It's just hard to imagine that someone knows what is possible when a spike is planted in a tree. The ones that don't should be showed pics of injuries and deaths from broken chains.
Dodged a bullet Saturday
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jra1100
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I agree
Back then people didn't worry about saving trees, more concerned about saving themselves. Strangest thing I have seen was on old flintlock that was found in a partly hollow tree in NE Iowa. It used to be in hanging in a bar. Have to wonder what happened there. Some hunter or explorer leaned it up against a small tree and never retrieved it. Probably something bad happened to him as a gun was never left intentionally. JR
Back then people didn't worry about saving trees, more concerned about saving themselves. Strangest thing I have seen was on old flintlock that was found in a partly hollow tree in NE Iowa. It used to be in hanging in a bar. Have to wonder what happened there. Some hunter or explorer leaned it up against a small tree and never retrieved it. Probably something bad happened to him as a gun was never left intentionally. JR
Brmorgan
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Years ago, a rancher out west of here found an old Hudson's Bay Company musket leaning up against a tree or rock, I forget which, when he was out bringing cows in for the winter. I don't know how old it ended up being, but Alex Mackenzie went through there in 1793 so it could be over 200 years.
It would be really neat to find either of those. Although they were probably rusted real bad.
Should we be using chain catchers ?? Iv'e been wondering , Iv'e had a couple chain derails latley but they never seem to go anywhere , are the catchers a problem to use or get in the way of normal use ??
Sure seems like a good idea, This one actually broke on me. never had one break, Had plenty fly off before. I don't know if it would stop it from coming back on you or not but it looks like it would save your clutch cover for sure.
There is a bar in Northern California in a town called 'Ono' that has an old .30-30 Winchester that was leaned up against an oak tree that grew around the rifle. It's pretty cool looking, but one wonders why someone would leave a rifle out in the hills like that. I've read a story about a hunter who leaned his rifle up against a tree and then forgetting where he left it. Then years later someone found it still in the same place/loaded.
My worst encounter with metal in trees while sawing is barbed wire and a 16 penny nail. I did find what looked to be a .30cal bullet on time, but the saw buzzed right through it.
jerry-
clayman
ArboristSite Operative
A saw will cut through the first 16d common nail pretty good. 
Since it was hammered in so long ago maybe that spike was put in by loggers as an anchor for something: maybe for a block pulley for a winch line?
Since it was hammered in so long ago maybe that spike was put in by loggers as an anchor for something: maybe for a block pulley for a winch line?
It's very possible, It is in hilly country. But we found three of them and their are probably more left in the rest of the trunk. I ain't cuttin it up though.lol Ive hit a few nails and barbwire too. and even a bullet before. They will really dull a chain. To have one break and fly off is scary though.A saw will cut through the first 16d common nail pretty good.
Since it was hammered in so long ago maybe that spike was put in by loggers as an anchor for something: maybe for a block pulley for a winch line?
Bermie
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What kind of saw are you using that doesn't have a chain catcher as a standard item on it from the start?
Its just a curl of replaceable soft alloy placed just under the lower side of the bar, mounted on the casing...they absolutely don't get in the way and they work! Ive not had a chain break, but have had several thrown chains get wrapped in the catcher.
bigjake
ArboristSite Operative
I was into a red oak about 12'' when sparks flew and the chain came off .
turned out to be a metal fence post full length .lucky its was about 3 feet
above the drop cut.
turned out to be a metal fence post full length .lucky its was about 3 feet
above the drop cut.
Some yr. ago, a buddy called and said the Forest Svc. was enlarging a reservoir about five miles out of town, we could go up there and cut a bunch of spruce they wanted removed. We got both our trucks, his trailer, our saws, some lunch, beer for after the cutting to help us load up the wood, got up there, found a place to cut amongst the many other guys cutting already, iced the beer in the reservoir, started in. His chain went first. Then mine. Then another of his. Then another of mine. We finally got into a trunk enough to find square nails. This was up in Arapahoe Ntl Forest, no old cabins around or anything, the nails from long before the reservoir was built. Who knows. Doesn't take big metal to do the job. I hit some hogwire once, completely grown into the trunk with no outward sign. That was a bear: nowhere to move the bar to try another cut for many inches with hogwire. Well, that's what I discovered at least, up til the time I figured out what I was dealing with, since I was guessing it was barb wire.
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Old Mac Guy
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I cut down an old elm tree here on Main Street in 1997. It was was planted around 1910 and was about 30" diameter. When bucking it into sections to haul it away, I noticed something odd-looking in the end of one of the sections... looked closer and found a railroad spike. My chain had missed it by about 1/8" down its full length... but the cut was close enough that parts of the spike were visible in the cut. Never hit metal, tho. Closer examination, scar healing tissue and counting rings showed it was driven into the tree on the street side in about 1955. I figured someone used it to hang a 4th Of July Parade banner across the street, then never removed it.
Talk about dodging a bullet.... :jawdrop:
Talk about dodging a bullet.... :jawdrop:
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