Hot Saw
Hot Saw is an event or discipline in logging sports. It is also used to describe the type of saw used in the event, a high-powered chainsaw.
Overview
This event is often the crowd's favourite,[1] and certainly the loudest. Compared to other logging sports using an axe or manual saw, this event uses a motor-powered chainsaw. However, to stick to the traditional ethos, the chainsaw must be either completely homemade or self-modified in some way, within certain restrictions; one required modification is for the competitor to add a super engine. The chainsaws are large and methanol-run. The saws used by top competitors are typically snowmobile or watercraft engines cut in half, and are far heavier than regular chainsaws.[2] The event has been described as "[m]ore of an engineering challenge than a day-of competition" because of this.[3] In it, competitors will cut cookies — circular disks from logs — of certain specifications as quickly as they can. Competitors view it as the hardest event, but also a favourite.[2] Before beginning the cut, they are usually allowed to warm up their saws in what is called the "pit row", often with mechanics.[4]
Saw-building
The tools used for the event have been called the "most ridiculous modified chainsaw[s]",[3] and are known to walk the line between performance and failure due to their homemade nature.[1][4] However, as many as 99% of professional competitors don't build their own hot saw, instead buying them from specialist engineers, with 80% of saws on the American circuit built by Russ Lemke; Lemke's saws match reliability with power and have been called "the Stradivarius of its ilk" by Stihl. Several are also built and sold by event record-holder Matt Bush, who is also a talented saw-builder. Bush ran his saw at 404cc, about the highest that has been managed.[1]
The total cost of each hot saw is about $10,000 but can last for decades, with requirements in the event rarely changing. Lemke also recommends constant maintenance of the saws, but also talks about how saw-building is just as exciting as the event itself.[1]
Safety
Due to the power of the chainsaws, safety is taken seriously. The athletes wear face and hearing protection, and
Variations
Stihl Timbersports
In
- It is limited to one cylinder; this rule was put in place after Lemke showed up at the Wisconsin State Championship with a two-cylinder, seen as unfair and dangerous
- It has a tuned exhaust
- It has a sprocket cover
The competitor must cut no more than 6" from the log, which is marked with a black line. They will also be disqualified if their cookies are not whole.[2] Competitors are also allowed to have a helper, who performs two roles: getting the saw started in the warm-up beforehand, which is a minute, and also cool the saw down.[1]
The current world record is 4.62 seconds, achieved by Adam Lethco in 2022.[8][9]
Two-man competition
Some competitions are designed for a hot saw that can be held by two woodsmen, often with larger engines that may have been originally designed for cars. Most of these are local.[3]
Lumberjack Championship
In the Lumberjack World Championship, a one cylinder engine chainsaw is used to make three cuts, first down, then up in a white pine log. The chainsaws are off before the time starts, and cannot be self-starting or simple start engines. The record was set by Dave Bolstad of New Zealand in 2007 with a time of 5.55 seconds.[10]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Hot and Heavy: The Mechanics Behind Hot Saws". Stihl. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
- ^ a b c "T-series events: Hot Saw". ESPN. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
- ^ a b c Limer, Eric (2016-05-04). "5 Competitive Chainsaw Events That Will Make You Stop and Count Your Fingers". Popular Mechanics. Retrieved 2018-12-23.
- ^ a b Company, Duluth Trading (2015-09-01). "Hot Saw Heartache". WhatchamaBlog. Retrieved 2018-12-23.
- ^ "'I push the saw. It pushes back': Tim Dowling v the world's best woodchoppers". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
- ^ ""Redneck Geometry," Hot Saws, And The Bottom Line: Matt Cogar's Rise To America's Best Lumberjack". VICE. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
- ^ "Stihl Hot Saw". Stihl. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
- ^ "Hot Saw Records - STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® Database". data.stihl-timbersports.com. Retrieved 2022-10-31.
- ^ "Fastest timber sports hot saw (male)". Guinness World Records. Archived from the original on November 9, 2023. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
- ^ "World Records Updated Through 2021" (PDF). Lumberjack World Championships. Retrieved November 9, 2023.