cutting timber alone

[Dave P]

After many years of felling my own timber and working alone in the woods,I'm starting to think about the danger(getting old I guess). Do many of you guys cut your own trees? I've been thinking about having a logger go in and drop them, and haul them out for me. I wonder what the average cost of that would be? I do love working in the woods in winter and enjoy dropping trees, but my family is after me to retire.

Dave

 

[MrGriz]

I don't like dropping trees without someone else there. There are just too many things that can go wrong and having someone to help, or to go get help, just makes sense to me. Once they're on the ground, I'll work by myself.

 

[jpl1nh]

I drop trees by myself too, though mostly smaller ones. Since many are standing dead, there is also the hazard of stuff breaking off and coming down unexpectedly. Its something I too think about. Generally anything 10 -12" diam or larger, I have someone with me but not always. I just try to be very careful, think out quick escape and stay alert. That's as good as it gets most of the time for me.

 

[Drifthopper]

I cut all my trees by myself, I really don’t have anyone to help me, frankly….if I did, I think they would just get in the way.
You just have to be real aware, not tired, not hungry, not thirsty, and careful.
Know where the saw is at all times, and have a decent idea on where you want the tree to fall, plan ahead, try to think of the un-expected.
I may not cut as many trees as some other guys with helpers, but I like to burn wood, so I go it alone, and take my time, its basically my only choice.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Most times my wife is with me but I never hesitate to cut when alone. If you've felled a lot trees, you know what to do and what to look for. One of the biggest things we look for is any dead limbs, that is, anything that could possibly break and come falling down on your noggin. And naturally you look to where the tree will fall to see what, if anything, is in its path.

Another thing that I find amazing is what people do once the tree starts falling. I see many people stand or even start walking away...directly in line with the tree. That is, if the tree falls north, they walk south. Wrong! If the tree falls south, I am on the east side while cutting, therefore I go to the northeast as the tree falls.

One more thing is dogs. Too many have dogs with them while cutting and it is difficult to get one out of the way at times. Keep old blue tied up or have someone hold him until the tree is down.

 

[Highbeam]

Falling the trees is the best part, then all the work begins. Park your truck twice as far away as you think you need it to be. I actually prefer the larger trees that are slower to get moving. My absolute favorite part is after I make the cut and the tree just begins to fall I shut the saw off as I retreat a safe distance and then listen to the wonderful sound of the wind whistling through the branches and then the thud of the trunk finding the earth. I cut one at a time and process the tree before the next felling so that I avoid the tangle of tree limbs. I find greater danger in having a trunk enexpectedly roll over onto you while bucking or limbing.

Alone, yes, almost always.

 

[kwburn]

Two years ago my cousin was cutting a tree down. When it started to fall he started walking backwards as to not take his eye off the falling tree. He stepped into a small hole of some sort, twisted his leg in just the wrong way and literally snapped it somewhere in the thigh. Bad scene. Luckily he was out of the way of the tree by that point. Rods and screws to reconstruct, and months of recovery time.

I'll usually cut up what other people drop and am usually within earshot of another human.

 

[MrGriz]

I like being in contact with someone else for just that reason. Falling, getting pinned under a tree or limb, getting hit with a widow maker, a severe cut, etc... anything could happen in a hurry and having someone in ear shot to help out makes me feel better.

I don't really know why I don't worry when bucking up a downed tree, but I don't give that a second thought when I'm alone.

 

[Gibbonboy]

I do fell trees by myself, but someone is always near enough to keep an ear out for me. I've been hit by a tree once and was lucky enough to survive with a minor skull fracture- not something I want to try again! I follow the one-tree rule- fell one, cut it and clean it up before felling another. Slows my process down a bit, but not that much, and when I'm done cutting, I don't have a ton of limbs and crap to clean up. I plan each tree as well as I know how, always allow for escape routes, and ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS wear proper PPE! A cell phone or radio is a great idea to call for help if the need arises, but you can't call if you're unconcious. Cutting wood will always be dangerous, but with proper precautions, certainly something a normal healthy person can do alone.

 

[jpl1nh]

I do fell trees by myself, but someone is always near enough to keep an ear out for me. I've been hit by a tree once and was lucky enough to survive with a minor skull fracture- not something I want to try again! I follow the one-tree rule- fell one, cut it and clean it up before felling another. Slows my process down a bit, but not that much, and when I'm done cutting, I don't have a ton of limbs and crap to clean up. I plan each tree as well as I know how, always allow for escape routes, and ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS wear proper PPE! A cell phone or radio is a great idea to call for help if the need arises, but you can't call if you're unconcious. Cutting wood will always be dangerous, but with proper precautions, certainly something a normal healthy person can do alone.

WOW! I never would have considered any skull fracture minor! Glad you're able to say that.

 

[BrotherBart]

I don't really know why I don't worry when bucking up a downed tree, but I don't give that a second thought when I'm alone.

Yeah. Most people don't realize that the vast majority of injuries in the woods happen during limbing and bucking, not falling the trees. My big one actually happened doing the cleanup after a big oak had been dropped, bucked and was aready up on the wood pile.

 

[stoveguy2esw]

personally , i do not think cutting trees down alone is the best idea, you may not need the help, but even if they stay well out of the way , they are there if somthing happens , mother nature can play a mean trick with a puff of wind at the wrong time. a chain break,stepping in a ahole like the other poster mentioned, or any other freak accident could happen.

 

[MrGriz]

I don't really know why I don't worry when bucking up a downed tree, but I don't give that a second thought when I'm alone.

Yeah. Most people don't realize that the vast majority of injuries in the woods happen during limbing and bucking, not falling the trees. My big one actually happened doing the cleanup after a big oak had been dropped, bucked and was aready up on the wood pile.

Yep, if you think about it, just about all of the saw work is done after the big crash. That means all the chances for a kick back, broken chain, spring pole, or any number of other nasties all happen once the tree is on the ground. Not to mention, now you're tripping over all of the limbs and brush that used to be hanging overhead and out of the way.

I didn't mean to imply that it was any safer once the tree was down. For some reason, I think most of us think it is; or at least we think the big work is done and it's just a matter of cleaning up (which is not true). Just like building a house: once the drywall is up, were just about ready to move in aren't we.....well, NO.

 

[BrotherBart]

I didn't mean to imply that it was any safer once the tree was down. For some reason, I think most of us think it is; or at least we think the big work is done and it's just a matter of cleaning up (which is not true). Just like building a house: once the drywall is up, were just about ready to move in aren't we.....well, NO.

I think a lot of it has to do with concentration. Seventy or eighty feet of tree sticking up in the air waiting to fall gets and keeps your full attention, and two cuts are involved. Bucking can be pretty repetitious and a lot of saw swinging is going on. Easy for the mind to wander, and the saw.

 

[drizler]

Like lots of things which shouldn't be done alone most of us violate that rule all the time for whatever circumstances. One thing I wouldn't do without is a helment with muffs and the face screen. I did a lot before using separate pieces but believe me the combo unit is so darned nice to use I couldn't do without it anymore. Husky sells them and the small plastic orange felling wedges that you won't want to be without either. Keeps your chain from getting taken hostage so they are worth it. They make nice door holders too. I agree that you probably are more likely to clobber yourself limbing . You just get tired and thats when it is going to happen. Good reason not to use a saw big enough for Paul Bunion too IMHO. I also carry a cell phone right up front in my shirt pocket too. You can usually feel it on vibrate unless you are actively cutting at the moment. Its no buddy but way better than hollering to the deer for help. Make sure someone always knows you are out there and where. I like to make sure I know exactly where I am going to retreat to when the tree starts to fall. Preferably and usually there is another tree I can simply diagonal behind for cover. Thats what I like since the tree isn't gonna bowl over another tree. I don't like to do my wandering with the saw running either. I flick it off as soon as I start my retreat and if I really want to get out of there just set it behind said convenient tree and take off having scouted the route prior. Make darned sure of your footing and act accordingly. If you get the saw stuck badly or things start to look weird and dangerous then its a good idea to leave it and go get someone to help or at least be there if it all goes to pieces on you. There are all sorts of similar things you can do to make it safer, just think it out.

 

[Gibbonboy]

WOW! I never would have considered any skull fracture minor! Glad you're able to say that.

Well, the one you survive is "minor" I guess! I was just meaning that I was lucky that my head wasn't crushed like a grape, which could have easily happened in the situation when I got hurt. And yes, the tree was down, some limbs broke that were holding it up and it fell on me. Not a huge tree, but it pinned my head between itself and a rock. I actually walked out of the woods myself, bleeding profusely, before passing out in a lawn chair in the neighbor's yard. Next thing I knew, I'm in the ER strapped down and getting the full treatment.

There will always be the freak accidents, but we have to do all we can to eliminate the preventable ones. I also wholeheartedly agree about saw size- my 346XP is light enough that it doesn't kick my butt after a few hours. I only go to the "Big Bertha" saw if I absolutely need to, which is almost never. Most of the standing timber that I cut is dead locust, from 8"-24" in diameter.

 

[Jags]

The one suggestion I would like to make IF falling a tree alone. Scout out your retreat from the falling tree before you make your first cut. Notice the ground and layout for holes, rocks etc. If need be, cut away weeds or saplings to make a clear path and an easy departure from the tree. AND have 2 game plans. I have dropped quite a few myself, and am pretty accurate on the flight path (most of the time), but on rare occasion, they simply don't do what you think they are gonna do. Have route A and B and then PAY ATTENTION.

 

[luv2byte]

This past Sunday our neighbor across the street was killed falling a tree. He was 81yr old, his 44yr old son working with him. They both grew up doing this work and was nothing new to them. The father was sitting in a backhoe, off to the side, when the son was cutting the tree down. The top was rotten and broke off, falling on the father. It hit him directly on the head and was killed instantly. The sad twist was this was 2 days before the father's 59th wedding anniversary.