Chainsaw Training and Safety

Thanx, double trouble, the important message should be, along with all the excellent advice responding to this post by Del, is that chain saws are a tool to be respected, and used properly, and safely, (but not feared) at all times, (except when alcohol is consumed), and used in a manner that both gets the task at hand done and everyone goes home to their loved ones every day, with all their appendages intact, and can get to work the next day happy and healthy!

And brag to their co-workers the next day how they felled a 50' wanut tree in the backyard. (actually it was probably only 40' tall, but you know how us Canadian weekend warriors like to embellish our misadventures).

By the way, I was so out of it at the time, that I didn't realize that I didn't pre-mix the gas/oil mixture (50-1), so for a few minutes, I was running straight gas.

My BAD......my very,very,very BAD!

DON'T drink and use a chain saw, even when your neighbours think it's a good thing, and offer to help.

I didn't realize that I didn't pre-mix the gas/oil mixture (50-1), so for a few minutes, I was running straight gas.

Good point..how can I be sure that my Brother hasn't done the same? I s'pose I should empty the gas and start from fresh...but what do I do with the gas? (Put it in my car when the tank is fairly full...it would dilute any oil soooo much as to make it irrelevant....or would it.
Hmmm sounds like a problem creation exercise.
I can do without those....
Del

Del, its probably a small container of fuel, and will probably burn in your car just fine.

Just don't let the environmentalists know about it.

Loupy.

50:1 Yikes! Not enough oil by a long shot.

Every single chainsaw mechanic I have spoken to tell me the same thing. Make the mix at least 30:1 or add oil to gas until she smokes a bit. The EPA forced the manufacturer's to lean out the mix in their handbook recommendations. The manufacturer don't mind since it means you burn out the piston sooner and that means more sales of parts plus service to them. My brand new Poulan has the ratio 1:40 stamped right into the case next to gas tank fill.

Old timers claim a 25:1 mix guarantees several decades of life to their beloved Husky or Stihls or whatever. That explains why older models are still running afterone or two decades of use. My old Seagull outboard motor also needed 25:1 mix. I suspect this may be true for all older 2 cycle engines.

And remember if you are forced to run ethanol additive gasoline, never mix more than you can burn off in a week. The ethanol causes the fuel to destabilize and break down and the oil mix doesn't help. I never mix more than one imperial gallon at a time. Yes dumping the unused mixed fuel into half full automobile tank makes no difference unless you do it every week. Just don't tell the EPA guys.

hi, elnay, that is what the Stihl owner manual calls for, and what the six small 2 cycle engine oil containers that I bought at time of purchase of the saw in order to extend my warranty from 1 year to 2 say on their labels.

I agree that it sounds like a watered down mix, as my old Pioneer P16 saw as well as my 2 old lawnboys and my weedwacker call for 16:1 and 32:1 mixes respectively.

It was my fault that I presumed that I had pre-mixed the fuel before I embarked on my Labour Day adventure with my neighbours.

It was only a couple of minutes, and the saw is just fine.

Actally, it may have broken it in sooner with lack of lube. Keep the movin' parts movin' - Loupy

Check everything over, then check again.

Take a good look at and think about what you're about to do.

Watch everything: as the saw is cutting, pay attention to what the remainder of the tree or log is doing. Anticipate.

The undercut is always first: even when cutting through rather skinny pieces, an undercut can prevent a pinch or control a kickback as it predisposes the direction of parting.

This one was was very nerve-wracking to cut!

I had a friend cut it who was more experienced, it went down just fine, nobody got hurt.

I ain't suggstin' nuffink, but 1:01

nice bit of kindling wood.

Just beware the kick. The kick is what can hurt you. Wood can vary in hardness, and the chainsaw can "kick" outward from the tree if you're not paying attention. The last thing you want is a chainsaw coming back at you with momentum. All it has to do is touch you and you're chopped up pretty good.

Also, check your chain before you use it everytime.

Yes I know, this is the kind of stuff we have to deal with all the time. Which is why I prefer to cut from the burn piles. The feller-Bunchers pile the garbage trees in 20 foot high piles. But most are aligned the same way and you just start at top and cut down.

If you are lucky enough to have flat ground you can practically back the truck under the pile and drop the cut pieces into it. Unfortunately the tracked machines often churn up the ground so bad you have to hand carry the bucked down pieces a distance.

Lots of good advise, but I'll add my 2¢. I agree with the safety gear and the proper clothing, but not with the lessons. Did you take driving lessons? or lessons on shooting a gun or a bow? I never did and here I am 75 years later with all my fingers and toes. I work around dangerous tools and machines all the time including all kinds of power saws and chainsaws. I can drive a tractor, operate a backhoe and drive an 18 wheeler and never had a lesson. Anyone with an ounce of common sense and respect for dangerous equipment, will know the hows and what. Chainsaw manuals were written for the average user. Lessons have never been advocated in any manual I've ever read. If you feel comfortable around tools of possible danger, then I say you are ok. If not, back off. If you are not comfortable and can't quite comprehend the workings of a chainsaw, then you probably should stay away completely.

If you understand the principals of electricity for example, you won't grab an electric wire with your hand. It's only the uninformed or stupid who would do so. Accidents rarely happen beyond a person's control. They happen when you let your guard down or just plain stupidity. Over here, we have a product on the market called a "Saw Stop". It's a 3 hp, 10" bench saw that shuts down automatically if a part of the human anatomy comes in contact with the blade. It has been met both with praise and rejection. There are good arguments from both camps, so the jury is still out and will probably for some time to come. The main advocates are school wood shops and commercial cabinet shops for obvious reasons. Every time the saw is triggered, it is put out of commission until a part and a new blade are replaced at over $100. If this happens in a cabinet shop enough times, I'm sure the owner will switch back to the "dangerous" type of saw.

Sorry for getting somewhat off the topic.

Del, I would suggest a pair of steel toe boots if you have them or at least a good leather pair, a good pair of safety glasses with side shields and some leather work gloves. The main thing to watch while using a chainsaw is "Kick Back" caused when the log being cut pinches the saw causing it suddenly kick back towards the user. It is the most dangerous when you are cutting down from the top side of a log but you have your support underneath the wrong side of the cut. If the saw kick backs in this position it heads straight back toward your face. Most new chainsaws have anti kickback brakes that lock the chain when it suddenly does this. The main thing with a chainsaw is to use common sense, take it slow at first and think about every cut and how the gravity will pull the piece you are cutting. If the piece is going to pinch the saw by cutting into the it from the top then come up on the bottom on that particular cut or move your support so the log doesn't pich the saw before you cut through it. It only takes a few cuts to see what I am talking about and I consider this the main thing to look at when using a chainsaw. I am not sure if anyone else is familiar with a bow style chainsaw but they were used by loggers in the USA for years until being phased out for safety reasons. These bow saws were made for Industrial tree removal and heavy logging and were awesome at cutting anything that got in front of them. The problem with this type saw was that they were bad to kick back on the user and most of them had very large engines and tons of power. I have used this type of saw a few times and it is a job just holding the thing up but if you had a sharp chain it would chew up big OD logs them in short order. The safety problem with this type saw was caused by people that really didn't need that much power and had no idea how to safely use them trying to use the saw occasionally around the house.IMO I am sure you will do fine with your new saw and be to logger status in no time. The main thing here is to be careful and think about every cut before starting it. Good Luck.

While reading the user manuals of several brands I saw claims by one manufacturer that their bar design reduced the kickback angle. I understand why kickback occurs but I cannot see how that kickback angle at the nose can be reduced.

Am I missing something or is this just so much marketing bumf?

Some chainsaws have a metal guard covering the tip of the bar that prevents cutting with the tip. That serves as the anti-kickback feature.

Yes I have seen that but the literature available certainly suggest that the included angle for kickback hazard can be controlled to some extent. On the arborist forum one poster reminded people that they should use EITHER a low kickback bar or a low kickback angle chain BUT NOT BOTH TOGETHER. Evidently the two design elements conflicted with each other.

So my naive question was how does the design affect kickback angle. What factors makes it greater and what makes it less. The description certainly implies a low angle kickback feature has less included danger angle than a non low angle kickback design.

For some reason the different tip shapes in bars designed for chainsaw carving make it possible to cut with the tip without kickback. So that's one engineering feature that affects kickback. The tips are pointy cw an ordinary bar. I haven't used them myself, just quoting what I have seen and read.

I'll be interested to read someone's explanation of those low angle/ low kickback features.

Del, I was also a late starter in the chainsaw game. Father in law gave it to me as a birthday present when I was 35.

Aside from all the good advice given by so many above, there is some other advice that I'd like to provide.

First, for your first few times, take along a spectator. (Only one) A person who understands that you are learning to use a new tool and want to be careful. Sit them a safe distance from where your work is to be done. (If they have a mobile phone and first aid experience it's also good for the self confidence.)

Second, after each cut is completed, STOP the saw, put it down, walk away and talk with your spectator about what happened, what they saw and how you felt about it before going back and adressing the next cut.

This is what I did and the process helped to re-inforce the right way to approach wood cutting. The speed of action of a properly used chainsaw more than compensates for these small delays. Learn to treat EVERY cut as an individual event. Only when a cut is finished do you even start to think about the next one.

Hope those new kittie PURR in your hands.

Have fun.

Ta, sounds like good advice.

I think Del will be fine,

As my dog recently found out

Kitties are sharp

I'm a little late on this (just catching up), but having worked for a contractor (years ago) the best advise you have carefully received is being shown by an experienced expert. There is no substitution for a highly unpredictable process.

One other thing I have learned (I'm 62 next month) is that I don't trust myself as much on anything physical as I did 40 years ago - my 14" electric is as daring as I get these days

Be safe - we care about you!