never mind the safety gear, we're You-Tubin!

[anlrolfe]

If the log settles as you cut and closes slightly at the top of the cut the top of the chain has a chance to catch and force the saw straight back. In my opinion much of the energy is dampened by the weight of the saw. Drawing the saw tip back out through the cut leaves the chance of pinching the tip as it emerges. This is worse because now the saw is a lever and the only opposition is the weight of the bar and the thickness of the operators head. Either way the operator needs to be positioned to the side of any potential kick-back whether straight back or upwards. In the Boy Scouts we had a phrase for the area around the person using a knife or hatchet or other cutting tool. It was called "the blood circle". The 1st step in safety is recognizing the hazard, the 2nd is avoiding it.

 

[Matt81]

Educate me on the hazards of drawing the tip through the cut. NO, I don't draw the tip through the cut; it really never crossed my mind; but, I don't recall it ever being discussed on AS as hazardous. I am big on safety, so if something is unsafe I want to know. Thanks in advance.

Well especially if the cut is not complete all the way through, you are pulling the bar back out and exposing the "kickback" area of the bar to solid wood.
But also if the cut is complete, depending on the compression forces involved with the way the log is balanced in regards to the natural slope and elevation of the ground, pulling the saw back out if the log closes and the cut pinches the bar tip as you are pulling it back out can be a dangerous situation also.
Throttle control is key here too. A good experienced saw operator should NOT be still full throttle when the saw gets to the end of the cut. If you are pulling the tip back out of the cut off the throttle it is not so bad. But if you are lazy and still have some throttle and have a spinning chain there is a potential for trouble. Just better to not pull the saw tip back out through the cut.

From the video: Random engine revving for no reason while walking around . A sure sign of an idiot wielding a saw. Also changing saw handling position constantly right to left. Bad news as this means he was uncomfortable and getting tired holding the saw the way he was. Tired and uncomfortable means he is going to doing something stupid. Plus as i mentioned in my earlier post he is, especially in the second part with the second chain, constantly leaning with his unprotected head directly over the chain and not to the side of the saw. Much better to kneel then to lean over the saw like that as you have no chance of avoiding a lethal kickback.

For those who are interested to listen, years ago cutting up a large eucalyptus tree we had felled on a farm. I was bucking it into manageable pieces when the saw (Stihl 066) hit something in the cut and ripped itself out of my grip and went straight up and over my right shoulder and landed over 7 meters behind me. Turns out it was a very old steel fence post that the tree had grown around when it was about 80 years younger. If i has been standing the way this clown was and not kneeling to the side of the saw i would at the very least have been very messed up if not dead. PPE or not.

An idiot with all the PPE in the world will still find a way to kill himself. An experienced and well trained saw operator who respects the tool they are using can work perfectly safely for most things with only gloves, eyes and ears PPE.

 

[anlrolfe]

An idiot with all the PPE in the world will still find a way to kill himself.

I had a friend years ago who would say, "if you put a fool, a fuel and a source of ignition in a room, they will all somehow come together"

 

[Matt81]

I had a friend years ago who would say, "if you put a fool, a fuel and a source of ignition in a room, they will all somehow come together"

I hear you on that. I have unfortunately seen it too many times.

 

[mdavlee]

Educate me on the hazards of drawing the tip through the cut. NO, I don't draw the tip through the cut; it really never crossed my mind; but, I don't recall it ever being discussed on AS as hazardous. I am big on safety, so if something is unsafe I want to know. Thanks in advance.

I thought about counting how many times this guy swaps right/left





It makes me cringe seeing him draw the tip out through the cut.

How many of you buck wood on big inclines? That way if bucking is one way to keep from pinching the bar. That is how I buck a lot of wood when its under tension. Sometimes you just can't cut them like you're cutting cookies. Another way to do it is boring in and gutting it almost completely out. I guess bore cutting is a no-no? Have you ever had a big saw push out of the cut back into you from the top closing on the chain? It will bruise your legs depending on how quick it happens. Kick back on a longer bar is a lot slower than a short bar.

The biggest safety device is your brain. Keep the tip from where it shouldn't be and pay attention to body position.

 

[Gologit]

Pulling the bar out and drawing the tip through the kerf is sometimes the best way to go in large logs.

This log had side bind and top bind. A lot of both. It was spring loaded in two different directions and if the cuts were made wrong it could move quickly in a direction that would have hurt the cutter. Watch how the different cuts slowly release the bind.

You have to have enough tricks in your book to adapt to different cutting situations.

http://s691.photobucket.com/user/gologit/media/video/PA160108.mp4.html

 

[mdavlee]

Pulling the bar out and drawing the tip through the kerf is sometimes the best way to go in large logs.

This log had side bind and top bind. A lot of both. It was spring loaded in two different directions and if the cuts were made wrong it could move quickly in a direction that would have hurt the cutter. Watch how the different cuts slowly release the bind.

You have to have enough tricks in your book to adapt to different cutting situations.

http://s691.photobucket.com/user/gologit/media/video/PA160108.mp4.html

How did you keep from killing yourself with the bar tip in the wood Bob?

 

[Gologit]

How did you keep from killing yourself with the bar tip in the wood Bob?

LOL...that thing had so much bind that I was wide-kerfing on almost every cut. No problem getting getting the tip through the cut that way.

 

[mdavlee]

Big canopy oak trees are a pain like that also.

 

[066blaster]

Big canopy oak trees are a pain like that also.

i agree, they are often more dangerous after you get them on the ground. just a constant game of releasing tension.

I wear as little ppe as possible, especially when dropping big trees i need to be able to hear and see everything that is going on. also have to be able to maneuver, all that extra garbage could get you killed.
after its on the ground i might put some ear muffs on. gloves and steel toe logging boots at all times, and long pants.

 

[mdavlee]

I don't wear steel toe boots unless forced to at work. When cutting I wear Hoffman or Chippewa boots. I want a set of corks(caulks).

 

[Coldfront]

Speaking of You Tube, why is it when someone drops a tree on a (insert house, car, shed, power line, etc.) they are dumb enough to show the world?

Because it usually wasn't you who did it, it was your buddy. Show the world what he did. lol

 

[066blaster]

i'm worried about dropping a big log on my toes. i get enough on my foot and shins. and i sometimes hold limbs and stuff in place with my foot, woulnt want to loose a toe.

 

[dozerdan]

I am guilty of not wearing any protection other then my prescription glasses and steel toed boots.
I don't care if something kills me as long as it isn't serious.

Later
Dan

 

[R/C Pilot]

How many people other than race drivers, put on a crash helmet when they get in there car or truck. I'll bet if you knew you were going to roll it you would put one on.
We all take chances.

 

[shootingarts]

There are the old and the bold. Rarely old, bold, and with all their pieces parts still attached and in good working order!

I've put enough mileage on this body that I have to baby it along now if I expect to reach my goal. I'm hoping to die when I get shot by the jealous husband of an eighteen year old girl when I'm caught in bed with her. I figure about a hunnert and five would be a good age for that to happen.

Hu

 

[Nuzzy]

Wear PPE. Or don't. Seems simple enough. As long as you know it exists, the rest is up to you.

 

[Nuzzy]

I want a set of corks(caulks).

After this last year, those are on my short list of wants. Don't need to be fighting footing in already dangerous situations.

 

[mdavlee]

After this last year, those are on my short list of wants. Don't need to be fighting footing in already dangerous situations.

I like walking a log limbing and could use extra traction.

 

[anlrolfe]

Wear PPE. Or don't. Seems simple enough. As long as you know it exists, the rest is up to you.

Yah, right.

When some goober is out on disability drawing social security and Govt. aid instead of working its everyone business! Especially if it's because they did something stupid.

I work hard enough carrying lazy people, don't make it any harder on me please.