Tractors and wood! Show your pics

[WinterDeere]

The very first time I used my top handle saw it kicked back right at my face. Didn't hit me but got my attention for sure.

Glad you were okay.

What makes it worse is that they are light enough to one-hand so easily...

Yep, and that's what I'm often doing with mine, either using it to mark off a log for bucking with a measuring stick in my left hand and saw in my right, or using it to buck lengths off branches too skinny to bother with a real saw.

In this case, I was holding a small 3"-4" diameter branch in my left and bucking lengths off it with the top handle in my right. Poor form on my part, but always fine, until you get careless and let the tip contact something. In 15+ years of using a top handle, for countless hundreds of cords of firewood, this was the first time I managed to do exactly that.

And thus is today's lesson in single-point-of-failure maneuvers. No margin for error.

 

[Runner]

Glad you were okay.


Yep, and that's what I'm often doing with mine, either using it to mark off a log for bucking with a measuring stick in my left hand and saw in my right, or using it to buck lengths off branches too skinny to bother with a real saw.

In this case, I was holding a small 3"-4" diameter branch in my left and bucking lengths off it with the top handle in my right. Poor form on my part, but always fine, until you get careless and let the tip contact something. In 15+ years of using a top handle, for countless hundreds of cords of firewood, this was the first time I managed to do exactly that.

And thus is today's lesson in single-point-of-failure maneuvers. No margin for error.

I try to make sure I'm standing on the left and holding the saw out to the right when one-handing. Better not to do it at all, but.....

 

[Jstpssng]

The above reminds me of doing firewood with my family years ago. My father and I were running saws, mother and brother were feeding us wood. They'd hold a 2 foot piece of wood out and expect me to cut it, because that's what they were used to. I made them put it on the ground.

I've known pros with years of experience get bit or worse because they got complacent or tired. A power saw is likely the most dangerous tool that most people use.

 

[BackRoad]

Glad you're OK Mr. Winterdeere. That was verrry close to going wobbly. Something like that will give one religion.

I've always worn muffs and eye protection. Finally promised my wife I'd add wearing the chaps and gloves that were folded up in my cutting bag.

Still only occasionally wear head protection, mostly for very dead standing trees.

They say wisdom is learning from other people's mistakes. Might need to change my protocol...it all feels kind of sissy, till it isn't.

 

[Rockbadchild]

Had a kickback event with my top handle saw, yesterday. Ate my Deere ball cap, and just scratched my scalp. I was relatively lucky.

You always hear folks say they can’t imagine how this happens, until it happens to them, and I guess I’m in that boat now. I put more hours on chainsaws every year, than most non-pros will in a lifetime, so this didn’t come from lack of experience. More likely a “familiarity breeds complacency” issue, in this case.

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For anyone curious, “Little’s” is our local chain of JD dealerships.

Here’s where all the keyboard Dudly Do-Rights get on their soap box, about using a top-handle saw on the ground.

It certainly can happens quick glad you got away with only a scratch...It can happen to the best of us regardless of the chainsaw... thanks for sharing it take some guts!

 

[WinterDeere]

Still only occasionally wear head protection, mostly for very dead standing trees.

I'm the same. I wear a helmet whenever felling, or maybe even when limbing stuff that's hanging overhead, but never when bucking a log on the ground.

Stihl published stat's many years ago, maybe they've even been updated since, but memory tells me something like 5 out of every 6 chainsaw injuries could have been prevented by chaps, rather than a helmet. That said, I only wear my chaps when it's cold out, and it wasn't cold yesterday.

I know exactly what caused yesterday's mishap, and it was totally my fault, no debating that. But I am bothered by the fact that the inertial chain brake on this crappy Husqvarna 435T never activated. I already preferred Stihl over Husqvarna, and now I have just one more reason for that sentiment. Even without my left wrist hitting the chain brake lever, I'm led to believe the inertial component of the brake should have activated in this scenario.

I remember the first time I broke my arm at age 8, and an arborist hopped into the emergency room on one foot, with his buddy carrying the guy's other foot in an Igloo Lunchmate cooler. Even the pro's screw up, sometimes.

 

[Rockbadchild]

I'm the same. I wear a helmet whenever felling, or maybe even when limbing stuff that's hanging overhead, but never when bucking a log on the ground.

Stihl published stat's many years ago, maybe they've even been updated since, but memory tells me something like 5 out of every 6 chainsaw injuries could have been prevented by chaps, rather than a helmet. That said, I only wear my chaps when it's cold out, and it wasn't cold yesterday.

I know exactly what caused yesterday's mishap, and it was totally my fault, no debating that. But I am bothered by the fact that the inertial chain brake on this crappy Husqvarna 435T never activated. I already preferred Stihl over Husqvarna, and now I have just one more reason for that sentiment. Even without my left wrist hitting the chain brake lever, I'm led to believe the inertial component of the brake should have activated in this scenario.

I remember the first time I broke my arm at age 8, and an arborist hopped into the emergency room on one foot, with his buddy carrying the guy's other foot in an Igloo Lunchmate cooler. Even the pro's screw up, sometimes.

Perhaps some adjustment can be done to make the chain break singly more sensitive to engage ? some models offer that options not sure about yours but could be worth looking into it.

 

[Gordon Gould]

Don't be like me - started wearing hearing protection after I was deaf.

gg

 

[WinterDeere]

Don't be like me - started wearing hearing protection after I was deaf.

gg

Just did a quick search on "Kevlar athletic cup". Zero hits.

I also waited until I failed a hearing test, to start wearing ear protection. Thankfully I was only 14 years old, and nearly all of the damage healed. The doc told me at the time, that if I'd been an adult, the damage would have been permanent.

 

[kozal01]

^^^^ Looks like a nice bucket of oak. Those versatile 22 ton splitters have worked up an awful lot of firewood over the years.

gg

It is a workhorse, especially for the price! My former brother in law and I take turns with it, he paid like $400 for it a few years ago and he uses it in the spring, I use it in the fall.