A skilled "cutter" at work

[VINMAN]

[Flatbutt1]

Originally Posted by Superman

Where I come from we call them "fallers." And yeah, they are tough sumblitches. Setting chokers is another tough job. Easy to get killed.

Anecdotal story: I overheard a discussion among logging safety regulators about a fatality they were investigating. Tree fell on someone. I knew/know the inspector. Salt of the earth. experienced faller. In the discussion, they said there was no evidence of falling multiple trees at a time when the fatality occurred. Later I asked him about it.

Safety Guy: "Well, fallers sometimes do a wedge gut and a partial back cut with the tree still standing. Then they go to the next tree and point the wedge cut at the first one, again making a partial back cut. And so on. Then they fall the last one and a bunch of trees go down in domino effect. Quite unlawful now."

Me: "Whoa! I wonder what the record is."

Safety Guy: "I don't know what the world record is, but my personal record is 26."

I'd love to see a video of that

[VINMAN]

You'd be amazed how many tree cutting chainsaw emergencies we respond to. People are clueless how dangerous it is.

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[Superman]

Yes it is. It makes a circular saw seem like a toy. Treat it like a loaded gun. Never cut with the tip of the bar. Always use a very sharp chain. Gloves, eye and hearing protection. The whole nine yards. When the tree first starts to move, drop the saw and get away. if what you are doing makes you uncomfortable, hire a pro.

[911 Rod]

Originally Posted by VINMAN

You'd be amazed how many tree cutting chainsaw emergencies we respond to. People are clueless how dangerous it is.

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Originally Posted by Superman

Yes it is. It makes a circular saw seem like a toy. Treat it like a loaded gun. Never cut with the tip of the bar. Always use a very sharp chain. Gloves, eye and hearing protection. The whole nine yards. When the tree first starts to move, drop the saw and get away. if what you are doing makes you uncomfortable, hire a pro.

Hence my 2 escape routes comment. No matter how good you get, you shouldn't get lazy with safety.

[Flatbutt1]

I've ALWAYS shown chain saws and table saws for that matter great respect.

[VINMAN]

Its not even just the chainsaw itself..

People are clueless how much a tree limb can actually weigh, and the reaction and movement when it falls. Iv'e had many trees on houses, vehicles and people themselves. A few fatalities also.

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[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by VINMAN

Its not even just the chainsaw itself..

People are clueless how much a tree limb can actually weigh, and the reaction and movement when it falls. Iv'e had many trees on houses, vehicles and people themselves. A few fatalities also.

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[john70t]

Keep it well oiled and never let it get pinched. A stretched chain whip is a nasty thing.

The real tree pros don't use ladders. I almost found out why..

[Dantilla]

A chainsaw doesn't merely cut.
It gouges out chunks of flesh, and injects oil into the gaping wound.

When I take a tree down, the first thing I do is plan my escape.
As soon as it starts moving, I want to be as far away as possible.

[Flatbutt1]

Originally Posted by VINMAN

Its not even just the chainsaw itself..

People are clueless how much a tree limb can actually weigh, and the reaction and movement when it falls. Iv'e had many trees on houses, vehicles and people themselves. A few fatalities also.

.

The only times I ever felled a tree w/out total topping when I was in the forest and had both a clear fall space and an escape route. I never felled w/out lopping off the limbs that would work against my notch. So many people fail to consider how limbs effect the way a tree will fall. Physics...it's real.

[Bill Douglas]

Tree fellers.

No, it was four actually.

[Flatbutt1]

Originally Posted by Bill Douglas

Tree fellers.

No, it was four actually.

...walked into a bar?