The things we do for wood.

My brother had a large pine get blown over by some really strong storms about a week ago. It fell on a red oak and pushed it over too. So today, after work I loaded up the saw and my 2 sons and off we went to help out my brother. Everything was going good until it started to rain. Im good with cutting in the rain, but when it starts lightning....nope. We had about 2/3's of a truck full and I just wanted to cut 1 more piece that was easy to cut when I stepped into a hole that was about 2 ft deep. It was from an old stump that had roted some time back. I ended up falling onto the pile of wood and throwing my ms362 about 10 ft backwards toward my sons who were tryimg to load the truck. Luckily and I mean luckily, I had put the chain break on before I had started to walk and step into the hole. It landed about 3 ft from my youngest and the look he gave me was somewhat comical. He said, Dad I would have come got the saw. You didnt have to throw it at me. It was funny.
Whats not funny is me laying here in the bed with a heating pad on my lower back with my right leg tingling all the way to my toes. Getting older.
As I lay here and try to not think how bad it would have been if I had not put the brake on before moving, I remind myself how quickly something could happen. My dad taught me to cut, and he has drilled into my head how dangerous a saw is. He would say "These saws are as dangerous as a cocked gun" Yep heard that about a 1000 times. Today was a good lesson for my boys. They have heard me tell them this also. They are 15 and 11. Now they know the reason us dads say what we say. Sorry for the long post. I am trying to take my mind off of my back and leg.
Oh and I know yall will want to know...No saw was damaged during the incident. She will live to cut another day. Now I may be a different story.

 

Good luck recovering. Thank god it was only a close call with the saw. Your son's reaction did make me laugh out loud, tho.

 

Rest up man. Get well and get back out there. Tend to your saw while you're at it. You'll be stronger for that.

 

Thanks for taking the time to post that story. Your dad was absolutely right about a chain saw. It is like a cocked gun and should be thought of like that. . The habit of putting the brake on saved your rear end. A lesson for us all to learn from. As soon as you are done making your cut and before you take a step best practice is to put the brake on to prevent from happening what almost happened to you. Good move! One wrong step just one time can result in horrific life altering injuries. I am glad you came out ok. Phew!

 

Can't say this post gives me pause. Im sure a lot of the brothers have gone through tight things with a saw, never saying anything about it.

 

Hope the tingling leg gets better real soon. I've had my fair share of back and leg tingle over the years so I know the pain you're in

BB

 

You are right. This same sort of incident happened to me yesterday, but I work alone so there was no one to throw my saw at (joking).

My left knee is getting bad and I just cannot move like I used to. I also am not picking up my left leg very high and tricked over a stick. I ended up pitching the saw as I piled up face first into the rear tire of my tractor.

Yep I am getting old too.

 

Please take it a little easier, you guys!

 

Sciatica? Sounds like you've just been introduced to it....

Get better, glad its not worse!

 

Yep thats exactly what it is. And my sciatica is very angry with me. But it could have been worse.

 

I meant to say can't say this post doesn't give me pause... but glad you got the gist of it

 

Yeah I agree. Its a mistake but some can be costlier than others.

 

Just going to get on the safety soapbox here again. Best to think about what can happen ahead of time and take proper safety precautions (chaps, steel toe boots, gloves, helmet w/face shield/safety glasses, use of chain brake, proper technique, etc)
The following images are extremely graphic:

chainsaw injuries - Google Search

 

I thought that's what you meant....

 

Thanks for your story and reminding us that we always need to think about safety. Even though we may be careful, there are things like the hidden hole you fell in that we can not control. However, by following safety rules, we can help minimise the bad outcomes. Rest up and take care of yourself. I have found those stick on pads like Absorbine Jr helps a lot with the healing and reducing the pain; the pain comes from inflammation and they do help by increasing blood flow to the affected area.

 

I did that one time limbing with a small saw,, getting ready to walk down the trunk and take out some more limbs, I first put the brake on and started walking and tripped push the saw way it went about 10 ft, only injury was the thorn stuck in my hand, it was freaky though.

 

Yeah ive been doing some heat and ibuprofen. Some better today but still not good enough to try to spilt the wood yet.

 

Its crazy how fast something can happen. I strongly dislike thorns. Some of those suckers can go in pretty deep.