Happy New Year!

I am excited!

2010 Is going to be an awesome year. Things are changing a bit since we will not be sponsored and limited to Husqvarna products. They have cancelled our sponsorship agreement for 2010 for budget reasons. We can now concentrate on the best products, tools and techniques for power equipment operators.

You will learn more in days and weeks to come…

Go to our website and make sure to sign up for ChainPoint Connection. www.forestapps.com .

Happy New Year Ya’ll!

 

Good Sawing,

Tim Ard

President

Happy Holidays!

Hello Everyone,

It is the second Holiday Season since my surgery and chemotherapy for colon cancer and tests are still showing clear. Thank God! Laura and the rest of the family are doing well and we are all set for all our family to be together for the Birth of Our Savior Celebration on Friday. For some of you there are other meanings to this season of the year but for us the Reason for this Season is Christmas, the birth of Jesus. I pray that your Spiritual needs are met in a real Way this Holiday Season.

We have had a busy year at Forest Applications Training, Inc. We completed 2009’s schedule with 184 working days, 152 nights on the road, all to bring training and presentations to just over 2500 participants. The 2010 calendar is already getting full (schedule).

I am excited about our ChainPoint upstart the first of the year. I know you have already received some ChainPoint emails, some too many, but I hope you will find the connection, after the first of January, to be valuable to your work (and yes play) with a chain saw and other power equipment. Keeping all safe and productive is our goal as we move into this venture. There will be product reviews, training program reviews, new techniques and a lot of communication from operators in questions and answers. All connecting you to items and services you will find useful.

Forest Applications Training, Inc. will be closed until the New Year so you won’t hear from me until the first week of January.

So, have a Blessed Holiday Season and Merry Christmas from Forest Applications Training, Inc. !

Good Sawing,

Tim Ard

Forest Applications Training, Inc.

http://www.forestapps.com

Chain Saw Gloves

Saw Mittens

By Tim Ard

Forest Applications Training, Inc.

Gloves are an important part of personal protective equipment (P.P.E.) when working, especially with the chain saw. Many people I speak with say they do not use gloves because they have a hard time working with them. They don’t fit correctly, hard to hold things and gloves fatigue their hands. Another thing is to find gloves that will last long enough, they are expensive.

Over the years, with chain saw operators, the left hand has been in the top two laceration or cut areas when accidents occur. It’s common with the injuries sustained from a chain saw for the left hand to get in the chains’ rotation. I hear many stories of hand injuries happening when operators are doing maintenance or sharpening their saw chain too. They happen when operators don’t keep both hands on the handles when sawing. Hands are susceptible…

Gloves won’t prevent all hand injury from happening but they can reduce the severity in many of them.

I have been trying a glove design over the past few months that is awesome. I have been using mittens with chain saws since Soren Eriksson introduced me to them in the 80’s. Mittens have several advantages for the saw operator.

· You can get a better grip. Try pressing on your arm with fingers loosely placed (Like how it would be with cotton or leather between them with finger style gloves). Now try it with fingers together. It seems amazing; you can apply more pressure with your fingers together. One person told me that’s because your hands are designed that way. Mittens allow better grip because of this.

· The back of the left hand has chain saw material layered on the mitt. This can give you some reaction time from the chain should you need it.

· Index finger is still separated on the right hand for chain saw trigger operation.

· The palms need to be of leather for durability and abrasion resistant. Goat skin is used in these high quality work gloves. It has better characteristics with moisture. They dry without becoming hard and brittle.

· Should they need to come off quickly it’s possible. They won’t bind on your hands quite as much as finger styles. They slide off much easier.

· They also work very well with winter liners for cold operations.

Some gloves and mittens I have tried don’t last a week. These are the toughest and longest lasting I’ve used in years. I bought them in March and now closing in on the end of the year they are still usable. I have machine washed them several times, burned them on mufflers, cut them filing and the seams and materials have held up amazingly well. I don’t use them as hard and regularly as some of you would but I will assure you they will, from my experience; hold up superior to most gloves out there. You won’t go wrong with these mittens if you give them a try. I just received a new pair to start the year with…

The saw mittens are available in four sizes (medium fits me perfect). You can follow the link to Gransfors for more information and to purchase.

Santa Clara County California

Last week I had four classes with Santa Clara Parks. Three Basic classes and one advanced hands on class. It was a pleasure to have the Park Rangers attending classes.

The Rangers have been involved in a couple of the previous training weeks but most of the SCC Parks employees have been from the maintenance departments. The Ranger’s are some of the first responders to storm situations in the parks. They are the ones who have to locate people on the trails 24/7. When tree damage from storms occur often Ranger’s are the ones to pick up the saws and gain entrance or clearance on the trails. The first to show…

I am pleased the county recognizes the need to train these Ranger’s and I have he opportunity to get to know them. Their commitment to the park visitor is unquestionable, the professionalism impeccable and their chain saw abilities are strong and growing. A fantastic combination to give Santa Clara Parks a clear advantage! - Tim

Woolpower…

Woolpower…

By Tim Ard

Forest Applications Training, Inc.

With the onset of cold weather this year and the need to stay warm while outside working and training across the country, I am pleased to announce our recent connection with Gransfors Bruks and Woolpower.

Over the years, people have shared with me the advantages of fiber pile types of material for layering. Soren Eriksson was ahead of innovation when he brought Swedish undergarment s and fiber pile fabrics to the USA. The material and thus the garments were expensive at the time but they worked. Scandinavians know how to dress warmly. I still have a pull-over that I have been wearing in the field for over 20 yrs. Now I have gone back in time to natural fiber. One does that when they get older I guess.

At a meeting several years ago Yvonne Caruso of Gransfors gave me a couple pair of Woolpower socks. I was amazed at their comfort and I was concerned that they would cause rashes or be too warm to wear. I found them quite the opposite and they were great. I couple months ago she sent me a set of Woolpower long johns (that is what we always called them). Woolpower calls them the under layer. I started reading the history and paperwork with the garments and found out a lot I didn’t know about wool, especially merino wool. There are differences in sheep and in the way Woolpower combines the wool fibers with synthetics to make Woolpower.

A few things I didn’t realize:

· Woolpower is soft as…. You finish the sentence after you wear it. I think you will be amazed in the comfort.

· Merino Wool is mostly air… That’s what you want to insulate from the cold and wick away the hot.

· Wool is naturally flame retardant… It is always a problem to be near a fire with synthetic clothing.

· Wool doesn’t hold odor… It is amazing how this works. You know how sheep smell, well some of them I guess, but you can wear Woolpower for a day working and smell less. I put it to the test; I wore the same undershirt for four days. More than one day is unheard of with my body chemistry and other fabrics. Not something to usually brag about but Woolpower is amazingly odor free.

· Woolpower is virtually seamless… they weave the sleeves and body of the garments like knitting a sock. Seams are almost non-existent. No seams – more comfort.

· Woolpower is machine washable and dryable… Easy to wash and wear for long time easy wear.

Contact me if you have any questions or give the fine folks at Gransfors Bruks a quick connect. Tell them I sent you! www.gransfors.us .

Good Sawing,

Tim Ard

www.forestapps.com

Looking for stories…

Anyone experiencing any fuel related problems with their chain saw or trimmer? Had to recently throw out some gas mix because it was too stale and wouldn't start your saw or trimmer? Had to pay for any fuel related repairs on your saws or trimmers? I'm looking for stories for upcoming articles....  Tim

A Day to Forget….

Hello Everyone!

Yesterday… a day to forget or to definitely remember! I don’t know which.  I thought I was really accomplishing something great by upgrading to a new mail list manager. Everything seemed to look like it would work great. It had to work better than my manual system. Keeping everything a lot more current and quickly be able to reach everyone in the loop.

I loaded about 2000 addresses from our database of email contacts. Pressed the button and sent them to the system. About an hour later, the fire war broke out!

Let me  say this, there is not a problem with my mail manager. The problem was with me and the settings; I thought I had set up correctly. The program does everything and more than I expected. The situation stemmed from my settings on the system. “Mailman” Works Great!

I had the reply system set wrong. Terribly wrong! My first mail went out to all listed. There were about 20 or so subscribers that sent in corrections and requests to be removed. They attempted to do this by reply. The reply address I had set was for the mass mail send address. When they sent questions and requests they went out to everyone. This caused everyone to receive the 20 or so emails. They filled inboxes quickly and this made people upset. They wanted to get off the list quickly, so they replied too. Some also replied to subscribers email they had received thinking they had been sent the message by mistake, which went back to the sender and then to the entire group. Major panic started!  I shut down the list by emergency moderation but it takes hours to have the fire war of box to box to subside.

I sent a first message to apologize. The first one had the mass mail address as a reply address and anyone who sent complaints and removal requests by reply went to everyone's inbox.  I finally got that stopped and begged subscribers to stop replying. Wow what a day!

I lost about 400 disgruntled subscribers. I hope they come back… Please.

Some people were upset that they didn’t subscribe to the list. Wanted to know how they got on the list. Well every address in the database came from training registrations and emails or email registrations to our website at Forest Applications.

People were mostly upset about the flood of email. Rightfully so!  I am sorry for the inconvenience, I apologize! I will even sing and dance at your next wedding- but please don’t stay upset. Re-subscribe. Tell your friends to subscribe.

ChainPoint is going to be a great loop and link to anyone interested in outdoor power equipment. Chainsaw, mower, trimmer information and training will be connected on ChainPoint Connections that will not be found anywhere else on the web. Stay Connected!

You can subscribe by following this link: http://mail.forestapps.com/mailman/listinfo/chainpoint_forestapps.com  or go to our homepage at www.forestapps.com

Good Sawing and Connecting,

Tim Ard

President

Forest Applications Training, Inc.

Gettin it to the wood…

We have one of the oldest websites dedicated to the chain saw operator. Our site at www.forestapps.com has been up and running since the early 90’s. If you know anything about the internet, that’s when it was born.

FAT was first to offer an eBook – “The Complete Guide to Chain Saw Safety and Directional Felling” by Tim Ard and Mike Bolin to the chain saw operators’ library. Information that’s interactive and can be easily updated as needed.

The new form of communication with web based portals is growing. Face Book and Twitter are connecting people by leaps and tweets. I say all this to say it’s time to connect, even more now all the training and information to the ground!

More information is coming soon about ChainPoint Connections.

Next Month….

Updated the calendar of training events for December on the website and it is going to be a busy month.

I have training starting up this month with the City of Atlanta, Hartsfield Airport. They are in the top two most busy airports in the world and guess what… their maintenance staff uses chain saws! We have two classes with them, one in Dec and one in Jan, each two-day hands on programs. They are scheduling now for Trimmer and Zero-turn mower training for 2010 also.

Looking forward to returning to central California for another training week with Santa Clara County. Several years now we have worked with the SC county. They are super to work with and the area around Mt. Madonna, CA is awesome. Always a pleasure.

Home the week of Christmas…     Tim

Aloha Hawaii….

by Tim Ard

It has been almost thirty days since we set foot in this USA paradise. It has been an awesome training experience. I wish all of you could have been here with us and you would have enjoyed everything and everyone as we have. But now sadly it is time to leave. We are still happy! We miss home, family and friends, so its not that hard to depart. We take with us many memories.

I feel we have learned so much being with the amazing workers of Hawaii DOT. They are a “Spirit of Aloha” group and definitely on Hawaii Time. They hold a true concern for their co-workers, family and the Island visitors.

The past few weeks have been some of the most unusual weather weeks they have experienced in over five years. Water, storms, more water, more storms have water logged the mountains, streams and sadly effected the roads and woodlands. They have a good bit of work ahead to get everything back to picture perfect. These folks are dedicated to doing that.

It made me realize how important the Department of Transportation workers are to our life styles, whether island or metro Atlanta. You see over here, you have just a few roads to get where you need to go. When one is blocked, you go nowhere. There are no side streets to maneuver on. Your stuck! No matter where you are Kauai or Atlanta the DOT has to keep things flowing. They are an important part to first response in all states when a storm/disaster hits.

It is so important in the training that I make sure to pass to them useful information to make their jobs easier and safer. It’s back to basics every time so I don't miss any important details. Planning is the ultimate key to safety and productivity in storm situations. We can’t take for granted that anyone or everyone understands the process… and make sure they apply it every time when approaching the scene.

You can follow some of the activities on Face Book on our Forest Applications Training Page….

Thank you Hawaii for the opportunity to work Island Style! It has been a blessed month – Mahalo and Aloha!

Sharp or not….

Over the past couple of weeks working with and preparing DOT workers in chain saw applications, to be ready for storms,  hurricanes, etc., I have completely convinced myself that chain sharpening is most– if not the most – important aspect of chain saw training.

It doesn't make any difference how weak, powerful, little or huge your chain saw is if the chain’s not sharp things are not going to work well. If you have to push and pull to accomplish a cut – not good. Safety and productivity are compromised at the effective point of the saw chain.

Filing the chain or grinding doesn’t automatically produce a sharp productive saw chain. There has to be a working knowledge of the cutter tooth’s design to be able to really achieve results. If you understand the five parts of the tooth (see Tim’s Tips @ www.forestapps.com) you can begin to recognize the job the file or grinding system is doing. If you don’t slow down and look at the results, after a stroke or two, on the five parts of the tooth most likely you are just filing or grinding – you’re not sharpening.

Watching people filing, I often see them moving the file but not concentrating on what it’s doing. They often say, “I usually make five or six strokes on each tooth. Is that enough?” Well, if those stokes don’t touch the point or the chisel angle of the tooth you are simply filing, not sharpening.

Let me know what you think…. timard@forestapps.com

Training….

Training Preparation

By Tim Ard

I don’t mean to whine but why is it that all involved in training do not understand what training is? What effective training entails?

The initiative from management is “Safety is First” but they don’t always understand the training process. Risk management is a factor, but time allotment (lack of) and budget win out. I see chain saws that are not maintained properly and a lot of time neither the operators nor their supervision are aware of recognized safety issues like required Personal Protective Equipment. Crews are out working without safety items and required equipment like chain saw leg chaps. If an incident occurs the cost far exceeds the investment in proper training, tools and PPE.

As managers and adult workers, are we taught somewhere that the primary grades of 1^st through 6^th are a waste? Just skip those and save cost, go right to college. Why do we think in adult education there is not a somewhat timed advance in the learning process?

There is a process, in chain saw operation anyway, that needs to be understood and followed. You see there are a lot of saw operations that conclude daily tasks without mishaps. Many operate them daily, yearly without any safety issues or incidents. Then there are the statistics that exist when storms or disasters occur. There are in most every storm, wind, flood and disaster situation more injuries and fatalities from the cleanup work than the actual event. It doesn’t make since! Much of this I feel is because we are somewhat short sided when it comes to planning for these events. Like Homeland Security, we don’t have everything in place till long after it’s needed.

I remember a conversation with a group in north Alabama after a huge ice storm a few years ago. The person had contacted our office to discuss emergency chain saw training for their community. The storm had hit and he felt it was so important that training happen the next Saturday or there was going to be a lot of people injured. I agreed but had to disagree. I asked him who will attend training Saturday if the weather is good. I said what do you think most people are going to be doing if the weather is good? They will be cleaning up their property. They are not going to come to training. You see, you have to train before the event to prepare. You cannot wait until the event and expect to achieve proper technique and safety.

Then you have those that think a booklet or short video will give the training needed. I don’t know how many times I have heard managers and risk manager’s state that they have a “new” safety procedures manual that will give them what they need in information. All the guidelines are in the manual. How many books do you have from your 12 to 16 years in school? Who in your organization has not read the operators manual for the chain saw they use? The one that gets me… how many company safety manuals don’t include the proper PPE to meet OSHA regulations for their employees. They write without research.

Training has to start with the basics, a review or initial, understanding of planning, basic sharpening, basic maintenance, basic cutting techniques and basic limbing and bucking. What is a notch and hinge… basically! If you can’t discuss those in detail – you don’t know the basics!

We try to spread things to thin sometimes and I will agree every organization doesn’t need to be operating chain saws. If they choose to have them-- accept the training responsibility!

Hawaii DOT…

Began today several sessions in Hawaii with the DOT. The first ten days or so will be in the Honolulu area and then we move over to Kauai to finish up with a week there.

Today I completed day one of group one. These are super workers and just great people. The trees on the other hand are tough for training because they are small and very twisted. But the demo went well today and hopefully tomorrow will accomplish what we need to.

There was a communication gap that existed between the Husqvarna rep and the local Husqvarna dealer. A saw was suppose to be there for the training. Didn't show, and we ended up having to use the DOT saws. Shindaiwa and Dolmar. Made it through… hope to have proper saws here by Thursday.

Sunbelt Expo 2009

Moultrie, GA 

The Expo was great this year! The numbers seemed to be down from the effects of the economy but it was definitely not because of weather. Beautiful weather!

We did chain saw safety workshops covering sharpening and directional felling during the three days. Three presentations a day. Each one drew spectators for the workshops and the product displays.

Some wood carving going on too….  You can see more pictures from Expo 2009 on our FaceBook  Forest Applications Training Group.

Here are a few of the pics from the show….

Husqvarna Expo Team 2009

Directional Felling Presentation

Frankfort, KY Day Two

It poured rain most of the day. we had trees along a fence row that made it even tougher… The trees were not real large but they had quite a bit of lean. The leans in some cases made for some interesting training moments – Barber chair….

This tree was 10 to 12 inches DBH and a 1 inch  hinge was decided on in the plan. They decided a strait back cut was better than a bore cut on this heavy forward leaner and they had to escape before the hinge was bendable enough (2 inch hinge was remaining), the tree split up above head high. Fortunately for the sawyer the  escape route was used in time. A bore cut would have given the ability to set up the hinge to 10% or less, which will bend, before the pressure causes the split.

Great to be a part….

It's great to be part of a big plan! Working with city and county employees who are sometimes first responder's to disaster situations, when storms etc hit, they are some of the first to clean up and make road passage possible. Saw training is vital to their ability to safely work and influence lives in these situations.

Training prior to these situations is what Forest Applications has the privilege to be part of. Our goal is to establish a planning process that will be remembered and utilized when the time comes. A complete plan, a good running sharp saw, and a well equipped operator. A great plan to be part of!

Frankfort, KY

Great group today… 22 participants from city and counties in the area. 15 of them will be back tomorrow for day two. Had a very large oak tree to take down. I wasn't able to get to the center with the bar I had but was able to lift it over the fiber holding in the middle and got the tree down. They were impressed!  Good session.

      

KY LTAP

Just arrived in Frankfort, KY where we will start tomorrow a two day program sponsored by KYLTAP.

Forest Applications on FaceBook…

Did you know you could connect to all the Forest Applications Training fans on FaceBook?  Check out our group….

Bay State Training

Checking out their saws after a great day of training near Quabbin Reservoir, Massachusetts. The participants were part of a two-day training class for the Bay State Roads Program.

RDT (Reducing Down Time) is a maintenance system that is a key part of an efficient and safe chain saw operator.

For more on Forest Applications Training programs check out the program outlines on the website at www.forestapps.com .

Forest Applications eBook

We are in final stages of discussion and setup with  Barnes and Noble to retail the “The Complete Guide to Chain Saw Safety and Directional Felling,” the Forest Applications eBook, on their website www.barnesandnoble.com . Should be available soon at Barnes and Noble  as well as our eStore at www.forestapps.com.   - Tim

Chain Saw ….

Chain Saw ….?

www.forestapps.com

Tuesday, September 01, 2009

7:51 AM

By Tim Ard

I am often asked the question, "what do you think is the best chain saw?" My answer is usually -"don't you think it's really not the saw as much as it is the operator?" They usually agree. Then I make a statement, "chain saws don't make chain saws, people do."

The reason I use Husqvarna chain saws in my work and training is because they are not only great saws but they are also manufactured and sold by great people! From the design all the way to the sales outlets, the Husqvarna products are part of one of the largest and most dedicated teams around the world in outdoor power equipment. A lot of equipment manufacturers produce one or two strong sellers but few produce the complete lineup of saws Husqvarna offers. Saws for the homeowner around the house or farm and the seasoned professional operation in the woods or up in the trees.

With the onset of the national Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) two-stroke emissions requirements, many of the manufacturers are turning their efforts to four-stroke power units. Husqvarna's two-cycle technology is strengthening their commitment to the standards and the customer by meeting emissions requirements. The all position, light weight and high chain speed needs of the chain saw operator are better met by a two-cycle design. Husqvarna excels in two-cycle innovation.

The Bore Cut….

The Bore Cut...

By Tim Ard

Bore cut - a chain saw technique, beginning with the lower tip of the guide bar, to insert a back cut through the tree trunk establishing a controlling hinge and a holding back strap.

I can tell you over and over about the times I begin a training or demonstration session and mention the bore cut and attendees say, "what do you mean, bore cut"? Not many people really understand what it is and what its advantages and disadvantages are. It's not a technique to use on every tree but when a plan calls for some of the situations below, the bore cut excels.

10 "off the top" boring situations:

Wedging trees with a diameter less than 15"

One thing that is hard to do in a sawyers plan is to cut a tree in the twelve to sixteen inch diameter range without a rope pulling or a tractor pushing. The reason I feel, it is hard to begin a back cut on this size tree and insert a wedge in the back cut before the tree starts to lean on the saw.

The bore cut can be used in this case to create a back cut, establishing the desired hinge and holding the tree stable by leaving wood holding in the back. In that created slot, removing the saw from the kerf, a wedge can be placed in the opening. Cut the back holding wood (back strap) and lift the tree by driving the wedge.

Removing pulling fiber and log quality issues

A bore cut can relieve most all issues of pulled fiber from the log and stump.

Falling trees with greater diameter than the guide bar length

Larger diameter trees can be felled in two to three cuts utilizing bore cuts. Two to three times the guide bar length can be achieved. Cut half of the diameter and then the other from the inside out.

Controlling the release of the tree fall

Using a bore cut, a back strap of wood fiber can be left holding a heavy forward leaning tree until the sawyer is ready to release the strap.

Reducing fiber pull and "barber chair" on heavy leaner's

Heavy forward leans often create hazardous trunk splitting that can be virtually eliminated with a bore cut and back strap techniques.

Checking for bad fiber and or hollow trunks

Sometimes better than an increment boring tool, simply use a bore cut to discover if a tree trunk is hollow or slightly rotted.

Cutting in steep or questionable terrain

It's not always easy to retain stable footing when walking in steep or slick terrain- let alone when sawing. Bore cuts can offer a more stable cutting position for the sawyer. Retreat paths can be more confident and better planned.

Maximizing escape route distance

Back strap release, created by a bore cut, can offer the sawyer an extra three to five feet in escape reaction time and distance.

Establishing worksite reaction time

In tree work near roadways or populated areas the bore cut can offer greater safety. When a back cut from the rear of the trunk is started, the sawyer is committed. If someone or something enters the work area often there is no stopping. With the bore cut and back strap release the sawyer has time to do a final check of the area before the tree is released.

Reaction time from overhead hazards

When vines and overhead "widow-makers" are present, an extra few seconds and a few feet in retreat can offer needed reaction time. This can be something to reduce struck-bye's in felling operations.

Before using the bore cut technique I strongly suggest you seek hands-on training in the technique. You should have a thorough understanding of the reactive forces of the chain saw. Always use proper PPE required by your employer or recommended by your chain saw manufacturer. Read and thoroughly understand your saw’s operator manual.

The Bore Cut is sometimes referenced as the Plunge Cut.

Please contact Forest Applications Training, Inc. for more info and specialized training on use of the Bore Cut.

eMail: info@forestapps.com

www.forestapps.com

The Bore Cut.doc 31 August 2009

VA Training Wrap-up…

We spent a couple hours on the morning of day five to have the group teach a little. They had the fortunate opportunity to instruct safety specialist Mike Allen how to cut his first tree (not really first). They did a super job and then we headed back to  the classroom to discuss training objectives and final techniques to share the weeks experience. 

All were pleased with the class this week, especially me. A great group!  Thank you VDOT for the opportunity.

 

Until next time – Good Sawing, Tim

Virginia Training Day Four…

The trees are down… now what to do?

The class agenda today addresses the limbing and bucking of the fallen trees. The class was divided into teams and then given time to plan the work on six piles of storm debris.

It’s awesome to listen and then watch the process. You can learn so much from seeing how equipment operates, binds and pressures react and how the operators communicate and complete the tasks safely.

The objective:

1. Saws that are sharp and operate correctly
2. Sever the tree marks without getting stuck

Virginia Training Day Three…

We started the day with questions and then off to the woods. Finished up the tree felling and then had them cut and compete with springpole removals. The guy’s again did a super job. Congratulations to Sonny Martin and Jimmy Dunaway - a tie for first place…..!

After lunch we headed back out to take a look at RDT maintenance on their saws. They checked the units for technical's then had them running to make sure they will be right for tomorrows work in the storm trees.

I did have a little fun with their their saws for sharpening practice. I took a little time to stick their saws in the ground to dull them. They spent about thirty minutes getting them back into shape. I think with the SharpForce tools from Husqvarna, they will be ready to cut in the morning.

I then hung a tree and took it down with hinges and notches. Also showed how a throw line can be used in storm damage work.

I am excited about tomorrow with the group and the storm piles…

Virginia Training Day two…

Had the group in a little question and answer session this morning early and then off to the cutting site to take down a few trees marked for removal.  Went great!

One of the guy’s took a 12” maple, 65 ft tall against four foot of back lean and missed the target by only a foot. No ropes or machinery- just one wedge and about three minutes work, Awesome!

The group has never used a plunge (bore) cut to back cut trees, nor wedges. It was a good learning day.

Good Sawing,

Tim Ard

Little over a year…

Wanted to post an update to my health issues. It’s been a little over a year now since being diagnosed with stage 3-4 Colon Cancer. I went back a couple weeks ago for a CT scan and still everything is showing cancer free.

Just wanted to say thank you to God for listening to all your prayers. I am positive they are the answer to my speedy recovery. I feel great, and as you read in the blog staying as busy as possible sharing our chain saw knowledge.

Good Sawing,

Tim Ard

VA Training Day One…

Today was the first day of a five day training course for chain saw operators with VA DOT. Super group this class,,, a lot of experience in the room with logging and tree care. Seventeen participants for the week.

We covered the inside classroom info this morning and then out to a cutting site to complete the first day demo on the trees. As usual, the guys all started to see the usefulness and safety found in the planning process,

Gonna be a great week with this group!  -Tim

Chain Filing…

The past couple weeks I have had a run on questions regarding chain sharpening and in particularly the tool I used in the YouTube videos. I guess everyone is starting to think about firewood for fall and or perhaps many of the storm cleanup projects going on around the country, even more sharpening demands with Hurricane Ana heading up the coast.

The tool I use with consistent results is one manufactured by PFERD of Leominster, MA (USA offices) and sold under their brand of “ChainSharp.” The tool is also sold (in orange) by Husqvarna in the USA called a “SharpForce”. It is available for most all chain types using 5/32”, 3/16” and 7/32” files.

Look for a local chain saw dealer that sells PFERD products or Husqvarna products and they can put one in your hands. If you have trouble finding one… contact me, there are a couple good sites on the web.  info@forestapps.com   -Tim

Headed to Virginia

Packed up to head north to the Appomattox, VA area for a week with the VDOT program. The session is for a train the trainer for their chain saw operators course.  Looking forward to a great week…. more to come.

OHIO

A great (cold) week of training at Atwood Park, Ohio. Twas 6 degrees the first morning and didn't warm much until the last day on Friday. We did a refresher felling day and then went into the Storm Debris training. Had a super training site clearing for a future amphitheater. Had to award a saw for a perfect score to the second class. Congratulations Troy from Seneca!

Always a well organized training session organized by Scott Tritt. Thanks Scott!

Florida Training

Just finished a great week in Florida. Three days with the SWFWMD Wed - Fri and ended Saturday with a great turnout for a training demo with Amsler's Saw in Brooksville.

Lost a saw to a perfect score this week during a new operator class. Congratulations Wayne Alonso of SWFWMD. A proud new owner of a Husqvarna 455 Rancher.

January 2009

This month took us on training expiditions to California and back to Georgia....

We began in Gilroy, CA on top of Mt. Madonna where we did basic training with the Santa Clara Parks personnel. The session went great! Despite a little moisture....

Then off to San Luis Obispo, CA to talk to students at Cal Poly University's Harvesting. After two sessions with the large group, fourteen or so of us travelled to Cal Poly's Swanton Pacific Ranch. We had a two day hands on training class for those students. A little wet on the coast, but a great time. Beautiful place and fantastic students and faculty. Doug Piirto and Wally Marks (Jaff's best friend) give these students some of the best education and hands on experience in the country.

Back to GA, we had two days with MEAG Power, training electric personnel from cities across Georgia. The session was held in Newnan, GA. Great group of saw users!

Ended the month teaching a RDT webinar for TCIA... Techno saw training?

Been a great month! Thanks folks for the opportunity. - Tim