"A chain saw is the most dangerous hand tool that can be purchased on the open market. It requires no license and no training to own or operate. Approximately 40,000 injuries and deaths were reported last year in the United States...and most could have been prevented."
- Carl Smith in a statement from his basic chain saw course
Smith has a personal business that trains chain saw operators for timber companies and is also in the process of writing a book on this subject as well as making a video . Contact Carl Smith at backcut6@msn.com
Q: Carl, welcome to Forestry at About.com. Your biography certainly indicates a lot of forestry experience
and I couldn't have picked a better person on the subject of chain saws. You are an expert in handling chain saws and I want to ask you a few questions.
Carl Smith: Thanks for the invite and I will be glad to help you with this.
Q: As a forester, I have seen what a chain saw can do to a careless user. How dangerous is a chain saw?
Carl Smith: If you place your hands on a chain saw, you must keep in mind that it is like grabbing a hand grenade without a pin in it. It is very likely to go off in your face. From the moment that you take it out of storage to the time that it goes back to the same place, you can be hurt by either it, or by whatever you will be cutting.
The chain saw is the most dangerous hand tool that can be purchased on the open market. It requires no license and no training to own or operate it. An overall average of 40,000 injuries and deaths occur annually in the US. This figure is just the "reported" accidents given by hospitals willing or able to furnish the information. That figure does not include out-patient visits to the doctor.
Most chain saw accidents are preventable. The only answer to reducing these accidents is proper training and knowledge with a lot of time using a saw - which is experience. You can gain experience the hard way and have the scars to prove it or you can do a little preventative reading.
Q: That's what we are trying to provide here.
Seems that chain saws are very dangerous if not used properly. That may carry over to the type saw you purchase. What type of saw would you choose if you were safety aware and wanted to make your first purchase?
Carl Smith: The chain saw that you purchase should be of the correct size for the jobs that you intend to do. To use a chain saw with a 36" bar for cutting 10" diameter trees is not appropriate. Conversely, a 10" bar is not appropriate for cutting 36" diameter trees. Many options must be considered before the purchase of a chain saw: horsepower, chain speed, bar length, weight, type of handle bar, type of bar, type of chain, etc...
Unfortunately, all chain saws are made for right-handed people. By using a "full wrap" handle bar, this will help out the left-handed operators to some extent. Your local chain saw dealer should have the ability to let you know what is right for your needs. Explain to them what you will be using the chain saw for. Chain saws can be purchased at your local hardware stores, large discount stores, or a chain saw dealer.
The best place to purchase this piece of equipment is a chain saw dealer, due to warranty work. Hardware stores and discount chains will not uphold a warranty while the chain saw dealers will if purchased from them. If you decide to use the classifieds, friends, or swap meets to purchase a chain saw, get the same information from your dealer beforehand. Also, purchase a book on proper chain saw use and techniques for cutting trees. This will help save your life or someone who will be with you.
Q: OK, what brand of saw would you recommend?
Carl Smith: There are many brands of chain saws available on the open market and as with everything else, some are better than others. Keep in mind that some retail stores such as Sears have various manufacturers build their saws for them and then put their own name on them, like Craftsman. If you want cheap and inexpensive saws, go to Wal-mart or K-mart and purchase a Homelite, McCullogh or Poulan but remember the warning about warranty work.
I will not mention all of the brands available as I have not used them all. My personal recommendations go to Stihl and Husqvarna. They are both excellent chain saws and will last a long time, given proper maintenance. They are excellently engineered pieces of equipment for their weight to power/chain speed ratio. The Stihls require metric tools and the Husqvarnas do not. The Husqvarnas are also easier to work on, if you ever have to.
Q: Storage is important if you want to extend the life of a saw. What is the proper way to put up a saw.
Carl Smith: After you have used your chain saw, proper storage procedures must be followed if it is not going to be used for a while. The gas to oil mixture must be drained from the saw's tank. If this is not done, the gas mixture will eventually turn into a varnish and will plug up the carburetor. The engine will not operate properly, if at all and a trip to the repair shop will be unavoidable. A chain and bar cover or guard should also be used to protect the chain and anything that the chain may come in contact with. Some of the smaller chain saws have a case that can be purchased, for this purpose.
Q: In my limited experience, a dull saw chain is completely worthless. I would go a bit further and suggest it can be dangerous as well. Got a few words on this?
Carl Smith: Yes. Keep the chain sharp at all times. You will be able to tell the difference between good clean chips versus powder. When a chain becomes dulled, it will not cut straight - if at all. Keep it out of the dirt at all times. Avoid rocks, nails, wire, etc... and after every third hand filing, the chain should be sharpened on a grinder, to true up the cutters, rakers and gullets.
Q: Safety is the main concern when training saw operators to use their equipment. When you saw safely, you are properly cutting the tree with the appropriate technique and tools. What are the essential pieces of equipment you need for safety sake?
Carl Smith: My students are constantly drilled that the following items be used while operating a chain saw: A hard hat, protective leg chaps, gloves, eye protection, hearing protection and "above the ankle" leather boots. Other necessary tools and supplies should include wedges, ax, large hatchet or maul, properly mixed fuel, bar oil, bar wrench, chain file with protective handle, small screwdriver with magnetic head, minor maintenance tools and a first aid kit.
If this side bind is present, your bucking cut procedure must be modified in order to release the bind before proceeding. Side bind is usually due to the fact that the downed tree is pressed up tightly against another object - another tree, a stump or a rock. When making your release cut, anticipate what both sections will do. If you feel that you cannot safely release the bind, use a piece of equipment to move the tree. Your life is more important than a piece of wood.
The following steps are necessary for bucking. You need to "size-up" correctly. Assume the correct stance, stand on the uphill side of the tree, place both hands correctly on the chain saw, and determine tree diameter vs. bar length relationship. If bar is shorter than diameter of tree, make an "off-side bucking" cut before starting. This is a vertical "bucking" cut on the opposite side of the tree from where you are standing. This will allow the bar of your saw to cut completely through the tree when the finish "bucking" cuts are made.
You need to determine type of bind present and where your "bucking" cuts will be made. Combinations of these types of bind are common. This must be kept in mind at all times.
Q: Limbing has always been easier than bucking for me. I seem to have a sixth sense for it. Still, give us some information on taking limbs off trees.
Carl Smith: "Size-up" again is a term that must be applied before making any cut with a chain saw - and that includes limbing. You must look at what might happen in reaction to your cutting. Observe the limb to be cut. Which way is it leaning? Is it under pressure? Where is the center of gravity? Which limb should be cut first and in what order, from there on? What will it do after it has been cut? Do you have the correct stance? Where are your feet and legs in relation to the position of the bar and chain? What will happen to the bar and chain after the material has been cut? All of these questions must be answered before a cut is started.
Normally, when limbing a downed or a standing tree, you will start at the butt of the tree, with the bar and chain next to the trunk. Start cutting the limb from top to bottom , using gravity as a tool. If the limb is extremely long, you may elect to cut it at the half way point of the branches length. If it is extremely large in diameter or heavy, a small cut on the bottom of the limb will help keep it from splitting when the top cut is made. Care must be taken as this method can cause the bar/chain to become pinched if the bottom cut is made too deeply.
If a limb is under pressure (touching t
he ground or another object), extreme care must be taken when any cuts are made. Usually, reversing the above procedure is the accepted method. Depending on how you place your cuts, the bar/chain can become pinched, the released limb can spring back at you. Kickback can occur forcing the bar/chain back towards you.
Some people prefer to limb one side of the downed tree first and then the other. If you are walking down the top of the tree, while limbing, never cross your feet . Always keep the correct stance, as balance is most important. Falling off of a downed tree while limbing with a running chain saw can cause a condition called "stitches at the hospital".
Steve Nix: Thanks Carl for more great information. We will wind this thing up next week when we talk about cutting down a standing tree.
- Carl and I have discussed how hard it is describing the process and hazards of felling , limbing, and bucking a tree. There is a lot of technique and art to felling and preparing logs that has to be done many times to get the true feel. Please feel free to contact Carl by e-mail at backcut@msn.com if you have questions.
Great advice on proper construction site safety for handling chain saws!
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