Chainsaw Master
ArboristSite Operative
I've cut alone, many times, but seems as there are some things I won't do while cutting alone, but don't think twice about doing them, when someone is around.........like playing dominoes.
Who cuts alone?
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Kate Butler
ArboristSite Guru
cut alone?
I often cut alone (both dropping and bucking), always have AT LEAST two saws on any job, AND wedges (plastic and steel) with hand sledge.
I'm just finishing up hurricane work where all I have to do is put the trees (tall pines) on the ground and buck 'em to 4'. The tricky part is most are leaners and there are no branches until 30'-40' off the ground. My throwbag techniques have changed for these trees - I'm used to branches closer to the ground and easier roping.
I often cut alone (both dropping and bucking), always have AT LEAST two saws on any job, AND wedges (plastic and steel) with hand sledge.
I'm just finishing up hurricane work where all I have to do is put the trees (tall pines) on the ground and buck 'em to 4'. The tricky part is most are leaners and there are no branches until 30'-40' off the ground. My throwbag techniques have changed for these trees - I'm used to branches closer to the ground and easier roping.
DougNH
ArboristSite Operative
I often cut alone, hardhat spare saw wedges and all that, but never DRINK alone - only with my softball team after a game
2cyblowtrch
ArboristSite Lurker
Never alone.......
Always have my saw(s) with me!!!!!!
Always have my saw(s) with me!!!!!!
12guns
ArboristSite Operative
I prefer cutting alone, but after getting married 8 months ago, that doesn't happen anymore. She either goes with me, or is too worried about me and doesn't want me to go. Alot of the sawing I do is in a remote area w/ no cell phone reception and off road vehicles only. After hearing a few stories from Dr. Dad (ER for 18 years), you won't catch me cutting for fun/money. I'll still move the occasional fallen tree, but nothing major by myself. I also have had back surgery and would not want that to catch up to me while running a saw alone.
Jim Mesthene
ArboristSite Operative
I would never cut alone with my old saw; no chain brake or safety feature of any kind.
New saw and chaps---I'll now cut alone.
BTW, everyone seems to think felling is the biggest danger. IM (nobody ever accused me of being humble) O, felling grabs all your attention and is safer than the more boring tasks of limbing and bucking. Inattention is what precedes accidents.
New saw and chaps---I'll now cut alone.
BTW, everyone seems to think felling is the biggest danger. IM (nobody ever accused me of being humble) O, felling grabs all your attention and is safer than the more boring tasks of limbing and bucking. Inattention is what precedes accidents.
Diesel JD
ArboristSite Guru
I'll bet those ER folks can tell you some horror stories about chainsaws...I prefer to ignore them...even though they are true
but I often cut alone. If I am doing a job I consider dangerous for any reason I will make sure that I have someone who is semi-competent with a saw and who can get help fast, but just for bucking firewood...I cut by myself. Being out there alone helps me clear my head from school and work and the pressures of life. I always carry a cell phone. i'd like to think i could call 911 or someone in the family before I went into shock if I got a bad cut...that's my biggest concern, I'm not about to do a job where I could get pinned/crushed or take a serious fall alone.
but I often cut alone. If I am doing a job I consider dangerous for any reason I will make sure that I have someone who is semi-competent with a saw and who can get help fast, but just for bucking firewood...I cut by myself. Being out there alone helps me clear my head from school and work and the pressures of life. I always carry a cell phone. i'd like to think i could call 911 or someone in the family before I went into shock if I got a bad cut...that's my biggest concern, I'm not about to do a job where I could get pinned/crushed or take a serious fall alone.i always cut alone, usually i have my cell phone in my pocket or in the truck, someone always knows were i am. if i'm not home by supper then they'll know something is wrong.
Prefer to cut alone. The only person I have to be looking out for is me that way. Always have two or more saws and a cell phone.
Hal
Hal
fishhuntcutwood
Full wraps and long bars!!!!!!!!!
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I'll cut timber "alone" but there's usually someone else on the property listening for my saws. I never climb and cut alone. And of course, I'll cut firewood in my backyard alone, who doesn't?
Jeff
Jeff
Gypo Logger
Timber Baron
When working alone I often talk to myself to relieve the loneliness.
I even tell myself jokes. Some I laugh at, some I don't,especialy the ones I've told to myself before.:bang:
John
I even tell myself jokes. Some I laugh at, some I don't,especialy the ones I've told to myself before.:bang:
John
bvaught
ArboristSite Operative
Bad E said:
+1
mike385
ArboristSite Operative
I usually sing to myself! Seriously, I do. LOL
I cut alone mostly by necessity. The one time I cut with someone it was a 3 person crew, 3 trucks. I seemed to be the only one who had any experience with saws. Their work scared me more than being out by myself (one of them put a deep gash in his foot 2 weeks later).
Always have my cell phone in my pocket on the theory that if something happens a cell phone in the truck is useless. Always carry first aid but it is in the truck so...
Always with at least 2 saws, sometimes three.
Scariest thing that happened was a big tree that didn't clear the stump, multiple trunk so the one I fell was well off the ground at the butt. Happily working down it, all limbing done, lots of bucking done, nearing the stump when I saw the loq quiver as I finished a cut. Took a bit of sitting and coffee before my knees quit 'quivering'.
Harry K
Always have my cell phone in my pocket on the theory that if something happens a cell phone in the truck is useless. Always carry first aid but it is in the truck so...
Always with at least 2 saws, sometimes three.
Scariest thing that happened was a big tree that didn't clear the stump, multiple trunk so the one I fell was well off the ground at the butt. Happily working down it, all limbing done, lots of bucking done, nearing the stump when I saw the loq quiver as I finished a cut. Took a bit of sitting and coffee before my knees quit 'quivering'.
Harry K
tony marks
Addicted to ArboristSite
yes i cut alone. not the best in retrospect but better than having a liability
hanging around. i no longer climb so the only stuff i do is fell unwanted stuff in folks yrds. the only time ive ever been rude was when customers try and slip out to watch.i nearly dropped a hunk on an older man once . he had come out to see if i needed any water or such.he was looking strait up at me ,and standing rite where the piece would fall.scared me so bad my toes hurt.
this is also a good argument for having a ground man.
hanging around. i no longer climb so the only stuff i do is fell unwanted stuff in folks yrds. the only time ive ever been rude was when customers try and slip out to watch.i nearly dropped a hunk on an older man once . he had come out to see if i needed any water or such.he was looking strait up at me ,and standing rite where the piece would fall.scared me so bad my toes hurt.
this is also a good argument for having a ground man.
smokechase II
Addicted to ArboristSite
cutting alone and ...
Here is a cutting alone story. Treat this as a story, I was not there, nor have I talked with anyone who was about this event.
Faller is out cutting alone in some blow down. This is in big timber. Trees are horizontal so there is no need for standard face & back. Bucks off many at the stump, no big deal. So root wads return to their natural position, some don't.
That faller turns up missing. D. Doug Dent is sent out to investigate. The cutters rig, saw and fuel are there, but where is he?
The faller had climbed down into a root wad divot to take a growly, or whatever we can call it on this site.
That stump, that had been in a different position for centuries returned and crushed that poor man to death. Dent figured out where he was at by looking at the stump and realizing what had occurred.
So cutting alone is OK, but one should never, ever take a you know what out-of-doors alone.
Here is a cutting alone story. Treat this as a story, I was not there, nor have I talked with anyone who was about this event.
Faller is out cutting alone in some blow down. This is in big timber. Trees are horizontal so there is no need for standard face & back. Bucks off many at the stump, no big deal. So root wads return to their natural position, some don't.
That faller turns up missing. D. Doug Dent is sent out to investigate. The cutters rig, saw and fuel are there, but where is he?
The faller had climbed down into a root wad divot to take a growly, or whatever we can call it on this site.
That stump, that had been in a different position for centuries returned and crushed that poor man to death. Dent figured out where he was at by looking at the stump and realizing what had occurred.
So cutting alone is OK, but one should never, ever take a you know what out-of-doors alone.
leweee
ArboristSite Operative
growly's in the woods
Good story smokechaser. I also work alone.
Good story smokechaser. I also work alone.
Diesel JD
ArboristSite Guru
That is a known hazard of blowdowns...uprooted stuff I mean. I'll never forget I was cutting about a 30-36" DBH water oak back by the pond that had uprooted in a tropical storm...we had cut all the limbs off and bucked it to firewood size down to about 6 feet from the root ball..well, when I made that next cut it was like thwack! right back to an upright position. Moral of the story is never take blowdowns for granted and never let anyone behind a rootball on a blowdown that is being sawn. And keep animals and kids way away from these.
