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Close call

Started by luvmexfood, February 17, 2014, 03:22:12 PM

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luvmexfood

Was out Saturday cutting a few logs. Cut a walnut about 32 inches on the butt which was up on a bank just a little. Read the log, made my face cut then a plunge cut through the middle to hopefully prevent barberchairing. Cut each side in a triangle sort of because it was bigger than saw and then started backcut. Wedged but tree would not fall. Set saw at a 45 deg angle from the backcut and planned my escape route on the other 45 deg angle and really started pounding the wedges.

Anyway, after a few pounds, all in the back cut, here goes the tree over right square over the saw. Butt stayed on the bank and the limbs prevented it from coming down on the saw by 6 inches. After all said and done I reached under tree and got the saw unharmed. Boy that was a close one. Saw was exactly centered under the trunk about 8 ft. from the base. My saw must have said a quick prayer to the man up stairs.
Give me a new saw chain and I can find you a rock in a heartbeat.

goose63

I did the same thing bought 40 years ago good thing the saw was old and wore out had to buy a new one tree got it :o 
goose
if you find your self in a deep hole stop digging
saw logs all day what do you get lots of lumber and a day older
thank you to all the vets

clww

I've crushed one saw while dropping a section of a tree, and I had a big section of trunk roll over another saw. Both times I could have prevented it from happening. I learned from each mistake I made, and I'll bet you learned something from your close call, too.
Trees will always try to get their revenge on us.
Many Stihl Saws-16"-60"
"Go Ask The Other Master Chief"
18-Wheeler Driver

ZeroJunk

I sawed a hole in my blue jeans Saturday. Have chaps, just didn't put them on.  Bad place to be working, not concentrating on what I was doing.

Moral of the story, if you are in thick brush make sure your chain has stopped before you start stumbling around to the next cut.

Lnewman

Mr. Zerojunk,  that was a great post.  I will try to remember it.
Stihl 170, 210MS, 290MS, 441MS and Hudson bandsaw

celliott

Quote from: ZeroJunk on February 17, 2014, 06:00:14 PM
Moral of the story, if you are in thick brush make sure your chain has stopped before you start stumbling around to the next cut.

Not gonna tell anyone how to run their saws- just want to say, my personal rule of thumb is if I'm gonna take more than 2 steps without "using" the saw, the chainbrake goes on. Takes very little time, it's easy.

Chainsaws are one of the most dangerous tools we use. Look what they can do to hard, dense wood. Soft flesh is nothing compared to that.
Be careful, every time you fire up a saw.
Chris Elliott

Clark 666C cable skidder
Husqvarna and Jonsered pro saws
265rx clearing saw
Professional maple tubing installer and maple sugaring worker, part time logger

sawguy21

Quote from: ZeroJunk on February 17, 2014, 06:00:14 PM
I sawed a hole in my blue jeans Saturday. Have chaps, just didn't put them on.  Bad place to be working, not concentrating on what I was doing.

Moral of the story, if you are in thick brush make sure your chain has stopped before you start stumbling around to the next cut.
I did that too, scared the bejabbers oughta me.
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

deerslayer

I finished a cut, went to step to the next spot and got tangled up in some kudzu vines. Chain was still spinning down and I sawed through my jeans too. And... into my leg. Now I wear chaps. All the time when brushing, felling and bucking and usually even when testing a saw. Time to put on chaps is about 1 minute. Time to go to ER for stitches is about 6 hours. (and a few bucks)
Too many chainsaws, not enough wood.
Stihl, Husky, Craftsman, Mac, Homelite, Poulan. Some live here, some just passing through.

clww

Quote from: celliott on February 17, 2014, 10:17:01 PM

Not gonna tell anyone how to run their saws- just want to say, my personal rule of thumb is if I'm gonna take more than 2 steps without "using" the saw, the chainbrake goes on. Takes very little time, it's easy.

Me too! ;)
Many Stihl Saws-16"-60"
"Go Ask The Other Master Chief"
18-Wheeler Driver

Ianab

Quote from: clww on February 18, 2014, 06:24:49 AM
Quote from: celliott on February 17, 2014, 10:17:01 PM

Not gonna tell anyone how to run their saws- just want to say, my personal rule of thumb is if I'm gonna take more than 2 steps without "using" the saw, the chainbrake goes on. Takes very little time, it's easy.

Me too! ;)

Agreed. I've ended up flat on my back tripping over brush and limbs. But the saw was idling, with the brake on, on top of my chaps.

Saying "Don't trip over" isn't a safety plan.

If (when) you trip over, be wearing chaps, and have the chain brake on. Then even if you miss one, the other one saves you.  ;)
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

JohnG28

Very good info Chris. I do the same.
Stihl MS361, 460 & 200T, Jonsered 490, Jonsereds 90, Husky 350 & 142, Homelite XL and Super XL

thecfarm

I know many of you don't have rocks to deal with. I put my saw down on the ground to move some brush,did not set the brake. I was moving the brush and the saw started to run out of gas.They kinda rev up some when that happens. Maybe the chain needed to be tightened too. The chain started to move and the saw did too. Right across a rock by the time I got to it. I don't let my saw run out of gas,but I could not get to it in time enough, Brake goes on now when I set it on the ground.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

Al_Smith

So far I've never crushed a saw but I have hung several .Once I had two saws stuck in the same tree and had to get out a third.

One forum I was on was populated by a bunch of geniuses .They poo pooed me over that  one .What the hey at least I'm honest .

Several things everybody will eventually do .Put a chain on backwards ,cut a rock,oil the gas tank  and hang a saw .Anybody who says otherwise is guilty of either handling the truth carelessly or hasn't had much trigger time .

Magicman

I have a friend whose "call" was not close.  He dropped the very first tree that he felled with his brand new saw....on the saw.  :-\ He tried to give it to me.   :D
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Al_Smith

John Lambert AKA .Gypo Logger,Franks Planks ,Yukon Sawman used to smash a couple a year.Then put them on E-bay at some outlandish price .More for amusement than anything .

clww

Quote from: Al_Smith on February 18, 2014, 09:22:31 AM

Several things everybody will eventually do .Put a chain on backwards ,cut a rock,oil the gas tank  and hang a saw .Anybody who says otherwise is guilty of either handling the truth carelessly or hasn't had much trigger time .
That's a FACT! I've done each one of these in the past four years. :D
Many Stihl Saws-16"-60"
"Go Ask The Other Master Chief"
18-Wheeler Driver

ZeroJunk

I think I may still have a saw stuck at the other end of the pasture. Need to go look.

Jim_Rogers

When I walked into my chain saw repair shop with a pair of pants on with a chain saw cut in them, but not my leg, the repair man would not let me leave without a set of chaps. I still have them to this day.

He told me that I could leave with my saw and go cut all the wood I wanted.

But to remember that the saw cuts at the rate of "72 stitches per second." So don't slip for even a tenth of a second.

Jim Rogers
Whatever you do, have fun doing it!
Woodmizer 1994 LT30HDG24 with 6' Bed Extension

John Mc

Quote from: Al_Smith on February 18, 2014, 09:22:31 AM
Several things everybody will eventually do .Put a chain on backwards ,cut a rock,oil the gas tank  and hang a saw .Anybody who says otherwise is guilty of either handling the truth carelessly or hasn't had much trigger time .

I haven't oiled the gas tank -- yet. I've made up for it by picking up a saw that I just filled with gas and dumping most of it down my leg, since I forgot to put the cap on.
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

Woodboogah

CElliott I follow a similar rule of thumb i guess you could call.  Three non working steps the brake goes on.   More often then not the brake is on before  even start walking out of habit. 
Keenan Logging & Tree Care, LLC

JohnG28

It really does become a matter of habit to just click with your wrist after a cut unless going right into the next one. Like a seat belt IMO.
Stihl MS361, 460 & 200T, Jonsered 490, Jonsereds 90, Husky 350 & 142, Homelite XL and Super XL

John Mc

Just glad it was your saw that almost got crushed, and not you on the other 45˚ path.  I doubt that you would fit in that 6 inches of extra space.
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

Al_Smith

I seldom let a chainsaw idle. If I move more than a few steps I shut it off .If it won't restart I find out why .

Ward Barnes

Quote from: Woodboogah on February 18, 2014, 02:19:38 PM
CElliott I follow a similar rule of thumb i guess you could call.  Three non working steps the brake goes on.   More often then not the brake is on before  even start walking out of habit.

Very good habit.

I work in a big box store and we sell home owner level saws, chaps, head gear, etc.  We try to talk every customer into all the safety equipment.  Very few will buy them.  we will even tell them the cost vs ER visit comparison.  "One I don't plan to get into an accident customer" did buy chaps and head gear when he was asked if he had planned to get into an auto accident on his way to the store.  "Of course not".  Did you wear your seat belt?  Point taken.
7 year old Stihl MS 390.  New Stihl trim saw MS 250.  Kubota BX 2200 tractor.  2005 F150 4X4.
Dull chains cause accidents.  Accidents cause shorter life spans.
You don't sharpen a chain when it gets dull.  You sharpen a chain to keep it from getting dull.

luvmexfood

Quote from: ZeroJunk on February 17, 2014, 06:00:14 PM
I sawed a hole in my blue jeans Saturday. Have chaps, just didn't put them on.  Bad place to be working, not concentrating on what I was doing.

Moral of the story, if you are in thick brush make sure your chain has stopped before you start stumbling around to the next cut.

I did something similiar a couple of years back. This was before I even knew about chaps. Was cleaning out a fence row to rebuild it. Somehow got the saw into my leg. Not enough to need stitches. Anyway felt it and looked down and saw the rip in my jeans. First thought, darn I ripped my pants and started back to make next cut. About 5 seconds later the realization kicked in. Then I really ripped open the jeans to see about my leg.

Dad was cutting some locust posts years ago. Sawing up from the bottom and the saw cut his foot. About halfway off. Got into the bone etc. He would not let me take him to the ER till I took him home so he could change clothes. Took about an extra hour to get him to ER. Cast, drains, stitches the whole shabang.
Give me a new saw chain and I can find you a rock in a heartbeat.

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