quixoticgeek

I've been approached for a couple of jobs now where to access the work site (domestic gardens), the only route is through the house (centre terrace).

Is there a decent shredder on the market that will fit through your average front door without taking too much of the paint work off? Doesn't need to be massively meaty.

Any ideas?

J

Does anyone make tree marker spray in pocket sized cans? I'm after something I can stick in my pocket when walking the boundaries of the plot to mark the occasional tree, nothing major.

Any ideas?

Cheers

J

Stihl do a nice kit in a roll as well. File holder is better than oregon IMO.

Please excuse my complete ignorance, but can a Stihl sharpening kit be used with a non Stihl chain or a non Stihl saw?

I haven't yet decided for sure what saw to go for, and would like to avoid a stihl vs husky vs echo debate. How tied in are the accessories like sharpening tools to the make of the saw? Thats a point, do all fuel can spouts fit all makes of saw?

Julia

A couple of things of note:

I am a big fan of the IDF dressings, I carry a pair of them at all times. I find they are considerably better than the "Ambulance dressing" that you find in most COTS first aid kits.

Tourniquets. Yes a chainsaw wound is nasty and will bleed like hell, *BUT* think before putting a tourniquet on a limb. The moment you start to wind that tourniquet you are saying good bye to the limb. Yes there are times when this is the right action to preserve life. But there are times when direct pressure is actually a more effective treatment.

Julia

If I'm out for a walk in some local woods, and spot a nice tree, is there anything in the law that says I can't climb it? Assuming I come down in time for dinner?

Does the legal situation change if I use a rope and harness to get up there?

Julia

When I first started I bought a husqvarna 550 xpg saw with 15 inch bar. Two years later I still think its a great first saw. Light, powerful and fast enough to gain a lot of skill using it. But not to powerful and to fast. Simple Oregon sharpening kit, you'll soon need spare files they wear out fast.

Ok, that explains why the files are sold in packs of 10...

 

A work bench or table of some sort for maintaining the saw and a good size vice helps for learning to sharpen the saw.

I have a little 4" vice in the living room, and a bigger 8" vice in the shed (awaiting a suitable stump). Also have my eye on one of those bar vices you bang into a stump, to hold the bar while you sharpen the saw.

 

Re PPE, good fit is really important. You could easily end up wearing it more than your normal clothes. Type C trousers are a good idea for your first pair. Good boots, you'll almost certainly need some waterproofs. If not high viz bright colours. There are many situations in tree work where the easier you are to be seen the safer you are. Don't forget a personal first aid kit with large dressing. Get in the habit of carrying it all the time at work. Many don't but when you need it for self or others, you need it instantly!

 

Other things like felling levers, tongs etc will depend on the work you get involved with.

I have ordered some class C trousers.

I carry a first aid kit all the time, 1 large, 1 medium dressing on my waist belt at all times.

I already have my FAW ticket (plus some enhanced training).

Julia

Take my grandfather's advice -

If you need it get the best you can afford at the time.

If you want it save till you can afford the best available at the time and it'll last you longer and cost you less in the long run.

If you can do your course and get a chance to use some different gear before getting your own it'll help you decide what you like in brands, size etc.

 

Good luck with it all and post your progress and don't be shy to ask, there a lot on here willing to give good advice.

Aye, also known as the Sam Vimes Theory of Economic Inequality.

Sam Vimes Theory of Economic Injustice - Discworld & Terry Pratchett Wiki

I'd rather spend an extra month or so saving up for something worth having, than buy cheap, and have to buy again.

Julia . Hi bud . Obviously get the right kit for the type of chain you are using . Probably .325 or 3/8 and a flat file if its not in the kit to take the rakers down ( depth gauges ) when they need it.

The kit I linked to includes the flat file.

Julia

Your list is close to what you need but don't do it in that order,if you see a bargain and or you think you need it just buy it,you can never have anough kit, chainsaw first and decide which type will suite you best,if ground work and logging etc get a sthil Ms 260. Very light but powerful. The rest will come along in time. Get looking on e-bay for your felling bars,tongs etc.

Yeah, there is no order to the list, it was as I thought of it. The reason for this thread is so I know what to look for when on ebay or the local arb merchant's.

With the sharpening gear, several of the online arb stores sell "Sharpening kit" like this one:

OREGON SHARPENING STARTER Maintance Kits ((Special Offer)) - Accessories/Lubricants Buy Saw Chain Maintenance Buy UK

Is that all I need to keep my chain in good nick, or do I need other items?

Julia

Am a complete beginner to the arb world. Have started my ABC level 2, and am saving up to get my saw and do my CS30/31. What I am trying to work out is what I need to get to head to the woods. So far my shopping list is:

- Saw

- PPE

- Fuel/Oil cans

- Sharpening equipment (What do I need?)

- Spare chain

- Breaker bar

- First aid kit

- Bag to put tools in.

What are the other essentials for a beginner for light felling/cross cutting?

What's in your sharpening kit?

What are the "It's not essential, but it really makes life easier to have" items?

What did you buy thinking you would need then realise you should have saved your money ?

Cheers

Julia

The Weaver is like bondage and can cut your balls off.

Not a problem I am likely to have, but thanks.

Thank you everyone for your helpful answers, much to think about.

Julia

My thoughts too, hardly any Ash out in leaf around my areas of Kent, none of the ones I have looked at in detail show exterior signs of Chalara.

Down this end of Kent (Canterbury), lots of Ash trees are showing external signs of Chalara. It's very depressing. So many beautiful trees being slowly killed off.

The heart breaking one was finding an infected tree on the bank of a river, knowing at that point that it's going to take out every ash tree down river.

I've stopped reporting infected trees to the forestry commission as they just replied with an email along the lines of "yeah, we know kent has it, nothing we can do there, sorry".

Julia

Brilliant, those are useful numbers.

Thank you.

Julia

Yeah, so if I have 1 cubic meter of say chestnut wood chippings, what ballpark number would you use for it's weight ?

I think I am wording the question badly, I apologise.

J

Random curiosity type question, when you spec out your tipper vehicles/trailers for chippings, what density per cubic meter/yard/foot do you work on for the calculating the capacity?

Thanks

Julia

Four replies, 4 different saws. Me thinks this is a case of:

"What's the best silky saw?"

"Any of them"

I did look at the pocketboy. I have a Bahco laplander, and whilst I have no doubt that the silky pockeyboy will out cut it every time, I can't really justify having two tools that so clearly serve the same area.

Will investigate the suggestions.

Thank you all.

J

I am starting out with my training, going to be doing my CS30/31 shortly. In the mean time I am after my first silky saw. Am after something with a fixed blade rather than a folder.

Which would you recommend?

Thanks

J

Can anyone recommend a Arb gear supplier in East Kent? Am looking for somewhere with a variety of different harnesses and the like that I can try on to see what's most comfortable. Preferably a petzl stockist as well, as I am finding myself oggling the sequoia harness as my top of list preference.

J

might I ask why your looking for a pair of class 3 trousers, normally folk are only looking for this level of protection with BIG saws, or being stuck working on a FC site, I have a pair of class 3 chaps that I purchased in the USA, and I only wear them when I have no choice as there better than a day in a sauna for weight loss....they are heavy...even with braces on them

The honest answer: naivety.

I am at the very beginning of my training. I thought class 3 trousers would be needed as the chainsaw I want has a speed at max power of above 20m/s and a max speed even higher. Therefore, the logic I went through is faster chain == tougher trousers.

However, since asking this question, I have learnt a lot. Just because the saw can do speed X doesn't mean that you need trousers at >X. At least, this is now my understanding. I am more than happy to be told different. Thus a pair of type C class 1 trousers will be perfectly good enough for what I want to do. Unless once again, I have got the wrong end of the stick.

Thanks

Julia

as the cut is different for mens trousers to ladies the only thing is try before you buy. FYI no one makes ladies chainsaw pants as the lower cut waist will not pass the test.

The actual more significant factor of the cut is around the arse and thighs, much more so than any difference in waist line.

J

What is the life of a Arb Harness when used in a commercial setting? I am looking to do my cs38/39 in the coming year, and am curious about the life of the kit.

Thanks

J

Excellent, thank you.

J

Could anyone help me put a name to a couple of knots please?

Knot 1:

Knot 2:

Thanks

Julia

Hi,

I am looking to get myself my first set of chainsaw trousers. Does anyone make a pair of class C trousers that are designed for female chainsaw wielders?

While I am at it, it seems that most places only sell class 1 rated trousers. Is this a problem if I endup with a saw that has a faster top chain speed? If it is, can anyone point me at some class 3 trousers?

Thanks

J