Brush Cutting Armor and Clothing

[RobertN]

Glenmac,
You bought the same helmet I did. I REALLY like mine! My Kubota is not very load, but when I'm on it for hours, I really like the hearing protection. I also like the drape they give you, which keepsd the sun and other "stuff" off the back of you neck. I like the mesh face screen. It keeps the stuff from whacking you in the face. I use mine for chain saw work, and weed-eating too(what it was made for...)

I have found that a good set of military Cammies works well in the brush. You have to look for the rip-stop, tightly woven fabric though. They stand up to Marines, bushwacking thruough jungles and such.

I also like gaunlet gloves, the kind where the cuff comes way up your forearm. Nothing worse than those short cuffs not protecting you when you get into the poison oak!

RobertN in Shingle Springs Calif

 

[scruffy]

Sounds like you guys need to dress like a goalie on an Ice Hockey team, with rip-stop clothing of course.

 

[glennmac]

Robert, the helmet is neat and well made. Actually got it at the Deere dealer where I bought my chain saw that never starts.

I didn't get the drape with mine, but I see it shown in the little brochure. Supposed to work for rain and sun. It also shows a plastic visor option. I think I like the mesh better. The plastic would probably fog up and be hotter with less ventilation.

I like the way the ear protectors snap tighly onto your ears. I'm now thinking I could listen a radio with the earmuffs on if I used a pair of those in-ear plugs.

Glenn

 

[gordon]

Glenn, Glad to hear that today was alot better than yesterday. That learning curve can be pretty steep at times, believe me I know. I've gone up the same hill--so to speak. Thats one thing that DE has plenty of sticker bushes of all types.

What your doing is the same thing that I've got to do to alot of the logging jobs that I get---Not fun---. Isn't it amazing how quick something can still go to pieces even with the safety gear and going slow to boot. This is truth, when walking in the woods or flagging off trails to be cut I have never seen a tree jump out in front of me, but when on the tractor at times I believe that they do. Must be the sound of the diesel, still haven't figured that one out yet./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

I've got the same make of helmet, been very happy with that style overall. Only complaint is the face screen can act stupid at times. The earmuffs work great and in winter put a small rag in the center of the earpiece and it will really keep your ears warm. Because of sweat I've also put rags over the entire ear piece that plastic on a hot day aginst the side of your head---super sweat maker. When rotary cutting on the tractor I just wear regular earplugs, alot less bulky. In one way I'm spoiled, I've got a full cab customized for the woods work. The tractor had a curtis cab already on it when I bought the tractor, sure glad has more advantages than disadvantages thats for sure.

Glenn what kind of saw do you have? Hope it's orange too!!! I run huskys and have had good luck with them 13,500 before getting them power tuned. Nice!

So let me guess---when you left the woods today you had the feeling of just clearing a class IV rapid without a roll, am I close?/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Gordon

 

[msocko3]

Glenn, you can listen to a radio while using muffs, I do it all the time while I mow. The only thing that you will have to watch out for is getting the cord to the ear buds snagged on brush. I have a radio/tape player that isn't much bigger than a pack of cigarettes, it fits nicely in my work shirt pocket and cost about $25.00 at wallymart.

 

[Billc]

Glenn, as to your question on Carhartts, during the winter I wear the insulated overall Carhartts. They're about $55 in most places. You can also get a matching coat of the same tough material. They also make a full length insulated suit. Never cared too much for it...too bulky and you can't layer. If you get hot, too bad. With the overalls and coat you can layer, if you get hot, you can take something off.....This sounds weird, "Now our next woodsman is wearing this year's fashionable Carhartt collection. Notice how the color has a slimming effect!"

My chain saw helmet is like y'alls. Works great. One thing that was mentioned but not mentioned strongly enough is the chain saw chaps. I've been cuttin' fire wood for a long time. Have noticed that people who do cut fire wood for a long time have at least one really good scar where the chain saw reached out and bit them. Most of the time that scar is on their leg(s), either the knee or the thigh. Mine is across my right thigh and took 47 stitches to close. Got this when I thought chain saw chaps were too expensive and too geeky. They are neither. They cost about $60. If you don't have them you are asking for a trip to the hospital. There are two kinds of people who use chain saws, those that have been sliced open, and those who will be sliced open. It happens and it happens fast. You won't feel it, you'll just look down and see a cut place in your pants and think, "Boy, that was close." About 30 seconds later you'll notice blood and wonder whose blood it is. I kid you not.

The chaps work great. When your chain touches the chaps it cuts open the nylon outer shell and picks up a bunch of polyester stringy stuff that's inside the chaps. The chain comes to a quick hault. Your leg isn't even marked.

I don't know how to get pictures to the internet so I'll just describe. Last year I bought a new pair of Carhartt insulated overalls. I was cutting a bunch of brush, and small trees trying to clear my property boundary. I usually wear my chain saw chap. This particular time my chaps were in my truck and my wife had taken it to pick up some supplies. Instead of waiting for the chaps I went ahead and cut. I was going to be really, really, really careful. Afterall, in my teens I had cut the crap out my leg. After about 40 minutes of work, about the time when your brain isn't working too well, I pulled back from a tree and the chain saw touched my left pant leg. I froze. I looked down and sure enough my left pant leg at the thigh was cut clean through. I knew I was on the way to the hospital. I put down the saw, open the cut place in the material, and saw...nothing. This time it hadn't cut my skin.

What do you want to bet I don't pick up a chain saw ever again with out the chaps on.

If I learn to get pictures to the net you'll see a nice size patch on the left thigh of the overalls.

One last thing, I know lots of folks who use chaps. Funny, not one person who's used the chaps for more than a week has uncut chaps! Everyone as at least one place where the chain has bit the chaps.

Excuse me as I get off the soap box.

Please learn from this.

 

[glennmac]

BillC,

Are these the Carhartt overalls:

Click Here

Your chainsaw advice is sobering. I have a Husqvarna 345, but I have never used it much. Now that I will be in my wild acreage, chain say chaps seem like a trivial investment, considering the alternative.

Gordon, in my prime I would have considered it a defeat to roll in a class 4 rapid ... but, yes, I know what you mean.

glenn

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by Muhammad on 10/29/00 06:49 PM.</FONT></P>

 

[glennmac]

Whoa, what happened to my last post on this thread? Do I get an award for the message with the widest appeal ever.

 

[Bird]

Dang, Glenn, what did you do our computers?/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Bird

 

[RobertN]

Bird, Ivy on the arm aint bad... Wait till you get it "there"; I'm sure you know what I mean /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

RobertN in Shingle Springs Calif