Over the weekend I’ve seem to have inherited a brand new electric corded chainsaw, and it’s sitting in the shed looking a little scary.

I fully intend buying proper PPE gear before use, but how sensible is it using these things without formal training? Two days and £300 for a course feels a little bit overkill for something that I’m only going to use infrequently for processing firewood, but I do like having full use of all my limbs and digits.

I could call upon a friend who’s experienced to give me a dummy’s demo, but would like a view from the collective.

I’m generally happy with a multitude of dangerous DIY type power-tools (circular saws, routers etc)

The main danger is things dropping on your head or rolling over you. So if you’re not cutting down trees it’s no different to any other big bladed tool.

Untrained electric chainsaw user here. All limbs and digits intact after using it for felling 20 or so small trees and cutting it down for firewood or disposal.

A bit of youtube homework to make you aware of the possible dangers, constantly treat it with respect and finally I’d recommend a sawhorse (i have a cheap 15 quid one off ebay) makes it a lot easier.

PPE wise I just use a forestry helmet and decent gloves.

Proper PPE, a massive dose of common sense and a side order of self preservation should see you right for simple firewood prep.

Anything beyond this you should be looking at the training.

The biggest issue is kick back so do some research on this.

Chap in his 30’s was killed a couple of miles away from me the other week while dealing with a fallen tree – he was a fully qualified tree surgeon.

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/chainsaw-safety

I went with a course

Untrained chainswaw user since about 40 years and still got my limbs.

The important thing is mindfulness – think everything through, don’t let your mind wander and recognise when you’re getting tired.

The best bit of advice I got was how to hold it so when it kicks back the blade doesn’t hit your face (ie, hold it to your side).

I am sure there are loads of YouTube vids showing best practice.

Aha…. [video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlEZbiPLoXA[/video]

Thanks peeps. I think a bit of youtube and a chat with my buddy with suffice then.

johndoh – Member

The best bit of advice I got was how to hold it so when it kicks back the blade doesn’t hit your face ..

…or your balls.

I am sure there are loads of YouTube vids showing best practice.

Yeah, as I posted on the thread above there are some pretty good and very detailed videos on Youtube by Husqvarna, stihl and the Canadian Forestry Commision. Certainly better than nothing and probably good for helping to decide whether training is desirable or essential for the tasks in hand.

You can get one-day courses that involve a mix of safety, use and (simple) maintenance. Not one of the formal qualifications. I found it useful and am glad I went on it. Even with youtube etc a bit of hands-on training under a watchful eye is worth having. A couple of non-obvious (to me) points were very helpful.

I completed training through a College course, it taught me the safety side of things but also how to maintain a chain saw to ensure the critical safety aspects works. Most it all it taught be to always respect the chainsaw. As said previously:
Get full PPE
Stop when your getting tired
Know the safety features
Learn how to keep the chain sharp and oiled

I went on to work with a tree surgeon, very experienced etc but who almost lost his hand when the saw slipped. Only takes one incident that can result in life chaining consequences.

Definitely recomend a sawhorse, make sure you know how to tension and sharpen the chain and keep it topped up with oil.

Everything already said. I lent mine to a bloke at work a few days ago. Be careful I said, wear these goggles I said.

He is still off work thanks to a rogue chip of wood that lodged itself in his eye.

I lent mine to a bloke at work a few days ago.

It’s the one thing my father in law won’t lend to me (or anyone else for that matter) – he either comes up and uses it himself or (more recently as he’s getting on) oversees me as I use it.

All I know is never take chainsaw advice from a one-legged tree surgeon… 🙂

I nearly cut my knee in half, got away woth only some stitches… Treat it with respect

Worth bearing in mind there are more chainsaw injuries requiring hospital treatment in the USA than there are gun deaths there. So I suppose it’s not such a coincidence that I know one person who had to drive themselves one-armed to hospital having had a chainsaw accident, and also one (different!) person who survived a gun massacre.

(the former hadn’t entirely severed his arm, just badly cut it due to kick-back off a buried nail, I think)

Treat it like it wants to hurt you – use the chain brake whenever you’re not cutting, don’t move with it “live”, don’t force it to cut anything, don’t reach to cut anything, don’t use your foot, hand, knee or anything else to steady what you’re cutting, don’t cut anything if you’re not standing on the ground with somewhere safe to move in a hurry if you need to, work out what happens when you cut through something before you do it, be happy to walk away from anything you’re not sure about and pay a professional to do it. Other than that have fun!

As above. Think about where it will go if it kicks back, and keep away from there. Always put the brake on even if you move one foot, you’ll likely being using it somewhere with stuff all over the ground, so don’t risk tripping over something. Get some chainsaw trousers. Keep it below shoulder height. Think about the tension in the trunk, which could result in the saw being trapped.

I grew up spending a lot of time on a family farm driving tractors, moving large animals around etc etc (they sold it when I was 15 so was pretty young for all of this) the only things that I was ever told not to use because they are too dangerous was the shotgun and the chainsaw…

I work in A&E and I’ve seen too many chainsaw injuries to ever want to risk one. I spent £100 on a PPE kit from eBay and watched a load of chainsaw safety videos on youtube. No injuries so far but I am very careful, always watch how I am cutting and don’t do it for too long at a time. thepurist above looks like he has good advice.

I’ve got a good saw table but you could build one from pallets in a couple of minutes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waxfOrAjWvE

the only things that I was ever told not to use because they are too dangerous was the shotgun and the chainsaw…

A tractor has a number of ways it can kill you dead very quickly indeed.

So does a 1 ton bull 😆

Did they let you drive the bull?
😉

Having witnessed a trained and experienced operator lose his arm to one in a very brief lapse of judgement, I personally would never touch one. He bled so much that some of it even made its way inside the sealed supplies in the first aid box.

As a domestic saw it will have a lot of extra safety features that aren’t so obvious, pointed bar to reduce kickback zone, more rakers in the chain than teeth and electric saws tend to stop as soon as you release the trigger.

Everything else covered above really, as long as your mate can explain kickback zones and the safe place of the bar for cutting. All you need is to respect how it can go wrong and be comfortable with that.

km79 – Member

Having witnessed a trained and experienced operator lose his arm to one in a very brief lapse of judgement, I personally would never touch one.

Well don’t leave us in suspense, what happened?

Someone above mentioned maintenance. You may not think it that important for a electric saw but knowing how to keep the brake, bar and chain in good nick is essential. A blunt or badly sharpened chain is dangerous. Take your time and learn how to sharpen them properly and make sure you have plenty of new spare ones while you learn.

Before you pull the trigger ask yourself what would happen if someone came and gave you a shove. Would you fall over? If so move until you’re stable.

Oh and use an RCD..

I normally just go silent when this question is asked here as the stw view on trying m training is strong. However this thread is clearly in twilight-stw and therefore I’ll add my voice… Get the ppe (chaos, foresters helmet, gloves and boots), read the stihl or husqvarna manuals on safety/use, or watch the videos. Be very switched on and you’ll be safe.

I’ll second the know what kickback is, how to cut to avoid it and always be aware of the nose of the bar, know how to hold the saw to cope (not just sideways so it swings and missed you, but left hand firmly on the handle, thumb round it, both hands firmly on fire that matter, can and arms straight ideally). You’ll not always manage it, but be aware of you are cutting in a different position and therefore more at risk. Hold it safely though and you’ll not get hit even if it does kick back….I’d not be so confident with a more powerful saw and a short bar mind, but an ickle electric you’ll cope.
Also second use the brake, no short cuts. Use it, ALWAYS.
Learn how to hold it safely If you walk with it, so if you trip you don’t fall on the bar, the cutters are nasty even if not moving (so brake on, hills saw with bar behind you, saw in left hand down beside you is safest)

You’ll see these things in the safety videos.

Remember, the chain is moving at something like 20+m/s and has sharp chisels every couple of inches.. stay very aware of where the bar is at all times

Two electric chainsaws here but only used to cut small trees. We have a number of self seeded cherry trees that go mad if not kept down but trunks no more than 6″ thick at most. I tend to use the extending one the most as the chain is about 6 feet away.

Just be careful.

Damn, please excuse the auto correct typos

Get the ppe (chaos, foresters helmet, gloves and boots

Chaos- OMG!!!!

I do a lot of hours with a saw in various domestic gardens every year and still feel the fear! Had a very tricky 35ft multi stem conifer to cut down last week that could have gone so wrong but it all came together in the end.

For processing logs… get a sawhorse, never cut a log that might roll back toward you, use the near end of the chain with the bumper spikes against the logs. Steel toes, chainsaw xhaps2, gloves and goggles.

Xhaps…. I’m not the only struggler with that word!

I think feeling the fear is a safe way to be…. Out at least, to be awake and respect the saw, not complacent. I feel the heart rate increase and get very mindful when I get one out!

I recently changed from using goggles to a full helmet with visor….. Much better.

Agree. If felling you need a lid but even for bucking I wear a helmet. They can get warm but you need good eye protection and I always struggle with misting up specs, you need ear muffs or plugs too and the helmet gives those plus it gives a teenie bit more protection from kick back (in the event the brake works you still don’t want to be hit in the face by a bar full of chisels, the hard peeked helmet will give a little protection).

Xhaps2 = chaps, damn blurry eyes and smartphones.

I use a petzl vent with ears and mesh visor, but for stopping woodchips in the eyes goggles are much better.

I’m concerned about all these experienced chainsawists having issues with autocorrect.

You guys still have all your fingers, yes? 😀

😆