firewood cutting with a bad back

[Hermio]

I forgot to mention earlier, my two younger kids, 13 and 11 are our helping every weekend. I make it fun for them, I hide small "rewards" along the trails. They drive a pair of Polaris 250cc air cooled 4x4 bikes with 3x6 trailers. They aren't always happy about it, bit once they get outside they get into it. My oldest is not an outdoorsy type girl, but she pulls her weight inside. Does a lot of our weekday meals now and helps around the house. I normally cut, my wife will stack on the trails and my kids come around and run loads up to the woods pile. When it's just myself and the kids I will stack too. I have a couple of picks I made so I can just grab a log with each hand, not have to bend over, and I'm pretty well balanced that way.

I've tried a 16" and 18" bar on my saw. I am in way worse shape after running those. One of the first things I taught myself was how to properly sharpen chains. I've got that but dialed in. If I feel I'm having to lean into it at all I switch chains. I bought about $2k of oddball chains that were on clearance at my local hardware. I picked the lot up, 2 totes full for $200. I bought a chain breaker and rivet spinner and have made a plethora of chains out of the lot. I carry enough that I don't have to sharpen in the field. It's all Oregon 20 series chain, but most were uncommon lengths like 67DL.

I am always working on something mechanical... I don't know that I want a tractor that's going to need a day of work every week too. I haven't been seriously looking yet though. I went to one dealership and got a bit overwhelmed by the options...

Thank you all for the advice. I tried to do some of my cutting on my knees today, and that wasn't really working that well for me. It's really swampy where I'm cutting right now so I was up and down a dozen times trying to reposition. I'm far better off on my feet than up and down it seems.

Thank you,
Jason

Oddly, I find more powerful saws to be less fatiguing, because the time spent in each cut is less. I presently use a Stihl MS500i. This not as big a saw as some use for felling, but I strictly cut firewood from my tree farm. I use a 20" bar in part because anything it won't buck is too big for me to lift. But it cuts through 12" white oak in under 5 seconds and goes through 18" red oak in about 10. For me, it has been the least fatiguing saw I have ever used.

 

[CDElliott]

Hi folks, I'm new here and am looking for some guidance. This is the first winter my family has burned firewood. I have a very messed up back. More than 20 years of botched surgeries and procedures have left me with a lot of permanent nerve damage and scar tissue.

Anyhow, I am using a Husqvarna rancher 450 *edit- the saw is not a 455* with a 20" bar. The saw is 0.325, so 20" is the longest I can go. I'm not cutting large stuff, I'm still cutting deadfall Ash on my property, so the biggest stuff I encounter is normally less than 14" diameter.

That said, I'm stooping over more than I would like to be. I'm thinking about picking up another saw that can pull a longer bar. I'd love to go 28", but I may not be able to afford that. My question is this, if I were to get the bigger Husqvarna rancher (I think it's a 460) for which they recommend a maximum 24" bar, could I get away with a 28" bar on it provided I'm not expecting it to cut enormous trees?

If not, could you all recommend a used saw to look for which might fit the requirements? I've been trying to Google models as they come up for sale, but frankly, the manufacturer naming schemes seem to be complete nonsense and I'm having trouble making heads or tails of which saws I should even bother trying to research.

Thank you for your time!
Jason

Hi Jason - You may already have one, but if not, you may want to get a picaroon to help save your back. There are videos on YT that extol different vendors and how they compare to each other, but they save a lot of bending over. Just a thought. Good luck!

 

[Sandhill Crane]

Is that popple on the log arch.

Yes. I cleared 3/4 acres, mostly poplar, for a firewood lot to stage pallets. I gave the poplar away to a guy with a boiler.

 

[bkellyusa]

The saw is only part of the strain on your back. Picking up the logs is another. I recommend cutting the logs with the aid of a log lifter such as the Timberjack made by Woodchuck tools, if you don't have a loader or grapple to get the logs off the ground. When the logs are cut, I find handling them with a good Hookaroon (I use the Fiskars long model) or the "Pinch-a-log" will greatly reduce bending over.

I thought I was the only one crazy enough to cut and store wood with a bad back.

I agree with everyone here that says get a lighter saw. I recently bought an Echo 4910. I replaced a Stihl 390 with the Echo. I was surprised how much the 3.5 lb.. difference made in handling the saw. Plus the 4910 is surprisingly powerful saw for a 50cc. If I get ot ported it should quickly become the ideal saw for me.

Other that I wish you success in dealing with your nack.

 

[david newbie]

I don’t have a machine to lift logs. I will sometimes get down on one or both knees when bucking to save my back. Chainsaw addict and retired chiropractor

 

[calamari]

I have a bad back too. Gabapentin will be the name of your new best friend.
I have some questions. How many cords of split wood do you burn in an average heating season? The number will tell you a lot about the size of the saw that would work best for you. If it's a couple cords, a 25cc top handle saw with a 14" bar like the Redmax 300 I use will do the deed and being a top handle it doesn't require you to bend over more to keep the bar parrallel to the ground when cutting cutting stuff on the ground. You say you can sharpen a chain so you've got a big part of making it easier on your back. Light saw, quickish cuts and stand up more frequently to align your spine. Size your saw based on how much you burn.
Long bars reduce bending over but they feel strangely heavy given the small amount of metal added. They can wear you out in a different way.
I have a Makita EA6100 that I run a 28" bar on w/o a problem so far. Turn the oiler all the way up and check that the oil port and bar groove are clean when you start and I'd run it anyway.
Here's a 28" Oregon bar that fits a K095 mount. I tried to give you a link but the site deleted it.

Oregon 280RNDK095 .050" Gauge 3/8" Pitch 28" Power Match Bar​

Leave the logs in your trailer so they are higher off the ground when you buck them. Just pull them out a little as you cut one at a time. Unless you have a fat wallet and burn an amazing amount of wood each year, buying a tractor with a grapple seems more industrial than your situation may warrant.

 

[chipper1]

I have a bad back too. Gabapentin will be the name of your new best friend.
I have some questions. How many cords of split wood do you burn in an average heating season? The number will tell you a lot about the size of the saw that would work best for you. If it's a couple cords, a 25cc top handle saw with a 14" bar like the Redmax 300 I use will do the deed and being a top handle it doesn't require you to bend over more to keep the bar parrallel to the ground when cutting cutting stuff on the ground. You say you can sharpen a chain so you've got a big part of making it easier on your back. Light saw, quickish cuts and stand up more frequently to align your spine. Size your saw based on how much you burn.
Long bars reduce bending over but they feel strangely heavy given the small amount of metal added. They can wear you out in a different way.
I have a Makita EA6100 that I run a 28" bar on w/o a problem so far. Turn the oiler all the way up and check that the oil port and bar groove are clean when you start and I'd run it anyway.
Here's a 28" Oregon bar that fits a K095 mount. I tried to give you a link but the site deleted it.

Oregon 280RNDK095 .050" Gauge 3/8" Pitch 28" Power Match Bar​

Leave the logs in your trailer so they are higher off the ground when you buck them. Just pull them out a little as you cut one at a time. Unless you have a fat wallet and burn an amazing amount of wood each year, buying a tractor with a grapple seems more industrial than your situation may warrant.

Here's a link to one in case someone wants one, not that I suggest this, but if it works for someone it works.
https://loggerchain.net/products/28...8-pitch-050-gauge-93-drive-links-chainsaw-bar

 

[chipper1]

Hi folks, I'm new here and am looking for some guidance. This is the first winter my family has burned firewood. I have a very messed up back. More than 20 years of botched surgeries and procedures have left me with a lot of permanent nerve damage and scar tissue.

Anyhow, I am using a Husqvarna rancher 450 *edit- the saw is not a 455* with a 20" bar. The saw is 0.325, so 20" is the longest I can go. I'm not cutting large stuff, I'm still cutting deadfall Ash on my property, so the biggest stuff I encounter is normally less than 14" diameter.

That said, I'm stooping over more than I would like to be. I'm thinking about picking up another saw that can pull a longer bar. I'd love to go 28", but I may not be able to afford that. My question is this, if I were to get the bigger Husqvarna rancher (I think it's a 460) for which they recommend a maximum 24" bar, could I get away with a 28" bar on it provided I'm not expecting it to cut enormous trees?

If not, could you all recommend a used saw to look for which might fit the requirements? I've been trying to Google models as they come up for sale, but frankly, the manufacturer naming schemes seem to be complete nonsense and I'm having trouble making heads or tails of which saws I should even bother trying to research.

Thank you for your time!
Jason

Welcome to AS Jason.
I really like the 450 rancher, great cutting saw when tuned well and not too heavy for a 50cc farm/ranch saw, they weigh the same as a 346xp which is a husky pro grade 50cc saw.
I saw at least one other person ask how much you burn a yr.
How big is your property and the wooded portion of it.
What part of Michigan are you in, I'm just east of GR, lots of great members here in Michigan that could help you out and let you try some saws to see if you like any of them. Most the guys here want to help others so you don't have to make the same mistakes we've made .
Brett

 

[Billhook]

Hi folks, I'm new here and am looking for some guidance. This is the first winter my family has burned firewood. I have a very messed up back. More than 20 years of botched surgeries and procedures have left me with a lot of permanent nerve damage and scar tissue.

Anyhow, I am using a Husqvarna rancher 450 *edit- the saw is not a 455* with a 20" bar. The saw is 0.325, so 20" is the longest I can go. I'm not cutting large stuff, I'm still cutting deadfall Ash on my property, so the biggest stuff I encounter is normally less than 14" diameter.

That said, I'm stooping over more than I would like to be. I'm thinking about picking up another saw that can pull a longer bar. I'd love to go 28", but I may not be able to afford that. My question is this, if I were to get the bigger Husqvarna rancher (I think it's a 460) for which they recommend a maximum 24" bar, could I get away with a 28" bar on it provided I'm not expecting it to cut enormous trees?

If not, could you all recommend a used saw to look for which might fit the requirements? I've been trying to Google models as they come up for sale, but frankly, the manufacturer naming schemes seem to be complete nonsense and I'm having trouble making heads or tails of which saws I should even bother trying to research.

Thank you for your time!
Jason

I would suggest that it is much more likely to produce a kickback trying to cut with a long bar using the end. You really need the dogs to bite into the log. Folk on here quite rightly suggest lifting the log up with a tractor loader but not everyone has one or can take it to the woods which may be some way from home. A simpler solution is shown in this video.
I have a bad back and find an electric Stihl MSA 220 a godsend with no need to pull start. In the second video I am cutting 24 inch wood with a 14 inch bar

This machine was built because of my bad back and wrists

 

[Valpen]

There are a number of us that have back issues and still need/want to use chainsaws...
All the suggestions that have been posted here that are related to improving your cutting position and/or increasing the bar length make sense.
There are only a few posts that mention saws that are less heavy, and the weight of the saw is very much related to stressing your back muscles/spine.
As a person with above average height (6' 5") and a back that I have to be careful with, I have opted to own light weight saws with longish bars and narrower chains to help me continue to gather wood and clear land.
My recommendation would be to buy a Stihl MS 201 rear handle saw or find a used MS 200 rear handle saw. They can handle a 16" bar, run 3/8 picco chain, have adjustable oiling feature, are light weight, powerful and have a very good balance (and are from the Prof-line of saws). The MS 241 also has adjustable oiling feature, and with an 18" bar 3/8 picco setup, that may also be a good alternative for you if the timber you are dealing with needs more than a 16" bar.
If your back situation really wants you to take full advantage of reducing weight, there are lightweight bars available as well.
If you are not a Stihl fan, an equivalent Husky or Echo saw should do the trick.

 

[Brufab]

Here's a link to one in case someone wants one, not that I suggest this, but if it works for someone it works.
https://loggerchain.net/products/28...8-pitch-050-gauge-93-drive-links-chainsaw-bar

Good ol' frawleys, I have bought a few things from them I believe my 24" d176 and chain combo. Good price then even better now after the pandemic.

 

[Bbqman]

Us guys with a bad back I hear ya
There is a product called volcanic oil ...my dad used it grandad was,a horseman ...his dad used it .looks like burnt oil ...rub it on. Wait bout20 min and boy feels better. . Fer what ails ya ..orange n black box 2oz see if ihavea pic to load..may not let me have them capabilities yet..

 

[calamari]

There is a product called volcanic oil ...

I don't like the sound of that at all! Kind of scares me a little!
With surgeries having failed to deal with the pain, it sounds like the OP is past using ointments, unguents and emollients to control it. He's left with, "Better living through chemistry," my favorite advertising slogan from the 60s and later, and the sage old medical advice I've received over the years when I had pain when I did something, "Don't do that!"
It all goes back to how many cords you burn a year. What's a manageable volume for an electric chain saw may not meet his needs although the lighter weight will really help if it does.

 

[belgian]

I don’t have a machine to lift logs. I will sometimes get down on one or both knees when bucking to save my back. Chainsaw addict and retired chiropractor

another back patient here and cutting firewood also. I will get down often on my knees for bucking or wood loading to save my back. And when limbing, I'll take the lightest saws in my stable : the MS200 and Shindaiwa 251.
and I take my time.. Wild days are long gone.... and it works also.

 

[Valpen]

Another useful item is a log holder. It allows you to get the logs up off the ground to save your back (and keep the bar/chain away from the ground).
When I take down a large tree, I have one of these that I set up by the tree and I feed it with branches up to 10". It needs a stable footing but it works pretty well. And you can load a decent log by yourself (note how at approx 2min in video).

​

​

Timber Croc Log holder - also makes a version. I am not sure what is available in the US.​

 

[GeeVee]

I can't believe how much some of you are willing to cut, on the ground. The OP will eventually be gettingn a machine, so he's on the right track. I put log length on a table made of plywood and plastic 55 gallon drums. Rounds cut at waist high roll right onto a splitter beam. I am not perfectly healthy either, but I'm sort of lazy......

 

[Bbqman]

I don't like the sound of that at all! Kind of scares me a little!
With surgeries having failed to deal with the pain, it sounds like the OP is past using ointments, unguents and emollients to control it. He's left with, "Better living through chemistry," my favorite advertising slogan from the 60s and later, and the sage old medical advice I've received over the years when I had pain when I did something, "Don't do that!"
It all goes back to how many cords you burn a year. What's a manageable volume for an electric chain saw may not meet his needs although the lighter weight will really help if it does.

I can't believe how much some of you are willing to cut, on the ground. The OP will eventually be gettingn a machine, so he's on the right track. I put log length on a table made of plywood and plastic 55 gallon drums. Rounds cut at waist high roll right onto a splitter beam. I am not perfectly healthy either, but I'm sort of lazy......

I'm just putting it out there for those who want relief ..you ain't gotta do a damn thing hand but die n pay taxes ..

 

[djones]

Since you have 4 wheelers available I think a log lift for the back of it will work just fine. It's cheaper than a tractor and all the accessories you'd need or want. It is also narrow and light weight, two more of your concerns answered.

 

[GeeVee]

I'm just putting it out there for those who want relief ..you ain't gotta do a damn thing hand but die n pay taxes ..

Eh, I'm all about avoiding being in pain. Once I'm in pain, it may take four weeks for the Sciatic to calm down, longer for the shoulder/neck. I pick up NOTHING by hand I can use my RC-30. I make as few cuts as I need out in the woods to be able to grapple them to the wood shed. My issue is getting them through the trees, so six to eight feet, and maybe two or three sticks at a time. Loads a 16' table up pretty good, and between bucking then sending them through the splitter, I only want to handle the smallest pieces I can. I can't be swinging an axe or hatchet too many times or the neck and shoulder go off on me, so I just don't. I cut certain hickory into 8" rounds just to make kindle and especially smoking wood, and use the splitter. Since I dont split the wye's or crotches, I dont get too much splitter turds or bark to use for kindle.....

 

[sundance]

Since you have 4 wheelers available I think a log lift for the back of it will work just fine. It's cheaper than a tractor and all the accessories you'd need or want. It is also narrow and light weight, two more of your concerns answered.

I assume you're talking about a log arch? Any you can recommend? Northern Tools price is attractive just don't know if it's any good. Haven't looked at many others. Log Rite has some nice looking ones but they're right proud of them!