DIY LumberJack

This blog is a resource for those DIYers that either want to learn how to fall trees and process their own wood or have little choice but to learn. Personally, I fall in the latter category. Our home sits on five acres of forested land and the going rate to fell a tree is $150 per tree in our area. The math was simple I’d teach myself how to fall trees or we’d have to move.

I didn’t start with a chainsaw, I started with a cordless reciprocating saw which is most well known as a Sawzall after the original manufacturer’s product name. I used brush blades of different lengths to practice the two face cuts and the back cut with little risk to me. An 11” D Cedar (measured at the base) was the largest I accomplished with the Sawzall. Though, it did require multiple passes as my brush blade was 9′ long. When I started felling with my chainsaw I felt more prepared because of the experience of cutting trees and getting a feel for the physics of a falling tree. 

My first experience with a chainsaw(in 2015) ended with two deep gashes in my foot. I learned the dangers of the kickback zone that day and what happens when you don’t take the time to understand a dangerous machine before using it. That saw was a borrowed 80’s era corded electric chainsaw with a 12” bar.  For some reason, my wife still wanted to date me after I hobbled to our first date, in flip-flops with a heavily bandaged foot.

The main reason I made this blog is that there are more bad resources out there than good ones. Again I’m not a pro I’m just a landowner that has had to figure this stuff out with a mountain of research and daring. I’ve seen people on YouTube teaching dangerous techniques that could get someone killed if they can’t see the danger.

Every time a see someone cutting trees without chaps and in flip-flops, I cringe. Though I think some pro-loggers can give the viewer a sense that falling trees is easy or safe. One, in particular, will not move to an escape route but will sit right next to the tree and watch it fall. It’s my hope that this blog connects you to good resources that exemplify how to cut down trees with a chainsaw and how to do it safely. I also hope it helps you learn from others’ mistakes, to avoid the many dangers of felling trees with a chainsaw.