[Closed] Talk to me about chainsaws

http://www.landskillstraining.co.uk/CS30-CS31-chainsaws-training-course.htm

While I fully see the need for massive H&S awareness. 800 poonds makes it not so cost effective just for garden taming and wood stocking.

if it's just for one set of tree trimming then would be safer, easier and cheaper to just get someone in to lop it off and cut it to length?

STIHL MS171 will do what you want, I have used one to take down a 60 footer in the past!

But its worth seeking good training and getting your safty gear sorted too, before you get your first kickback 😉

Hire one for a weekend from HSS. Fell tree, enjoy doing manly work and return to shop.

Depending on how many trees you have it won't take very long at all to whip through and log something 1ft diameter and prob not cost eff to buy.

not preaching at all as some but ...
be sensible with one, safety gear can be had from BandQ, always remember the brake, I had a little lesson from a mate who's a tree surgeon. I personally wouldn't do anything at height myself just a bit of log cutting on the ground

I bought myself a cheapo £99 one from BandQ (Homelite?) and it's been fine for the amount of times I use and what I use it for it's fine. it's all ce safe etc

beware ebay cheapness as it might not be safe...dodgy import
most on here will say Husqvarna or Stihl I'd guess but is a bit spendy for an occasional user

wood should be season for 2+ years really btw

I bought a cheap chainsaw for about £55 if I remember from ebay. Its a cheap chinese thing but does the job really well. I have a full log shed thanks to it.

It was a german company selling loads of them by auction. orange and under various brand names that i don't recall.

+1 for Husqvarna. Mine is now 32 years old (!) and still going very strong, gets serviced occasionally but only does maybe a dozen hours a year now, much more when it & I were younger.
A small semi-pro model, big engine/small bar, would probably cost about £400 nowadays. Lessons are vital, as is safety gear. Artificial feet are not cheap and would require you to learn a whole new pedalling technique.
Personally, I usually drop small trees with the bow saw, having started the cuts with the Husky.

You will only make a mistake once using a chainsaw as they take no prisoners.
Felling trees is a different kettle of fish to cutting up logs on the ground.
Ideally get some kind of tuition, or at the very least read up and watch some instructional youtube videos.

Exactly as beefheart says.

Mrs FD will not let me have one. She is constantly trying to put peoples arms and legs back on after chainsaw accidents. Pro's and amateurs.

Pay some one to do it.

Where are you? I might be able to help in exchange for some wood.

Thanks for the replies. I am very concious of the safety factor, steel toed boots are on the list anyway as I need some for other stuff. Looking into occasional use courses in the area.

Taking on board comments I'm thinking I can stick with bow saw for felling, and get a cheapo small one for logging. Electric vs. petrol. Less raw pure in electric I'm guessing. Worth bothering with?

Am in Nidderdale Nicknoxx

My brother is a tree surgeon (Tynemouth Tree Surgeons if anyone in the NE needs a good one) and pays an awful lot of money for training, protective equipment and astranomical insurance premiums. Seeing him working at height is a very impressive thing and not something I'd advise anyone to do untrained.

BTW - steel toed boots aren't enough. Tree boots have protective shanks and tongues / spats as well.

Thanks for the replies. I am very concious of the safety factor, steel toed boots are on the list anyway as I need some for other stuff. Looking into occasional use courses in the area.

Taking on board comments I'm thinking I can stick with bow saw for felling, and get a cheapo small one for logging. Electric vs. petrol. Less raw pure in electric I'm guessing. Worth bothering with?

If you think you can get away with just some steel toed boots, please at least talk to someone who knows what they are doing and get them to recommend specific boots/chaps/jacket/gloves/helmet for the power/speed of saw you get. To buy a full set of safety clothing (even if you shop around for deals) is going to cost you more than the even a modest quality saw.

I've got an electric Husqvarna 321 just for logging up and not pee'ing off the neighbours too much first thing on a sunday morning and it is a glorious thing to use compared to a petrol one in this environment - light weight, quiet(ish) and enough power for a full 16" cut.

Hello,

Was a tree surgeon for 8 years before letting my body tell me its had enough and now being behind a desk. 🙁

Please dont make me post the pictures of the slip I had with a chainsaw (think they're on here somewhere, may be pre hack actually).

Get some training and at the very least some chainsaw wellies if all your doing is loggin on the floor. Proper trousers and wellies if you're using a saw horse. I had a friend used to say he was fine in steelies, he can now only count to 9 on his toes and wont pick a saw up for love nor money.

Training should cover maintenance and sharpening as well as use, a blunt saw is one of the biggest hazards.

As for which saw? Makita's easy start system is really rather good, if not then a small stihl. Just depends on what your exact needs are.

Damion.

+1 for Stihl petrol, mine gets used every three or four months or so for a burst of cutting, never had a problem with it

stihl or husky..dont bother with any catalouge crap 🙂

To buy a full set of safety clothing (even if you shop around for deals) is going to cost you more than the even a modest quality saw.

Just came back after an internet tour of safety gear that told me exactly that. In my head it was boots (steal toed was me supposing I could find a pair of boots that would do trailbuilding/be ok for CS - seem unlikely after a bit of research) and gloves... Chaps etc evoked a first reaction "no that's surely not... well I do LIKE my legs now I think about it".

Am still interested but current plan makes not worth the money for now (prob won't be in this garden for too much longer... (few years most)

Notice HSS provide safety gear and instruction w/ each hire, will keep an eye out for courses in the area, in an AONB so they do that sort of thing quiite often. Bow saw, axe and achey armes for a bit longer then I think... boooring. 😕

MrsBouy does chainsaw wood sculpture in her spare time and uses a Husky 339. It's robust and more than enough for your requirements.

Shes spent an awful lot of time having wood chippings thrown up at her face and she will attest to:

TRAINING.

Good quality lasts. Learn how to sharpen stuff.

I would get a small petrol stihl. Be warned, big heavy chainsaws can be a real bitch to lug around.

Stihl MS171-181 are ideal but not without safety gear and training.
Kickback is exciting in a nervous way :Oo
Oh, hold the saw to your right hand side so if it does kick it goes over your shoulder and not into you head. Being a biker it took me a few hours of use not to centralise it all the time.
Got my tickets and never looked back. Bigger saw coming soon for the winter.
Tim

Too far for me, sorry.

If it is within your ability.
Just hire for a one off job, HSS as mentioned, hire with safety kit. Some of the guys that use our site for training get their stuff from there.
If you really want to buy, go for something that you can get parts for - Stihl 171 is popular with fencing contractors as a cheap tool that does the job.

Failing that I have a mate in Ripon area who probably could, or know a tree surgeon Knaresborough area.

Ive just ordered a HUSKY 440e with an 18" bar, as the recent fallen tree is too far away for my Hushy 321El electric saw (cable), and I am killing myself with the handsaws.

Looking forward to this beasts arrival

[img] [/img]

If you are hauling logs any distance I can also recommend one of these, which i just got second hand off ebay:

[img] [/img]

re renting: my local hire & buy don't rent c/saws anymore due to the h&s risk. So when I wanted to remove some (large) 'hedging' I bought an electric saw which I can then (well, now actually) resell on [url= http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/300787935725?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649#ht_500wt_1413 ]ebay[/url].

Buy & resell: more cost effective than renting, plus I had it for longer so i didn't feel i needed to rush the job over a weekend.

re Electric: I found 1900w to be more than enough for logs around the 10inch diam. kind of size.

re: chains: new ones for my saw are itro £15 if you don't like resharpening (about every 15hrs of use before it's noticably blunter) ime.

I got one for £50 from Netto.. lasted three years of heavy use.. well worth the money.

It's now stopped working but was so cheap that it was easier to just buy another cheap one from Argos.

Don't know much about chainsaws personally but my old man worked in the woods for a decade. He always had 2 Stihl saws, one of which now belongs to my uncle and is still going some 30 years later. He would only ever use Stihl but spoke highly of Husky too.

re: chains: new ones for my saw are itro £15 if you don't like resharpening (about every 15hrs of use before it's noticably blunter) ime.

Are you advocating throwing away a chain everytime its blunt..... rather than investing in a £10 sharpening kit? 😯

😯

I get Archer chains from ebay for about a fiver each.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/Power-Tools-Equipment-/29518/i.html?_ipg=&_from=&_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ssn=blindstickinsect

A quick sharpen before each outing and they last just as long as branded ones IMO. Although Im ready to believe Stihl ones might be a bit more durable on harder woods than I have to deal with.

That eBay seller is also good VFM for 2-stroke and lube oil too if you're not buying 50 litre drums from a wholesaler.

Perhaps not 'throwing away', just swapping out - if you CBA to sharpen it in the middle of a job.

Perhaps not 'throwing away', just swapping out - if you CBA to sharpen it in the middle of a job.

You should be able to do a 'good enough' sharpen to carry on on-site in a couple of mins..... or as long as it takes to change the chain. Alternatively get one of those power sharpener things and do it in 30 secs..... or just plan your cutting so all the ground cuts, where the soild/dirt will dull the teeth in seconds, are done last. If your just logging up on a horse the chain should stay sharp for ages and ages.

Also, hand sharpening is a good excuse to check the bar/rest of the saw over at the same time....

I tried sharpening the chains a few times.. I was useless at it. So embarassingly, I just use them till I'm literally having to burn my way through the wood then I replace it.

did you use the stihl file & guide? very cheap, idiot proof bit of kit.
new files are only 80p in my local shop.

As I'm hoping to be feeding two stoves this winter and have a pretty good source of cordwood I'm very tempted to get one of these so I don't have to use the chainsaw as much:

Safer and faster.

Does it come with a free tractor?

I completely and utterly understand the warnings on here regarding chainsaw use and have not actually used one myself. BUT...

I grew up around a dad and two uncles who used chainsaws regularly. Not one of them was professional, and not one of them ever took a course. The only safety equipment I ever saw used was a pair of safety goggles.

My (serious) question is, then: Are the safety-mongers on here being too emphatic?

I mean, there are lots of things we could kill ourselves with if we had an accident, but that we still use.

Aspen, use aspen.

I mean, there are lots of things we could kill ourselves with if we had an accident, but that we still use.

Go on then - start the list of 'things that can maim' that I use on a regular basis, cos I'm struggling.

Saxons post is much where I started off coming from. Grew up in the country, many people have chainsaws, and don't have an entire outfit of safety gear (not knocking it, just saying) or do courses. What I don't have [now] is anyone knowledge I trust to give me good instruction/advice/demonstration, so a bit wary of going it alone etc (certainly without the full safety outfit).

@tootall, food processor, they scare the crap out me...

My (serious) question is, then: Are the safety-mongers on here being too emphatic?

I mean, there are lots of things we could kill ourselves with if we had an accident, but that we still use.

I'm sure lots of experienced people will answer this: both plus and minus.

My only comment is - I bought a chainsaw (I LOVE doing stuff myself), cut down a problem tree, chopped it into logs, and will never do it again. I'll pay someone. I do have and love some proper dangerous hobbies and am self employed - basically "chainsawing" isnt enjoyable / fun enough to even run a 1 in 10,000 (or 100 times that) chance of hurting myself which - it appears to me - would never be a minor injury. Dunno if that answers your question - but that's my take on it.

Thank you, unklehomered. I acknowledge that my question sounds naive, but I'm only asking from the point of view of someone who observed a fair amount of chainsaw use without the safety precautions.

Incidentally, food processors scare me too; as do those electric hand mixers and circular saws. But axes can be pretty dangerous too. So can cars.

@couldashouldawoulda: Cheers. It does.

If your trees are within a good extension lead range, you cant go wrong with an electric chain saw. Damn site easier, safer, cleaner. No petrol to **** about with, stops dead in a split second, more torque, more neigbour freindly.

Unklehomer - as I know your no idiot I'll not tell you about how dangerous they are.

But I will admit they I only use mine for cutting up logs not cutting down trees.

It's a basic, petrol McCullough chainsaw from B&Q and it's done me proud. I bought a cheap file with guide as well and I keep it sharp with that. (in fact my dad bought the saw and barely used it, ive told him I'll replace it when it dies but it's showing no signs).

They are only scary when they do something you don't expect. Unfortunately you don't know when that is going to happen.
Treat them with common sense and respect and your likely to be fine but it's a risk. I've got the kit and the insurance as I can't afford to get it wrong.
Tim

On the safety gear thing. Ive got proper chainsaw gloves, Husky ear defenders, safety goggles.

But what I doint have is boots, trousers/chaps, helmet or visor ...or training.

Was thinking about getting some chainsaw trousers 1st, as Ive got some steel toe caps I can use (I know they only protect the toes but better than nothing just now). think i am planning on doing the safety copurse at a local college but its damn expensive!!

I am not cutting down trees just logging up for the wood burner, but ive got a 20 inch fallen tre trunk to get through this weekend.

So would getting trouser/chaps be a sensible thing to get just now?

did you use the stihl file & guide? very cheap, idiot proof bit of kit.
new files are only 80p in my local shop.

Yeah.. took my chain into the local stihl dealer to be sharpened and he convinced me to buy the stihl file/guide. Wasnt very successful I'm afraid heheh

Have had a cheap Mcculloch for years now, its got through some impressively big fallen trees, it was bought as a cheapie to chop a couple of things up but has kept going for years. Needs a new oil pump now but I'm chuffed with what its done.

Try and get nice light saw, nothing too big - your arms get stredded after a few hours. I think the fact that the saw is not too powerful works in my favour, have *never* had a kick back so far (touches wood etc).

At the very basic read / watch instructional videos, keep the saw to your right, never let your attention waver from the saw and the cut...they're bloody dangerous things, but do it right and you'll be safe.

If your trees are within a good extension lead range, you cant go wrong with an electric chain saw. Damn site easier, safer, cleaner. No petrol to **** about with, stops dead in a split second, more torque, more neigbour freindly.

As there is only a day left now...

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/ebay-electric-chainsaw?replies=1#post-4259774

My (serious) question is, then: Are the safety-mongers on here being too emphatic?

With stories of a father dying of a cut to the throat and his wife and daughter having to watch him bleed to death, no. However, with a good understanding of the forces involved and a healthy respect for the beasties, I believe a chainsaw can be used safely. Obviously if you're a professional then you need the necessary training/paperwork, but the actual practical experience is far more valuable IMO. Main tips I would give is always be aware of where the tip of the saw is and never place a limb or your body in-line with the saw.

I've used chainsaws for about 15 years and had basic instruction from my father and a friend with some training. I've learnt more from felling and cutting than I did from any other source.

They are dangerous if used without care or regard for the amount of flesh they can remove. Zombies beware...

[img] [/img]

Still mulling it over as an idea in the longer term... As I have combated my fear of food processo0rs, not to mention belt sanders, jigsaws and cordless drills (all have the potential for an episode of cauaslty), and i do like logs.

Home Log chopper uppers - How do you secure said log/Zombie for chopping?

Mine is a cantilever design based on a spare sleeper.
Nails in the cross bars act as teeth to hold odd shape/weighted cords. Will also take Zombies but only if fully in rigor mortis.

I rarely need to cut on the floor - which IMO is where a lot of accidents can happen.

[img] [/img]

I was lucky enough to have some rudimentary training nearly 20 years ago on the farm. I've done bits of chainsawing since, but as of the last year have had to do much more so have collected various bits of safety gear such as wadding protected boots, chaps, on top of the obvious stuff like lid with visor/ear muffs. I am now the proud owner of a 3.5 acre coppice too so will be doing a bit more "felling" as well as logging, but nothing big save for a few poplar standards once a year as most will be just coppice fuel sized.

I WANT YOUR LOG SHED!

sorry shouting there was contextual... but I do, I want it.

If trainng gives you better awareness than thats only a good thing right?

MrsBouys trying out a battery powered Husky in a couple of weeks. It's something that she needs due to her sculpture work indoors. It's quite expensive at £750.00 odd and the battery is only supposed to last 40mins +/- 10mins. I'm not convinced myself, but by god it's quiet.
We went to an Arbourists show a few weeks back to check them out.
Could do worse than go to a show yourself.

As far as clothing, well she wears the CatA stuff, trews, boots. Then thin gloves and a visor and ear defenders.

Mine is a cantilever design based on a spare sleeper.

Great idea Stoner, that looks like it could be made to be portable too, hmmmm, you have giving me an idea for working on my bit of a coppice too. 😉

MrsBouys trying out a battery powered Husky in a couple of weeks. It's something that she needs due to her sculpture work indoors.

She should look into mains powered ones IMO. Mine cost me £45.

Well I suggested that, but you see she's all over the sculpture, think the lead might hinder her..

[img] http://db.tt/Po5wZWcC [/img]

Here is MrsBouy doing big stuff last week.

Ok, so how do you upload an image from Dropbox onto here then???

Dblpost.

We've a family tool hire business and I work on the counter from time to time. While there is no official line on who you can hire Chain Saws to we have our own policy. Tree Surgeons and people with a certificate/license only and even then at our own discresion. As everyone says they are a dangerous piece of kit and really only experience makes you any good with one.

Yes we lose business over this policy but we'd rather that than a report of someone using it incorrectly or having an accident.

We do offer an alternative though, it's called a reciprocating saw. They're electric (the battery ones are ok but not the best) and they take disposable blades which you replace if you blunt them with dirty wood. Yes they are slower but we find them much safer.

If you do use a chainsaw please please use the kevlar trousers and spats and never cut with the top of the bar.

Hope this is useful

never cut with the top of the bar.

Unless under-bucking, in which case you'd have no choice... 🙂

I rarely need to cut on the floor - which IMO is where a lot of accidents can happen.

I agree. I reckon the story I related in my previous post was a case of firing-up the saw with the stop off and the tip touching a surface. Other tales, probably of the urban sort - folk cutting their inner thigh and slicing a major artery, accompanied by little sayings like :

[i]If you cut yourself in the wrong place I'd make the call to your loved ones rather than 999 because you'll bleed out before the abulance can get there.[/i]

Gruesome thought, but similar injuries can be sustained from an incorrectly-used angle grinder, for example. Common (or not so) sense prevails...

And yeah; like the saw horse. Gonna steal that...

There are metal cantilever designs you can buy on ebay
here's one £80
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150716005243
[img] [/img]

(my neighbour has this one, been meaning to try it out.)

Here's another one - quite like the look of this TBH £75
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150826758927
[img] [/img]

[img] http://www.flickr.com/photos/65239715@N05/8076974036/ [/img]

Rightyho, lets see if this works..

MrsBouy in chainsaw moda..

Damn this linky...

[img] http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/65239715@N05/8076974036/ [/img]

just put up the link and I will sort it for you bikebouy otherwise

[url= http://singletrackworld.com/forum-help/ ]http://singletrackworld.com/forum-help/[/url]

If I was going to buy a saw horse I'd defo be getting one of these - only £70.

and a [url= http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/firewood-forum/33895-oregon-easycut-sawhorse-review.html ]good review here[/url] from arbtalk.
There again you could just make one. If I don't get a PTO saw for the tractor then this is the route I'll be going down, but it would involve getting a bigger chainsaw.

[img] ?w=eea10014[/img]

Finally, got the linky.. MrsBouy..

😉

[img] [/img]

I fancy one of these - [url= http://www.raasayengineering.co.uk/loggit.html ]Loggit[/url] if/when I get to the volume of wood chopping to offset the cost.

Sharkbait : im building me one of those this winter. Love it!

had some time this morning actually 😉

Found some 1 1/4" galv steel tubing in the shed. Have set it up at 20" square so that 4' cords can be cut into 4x 12" logs. I'll be bringing 4' cords back from the coppice to store just behind the rack before logging.
20" wide I can cut the stack from front and back. Starting with cuts to the outside and then one down the middle.

[img] [/img]

Made myself this last year but it's pretty useless when you get down to the last metre!

[img] [/img]

Gonna make me one of them cantilever jobs this weekend 🙂

Mr Grim! How much!?>>!?!?!?

£245.00

[img] [/img]
That's a hell of a lot of cash for a saw horse!

elzorillo, you dont need a sleeper for the base, just something around half as long as your longest cords. Just nail a plank cross ways at one end to provide stability.

Here's an old photo of it in use recycling some knackered rafters.
[img] [/img]

In response to the top of the bar comment, it's not so much the top of the bar that is hazardous, but the top of the tip as the saw can run around what you're cutting, causing it to flick back at you faster than your reactions can calculate.

Re: the oil pump, it's probably just a plastic worm drive/screw that needs replacing behind the sprocket, simple fix of a part that sounds more complex than it is.

Got a metal saw horse in the back of a shed, must be almost a £100 in scrap, but could probably hold half a telegraph pole.
For logging a lot of stuff in one go, as we keep stuff in big stacks, we just slice the stack with one of the bigger saws, leaving the bottom layer un-cut to avoid ground strikes.

[IMG] [/IMG]

I took the Oregon idea and made this from scrap materials and a couple of fence posts. I made the spacings that size so that if I cut in the middle of the poles makes the logs just the correct size for my stove.

It has worked out to be a really stable safe way of cutting lots of logs in a few cuts at a time. It also dismantles quickly as well.