Dealing with chainsaw stupidity

[Apprentice_GM]

My curiosity inquires, did he buy a Wild Thang, Poulon or Stihl MS 1xx-2xx series saw?

It was a Stihl with about a 16" or maybe 18" bar but I don't know the model number . . . didn't get close enough (& not good enough to tell by hearing it )

 

[Byrond]

Just tell him that's not how the do it on AX Men

 

[Lumber-Jack]

So I have a neighbour who bought a new chainsaw and of course because he owns one, knows how to fell trees

He starts with the tree nearest to his house as his first attempt, but worried about it's proximity, decides to use a ladder to climb up and make a high cut, holding the chainsaw just above his eye level. He ropes the tree and gets a mate to use a car winch for tension along the desired fall line, but doesn't front notch, just back cuts in short bursts - cuts, down the ladder, increase rope tension, no fall, back up the ladder, cut a bit more, repeat - until with one mighty crack the tree breaks at the backcut spot and falls (fortunately, where intended).

My question for the wiser-than-I folk here is do I say anything to him, and if so what & how? He's a bit arrogant and not the most friendly dude so I am not sure if I should say anything or just leave it alone. In my opinion what he did was pretty dangerous . . . thoughts?

Unless you actually have a lot more experience then him and you are sure he's gona listen to you, then you might as well sit back and enjoy the show. And definitely do as others are suggesting and grab the video camera. That alone might give him pause to proceed in a safer manner, if not you'll probably be able to sell the video to your local news channel when they cover the story.
As for his wife and kids, all you can do is hope he has life insurance. And who knows, perhaps they'll be better off?

 

[Danno77]

I know this is a thread back from July, but I run into this stuff and the way I handle it is to work into a conversation that I learned a "new felling cut" and describe it (just pick something) but make sure to include things like. "Well, you know how in a standard felling cut, you do a face cut... Back cut... Hinge..."

Basically you just "accidentally" told him the safe way to do a cut in a way that he doesn't even know was the point of your conversation.

Be sure to drop lots of "holy crap, I just read about this dude that barberchaired this oak and after hours of constructive surgery he'll never be able to talk without drooling" or "dude had a kickback and had to spend two hours picking fibers out of his saw. Thank god he didn't lose a leg"

It's never about this guy, it's about you and other stories and experiences that you are sharing. There's still a chance this guy thinks nothing you say applies to him because he's an expert, but you did your part.