How the General Public Uses Chainsaws

[ArsenalDon]

You wait, there is someone out there dumb enough .....

awesome

 

[ArsenalDon]

chaps will be on my buy list

saved my life, literally. make sure they are Kevlar

 

[ArsenalDon]

FYI: I'm about to start working on a huge pile of stuff that needs bucked. I have a big 25" saw, with a brand new SHARP chain, it has no break, I have no gloves, no helmet, no ear protection, no chaps, this is my first time using a chainsaw, and I am a very weak and un-coordinated person.

Quick! Draw up a quick will and leave your saw to me when you die?!?!

 

[MasterMech]

Kevlar chaps WILL stop a chain saw...trust me, I owe my leg to kevlar chaps. way back when my neighbor lent me his, talked me into them, I got a pair and a week later was limbing and bucking and whooops, slipped off a limb and straight to where my femoral artery is, chaps probably saved my life and my leg for sure.

Was it an electric powered saw? Electric saws put out waaaaay more torque than a gas powered saw. Easy to stop a gas engine in it's tracks, no so much with electric.

 

[ArsenalDon]

never used an electric one, so maybe that is so....couldn't say

 

[charly]

I use full chisel and have never had a noticeable kickback, certainly nothing like that, now my main saw is 50cc Makita and probably 30% down on sea level performance due to the altitude. I would have to be leaning over with a loose hold, using the tip of the bar by the look of it etc etc.

I googled kickback and the first photo was of a neck injury, so a helmet would be no use.

Ear muffs, well my chainsaw is not that noisy and I prefer to be more aware of what is happening around me. I also would not have it on full blast all the time, I do not mill.

In the situation with the bar hitting the helmet,,, the cutter had been bucking up a tree laying on some spring poles,, when the section of log was cut through it released a spring pole sending the bar back at the cutter hitting his helmet... I'll keep wearing my safety gear as I have seen it save people's lives,,, one person being hit in the head with a widow maker just needing stitches instead of a coffin.. I've never been hurt in 30 years of cutting and I don't plan on it now,,, plus I can still hear and see.

 

[schlot]

As far as ppe - I leave my eye protection on all the time unless I'm taking a break. Had plenty of closes calls with branches to the eyes as I limbed with my axe or even dragging bucked pieces out of an area with other trees.

 

[smokeater]

I would never argue the use of personal protection equipment (PPE), but sometimes common sense and good ole experience can trump the necessity of too much of it. I generally always wear ear protection, gloves and eye protection if I am using any sort of loud cutting equipment. I've been using my chainsaw for 30+ years and have yet to try on a pair of chaps. I will tell you that years ago I nicked my thigh once with the chainsaw, but again, that was due to lack of common sense on my part, I just wasn't focusing enough. I was just standing and looking at where I was going to make my next cut and let the spinning saw rest on my thigh. STUPID!
It's my personal choice not to wear chaps, not because I don't think they are a good idea, they are. But because I feel comfortable now that I can avoid making the same mistake, and I only cut a certain amount of wood every year so I'm willing to accept the low risk. If I was using my saw everyday, I'd probably change my mind.
I do make sure I wear ear and eye protection though, because there is simply no way to avoid the harm that loud equipment with flying bits of wood and sawdust does to your eyes and ears. That is where the common sense comes in.
Wearing chaps is like wearing a seat belt, is it smart to wear them? You bet! Do I always wear a seat belt? I usually do when I'm in my car (it's the law after all),,,,,,,, but I don't when I'm riding my motorcycle.

Disclaimer (Kids, don't try this at home)

I agree,common sense is the number one safety rule.If someone wants to cut wood without wearing every piece of safety equipment known to man then that is thier business.

 

[Flatbedford]

Maybe because I'm in the hearing business, Audiologist, try and wear hearing protection.
When you're 70 or 80 it will come back and bite you. Hearing aids are very small nowadays
but pretty expensive

70 or 80? I'm 42 and after 20+ years working on stages and fabrication shops in the entertainment industry I'm already having issues. I wear hearing protection all the time now, but it seems the damage is done. Loud just plain hurts now. Protect your ears!