Don't Turn Your Back

Just thought I was post this as a general reminder to one and all.

After successfully dropping a large dead Black Wattle, 800mm diameter, I needed to drop some smaller box trees along the fence line. I was tired after the first tree because it was hard as and solid to the core and it took 3 saw sharpenings to complete the felling cuts. FYI, I only have a 20" bar on my Stihl 441.

The box tree that had coppiced itself into 5 stems each about 150mm diameter. On the last one I completed the wedge cut and had nearly completed the back cut. The saw was low on fuel and would cut out so I decided to move to the otherside of the fence to finish it off. As I put the saw down to climb through the fence my BIL called out to me just as the stem fell when I stood just moments before, blown back by a gust of wind.

The moral of the story, without pics sorry, is too never become too complacent when dropping trees of any diameter and never turn your back on a tree. I nearly put my new Stihl helmet to a test I prefer not to have.

cheers
Derek

p.s. I'll be back sometime in Feb to slab this black wattle and other already down.