I know who I thought of when I saw this... who do you think of?
- Thread starter Nittany.Lion
- Start date
I'm guessing this isn't it, but it's what first came to my mind.
Unfortunate. He does not appear to be wearing his hardhat. Plus, although i cannot see clearly, it seems likely he had a running chain saw in his hand during this gravity-fed sojourn.
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Note: despite the impression created by my lack of skill with picture posting, the truck is and always was upright.
This is my 96 dodge cummins 3/4 ton pickup, loaded to the breaking point with green shagbark hickory from the tree I posted last week.
I am a veteran abuser of machinery of all kinds, both accidentally and on purpose. This extremely heavy load nearly foundered the truck. Top speed on the highway? 45 mph. When i went faster, the front end began to hunt back and forth across the travel lane like a bloodhound searching for the scent of a prison escapee.
Nevertheless, the truck made it home and the dump bed served its purpose once again. I will probably have no more money in this load of hickory than i would have if i bought seasoned, split hickory and had it delivered to my house.
This is my 96 dodge cummins 3/4 ton pickup, loaded to the breaking point with green shagbark hickory from the tree I posted last week.
I am a veteran abuser of machinery of all kinds, both accidentally and on purpose. This extremely heavy load nearly foundered the truck. Top speed on the highway? 45 mph. When i went faster, the front end began to hunt back and forth across the travel lane like a bloodhound searching for the scent of a prison escapee.
Nevertheless, the truck made it home and the dump bed served its purpose once again. I will probably have no more money in this load of hickory than i would have if i bought seasoned, split hickory and had it delivered to my house.
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Saw a video of a guy cutting down a tree in condo complex that was similar. He was on the ground cutting and when the tree fell, it bounced back up and hit him right under the chin. Knocked him out completely, broke his jaw and when he fell down nasty cut on the back of his head with a concussion. Lucky to be alive. Made me much, much more careful when i cut anything down now.
I cut down a 50 foot ash a few years ago, and as it fell, a large limb snapped off and fell back toward me, 180* opposite of the direction of fall of the trunk. Somehow it missed me except for whacking my left shoulder.
Very lucky. I've known one or two that weren't so lucky in that regard and have had a few near misses myself.
Since we're sharing tree trimming stories I'll toss my hat in the ring. My folks had a tree which overgrew their shed and a large limb was rubbing against the roof causing damage. Young adult me was on a 6ft step ladder with chainsaw in hand cutting the 5 inch diameter limb off at the trunk. When it let loose instead of falling down and forward it slid back on the roof, across the trunk, and nailed me square in the chest. Luckily I had the wherewithal to toss the saw away as I was falling off the ladder and besides a good bruise to the sternum no major injury. I definitely approach any cuts with a better plan these days.
I've posted this before, but my dad was cutting off a dead limb (note--he was an engineer, so everything had to be "engineered") on a tree next to the one to which our dog run wire was attached. He had it all planned out, but the limb kicked out at the last second and fell on the dog wire. The other end of the wire was attached to our second floor bathroom window--which was pulled out of the house and fell with a resounding crash, as he'd secured the wire with rather strong bolts....
My old man, god may he rest, once was cutting down a tree and somehow it pinched backward on the saw. He decided to climb the tree to throw a rope around it to pull it over. You probably guessed where this is going, but with his weight added high up the tree it shifted and he rode it on down to the ground with his teeth ripping holes around his lips. I didn't witness it, but got to see the after effects. He never did that again. ;-)
Technically, all of our sojourns here on earth are gravity fed. Some are just much faster than others.
I have had good luck in that setting with a 30' tow strap. I generally stand in the bed of the truck and loop it around the tree before I commence cutting, then pass it around another tree so I can pull it in a direction other than toward my truck.
There are a whole lot of ways you can hurt yourself or your property or the tree owner's property, or smash your saw or your truck or your helpers, such that a little forethought is always advisable.
Yeah, crowd was far enough away but, as you can see from the notch taken out of it, they wanted it to go in one direction but it ended up falling in a different direction - into nearby buildings. Nobody injured.
Yeah, That is much better than the gif of the guy getting knocked off the ladder. Cannot imagine how he was not hurt badly.
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anon_1eeb2b426hv3y
Guest
Awful. And timely.
Just bought a new machine this weekend. Haven’t operated a chainsaw in 15+ years so spent much of the weekend learning up and watching examples of what to do, not to do, etc. That is, in addition to reading the manual. One of the first instructions is not to use on a ladder.
Also watched loads of videos like this. Was amazed at how many there are.
If I may, let me suggest this add'l piece of equipment: Amazon product ASIN B00STHFARY
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anon_1eeb2b426hv3y
Guest
Thanks demlion. I got chaps and face-screening helmet (and gloves and ..and ...) when I got the machine. At the time, I wasn’t sure about some of the additional buys but yours was def the right suggestion. No brainer. The husq chaps look better than the stihl ones I bought, not that it matters... but I’d have considered them if I’d have seen them first.
My neighbor has these. Didn’t wear them last week and quite honestly is lucky to be alive. I don’t think I’ll ever cut anything without them on again as I consider this guy a pro compared to myself.
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anon_1eeb2b426hv3y
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anon_1eeb2b426hv3y
Guest
I wasn’t going to leave without the chaps. The friend who I discussed with over the weekend had the same and admitted he’s starting to get lazy RE wearing them on small jobs. I’ll share your message.
Only so many ways he could be lucky to be alive by not wearing chaps. OMG. Does he have both legs? Can he walk? Almost hit an artery?
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My bro in law has a friend who went with a buddy and the buddys dog to cut wood. The other guy and his dog were maybe 200 yards away from the friend. After 20 minutes the friend shut his saw down to climb a small hill. Did not hear the other saw, but heard the dog. Resumed cutting, and after a few minutes ran out of gas.
Still did not hear the other saw, but only the dog. Walked over. Found the other guy dead, cut his femoral artery (no chaps) and bled out in a matter of a couple 3 minutes. 42 years old, 3 kids.
If i take my Stihl 290 Farm Boss with a fresh 18" chain, lay it on an oak log the size of my thigh and hold the throttle open, the weight of the saw alone will eat half way through the log in seconds. My thigh meat is not oak. It is more like cheese spread than oak.
Dead in 2 minutes or so.
Still did not hear the other saw, but only the dog. Walked over. Found the other guy dead, cut his femoral artery (no chaps) and bled out in a matter of a couple 3 minutes. 42 years old, 3 kids.
If i take my Stihl 290 Farm Boss with a fresh 18" chain, lay it on an oak log the size of my thigh and hold the throttle open, the weight of the saw alone will eat half way through the log in seconds. My thigh meat is not oak. It is more like cheese spread than oak.
Dead in 2 minutes or so.
When i drive my truck full of wood up a hill, thats not gravity FED. Im fighting that SOB every foot of the way.Technically, all of our sojourns here on earth are gravity fed. Some are just much faster than others.
Same here except I was topping out a tall maple. I misinterpreted the center of gravity of the section I was cutting and it snapped before cut through. The butt end shot across and gouged my chest and shoulder.
Once I was able to crawl down the ladder, I called a tree removal company.
