The best logging trick I've learned here. Thank you, Chris!

Here's the thing about this trick. It's not superior to a wedge or another method. It's simply another way to manipulate wood you are cutting. This truck allows for no hand tools or wedge handy. Two cuts a tap of the bar against the newly cut wedge, and you've made it so the kerf won't close on your bar. It doesn't really spit out under heavy pressure. Friction and compression of wood fiber seem to keep it good and tight. Though I'm sure it could spit out under the right conditions.

It's just another trick to have in ones mind to make work easier. Critics often see all the potential flaws in old time tricks like this but the catch is that it costs nothing to know and requires no gear. How can you go wrong for knowing something for free?
:cool:
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #53
Is that more to prevent getting the bar stuck in the case of an end bind combination? Top and bottom binds are the same force in a stem, but directed in opposite directions. In their true form they are remedied easily in one or two cuts. Why cut out the wedge? Maybe I just need it explained to me differently.

Sorry, old school understanding here.

Jerry, I was felling and bucking some nice larch trees today of a decent size.
I realized that without thinking about it, I was constantly reaming to relieve pressure on the bar.
I would not have done that it hardwood, for the simple fact that it takes quite a bit longer to make those extra reaming cuts in harder wood.
So that is where the wedge trick comes in handy.

I think, after almost 40 years of doing it, I automatically adjust my tecnique to the species at hand, without really noticing.
 
Sometimes I find with reaming, that where normally it would work well, like 95 percent of the time, the saw might still start to bind when the top is closed up. Probably some side bind going on as well. Bucking through multiple trees down where there can be a jumble, it's not always so clear what exactly is going on with the stresses. I enjoy that part of bucking, observing and adjusting to the situation with little hesitation and getting it done quickly. A powerful saw sure helps, and certainly good to pay attention to what the log is going to do after completing the cut. Even those big studs can kick around.
 
I am like Jay in this regard. I love the feel of reading the bind when bucking the logs. I guess the satisfaction of getting it right is a good reward for me. Had a lot of help leaning this stuff from yous guys though.. And practice. :D
 
I tell workers that I am teaching from scratch, "the saw will tell you a good bit about what the wood wants to do. It's just a matter of listening to and feeling the hint before its too late"

I do emphasize that surprises exist. Some tension combined with twist/torsion on a leader on a fallen tree has taught me a hard lesson or two. Spits the saw back at my legs in a violent manner once the chain cuts far enough in for the forces to make the wood burst to relieve itself.
 
You know what I mean, I'm sure. Trying to get a beginner to understand that even when running the saw properly, things can happen that catch you off guard.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #61
When we had "the storm of the century" in 99 i had 3 apprentices.
On the first day of cleanup in the woods ( A process which took about a year) I figured I'd better get their attention and make them aware of the forces they were dealing with.
So I found a nice little 'bout 1½ foot thick doug fir that was bent badly by having a couple of others weigh it down.
Instead of kerfing it properly, golden triangle and all that, I just dropped the bar with running chain down on top of it ( I was 100% sure all tension pointed straight up) like cutting into the front of a completely drawn longbow.
The thing exceeded my expectations. It simply blew up, throwing splinters everywhere.
Tossed the saw into the brush as well.
That sure got their attention!

We made it through that year with no-one getting maimed or killed, none of my guys at least.
 
The last time a piece of wood burst on me, it turned and kicked the bar of my Stihl 441 into my thigh so hard that the thigh was black and blue for a month and my one wrist was sore for days. I wasn't wearing chaps that morning, as I was being lazy and had very little saw work to do in the woods that morning. The chain ripped my pants and cut me, but the bruising from how hard the chain hit my thigh was amazing.
 
It sounds almost like a mouse trap. Even if you had tools to use for leverage to try to unbind such logs, it seems like that process could also kill you, if you were too close when it released. So how do loggers keep from getting killed by such unpredictable forces?

Tim
 
Thanks, RopeArmour. By ties I assume you mean some kind of ratcheting binding straps that will help to hold the spring tensioned wood where it is until pressure can be relieved?
Tim
 
Loggers do get killed by these unpredictable forces. Other tree workers, and homeowners,as well.

Golden triangle, coos bay cuts, too.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #67
We only get killed untill we learn to do it the right way.
After that, we are ok.

You need someone to teach you the ropes, obviously.
This , unlike normal everyday logging, isn't a field where you can just blunder around and find things out at your own.

My personal teaching tool, when dealing with this kind of stuff is a long thin stick.
That lets me stand out of harms way, mostly, and the beforehand agreement is, when I whack them, it means STOP.

I haven't lost one apprentice yet.

2 years ago we agreed to free cut some 1200 kubic meters of large timber so the harvester could deal with it.
Didn't have the time, but it was an unique opportunity to teach our new guy to deal with free cutting. ( That would be the Danish term :"friskæring", what is it called in US english when "All" you do is cut the fallen trees off from the rootwads.

So nice to see the difference in how he went at it at first and after 2 weeks.
If you are a trained logger and have the right guidance, you can learn to read bind, how extreme it is, and what side is where the danger lies fairly fast.

Yet there is no other part of logging, where I have had as many near misses.
Even for a person with a lot of experience, vigilance is important.

When dealing with the aftermath of the 81 storm, I didn't get into it till late 82 because I was living in California.
By then, all the trees that had no root contact to the ground, were dead/dying and stiff.
If they were in an extreme bend, they just stayed that way when you cut them free. No movement.
Then, in the middle of a bunch of deadish ones, you'd hit one with part of the roots still working...........Bam!
My closest call that year was one of those that came straight up at me. I managed to turn my head, but it tore my helmet off and sent it flying.
Had to sit down for a cup of tea, before I was able to go on.
 
No cutter that has been deep into wind thrown bucking, hasn't seen the power hidden binds bring to bear. It'll scare you at least, hurt you bad most likely, and kill you in an instant given a chance.

You boys and girls that get called into the urban/suburban cleanup scene following storms listen close here. Stig knows, and is speaking wisdom, along with Chris and a few other wise ones writing in the thread.
 
Thanks, Sean, Stig and Burnham for the replies. Scary stuff, if it can catch even you veterans by surprise. I appreciate the words of caution.

And Stig, I love the stick technique for training your apprentices. Those were some fortunate men to have the benefit of your eyes and experience standing over their shoulders, keeping them safe. To call me jealous would be an understatement.

Tim
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #70
Thanks, Tim.
That is the one thing that I feel I have done right in life.
I've had about 25 and 99% of them are still in the business.
In fact, the company we sub for every summer ( Second biggest in the country) is owned 50% by an old apprentice.
The forester running the largest private forest district is an old apprentice ( Who went with us to California last year and climbed Redwoods)
We will be taking on a new one this fall. Be interesting to see how that goes.

I love teaching this stuff to youngsters, but make VERY hard demands on them.
 
I love teaching this stuff to youngsters, but make VERY hard demands on them.

I have no idea what you mean ;). I've been told I'm always "on" when working, and hard to please.

How long can a person put up with rookies making rookie mistakes rather than sorta spoon-feeding them, then expecting them to eat on their own?

Had a 50 y.o. guy start today. Has worked some years in alaska logging, father is an old logger. So far so good. Didn't need to hold his hand.
 
Thanks, Tim.
That is the one thing that I feel I have done right in life.
I've had about 25 and 99% of them are still in the business.
In fact, the company we sub for every summer ( Second biggest in the country) is owned 50% by an old apprentice.
The forester running the largest private forest district is an old apprentice ( Who went with us to California last year and climbed Redwoods)
We will be taking on a new one this fall. Be interesting to see how that goes.

I love teaching this stuff to youngsters, but make VERY hard demands on them.

What it the other 1/4 of an apprentice doing? :lol:
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #75
Well, the last one decided that becoming a police officer, of all things, was his dream.
So far the teachers at the police academy have tried to put him in stress inducing situations and have him evaluate hiss stress level afterwards.

His take on that is, "After having you on my ass for 3½ years, they haven't been able to raise my blood pressure, so far"

The other one got oo far into smoking weed and dropped out of life.

Pity, really, since he was a really gifted logger and climber ( Except for the biggies in Cali, they sure broke him)
 
Back
Top