Yes, I did cut down the pear tree.

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Sunday, August 9. 2009

Yes, I did cut down the pear tree.

I cranked up my trusty Stihl Farm Boss last weekend to do some jobs, and my neighbor who has some heart problems brought me a cold Rolling Rock and asked me to cut down an old Pear tree which was productive 20 years ago but which has been in serious decline since it has been in the shade of several big trees.

For a cold one, a year's supply of good fruit wood for meat-smoking, and for the pleasure of helping out a neighbor, I was happy to do it. My stock of wild cherry chunks from last year is running low.

As long-time readers know, I always have mishaps with chain saws. Someday the thing will kill me. So be it. The two nuts of the cover blew off somehow and the chain blew off right after we got the big old tree down. Could only find one of the nuts. So it was a case of "pass me another cold one, let's light up some Cubans, and I will finish this job later."

Don't you hate to leave a job half-done?

Posted by Bird Dog in Our Essays, The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation at 13:16 | Comments (20) | Trackbacks (0)

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Guess it's a little late to say, put down the Rolling Rock and step away from the chain saw...

#1 KRW on 2009-07-12 17:45 (Reply)

Chain saws require beer. Too scary otherwise.

#1.1 Bird Dog on 2009-07-12 17:47 (Reply)

Saw first, beer second...

I've never had a fear of chain saws nor machines in general, but I do work with a Toro Grand Stand mower I'm convinced is out to kill me. If I were to drink and mow I believe the consequences would be dire.

#2 Jephnol (Link) on 2009-07-12 18:37 (Reply)

BD,

It's good to know that, at least, that you DID cut down the pear tree...heard a myth, once, about a cherry tree ....can't believe everything ya hear, ya know, y' all !!

Cheers,

#3 Garry on 2009-07-12 19:25 (Reply)

I never had a problem cutting through big red oak logs as a kid, but the chainsaws I used looked a bit more solid than the one in the picture. That one looks kind of dinky.

#4 chuck on 2009-07-12 20:00 (Reply)

Good all-purpose saw. Not for 3' diam. trees.

#4.1 bd on 2009-07-12 20:10 (Reply)

Any tool we use requires the utmost respect. Tools that have moving parts require more respect, especially when the tool can cause a life threatening injury. I've seen weekend warriors out there that I'm sure were going to kill themselves. And I have seen seasoned veterans using tools that respect and use the utmost caution and still get hurt. There's got to be a balance in there somewhere. Chainsaws, guns, require our utmost respect, it only takes a second for a mishap. Falling out of a tree with a chainsaw, now that's scary.

#5 jappy on 2009-07-12 20:27 (Reply)

As I have no other heating source, I have to burn wood all winter. I run a chainsaw a lot, but I wouldn't run one after even a sip of alcohol. My John Deere chainsaw looks remarably like the one pictured. It must be a Stihl painted green.

#6 feeblemind on 2009-07-12 20:38 (Reply)

For Cubans, I'll bring my c-saws up and help finish the job. Fix the saw, too, if you want to concentrate on the RR's.

#7 Steve in CT on 2009-07-12 20:41 (Reply)

A bow saw is good for wholesome exercise.

#8 rhhardin (Link) on 2009-07-12 21:01 (Reply)

Met a guy once with a big, urgly, red scar--it started under his left ear and continued down across his chest to just above his waist band and the right side of his stomach!

#9 apple pie on 2009-07-12 23:02 (Reply)

BD

I am really beginning to enjoy your input here. My father has the same gifts with tools as you seem to have. It is normal to see him bleeding from somewhere by the time a job is finished.

Last time I was with him he and his buddy who has parkinson' s were using the chain saw. Watching a man with a tremor use a chain saw is something I don't ever want to see again. I found a way to take over without damaging his pride and I think we all relaxed a little.

#10 Brian in Idaho on 2009-08-09 13:42 (Reply)

There is a show on the history channel all about the people that do these things for a living. Here is the http

http://www.history.com/content/axmen

#11 Mike on 2009-08-09 18:07 (Reply)

Been there done that. Gives a new meaning to bar nuts.
Changing chains and a small dose of CRS, results in hand tightened nuts that eventually give it up.
I have a clear cut cover named "The Bent Bar Cover", but that is a different story.

#12 Bonasa on 2009-08-09 19:15 (Reply)

I cut my leg with a chainsaw once.

Luckily the chain was dull and all it did was "tear" a small (like 2 inches long and maybe 1/2" deep) chunk of my leg, if I had taken the extra 5 minutes to put on that new sharpened chain I'm reasonably sure that a hospital visits would have been necessary...

#13 Andrew Robinson on 2009-08-10 01:43 (Reply)

My father had a rule: never operate a chain saw when home alone; always tell somebody when you're using it. It turned out to be a good thing my brother adopted the rule as an adult. He cut his leg once and couldn't have driven himself to the hospital. Fortunately he'd waited until my s-i-l was back from the store, so he only had to shout for her.

#14 Retread on 2009-08-10 08:49 (Reply)

OH, my! Pear wood for meat smoking!!! I'm so jealous. That's gonna give whatever you smoke a lovely flavor. (Being a big ol' carnivore, smoking meat is one of my favorite leisure activities.)

#15 Richard on 2009-08-10 13:50 (Reply)

Heh- Same thing happened with my Jonsered, but luckily I had a magnetic rake, which found both nuts in the layers of woodchips in about five minutes.

Bridgewater VT

#16 Lord WHorfin on 2009-08-10 14:28 (Reply)

Heh. I had to read your comment twice, asking myself how a magnetic rake helped you find your balls on the ground. Then I realized you were talking about 'nuts and bolts'. Oh, thank God.

#16.1 Jephnol (Link) on 2009-08-10 15:13 (Reply)

That funny right there...

#16.1.1 Andrew Robinson on 2009-08-10 20:32 (Reply)

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Sunday, August 9. 2009

Yes, I did cut down the pear tree.