Chainsaw 101

Chainsaws are, despite the poorly-made scary movie reputation, an important tool in a farmer's life. Indispensable?  No, but oh so useful.  Farm acreage in the olden days included a wood lot--actually, the whole farm WAS a woodlot until it was cleared for a home, a barn and other buildings, and then pasture and fields.  This work was done with an ax or hatchet.  Cut wood was (and still can be) necessary for building, for furniture, for energy and for warmth.  So we had a chance to learn some skills.

Reducing severity of injury

Our session started with 3 hours of discussion of personal safety equipment and how the chainsaw works. Bill, the Chainsaw guy, coached us with humor and grave warnings.  These warnings included several visual aids and vivid descriptions of chainsaw accidents.  I was surprised that more accidents come from falling trees and other wood-related injuries--though the chain saw, spinning at 70 miles per hour, is a dangerous thing...

Chainsaw Bill

Setting the target

After filling our imaginations with possible tragedies, Bill took us outside and showed us how to choose a tree, choose a landing place and cut the tree so it falls exactly where he chose when he chooses to drop it.  Wow, so impressive!  The method he taught us was developed by Soren Erikksson, a Swedish logger who wanted logging to be safe and very productive.  The notch is placed in the side of the tree toward the target.  Hazards are considered, the tilt of the tree on two planes, the escape route is planned, the "hinge" is calculated (width and depth) and the final cut--the backcut-- is planned.  All of these steps are given points, making it the "Game of Logging"

                                                                    

Eye-balling the lean

Notch is made, now the bore cut

Beautiful stump

The tree is down.

Once we had seen the process from beginning to end, Bill set us up with practice 'stems' where we could take turns aiming the wedge at the target, making a careful cut, conducting a "bore" cut without creating any kickbacck and shaping a useful hinge.

We had a tricky weather day on this day as there were gusty winds blowing the tree-tops around.  We didn't get a chance to drop our own trees today so tomorrow will be the day for that!