back brace to protect you from yourself. Get your kids more involved, sadly kids today are no longer expected to work for the betterment of the family.

 

[sundance]

Yup ! A small 40CC saw is great when you have a back problem. I use a 241C.

If I could get a 241 I'd be in that market. With whats available I'm thinking Echo 4910. Wish they were selling the 4310 here.