Tractors and wood! Show your pics

[John_Mc]

One of my 100 year old elm trees started making some loud cracking noises the other day and I found that it was split and a BIG part of it was going to fall on my pole barn and/or LP tank. I was pretty scared of it, but managed to get a strap around part of it, to at least try and direct it away from the barn. I got hold of a local tree company, who put me at the top of their full schedule and came out the next morning and felled it. A grapple would be useful , but I'm making due with what this 855 has and it is working great. I don't need the extra firewood, but I'll keep the big, straight ones anyway. My 28' bin pad burn pile is full again, and I'm only 2/3 done with the cleanup. View attachment 755336View attachment 755337

Elm has to be my LEAST favorite firewood. Not all that great on the BTU content, and a real pain in the butt to split - even with a hydraulic splitter.

 

[Jstpssng]

One PITA part of chaps is the loops get caught on stuff when getting in and out of the tractor. Spinner knob on wheel and the controls under the seat. If I tighten the loops up, then they seem too tight and affect mobility. Never hear of chainsaw pants so that is something to look into.

It's nice to hear that I'm not the only one who does that. Another problem is when wearing my logger's tape... it's not uncommon to jump off and have the tape end get coaught on something, causing it to unwind.

 

[Jstpssng]

I did not bring it up, Gordon did about 14-15 posts above.

Oh sure, Shoot the instigator messenger!

 

[Loaderman22]

A few years back I was limbing and fell almost on my running saw. I landed on my elbows but nearly cut open my belly. Scared me and I quit for the day.

I now run a MS 362 StiHl with a third safety brake system. The only way the chain moves is if I have the throttle handle squeezed depressing the switch on top of the handle. Let go that handle and the brake instantly stops the chain. Fall, drop the saw or whatever and the chain stops instantly. When filing the chain I have to squeeze the handle to rotate the chain. Everybody I have shown it to are impressed but none have seen one. I ordered it special and paid $100 extra for that feature and the dealer said I was the first customer to do so. But he reminded me of a local professional 20 years ago here who was cleaning up a brush tangle behind his machine when he fell with running saw, cut the inside of his groin, which was unprotected by his chaps, and bled out. He would have been ok with this saw.
Never regretted buying it

I was cutting a couple weeks ago with my MS362, (I wonder where I got that from?) no such safety feature but I see how that may become more mainstream, like seatbelts in cars & the higher 3rd brake light, etc.
I was cutting large (east coast large) 30"-52" ash tree and ran the saw out of gas. Refilled, it started once for 3 seconds then died again. Couldn't get it to restart. Pulled plug and grounded to cylinder, and barely a spark. I asked the mrs. aka my better half, to run to the local stihl dealer and get me a couple plugs and a new 25" chain while she was there. They sent her on her way with a 20" chain (in a 20" box) and 2 of the smallest spark plugs I have ever seen. So small that if I wasn't paying attention, the entire plug could have fallen into the cylinder head thru the plug hole! Called store, got an apology from a different salesman, but really nothing that made me feel like they wanted to make it right. Wife went back and someone with eyes, gave her the right chain. I bought spark plugs online because they said that plug was the direct cross reference in their book, so obviously that's wrong. Anyway, put in new plug, started right up. I'm not sure what caused the plug to go, I think it was the fact it was hot, & I was cutting so close to large logs that the exhaust didn't really have a great path to escape, it was blowing right up against a wall of wood, too much for plug, ended up fouling out???

 

[Loaderman22]

Special order was the wrong terminology I suppose. What I meant was Stihl offered 3 versions of the MS362 when I bought it. The basic one, one with heated handles and one with the triple brake system I described. Dealer didn't stock the one I wanted so he ordered it.
I also find it safe when climbing over brush and tops as I carry it by top handle. I used to snap the brake on each time.
I assume STihl still makes it.

My rule of thumb is, more than 3 steps, chain brake goes on...

 

[Loaderman22]

Oh sure, Shoot the instigator messenger!

I wonder how the view is under that bus???

 

[hunt4570]

Oh sure, Shoot the instigator messenger!

Yeah, I'm thinking instigator was correct!

 

[hunt4570]

I was cutting a couple weeks ago with my MS362, (I wonder where I got that from?) no such safety feature but I see how that may become more mainstream, like seatbelts in cars & the higher 3rd brake light, etc.
I was cutting large (east coast large) 30"-52" ash tree and ran the saw out of gas. Refilled, it started once for 3 seconds then died again. Couldn't get it to restart. Pulled plug and grounded to cylinder, and barely a spark. I asked the mrs. aka my better half, to run to the local stihl dealer and get me a couple plugs and a new 25" chain while she was there. They sent her on her way with a 20" chain (in a 20" box) and 2 of the smallest spark plugs I have ever seen. So small that if I wasn't paying attention, the entire plug could have fallen into the cylinder head thru the plug hole! Called store, got an apology from a different salesman, but really nothing that made me feel like they wanted to make it right. Wife went back and someone with eyes, gave her the right chain. I bought spark plugs online because they said that plug was the direct cross reference in their book, so obviously that's wrong. Anyway, put in new plug, started right up. I'm not sure what caused the plug to go, I think it was the fact it was hot, & I was cutting so close to large logs that the exhaust didn't really have a great path to escape, it was blowing right up against a wall of wood, too much for plug, ended up fouling out???

Bad saw probably!

 

[hunt4570]

I wonder how the view is under that bus???

Big bus I'm thinking!

 

[Loaderman22]

Bad saw probably!

Speaking of bad saws... How's that new echo treating you?