Chainsaw use - alone

[fruitcakesa]

Another solo saw user here except when my wife chooses to come and cut too, which is rarely.
I have had incapacitating injuries over the years; all of which were operator error [read operator stupidity] and totally preventable.
Older and wiser nowadays I am in the methodical, safety and prevention mode. I stop frequently as my old arthritic hands need regular breaks.
I still fall trees; and use the Game of Logging skills I learned and have practiced over the years to ensure they fall where and when I want them to.

 

[Garandman]

Yes. You can mitigate most of the dangers by using safe practices and common sense.
and what Moss said : "Also, when I start getting tired, I quit right there and then. Take a break. Drink some gatorade, eat a sandwich, even take a nap. Never work with a chainsaw when you're tired."
DONT use a chainsaw when you are tired, people around or not.

I'm good at naps, so I'm doing that! Been practicing for years.

 

[lennyzx11]

Always alone, 30 miles from home, in the middle of nowhere. Nearly everything I do, I do by myself and have nearly all of my adult life. Not saying it's safer, or for everybody, just the way I work!

Same here. I find that when I am by myself, I am more careful. And I am always more reluctant to do something when somebody is watching me. So I'm thinking more about that than the task at hand.
Lenny

 

[shooterdon]

A local man who is regarded as an expert sawer wound up nearly dying. Took about 200 stitches to patch him up. Lucky he was with others who got him to the hospital in time.

Stuff happens. I will not use my saw alone to cut down trees or process firewood. If it is an emergency, I will use it.

BTW, those of you who have been careful and lucky for decades can not be assured a trouble free future.

Just be careful guys and remember we are not able to work as long and hard as we did 40 years ago.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I split huge logs over the weekend and my shoulders are killing me. I just ordered a smaller Echo saw (GS501P). We should not rely on others (or society) to tell us we are too old for something (maybe a young woman) because sometimes others just want to keep us down to elevate themelves, but we should realize our limitations as well.

 

[Oldoak]

I think, making people watch an hour of Youtube chainsaw fails would be more valuable than maybe some of the safety equipment. I have learned a lot from that, and even though having using a saw for fifty years (without injury) , it's just I have never come across some of those situations YET!

Anyone using a chainsaw from a ladder is asking for hurt!

I've used a chainsaw while on a ladder countless times while trimming trees and never felt I was asking to get hurt. :confused3:

Sometimes watching too much failures on YouTube can skew a persons perception. You can anticipate what is about to happen before it even occurs in the video. Carelessness while on a ladder or on the ground increases the chance for accidents.

 

[ernemats]

I do a lot of felling and cutting by myself and have been doing it for about 55 years. I try to be careful and if in doubt have someone help me. I am more aware of things that can happen suddenly than I used to be. Have had some close calls felling trees and also while they were on the ground. The only time I got hurt was cutting a tree on the ground and a limb was under pressure and it snapped sooner than I expected it to and it flew back and hit me in the shin, I thought my leg was broken but x ray showed no break just badly swollen and bruised. I am now hesitant about cutting some trees down that years ago I would think nothing about doing it. Just be careful out there and be able to walk away if in doubt.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Your chances of getting out of harms way while on a ladder are very limited. I don't even like to fell a tree, standing on the ground, when my escape route is questionable. I guess, I really just do use common sense, and like I said, never got hurt in fifty years.

 

[wheelbuilder]

If I'm sawing alone, someone knows where I am and when I should return and also what I'm doing. That said, I prefer sawing with a capable partner. My wife isn't going to fire a saw back up to get me free if I'm pinned, nor could she drag my butt out of the woods. If I'm lucky, she'd call 911 for me

 

[Industrial Toys]

Guess the million dollar question is, how long would it take to bleed out and loose consciousness? Having someone (maybe) think about you every couple of hours, and then another hour worrying that you might not be O.K. might not help you.

You will probably make it out of the bush on your own, given the nature of your injuries, or you won't.

If you have a woman in your life, that won't at least be present and help to the extent that she can, what good is that relationship to a man? I mean, your buddies can't always be around, but a woman should be.