True Blue Sam the Travelin' Man: Buzz Sawing, Pinckneyville, Illinois American Thresherman Show

Sunday, August 27, 2023

Buzz Sawing, Pinckneyville, Illinois American Thresherman Show

The engineers burn both wood and coal at Pinckneyville, and much of that wood comes from the slabs at the sawmill. This is how it is processed to be firebox ready.

Back To The Old Grind!

3 comments:

John in Philly said...: Nope.

I would not use that saw and I'm not happy that a young person was involved.

To put it in perspective.
Aircraft carrier propulsion boilers have safety valves.
After repairs or overhaul the valves are bench tested and then bolted back on the boiler.
The boiler is lit off and the pressure is slowly and carefully raised to where the safety should lift.
The safety must lift at the designated pressure, blow down to a preset pressure and then reseat.
If the valve needs adjustment, the boiler pressure is lowered from the normal pressure of 1200 pounds per square inch to around 1000 pounds per square inch and held there with fire in the boiler while a shipyard mechanic climbs to the top of the boiler and gags the safety.
With the gag applied, and keep in mind that the gag is a small device that looks much like a tiny gear puller, the mechanic can loosen the locking nut and add or remove tension to the spring to change the lift pressure.
If the re-seating pressure is not correct, then the mechanic must remove a small pointed plug from the body of the valve, insert a flat bladed screw driver and move the re-seating ring a few notches.
Keep in mind that while the mechanic is doing this, he is separated from a thousand pounds of steam pressure by only the tension of the gag on the valve stem.
And when he is adjusting the re-seating ring, the steam is on the other side of the safety valve disk.
I've done that job and lots of other dangerous work in a shipyard, military, or law enforcement environment.

And I still would not be near that saw.; August 29, 2023 at 7:23 AM
David aka True Blue Sam said...: John: Too many body parts are working around the business end. One wrong move and someone is maimed, maybe bleeding out. I have never had the urge to operate one. Most engine show people with a buzz rig never let it turn. Adjusting a pop valve on a hot boiler...I don't know what to say!; August 29, 2023 at 10:24 PM
John in Philly said...: David: Both heavy industry and the tree work that you do could be accurately defined as doing something dangerous as safely as one can.; August 30, 2023 at 5:44 AM

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Rules To Live By

Firearms; Col. Jeff Cooper's Rules
1. All guns are always loaded.
2. Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy.
3. Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot.
4. Be sure of your target and what lies beyond it.

Knives
1. Never cut toward yourself.
2. Always cut away from yourself.
3. Never cut yourself.

AND
If you drop a knife or gun, let it fall!

Chainsaws

1. Always wear your safety gear when running your saw: hard hat, eye, face, hearing protection, cut resistant protection for your legs, heavy boots, gloves (depending on work conditions).

2. Safety devices on the saw must be in working order: front hand guard,chain brake, chain catcher, throttle lockout, and right hand guard.

3. Hold the saw on the ground or lock it between your knees for starting. No 'Drop Starts.' Set the chain brake before cranking.

4. The engine must idle reliably without turning the chain.

5. The chain must be sharpened properly, including properly set depth gauges.

6. The chain must be adjusted to remove slack and still run freely.

7. The operator must understand the forces on different parts of the bar as the saw runs: push, pull, kickback and attack.

8. Both hands must always be on the saw when the chain is running. The thumbs must be wrapped around the handles. Both feet should be firmly planted on the ground.

9. The operator must always know where the end of the bar is, and what it's doing.

10. Don't let the upper (kickback) corner of the bar contact anything when the chain is running unless the tip has been buried with the lower corner.

11. Let off of the throttle before pulling out of a pinch on the top part of the bar.

12. Make a plan for every tree you cut. Assess hazards, lean, escape routes, forward cuts, and back cuts. Evaluate the forward or backward lean, and the side lean of every tree you cut. Know your limits.

13. Clear your work area and your escape path of brush, vines, and other hazards that can trip you or catch your saw.

14. Escape from the bullseye when the tree tips. 90% of accidents happen within 12 feet of the stump. Go more than 15 feet, and stay out of the bullseye until things stop falling.

15. Keep spectators away more than twice the height of the tree in the direction it will fall.

16. Don't cut alone.

17. Keep your body and the swamper's out of the line of the bar in case of a kickback.

18. Set the brake when taking over two steps or when moving through tripping hazards. Keep your trigger finger off of the throttle when you are moving.

19. DO NOT operate a chainsaw from a ladder! Operating with your feet off the ground requires special training.

20. Do not cut above your shoulders.

21. Springpoles must be shaved on the inside of the apex between the ascending and descending sides. If the apex is higher than you shoulders, stand under the springpole and cut it low on the descending side. It will release upward, away from you.Leaning and heavily loaded poles that are too small to bore cut for a hinge should be shaved on the compressed side until they fold.

22. Do not cut a tree that is holding up a lodged tree. Do not work under a lodged tree. Think about a mouse trying to steal the cheese out of a trap.

23. Instruct your swampers and helpers to NEVER approach you from behind or the sides to within the reach of your saw when you are cutting. If you pull out of a cut with the chain running, or have a severe kickback, the swamper can be killed if he is coming up behind you!

24!! Quit When You Are Tired!

25!! Pause and review; reflect, when you are being pushed. You may be pushed into danger. Do not let pressure cause you to ignore safety rules!

Cutting dead and rotten trees is something I have had lots of practice doing, and it always comes down to basics and following the rules. Build a good hinge, even if there is just a thin shell to work with. Support the back side of the hinge with wedges if the tree is punky or hollow. Don't fight side lean or back lean. Release it quickly and get away from the stump. Tell your co-workers what your steps are before you crank your saw. You will live long.

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Sunday, August 27, 2023

Buzz Sawing, Pinckneyville, Illinois American Thresherman Show

3 comments:

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