Great week

[Dustin4185]

Well, the agency I work for decided we need to get “trained” in saw use so they worked with a Hot Shot crew with USFS to get us trained. Usually training equals boring days sitting in front of a screen wanting to be anywhere but there, especially when a federal agency is doing the training, lol. Well, I was surprised. These guys had their stuff together! After CPR/First Aid, we started on safety, saw parts, maintenance, techniques, fire line construction, etc. Then we went to the woods for the rest of the day and put in work. The sawyer I had training me had me do conventional, open, and Humboldts along with regular back cuts, boring back cuts, and quartering back cuts. They would also purposely hang trees for us to cut out using different techniques. We spent all day yesterday getting “scored” on our felling, bucking, and most importantly safety. I cut more trees in the last three days than I have in 6 months and my body can tell! I finally got my gunning down pat and could hit my target 99% of the time. I also learned some new techniques for clearing hang-ups. I got to run a 500I for part of the day while the training guy ran my @Mastermind 461. He kept looking at it trying to figure out what was different and finally asked me. Randy, he is based in east TN and may be getting in touch with you soon! All in all, we had a great weak of training, learned a lot, and no one had a close call!

 

[Funky sawman]

They make you guys run full wraps out there like they do in the PNW?

 

[Dustin4185]

They make you guys run full wraps out there like they do in the PNW?

The USFS guys had them. We don’t have to run them, but I have one on my 461. To become a class C faller (highest) I heard you had to start and finish your cut without moving your feet/location. In that case a wrap is handy as heck.

 

[Thumper88]

What is the name of the school and do they offer classes to the public? Im in East Tennessee and would love to get some formal instruction like this.

 

[Normzilla]

Awesome on class. Imo the only truly usable saw has a full wrap. Thats just me.

 

[wap13]

What is the name of the school and do they offer classes to the public? Im in East Tennessee and would love to get some formal instruction like this.

Same here. Not the TN part but would love some formal training. Going to be hard to find the time with summer on the horizon but would really like to learn from someone who makes a living with a saw, maybe this fall or winter.

 

[Dustin4185]

What is the name of the school and do they offer classes to the public? Im in East Tennessee and would love to get some formal instruction like this.

Unfortunately, I don’t think they offer it to the public, but the Knoxville. Artist convention used to offer a class for storm cleanup. Definitely not the caliber of this course. We had to take it to be able to saw on federal land (Cherokee National Forest) and TEMA/FEMA details. S-212 is the class