# luck was on my side



## jdboy9 (Jul 8, 2008)

First off I am not a professional didn't think I was before today or do I now but I did think I was experienced enough to do what I was doing.

1st don't cut alone (if I was experienced enough I would never have let this happen)

2nd take your time (think you know what you are doing and feel confidant in what you are doing yet so you might let some things go unnoticed)

3rd pay attention pay attention!

4th if you think you know it all you don't probably never will (which goes back to 2nd and 3rd) 

I have been cutting trees for firewood and at work (golf course) for at least 10 years. Need 10-12 cords for myself just to heat with. Just because I have been doing this for so long doens't mean crap though and I learned that today. 

I was cutting a maple down bout 30 ft 18"dia topped and started wedging and it started to break and the next thing I see as I'm turning to take off is the wedge pop out and the tree started twisting and coming towards me. I looked took off running in what direction I figured it wasn't going and well I looked again and what you know its right over my head, so I jumped out of the way as fast as I could. It caught my arm real hard knocked me over and I somehow twisted my ankle bad and smashed my face all up. I haven't been back yet since I can't walk but I guess I was told that the tree got hung up about 2 foot off the ground which is why I wasn't crushed. Just got back from the er there for 4 hours. 

I did plenty wrong today that I will never look past anymore but in the past I always have just because it was faster or easier. I could have easily been killed today but luck was on my side I guess. Just be careful everyone I'm really happy to still be here.


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## Adkpk (Jul 8, 2008)

Good for you for posting this story. Sorry about your pain, jd. It's not easy to write your mistakes on the web but it is helpful for others to learn from your mistakes. Hope you heal well and fast and get out and start chopping again soon. Thanks for posting.


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## wdanforth (Jul 8, 2008)

JD glad you survived. #%@^ tree probably would have blow down in tonights storms. Have you figured out what went wrong? Beside the obvious. 

What golf course? Sugarbush in G'ville got hit hard by the storm. Tree landed on a grounds keeper.

Heel up and sorry about your mishap.


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## Zodiac45 (Jul 8, 2008)

Wow Scary. It only takes one too kill you, thats for sure. Glad your ok though and thanks for the post. Sounds like maybe a hinge problem?


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## pdqdl (Jul 8, 2008)

We like true confessions about mistakes, it reminds us of ourselves in some of our worst moments. Thanks.

Apart from the obvious mistakes you itemized, what did you really do that caused the tree to go the wrong way? Have you figured it out, or is it one of those mystery injuries that leave us wondering if it will happen to us?


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## Adkpk (Jul 8, 2008)

I am going to say wind or bad judgment on the lean. Sounds like he cut enough trees to get the notch right


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## jdboy9 (Jul 8, 2008)

Well as far as what I did wrong I haven't went up yet to see what my hinge looks like but I can only imagine it is a lot thicker on the side I wasn't wedging. I only had one wedge on me and knew I needed another one but didn't go the extra step to run back to the barn to get one a whole few minutes to do. 

I'm guessing it broke off on the thin side of the hindge causing the tree to twist and push the wedge out, just my guess without looking at it. With the right wedge setup and hinge I should have been fine but I didn't do either of those and now i'm paying for a lazy mistake. Just didn't think it was going to do what it did wasn't thinking wasn't paying attention bugs were eating me alive and couldn't see straight from all the sweat sooo anyway just not a good day for me.

I don't mind posting I am just hoping someone learns as much as I have today without having to go through what I did. 

The thing that gets me the most is when I hit the ground I thought it was over I looked over at my arm and it was all screwed up I didn't know if I was on my back or stomach it was something I've never had to go through and it sucked. Lost my phone so I couldn't call till I walked back to the house which was one of the hardest things I've ever done. 6 inches was all it would have taken and that thing would have come down on my square and I don't think I'd be here typing what a slap in the face. What sucks is I'm the one that's always thinking safety for just about anything I do or others do but for some reason today I just didn't think straight.


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## Wirenut2266 (Jul 10, 2008)

Glad to hear your still around!!!


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## secureland (Jul 11, 2008)

jdboy9 said:


> Well as far as what I did wrong I haven't went up yet to see what my hinge looks like but I can only imagine it is a lot thicker on the side I wasn't wedging. I only had one wedge on me and knew I needed another one but didn't go the extra step to run back to the barn to get one a whole few minutes to do.
> 
> I'm guessing it broke off on the thin side of the hindge causing the tree to twist and push the wedge out, just my guess without looking at it. With the right wedge setup and hinge I should have been fine but I didn't do either of those and now i'm paying for a lazy mistake. Just didn't think it was going to do what it did wasn't thinking wasn't paying attention bugs were eating me alive and couldn't see straight from all the sweat sooo anyway just not a good day for me.
> 
> ...



You're a good man for sharing this and understanding the importance of safety. The trick is to have this experience fresh in your mind everytime you cut for the rest of your life.
Glad you're OK and that you learned from it.


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## jdboy9 (Jul 12, 2008)

secureland thanks for the comment I'm doing pretty good but man am I sore  

I posted this for the reason you suggested as well as others because I think a lot of people have too much pride to say they screwed up. I on the other hand thing mistakes are the best way to learn from as long as they aren't fatal that is. I know I learned a lot I know I never want to have to deal with this pain again haha wishful thinking... 

Hope you all have a good weekend


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## justintimemoto (Jul 14, 2008)

Did you have your wedge just on one side of the tree? I had that happen to me once....just put one wedge in the side of the back cut not in the middle and i learned real quick... when the tree went right where i was standing..... always carry two wedges and something to hit them


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## jdboy9 (Jul 15, 2008)

Yeah just one kind of in the middle but off to the side it broke off, well like you said I know now not to be lazy and just throw another one in. I didn't have two on me so that's why I cheated thought it would be okay I have done it before plenty of times. Turns out I was a bit wrong


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## Gumnuts (Jul 15, 2008)

jdboy9 said:


> Yeah just one kind of in the middle but off to the side it broke off, well like you said I know now not to be lazy and just throw another one in. I didn't have two on me so that's why I cheated thought it would be okay I have done it before plenty of times. Turns out I was a bit wrong



GOOD MAN- THANKS FOR SHARING . Hope ya heal soon.


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## justintimemoto (Jul 15, 2008)

yea u got lucky when it happend to me iwas my freiend who was cutting it and he was yelling to help hime and it was the same situation u were in but there was two of us


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## Bruce Hopf (Jul 16, 2008)

jdboy9 said:


> First off I am not a professional didn't think I was before today or do I now but I did think I was experienced enough to do what I was doing.
> 
> 1st don't cut alone (if I was experienced enough I would never have let this happen)
> 
> ...


Boy oh Boy. I darn near filled my shorts reading this. Glad that you are OK. I always try to use at least 2 or 3 wedges. I've never trusted one. 
Expecially this time of year, It's hard to judge where a tree is going to go because of the leaves. Ive had trees take a quarter of a turn on the stump, and fall another direction, than planned on. Scarry stuff some times. Bruce.


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## reachtreeservi (Jul 16, 2008)

Glad to hear you are still alive.


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## Bermie (Jul 16, 2008)

jdboy9 said:


> secureland thanks for the comment I'm doing pretty good but man am I sore
> 
> I posted this for the reason you suggested as well as others because I think a lot of people have too much pride to say they screwed up. I on the other hand thing mistakes are the best way to learn from as long as they aren't fatal that is. I know I learned a lot I know I never want to have to deal with this pain again haha wishful thinking...
> 
> Hope you all have a good weekend



Have a good weekend! You have a good rest of your life! 
You got a second chance, thank you for sharing, it takes a real man to own up to a mistake and go public, I thank you.


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## Bruce Hopf (Jul 16, 2008)

secureland said:


> You're a good man for sharing this and understanding the importance of safety. The trick is to have this experience fresh in your mind everytime you cut for the rest of your life.
> Glad you're OK and that you learned from it.


I totally agree with you secureland Totally. 
I know a few men, when cornered will say that they never had a close call, and The Very Next Time You See The SOBS, and if somebody else is talking about a close call that they had experienced, They to had a close call, What B.S. 
I agree with you that he is a Good Man for sharing this.
18 years ago I had a close call. I was doing some custom fire wood cutting for a guy, who wanted to have a lane way removed from the center of his farm. There was a few trees that I had to fall. I had his oldest son helping me, while they were finnishing up the barn chores. His son had to go to work in the afternoon, so I decided to fall all the trees in the morning, and buck them in the afternoon. These trees where 4 Maple, and 1 Ash. All the trees where close to 36" across the stump. I had 4 wedges along with 2 splitting wedges that I always used while falling trees this big.
The 4 maple trees, fell nicely, right down the lane way, and not out in the field. Then my nightmare began with this ash. I missed judged a little bit, when I notched it. How much, I'll never know. The tree got hung up, with nothing around it, and I was almost cut right through except 1/4 " from the notch I took my saw and carefully walked away, and got the guys son and my saw out of harms way. Being that this old lane way still had the fence up on both sides, put me in a predicument, I didn't like, not one bit, because my get away was limited if I had trouble.
I took my sledge hammer and started working with my splitting wedges, to try and tip the tree. All of a sudden, the tree took a 1/4 turn on the stump, and fell across the lane way, and over top one of the tops of a maple tree I had fallen earlier.
After lunch I went to work cleaning up the trees. I started limning the ash tree first, because it was closest to the truck, and buildings. 
Every thing was going smooth until WAP! One of the limbs on the maple tree, was sprung under the weight of the ash tree sprung lose, when I had cut through the limb of the ash tree. The limb came up over the bar of the chain saw, and struck me in the mouth, and sent me flying. I didn't have the chain saw in my hands, because I was clutching my mouth.
I walked over to the truck, and rinced out my mouth, and looked in the mirror. Great. I had 4 of my top front teeth snapped off 1/2 way up. I finished out the day, finnished the job, because I knew I needed the money for a $750.00 dentist bill. 
At that time, My Chain Saw didn't have a chain brake on it, and I was thankful that the limb sprung over the bar of the saw, instead of under it, I fear that the out come would have been different. Now All My Chain Saws Have Chain Brakes, and now ware a Chain Saw Brain Bucket with a mesh face shield. If I had one on, probably would have a busted up nose, but still would have had my teeth. Bruce


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## fireman (Jul 18, 2008)

*get better*

It takes alot of guts to post what you posted.your mistakes and post will save someone elses life.I hope you are doing better and the smart thing YOU did was never take YOUR eye off the tree when its coming down especialy storm damage trees because of the pressure of the tree and stress you never know were its going to go.WE always take it down in sections or use the grcs for leverage so it doesnt come back at you. Heal up and get back at it.


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