splitpost
Nothing but 32:1
DAD for me too
"Who taught you how to cut" thread
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Mastermind
Work Saw Specialist
My wife's dad taught me the art of felling a tree, while telling stories about the days of his youth, working the timber with a crosscut saw and a team of mules. He said those were the best days of his long life. I sure miss that old man.
Ske-bum
ArboristSite Operative
I was lucky I guess, or maybe not. I grew up on the outskirts of Seattle, which back then was the sticks, now it is yuppie-ville. Anyway, my best friends dad was in charge of a group of fallers for Weyerhauser, this is when Weyerhauserwhen was going great guns in late 70's. Anyway, we wanted money and so he showed us how to cut firewood out of the slag piles they would leave. Would give us directions on how to get there and would flag what piles were ok to cut from.
Showed up how to run the saws correctly, how to work on them and even how to fall properly when the time came. Sold many cords of wood and learned the value of hard work. His lessons still stick with me to this day. As strange as it may sound I have also have picked up things watching Tree-Slinger videos. You can always learn by watching professionals at their craft.
Showed up how to run the saws correctly, how to work on them and even how to fall properly when the time came. Sold many cords of wood and learned the value of hard work. His lessons still stick with me to this day. As strange as it may sound I have also have picked up things watching Tree-Slinger videos. You can always learn by watching professionals at their craft.
constantine
ArboristSite Operative
Still learning.
Learned the basics from a Christmas tree farmer buddy of mine who is constantly clearing land to expand his farm. Got my first saw (a Husqvarna 272XP) in 1991 and read everything I could about how to use it safely and well. There's lots of info out there for anybody who wants to take the time to find it and then practice it. I use every opportunity I can to clear land in exchange for some of the wood.
Today I'm still learning. Some of the falling videos on You Tube are amazing. Next month I'm going to visit an old friend in Wisconsin and her husband. We'll do some cutting on her tree farm and talk about old times.
The day you can stop learning is the day they put you in the ground.
Learned the basics from a Christmas tree farmer buddy of mine who is constantly clearing land to expand his farm. Got my first saw (a Husqvarna 272XP) in 1991 and read everything I could about how to use it safely and well. There's lots of info out there for anybody who wants to take the time to find it and then practice it. I use every opportunity I can to clear land in exchange for some of the wood.
Today I'm still learning. Some of the falling videos on You Tube are amazing. Next month I'm going to visit an old friend in Wisconsin and her husband. We'll do some cutting on her tree farm and talk about old times.
The day you can stop learning is the day they put you in the ground.
You guys pretty much got me started. Dad got a Wild Thing to clean up a willow that fell years ago, and that sparked my interest, but he knew nothing of how to safely run a saw. From there I did lots and lots of research. I'm pretty confident dealing with small trees (under 40' tall and less than 20" dbh).
forestryworks
Addicted to ArboristSite
a forester and lots of practice practice practice - the three magic words.
Dad and grand dads. Grand dad on my moms side had his own Gypo logging company Granddad on my dads side had his own shake mill my dad did some loggin when he was young. First chainsaw I ran was Dads Mac super33 when I was 12. High school took 2 years of advanced forestry which was loggin 101 out in the woods or taking down trees in someones back yard for class taught by a busted up logger.
Actually no one taught me how to cut. I was shown how to start a saw when I was 14 and everything else I know about cutting I learned from watching other peoples mistakes. Don't forget videos, good thing I have the internet.
nassin2
ArboristSite Member
I'm pretty much self taught but I learned a lot from my buddy who is a certified arborist and works for the city forestry department.
MNTAINGAL23
Addicted to ArboristSite
Hubby taught me and bought me my own saw. 
My Dad wouldn't let me touch his sears saw and I have an Uncle that acted like you needed a special license to use one and a silly woman can't get one, in his book anyway.
oke:
My Dad wouldn't let me touch his sears saw and I have an Uncle that acted like you needed a special license to use one and a silly woman can't get one, in his book anyway.
oke:
The basics of practice and safety procedure I learned from my maternal grandfather.
The ins-and-outs of actually felling and bucking, pruning, and all that, my main teacher was a Homelite 200Classic with a 10" bar (yup, 10" bar). It was my first saw and I learned so much cutting with that saw, since it was small and underpowered for almost every purpose. So technique was critical, and I kinda taught myself those short-bar Scandinavian-style cutting techniques out of necessity. Blowdowns, storm cleanup, trail clearing, riparian corridor management (logjams, sweeps, etc.).
Technique for cutting cookies fast was taught by Rick Helsel and Dave Neiger.
Other learning came from Mr. Dent and Mr. Beranek, by way of their books.
The ins-and-outs of actually felling and bucking, pruning, and all that, my main teacher was a Homelite 200Classic with a 10" bar (yup, 10" bar). It was my first saw and I learned so much cutting with that saw, since it was small and underpowered for almost every purpose. So technique was critical, and I kinda taught myself those short-bar Scandinavian-style cutting techniques out of necessity. Blowdowns, storm cleanup, trail clearing, riparian corridor management (logjams, sweeps, etc.).
Technique for cutting cookies fast was taught by Rick Helsel and Dave Neiger.
Other learning came from Mr. Dent and Mr. Beranek, by way of their books.
Hubby taught me and bought me my own saw.
My Dad wouldn't let me touch his sears saw and I have an Uncle that acted like you needed a special license to use one and a silly woman can't get one, in his book anyway.
Does your uncle happen to be Cotton Hill?
MNTAINGAL23
Addicted to ArboristSite
No, but according to him you have to know how to plug in an air compressor just right to inflate a tire too!
O never ask him to show my anything cause all I get is a lot of advice that sounds totally ridiculous.
His wife just rolls her eyes.
My grandpa's like that sort of, he'll tell me how to build something but I just do it my own way because I know he can't build anything from thought. He has to see the directions and he always throws them away.
My dad and grandpa. More my dad though.
This is a great thread! I started using a chainsaw when I was 14 or so. My dad gave me an old C series Homelite and turned me loose to cut firewood for the ranch. Dad and his partner would drink beer and yell at me a lot.... After a while I started going out by myself... It was alot more peaceful. I bought my first new saw when I was 17 (030 Stihl) I think it was about 130.00 and started cutting posts and poles. When I was around 20 I threw in with some 'wannabe' timber fellers and learned how to do everything backwards. Took about 10 years to unlearn. Finally after logging part time for about 10 years I met up with an old (72 yrs) Gentleman named John Mcgee and every day was a learning experience. He was about the best Feller I have ever known. After working with John I had a pretty good run sawing in Western Montana and N. Idaho. It is a lot easier now that I am starting to fall apart and I am still learning. I think the most important thing I learned was how to keep a chain sharp and sharpened in a way I was comfortable with. Lot less work that way! Bob
kevinm1980
ArboristSite Lurker
i leaned to cut wood by buying a old homelite xl, pulling the cord and cutting wood...lol i was 16, it was so cool....lol
A friend who has done some courses gave me some pointers. Hes a farmer not a faller, but i took in what he said. Researched a lot. Looked on youtube. The guy from `progressive farmer` Tim Ard?has some very good videos. Then i just started small and worked up.
Made a few mistakes and learnt where my limitations were.Its very difficult learning first hand here because very few people own saws, and even fewer know how to use them properly.
Made a few mistakes and learnt where my limitations were.Its very difficult learning first hand here because very few people own saws, and even fewer know how to use them properly.
