Digital Friend's video: How-to Use A Reciprocating Saw To Cut Up Fallen Tree Branches In Freezing Winter Conditions Tutorial

Tree branches often fall to the ground after a storm and make a big mess in your yard. It is often expensive to hire someone to clean up the mess. Here’s how I save myself some time and money. Strategy: Cut The Big Problem Into Smaller, More Manageable Pieces I just use a reciprocating saw and I cut up the tree branches into firewood. It is then possible to store the firewood in a pile, or to make lots of trips with a small car to transport the cut up wood off of the property. For example, you have 1000 pounds of fallen tree branches on the ground and only a small subcompact car. Most people will say it is impossible to move these big branches with a small subcompact car. The big branches will not fit into the small car. Here’s the solution I use. Take the big branches and cut them up into smaller, or manageable pieces. In theory, this car can easily transport 200 pounds of cargo. If I make 5 trips to the dump with 200 pounds of chopped wood in each carload, then I successfully transported 1000 pounds of tree branches using a subcompact car. It took a lot of time to cut and transport the wood, but I saved myself the need to pay for an expensive tree branch removal service. People who work in factories often use the same strategy. If you move 12 pounds of product 2 times per minute over a 12 hour shift, then you moved many tons of material by hand over the course of a shift. Below Zero Temperature Snow Sawhorse It is often difficult to cut the branch when it is lying directly on the ground. I make a pile of snow. I also make sure it’s a below freezing temperature so that the snow and puddles are frozen and there’s no liquid water which could cause problems with the electrical cord. The branch is placed on top of the snow pile. The snow pile acts as a sawhorse. I cut through the branch and the saw blade cuts through the snow. The saw blade does not cut into the ground. After each cut, I pull the branch end up onto the snow pile. The snow supports the branch, making it much easier to cut. Technical issues I like a saw blade with big aggressive teeth, such as a pruning blade. Other blades will work as well. You can use either a stiff blade or a flexible blade. A stiff blade is sometimes easier, because it doesn’t bend. However, it is possible to use a flexible blade like a fillet knife to get a close cut between the branch and the tree trunk. I use a long reciprocating saw blade. The maximum diameter of the branch you are cutting should have a slightly smaller than the length of your saw blade. It is also possible to use both a reciprocating saw with an electrical cord or a battery-operated model. I use a long lawnmower extension cord. The corded saw never runs out of batteries. They can also be run off of generators. The battery-operated reciprocating saw requires no cord, which might make it safer in damp conditions. Battery operated saws are also much more mobile. The problem is they often quickly run out of batteries. If you are going to be cutting wood for 6 hours, you will need a couple of batteries and you’ll have to constantly recharge your batteries. Once one battery is dead, immediately recharge it and switch to the next, fully charged batter. Keep cycling the batteries, so that there is always a freshly charged battery available. However, lithium batteries often don’t work well in cold conditions, as their efficiency is reduced by the freezing cold temperature. It’s a trade-off. Both saws have their advantages and disadvantages. Safety Issues: I only use a power cord in the snow when the temperature is well below freezing and there is no wetness. If there is some water or wetness, such as when the snow starts to melt, I stop using the power cord in the snow, because there is a risk of electrical shock. Electricity and water don’t mix. Wait for a day with dry conditions to do your work. I try to make sure that I am always wearing proper safety gear. It is a good idea to wear steel toe boots, leather safety gloves, safety glasses and hearing protection. A hard hat could also be a good idea. Rubber can provide some protection from electrical shock. I unplug the saw before I change the blade, to avoid possible injury. Be aware of gravity. Think ahead. If I am going to cut this branch, where is it going to fall? Think ahead and avoid injury. Once the branch is on the ground, there is usually less risk of injury, because the branch can’t fall anymore. It is much more dangerous to cut branches which are high up in a tree, because they can fall and cause injury. Use lots of common sense when you are working. Thanks for watching. Enjoy your project, work safe and Have A Great Day!