Chainsaw Training and Safety

As long as I'm tied, and not impaled, to the stick I'm up for it

Get some pants full of ballistic nylon. When you try slash your vitals, the cord will mangulate the saw and stop it cutting.

Funny - I have a tree in serious need of lopping so this thread may be informative to me. Last time I used a chainsaw was yonks ago. Felled a big tree with absolute no regard for safety (), but it all went well. I lashed the tree with a couple of guys (not blokes, ropes), just to make sure it didn't crash into the house. Wouldn't try anything so mad now. Anything taller than about 20' and I'd get a pro. I don't know if it's a recent requirement, but the garden maintanance bloke I asked about a tree was very keen to tell me about how he's got the proper certification to use a chainsaw.

Is this all leading to some expansion of your bow-making activity ?

Apart from the protective cloathing, I guess the training etc depends on how many trees, how big etc. You must have seen that prog on the telly - "Ax Men" or something liek that. Pretty awesome how they do it. Canadians will love you for this thread (though a few beavers might feel marginalized) . Make sure you practice the song first.

Cheers, I'm OK feeling small trees by hand.
I don't really need a chainsaw.
It belonged to my brother who died a few months ago, his widow is keen to get rid of his old gardening stuff, apparently the chainsaw has trouble starting, so that's the attraction for me. Maybe I'll tune it up and attach it to my golf trolley instead.
Del

I'm sorry to hear of your loss. Brothers are hard to replace. Mine is a chain saw wizard. He has two 24" Huaqvarna saws and can use them like a pro.

I know my limitations, and so do you. Tune it up, get it running and then give it to someone who can put it to good use.

I have many guns and one chain saw. I treat the chain saw as a much more unpredictable implement than the guns.

Take care.

Tune it up, get it running and then give it to someone who can put it to good use.
Good idea...I just noticed my typo in my previous post 'feeling' instead of 'felling'
Maybe it was a Freudian slip and I should be hugging 'em.
For my bows, I'm only cutting stuff upto about 6" diameter max, and a decent bow saw will zip though that in no time.
Del

With your experience, and some caution, I'd say you were probably OK to use the chain saw on "small stuff".

Or give it to someone who will cut your trees for you.

Cheers.

He has two 24" Huaqvarna saws and can use them like a pro.

(2) 24" - Husqarvarna Nice machines, We started with Stihl and switch to Husqarvarna.

I Like the chainsaws, and use it.........I'm just glad I am not making a living using it.

My bro lives in Arkansas and heats his large home/water/air etc with wood. He also supplies most of our sister's wood, too.

I live in the desert and have a 14" Poulan that does just fine for cutting mesquite limbs for the smoker..

Cheers.

Sorry to hear about your brother, Del.........

In case you are using it to saw trees down....usaully if you have it you'll use it.

Your experience with tools are known, but even falling small trees its not only the Chainsaw the you have to worry about.

Your first mistake Del. Do not underestimate small trees...... 16" diameter and under. When you cut down trees in the woods, do not watch the tree that falls, but keep looking up for any branches that snap and remain lodged and stuck up on the nearby trees. If you don't, as you walk over to trim the down trees, these branches can become un-lodge and fall. Does not matter how much safety equipment you wear, if it falls on your head, your neck will snap.

And depending on the variety the tree, the tree could barber chair, I saw a tree barber chair up close when I was about 20 yo, usually with straight grain hardwoods like Ash. And not only that danger but broken branches (2" to 6" dia.) was falling for about 20 minutes after.

The best way to learn.....Get to know your tool.

On a side note....funny you brought this up check this site.

http://finance.yahoo.com/insurance/article/107621/americas-deadliest-jobs.html?mod=insurance-life

As far as trouble starting, the usual problem is filters and gas breaking down because it sits for so long.

stay safe

Why not take the chain off when tinkering with the machine and getting it running ok.

Later on, after its running ok you could then install the chain and move on to the next step

Wear Goggles and heavy leather boots. Long pants and long sleeve shirts.

Don't cut from the bottom and pull up or you'll end up pulling the chain towards your face suddenly.

There are videos that you can watch for chainsaw safety that are pretty graphic.

One place you can try is Youtube on chainsaw safety.

Don't try falling trees unless you've been shown how to do it.

I also want to add that you have to go to one of the places that sell chainsaws and get some information on how to sharpen your chain. Keep the chain sharp will not only make the chainsaw a little easier on you while working but it will also be a little bit safer.

You also need to keep the chain oiled.

A couple of fairly simple rules:

Any large tree, when properly notched, checked for vertical alignment, and secured with ropes, will fall any direction it damn well pleases!

Keep the chain razor sharp and oiled.

Let the weight of the saw do the work. Don't push or pull. Cut down, not up.

Work below your waist.

If the saw has a long bar, buy a short one. 14" (that's something in cm, but I have no idea) is a good size.

Wear ear and eye protectors, gloves, and sturdy shoes.

Enjoy! I can well imagine that this time next year, you'll be posting pictures of a sea otter you carved out of a cedar stump!

A weekend warrior goes into a store to buy a chainsaw. He tells the clerk he wants to cut down some trees on his property over the weekend. He buys the saw and takes it home. Monday morning he returns to the store with the saw. He explains to the clerk who sold him the saw that he spent all day Saturday and Sunday and could only cut down one small tree. He insisted the saw must be defective. The clerk took the saw to check it out. He pulled the starting cord and it burst to life. The man immediately at the sound of the saw exclaimed "what's that noise".

Just a first lesson.

"Trying to cut a partly fallen log that's hung up on other trees can be even worse."

Excellent point! This past winter I had two blowdowns, maybe 12-15" in diameter that were interlocked, so I started cutting them apart. I was, as usual, careful with the saw and making sure I was on firm footing etc. But, it was what I couldn't see - one of the trunks was somehow bent and suddenly I had a 200 lb log pop up in the air about 3 feet. Scared the bejabbers out of me, although luckily it only brushed my chest. I'm adding a bottle of vodka to my saw box - the next time I do something that dumb, I'll drink the bottle and have a reasonable excuse.

Yeh. I learned my chainsaw lesson with one of those snags. Damn thing pinched the chain and I had a hard time to get it out! A sixty foot heavy green log that had blown half out of the ground and hung up on other trees. When the cut was made through, the log would not budge off the stump - incredible pressure from those trees, holding it in place. I wrestled with it, then it popped off and.. right down on my foot. Man, it's a wonder I was able to lift the thing off me and walk away. That shook me up, I decided then and there, I'd rather use a bucksaw to cut standing trees, keep the chainsaw for making firewood out of em in the yard.

That's the last time I cut a green tree, too. Snags? let em dry out first.

One winter I had no money I cut every stick of firewood I needed with the bucksaw. Snowshoe out over the deep snow, buck down dead wood. We had 20 feet of snow that winter, it just kept coming. One day I cut a log, about 14" diameter, and it fell "the unintended way", took the bucksaw blade and my snowshoe and drove em four feet under the snow. The bucksaw blade was mangled. But I came out of it without any worse injury than a few bruises. No regrets about leaving the chainsaw back in the yard...

"I'm adding a bottle of vodka to my saw box.." You can't beat a shot of hard liquor after a bad day moment in the woods... That's what St. Bernard dogs were for, right? cheers.

Trying to cut a partly fallen log that's hung up on other trees can be even worse.

Yup...I managed to snag my bowsaw doing that yesterday...I came across some felled timber where they'd been clearing part of the woods near me and bridging a book. I saw a bowstave hiding in that wood, but it was a right tangle and as I was nearly through, it pinched on me, despite cutting a birds mouth. Ads I was on my own and couldn't shift it, I ened up having to snap the blade... Ogf course with hind sight I'd have trimmed the thin end first...D'oh.

Thanks for all the responses guys.... I'll se what safty gear my Bro left, and maybe have a little try out on suitable 'clean' medium sized logs.
Del

" it pinched on me" Didn't plan ahead, did we?

Well, "despite cutting a birds mouth" which wasn't big enough?

#1 chain saw rule:

Keep your paws away from the chain.

I knew you were going to give it a try!

That monitor is going to get it from the chainsaw!"

Del try this website: ArboristSite.com

There you will find more information than you want to know about; but thankfully they have divided discussion topics into subject specific forums.

Speaking as a Canadian, it most be something in our water 'cuz learning to use a chainsaw is as easy as falling off a log. (pun intended)

Yes saws are dangerous but so are cars, cross bows, and anything that translates stored power into kinetic power. But if you listen to all the 'safety experts' you will be terrorized into imobility and a paranoid fear of going within ten feet of a chain saw.

To avoid getting a bar pinched by the tree use the plastic wedges to jam open the kerf. A quickie perusal of a Tree Feller book will give you the basics. Last two week the wife and I cut up ten cords of wood from junk piles stacked twenty feet high. Some neatly, others helter skelter. Much worse than wind storm damage to one tree blown over. On big logs over 24" diameter it sometimes requires a second saw to cut free the first saw by slicing out a wedge from the trunk. But that usually only happens on trees taller than 100 feet.

I made up a quickie angle gauge of 45 derees to let us know if a tree would clear the power lines that run adjacent to some of the public roads. When you back off from a tree until the top is aligned with the 45 degree side and the base is horizontal you are standing where the top will fall. Now you know if the tree is also going to take out the wires. Of course if we are logging up on the back ridges this is not a concern. We just drop em, lop off the branches, and then yard em out with power winches to a point where we can buck em down to truck sized pieces.

Or we go to the burn piles where the gash woods like birch, and fir and skinny ( under 6" ) pine is dumped for burming over the winter when the fire hazard is low.

4 - 6" rounds make great fire starters and the birch rounds make great logs for banked fires overnight.

I have never bothered with ballistic leggings. They tend to be so stiff you can't move in them. Hell if you bought all the recommended safety gear the "experts' promote you would find it cheaper to buy expensive fuel for heating or hire a professional to do your work for you. Ear muffs are nic - also warm in winter.

Hi elnav,

I've always wanted to know - how much is a cord of wood?

ER

Edit:

Naughty ER - but I've now looked it up on Wiki

One cord has volume defined by 4 feet by 4 feet by 8 feet.

200 dollars!

Years ago, when living in Ark. I got the bright idea to save money by cutting and splitting my own wood.

After a short time of that stuff, it was clearly better to pick up the phone and have someone deliver a truck load and stack it while I watched with a beer in my hand...

In my part of MA, firewood currently goes for $250/cord green, $300/cord seasoned, and over $500/cord kiln dried.

Why on earth would someone want kiln dried fire wood? I would think it would burn as fast as a match stick...

Might be good to have one load per year for starting purposes though huh?

kiln dried fire wood

Do not know why,

Some of it was the tops from logging, cut and delivered green, by cutting it and letting it sit for a year is good.

Kiln dried, that fire wood picks up moisture like a sponge.

As far as kindling for starting, any soft wood would do. Hand split small.

Just seconding what you said about chain tightness and condition inspection in general.

Many years ago my uncle had a chain get loose on him. It seriously (and I can't emphasise the word "seriously" enough) gouged his face, neck and hands. Scarred him up pretty badly. It's a miracle he didn't loose an eye, finger or critical vein.

I swore I'd never use one of those things myself. But years later I had the need to do so and bit the bullet. To this day on those rare occasions when I pick one up it feels exactly like I'm picking up a rattlesnake. That's either a good, healthy fear or an unreasoning wimpy panic. Not sure which.

That's either a good, healthy fear or an unreasoning wimpy panic. Not sure which.

It's called RESPECT... I have a healthy respect for my table saw, band saw, the sea....and Mrs Cat.
They can all catch you out if you don't pay 'em enough respect.
Del

Odd, for it was just the day before yesterday that I was talking with a guy who works as a "handyman", and sometimes gets involved in cutting down small trees with a chainsaw. We were in agreement that of dangerous work, working with chainsaws is right up there. He even said if he can do the job with a bow saw, instead of a chainsaw, he will.

Wear eye and ear protection. Take your time. Don't use the chainsaw bar as a prying tool. Keep it out of the dirt. And don't start swilling beers until you're done. Oh, also don't wear clothing that may get caught in the saw.

Hi Del,

You must not get too close to electric appliances, HT overhead power lines, nor should you hang out the door whilst cutting

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMQgt5YiD0w

Chainsaw 101

http://forestry.about.com/library/weekly/bl_saw.htm

http://www.woodcentral.com/cgi-bin/readarticle.pl?dir=powertools&file=articles_602.shtml

or

http://hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Play-Piano-with-Nine-and-One-Half-Fingers

Thanks, I shall investigate those links...
Del

I bought an electric chainsaw last year. The maximum speed is less than a gas powered, so it's easier to control. Always starts, stops on a dime. Let the abuse begin...

I have a 40cm husky, I only break it out for big stuff.

Sharp & lubed is essential. Work low, safety gear, blah, blah

I had an even more dangerous husky 35cm demolition saw, basically a gas powered cut off wheel. Had a nasty habit of lighting things on fire, from the sparks. A couple of friends of mine & I were harvesting some scrap metal from a bone yard. We had taken our goodies back to the shop & were taking a break. A guy drove up & asked is that supposed to be on fire? Break time over...

Hey Dell,

Very interesting thread..

I guess I am one of those people that was "Almost" born with a chainsaw in my hands.. I'm almost 62 now, and have owned and used Chainsaws for almost 40 years now.

Most everything said has been great advice, however, there is one situation where it IS advisable to do an upcut, or undercut, whatever you like to call it.. This is where you have felled a large tree, and you are attempting to saw up some higher branches, while standing on the ones underneath..

If you do not undercut a large branch, this branch can do many strange things while falling, like split backward, and create a hazard for you, or also bounce off other branches..

When I say large, I mean large..

A small tornado touched down at my next door neighbors field, and three huge Red Oaks layed down..

My neighbor was kind enough to let me clear the trees, and I can say, it was a gigantic undertaking for a non-professional..

One tree was so large at the base, that three grown men, hand in hand could not reach around it..

Fortunately, the only casualty I had was a broken nose, due to limbs in a bind, and I was on the ground then. :o)

We got 20 full cords of wood from those trees, and three years later have plenty of firewood, here in Arkansas..

don

If you live near Hot Springs and need more dead falls to play with, let me know.

Had a microburst come through three years ago that laid some big trees down across my creek. I can only get so much free labor out of my brother.

This is where you have felled a large tree, and you are attempting to saw up some higher branches, while standing on the ones underneath..

Not a good idea. Best to under-buck what branches the tree is resting on. A 'Hogs Head' is the cut for horizontal or stressed cuts. Wherein a cut about a third of the way in the direction you want it to go, followed buy a through cut just a bit further out or up on the tension side. This is the scariest part of using a chainsaw. Get a Pro to teach you how.

And don't trust that safety brake. Keep the tip from touching ANY thing.

Del,

As someone who has cut miles of right of way and cut acres and acres of homesites over the last 40 years I feel somewhat qualified to weigh in on the subject of chainsaw usage. I have also watched many novices over the years and have been witness to a few horror stories about the same. While Artsmith offered much good advice the best he gave was to take the lesons if possible. Talking about pinching, kickback, hangers and widowmakers is all fine but unless it can be demonstrated the real gist of it is not obtained or appreciated. Husqvarna, ( whose saws I prefer even though I have probably over a dozen saws of different brands not counting my antique saws ) used to offer quite few videos that were good. Any guidance you can receive from professionals might save your life. Don't get me wrong and think I am trying to dissuade you from using the saw. I think all guys should own and use a chainsaw, and a boat, and a gun. Of course I do live in Alaska. But seriously, get some advice or lessons from a pro. And then get a woodstove and feel some real satisfaction on winter eves.

PS, Don't mix more gas than you will use in a week or twos time. The gasoline we have these days seems to break down the two cycle oils and in no time at all the gas you have mixed is no good and will ruin your saw. Even we who use our saws all the time usually mix only a couple gallons at a time.

ALSO DON'T HOLD ON TO WHAT YOU ARE CUTTING WITH ONE HAND AND USE THE SAW WITH THE OTHER IS WON'T BE PRETTY.

My dad found out the hard way not once but twice. First time it was a "y" branch he was trying to cut and it keep kicking back so he reached down to hold it and it striped the meat on his hand. Fortunately no lasting damage.

Section time another person was helping too close and move a branch he just pickup and the two movements together got his hand too close to the chain but it was moving just above idle still cut him fairly bad but not like the first time.

So respect the saw, get good hearing protection, eye, and head and hand and leg protection like others have said.

also don't turn your back on a falling tree, watch it fall as you move away from it, have a clear escape path at an angle to the side away from the direction of fall, remove any trip hazards to a safe distance.

Also use the chain break if you are moving with a running saw to hold the chain until you are in proper cutting position.

last thing running the chain into dirt either on the ground or if the log has a lot it will dull the chain FAST. Don't ask me how I know.

Charles

having over twenty years in the tree care industry, running chainsaws almost daily, i felt i had to chime in on this one.Afew more points i can give a beginner. Make sure you use a low kickback bar and a safety chain. if your new chain has a link on it marked with yellow or red paint, it is not a safety chain and will kick back even if you do everything right. Stay out of the line of the cut. when the saw kicks back, it will come straight up out of the cut, or shoot straight back out of the cut, keep your body out of this line when possible. as you near the end of your cut, slow down the chains rpms. dont lean over anything while you are cutting. keep both hands on the saw at all times. dont just hold on to the top handle with your left hand,curl your wrist around somewhat, so the back of your hand is already touching the chainbreak lever.When the saw kicks back, even a little, the back of your hand will immediatly hit the chainbreak.Gloves are spooky to me. i prefer to use my bare hands for full control, a glove can allow the hand to slip off the saw.Run the throttle with just the tip of your finger on the tip end of the trigger,this will allow it to slip off the throttle if the saw kicks back. keep both elbows tense and ''locked''like you are arm wrestling when running the saw. Expect to get cut sooner or later. Usually in the first year or two.I got nicked twice the first year i ran one fulltime. the only reason i wasnt cut badly was the tip of the finger trick. the chain had almost stopped turning both times by the time the saw hit me.this was with an old poulan s25, a saw with no chainbreak. make sure the chainbreak actually works, some do not.saw chaps are a good idea, especially if you are working by yourself, personally, i hate them,and only use them if osha is creeping around the area.I think they give you a false sense of security, and you can easily trip if they hang up on somthing as you are walking. But they only cost about $100 and really should be worn untill you have cut yourself a few times and fully understand the dynamics of running a saw. over 40% of reported chainsaw cuts happen above the elbows.The no.1 thing that puts people in the hospital after a hurricane is chainsaw cuts.Do not cut overhead, strange things happen when a limb starts to swing down toward you when a saw is running.Winter or summer, wear a bandana across your forhead. Besides keeping sweat out of your eyes, it makes a handy pressure bandage for emergency use,lol.No amount of classes, instruction or advice will inform you of every potential injury. we have all left somthing out of this advice, when you cut yourself, you will know exactly why it happened, and wont make the same mistake again, hopefully.Do NOT climb any trees to make cuts, leave that to the professionals who have had the cuts and bruises lessons already. If you cant afford a tree service, find a climber after work. most of us will gladly run out and do some trimming off the books a lot cheaper than the whole company will show up and work.This is just a small fraction of what you will learn on your own as you gain experience with these things.

Thanks everyone for the informative and amusing replies...
'Tree fellers' reminds me of the old joke (forgive the racial sterotype...)

Two Irish men looking for work see a sign.
'Tree Fellers Required'
One says to the other...
Ah Patrick, to be sure, it's a shame there's just the two of us...
_{(If you don't 'get' it, you aren't doing the accent right...)}
Del

For using such an old joke you should go and sit on the 'cushion of shame' ! Bad kitty !!

Now tell us, have you got the darn thing to fire up ? Does it actually work, and what will you do with it ? _{(don't make me tell you about my latest bath keys or coins, I just can't decide..The HP sauce worked a treat though).}

I'm going to get it shorty shortly...
Got to pop down to town (that's London, for our foreign readers) Muswell Hill to be more precise.
I'll post a pic when I return...
Now play nice....
Del

BTW My other Bro, the ex taxidermist engraver and banjo picker used to have a pub band called the 'Muswell Hillbillies'... not sure if I should or . or even
but that's another story..
Yeee haw

Now you could always repurpose the motor for some real fun

Gas fired gatling crossbow anyone?

Hmmmm, never seen a cat wielding a chainsaw before! This should be entertaining to say the least???!!!!! LOL

I thought that cats only climbed tress, not fell them.......

Just kidding Del!!!

"a cat wielding a chainsaw ..." - sure it was in an episode of "Itchy & Scratchy", or maybe it was the mouse with the chainsaw ...

Careful, this cat carries a crossbow!

In addition to safety, a routine I have developed is to carry a can of fresh gas, a container of 2-stroke oil, a plastic 10cc syringe, and a 500cc beaker. 1 syringe of oil to 1 beaker of gas gives the recommended 50/1 fuel mix. The fuel is always fresh. When I am finished cutting, I empty the saw while running and then let it continue to run till it runs out of fuel. That way the innards never get gummed up.

I thought I was the only one that anal about 2 strokes. That's why our saws always start on the first pull, mostly.

Keep the ANVIL (the engine case) on the wood and always work on the bottom of the chain, learn to use the correct spot and rock up and down. Chain freshly sharp, steel toes and chaps, ear plugs and REALLY tight eye protection are a plus and you are covered. Some folks like gloves, I don't. Your local Forester (Forest Sevice) is a good contact for more info.

the last instructor

Here ya go...

I've powered up the red one already....vroom vroom.
Hmmm a Cat with two chainsaws.
Del

Please tell me you don't use the disk grinder to sharpen your chain. Running it over a granite boulder is so much more exciting.

They look pretty good.

Those sorts of safety glasses are right awful, in my opinion though. Sure they protect, but you can't see out of them, and they tend to fog.

My favorite Safety Glasses are the Fuel brand.

My welder friend gets ahold of military pilot nomex flight gloves. These are superior gloves for they fit well, and provide superior protection.

- now I've got the Kinks song Muswell Hillbilly Boy stuck going round in my head.

I tell you and all, I've long said that The Adventures of Del The Cat ought to be on TV.

depends on hard hard you work, the ones with the screen incorporated with a Hardhat, seems to work the best.

The safety glasses are what you are referring to right?

I agree that those are very good too.

They may be actually superior to the Fuel brand overall.

The type of glasses you describe were worn by a workmate of mine.

I was under the impression that that particular design with the steel wire mesh to cheekbone was a prescription purchase, whereas the Fuel brand of safety glasses is more common off the shelf sort of purchase.

I have had cases with the Fuel brand that some chips would bounce under, so you are right.

Still at least the Fuels allow you to see, and are real safety glasses.

It is best to have safety glasses you don't have to take off when going in and out from interiors to exteriors.

Yes its the safety glasses, we operate a sawmill, as well as logging, (not now, I usually helped my brother on my vacation.......?).

It was a screen visor on a hard hat. But you were right, Having prescription glass and then wearing safety google, at times would be terrible, with fogging up. there are some things you can treat them to reduce it, but one would like to keep the maintenance down, alway reach for the hardhat with the screen visors, better peripheral vision and comfort.

Mmmm, what's the dust mask for? 'Cause if your gettin' sawdust in your nose or mouth, you aren't sawin' right....

You got any shops that can work on the Homelites?.... you may need them...

You got a lot of good advice on this one - have at it & lay waste to some wood!

I've had 'em both up and running now_{...(not one in each paw).}
Chain on one feels a tad slack to me.
do I have to search for Chain tension advice or will one of you guys spill the beans?
Del

Dell,

I always tightened the chain where when you pull up on the chain, in the middle of the bar, the bottom tabs on the chain almost clear the top of the bar slot.. Otherwise, your chain is too tight, and even with good lube, the friction is too much, and you can burn the metal on the bar..

Oh, another thing, make sure your oiler slots, or holes are clean, as an unlubricated bar and chain will quickly fail.

Don

Cheers, that makes sense, one is definitely too loose then, as the tabs can clear the bar slot.
I'll adjust it and lube it up.
That dead tree in nextdoor's garden is starting to look attractive.
Del

hmmmm. If you want that dead tree to look even more attractive, you might want to consider chainsaw carving.

You just missed this 2009 competition in the UK by a few days. Bet that was a bit of fun.

I admit I've seen a plumber carve a hole in a wall with a chainsaw - and that was no special saw - but to do carving properly you need a special bar so you can use the tip without kickback - special chains too are recommended.

I like this video.. because he starts by PUTTING A SCREW in the dam log so it doesn't budge!!! ever!!! Now that's the safe way to cut anything.

How about a really small round chain saw

Cool! Round is a shape too...I can use a few of these thanks...

Exact procedure varies with models. My new Poulan has a crummy setup I do not ttrust. Older models have a screw adjustment facing front. Slack off slightly on the two nuts on plate containing the chain brake.

Owner manuals do include chain tension adjustment for each particular model. This is a website where I got my Husqvarna manuals.

http://www.gardening-tools-direct.co.uk/content/husqwm273_hwen2000_1019061-26.pdf

The chain should be just tight enough to not let the retaining teeth slip out of the bar but still provide free movement on the bar.

But I am sure that there is a more technical description somewhere.

Good luck with the saws and follow the good advice let here by others. One piece of advice I can offer. Don't wander into the woods to cut down a Christmas tree and get lost in the process. Happened to a family here in the states and they nearly died. A compass is a handy piece of gear to have when doing the above.

Cheers

You telling us you haven't read The Manual ?

My Brother's Widow is still searching for the manual...

I have found some good Manufaturers stuff on t' web. Nice safety vid from STIHL and some You Tube stuff.

I'm not sure a chainsaw is appropriate for my bow stave appropriation acquisition activities, but I'm sure I'll have a little go with one of 'em... tidy up the local woodland a bit.

Del

<The scene: Graveyard, midnight, no moon. Owl hoots. Shadowy figure clad à la Ninja creeps towards the Thousand Year Ewe>

Cue Chainsaw .

Hey, that's cool, I didn't know they made stuff like that.
Del

I watched a friend yesterday while he was using his Alaskan saw mill. Safety and accuracy is pretty much the same as with other equipment. Ironically he was working with one arm in a cast. He slipped and fell off the truck. Hitting the ground is what broke his wrist, not a chainsaw. Oh yeah he is 75 and his son who is helping is 37. My neighbor built his cabin by logging and milling his own lumber. Quality of lumber is far beter than what you can buy commercially if you log it from your own woodlot.

As for accuracy, this is a function of how well you set up to begin with. The alaskan saw mill uses a set of light tracks that is screwed to a stout plank in a straight line.

The metal track fits to the attachments bolted to the bar. The straightness of the cut is a function of how well you set up the guide plank with track attached. Smoothness of cut is dependent on how well you have sharpened the chain.

The guide plank in turn is nailed to the log being cut. Using double headed nails allows them to be extracted and resused. At no time do they get anywhere near the chainsaw blade. These cuts can be as long as you need. Limited only by size of timber availabel to you. Modern tools like laser levels and sight lines make this much easier than chalk strings.

Someone asked about how to cut lenghtwise without running the blade into the ground. Just use some but blocks to raise the log off the ground. If necessary add wedges to shim the blokc into level alighment. Support the log at intervals to eliminate sags. Use a laser sight line to verify straightness of guide to ensuer a clean straight cut.

Nooooooo!

Woodlands need to be untidy for the wildlife to thrive. I have friends with a wood in North Wales and a bunch of us went over to help out one weekend. As well as planting a yew circle (should ready for the witches in about 200 years) we thinned some young growth. After trimming, the trunks (4" - 8" diameter) were stacked. all the off cuts were piled up - mostly by me. I made such a good job of the interlinking that the piles, which resembled miniture drumlins about 3' high and 7' long, were still intact over a year later. They provided habitats for lots of invertebrates and also for mice - the piles were so dense the foxes couldn't follow them in.

Also, after the 1987 hurricane, many fallen trees were left where they fell as there weren't enough people to clear them (quickly). When they got to them, they can started a whole new life lifecycle, growing and rooting along their length. It was suddenly realised that this was how ancient forests propagated (well, one of the ways). In the case of the small leaved lime, it was already known that this was its only method of propagation in the UK - the weather is too cool for the seed to set or germinate (except for every 50 or so years). One measureable effect of global warming will be the seed propagation of the small leaved lime.

so if you are going to tidy up - be choosy. Try The Woodland Trust for more info - you can use Tesco vouchers to buy membership

Just a few points to add: 1. Kickback can kill. I was using my little saw at home one day, got careless for just a second, and the critter kicked back. If I hadn't had experience running saws, I would have taken the blade in the shoulder or chest; but I was off to the side and had my elbow locked. As it was the tiny little saw spun big ol' me around. 2. If your saw has a standard bar, you can use a low-kickback chain; if your saw has a low-kickback bar, you have to use a standard chain. DO NOT put a low-kickback chain on a low-kickback bar! 3. Felling any tree you can't pick up and carry is not something to be tackled lightly.

Whatever you do, Del - DONT let your three drunk neighbours come over to your place and talk you into cutting down a 50' walnut tree that's leaning against your garage after you've been drinking from morning on Labour Day Holiday Monday.

This happened to me a couple of weekends ago, and as the tree was falling towards my clothesline and pickup truck, I grabbed a lower limb and tried to guide it away from them, but it was a totally useless move, because as it turned out, a drunk Little Loupy was no match against a 50' walnut tree.

It seemed like a good idea at the time.

It hit the clothesline and the box of my truck anyway, pinned me partially against the flower box, and left me with an agonising pulled back muscles (I didn't notice the back problem until the next morning after sobering up), took the next day off work, and hobbled around for a week and a half.

My back is finally getting pain free.

And the tree - shees'a alla gonna. Kaput!

The moral or lesson of this tale - Don't drink and saw!

Hey you guys watch this.........here somebody hold my beer.

More accidents happen immediately after these words are spoken.

Glad your healing and hope there is a lesson learned by all involved.