Only a small electric one for chopping up small 10-15cm trunks in my monster overgrown garden.

I’ve read some safety stuff but never used one before, so should I be worried?

I am a middle aged man with very few delusions as to my macho nature, but I’d rather not gut myself unnecessarily.

sellotape it to the end of a long stick, then hold the other end of the stick. Keeps it out of harms way.

No one handed trickery…

Safety trousers, gloves, boots, helmet, visor and ear protectors and take your time.
Spend a bit of time understanding how the chain fits / tension etc. so you know not to run it with the chain too slack.
Take your time and think before you cut and you’ll be fine.
*touches wood*

Helmet with face shield and steel-toed boots would be a good start – and no climbing on anything to use it.

Don’t try to stop the chain with your hands 😀

Keep the local casualty dept on quick-dial 😀

Don’t self-treat any injuries. 😉

Safety trousers, gloves, boots, helmet, visor and ear protectors and take your time.

This. And when you think it’s more expensive than the ‘saw, google image search “chainsaw injuries”…

No 1.. Training..
No 2..PPE
No 3.. Always be aware where the tip of the bar is.( see no 1 )

CS30/31

And why on earth buy an electric 🙄

Excellent, you can cut your hedges aswell now…

You can go for a training day at your local agricultural college.

A friend of my dads who was brought up on a farm and therefore VERY aware of equimpment dangers and saftey issues and very experienced with a chainsaw got kick back from the unit he was using and cut into his thigh – luckily the safety stop kicked in. Quick rush to the hospital. He did not cut any major veins or he would have possibly bled to death before he got there.

So yes, you can do major damage. Very easily. Very quickly.

Buy another two electric chainsaws and a three way plug adapter, connect them all up to a suitable extension lead. Tape the throttle\switch open and learn to juggle without chopping through the extension cord and when you think you’ve got the technique sussed apply for next years Britains Got Talent……….and accidentally throw the chainsaws towards the judges.

Let us know how you get on…….

Do not what ever you do ask WCA for advice

On a serious note, Don’t attempt to cut anything too thick/hard/too damp/springy branches with your electric saw as an underpowered chainsaw is often more dangerous than having a powerful saw, and keep your chain sharp – learn how to use a file – one or two strokes on the teeth every so often will make all the difference.

Disclaimer : I got bought a 24cc brashing chainsaw for my 11th birthday back in the early 80’s so i could help my father in the forestry at weekends and school holidays so i’ve been brought up wi the noisy beasts. I’ve never had an accident nor have i ever come close to cutting myself due to my own stupidity but i have had kickbacks/chain splits through no fault of my own and if if wasn’t for the safety equipment and knowledge of positioning and what to do in such a situation i guess i’d be at least a few fingers or even a limb down – be carefull!.)

I agree with knowing how to ensure the chain is tensioned properly. Had a chain jump off the bar once due to being too slack, and I can honestly say it was one of the most terrifying moments of my life so far. Luckily the saw saw stalled immediately, but it took a while for my nerves to settle back down.

A macho ex-army mate of mine would never go anywhere near chainsaws, however..

Heard of a lady who was standing on a milk crate, with a chain saw above her shoulder height, cutting a branch one handed, the crate tipped backwards throwing the chainsaw backwards embeding/cuting into her other shoulder,lots of blood lots of pain and loss of arm and shoulder use.

Heard of a lady who was standing on a milk crate, with a chain saw above her shoulder height, cutting a branch one handed, the crate tipped backwards throwing the chainsaw backwards embeding/cuting into her other shoulder,lots of blood lots of pain and loss of arm and shoulder use.

Or the one my expert-pal told me when I bought one; farmer friend of his dad was up a ladder chopping off a branch, his wife was holding the ladder. He dropped the chainsaw as the branch fell and jolted the ladder. You don’t need to know more…

If you use it on the ground and make sure you are stable and balanced the whole time, wear appropriate PPE and give respect to the chainsaw then you will be fine.

Make sure you understand how to maintain your saw and keep it sharp, oiled and properly tensioned and don’t try to go through anything too big or with any foreign objects in it. A saw horse will make it easier for you to work safely.

My uncle used to work on a big scottish estate- trees and hunting. He always said the most dangerous thing he worked with wasn’t the guns, or even the rich knobbers with guns, it’s the chainsaws.

One worked well for this guy:

Took mine apart a few weeks back as the chain brake stopped working. Haven’t got round to buying the new part, and not sure when I will. Not too bothered, though it was ‘fun’ while it lasted.

Probably safer with one of these:

And one of these:

Safety trousers, gloves, boots, helmet, visor and ear protectors and take your time.

Bloody hell, me and my dad have been doing a lot wrong.

I wouldn’t use one. I have worked with professionals who do. I notice they all (contractors, gardeners, estate wardens) follow exactly the same routine. It’s taught as the only way to use them. And that must be for safety.

Oh, and they all wear the safety gear.

As long as you use common sense you will be fine! I find my chop saw far more scary than my electric chainsaw. Have to say I mocked electric ones till I tried one. So much less faff than a petrol one if you are just using it to chop a few logs in the garden.

Some interesting comments above, just got in after another day using a chainsaw, one big one we use at work, is take your time, don’t rush and don’t use if you feel tired

Even a CS30 will cost you more than the chainsaw, but the experience you get from attending is worth it if you plan to use it regularly

😉

I was going to buy one of those once, mentioned it on here. Was scared off…

I have a relative who has recently suffered a nasty arm injury, loss of an artery, and resulting surgery after an accident with a chainsaw her partner was using in the garden. I would agree with the recommendations above about safety gear and training. People who work with them professionally don’t mess about, because things can get serious very quickly if you make a mistake with a chainsaw!

I bought a chainsaw when we moved to our current house, as the garden is mostly jungly hillside. When using it I am almost paranoid about safety, and always remember something written on a past STW chainsaw thread – “there’s no such thing as a minor chainsaw injury”.

The main thing I do is to check before every cut that there isn’t something behind the branch I’m cutting, which the tip could come into contact with and cause a kick-back. And also, for every cut, run through the whole cut in your mind before you start and work out the flight path of the bar/chain if there is a kick-back. Then try to avoid having any body parts in that path… it’s a slightly time-consuming process but time very well spent IMO.

I also spent a bit of time practising kick-back, that is to say, deliberately experiencing it in a controlled way so I know what it feels like and how it occurs. Search youtube, there are plenty of examples of how to do it safely with the minimum amount of risk.

We’ve had a fella attacking a tree stump that had grown through some chain link on the boundary of our garden this week as part of a general sorting out bloody dicey work IMO, Rather him than me…

TBH if I can’t cut it back with a hand saw and an axe then it’s time to call a tree surgeon.

Some good advice from folk on here regarding chainsaw use, for the occasional (ie – non professional/regular) chainsaw user always proceed with the “worst possible scenario” in the forefront of your mind, especially with regard to the position of your stance when you carry out a felling/brashing manoeuvre. When clearing fallen trees that are reliant on each other for support (triangulation) unless you are supremely confidant in what you are doing then leave it to the experts. I’ve been messing about with chainsaws for 30 years and still take a moment to do a mental “1-2-3 -> my exit” when i consider it more than a simple clear-felling manoeuvre.

I’ve read some safety stuff…

I am a middle aged man

Either one or the other maybe; but both, no way! 😉

Mrs FD deals with the injuries when chainsaws go wrong, she cant understand why anyone other than a pro would use one.

same goes for home trampolines.

When I bought mine the instruction booklet had

“Accidents with chainsaws are seldom trivial”

emblazoned across the front. Best H&S advice I’ve ever read.

BTW, if you’re going to be chopping the wood up, get a saw bench.

I’ve taken it back and bought a bow saw instead. It’ll take longer, but at least I’ll not end up dismembered

I bought a stand similar to this one when I bought my chainsaw. Makes the work much quicker and with that cover there isn’t the danger of the saw blades kicking back into you.

If James is still alive, then anyone can use a chainsaw!
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZCD-Mu-ZXQ[/video]