Chainsaw users---tell the truth.....

ewoss3 · Feb 22, 2002

Maybe I should stop wearing my Kubota hat into his store...... 
Glenmac wear that hat with pride, especially when facing the GREEN HERD

Turtleboy · Feb 22, 2002

Chaps--Always
Helmet with mesh face shield---Always
Ear protection---most of the time

The only time I don't wear ear protection is when someone else is with me. I usually flip up the side away from the chainsaw so I can hear them in the event they see something I don't and need to yell at me.

WHY...some may ask? Well, let me tell you.....I worked as an Firefighter/EMT for 8 years and you can not imagine some of the injuries that result from chainsaws. Not to mention PTO related injuries. The fire dept. was all about safety whenever we used any type of equipment including chainsaws. So it carried over into my personal life. Before the fire dept....never used any protection with saws.

I will admit, the first few times I put all this stuff on I thought "I look like some moron"....but then I thought, at least I'll able to get up the next day not to mention with all my arms, legs, eyes and hearing.

Chaps...$50,
Helmet with face shield and ear protection $50,
Gloves, $15,
Work Boots, $70
The ability to enjoy life in every aspect with your family.......priceless.

Tom_Trees · Feb 22, 2002

I will admit, the first few times I put all this stuff on I thought "I look like some moron"....but then I thought, at least I'll able to get up the next day not to mention with all my arms, legs, eyes and hearing.

Off-topic but related -- High School chemistry class, first lab. I put on my googles (mandated by the instructor - who got his glass eye because he didn't wear his in college). And then the rubber apron. And then the rubber gloves. Lots of strange looks from the rest of the class, with just the googles. Well - green rubber apron, yellow playtex gloves, and I'm 6 foot 4 and weigh about 155 at the time; I imagine it looked pretty wierd. /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif

Three weeks later, half the kids are wearing gloves; the stuff we were working with wouldn't do worse than a second-degree burn, but it left discolored skin, stains, and blisters. And then one of the guys had a test-tube of acid backsplash onto his chest. No injury, but it totaled his rayon shirt. From the next lab on, everyone was wearing rubber or plastic aprons.

Looking wierd and being safe is ever so much better than looking macho and getting hurt.

Tom

Anonymous Poster · Feb 23, 2002

I wear the works - chaps, helmet with ear protection and drop down visor, and I try to at least wear steel toe boots. I bought a "farm boss" stihl chain saw recently, and have cutting up a lot of deadwood on a steep hillside. I think the most dangerous part of it is if you get a little tired out or winded and don't notice you're not as steady on the grade as you are fresh - never had an accident, but can see how they could happen - so be careful and get the chaps and helmet, chainsaws are unpredictable.

frank_f15 · Feb 23, 2002

AGREE: the first time i used a weedwacker(many, many,many years back) i did not have any eye protection on. a stone, wood chip, i really don't know came up and caught me on the side of the eye, did not really do any damage , but hurt like hell and scared the devil out of me. never fire up any power equipt. without at least eye protection.

Anonymous Poster · Mar 16, 2002

Thanks for this discussion...I'm getting ready to buy my first chainsaw...and frankly....only looked at the safety equipment. I may be a greenhorn, but after reading these posts, I guarantee that I will be a greenhorn in FULL SAFETY GEAR, without fail. Thanks again for educating and waking me up!

HILLBILLYMAN

mikim · Mar 16, 2002

I've owned and been a steady weekend user for 20 years. I nicked my knee once - a few stitches only - lucky - but now I wear at least the chaps and eye protection - should go the whole hog as stated by others -
mike

Anonymous Poster · Mar 31, 2002

Former USFS forester/wildland firefighter rated at Class C faller, meaning up to and including the largest redwoods/Port Orford cedar/Doug fir...

I wear ALL of it.. every time. I now live in the southern USA, and believe me, I lose a quart of water every day I wear it all, sawing in July or August.. even WITH hearing protection I have a small hearing loss in my right ear.

Bottom line? Wear it.. or have GREAT insurance for your widow and children. I've seen the cuts from saws.. usually big Stihls or the fast running Huskys... you'll bleed to death in minutes. The main thing to keep in mind, is that uncontrollable kickback rarely happens when you are falling a tree, or bucking it up for firewood.. but limbing, or cutting stumps below 14" makes up about 60% of kickback situations. I've dropped cedars 200 foot tall and ten foot in diamter, humboldt cut, with hydraulic jack pushing, and not a problem.

However, when I cut brush on my own place... I spend MORE time making sure what I am cutting, looking for what my bull bar (for brush) could hit, than I do, making all cuts to drop a 200' tree. Why? Because thats when accidents happen.

Another thing.. please please... have EVERYONE who might be watching, spectating, applauding, stand at LEAST 2 1/2 tree lengths away from the base of the tree you are falling. All it takes is one perfect cut.. and you hit a dead snag, it goes over and hits someone.

In the Yellowstone and Montana fires of 1988 (remember ?) there was ONE fatality. Dead snag came down on top of a guy..

Stay safe..

gordon · Apr 1, 2002

That post says it all. Wear it no if's ands or buts. Oh not just buy it and leave it setting on the truck seat looking cool---WEAR IT.

I run huskys and at that rpm without chaps I don't think I would last even a few minutes with a good gash.

It only takes a second to happen (kickback) but you could be paying for it for years, that is if you live to tell about it.

Here are a couple of sites that deal with chainsaws.

This first one is a forestry forum and deals with not only chainsaws but bandmills, circle mills, general forestry. Very well rounded site. Also check out the forestry links and the knowledge base some great information.

http://www.osha-slc.gov/SLTC/logging_advisor/mainpage.html

When it comes to safety gear---buy it---wear it---live to tell your kids about it. Being macho with a chainsaw is just plain DUMB. It's one of the most dangerous tools you can put your hands on.

Saw safe and smart, remember if you start getting tired your more apt to make a mistake with the saw. That mistake could kill ya!
Gordon

dmccarty · Apr 1, 2002

Gordon and KPP,

Lets talk kickback please.

If you have read any of my posts you know I'm very concerned with
safety, especially chainsaw safety. I have chaps, "steel" toed boots,
a helmet with ear and face protection and I wear eye protection as
well. I work alone as if it would really make a difference if I had an
accident with the chainsaw.

I have a Sthil 046 which is the third most "powerful" chainsaw that
Sthil makes. I mentioning what I use because it might have something
to do with my experiences....

I get kickback, had one or two this weekend, but its no big deal. So did
I REALLY have kickback or is it my imagination. Kickback, at least in my
mind has been this uncontrolable movement of the saw back into the
operator. Is it really uncontrolable? I was sawing up some trees that
had been blown down in the past huricanes. They were up to 24 inches
or so in size. As I was cutting, I had to make multiple cuts on the tree
to try to relieve pressure if you know what I'm saying. The trunk was
off the ground help up by the root ball and the end of the tree. So as
I would cut down the trunk the gap would pinch and I would have to use
wedges. A couple of times the tip of the bar would get pinched in the
gap and it would kick back out. I certainly was not running at full
throttle but it was not idling either. But controlling the saw was not
difficult.

Is kickback really uncontrollable? BTW, don't think I'm trying to
minimize kickback, I'm not. I just want to make sure that I know
what I'm seeing! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

I always and I mean ALWAYS wear my safety gear. I don't care what
time of year it is, what the outside temps are, if you are working a
chainsaw you are going to sweat. So wear the gear. Better to loose
water than blood......

And if you are tired. Stop. The tree ain't going anywhere. I got my
bar pinched by a tree on Saturday. It was at the end of a long chainsaw,
maybe an hour to hour and a half. I think I was mentally gone and cut
just a bit to far and the saw was pinned. So stop if you are close to
being tired......

Later....
Dan McCarty