Chainsaw advice

[hesperus_woodcraft]

Hi All,

 

New here so please forgive the newbie for any blatant stupidity and poor etiquette.

 

I've had a little experience with a CS before but never enough to start thinking about things too much.

 

Now I find myself wanting to use greenwood for turning and large carvings (Redwood Kings inspired to be honest).

 

I have a few of questions which I would love it if I could get some help with:

 

1. Are there such things as neck and shoulder guards? I did some work with an artist from Seattle years ago who had a leather/composite guard that hung over his shoulders and fastened behind the neck. Just wondering because as a newbie to frequent saw use I want to protect from mistakes as much as possible.

 

2. I have found a saw on ebay from a company called XXX power tools. It's 56cc with a 20" bar. If anyone is aware of I would love some comments. I can't warrant forking out on a top make but don't want a load of rubbish either.

 

3. Most of the times I've used a chainsaw before has been simple crosscuts. Any tips, videos or guides on cutting down the length?

 

Again... sorry for the newbie stuff... just want to get some decent advice before a new adventure begins.

 

Cheers everyone.

 

Rob

[wisewood]

Hi Rob and welcome to the forum.

Not aware of any neck/shoulder guards mate but you can get chainsaw protective jackets. If they are anything like the trousers you will get very hot very quickly.

I would avoid cheap makes of saws, they are difficult to fix when things go wrong, better to get a home owner class of saw from the established names, stihl,husqvarna,echo etc.

Keep your chain sharp and search on YouTube for inspiration :-)

Cheers,

Si

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Arbtalk mobile app

[Ukulian]

As Simon says, get an Echo 310/Stihl 171 or equivalent. It will save you money in the long run. I've got an XXX saw somewhere in the scrap heap!

[TGB]

Proper technique, adherence to H+S and application of 'common' sense will go a long way in protecting you from harm. Don't think of it as, I'm going to have an accident, let's equip myself with neck guards, etc. think more on the lines of, how do I avoid the 'what if' scenario.

 

Don't juggle with chainsaws, know how to avoid kickback and apply that knowledge every time you cut. If you're not going to take chances with your PPE, then don't with your cutting equipment. Get a decent saw; that can be maintained and spare parts reasonably sought when required, thus enabling you to have a safe working saw. Not a potential death trap due to being unable to get a relevant part, which may be safety orientated. Keep the chain sharp is a no brainier - better cutting and safer cutting.

 

Cutting along the grain is most often referred to as 'ripping'. So look for threads with 'ripping' and Alaskan Mill in their title. The Alaskan Mill is a range of jigs designed specifically for milling small quantities of timber and or in inaccessible locations.

 

If you're going to be ripping more wood in future, use of a 'ripping chain' will save you time, money, (you & your saw's energy) and lengthen the longevity of your saw. You don't necessarily need a mill for ripping but it can help if you're regularly doing so. Keep that chain sharp. If you've got a less than sharp cross-cut chain, you can finish off the round by leaning on the saw or levering you way through by use of the dogs, (though of course it's better to have a sharp chain). But a less than sharp ripping chain will get you no further along the cut, waste fuel, oil & time and lessen the life of your saw.

[dervishcarving]

most of the advice has already been said but i would add...start small, a small stihl (ms170 or 180) will set you back around £150 with a 14 inch bar or similar. you dont need much bigger than that for now. as you start going bigger you might want to get more saws but see how you get on first. trawling back through the pages of threads here will save you a load of questions, there cant be many that havent been asked already a few times over the past few years as a beginner (working on smaller pieces) you wont be working above shoulder height (not a good idea anyway) and so learning about kickback and how to avoid it is better than looking for a neck shield. avoid cheep saws, they last hours at best and cost you more in the end. for a small saw i would suggest stihl (as above) as you go larget (as you progress) then husky give you more bang for your buck

[Nick B]

In my opinion you have missed a very important bar off your list the 15" which is standard on a lot of mid range Husqvarna's both of my go to saws run a 15" Bar

 

You May find that mid range Stihls will run 14" or 16" Bars

[hesperus_woodcraft]

Hi All.... and thanks for the feedack. M I wasn't expecting so much so quickly... really appreciate it.

 

Had a conversation with a friend who works for what used to be the forestry commission and I've booked on to a 2 day safe operation course.

 

As for the saw... I've found a 20"Stihl with a local supplier... fully reconditioned and 12 month warranty for £130.... bag, mixer bottle etc included. I am going to pick up a 10" from XXX simply to cover the very little jobs... not much work so should last it's money.

 

Cheers again and I will definitely be looking at the Alaskan mill... perfect for what I'm going to be getting up to. 😀

[Ian G 2]

You would be better off not getting the xxx saw but seeing your dealer about a smaller bar and chain for the saw your are getting will be a lot safer

All best

[Woodcrafter]

If your going to be milling you will need a decent saw mini mill ms260 the bigger mill will need at least a 441 or the the like.

If your chainsaw carving you'd be alright carving the smaller logs with the smaller suggested stihls you'll need some advice on carving bars etc. Rob D on here I've heard is the man for this if you need to purchase.

Watching lots of vids will help. But I strongly recommend a course to learn the basics.

[NFG]

Hi & Bienvenue!

 

I use a 14" bar on my MS250 (45cc) & a 20" on the 365 (70cc) the shorter the bar, the quicker the chain speed & engine will spool up quicker so saw more responsive (or thats how I understand it)

 

I would avoid cheap chainsaws on E-bay there are loads of fakes / poorly manufactured saws which are a rip off at best & dangerous at worst.

 

I have a pair of SIP arm sleeves which are very good, see:

Chainsaw arm protectors | F R Jones and Son

 

Also handy for hedging in summer as it can get very hot here.

 

Enjoy the forum, there are some very good people here.

 

N