Bitten again! From my 200T

[Eagle1]

Well, last year on 7/17 I did the same thing I did today.
At the top of a large pine removal, Cutting the top, One handing the saw and pushing the top with my left hand. Of course all this happened in 1 milli second, but the tree did its usual "take off the top" shake, I tried to use my left hand to stableize and my hand made contact with the saw chain.
5 stitches in the thumb, a large chunk out of the pinkie.

Two mistakes. Don't one hand, and pull in your landyard tight when topping.
I would think I would learn, I hope somebody does.
God bless

 

[Jim1NZ]

Two mistakes. Don't one hand, and pull in your landyard tight when topping.
I would think I would learn, I hope somebody does.
God bless

No 1 mistake, using the saw with one hand!!!!!!!!!

If you used the saw with two hands and put a rope on the top, IT WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED!

I don't like to learn the hard way.

 

[NWCS]

i just got my 019T today and ran it for a bit.. this is the first top handle saw ive ever used and i dont even have a bar on it..

after running it i can truly understand why these saws can be so dangerous..
these things really twist around when you hit that throttle! grips are really odd to get used to also.. not much stability available like lets say.. an 026 where your hands are well spaced and absorb the engines torque. thats not available on these top handles.. i really have a new view on this subject.. and i sure will be watching myself with my 019!

may be a little engine.. but they pack a supprising punch in a little package.. can get you by supprise VERY easy.

 

[iain]

i get why you one hand, but a topping strop and rope don't take as long to rig, as it will take waiting for yr hand to grow back !!!!

 

[Ekka]

Two mistakes. Don't one hand, and pull in your landyard tight when topping.
I would think I would learn, I hope somebody does.
God bless

Three mistakes, get a bungee lanyard and dump the saw! I would say you put the saw up against the trunk to stabilize and then your left hand as well and the two met, as the head starts to go you gotta gid rid of the saw, fast, and I don't give a **** if your one or two handing ... get rid of the saw, grab the tree.

I have a hook on my side and it's pretty quick for me to dump the saw straight on it but sometimes I simply dont have the time or accuracy and I can tell you that I just either slip the saw down or dump it.

 

[Dadatwins]

In addition to Ekka suggestions should have put the chain brake on and shut off the saw. hope your injury was not that serious and best wishes for speedy recovery.

 

[treeman82]

Or, if you are carrying a hand saw, you could always finish your cut with that. Yes, a Zubat will bite you, but nowhere near as bad as a chainsaw.

 

[Ekka]

In addition to Ekka suggestions should have put the chain brake on and shut off the saw. hope your injury was not that serious and best wishes for speedy recovery.

Oh yeah, I must admit when the **** hits the fan the turn off is the quickest especially on an 020

Good thinking tex. You know what happened to me today, the friggin sprocket in the tip of the bar busted and a tiny bit of steel smacked straight into my left hand between my fingers, now if I was one handing that wouldn't have happened!

Heal up and get back on the horse Eagle.

 

[Eagle1]

Thanks everyone. all god points and views. Looking back, I should have been alittle higher in the tree for a better push. The pulling with the bull rope is what I normaly do. Just another stupid accident. Really, you just always have to watch your _ss! Respect for the work and never getting compacant.
I will heal, but my wallet won't

 

[turnkey4099]

Saw a clip on the TV show Maximum Exposure. Arborist out out a big limb (size of a small tree) cutting the end off. Tied in high up in main stem. End comes off, limb whips and tosses him at least 5 ft in air. Fortunately the line caught on a remaining stub and he came to a stop upside down well out from the trunk vice slamming into it. I'm not a climber but my thought at the time was 'why wasn't he tied in to what he was working on?'

Harry K

 

[underwor]

That is why the new ANSI standards say 2 tie in points when using a saw. This is a little harder on a spar, unless you left some hefty stubs just for the purpose.

 

[diltree]

If you don't want to use a line, take a tittle for weight of the back side of the pine, then bang the head in.....no need to be forcing a piece over while making your back cut. Glad to hear the injury was minor. We are bidding a contract for mass highway, maybe if we get a bad hurricane this year we will be sending some crews to your territory....I think Cape Cod would be a real nice assignment.

 

[clearance]

Pushed of so many tops with one hand on the top and one on my 020 that I can't even remember. Some times I have dropped my saw (on a lanyard) quickly to use both hands to push of the top before it can come back and close the backcut. If you do one hand remember that it is dangerous and concentrate on your actions. Never cross over the saw with your other hand and be aware at all times. I like to reach up high and cut of the branches above my head oppsite to the undercut to reduce weight and to make sure nothing snags me as it goes over as well.

 

[Steebow]

So proper proceedure here is to tie off the top or is ok to go with the saw dump on the bungee?

 

[Tree Machine]

Or both. Definitely shut off and dump the saw. Once the top is moving forward it is likely that the chainsaw is no longer needed.

I'm a big proponent of chainsawing the wedge out, starting the back cut with the saw, shutting it off, pulling it out, finishing with the Silky saw. When you do the full backcut with the saw, everything happens all at once; saw running, tree top falling, situation like Eagle1.

If you stop your back cut early and shut off your saw, you have time to triple check everything. Remember, this is not a moment to be in a hurry. This cut is for all the beans so if you take an extra 10 or 20 seconds to make sure all systems are go, it could make all the difference. I think of this, and think of the guy who dumped the top of a tree but was tied into it. He was catapaulted to his death. Had he shut his saw off and pulled his handsaw I just bet with those extra seconds he would have noticed where his lifeline was. God rest his soul.

With the saw shut off you open up your sense of hearing. Being able to hear the fibers cracking you can hip your handsaw and get both hands on the tipping base.

Even if you don't use a handsaw to finish, or you don't dump your chainsaw, AT THE VERY LEAST hit that kill switch when things start moving.

 

[Buzzlightyear]

Yeah i must admit i've started finishing the back cut with my hand saw on smaller stuff. On bigger stuff i kill and dump the saw on my bungee lanyard.

And check check and double check everything before i put the gob in......

Hope your hand gets fixed soon mate that must have stinged....did you prusik out ??

 

[Eagle1]

Tree Machine. Good info and post.
Thanks

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

I put a rubber band around the throttle to keep it full on. Then as the top goes, I detach all ropes, because they might wrap around my throat and choke me. My hardhat and safety glasses are on the ground, as a point of reference, a target if you will.
Saw lanyards are for loosers.
Because my safety gear is hard to see sitting on the ground, I have my crew stand right where I want the top to fall, they just run just before they get hit. Chances are the truck pulling the top, will make it go where I think they don't know where it will go.
Workers compensation is for dummies that don't know about tax free cash.
The taut-line hitch ROCKS!
If I ever get out of this stupid hospital, I'll get some pictures of me showing you rookies how to work on trees.

 

[xander9727]

I'm glad I've never cut my thumb with a chainsaw.........

 

[Tree Machine]

Michael Maas.....

Do you need a hug, buddy? What I'm getting is a call for help. Do you need to get it all out, to talk about it, to express your feelings?

It's all right to cry, Mike. Release it all. Take a deep breath.... OK, that's right. You just let it all out.

EVERYBODY, come give Mike a big hug. There, there. Do ya feel better now?