Parkville MD. Anyone on here nearby? I need HELP. Pinched my chain AND Bar in the oak log I previously posted about. I will fill up your pickup truck with chunks of oak for helping!!
HELP in Maryland. Pinched.
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EbS-P
Minister of Fire
I'd also recommend wedges. If you have another bar and chain that fits your saw you can take the powerhead off the pinched bar and put the other bar on it. Then use wedges in that cut so it doesn't pinch. On logs that big I often push a wedge in with my hand as I'm cutting as a backstop.
kennyp2339
Minister of Fire
Post a pic.. could be something as easy as a few wedges needed or some cribbing with a car jack
A man with one saw is one saw short.
Caw
Minister of Fire
Yeah if you don't have a second saw I always recommend having a backup bar and chain handy. When things go south you can always disconnect the bar/chain then cut yourself out.
Can you post some pics? Maybe we can talk you thru it. Or if nobody is able to help you can go buy a new bar/chain and get yourself out. Then you'll have a backup ready for next time! IIRC my recent bar was $60 and chain $40. Worthwhile investments.
Can you post some pics? Maybe we can talk you thru it. Or if nobody is able to help you can go buy a new bar/chain and get yourself out. Then you'll have a backup ready for next time! IIRC my recent bar was $60 and chain $40. Worthwhile investments.
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Simonkenton
Minister of Fire
I am The Man for The Job. Unfortunately, I am too far away.
I've only got one saw. That's what I tell my wife at least.
Not yet. I’m going tomorrow and will pound a wedge in, as suggested. I may buy an extra bar and chain too, will see how the wedge does. The head of the saw is with me. It’s the bar and chain that I need to free up. Will bring a Jack too.
Pretty sure you are not jacking that monster up much at all.
Jack will just sink into the ground.
Simonkenton
Minister of Fire
It doesn't hurt to have an extra bar and chain. Your old bar may have been fatally damaged by the tree.
REVENGE OF THE OAK
REVENGE OF THE OAK
Might be a good time to buy another saw, I've seen a lot of good deals on used one time for a job saws. Many people will buy a saw to cut the tree in the yard and then sell it after they scare themselves or realize they don't like work.
I've lost the battle to convince myself that I can find a lightly-used top-handle saw and save some money. Heading to the saw shop now.. 😏
CatfishHunter
Member
For those like me who were struggling to understand the situation, I went to the other thread and found a photo of what the OP is working on. He said that he tried to cut it at the fence.
![[Hearth.com] HELP in Maryland. Pinched.](https://www.hearth.com/talk/attachments/c0639fbb-7a96-4dc9-a94c-1789debbaad2-jpeg.309201/ "[Hearth.com] HELP in Maryland. Pinched.")
Obviously you've learned a lesson about where to start your cuts. Personally I would have started in front of that white shed with a small top cut no deeper than the bar. Then switch to a bottom cut because the tree is elevated there and will want to drop to the ground. It will collapse on top where you put your first slice, and leave your bar in the clear as the chain cuts upward.
If you get a new bar and chain, then cut it about where I indicated below. That will release the stress and un-pinch your bar because the end where you make this cut will drop down. As someone said, you could try jacking it but you need a very strong jack and need to put something on the ground to spread out the weight, such as 2x4s or better yet a thick steel plate. I don't think that a wedge is going to be able to move the tree back to the position it was in before it pinched your bar. It could have prevented it from shifting to that position, but moving it back is a lot to ask.
Good luck!
Obviously you've learned a lesson about where to start your cuts. Personally I would have started in front of that white shed with a small top cut no deeper than the bar. Then switch to a bottom cut because the tree is elevated there and will want to drop to the ground. It will collapse on top where you put your first slice, and leave your bar in the clear as the chain cuts upward.
If you get a new bar and chain, then cut it about where I indicated below. That will release the stress and un-pinch your bar because the end where you make this cut will drop down. As someone said, you could try jacking it but you need a very strong jack and need to put something on the ground to spread out the weight, such as 2x4s or better yet a thick steel plate. I don't think that a wedge is going to be able to move the tree back to the position it was in before it pinched your bar. It could have prevented it from shifting to that position, but moving it back is a lot to ask.
Good luck!
Right. I would pound several half-round splits, flat side down, under the trunk with a sledge hammer or maul, flat side down, starting at the edge of the shed and working right. Then start taking rounds off the left end. When you get to the first half-round support, rinse and repeat.
Montanalocal
Minister of Fire
When cutting where there is top compression, that is, a log that is supported at either end, then one way is to cut as has been said, cut a small amount at the top, and then cut up from the bottom.
However, I have been bucking logs in this situation in a different way for some time, and have had good luck. What I do is to cut down from the top until I can drive a wedge or two in from the top. This makes it impossible for the top to come together and pinch the bar. Then I continue to cut down all the way through the bottom. The log will then be cut through.
I do not like to cut up from the bottom. If one side or the other catches the bar, it will drive the saw downward into the dirt. If cutting from the top down like I described, it will be easier to keep the bar out of the dirt.
However, I have been bucking logs in this situation in a different way for some time, and have had good luck. What I do is to cut down from the top until I can drive a wedge or two in from the top. This makes it impossible for the top to come together and pinch the bar. Then I continue to cut down all the way through the bottom. The log will then be cut through.
I do not like to cut up from the bottom. If one side or the other catches the bar, it will drive the saw downward into the dirt. If cutting from the top down like I described, it will be easier to keep the bar out of the dirt.
Thank youFor those like me who were struggling to understand the situation, I went to the other thread and found a photo of what the OP is working on. He said that he tried to cut it at the fence.
Obviously you've learned a lesson about where to start your cuts. Personally I would have started in front of that white shed with a small top cut no deeper than the bar. Then switch to a bottom cut because the tree is elevated there and will want to drop to the ground. It will collapse on top where you put your first slice, and leave your bar in the clear as the chain cuts upward.
If you get a new bar and chain, then cut it about where I indicated below. That will release the stress and un-pinch your bar because the end where you make this cut will drop down. As someone said, you could try jacking it but you need a very strong jack and need to put something on the ground to spread out the weight, such as 2x4s or better yet a thick steel plate. I don't think that a wedge is going to be able to move the tree back to the position it was in before it pinched your bar. It could have prevented it from shifting to that position, but moving it back is a lot to ask.
Good luck!
Time to "school" and learn about chainsaw "binds" https://cascadevols.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Chain-Saw-Tasks-and-Techniques-1-1.pdf
If you can find a National Park Service chainsaw certification course, its the gold standard. Spend a day with a good instructor and its amazing how the skill level goes up.
If you can find a National Park Service chainsaw certification course, its the gold standard. Spend a day with a good instructor and its amazing how the skill level goes up.
Did you get your saw out? A hydraulic jack and a couple of pieces of wood will take the pressure off.
Not yet. I ordered an 18inch bar and chain( I wanted an upgrade to the stock 16” anyway) for $65. When it gets here I’ll put it on the saw, first I’ll try putting my wedge in the kerf. After that, with clear escape route, I will cut a little from the top, and then do the final cut from the bottom. I’ll take pictures of everything and post them. Lots of help on here, thank you all !!
Go to Harbor Freight and get a Hydraulic bottle jack. Use a couple of pieces of scrap wood or a cement block and take the pressure off and get your saw out. I'd rather unpinch my saw then cut it and crush my saw. Escape route shouldn't be a problem unless you're laying under it.
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