I have seen multiple posts or comments about cutting logs up on a saw buck or table of some sort. I will be honest, I do most of my cutting while the log sits waist hi on the forks of the tractor. But if for some reason I can’t, I squat down on my knees and make my cuts. After each cut I just slide to my side and make the next cut. I feel this is much better than bending over and I can cut for hours like that. I can’t be the only one who does this am I?
It depends on the situation and how my knees are feeling and the saw I’m using. I don’t have the advantage of forks or grapple, so all my logs are cut on the ground.
I've definitely done my share of cutting on my knees. Thing is my lower back and knees have both had issues in the past from years of construction taking a toll. I prefer standing at waist height by far to any other method.
I cant say ive ever squatted. Ill either get in a one point stance on one knee or fully kneel. Most of the time i bend over. A little too hard on my old knees to stay bent in that position. Keep in mind i never cut from a log deck. Years of roofing have lessened my flexibility!
Of course you would...cutting at that height is awesome! I do cut at places besides my moms farm though and thats when I cut while on both knees.
I think we would all prefer that when possible. The whole bending over to cut thing isn't fun for me at all which is why I go to both knees on the ground when I don't have the tractor where I'm cutting.
If I'm cutting in the woods I stand. Who knows what I'll be kneeling on. Other times I have cut while Im on one knee but 90% of time I stand. The last few times I have done some back stretches and muscle warm up and cut while standing. Back felt great. Could all be in my head though.
I have done a bunch of cutting with the logs on my bale fork on my tractor, and also the grappler on my brother in law's tractor. This works pretty good, but you still have to deal with the last few cuts on the forks or still go to the ground, more or less. But most of the stuff I cut is suspended by limbs in the top of the tree and I end up cutting both low and high, with some final cuts on the ground. I like it when the tree hangs on the stump, and gives me daylight under the wood for most of the cuts. I truly hate working low, bending over or down on my knees. I hate low work and would rather work 40ft in the air with the wind blowing, then in a ditch or 1 ft off of the ground. I can't squat and I have never been able to bend over and touch my toes, my whole life. And this is why, I prefer long bars on my saws. 20" is my short bar. Stand up and buck with a long bar is my MO. But also, the timber I often cut has big wide tops and most of the wood is off of the ground, so I try to be smart and cut all suspended limbs, being careful not to get fooled and have a tree roll on me and slap me with a limb. About the only time I get on my knees is to cut a stump off real close to the ground, and even then it kind of scares me, you have to be careful, because a saw can pinch and recoil back on you, and a powerful saw might recoil back and hit your leg when on your knees. Also, I don't want my head and face close to the bar, in case of a kickback, when you are standing with a long bar, a kickback has a lot longer distance to travel before it gets to me and the same with a spring pole if got fooled and cut one wrong.
I use longer bars and cut standing. We are only allowed to cut blow down, so almost all our wood is on the ground. If the tree has branches supporting it off the ground, I will cut all the free branches then cut some supporting branches as I go, so the rounds drop free If the tree is hard on the ground, I will either cut 7/8 through, and cut the log into lengths that I can roll with the Peavey, then slide the bar into the cut and up cut to finish the rounds, sometimes I have to dig a small spot under the log to cut lengths that I can roll. I also usually have my high-lift jack with me, and will jack the log up, and roll a round as down the log as I can, letting the round support the log, cut rounds off and jack and move the fulcrum as needed, then typically finish the log cutting 7/8 through then rolling and up cutting to finish. It just depends on each situation, what is the best method Doug
I used to kneel almost exclusively when bucking. Then, from the Great White North, came Buckin' Billy Ray. And lo, from upon high he said "Standeth up and buck, my son." And upon my chainsaw I did place a 24" bar, and saw that it was good. Now I stand.
So I have been told the only dumb question is the one not asked... How do you keep the log away from the bucket so you don’t hit it with the chain when using FEL and forks?
Just curious , what was it about kneeling that made you feel safer? I would feel the opposite, being on my knees would dramatically slow my reaction to the log moving, kickback, or any number of other things that could go wrong I’m not saying that you’re wrong, just interested in your logic Doug
It’s me I got a bad leg; nerve damage right foot. Bigger logs I would get down to buck rounds anyway. Not 12 inch or smaller logs but bigger ones yeah. My chest and arms are size 3x. IME bigger logs don’t move without a lot of effort; I usually drag logs to processing area which is flat on stump 661 with 42” bar Back tires on tractor 5’ range
