saw trouble

[Carcajou Garou]

In the outdoor magazine article where the researcher cuts a standing tree; there is a picture of the saw part of the way through and another picture of the saw almost all the way through and finally the tree down. Cutting a tree in this fashion wrong
1.without a directional relief cut on the opposite side of the tree
2.you are pulling (stroking) the chain saw blade in an arc towards yourself as the blade cuts nearer to you, your hand are still tied (clasped into) the saw blade handles, you are maybe 2' away from the butt end of the tree. When you finally cut through, where do you think the butt end will go?
Often the butt will come kicking back to you :shock: especialy if the tree get hung up in other trees
You may get away with this practise only so long then bang!!!! You probably won't be able to duck in time.
Nothing against the saw it obviously cuts, but the felling technique is bad
Treat all saw cuts as you would a gaz powered chain saw cut
You shouldn't stand behind your tree cut as the tree is about to fall
Make sure you have an clear escape route
Have a clear drop zone for the tree
Hopefully this was just an oversight in the demo
No flamming intended just something that I could not be silent with
just a thought

 

[grumit]

all very good points that you have made there carcajou garou
it would make a good tool for cutting a pre felled tree into smaller logs
but i would not like to have to use it to fell a tree maybe two peaple
using it from the side's would be safe ?

 

[Martyn]

In the outdoor magazine article where the researcher cuts a standing tree; there is a picture of the saw part of the way through and another picture of the saw almost all the way through and finally the tree down. Cutting a tree in this fashion wrong
1.without a directional relief cut on the opposite side of the tree
2.you are pulling (stroking) the chain saw blade in an arc towards yourself as the blade cuts nearer to you, your hand are still tied (clasped into) the saw blade handles, you are maybe 2' away from the butt end of the tree. When you finally cut through, where do you think the butt end will go?
Often the butt will come kicking back to you :shock: especialy if the tree get hung up in other trees
You may get away with this practise only so long then bang!!!! You probably won't be able to duck in time.
Nothing against the saw it obviously cuts, but the felling technique is bad
Treat all saw cuts as you would a gaz powered chain saw cut
You shouldn't stand behind your tree cut as the tree is about to fall
Make sure you have an clear escape route
Have a clear drop zone for the tree
Hopefully this was just an oversight in the demo
No flamming intended just something that I could not be silent with
just a thought

Your comments seem to make a lot of sense to me. I've never felled a tree, but i can see the logic in what you say.

For anyone. I dont suppose I ever will fell a tree, at least not one of any great size, but out of curiosity, what is the right technique?

 

[OldJimbo]

I'd been meaning to talk to JM about his tree falling techniques because that picture gave me a fit too! Thanks for reminding me!

Tree falling goes far beyond putting in two notches. It's best to read lots first, and then see it done. Lots of lethal possibilities, and usually the small trees are worse.

 

[JM]

Hi ya,

Well, the undercut is good when you have a tree to fell, I had 3 metres of a straight trunk (all the top of the tree had already collapsed), so straight that I had to kick it to make it falll... So if you want to complicate life, I let you go for it. But I would definitively use an undercut for a living weighted tree.

 

[OldJimbo]

Hearing that makes me feel better!

 

[Martyn]

Hi ya,

Well, the undercut is good when you have a tree to fell, I had 3 metres of a straight trunk (all the top of the tree had already collapsed), so straight that I had to kick it to make it falll... So if you want to complicate life, I let you go for it. But I would definitively use an undercut for a living weighted tree.

Hi JM, I think Carcajou Garou's concerns was that although your article looks at the saw (very good article too), it gives the impression that a straight through cut is a normal way to drop a tree. Perhaps you could amend your article to point out the dangers of felling a full size and weighted tree in this way?

Just a thought.

 

[JM]

Hi Martyn, I understood that.
I think someone entered a comment to the article, and the reply is going this way.

Someone that has never fell a tree should not start with this saw anyway, and should start with someone that has already done so., but a tree means nothing, it does not speak of size of trunk, nor of the wood particularities.

It is a survival saw, so it is the matter of the survivor to evaluate wether it is more urgent to fell a tree , knowing there is a risk to get banged with it, and there will be one, as it is a very small piece of kit that requires to work near the trunk, or simply find fallen or drift wood, and use it. you will notice that I wisely choosed the second option :-D ;-)

Good felling instructions and related risk covering can be found in the Mors Kochanski book.

 

[Martyn]

Cool. :biggthump