Today's Job...

[Terry Syd]

That is beautiful wood! I can understand why you wish you had milled it instead.

 

[MCW]

That is beautiful wood! I can understand why you wish you had milled it instead.

Yeah mate, very nice. I brought it all home with me and a few bits will be donated to an older guy I know who does wood turning. He'll love it.

 

[8433jeff]

Thanks for the video. It happens, usually all at once like that.

 

[MCW]

Thanks for the video. It happens, usually all at once like that.

Yeah I'm glad I got that out the way. Now it should be at least, um, another 5 minutes before I get my next saw stuck

 

[AUSSIE1]

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Nice grain...

You whacker! You'd never, ever see me stuck a saw or three! :msp_wink:

Yeah that pink stuff would look nice as a kitchen benchtop. Beaut character :msp_thumbup:

 

[s219]

A couple weeks ago I was cutting with several relatives and neighbors to clear a road. Within the space of about 10 minutes, three of us got our saws stuck and had to get cut out by someone else. It was a bit comical, like taking turns. We're lucky we didn't all get stuck at once -- none of us had extra bars nearby.

 

[millpro]

Some pine and poplar southeastern Tennessee. Headed to my woodmizer mill to be cut up for a pole barn. I love my job and husqvarna saws. 257/262xp 261/262xp

 

[Rudolf73]

Haha Matt, I know that feeling... a while ago I was cutting a 16" branch and the makita got jammed 4 inches in, totally unexpected the way the tree was lying and goes to show that sometimes you just can't predict all the forces in the log. That's why I always take several saws with me also, saves changing bars, etc. Where's masculator when you need him, he never gets a saw stuck

 

[MCW]

You whacker! You'd never, ever see me stuck a saw or three! :msp_wink:

I was just gonna come in and clean tackle the log over but waiting for that knee recon and thought I might twist it again...

Haha Matt, I know that feeling... a while ago I was cutting a 16" branch and the makita got jammed 4 inches in, totally unexpected the way the tree was lying and goes to show that sometimes you just can't predict all the forces in the log. That's why I always take several saws with me also, saves changing bars, etc. Where's masculator when you need him, he never gets a saw stuck

Stuff like this happens sometimes mate I could have just grabbed a wedge out the ute and hammered it in there but couldn't be stuffed! Old Muscleyator would have lifted the log with one hand while removing the saw with the other. As for me I could do that too, if I wanted. I just didn't want to.

 

[AUSSIE1]

I ws just gonna come in and clean tackle the log over but waiting for that knee recon and thought I might twist it again.

Don't worry mate, I'm the jam master king!

 

[MCW]

Don't worry mate, I'm the jam master king!

I have to say I had a pretty good record until this point. Now I have to start again. I am used to getting saws stuck in standing trees though

 

[NORMZILLA44]

Matt, good stuff I had a bad day once I got the 660, and 044 pinched in a 5 foot madrone. Had to cut em both out with my buddie's 046. I should have wedged a piece or two, but got in a hurry. Took a few tree's out yesterady had our hand's full usuall needed more help, and there is alway's more brush than expected when they hit the ground, but I always like a good challenge. I was in the middle of an undercut my 660 chain flew off, and hit me in the jewels. Never had that happen before, no cut's or anything but put me on a knee for a time out LOL!

 

[MCW]

I was in the middle of an undercut my 660 chain flew off, and hit me in the jewels. Never had that happen before, no cut's or anything but put me on a knee for a time out LOL!

Can't say I've ever copped a chain in the testycoolies Ouch! Chalk that one up to a freak accident I reckon Norm.

 

[David (saltas)]

Matt, good stuff I had a bad day once I got the 660, and 044 pinched in a 5 foot madrone. Had to cut em both out with my buddie's 046. I should have wedged a piece or two, but got in a hurry. Took a few tree's out yesterady had our hand's full usuall needed more help, and there is alway's more brush than expected when they hit the ground, but I always like a good challenge. I was in the middle of an undercut my 660 chain flew off, and hit me in the jewels. Never had that happen before, no cut's or anything but put me on a knee for a time out LOL!

Norm we have a funny game called cricket.

One of the protective devices a batsman wears is a "BOX" you may wish you had been wearing one

 

[MCW]

Had the next stage of the forestry course I've been doing for 3 days earlier this week. We managed to get into some taller Pinus radiata between 35 and 40 metres tall (100-120'). Most of these were going to the mill so had to be felled properly and in the proper direction.
There were three students including myself. One of them was a firewood cutter who is also starting a tree felling business. Nice guy, keen as mustard, and a very fast learner. The other guy was also a good bloke but actually works in the coal mines in Queensland on $150k a year. He had a Husky 575 and 395XP. Both of which wouldn't cut for crap (saws were OK just poor chain sharpening). He was one of those people who had everything. He even had a pair of New Zealand made logging boots with spikes (or whatever they're called). They were brand new and very nice. He asked what logging boots I wore - he was shocked when I told him I wear Blue Steel protective toed work boots. All he could talk about was Ax Men from the telly which pretty well summed up where his knowledge came from. He seemed to think that anybody who felled trees would have to wear logging boots Like I said nice guy but pretty clueless.

Anyway, just to get it off my chest the only trainee to send one of the trees heading to the mill the WRONG way was me! I never ever mark the tree where my backcut is meant to finish. Stuart the instructor (top bloke) was getting the other guys to mark the sides of the trees (a small vertical cut) as he knew I'd done a fair bit of felling. I thought I'd try to mark the sides of the tree too. Of course where I marked the tree was EXACTLY in line with the back of the facecut, not 2 odd inches behind it.
I began merrily cutting the backcut completely oblivious to my normal felling routine and before I knew it the thing fell out to the right at about 45°. I had basically no hinge left! It took me a couple of minutes to work out how the hell I'd made such a stupid error then it dawned on Stuart that I'd marked the trunk wrong. Anyway, he thought it was funny but then proceeded to buck up the log in the proper lengths for the mill as it was laying across other logs. It would have made the others difficult to drag out with this one laying across them.
Anyway, here's the piccys of the stump and tree...

I used my modded 7900, 8 pin rim, and 20" bar for the first day with near new RSC. I learnt by my past mistakes and left the rakers untouched. On the 2nd and 3rd day I used my modded 390XP with the same setup.
Interestingly LITA (the training organisation) had just received two brand new 660's. They were first started Monday morning by the two other guys. They seemed to be running pretty crap but by about the 3rd tank they had started to lean out a bit and produce a bit more power. These two saws were also fitted with RSC and 20" bars but 7 pin rims.
One thing I noticed was just how much bloody fuel these 660's used. It was insane. I thought my ported and pop upped 660 was a fuel hog - maybe because Brad had gone a bit too nuts on the mods. Now I know that even stock these things are absolute fuel pigs. Without a word of a lie we were going one for one as far as the trees go and when the 660's were empty both my Dolmar and 390XP had half a tank left. Both of my modded saws were running absolute rings around these two 660's performance wise as well so how the hell they can chew so much fuel is beyond me. I found them really loud too with the Aussie spec dual port muffler.

The other guys had a run on my 390XP and were very impressed. Stuart the instructor cut up a windfallen largish pine and said it was like wielding a lightsabre and that he may just keep it. He's also a Stihl fan He also then proceeded to rub it in that when saws cut like that why the hell would I drop the rakers so far like I had in the previous course. He's a funny guy but correct...

The thing I like about Stuart is that he's not too cocky or pigheaded. He said that he's even learnt a few tips and tricks from watching me. Not as many as I've learnt from him though.

One thing I did forget to keep doing in these pines is cutting wing cuts in to help stop fibre pull. Never done these before and in general felling probably won't use them in 99.9% of cases...

 

[MCW]

A few more photos...

The Coal Miner, aka "Logger Man" using my 390XP...

 

[Rudolf73]

Interesting read as always Matt. Its good to hear that you have such a good instructor, I really dislike the 100% OH&S types who have to do everything and I mean everything by the book and can't even take a joke on a good day. I know safety is important, but so is reality. To bad I'm not in SA any more, would really like to do a course like that at some stage.

 

[MCW]

We also managed to fit in on the last morning a quick pole saw course. I was asked if I'd like to do it and of course said yes. I didn't learn anything but it is another qualification that I haven't got. We were using the Stihl HT131, exactly the same pole saw I own.
One thing I hadn't seen before was the back brace/harness for use with these pole saws. They are awesome and I've already ordered one. Even at the full 3.8m extension the load it takes off of your arms is unbelievable. Anybody who has used one of these saws for any length of time will know exactly what I mean. They are hard work no matter how tough you think you are...

 

[MCW]

Interesting read as always Matt. Its good to hear that you have such a good instructor, I really dislike the 100% OH&S types who have to do everything and I mean everything by the book and can't even take a joke on a good day. I know safety is important, but so is reality. To bad I'm not in SA any more, would really like to do a course like that at some stage.

I know what you mean mate. Stuart is one of those guys who's done the hard yards and realises that not all things have to be done by the book. As long as our technique was correct we were free to do whatever cuts we saw fit. If they weren't appropriate in that case Stuart was onto us straight away. He quite often stands a few metres away with a long stick to tap you with if he sees you doing something wrong. He was also all over us if we didn't look up. "Look up, bloody look up" was a common sound from him throughout the day. Once again he's right and it's something I have to remember to do more often. I always assess the trees prior to felling but quite often forget to check again part way through the cut - thngs can often change above you without you knowing.
Another interesting thing he told us was that he assessed a "professional" feller the previous week from interstate. He failed him! I wish I'd grabbed some photos of this guy's stumps as Stuart pointed out where he'd been instructing him. To give you an idea of how bad this guy was he was failed after only 5 trees!!! Once again this just goes to show that no matter how much felling or experience a person has doesn't necessarily mean they know what the hell they are doing. I quite often get my back up when I hear people associate years on the job with knowledge or expertise. In my experience, even outside of trees, I've found this not to be the case more often than not.


I also grabbed a photo of Stuart's work vehicle. It's a Ford Falcon ute with canopy. If anybody ever stole this vehicle they'd think it was christmas when they cracked into the back of it. It's got everything!!!
Here there are 2 x MS660's, 2 x MS441's, an MS261Q (the "Q" version has the chain brake on the rear handle and is as gay as AIDS), 2 x MS362's, a new MS241C M-Tronic (great saw as per my other thread), plus one other saw that I can't remember. Oh and a HT131 pole saw. It has a slide out work bench that sharpening vices are bolted to. Great setup.

Here are just a few other piccys of the other bloke who was handy with a saw. He's the one in the MS241 video. Funnily enough he knew my name because he's bought some rim sprockets off of me a few weeks ago on eBay. It's a small world. He was using the MS261Q here. The pressure you need to apply on the rear handle of these things to keep the stupid handle chain brake from activating is quite high. It's also a pain in the arse to file as you can't spin the chain without grabbing the rear handle at the same time. When activated it also doesn't kick the chain brake in instantly like hitting the front handle or inertia activation. In fact I don't think saving your face/head is it's actual intention - I could be wrong.

I took the photos in an area where we could do what we wanted. The coal mining guy was about 200m away receiving further training and we had a free run here. The other guy decided to try a swinging dutchman like he'd read in a manual and that Stuart had shown us earlier. He stuffed it and hung the tree up. I ended up knocking it down with another larger pine. She was well and truly stuck too. Luckily I nailed it with a pretty big pine or we'd have had two trees hung up. The first tree ended up taking the load of the larger tree for a few seconds before snapping clean in half. She was hung up good and proper

 

[MCW]

More piccys...

The next stage is the last one and is the Advanced course. After discussing it with LITA we will probably hold it in February sometime at the property I've been working on with the larger Casuarinas. I have to work out the final details with the property managers but a number of guys are keen to participate as few Advanced Qualification opportunities exist. By all accounts not too many people have the higher certification in Australia.

Another thing I realised as well is that in softwoods I found it difficult to feel exactly where my bar was. In the hardwoods I've been falling there is a distinct "bump" as your cuts meet. You know where to stop. In these pines I had issues with overcuts and undercuts - I had to concentrate 110% to avoid this. Undercuts are OK and easy to clean up - overcuts are nasty and really play with your angles, direction etc. They are also time consuming to correct. In a general falling situation a small overcut isn't too bad (up to maybe 25mm on larger trees) but should be avoided nonetheless - however in forestry this leads to fibre pull which is not good. Every cut has to be aligned perfectly not only for production and safety but because those stumps are assessed and criticised by everybody who walks past them