NEW SAW

[Todd]

Well I got the itch today after talking and looking up info on saws. Ran to the local Stihl dealer and couldn't resist, bought the Stihl MS290 WITH 18" bar. I needed an upgrade from my Husky 137. I'll keep the little saw for higher branches and trimming. I get to break in the new saw on some large White Oak logs tomorrow. Cant wait!

 

[Roospike]

There ya go . I always say if your firewood cutting you will need at least 2 chainsaws . I'm sure you have all the proper P.P.E. to use when cutting wood , correct ? Chainsaw chaps , helmet/face shield/ear protection , good quality leather boots (steel toe is a +) and a good night sleep the night before you go cutting .

 

[Todd]

Thanks for caring Roo. I have no chaps yet. But have everything else. Any suggestions on chaps?

 

[BrotherBart]

I use Husqvarna's. Lowes carrys them in season for around fifty bucks. Bailey's On-Line has a good selection of Kevlar chaps for pretty good prices.

(broken link removed)

 

[elkimmeg]

Edited

The most important safty grear is using your head think of what you are doing, There are ways to make your chainsaw experience much safer. I believe the chainsaw can be the most dargerous tool an inexperienced homeowner can opperate.
One of the first things I do is to position spacers, (Other cut splits or logs), under the log I am about to cut. I then cut from the open end back to the first spacer. The impportance of the spacers are two fold one it reduces any binding and kickback situations and two it helps keep the chain from grounding. So it is a heavy tree First look the situation over and trim buck non bound branches first. Completely clear the area of any loose brush and branches you could trip over. Size the situation over you may have to work from the top down. Every tree presents a different configuration and set of circumstances one has to examine to cut up as saftely as possible. One might need a crowbar and use split like lever setup ,to lift the trunk to get that spacer under it. Monitor your cutting chips, a true indication of when the chain is sharp and cutting properly. If the chips become finer to sawdust state you chain is dull you now are exerting more pressure, You just have increased the chances of kickback. Stop the saw and sharpen the chain, don't try to get more cuts out of it.

The point I made before in Humor was not well taken and I was called to the mat for it sorry
I also said experience and thinking the process threw was the most important safety factor. but that fact got missed with a poor attempt of humor. All the safety equipment in the world will not make up for acts of stupidity with a chainsaw.

Never cut with a dull chain
Never cut using excessive force
Never cut in an unsafe enviorment clean up the work area to reduce falls or tripping over things.
Never cut over reaching you lack vital control of that saw doing so.
Aways use two hands on the saw and work in positions where you have the most control of what you are doing
Always plan ahead of what you are about to cut. This is not the time to gamble . If you cannot give total concentration to what you are doing then stop. Accidents happen from distractions where you loose focus.
Always wear proper saftey equipment and gear

 

[BrotherBart]

I use a shark suit chain mail No robo cop suit here just a lot of experience and use think what you are doing Maybe I should wear hockey shin pads well let us know how it cuts My next saw is going to be a u4000 electric Makita I have enought gass one here

Lots of experience here too. Especially the experience of having twenty-three stitches on the outside and ten inside on my left leg when a little four inch ironwood tree fell backward on top of the saw. And dragging my leg out of the woods holding the gap together. And having to drag it around the neighborhood to find somebody to drive me to the emergency room.

Wear chaps.

 

[Roospike]

Thanks for caring Roo. I have no chaps yet. But have everything else. Any suggestions on chaps?

Husqvarna or Stihl dealer , Ebay , local farm store might have them . Our local TSC has all of the Husqvarna PPE . Ye 'ole brotherbart posted a good link . There are front chaps , forestry chaps , full chainsaw pants . I own the front chaps and the forestery chaps , The forestry chaps go all the way around the leg . I like them both for different situations . I would stay with a good brand . Sears has them but are nothing near a good set of chaps .

 

[njtomatoguy]

Lowes has Husquavarna chaps in stock now-- Personally, I have decided that I am not comfortable running a chainsaw without ALL of the safety gear, so will continue using sawzall for cutting-- Lowes does have all the gear, right next to the chainsaws-- Kevlar chaps, hard hat w/ earmuffs and faceshield, etc-- and add to that a pair of good, high steel toe boots--

 

[Sandor]

You guys are starting to make me feel really guilty.

Women got home with the kids yesterday and the 11 year old yells at me for not wearing safety glasses while bucking the last of the free wood. Guess I thought leather gloves, worn out running shoes and cotton shorts were enough. But hey, I do use a hardhat when felling in the woods.

Come to think of it, I may get one of those plastic cup jock straps!

I am the Poster child for unsafe cutting garb.

Congrats on your new saw Todd.

 

[Todd]

BB, that's pretty scary. I will be looking for some chaps this weekend.

I tried the saw out this morning. I had my eye on some free White Oak, but someone beat me to most of it. Still had about a face cord left there and the Stihl cut through like a hot knife through butter. Love it!

 

[Eric Johnson]

It's no joke. You've got BrotherBart bearing witness, speaking in tongues and all that. Time to get religion on chainsaw safety.

Elk, I hope you'll reconsider. Your attitude about chainsaw safety gear really sucks, to be quite honest. If I told you that I'm an experienced wood burner and therefore I don't need a chimney liner or a smoke detector, you'd be the first one to call me out and you wouldn't let up until I saw the light and begged forgiveness. Like you, I have dead friends who ignored fundamental safety rules. They were experienced, too. Just a little too confident in their own experience.

 

[BrotherBart]

And probably the most important thing is never thinking anything you do with a saw is "easy" or routine. I have dropped and bucked-out a bunch of trees in my life. I always maintain a healthy fear of the saw, the tree and all the other factors. One time I didn't.

I screwed up when I had just finished bucking out a huge oak. I turned around and went to just lop off what was left of a small iron wood tree that had been sheared off six or seven feet off the ground by the oak when it blew down. No biggie, no need to notch it, no need to think about it. Just drag the saw through it and push it over. Yeah right. Drug the saw through it and in a heartbeat it fell backwards on top of the saw, which I had pulled out of the cut, and drove it down into my leg. In the literal blink of an eye. It took a while to just realize what had happened.

I never like admitting any of my many screw-ups but if it keeps somebody else from getting hurt, pride be damned.

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

I need a pair of chaps, a declerating chain, not under load, caught my jeans yesterday, not only was it a close call, it was scary. I wear boots, gloves, and a husky helment with earprotection. My greatist fear is a 24" diameter dead pine snaping on the notch, then pile driving me. I use some of those truck bed straps, the 2.5 inch ones to put pressure on the way i want it to fall, on my back cut i hyperfocus on the cut, and watch for it to start to open up, then i get the hell out of dodge.

 

[bruce56bb]

You guys are starting to make me feel really guilty.

Women got home with the kids yesterday and the 11 year old yells at me for not wearing safety glasses while bucking the last of the free wood. Guess I thought leather gloves, worn out running shoes and cotton shorts were enough. But hey, I do use a hardhat when felling in the woods.

another lesson learned the hard way. i'll set the stage, 12 miles from nowhere, alone and cutting up a big storm downed ash tree. had finished sawing for the afternoon and took my safety glasses off, you know the dangerous part was done. began loading the days booty when i came across a log with a stick half broked off towards the end of it. no problem, i pop it on another log and you guessed it, bullseye in the left eye. it took me a few seconds to regain my composure and ehough guts to look at it in the truck mirror, i didnt look to bad from the outside but the only thing i could see from the inside was red. i somehow made the seemingly long drive back to town after having to open and shut the farmers gate and loading the chainsaw.
the eye was saver but still doesnt function properly(from 20/15 to 20/200) and my cornea is still too wavy for a contact to set on.
lesson learned=WEAR YOUR FREAKING SAFETY GLASSES and don't cut alone!

 

[mailman]

It's no joke. You've got BrotherBart bearing witness, speaking in tongues and all that. Time to get religion on chainsaw safety.

Elk, I hope you'll reconsider. Your attitude about chainsaw safety gear really sucks, to be quite honest. If I told you that I'm an experienced wood burner and therefore I don't need a chimney liner or a smoke detector, you'd be the first one to call me out and you wouldn't let up until I saw the light and begged forgiveness. Like you, I have dead friends who ignored fundamental safety rules. They were experienced, too. Just a little too confident in their own experience.

Eric,
I have never at any moment felt more driven to "gear up" and get safe! Thank you! I am about to become a dad for the first time, (September),and wish to be around and "able" to give him the most of me and life has to offer. I always felt that I was capable and that it will never happen to me, but although I have taken my fair share of trees down, no experience and "expertise" can replace good smarts and safety. After reading your post and many others, I believe no amount of safety is too much. A certain amount of money spent on preventative gear towards keeping me safe, alive and healthy is a small price to pay. I applaud you and all who promote a safe environment in the cutting of wood. Thank you !
-Eric (mailman)

 

[Eric Johnson]

Congratulations on your impending fatherhood, Eric. I can't think of a better reason to take care of yourself than the fact that you have others depending on you. It's just like working on ladders--the minute you get too comfortable, you know it's time to refocus on safety.

 

[BrotherBart]

Congratulations on your impending fatherhood, Eric. I can't think of a better reason to take care of yourself than the fact that you have others depending on you. It's just like working on ladders--the minute you get too comfortable, you know it's time to refocus on safety.

Chainsaws, ladders and motorcycles. If ya ain't scared of'em, stay as far away from them as you can get. The minute you get too comfortable with any of them you will get bite marks on your butt.

 

[begreen]

are you talking about machines or wild women?

 

[Mo Heat]

You guys are starting to make me feel really guilty.

Hey Sandor, Don't feel guilty. Don't BE guilty!

Uh... I'll buy some chaps if you do. Next time I'm at Lowes, I'm heading for the chaps isle. What say you?

BTW: Are you one of those guys that thinks a motorcycle helmet is uncool? If so, maybe I should tell some motorcycle horror stories when this thread slows down...

 

[Roospike]

You guys are starting to make me feel really guilty.

Hey Sandor, Don't feel guilty. Don't BE guilty!

Uh... I'll buy some chaps if you do. Next time I'm at Lowes, I'm heading for the chaps isle. What say you?

BTW: Are you one of those guys that thinks a motorcycle helmet is uncool? If so, maybe I should tell some motorcycle horror stories when this thread slows down...

I used to think motorcycle helmets were uncool until i drove by a motorcycle accident on the highway . I changed my mind real quick after that . Now I really know why they call the helmet a "brain bucket"

 

[njtomatoguy]

You guys are starting to make me feel really guilty.

Hey Sandor, Don't feel guilty. Don't BE guilty!

Uh... I'll buy some chaps if you do. Next time I'm at Lowes, I'm heading for the chaps isle. What say you?

BTW: Are you one of those guys that thinks a motorcycle helmet is uncool? If so, maybe I should tell some motorcycle horror stories when this thread slows down...

I used to think motorcycle helmets were uncool until i drove by a motorcycle accident on the highway . I changed my mind real quick after that . Now I really know why they call the helmet a "brain bucket"

Yea, just my 2 cents on this-- My Dad had to go identify the body-- what was left after my cousin was in a motorcycle accident- no one else could do it-so we don't ride motorcycles in this family.

It's not so much that motorcycles are unsafe- it's everyone else on the road..

 

[Sandor]

You guys are starting to make me feel really guilty.

Hey Sandor, Don't feel guilty. Don't BE guilty!

Uh... I'll buy some chaps if you do. Next time I'm at Lowes, I'm heading for the chaps isle. What say you?

BTW: Are you one of those guys that thinks a motorcycle helmet is uncool? If so, maybe I should tell some motorcycle horror stories when this thread slows down...

So Mo, you don't were the chaps either! OK, I need to go to Lowes on Saturday.... I'll head for the chaps isle.

And I do wear a helmet when I ride my HD. A full cover Shoei.... not one of those cool open face deals.

 

[elkimmeg]

No fun getting hit the forehead with a june bug going 60mph

 

[carpniels]

Hi Guys,

I just heard that at Johns Hopkins University Hospital they call motorcycles: DONORCYCLES

Good luck

Carpniels

P.S. I can never ride a motorcycle until I get a divorce. My brother in law killed himself doing 100 mph and hitting a palm tree in FL. Helmet did not help much. And what does my sister in law do: Finds another guy to marry that also rides a motorcycle but only WITHOUT a helmet!! How smart is that???

 

[Todd]

Bought my chaps today at Lowes. $60 for a pair of Huskvarna. Thanks for the tips guys.