Just saw this on another forum and thought it might be of interest to some of you.
http://www.southernforestryproducts.com/pages/cutting_bars.html
http://www.southernforestryproducts.com/pages/cutting_bars.html
New bow bars.
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Terrence Jefferson
ArboristSite Operative
Not to sound completely dumb .... But what is the purpose of the bow bars? I have never seen one in person to try to figure it out.
They're good for bucking. You don't have to bend over much to buck something that's on the ground.
Those bars shown are for brush cutting and small trees (e.g. Christmas tree farms use them). The original bow bars are must wider and were used in the South to buck pulp wood. Super dangerous kickback potential (decapitation and other fatal injury to upper torso) which is why none of the major chainsaw manufacturers offer them anymore.
On the top shelf is my grandfather's. The last time I used it, a kick back put that 35#+ saw over my head after it cut my hand and busted four knuckles. Sent me to the ER. That was almost 40 years ago. It has never been used since.
In the middle of the bottom row is a brush bow.
Ron
Here's a pic of one of the wider ones in action. Ron's right about the ones that are narrower -- used for brush and small trees.
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Those look wicked dangerous... but I haven't ever used one so I can't say for sure.
BTW rwoods, very nice collection on the wall!
BTW rwoods, very nice collection on the wall!
Terrence Jefferson
ArboristSite Operative
Thank you for all the information on these bars. I would guess the reason I haven't seen one in person is due to how dangerous they are. Ron that is a nice collection you have
I can say this about my bow, easier bucking wood and helps with my back but that's all it gets used for.
Steve
Steve
I'm not sure why he is standing the saw in the pic on it's head, he could have simply walked around on the other side and finished the cut. I never let a saw head get much above my waist, that's just asking for trouble. Been running a Bow Saw for 40 years and never had a problem with kick back. I think the problem is folks don't understand the Bow Saws limitations and it's proper use. You always make sure the gig on the front of the blade is against wood and fully engaged at the proper angle to prevent a kickback. You never limb with a bow saw and you never pull the saw out of a cut at WOT.
Nice that they don't pinch the bar when bucking also, you can cut right on through. Has more teeth so you don't have to sharpen as much, you can control the saw from cutting into the dirt, and as stated it saves your back. You can let the weight of the saw control the cut without having to man handle the saw. This helps with a heavy saw.
If they still had a short pulp wood market, they would still have bow saws. When it was rolling the pulp wood truck always had a couple of bows hanging on the standers and the price of a used ton truck was very high
Clearing bars Steve.
Thanks!!!!
Thanks!!!!
Don't have a need for one of those small bows on my Poulan S25DA, bar works fine on my top handle saws.
Steve
Steve
pavel408
ArboristSite Operative
Something every one left out about a bow bucking, and with pulp, there is no wide part of the bar in the log so it is very hard to pinch one. If the top of the cut starts to close, there is so little bar in the wood, you can cut through.
The bars I am familiar with are tapered to the inside - push through the cut and pull back through. Real simple. But nonetheless the kickback zone is many times larger than a bar.
The shield at the top is to protect your hand - the old MAC gear drives had a gap so you can add oil to the case. That gap is what got my hand. My dad cut his thumb in a similar gap on his MAC which had the more conventional steel guard. He wrote McCulloch and they made him a removable extension. I have never seen another one. Newer saws also had a guard on the bottom to protect your thigh.
Ron
The shield at the top is to protect your hand - the old MAC gear drives had a gap so you can add oil to the case. That gap is what got my hand. My dad cut his thumb in a similar gap on his MAC which had the more conventional steel guard. He wrote McCulloch and they made him a removable extension. I have never seen another one. Newer saws also had a guard on the bottom to protect your thigh.
Ron
I bought a new Stihl with the bow bar from a pawn shop thirty years ago. Can't remember the model, but it was a big one. The bow was 0.325; I bought a 20" bar and never ran it with the bow.
Had guards bottom and top on my P4000 BIG BOW, you could buck a 20 inch log with no problem with 2 or three cuts AND STAY SAFE, I never like cutting on the top 1/4 of the Bow, that is the reason you see the Idiot standing the saw on it's head in the video, proper usage and that wouldn't be necessary . The main thing is understanding the Bows limits and how to take advantage of it's good points. The reason you don't limb with it is, once you cut through the limb you are cutting the gig is no longer in contact and the saw can grab other brush and climb the brush or other limbs and have a kickback. The point is the gig must stay in contact at all times for the saw to be safe and you never pull the saw out at WOT.
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