When is it too cold to cut?

[oakman]

i was headed into the bush this morning to drop and mill up a couple hard maples. after about 50 yards, i saw something out of the corner of my eye. not sure what it was, i began to sneak up on it. after i got closer, and realised what it was, i decided it was way too cold to do any sawing, so jumped back in the truck, and went home to lounge around in front of the fire.

 

[John in MA]

It's been below freezing since in the 13th around here. About 15 right now. I'd cut if I had to, but I'm happy I don't.

 

[WOLF_RIVER_MIKE]

nice owl.

 

[woodsjunkie]

Humm I didn't know it ever got to cold to cut (well maybe but not around these parts) Just have to work a bit harder.
It was 5 deg here this am with the wind they said -20 but their wasn't much wind in the woods.

 

[z4lunch]

Steve here...
-7 below here this morning, cut up a big (big for WI) oak a couple weeks back...It got up to around 15F that day. Not too bad though out of the wind.
Steve


Tim nice owl...
did you carve it with your SP125!!!

 

[Tony Snyder]

Minus 3 here in East Central Illinois.

The Loggers are hanging out at the restruants, gas stations etc.; maybe even the bars , but I don't go to see.
They are far too roudy for me, as many mile as I have, to be able to tolerate.

PS: But I sold two saws to clearing cutters yesterday.

 

[oakman]

naw, i used my 066. i thought the big mac would be a bit overkill.

 

[logcutter429]

Dang i thought it was cold here at 15, if it was that cold maybe we would'nt have to go out and cut timber, supose to be colder in the morning about 8, doubt if we'll call it off though.

 

[eyolf]

About 20 below here this morning; brisk and bracing is the word.

A local public radio station interviewed a few people on their morning talk show; they called a farmer, a logger, the guy who drives the garbage truck.

None of 'em planned on staying in, but they all need to work a little harder. The farmer has to haul water, he shuts off the water 'cause the pipes freeze in his barn. The logger has to get to the woods a lot earlier and use a bertha to warm the oil pan on his skidder. The Guy in the garbage truck worries about how the cold affects his hydraulics and what frozen garbage can do if it sticks in some places in the truck.

The coldest I ever remember was back in January of 1980. I had a Volkswagen squareback ( a good student car) I was going to go to my fishhouse. The car started, barely, but when I let the clutch out, the engine didn't have the power to pull the mainshaft and cluster gears around in the tranny, and I killed the engine. I had to put the booster charger on to get another start. Later that day a local radio station announced that we had set a new record low temp...51 below.

The next day was 54 below, and I was at the neighbor's house building a campfire next to her LP tank because the gas wouldn't boil off fast enough to run the furnace.

 

[Ed K]

It been real cold here in western Ma,-14 this morning, we quit cutting 3 days ago. Cut a 30" w/pine and it wouldn't fall, was glued to the other trees with snow and ice. Pulled the tree down with the skidder and pulled the top out of the next tree, coarse theres no paint on that one.
Ed K

 

[Gypo Logger]

It's very cold here too. It's 16 below Celsius, but with the windchill it's 32 below. I almost froze my beak in the cold.
It is ok though, once you keep moving, but you need your truck close by to warm up.
Frank's Planks

 

[Dennis]

I lived in the Yukon for a winter, and you want to talk cold!! When it gets seriously cold...people don't let their vehicles shut off...they run 24/7...go to the mall...every vehicle is running and locked...you don't have to shut your car off at the pumps...

I went to go outside to work one day and it was -60!!! (then add windchill) I thought to myself.."no way anyone will be moving.." but there comes my bus....and everyone is moving like nothing is different...

When I was logging here in BC..we had a nasty cold snap...-50 for about 4 days...we were the only ones working...and I just happened to be running saw...luckily it was a 288 that never fails in the cold....but we would park the loader over the fire pit at night so it would still be warm in the morning and start....until he went to pull a tree and the boom cylinder snapped in half...the boss then decided it was too cold....

Legally in BC, Workers Compensation says that noone has to work colder than -30 I believe it is....but its your choice....

Myself...I try not to go outside if its -30 or worse....unless I run out of beverages...

 

[Gypo Logger]

Not only that, in this cold you have to plug in everything, but the Dodge always starts on the glow plugs.
John

 

[Jumper]

CCCCCOLD

-44C or about the same with the F scale here yesterday with the wind chill, -28C on the thermo. D*mn cold. I do know my furnace ran 14 hours and 31 minutes our of 24 hrs yesterday to keep the house at 66F when I am home and 58 when away and in bed. It is just after 9 pm today, and it has run 12 hr and 50 minutes already. Can not wait for the gas bill!

 

[Gypo Logger]

It seems 30 below is the cutoff point. Canadian Whiskey freezes at 72 below, but Johnny Walker freezes at 52 below, good thing.
I heard of a truck driver that saved his block by using whisky instead of anti freeze, after hours when only the bars were open.
John

 

[Keener]

I was born and raised in Ontario and I do remember the odd cold day. Now living in coastal B.C it is warm enough (about 12C today) but working in pouring rain gets to me after a while.
It rained so hard yesterday that while topping out a willow (20ft up) a school of herring swam by,what with the water, fish and sawdust they looked like a school of breaded fishsticks passing through.