Falling pics 11/25/09

[HuskStihl]

Reach around Humboldt

For a variety of reasons (found in the fun firewood forum) this was the only place I felt comfortable standing, but couldn't really reach where I wanted to put my face. I stepped back to get a better perspective on things and kicked over my phone/camera mid stream.

BTW, I made that sound kinda dirty on purpose

 

[HuskStihl]

Bob, his corner is there just the wire edge making it look low and flat.

Bob was right, the corner's weren't very good. That chain cut for crap. I re-did it with more focus on really hitting that corner, and it took about 10 seconds off a 30" cut

 

[treeslayer2003]

I posted my bad on the firewood forum. It wasn't a terrible bad, just showed how a tree can get off course when the hinge gets cut off.

no not terrible, ya didn't chair it or hit any thing. ya shoulda used a loadlock I guess.

 

[twochains]

Alder Coos vs. SSD Both trees roughly the same size. The Coos tree was leaning harder, and in worse shape than the SSD. Neither Tree split, although the SSD detonated on impact, and had more fiber pull.

Just don't mention the nearly falling on my ass bit... it was intentional really...

Nice moves there big fella! LOL!

 

[slowp]

This is my bad. The tree going to the left was where both were aimed. Then I cut just a bit too much and tree 2 spun off course.

 

[HuskStihl]

This is my bad. The tree going to the left was where both were aimed. Then I cut just a bit too much and tree 2 spun off course.
View attachment 335395

Shooooooot.....
That ain't nothin'! Come talk to me after you have to replace 40' of 4-board fencing. PITA

 

[slowp]

Fences, new pickups, buildings, skylines, etc. all have tractor beams which pull trees towards them.

 

[1270d]

whats a load lock?

 

[treeslayer2003]

whats a load lock?

load retaining device used in semi box trailers. the fire wood guys seem to like it.

 

[HuskStihl]

Now, I am acutely aware of my lumberjacking skill and knowledge defecits, but this perfectly encapsulates my feelings about some of the folks who post there

 

[northmanlogging]

There is some tree equipment jerks selling a commercial version meant for tipping trees, saw a video of it once, looked heavy and acward, not to mention expensive and easy to loose.

I'm thinking of starting a new Pop Group, or maybe a dance routine on the lines of River dance, Only called Log Dance... with more topless dancers. and no scrawny irish dudes, just a bunch of hairy fat guys in spats... singing about lost loves and the mistakes of youth... People are gonna love it...

 

[paccity]

I never fall down. I know you don't fall down. Nobody I know that works in the woods falls down. They don't fall down because fall down doesn't even begin to describe some the end over end, gear going every which way, arms and legs flailing, hard hat flying off, trying to get the saw away from you, knuckle skinning, knee scraping, shin gouging, screaming obscenities, absolute train wrecks that happen occasionally
But fall down? We never do that. Too ordinary.

on the other hand some of us that are more seasoned don't fall down we lay down and take a nap. or two .

 

[1270d]

there's some old logging tune with a line "hard work don't scare us, we can lay down right beside it and go to sleep"
Maybe one of you will remember the title, I can't

 

[4x4American]

its by buzz martin, i think its called strong winds and widow makers

 

[Nuzzy]

There's a guy in Firewood now who thinks that using a jack on every tree, even if it's a leaner and being felled in the direction of lean, is the way to go.

The scary thing for me is recognizing that people may unknowingly follow bad (or incomplete) advice and get themselves hurt or killed. For example, as soon as that guy mentioned jacking a tree, someone else popped up saying:

I've never heard of this before, but you are saying that this was a common procedure in the old days? So basically, it does the same thing that wedges dobut with far more force and efficiency. I have a 50 ton Harbor Freight bottle jack I used once for jacking up huge structural beams on a sagging dairy barn. It's been sitting in the basement ever since. With a piece of half inch steel plate, maybe I'm ready to take down my next big scary oak?

Now left unchecked, this guy (or others reading in the future) may think this is the greatest trick in the history of firewooding and go for it, completely unaware of the potential pitfalls. Obviously jacks have a place, but there is more to the story, and being aware of the "more" is kind of important.



I started out I firewood hack, but I genuinely wanted to learn the best and safest ways I could to accomplish what I needed. Had to sort through a bunch of BS, but found people over the years (and certainly in this F&L forum) that gave sound, obviously well respected advise. Read as much as I could, and cross referenced; sorted through the horror show of youtube to find some genuine fallers and studied their movements and processes. Now it's on my shoulders to put that to practice every time I go in the woods; remain a student; keep learning all I can from the Pros who have obviously done something right 'cause they're still alive and typing. In recent years, I've been able to take down some larger and more dangerous trees; been able to actually make a little money doing small selective jobs; been able to volunteer a lot of time and accomplish some things the organizations wouldn't have been able to do otherwise (or would've had to divert more time and already short funds). I really appreciate the time and effort many here put into sharing their valuable knowledge. I also genuinely hope some of that filters through to the farmers, firewooders, and my daddy says cutters; some of them just can't be helped; luckily others may still listen to reason and potentially save themselves from avoidable accidents.

 

[Gologit]

Fences, new pickups, buildings, skylines, etc. all have tractor beams which pull trees towards them.

Amen on the new pickup. Especially when it's the boss's pickup.

 

[DavdH]

I have pictures to prove the tractor-beam theorem, they are on slides in a box somewhere! Power lines should be included, at least from my experience (experiments). Power lines, skidders, crumbys, not even to mention stream and wet-land exclusion areas, meadows, archeology zones, gas cans, fellers caches, ...

 

[Gologit]

I have pictures to prove the tractor-beam theorem, they are on slides in a box somewhere! Power lines should be included, at least from my experience (experiments). Power lines, skidders, crumbys, not even to mention stream and wet-land exclusion areas, meadows, archeology zones, gas cans, fellers caches, ...

And then comes the usual question as you're packing out through the landing..."Wind get ya'?" To which you reply, without pausing to stop, "Yeah".

 

[OlympicYJ]

Bob was right, the corner's weren't very good. That chain cut for crap. I re-did it with more focus on really hitting that corner, and it took about 10 seconds off a 30" cut

If I didn't include a "looks like wire edge to me" I should have. I will admit I'm no pro filer, get mine to cut strait and decently fast and I'm happy lol. Just a question though, did you wind up taking the rakers down when you re-filed it?

 

[HuskStihl]

If I didn't include a "looks like wire edge to me" I should have. I will admit I'm no pro filer, get mine to cut strait and decently fast and I'm happy lol. Just a question though, did you wind up taking the rakers down when you re-filed it?

No, the pic Bitz diagrammed was fresh JGX. As soon as I get it outta the box I sharpen it and knock down the rakers. They seemed low enough on the second sharpening to not bother. I don't measure the depth tho, if the saw pulls me into the log and doesn't bog too much they're fine with me. Like most people, I can put a good edge on something when I want. Unfortunately, also like most people I don't really understand saw chain very well, so I'll never be much more than "seemed to cut good" or "didn't seem to cut so good" sorta guy. How's the engagement thing going BTW?