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OT I'm so glad she wasn't playing the radio!!!

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Adam Paul

09-05-2004 21:38:01




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Just had to share this. It's just another one of those good reminders! So as some of you may recall, I need to take down a really big oak tree right near my house. I'm planning on attempting this tomorrow if the weather permits. Today, I figured I would do some "warm-up" tree cutting to get used to the new snatch block pulley being used with the winch. I've got a few GA pines (kind of close to the house) that needed to come down, and a (another) 50 foot oak that was totally dead that needed to come down so I'd have a place to drop the pines..... The oak came down good, and I did some rough limbing, still A OK. It's what happened afterwards that really scared me, and in hind sight it wasn't all that bad, but....
I use a pull strap up about 30 feet on the tree, to tension up my trees. Once the tree had fallen, I made a few 15 foot logs. I was undoing my pull strap from the middle log when all of a sudden it rolled off the rock it had landed on and ran over my foot D*mn that log was heavy!!! I was wearing steel tip work boots thankfully, but on the down side, the log rolled over the "tip", and locked my foot under the log. Aside from getting over the pain (and it hurt) I now really understood the meaning of being between a rock and a hard place!!! I could not move that log!!! I'm a fairly strong guy, and I couldn't get this sucker to even budge.... I'm about a 100 feet way from the house when I start yelling "SHERRY!,,,,, , SHERRY! Get out here!!!" Nothing... A couple of more big yells, and she heads out of the house... Thank goodness she did, as it was starting to feel like an eternity... I then instruct her to go get a crowbar, but I suggested grabbing an old axle shaft out of the scrap steel pile. She did, and in a hurry, she got the axle under the log and with just enough leverage, managed to roll the log off my foot.... Holy Cow!!! What an episode!!!
I was talking with EricATL last week, about how I like to work alone when I'm doing trees, as it allows me to truly focus on the job at hand, (and usually any one "helping" winds up board) but this time, I'm sure glad she (or anyone) was around as I'm out in the middle of the woods...
I think it would have been pretty grim if she was out for the day, or worse, not had anyone there at all...
I guess aside from just "venting" and sharing a useful story, perhaps carrying a cell phone is in order...
And while I'm thinking of that, many cell phones that have been disconnected and are considered "out of service" still dial 911... I think I'm going to go keep that old phone after all as an emergency dialer and keep it in the shop and begin carrying it, just in case....
Adam

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MikeT

09-06-2004 10:48:27




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 Re: OT I'm so glad she wasn't playing the radio!!! in reply to Adam Paul, 09-05-2004 21:38:01  
Adam -

Last year I cut a 18" diameter persimmon tree that was going absolutely straight up for what seemed like 100'.

I notched it on the down wind side and started a slanted cut on the other side. After cutting it almost all the way through, that dang thing just set there, not moving one bit. I touched it a little more with the saw and it still didn't move. I said the heck with it and went to the house (no one else around). About 30 minutes later I heard a large crash and went out to take a look. The wind had caused the tree to fall exactly where I had wanted it to go!

ps - I'm 62 years old. My first chain saw was a Homelite. That lasted 1 year. Threw it in the garbage can and got a Husqvarna. That was 30 years ago. The Husqvarna is still makin chips!

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Eric ATL

09-06-2004 09:57:27




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 Re: OT I'm so glad she wasn't playing the radio!!! in reply to Adam Paul, 09-05-2004 21:38:01  
Adam, I'm sure glad to hear it turned out ok. I know too that it had to be quite a predicament. Anyone who can lift up one end of a 5 ft box blade by themself to load into a pickup truck would have to be in a real jam not to be able to move that log. It's a blessing Sherry was there. Please be careful, good friends are hard to come by these days, I'd hate to loose one. Donna and I were watching the news the other night about an man in Lawrenceville who was dropping an 80 ft pine. His wife watched from the house. As the tree started to fall the wind shifted. As it fell in a different direction than planned he ran straight away from the tree as fast as he could. The top of the tree came down on him. He was killed. He was a model to the community and a friend to children in the neighborhood. A great loss. I couldn't help but think of you dropping that huge tree by yourself. BE CAREFUL! If it can wait a few weeks I'll come down and give you a hand. Also, be careful what you say. While delivering a pair of Mahogany night stands downtown I mentioned how long it had been since I had had an auto accident (15 yrs). Sure enough, before I got out of downtown a guy (lost and on his cellphone) changed lanes into the side of my truck. I was able to run up on the curb at the time of impact and amazingly there was ZERO damage to either vehicle. Took a breath, changed my underwear and home I went. Just be careful. Later, Eric

PS, the hauler from PA will be here about 3:00 today with my JD backhoe attachment, 711 loader, and JD #5 sickle bar mower. A day early but I'm not complaining. I MAY have the N by the end of the week. The hauler for that has had to hang out here in GA waiting for the storm to clear out of FL. He'll drop 2 cars near Tampa, pick one up going to Joplin MO, and hopefully, finally, bring me my tractor. Again, later, Eric

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Hobo,NC

09-06-2004 05:03:18




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 Re: OT I'm so glad she wasn't playing the radio!!! in reply to Adam Paul, 09-05-2004 21:38:01  
The first shop I had was on a corner on the main drag in town, it was a old service station. The lifts were the old air over hydraulic center post style. I had a honda on it and was replacing the clutch. Everyone was gone to lunch and I was a lone. Triped the lever to let it down and when it was about down standing beside the car reached over under the hood to finish up the job, a arm on the lift landed rite on top of my foot. No steel toe boots, and hurt like he!!, their was a chrysler dealer about 200 ft from me and i screamed out but no one came, was able to reach out and get something to pry it off my foot. I have all most done it again from time to time.

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Cap-N-ID

09-05-2004 23:29:05




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 Re: OT I'm so glad she wasn't playing the radio!!! in reply to Adam Paul, 09-05-2004 21:38:01  
Adam -- Really glad it turned out OK, you were very lucky, a good sized log like that can very easily break a leg when a log shifts like it did. I must appoligize for not passing on a few safety tips earlier. Spent so many years logging that I forget that it's not all common knowledge, so here goes. First, always wear a suspension type hard hat in the woods or when doing any tree cutting. Dropping a tree has a habit of shaking out the dead limbs. Never work without a partner or at least a safety person who can keep an eye on what's happening. Even if they're doing no more than staying well out of the way and looking out for problems. The unexpected often happens. Use the best equipment you can afford. Don't even consider use lightweight gear like those small cable ratchet come-alongs from Harbor Freight -- Gear that's too light for the job is just an accident waiting to happen. Don't use rope in the woods. It's just way too weak. When tensioning a tree or skidding out logs that can't be reached with the tractor or the Jammer cable use at least 3/8ths steel cable minimum, and the appropriate sized snatch blocks. (we use 1/2 inch cable on the Jammers) and sometimes chain for the shorter hookups but steel cable is prefered, always for the longer hookups. The arborists that use rope as tension lines in the city do so because it's easier to handle, store, and carry, but they're taking a chance if they do. Even a good 3/4 in rope won't begin to take the strain a 3/8 in steel cable will. In the woods, no logger would consider tensioning a tree to get it to fall where he wants it to. We take great pride in being able to drop them where we want and if on the rare occasion there is any question we use steel wedges in the saw cut to get the tree started falling correctly. But it's an art, and cable tensioning is the safest way to go unless you're experienced. Good you had on steel toed boots, they're a must. Keep all saws and axes sharp -- dull tools cause accidents. Keep all tools, gas cans, bar oil etc. not immediately in use well out of the way in one spot, not laying around where you might trip over them if you have to move fast. Don't begin limbing until the tree is all the way down and stable, you already learned what can happen. When limbing reach across the trunk to cut limbs if you are using your chainsaw because if you cut the limbs next to you on your side of the trunk there is a chance of the tree shifting and knocking your chainsaw back into your leg, and speaking of that, the sawyer's chaps that are available are a good investment. They are made of material that will tangle up and stop a chainsaw pretty well if you slip or drop one into your leg. It happens. If the tree is being supported up off the ground by any limbs leave those limbs to cut last so they continue to stabilize the tree while you are clearing away everything else that's on the top or sides, then gradually cut them while being ready for any tree movement. We use a smaller 16 or 18 inch chainsaw for limbing because it is lighter and more controllable, handier, and use our 24 inch or bigger only for felling. Your idea of having a cell phone with you could be useful if you get into trouble but it won't replace having a helper with a second pair of eyes keeping a lookout for possible hazards. I've just barely touched on the issue of safety when cutting timber but one last comment -- don't rush anything, take your time. And I can't stress enough, have someone handy in case you have trouble. One more -- if your get a "hanger", a tree that hangs up in another tree and doesn't fall all the way down. DON'T try to push, wiggle, or roll it enought so it drops. Carefully attach a cable and pull it down from a distance. There's a reason those are called "widow makers". Be Safe.
--Cap--

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Adam Paul

09-06-2004 09:18:30




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 Re: OT I'm so glad she wasn't playing the radio!!! in reply to Cap-N-ID, 09-05-2004 23:29:05  
Cap, as always thanks for the good advice! No need to apologize!!! Actually, I do my best to be careful. A lot of the things you mentioned, I do practice, including two different saws, and my method for limbing. I do the tensioning to be extra careful, combined with the fact that I'm really only dealing with trees around my house. And, in hindsight, the safety gear really pays off. I would hate to imagine what my foot would have been like with out the steel tip work boots!!! It was the first time I ever really "used" them... I use both 1/2 and 3/8 steel cable, along with 4 ton tow straps. Even though it was an accident, I'm really happy to know I had the right safety gear in the right place. Sherry wound up reading me the riot act, because she too thought I was getting to "comfortable". She probably has a point, as I did take a bit of a caviler approach to what I thought was a simple, non dangerous job of removing my tensioning cable from a log I thought was fully "grounded"...
I did not know about the "sawyer's chaps" They seem like a great idea!!! I'll look online, but if you have any recommendations, please let me know. Thanks again Cap-N-ID, your wisdom on this subject is incredibly valuable.
Adam

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MarkB 2N MS

09-07-2004 03:21:17




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 DuPontŪ KevlarŪ Four-Ply Chain Saw Chaps in reply to Adam Paul, 09-06-2004 09:18:30  
Just thought I"d promote a Jackson, Mississippi company that always seems to have what nobody else thinks you need.

Link



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Cap-N-ID

09-06-2004 21:21:01




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 Re: OT I'm so glad she wasn't playing the radio!!! in reply to Adam Paul, 09-06-2004 09:18:30  
Adam -- you can probably find Chain Saw Chaps at any good local store that handles logging equipment. If you want to read a little about them before you go looking go to < www.gemplers.com > and type "chain saw chaps" into their product search box on the left hand side of the page. They handle two levels of chaps for different powered saws. Click on each and read about differences. I have done a lot of business with Gemplers over the years (by mail-order, since they are based in Madison, WI) and I have always been satisfied with the quality of their merchandise and service. If you decide to buy some and find them locally be sure the ones you buy meet the testing standards. I saw a pair of chaps "tested" in the woods once and they DO work. Saved the guy's leg. I'll tell you it made a bunch of believers in that logging camp and when the crew got back to camp from town the next monday all but one guy had his own pair.
--Cap--

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