I used to cut firewood bent over with an 18 inch bar, made an old man of me very young. When I found your channel I discovered a whole new world of sawmanship. Got a new saw, a long bar, and I feel like I got my youth back. I get made fun of for my 28 and 32 inch bars all the time. People joke and say I'm "compensating for something" ..... but it doesn't bother me. I know better. Thanks Buckin! We've got a hurricane rolling through now, we may have some bucking to do this week. I'm gonna stand up when we do.

Buckin Thank you ! pretty sure your content has prevented me from getting hurt or damaging stuff around our place and it has made running my saw so much more enjoyable. so sincerely thank you!!

Buckin’ for years, sadly yes that is how I cut firewood. My low back would kill me for 2 days after. I learned from a friend on KZfaq to STAND UP AND BUCK!!! I now run a 28-36 bar all the time. Magically my low back does not hurt the next day. THANK YOU BUCKIN for teaching this. Saved time and my body, again thank you Buckin’ Billy Ray!!!

Thanks for the lesson Buckin!! Always always appreciate a good teaching moment!!

I bought a 28" bar just to buck my firewood because I learned from watching you. My back thanks you!

Hi Buckin, there are reasons for people to choose there own path. My back cannot cope with standing up straight for long periods and add 6 kg (13lb) of saw weight just in front of me and i am in a world of hurt in a couple of hours. But im fine if i move. I limb with a 25 year old stihl 025 with a 16 inch bar which has so little weight foward i can use it all day.Then to buck a log that is on the ground with a Stihl 362 i put a knee down which gets me low but upright taking the pressure off. I would like a 25 inch stihl light weight bar but at NZ $340 plus new skip chains to handle the gnarly eucalyptus we have here is too much cost for the 10-15 cords i cut each year. I respect what you do for the chainsaw community and have learned more from you than anyone else, but when it comes to stand up and buck, i choose what suits me the best.

Golden advice Buckin. May peace be with you.

This one choked me up a bit. I was taught, decades ago, how to fell by my best friend's dad. He was a WWII vet who cleared runways in the Pacific Theater. In teaching us how to fell, he would hammer a stake in the ground and our goal was to drop the tree on the stake. He used to use these giant old saws that looked like they hade a motorcycle engine running them. He is long since passed, but over the last 30 or so years, we have bonded over a shared love to be outside, dropping trees on the family farm for firewood, and just good old friendship. It doesn't get any better! Thank you for all you do Billy!

Hey Buckin, thank you so very much for all that you do. I’ve learned everything I know about saws from you. I bought a Stihl 661 (92cc) for milling but now I use it for almost everything. There is no more bending over with my little MS 250 anymore.

Buckin I stand up and buck with my 20inch bar, just got to stand more over the top of the log! You are an inspiration, mentor and constant source of wisdom for me in my working life. Thank you!

Recently earned myself a very gently used Stihl ms360 Pro. It's 15-20 years old but has cut less that 1 tree a year for its age. Less actually. With its 24inch bar and I being a 5'5" small man, I can stand up and buck and love it. I feel so much safer and it's a lot easier on my body to run. I have ran a bunch of 30-40cc box store consumer level saws with 14-18inch bars and as you mentioned the power vs an extra pound makes little difference when you can do the work in half the time and be more comfortable. I'm in Ontario and the 60cc saw is great for almost all trees I see. I got my saw mainly to chainsaw mill some 12-18 inch Yellow Cedar trees that needed to come down. More firewood than I need so I wanted to use the wood for other great building projects. Love you channel Buckin. Thank you for doing what you do.

Howdy Buckin! I used to bend over and buck until i found your videos a few years back. Now i have a longer bar and i stand up and buck! I can cut twice the wood now without the fatigue from being slumped over! Learned so much from you over the years!

If you notice how Billy Ray stands, that's the posture that puts the least amount of stress on your back. Move like that before you have a bad back, and you are much less likely to get a bad back.

And after finding you last week or so, I find the STAND UP AND BUCK video. I asked on another (more recent) video about running a 20in bar. I understand and respect your response to do me. This video has me seriously considering something longer. Thanks for sharing your knowledge, honestly.

Buckin'...your practical references are weighty and hold much value to the person who listens and not just hears. I just ordered an ECHO CS-620PW. I am on the East Coast in Nova Scotia so I don't run into BIG ones too often. Cheers brother. Stand up and buck!

I worked in the woods for 20 years logging & selling firewood, all we ever used were 20" bars. The timber we cut was had no where near the size that you deal with, but I’m curious about trying a bigger bar on my 372XP, I only cut firewood on my property now, but always looking to make work easier. Good content in these videos.

I appreciate you taking the time to share your knowledge. I respect you.

I just put a 28" bar on my 60cc echo and i absolutely love it! You do a great job at telling/showing your knowledge and it is greatly appreciated!!!

Great advice, thanks Buckin' I always look forward to listening to your comments and watching your expert tutoring! Cheers and best wishes, from NC.

Company I work for (Ontario) runs 16” on 90% of our saws (20” on 572 and 28” on 592). It allows us to have more saws on the chipper truck (those stupid small compartments), we spend less time filing (16” files way faster than a 32”), and most of the places we work are thick bush and the longer bars are a pain to manage. Not to mention the hardwoods here doesn’t respond as well for longer bars on lower power saws. For bucking it’s all bend at the knees, then up and move. Stay safe out there brother! Edit: That being said I like a 24” on my personal 372 knockoff saw. I try to stand up and buck when I can.

I use to bend over to cut firewood with an 18” bar. We would also pick up logs with the tractor to buck them but you could only cut so much before you had to drop it and bend over. I have upgraded my Johnsered 2171 to a 28” bar and now I can stand up and buck!

If you’re askin, I usually don’t run a 20” bar (24” is king balanced on the 372/572 🤪😜 a continued conversational debate neither of us will relent on but I still enjoy the respectful banter), but when I do run a 20” bar I usually still use the tip and widen my stance a bit to sink my center, while maintaining a relatively straight back. Love ya brother!

Learned from my Granpa who grewup in the Great Depression era. We used a Sawbuck. X shaped made out of 2x4 or 2x6s. Put the the wood on top and cut at standing height with a small under 20" bar. Usually a two person job. One person cutting another holding the wood.

I'm a newbie thank you for all the good information you gave me I would've been cutting my own firewood for about three years.

In the middle of the US our trees are hard and the limbs can be bigger than the tree in this video... holding it well over head high after it's felled. Yes a long bar helps once it's broken down to the trunk but isn't necessary. I've tried the long bars here but get into knarly tangled hedge or big elms with a 40 foot plus branch span and you're going to get hurt. The right equipment matched to your environment. It's never a one size fits all. Sometimes long bars are super handy but not always especially when you're not in the pnw and just for a jab our wood doesn't split easily like yours does. It's just not that easy sometimes.

I agree with Stephen below here! 18 inch bar has been breaking my back for the past 15 years, and dull chains have been making my hands, forearms, and shoulders sore as heck. Watching BBR has taught me that it doesn't have to be that way, and I don't have to be exhausted after 1-2 hours of chain sawing firewood.

Like everything in life there are compromises. I got an MS441 (70cc saw) with a 24" ES bar. It was fine for bucking but when it came to limbing the added weight ate me up. I'm relatively small at 6'7" 260 lbs and in relatively good shape but the weight of that saw and bar was too much. So I got an MS362 with a 20" light bar and it made a world of difference. I also don't have near as many teeth and rakers to file. You have to find what works for you and what you are cutting!

I swear every time I watch a buckin video I learn something u rock man

Buckin putting out a early show here on the East coast awesome

You should ALWAYS use the bar length without bending or kneeling. GREAT video buckin👍👍be safe & be kind✌️✌️🙏

This is a great video. The 372 is 1.2 lbs heavier compared to the 562. It makes sense to buy the bigger saw.

Same for me. Started with 16" and 18" bars here in lower Michigan. Buckin opened my eyes to 28" to 32". Never going back. Safer. Easier. Smarter. Thanks Buckin.

Bent over… squatting… kneeling… I had an 029 Farm Boss and and 046 Magnum and I cut more fire wood then I can remember. But we do t have big trees like that in Arizona! I cut a lot of Shaggy Cedar, Alligator Juniper, Cypress and Pinion pine. Trees aren’t super tall or strait. I didn’t know there was any other way to cut wood until your videos! I’ve got a 61/272 Built Huski with a 28 inch bar now. You taught me… Stand up and buck! Changed how I work

I have 52cc Oleo-Mac, it was originally sold with 20 inch bar, i then changed it to 24", now it's easier to stand up and buck. I'm 6.1. Yes, it's closer to your feet than 28 and longer bars, but it works. I think if somebody will port it it'll pull 28" easily, it's a strong saw! Then that 20" went for my Hecht 945 45cc which was with 15" bar, changed muffler to a homemade one and tuned it to get more power in the cut, works great. That saw is about 10 years old and it still works despite at start i didn't know much about saws... Thank You Buckin' for a great content all of us can learn of, it's amazing to have You here!

You feel the tip of the saw. I logged on the west coast for 10 years. Chockerman rigging slinger. Hooktender. Second loader. Landing man. Sometimes all at once. You always stood up , feeling the tip of the blade.

Stay close to Jesus

I bought a husky 545 mark2 early this spring for land management and firewood absolutely love it!!!

Great video. Learn a lot today. I’m not a logger but to preserve my back, I will progressively transition to a longer bar.

The way I always did it with my smaller saws is to cut off a a couple logs at 5 or 6 feet. I nailed boards to the side of a big piece of timber. I’d stack the logs on top of the timber and would cut in between the boards. I could cut through 4 or 5 logs at a time and have my cuts already measured out. Works amazing. Other option is to do what you do with my great grandfathers 076 with 36” bar.

Years ago I was given a Stihl 046 that came with a 20" bar. I have a smaller 290 with a 20" bar. I was waiting for the time to get a longer bar for the 046 when I needed one and that time recently came. I purchased a 32" bar and have been having fun getting into some larger pine. So nice to walk down the log limping. Those 77cc's pull the chain through pine easy 🙂

I sincerely appreciate you leading me down the long bar path how to keep em sharp and truly enjoy running power saw thank you sir

Buckin only ever had 18"-20" saws usually put the long at an angle on top of another log and only cut 4-5 trucks a year love a bigger saw but don't use it enough..

Having three 50cc saws, I know the mysery of bending over with an 18" bar. I swapped a thin kerf 28" bar and 3/8" picco (low profile) onto one of my saws about a year ago. Stand up and buck is a game changer! The 50cc saw pulls well with the picco chain and seems to oil good enough. I'm only cutting 5 cords a year so I take my time with my small saws. That being said, a 70cc saw is in my future, no doubt about it!

Buckin' I got my new Weaver Cougar last night and I almost had to string it up in a tree for a good nights sleep because it's just so comfortable! So glad I found your recommendation of the Cougar! Thank you Sir!

It's simple, Mr. bucken. With a small bar and not bending over. Get someone else to cut it, and then it won't hurt your own back. I bought a 661. A month ago it's loosening up after about 5 gallons put through it. I wasn't impressed at the start. But now she's a great saw. Time and patience prevail. Cheers from tasmania

Thanks to you, I’ve been watching your videos for the last three years and I stand up and buck.

Here's how I cut with a 20" bar. I limb the tree with my tiny 14" Stihl 021. Next, I use the grapple on the tractor to clear the brush away. I cut the log into long pieces, pick it up to waist high with the tractor. Proceed to mark out 16" pieces and cut it up. Thanks for passing along your wisdom. I've used your techniques and it has stepped up my game!!

Billy, I don't normally comment publicly because of....well, just how people are nowa days. First off I want to say, I just saw you on Axe Men, didn't know your were a star!! 😁 But most importantly I wanted to say thank you, you have literally saved my life a time or two. Not because of your advice, or your skill, but honestly your words brother. Your kind, fun, and honest words brought me back from some really dark places, so again I thank you for helping a guy you don't even know that's not allowed to have but one emotion. So, on to my question. A very good old friend of mine passed, and he left me a note. It said he left me something in his trailer. They were a couple poulan pro's, a pro 10-10 auto, an old homelite C9, a Monty ward 24062A (which he said he cut his toenails with), and a husqy 460 Rancher with the price tag still on it. Never got a chance to use it I don't think😔 Now I've looked pretty darn hard through your vids and didn't see anything focused on the 460. I am 6'2 and have a back that reminds me it's there every day. Being 60cc and not cutting big trees (I live in Wyoming)😁 could I run a 28 in bar for the same purpose that you show in your video. Second question, the homelite needs love. Being it's a heavy 85 cc beast, what would Buckin Billy Ray do?

I remember when i first started watching you going out and buying a 24 for my old poulan 3400, and saying hey this guy is on to something, cut more wood with out the saw killing my back hallway through the day.. now im packing a 372xp 24 soon to be 28 and a 390xp with 32.. i still pull out the 3400 for good memories Thanks for showing me the way ✊️

After watching your videos buckin I put a 24” on my husky 365 and I’m never going back what a difference!

Goodafternoon from alabama Buckin. I need to get some longer bars for my saws. Most are 20 inches except the mac 10 10 an such. Buckin always stears me in the right direction.

I'm definitely that guy on KZfaq zinging it up there too much when limbing. Thanks for the schooling buckin'. 💪

Buddy of mine told me they got 2 kinds of trees. Trees with needles and trees with leaves. Lol.

I inherited my dads ms290 farm boss. He had a 16” bar on it and cut loads of firewood. When he gave it to me I immediately put a 20” on it (biggest it says it can handle). I’m finally starting to cut my own firewood regularly and I need to talk the wife into a new saw for Christmas…. Because I need to STAND UP AND BUCK BABY! 😂 Love the videos, keep it up Buckin’👍🏻

Thank you Buckin, the story of being able to hear and pick out the green worker in the distance is priceless. I love hearing your mature cutting as they are all very methodical and reserved, you are keeping time like you do on the drums so very relaxed. Thank you for all the amazing content, you've helped thousands up us now. I am so grateful, what you teach so profound on all levels. So glad I found you on you tube 5 years ago.

I try to avoid cutting wood that's directly on the ground. Too rocky around here and inevitably find the rock with the tip of the bar doing that. I'm either cutting logs from a tri-axle load or find a way to lift the log up. That being said, I like the stand up and buck idea even for logs that are a foot or two in the air. Looking at a 32" Stihl lightweight bar for my 372. Probably will run semi-skip chain on it instead of full house since all I cut are hardwoods.

I learned long ago that any buckin whatsoever was hard on your back cuz the saw was pulling hard against your posture. That said, I ran the longest bar I could that I could keep out of the ground. I'm only 5'-6" so a 28 or 32 suites me well. Stand up and buck. Too many folks think they need to cut with the wood against the saw, not so, the tip of the bar cuts just fine and most times better since the weight of the saw is on it. Plus less chance of a kick back.

For firewood like that, I do things wrong. I use a 28" bar, standing up (which is great). The part where I get it wrong is using a 92cc 25lbs saw. It's completely unnecessary, and I think I'd be a lot better off with a lighter (more fuel efficient) saw for bucking. What do you folks think?

You been surrounded by great man! Good teaching mine friend

Haven't tuned in to an actual video in a while...was a good one!✊

I try not to cut on the ground anyway. Depending on the size I'd cut off 8 foot sections, spike em with a hook, lift one end, and kick a round underneath. Cut off 2 foot sections (my stove takes em) then repeat. Sometimes you're cutting up from below, but most are top down. Honestly though, out east we're pretty much hardwood only for heating, so I'd probably chip it or add it to pile of wood for sugaring. Less chimney sweeping that way.

My dad always had a 455 rancher 20” bar. From your videos I went for a 460 24” bar. It’s at least twice as useful and more comfortable to use. This fall I’m looking at moving to the 28-32” range during a chainsaw show in southern Ohio

My 20” bar allows me to stand pretty straight when cutting on the ground because my legs are a little on the short side and I’m 68” tall It is easier to stand straight using the top of the bar👍🏻 My 55cc ms291 does what I need it to do for firewood and cleanup - I cut once a week max

Been using 28 inch bar about my whole life wood cutting, started with a 20 in the early years, my 1st real saw was a 266 xp pro,28 inch bar, that's what works for me thru the years ,also run a 28 on my oe 372 but do have a 32 for it if really needed, 28s just work for me....

Being a homeowner and not a pro...means I dont have need for a 70cc and up saw with a 28" bar. I use a MS261cm with a 20". But...I'd love to try one just to see the difference.

The new big saws do seem to make it unreasonable to bother with a smaller one, much the same way that motorcycles advanced in the early 2000s so that 1000cc bikes were basically the same weight as 600cc bikes. On the other hand, I don't want to be reaching out of a manlift cutting limbs with my 070 clone, so if your wallet won't support new high end saws then maybe weight will still play a part. For most situations I totally agree with you though: I'll actually buck even smaller stuff on the ground with the 070 clone because standing up with that 40lb monster is still physically easier on me than crouching over with a 20lb 60cc saw. With something like a 500i, my little 50-60cc saws may never be run again!

I was taught by my Dad and Uncles to do as you did. They were long time fallers for Weyco! They used a 59” bar on an old Sthil 090. I used Husky 266s and still use my 266XP with a 32” bar. I do have a 24” bar for pecker poles. Don’t log much yet still drop an occasional stick for friends.

Brilliant video/ edit / tips as always , appreciate it 👍

Hey folks I run a 562 with a gutted muffler as my everyday worksaw with a 20" bar. Here in the UK at the moment I'm almost exclusively working on ash, F. excelsior because of the widespread dieback. Most of the diameter wood I cut sits around 15-25" and when limbing and bucking I would say I'm stood up 3/4 of the time (short guy at 5ft 6" with short arms!). However yes, on timber like your playing with there, I would indeed be squatting, back straight with the bar tip in the wood, moving towards perpendicular the ground :) Love your stuff Buckin, really educational 🤘

Lots of kneeling with the 18" bar on my 2159. East coast hardwood, conventional wisdom is you can't pull a 24" or bigger with anything less than an 80cc saw.

The only time I blip the throttle is to clear the bar of crap and get the chain wet again. Aussie hardwood is extremely fibrey and hard on bar and chain. You can set the oil pump as high as it will go and still get sucked dry by the bark. Softwood is far less demanding. But Buckies point is correct. Some people just dont know how to sharpen and sharp is everything when your cutting wood. Dull blades chew through power and gas. Bandsaw, table saw, planer you name it.

Thank you for the videos, I really enjoy learning about your craft and expertise. I have an old Stilh 034 AV that was given to me and I got it running Good and keeping the chain sharp. Thanks again and God bless.

Hi Buckin, Yep that's me with the 400/32, I like it, it's me I can stand and buck all day long. I can pick up tips from watching your show as you are the closest thing to a human bean I've seen in a while. People who cap on things you say don't have anything better to do all the while wishing they could be just like you, as for me I've got bigger fish to fry. Lovingkindness works for me.

To answer your question Buckin I used to kneel down an buck fire wood but not anymore since 2018 watching your videos of using the bar length and not my back bending. Love your videos. Thank you for all your knowledge and support

Hi buckin Thanks for the tip with the zipping saw/fuel saving makes so much sense

Billy! i'am from brazil e watch your videos for a time. I never work with "trees", but i love performance engines and drag me here. Man, your videos are more than that, wow... it's a master class. i aprecciated!! by the way... i am going to by a husqy 61 in next feel days and make a little changes ;))

Best Intro music and content on KZfaq.

I can’t remember the last time I bent over to buck a log. The doc just released me with the caveat that I don’t bent over when I’m cutting wood. Got no problem with that. Just gotta work with your limitations.

I laugh a lot at the trigger happy guys. To me it’s no different than weight bangers at the gym. Thanks, Buckin.

Answering your question, I cut sections that I can move by hand and use the wood that’s on the ground as a fulcrum point. If I have to stand on one end to get the other end up in the air and stable I stand on one end and cut the other end. I might have videos of it online I might not. Most of my videos are of the trees falling. I don’t normally clean up on video. But I might. Just cause you asked. I usually use my Ms250 or ms391 for bucking up firewood. Sometimes I use the ms661.

To be honest, never have less than 24 inch bar (Really). I use 28 or more. Love it Billy.

I bought an old Iron Mule last year and I picked up a cedar job. I'm not a professional by any means. I just got a great deal on the Mule and happened to pick up the job that it was sitting on. I don't have much for saws, but I've been picking them up from yard sales lately. Personally, I don't care what kind it is or what size it is. I have a ball running them all. I'm sure that I'll figure out what I should be using eventually, but in the meantime, I'm enjoying playing with them and collecting all the different saws. Have a good one!

I'm 5' 8", a 20 inch bar on a 50cc saw gets me pretty close to the ground while standing up right. I use a 15 inch bar a lot. I end up with my left foot on the log with a wide stance and a straight back. Honestly it's a non issue as 9/10 trees I buck up into fire wood are skidded into a pile and up off the ground. I've commented this before, I have issues hauling stove length wood from where the tree falls and end up skidding it to a pile you can get a truck to most of the time.

You are a pro but I am pretty happy with the 455 husqvarna, I butchered the muffler, does great on the farm with 20'' bar. Like your videos keep it up, cleared alot of farm land with my saw , it's my baby also use it for firefighting, my saw never let's me down. Farmer from okanagan

Stihl 462 (72cc's despite its name) has made an appearance on this channel... would love to see it come back around. It sure would be fun to see a Walkerized version side by side with your 572.

I laugh : every powers saw is a good power saw! After a few mis steps with some ‘marginal’ power saws, I did a ton of research and saved a bunch of pennies- I bought a brand new Stihl 362... I absolutely love it and put a 24” bar on it. Makes me smile every time I use it and I am so grateful I own it. I feel very lucky

Yesterday I found a husqvarna L65 at a garage sale for $10! Made 1974, It didn’t have a bar or chain but it runs!!!! I’m gonna do a video on fixing it

Been watching you for a time now. Thank you BBR. I’ve learned a lot and enjoy the show. -500i user.

Mr. "buckinbillyray", a t-shirt with a chainsaw picture with "Weekend Warrior" might be another line for you. You're welcome and God Bless you Billy Ray. 🤠

thank you buckin man i needed to hear that i've been really struggling with nonsense going on in this world

With a 20" bar just bend at your knees and cut the wood. Use your legs not your back.

I’ve never understood why most people blip saws between cuts, especially when limbing. It’s not like driving a vehicle without synchromesh uphill. Where you have to double de-clutch and blip the throttle between gear changes or miss matching the engine revs to the spin of the engine. As to bucking small stuff with a longer bar. It’s a chance to save your back some grief. You’ve only got one back, be kind to it when you have the opportunity.

1998 Husqvarna 261, occasional use. Specs say it will run a 24" but that won't get me standing up cause I'm 6'4" without shoes. I learned to kneel. 😄

Lieutenant/ Dr. Bradley loves a longer bar.... Love you all... ❤️ ❤❤ Lieutenant Bradley

Run whatever saw you can handle and afford. Learn to crouch, not bend over. More likely to get your chain in the dirt using the tip of your bar while “standing and bucking”

We have smaller trees here. Makes very little sense to have big as* chain saw If you are cutting 4-5 inch diameter trees for instance doing thinning in the forest There is place for smaller saws and big ones. That’s why own saws of different size

I’m 26 years old. I used various chainsaws for various cutting. I do not have a ton of experience. I’ve used my dads MS361 with 25 inch bar the most. After using that I thought to myself. This is to heavy and I’m not a lumber jack. Here in western pa trees are not super big. So I got myself a MS 261cm with a 16 inch bar. Recently. I’ve been seeing the strain of my back having to bend over running that saw. Being it’s only about 12 pounds equipped. So now I’m watching your videos. And asking myself. Why don’t I get a longer bar !! Awesome videos btw.

I would change bar! 20" inch is the worst for cutting stuff on the ground. Too long to be light and too short to reach down. Either go Europe style with a light and short 13" or 15" bar and use your legs, or go American style and go long, so like 28" or 32" depending on how tall you are, as to reach down comfortably.

I "stand up and buck" with my 20" bar, but I'm also 5'8" so I can reach the ground with my tip without bending over. If I were taller I'd definitely want a longer bar to save my back, but because I'm short I can buck without bending over despite my short bar.

First off I never buck the logs into rounds where the tree falls. I cut chunks five or six foot long and load them into my truck. I drive them home to where I stack my firewood. I cut them and chop them into firewood there. It saves alot of time and energy loading and unloading this way.