Barber Chair!!!!

[timberbeast]

Had a big heavy leaning cedar I knew would have rot,  but I had to get it out of the way.  Halfway through the back-cut I felt the pop,  and backed away (leaving my saw).  Never saw anything that scary,  that thing pushed back at least 40 feet,  thrashing like a snake.  Took down a good dozen balsams in the 6" range.  The only way I can see to have avoided this was to not cut the tree.  BUT..DON'T turn your back!!  If I would have,  I wouldn't have dodged that one small balsam,  and that could have been a very un-fun experience!!  Fortunately,  I have had enough experience to know mostly by feel,  when this is happening.  If you are sawing and it feels wrong,  back off and keep your eyes open.  If in doubt,  and the tree is up,  move to a different area to cut,  and post signs if you are in a populated area,  or pull the tree down if you have the proper equipment and training.  Stay safe!!!!

[Tom]

Glad you made it timberbeast.  That's also a good reminder to make sure you have a good exiting path cleared so that you can get the heck out of there when something does go wrong.

Some folks will say "all you had to do was plunge cut to the hinge and then snip it off when you were ready".  Yeah, right.  If a fellow could see inside then he wouldn't need experience, but you can't always tell what is going on inside of a tree.  

It's always safest to have a place to run and understand that speed is not always the better part of valor.

[Ron Wenrich]

That reminds me of one of the first times I was cutting trees.

We were doing a TSI (timber stand improvement) job.  Sawtimber had been cut, and we were cutting down the non-merchantible trees to improve the stand quality.

I came up to a pretty decent beech that had a crotch at about 8'.  The top was a double, and pretty wide.  The best way to fell the tree was towards an old chestnut snag.  Chestnuts had died about 50-60 years before.  I thought for sure that the snag would crumble, so it was a non-item.

My escape path was up a little 3' bank.  Problem was, there was just a little snow on the ground, which made it pretty slippy.  

When the beech hit the snag, it didn't crumble.  Instead, it made the beech into a see-saw.  First the top hit the ground, and sent the butt into the air.  Then the butt came back down, and the top went into the air.  It did this several times before the tree came to rest, suspended in the air on the snag.

In the meantime, I'm trying to climb the bank.  I was slipping on the snow (at least I think it was snow!).  All I see is a butt coming down towards me.  Luckily, it stopped before hitting me, then went back into the air.

After that, I had better escape routes.  

[Frank_Pender]

I usually leave all the falling to the younger guys these days.  But I do have one that is always inviting me to do something with it.  It located in a very pecular place.  It overlooks most of the tree tops here on the farm.   It has been somewhat of a "hang-up" with the wife and I for near on 21 years, now.  We had argued for years onhow to deal with it until just three years ago, when she said,  "Put it down there!"   I replied, "Yes, dear."   So, I got a hold on a couple of my ex-students who were specialists in falling big barber chairs and had them come to help in its removal.  It took four of us that day to get it down.  Now, these guys, I must tell you are BIG boys (6'3" and up kind of guys going about 230 or so)  Anyway, they all ginally get here and we begin to discuss how to go about the task.  We all get on the four sides of the barber chair and pick it up and move it down to the new addition of the house, which has become my "whining room". (but thats a whole nother story someday)  :D :D We get it where "I" want it and we all take a turn setting in the chair, pretending to get a shave and a haircut.   8) 8) 8) 8)

[Jeff]

Had me going for a minute... ;)

[Frank_Pender]

If I really sent my logger-head mind to it, I can sometimes spin an bit of a wood-fibered yarn.   :D :D :D  And by the way, thank you for the compliment.  My wife always complains when I forget the punch line.  This time I did not forget.

[Tillaway]

 ;D ;D ;) ;) 8)

[allyson]

 :oLOL!!! ;D ;D 8) 8) 8) 8) :D

[Frank_Pender]

  This is the follow-up to the "Whining Room" comment earlier.   We were moved into the new addition of our hous only about two weeks, when the wife and I got into a heated discussion  about something I do not even remember.  Anyway, in order to curtailthe discussion I merely got up from the couch and proceded to the "Whining Room".  (An aside:  Now we all know that when you do not get your way we find some place to deal with the issue by whining about it even it is to yourself.   I use to go the the Mill, but it is almost 300 yards from the house and down a gravel road.  It is up hill coming back. Well, the new addition is two rooms, one on top of the other, 24' x 24' (pancacked). the upper is a new "master bedroom" and the lower, you guessed it,           the "Whining Room". )  Back to the original:   It only took about 15 seconds and the "boss was down there and manying an apploogy.  I got a big hug and kiss for my trouble.  But, I could not keep my mouth shut.  You know how that is sometimes.  I said, "Wow!  That is the best $45,000 for a woman and a room I ever put out."  She got up and left after a good poke in the shoulder. :D :D :D ;)

[timberbeast]

Heh Heh,  Frank!! :D  Lucky you only got it in the shoulder! 8)