Any chainsaw enthusiast out there?

[Wood_workur]

Just don't plunge cut, or the saw will kick back instantly, at about 100 mph.

[thiggy]

I still have my first, an old McCulloch, with a 16" bar which is great for limbing. My main saw is about a 20 year-old Stihl 028, still going strong. Last year after Katrina, I had lots of Pecan trees to cut up, so I purchased a new Stihl 280 on speculation, in case the old one gave up the ghost, and I didn't have time to get stuck with "down time". This was the closest to my old 028 now manufactured. (Actually, I ended up not needing to use the new saw till this spring.)

[TheRic]

Years ago I was told:

A chainsaw is the most dangerous piece of equipment that does not require a license to operate.

Have not been able to disprove that advice yet.

[germdoc]

Years ago I was told:

A chainsaw is the most dangerous piece of equipment that does not require a license to operate.

Have not been able to disprove that advice yet.

I was going to suggest the fair member of our species, but then I remembered that I'm still on my learner's permit where women are concerned.

Re' chainsaws-- I have a Husqvarna 345 which I like a lot. I would recommend an electric chain saw sharpener--either Dremel attachment or 12-volt battery operated--as you will quickly realize how fast the chain will dull if you're doing a lot of cutting and the difference a sharp chain makes. I got a file and jig which you can have if you like--hand sharpening is a PITA.

Echo (NPI) the above re' safety equipment--eyes, ears and legs. I've had 2 professionial arborists crush their ankles when a tree fell their way unexpectedly, so use caution.

[Warren]

I touch up the chain and check the depth guages every evening. It only takes about 2 minutes to touch up the cutters with a file. I find the electric sharpeners take too much material, too fast. If I'm putting in a full day with the saw I dress the cutters when I stop for lunch or whenever the saw starts to take the path of least resistance instead of cutting straight.

As I said earlier, I keep two chains handy. One is for cutting close to the dirt. I usually start the season with a new chain, last season's becoming the dirt chain. The bar gets flipped every couple of weeks, but it gets checked each evening after use.

The saw gets used about 10 hours a week until fall and then it jumps to 20 hours or so when I start bucking for firewood. That's where the electric saw earns it's keep.

[Stick]

Me, I have two Husky 365S's with 22" bars and an ancient John Deere made by Remington with a 16" bar and no safety features whatsoever. I cut 25-30 cords a year of maple. Only use the JD saw for limbing now. LOML is deathly scared of it and for good reason. I fell the trees and limb and she skids them out of the bush and bucks them up.

Lots of good advice here already. keep the chain sharp and use good quality oil.

Be careful!

[tobinsdad]

Wear a helmet! Always cut with a buddy!

I echo most of what's been said about safety gear with a particular emphasis on wearing a helmet. I got one with my latest Stihl. It has a built-in face protection screen and ear muffs. And it clamps on my head securely with a knob at the back of the head band. The helmet has often protected my head when I have been working around felled trees--you can get a nasty gash without a helmet just by standing up under an overhead branch. You can buy such a helmet from a Stihl dealer. I have also seen similar helmets in Home Depot with the other orange chainsaw label on them. I think they are $35-$45.

One time I was up in a tree (not recommended for newbies) cutting off some of the branches. From somewhere above me, a large dead branch fell directly on my head because of the tree shaking while I cut. Because of the helmet, I just kept on cutting. If I had not been wearing the helmet, I might not have lived to be telling this story!

Another valuable lesson is never cut alone--always have a buddy with you. Not only do many hands make light work, but if you do get injured, you will have someone to go for help or apply first aid. And in spite of your efforts to prevent it, you will experience having a branch pinch your bar so hard that you can't remove it without assistance. Pick your buddy carefully though--you want someone sober-minded with some wood cutting experience ideally. And if he also has a saw and a truck (or a splitter for the big logs!) so much the better.