SpiralAcacia
ArboristSite Operative
When you get dehydrated enough you can pee thick urine into your saw and save bar oil.
Hmmm... Just a thought!
SA
Hmmm... Just a thought!
SA
Tell me about summer wood cutting.
- Thread starter aandabooks
- Start date
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Beware! It is possible to drink too much water and get sick. This is not uncommon for Summertime hikers to the Grand Canyon.
I learned about it from the video the Park Service sends hikers warning them of all the dangers.
Not to worry, we brought the rain to the Grand Canyon and snow too.
I learned about it from the video the Park Service sends hikers warning them of all the dangers.
Not to worry, we brought the rain to the Grand Canyon and snow too.
Locust Cutter
Sawing for Sanity
Thread summation (so far)
Necessity is a 'mother'. Cutting in the summer is better than not cutting at all, but with few reservations or exceptions, winter is better all around on the physical equipment and the Human equipment,... Now where's that calomine lotion???
Necessity is a 'mother'. Cutting in the summer is better than not cutting at all, but with few reservations or exceptions, winter is better all around on the physical equipment and the Human equipment,... Now where's that calomine lotion???
Plaka
ArboristSite Lurker
cold towels
Get one of those cheap 24 packs of work towels from Home Despot or the like,. The white terry towels often found in the paint dept. Poke a hole in the bag and add enough water to get them all good and wet. Then put them in a cooler on top of a frozen two liter of water. Wipe down with the cold damp towels every so often to cool off and freshen up.
Immediate ice is an excellent treatment for a lot of smaller things. Having the chunk of ice is perfect in cases of smaller cuts, getting bitten or stung, dropping something heavy on appendages, twisted ankles, etc. Wrap it in a wet towel for longer treatments such as a bee sting if you are allergic.
If you come across a fine log in a clearing in the woods...perhaps 24+" by 10 or 12', all nice and limbed, and with chainsaw cuts just all over it, none very deep----don't touch it. It has a Yellow Jacket nest. My father and I have both been sensitive to bee stings since that day....
Get one of those cheap 24 packs of work towels from Home Despot or the like,. The white terry towels often found in the paint dept. Poke a hole in the bag and add enough water to get them all good and wet. Then put them in a cooler on top of a frozen two liter of water. Wipe down with the cold damp towels every so often to cool off and freshen up.
Immediate ice is an excellent treatment for a lot of smaller things. Having the chunk of ice is perfect in cases of smaller cuts, getting bitten or stung, dropping something heavy on appendages, twisted ankles, etc. Wrap it in a wet towel for longer treatments such as a bee sting if you are allergic.
If you come across a fine log in a clearing in the woods...perhaps 24+" by 10 or 12', all nice and limbed, and with chainsaw cuts just all over it, none very deep----don't touch it. It has a Yellow Jacket nest. My father and I have both been sensitive to bee stings since that day....
logbutcher
Addicted to ArboristSite
Never cut in summer here. Hot ( up to 70 F ! ), bugs in your crotch and pits (deerflies, blackflies, mozzzies ), soggy ground, rough trails, saws overheat, yes those sweet Yellow Jackets in rotted trunks.
Why do the harvesting in summer anyhow ? Too many other things to do in our single month of "poor sledding" : the sea, visitors from down south from CT and MA, drinks on the deck, sunrise @ 0430, sunset @ 2130. Sweet.
Winter cutting=easier on the body and machines. And who's that cutting nude ?
Why do the harvesting in summer anyhow ? Too many other things to do in our single month of "poor sledding" : the sea, visitors from down south from CT and MA, drinks on the deck, sunrise @ 0430, sunset @ 2130. Sweet.
Winter cutting=easier on the body and machines. And who's that cutting nude ?
gwiley
Addicted to ArboristSite
I do a lot of cutting in the summer.
- drink a lot of water, by the time you are thirsty you have gone to far. Carry 2x as much water as you think you will need in your truck.
- cut as much in the morning and evening as possible, the hottest part of the day is around 3pm
- learn the symptoms of heat injury - if you feel light headed, suddenly cold or stop sweating you are in trouble and need to get help. Heat stroke can kill you.
- spray DEET on your boots/pants legs, ticks typically (though not always) crawl up your legs
- sunscreen, 50spf, skin cancer will reduce your productivity
- drink a lot of water, by the time you are thirsty you have gone to far. Carry 2x as much water as you think you will need in your truck.
- cut as much in the morning and evening as possible, the hottest part of the day is around 3pm
- learn the symptoms of heat injury - if you feel light headed, suddenly cold or stop sweating you are in trouble and need to get help. Heat stroke can kill you.
- spray DEET on your boots/pants legs, ticks typically (though not always) crawl up your legs
- sunscreen, 50spf, skin cancer will reduce your productivity
After reading thru these posts, what "summer" means to some of you, would be a cool fall day for us down south, lol. Good advice has been given here, I can't add much, but I have had lots of experience in cutting in the hot TX weather, meaning above 105F. I have cut at 116F, and that was not at a low humidity either.
Take frequent water breaks, drink small amounts more often. Cool water, not freezing water.
Rotate your saws to let them cool down.
Keep a wet towel handy.
Don't jump into a cold air conditioned truck cab, then back out into the heat.
Keep a fire extinguisher handy.
Work slowly.
If you get fatigued, which you will very quickly, STOP. Resume the next day or take a long break and recover.
Don't forget to eat something, heat makes you not hungry, fresh fruits, bananas, "cool" foods are better, than say a chili cheese dog, lol.
Other than that, watch out for all the snakes, ticks, wasps, poision ivy and the such, and have a good time. Cutting in the heat is tiresome, but beats the heck out of not cutting at all.
Take frequent water breaks, drink small amounts more often. Cool water, not freezing water.
Rotate your saws to let them cool down.
Keep a wet towel handy.
Don't jump into a cold air conditioned truck cab, then back out into the heat.
Keep a fire extinguisher handy.
Work slowly.
If you get fatigued, which you will very quickly, STOP. Resume the next day or take a long break and recover.
Don't forget to eat something, heat makes you not hungry, fresh fruits, bananas, "cool" foods are better, than say a chili cheese dog, lol.
Other than that, watch out for all the snakes, ticks, wasps, poision ivy and the such, and have a good time. Cutting in the heat is tiresome, but beats the heck out of not cutting at all.
I look at my chainsaw every time I walk past it (where it sits on a shelf in my shed) and tell it that it needs to wait until fall before it can eat again. I do not cut in the summer, there's too many other things to do with my time. There's also too many negatives to summer cutting, all of which have been mentioned in this thread.
I won't fire up the saw between early May and mid-September except if it's absolutely necessary (such as cutting storm damaged trees or picking up scrounged wood).
I won't fire up the saw between early May and mid-September except if it's absolutely necessary (such as cutting storm damaged trees or picking up scrounged wood).
It used to be a 361 everywhere here, until they discontinued it.It's a 361 here , is it? Over on Chainsaw it's a 346xp.
Hedgeking
New Member
There is one time of year that is effective and best for pruning and removing trees - Winter. If your tree is healthy and doesn’t pose a risk, removing it during winter is perfect not only for your trees’ health but also for your back pocket. This when there is very little action going on outdoors and you will snag a bargain on tree removal. Apart from this, you can save 25% + off the price of shrub removal and prune when getting it done in cold weather.
If your tree is at risk of falling over between now and then, an experienced tree professional recommends you remove the trees. Property and health damages - caused when it falls - will cost you more than you try to save. But, is it cost-effective to remove bush during the winter season?
While tree removal is usually carried out by tree care specialists all year round, there is a dramatic drop off in demand for their services during the colder months. Removing shrubs in the winter is a cheaper option. The main reason is supply and demand. Supply and demand determine the cost for shrub removal just like any other commodity or service in the market. Reputable tree removal companies may offer lower prices in colder months as not many people seek tree services during this season. The dormant season (December to early March) seems to have the lowest rates for tree services in the whole year. Tree professionals are ready to offer decreased costs so that they can get a steady flow of business.
It is also easier to remove the trees as all leaves have fallen off. Contractors or companies can get super busy during the late spring and summer with increased demand for tree care services. As an outcome, you might need to pay higher rates. So, make sure you get your bush removed with the aid of tree specialists during winter months if you are looking for a cost-effective way for your tree removal. During winter, you can expect to get a 20% to 30% discount on your tree removal cost with great results.
If your tree is at risk of falling over between now and then, an experienced tree professional recommends you remove the trees. Property and health damages - caused when it falls - will cost you more than you try to save. But, is it cost-effective to remove bush during the winter season?
While tree removal is usually carried out by tree care specialists all year round, there is a dramatic drop off in demand for their services during the colder months. Removing shrubs in the winter is a cheaper option. The main reason is supply and demand. Supply and demand determine the cost for shrub removal just like any other commodity or service in the market. Reputable tree removal companies may offer lower prices in colder months as not many people seek tree services during this season. The dormant season (December to early March) seems to have the lowest rates for tree services in the whole year. Tree professionals are ready to offer decreased costs so that they can get a steady flow of business.
It is also easier to remove the trees as all leaves have fallen off. Contractors or companies can get super busy during the late spring and summer with increased demand for tree care services. As an outcome, you might need to pay higher rates. So, make sure you get your bush removed with the aid of tree specialists during winter months if you are looking for a cost-effective way for your tree removal. During winter, you can expect to get a 20% to 30% discount on your tree removal cost with great results.
Good thread resurrection!
A few names I miss, and some that I am glad are no longer on here.
I do a lot of wood processing in the summer as I find myself busy with other things in the spring and fall.
-Cut morning and evening if possible.
-Breeze is your friend.
-Shade is definitely your friend. Set up a canopy if you will be working in the same spot for more than a few minutes.
-Do not work too fast. Take breaks. Wait until you cool down before starting up again.
-Water is important but electrolyte replacement is more important. If you are drinking sports drinks and still getting headaches, step up to pedialyte or a homemade electrolyte solution
-Bug spray and sunscreen as necessary
A few names I miss, and some that I am glad are no longer on here.
I do a lot of wood processing in the summer as I find myself busy with other things in the spring and fall.
-Cut morning and evening if possible.
-Breeze is your friend.
-Shade is definitely your friend. Set up a canopy if you will be working in the same spot for more than a few minutes.
-Do not work too fast. Take breaks. Wait until you cool down before starting up again.
-Water is important but electrolyte replacement is more important. If you are drinking sports drinks and still getting headaches, step up to pedialyte or a homemade electrolyte solution
-Bug spray and sunscreen as necessary
I try to avoid splitting wood in the summer. This is South Carolina.
AIM
Addicted to ArboristSite
I don't even know where my saws are, in the summer. lol... The bugs, the weeds, the heat, etc. No thanks!!
My wife and I though cut a bit different than most do in the winter. We take a thermos of coffee, a cooler full of beer and the dogs and make an afternoon of it. I start cutting while she piles brush, junk wood, and other limbs and stuff. Light a nice big fire and just enjoy. I'll admit it takes us 3 times longer to cut a load than it should but it's enjoyable. Not just work.
A few years back we cut in one little 3-4 acre corner of a woods that had a ton of blow downs and dead stuff. By the end of the year that little corner was cleaned up and looked great. We must have burned a small mountain of brush and junk wood.
My wife and I though cut a bit different than most do in the winter. We take a thermos of coffee, a cooler full of beer and the dogs and make an afternoon of it. I start cutting while she piles brush, junk wood, and other limbs and stuff. Light a nice big fire and just enjoy. I'll admit it takes us 3 times longer to cut a load than it should but it's enjoyable. Not just work.
A few years back we cut in one little 3-4 acre corner of a woods that had a ton of blow downs and dead stuff. By the end of the year that little corner was cleaned up and looked great. We must have burned a small mountain of brush and junk wood.
Jhenderson
Addicted to ArboristSite
After 5 pages it’s hard to believe people actually earn a living logging in the summer.
Guess I'll add my 2cents worth. At work we try to do our tree trimming fall through winter. (Providing theres no snow for us to plow) summer is really the only time I get to cut wood for the house. I'm a scrounger so I get the take it or leave it, btw it needs gone by this date, dont mess the yard up and so on. Theres a lot of good pointers here and I'll add one. If you happen to run out of water dont be afraid to knock on the homeowners door and ask for a glass or three. I got myself this spring, had a nice hot day had to winch an uproot off another tree. Winch was giving me some grief, as well as my 359. Ended up having to switch to my 390xp amd run the winch manually instead of with the remote. Lots of back and forth. Burned through my gallon water quick. Got to the point where I got rather light headed. Had to stop and take a break. The home owner decided to come check up on me, shes a nurse, apparently I was in worse shape then I thought. She said I was pale as a ghost, drug me up to the house and plugged me full of Gatorade, wile chewing me out for not coming up to the house to refill my water jug. Lesson learned. What I was expecting to take half a day took longer due to unforeseen issues and I wasnt properly prepared. I dont/wont have an issue to go knocking to ask if I run out again, and I will always take more water and a big bottle or two of Gatorade with now from on.
Cheers for all the good tips guys.
Cheers for all the good tips guys.
I am one that cuts and splits most of my wood during the summer 15 to 20 cord. I don't like the heat but that's when we have the time. When I worked in town and farmed my town job was seven days a week in the winter to when I would take off in the spring to plant. When I retired from my town job I thought I will have more time to cut in the cooler season. Between the weather and health issues that hasn't worked out. Seems like we get harvest done and field work done in the fall and then here comes the rain and we have mud and I don't want to tear up my pastures cutting wood. Then when it freezes up we have a lot of snow. When it dries back up its time to go to the field and plant and spray. Finally got field work caught up last week so Saturday we were cutting wood in the heat again this year. We will be cutting wood for a few more weekends in the heat until it time to make the second round of spraying then before I know it fall will be here and it will be harvest time again. When its hot we drink a lot of water start at five in the morning and if it real hot we shut down around two we worked to five last Saturday and that was a little too much I felt it Sunday. Got to be careful in the heat. Hope everyone has a good summer.
I cut sping summer fall and winter. Spring and fall are the best around here in the summer it can 90° with 80% humidity. All I do is take it slow and try to say out of the sun. Winter I set up the burn barrel for warmth.
But anytime your working the wood you need to stay hydrated. Dry winter air can suck the moisture right out of you
But anytime your working the wood you need to stay hydrated. Dry winter air can suck the moisture right out of you
Had a couple oaks come down in the Tropical Storm no one can pronounce, and I'm just flat out of stacking space, and splitting motivation in the miserable heat and humidity this year. So, I've decided to run a couple logs to a mill. Here are three from a chestnut oak. I know nothing about taking logs to a mill, so I don't know whether these will be good for milling or not. But every log I don't have to block up, split, and stack is a bonus this summer.
One of the coolest mornings in over a month, and I sweated through the Carhartts. I need to finish this tree, and get to a beach somewhere.
One of the coolest mornings in over a month, and I sweated through the Carhartts. I need to finish this tree, and get to a beach somewhere.
