New Chainsaw Training

[easy-lift guy]

Jonesie, You sir are to be commended for being able to provide a proactive learning environment for future and current chain saw owners to be able to have a firm grasp and knowledge of what they are buying and using. Other than your outline for subject matter to cover and including what Gareth and a few others have suggested you are spot on.

I further more suggest that if any video record of this can be had it could prove to be a very valuable sales tool for future customers.

I wish you all the best, I am confident that you will make this an annual event for years to come.

easy-lift guy

[Mike Hill]

I think it is a very good idea,however I would concentrate more on the actual use of the Saw rather than theory of operation.

 

Learning about Tension and Conpression in Timber is all nice,but thats only dangerous on big stuff and only some of the time.

 

I suggest.

 

Sharpening/Chain Tension/Fueling

 

Correct Body Position when using the Saw,Kick Back and what causes it.

 

Go out and cut some Logs up all day

 

Then Take the Saw apart,see where its dirty,Clutch Cover/Filter/ how to clean it.

 

Go Home.

[Littletree]

Hi Justin I think the course is an excellent idear so many saws are sold to domestic users without any training .a day course would really help give domestic users the basics and at a reasonable cost .

 

All the best littletree:thumbup:

[WorcsWuss]

Thinking about this, a whole day is quite a lot for most people, particularly if it's just for average domestic buyers. I'm not sure that in reality many would take it up.

 

Perhaps a way to get a better uptake [which ultimately is needed to make sure more of your customers live to upgrade!] would be to run it as a short 2 hour intro when they collect their saw.

So, as others have said:

Starting procedure [it amazes me that people still hold the saw loose across their body to start it rather than standing on the tail or sticking it between their legs!]

Cross cutting on the floor [so that they learn not to bury the chain in the floor]

Cross cutting on a saw horse [sell them a saw horse!]

Pruning small limbs from the floor [typical domestic work]

Fell small 'trees' [upto 4 or 6" in diameter].

Chain tensioning / bar set up / mild sharpening [they can come back to you for a proper sharpening & raker file]

Fueling & correct oil use. [How many infrequent users still forget to top up with oil?]

 

You wouldn't need to do this in a stand either, a christmas tree base & some fencing stakes with broomhandles stuck in would offer all the practical training needed.

 

It could be done out the back of the shop and if anyone feels they will be doing anything more involved that that then they should be steered towards CS30 / 31.

 

If it only takes up a couple of hours on site the cost could be brought down, lets say everyone gets a couple of stakes, cost £10 in materials, plus a couple of hours tuition & a tank of fuel & oil, what will the costs be, £45 ish?

 

Plus profit & VAT then, something like £75 isn't a huge amount to a domestic purchaser when they've spent a couple of hundred on a saw. £99 is still a hundred quid however you dress it up!

 

And from a business perspective [very cynical I know] you still have them on site to sell them any accessories they decide might be needed after the initial tuition.

 

Give them a certificate of attendance, job done. They can even bag up and take home their firewood too!

[VTS]

I was trained at Kingswood and the instructors are excellent.

 

I dont think they would allow joe public to walk away with a portfolio of quals. just enough to keep them from loosing limbs or killing folk would be a tick in my box.

 

i agree it is a competetive market but are you really afraid of these people taking work from you.

 

Shep

[likeitorlumpit]

Interesting

Do you envisage giving them a certificate of training at the completion of the day.

What if they are totally crap- do they have to return their saw:thumbup1:

That should be fun dealing with.

Along the lines of- sorry mate - that saw you bought- well- you gotta give it back cos you are useless and may kill yourself!

Good luck Jonsie

Think about the legal side of it if one of them does have an accident- would you be covered- just a thought

[Henk]

Amazing price, don't know how you do it to be honest. I'm sure you will have many punters lining up for an informative course. Might be worth producing a sheet on legal stuff (TPO, SSSI, Countryside and Wildlife act, PUWER etc, dynamic risk assessment etc) boring.... cover your back

H

[Jonesie]

Hi

 

Thanks for the input guys:thumbup:, It will be Kingswood doing the training not me as I'm not insured to. They will get a certificate to say they have attended a days domestic training for use with a saw.

This is not a pro course and is there to give people the basics of using a saw correctly.

[Pete Tattam]

There will always be people who want to save a few quid by DIYing. A guy locally cut his arm off a year or so ago, had no instruction in saw use and was working alone. Had to find a neighbour to help. Fortunately medics were able to re-attach arm and he regained some use of it. A course as suggested here would have likely saved him the injury and the NHS a fortune. Go for it.

[Rob D]

I reckon it's a superb idea Justin. A lot of domestic users shy away at paying to do CS30 but a 1 day course they'd stump up the cash for. At least that gives them some basic knowledge.

 

 

You could book people in as they came in for a saw or if they spent over a certain amount give them a discount off the course.

 

 

A much better proactive approach - I like it a lot