We are burning the very last of our firewood right now. Someone was going to come over yesterday and cut some more for us, but didn't. the logs are in a deck felled, seasoned, and ready to cut. The chainsaw is sharpened and has it's gas and oil mixed up and ready to go. I have never started one before, could someone please tell me how, and maybe what precautions to take with it. I can split wood as well as most men, and I know I can run this saw if I can get some simple instructions. Thank you.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), January 31, 2001

Answers

Rebekah first be Very careful!! Ours you need to prime, should have a small rubber looking bubble on the side push that 2or3 x's,hold the safty handle and the machine handle at the same time{the safty on ours looks just like the handle its what stops the chain saw if you slip}.,pull the cord may take a few tries,i some times prim after 2'x if it wont start. Becareful not to flood it. My husband holds the saw when he starts it i leave it on the ground.Watch out to make sure you are ready if the saw kicks back while cutting it scared the s--- out of me the first time. good luck

-- renee oneill{md.} (oneillsr@home.com), January 31, 2001.

Rule number one---BE CAREFUL! Wear safety glasses.

Starting. You should be able to "lock" the gas trigger into fully open by depressing the trigger and then depressing the "button" on top of the trigger handle to lock it in the fully open position. Set the saw on a firm base. Pull out the choke and make sure the shut-off switch is in the ON position. Hold the saw down FIRMLY with one hand and pull the start rope as quickly as you can with the other. You'll probably have to do this a couple or a few times until the saw fires. When the saw fires shut the choke off. Its ok if the saw shuts off between the time it first fires and the time you open the choke. Just pull the rope and the saw should start.

Cutting: Since you're a rookie make sure you have firm even footing and a clear workspace. Set the log to be cut perpendicular on top of another log to keep the cut log off the ground. You might have to keep one foot on the log being cut to prevent it from rolling. This will help to keep the chain sharper, longer. Hold the saw FIRMLY with both hands and cut with the bottom of the saw bar. If you cut with the top of the bar you run the risk of the saw kicking back. You should be good to go. Rules number two thru ten BE CAREFUL!

Good luck!

-- john leake (natlivent@pcpros.net), January 31, 2001.

Okay, I brought it into the house to give it a closer look. It's a Stihl, and has a lever to the left of the handle that indicates three positions, stop, start, and choke. The handle has two long buttons on it, one above, and one below. The one below looks more like a trigger. This must be the lever that makes the saw cut?

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), January 31, 2001.

The instructions given above for starting a chainsaw are good. Depends on your chainsaw of course. Mine has a place where I can put my foot to hold it while I pull the starter. My chainsaw has starting instructions on it...look on yours. First and foremost wear safety glasses. Leather gloves are good too especially when you are first starting out. Heavy work boots are also a good idea. Get someone to show you how to adjust the slack in your chain...you don't want it to get too loose. When you are cutting you don't want the chain to ever hit the ground so I usually cut nearly all the way through and then turn the log over after I have made all my cuts on top and then it just takes a second to sever the small portion left. I won't tell you about felling since you said they are all down on the ground. One thing that a lumberman pointed out to me is if you see a blue streak in the wood there is some metal in it so watch out. Let the saw do the work...don't try to force it through the wood. Sometimes a slight rocking motion is helpful when you are cutting tough wood. You'll do just fine....I'm out in the woods 5 out of 7 days usually cutting wood. My husband doesn't know how to operate a chainsaw so he does the splitting. Sawing and splitting is certainly something a woman can do competently and safely.

-- Amanda in Mo (aseley@townsqr.com), January 31, 2001.

Rebekah, you pull the choke out, pull the pull rope. The saw should start. Soon as it starts push the choke back in or it will die. Then your ready to go. I have a small stihl, 16" bar and have cut wood for many years. Yes women can do it! When your cutting be sure to keep your feet spread appart. So if you slip the saw won't get them. Have fun.!

-- Linda (hesscat@cot.net), January 31, 2001.

Rebekah,first get yourself some kevlar chaps, they are expensive ($50) but they are worth it. I have cut wood for 25 years without them but I ran into two different men this week who are like me and both had cut their legs hospital bad. Then, I read on here in the archives about a homesteader thet cut his artery and bled to death and his son found him. Cuttin' wood is not a big deal but safety should be the foremost thing on your mind. Gary

-- Gary in Alabama (gmattox@integrity.com), January 31, 2001.

Rebekah, and anyone else who would try to learn chainsawing by asking for advice: please do not even THINK ABOUT tryiing to learn to use a chain saw by reading our posts. These machines are VERY DANGEROUS! Many experienced operators get mained or killed every year.

I recommend that you get someone who is very experienced to teach you how AND do as much reading as possible. I suggest contacting OSHA (the Oregon agency which deals with worker safety.) They publish, or at least used to publish, a book which outlines a whole slough of dangers you are likely to experience.

I'll give you some examples: Kickback (do you know what causes it?--even a very strong man cannot control kickback unless it's a small saw.

Barber chair: do you know what this is, and how to prevent it? There are some trees even experienced fallers will avoid whenever possible, because they are an invitation to "barber chair", with horrible potential for death to the faller.

Widow maker: do you know how MANY different kinds of widow makers there are, how to spot them, and how to avoid making a widow (or perhaps a "widower" in your case)?

Do you know enough to pay attention to the bar tip? Do you know that the bar tip is one of the most important things to pay attention to when bucking a log? That it can cause explosively rapid kickback whenever it touches something on the other side of whatever you're bucking?

Do you know enough not to "drop start" a chainsaw?

I could go on, but I assume you get my drift. To begin chainsawing without THOROUGH knowledge is like asking folks on this forum to tell you how to navigate a schooner from here to Antarctica--it's just too dangerous and complicated.

When I learned firefighting techniques, years ago, there was a training film, in which several loggers (ex loggers, actually) were interviewed. These loggers were all missing limbs or, in some cases, had humongous scars running vertically up their faces. These were the survivors. Others didn't live to tell their tales.

I'm not trying to scare you with all this. I'm trying to scare the shit out of you. I hope I do so.

-- jumpoffjoe (jumpoff@echoweeb.net), January 31, 2001.

I'm 100% with jumpoffjoe on this one. I have complete confidence that you can handle the saw once taught, but chainsaw use is not an on line subject.

One of the tree cutting dangers mentioned by joj, killed my grandfather. His primary source of income was from timber, so even though he was experienced it got the better of him. This did pre-date chainsaws.

From the posts I read, I didn't see anyone mentioning the on/off switch, or the chain brake. While you said the saw had the oil/gas mix in it, you didn't mention the chain oil. It needs it too.

You wrote, "This must be the lever that makes the saw cut?" When the chain brake is off, the chain runs any time there is sufficient engine speed since it operates via a centrifugal clutch.

To learn to use the saw properly I would suggest that you ask a local tree trimmer to show you the use of your saw. Since they are professionals, they should have a good handle on safety. You might also get a bonus of free firewood from time to time through this contact.

Once you are shown the use of the saw, get a feel of the power of it by opening up the throttle of it while holding it in the air. Be prepared as the torque will move the saw around pretty good.

Above all, be safe. Good luck.

-- Notforprint (Not@thekeyboard.com), January 31, 2001.

Rebekah, if you've never ever used a saw before DON'T try to teach yourself. Wait until you can get someone who can teach you to use AND maintain the saw, as there are just too many little "gotcha's" that WILL get you and either damage your saw or hurt / kill you if you don't watch for them. I know it looks fairly straight forward and easy, but so does driving a stick shift until you try it for the first time...

-- Eric in TN (eric_m_stone@yahoo.com), January 31, 2001.

I would have to second it ! Don't do it .But if that is your only heat source and your a mom you are cutting wood as I write this .I hoping everthing went well and be carefull .

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@slic.com), January 31, 2001.

All good adivce - especially getting hands on (to keep them that way) training from a seasoned user.

Go to their site: http://www.stihlusa.com/manuals/

And you'll get some info on your saw from the horses mouth.

Willy

-- Willy Allen (willyallen2@yahoo.com), January 31, 2001.

Rebeka, Chain saws are relativly easy to use (ONCE TAUGHT).And real work savers.I'm amazed at how good some of the above posts were at telling you how to start a chain saw.They did better than I could.Country siders are very independent people and assume that if you want to learn how to start saw,then you have already made up your mind and done the risk asessment and don't need to hear the pros and cons of using it.Nothing wrong with that approach.Please don't assume that I am being judgmental or critical to anyone.All the answers I read were good ones.Learning how to start a chain saw and use it,is the difference between learning how to drive a stick shift car and actually driving it.DON"T ATTEMPT IT WITH OUT INSTRUCTION!!!!!!! I do understand the situation you are in and need wood before you freeze up but please use a hand saw or bow saw to get you through until someone can teach you to use a chain saw.If it is possible call a local small engine repair shop,chainsaw dealer or saw mill and explain your situation.You are a woman that relies on wood for heat and need instruction on how to use your chainsaw.You would be surprized I think at how many people you called would come over or tell you to come on down and they would teach you.(People that use them know how easy it is to get maimed by these things)Hell,Rebekah if you live a days drive or less from me I'll come over and teach you.It really is that important.I live near Harrisburg Pa..e-mail me for more details if I can help.Chain saws are one of those machines that are very unforgiving of mistakes.Find another wood cutting option until you can get some instruction.AND PLEASE REPOST OR REPLY TO THE BOARD.WE ARE GOING TO WORRY ABOUT YOU UNTIL WE KNOW HOW YOU RESOLVED THIS. Good Luck Greg

-- Greg (gsmith@tricountyi.net), January 31, 2001.

The above should have read "learning how to START a car and actully driving it" oops!

-- Greg (gsmith@tricountyi.net), January 31, 2001.

Thank you all for your responses. I was just finished bucking the log to be cut and ready to try to start the saw when some good friends happened to come by. The man worked in a lumbermill for most of his life and knows a lot about saws, so he showed me a lot about it. It turned out that this saw is hard to start and quits all the time, so I was gad he could cut the wood for me. But I am still going to try to get some experience with it, as I don't want to end up in a predicament like this, unprepared, again. I will get someone in person to teach me, keeping in mind what you have all shared.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), January 31, 2001.

Wheew, Rebekah, I'm so glad your friends came over. I can sympathize with you needing the wood, but I've personally seen someone who was an EXPERT with a chain saw, and got hit with a kickback when sawing over his head (ok, I didn't say he was brilliant)He lived, and now has a permanent scar across his face. I, too need to learn to use the saw we have, but even tho few things scare me, I haven't been brave enough to try it yet. Good luck and please be careful! Jan

-- Jan in CO (Janice12@aol.com), January 31, 2001.

Rebekah, I'm so glad your friend stopped by! What everyone has said about chainsaws being dangerous is SO VERY true! I hope your friend can come back and do a little more teaching. You can do this for yourself! But you need to get proper instruction and it takes more than just one lesson to get it. I have lots of experience using them, but still (and always will) have a healthy respect for them and a bit of nervousness. A person who's a little nervous will be hurt less often than one who's not. If you're very nervous or not nervous at all, you will get hurt, so get enough instruction so that you feel confident using one, but not over confident. Chainsaws can and will maim and kill you. I think it was JumpOffJoe that said, "I don't mean to frighten you, I mean to scare the $hit out of you!" You need to be scared until you learn.

My 46 year old husband has cut wood since he was 13, his father before him did the same, etc., and we have our own firewood business. Even with all that experience, Kenny (Hubby) still has close calls. He has some big chainsaws (sizes 3.0 & 3.7 horsepower) that I don't like running. I can carry a 50 lb. sack of horse feed around without breaking a sweat, but there's NO WAY I'll use that 3.7 horsepower chainsaw! I have my own smaller ones (all are around 2.0 horsepower). What size is yours? You can do just as much with a smaller saw, it'll just take a bit longer. BUT you'll still have all your extremities and a pretty face.

One thing that did help me is to replace the 16" bar and chain with a 14". First of all, it helps me to not be tempted to cut massive logs. But most of all, those extra two inches sticking out there get caught on SO MUCH MORE stuff while I'm cutting and, yes, that is the main cause of kickbacks. You still have the same cutting power, it's just a lot safer. Putting a shorter bar/chain on is the first thing that Kenny (Hubby) does when he gets a new saw whether for himself or me.

I read your post to Kenny and he wanted me to tell you these things: Definitely get proper instruction, please. These things are dangerous so you need to really know what you're doing. He said, "Tell her about the other day when I was out there with my new Husqvarna and cut a chunk out of my leg!" His wound was only about 4" long and just past deep enough to draw blood, but that's still too much! Even with all of his experience, he still has a close call like that about once a year and he admits it's because he's not watching what he's doing at that moment. I don't want to imagine what that cut on his leg would be like if his reflexes hadn't been honed by 30+ years of using a chainsaw. If you can afford them, the leather britches someone mentioned are a good idea. If you can't, then PLEASE always wear blue jeans atleast! (And tough boots!) The blue jeans will (hopefully ~ maybe) atleast stop the saw before it completely severs your leg. Always keep an eye on where the tip of your bar/chain is going and don't ever use the tip for cutting! The tip catching on things while you're cutting is what causes a LOT of kickbacks. Don't ever cut anything that's above your head. It's great that your logs are already on the ground! Kenny fells the tree first before he cuts on it. Felling a tree is something that you really have to learn by watching an experienced person for quite a while. Like someone already mentioned, there are signs in each tree that tell you which way it'll go (usually!) and you have to be really good at knowing how to recognize those signs and being aware of what's in the way when it falls. Kenny's so good at it that he can make a tree that is leaning due north fall due south within 5 feet of where he said it would go, but he still gets surprised every now and again. He knows that that can happen, so plans for that just in case so he is only surprised and not shocked. Keep your chain tightened properly. There's more to it than just putting it on, pulling it tight and wrenching some bolts ~ you can get it too tight, not around the sprocket right, etc. Have someone show you this, then practice taking it completely off and putting it back on a couple times while they're there. Keep the log that you're cutting snug against the base of your saw just under where the chain goes into the saw body. This makes it loads easier to handle the saw.

Some tips from me: If you have a man teach you, remember this: Most men have the endearing habit of jumping in and helping a "damsel in distress", so after they've shown you what to do you have to tell them to keep their hands off and let you do it while they're teaching you. You HAVE to learn for yourself and can only learn by doing it, not watching it done. When a friend was teaching me, I had to put his hands in his back pockets and tell him to leave them there. ;-) I understand that my teacher just wanted to help me, but I had to tell him (and still have to tell Kenny sometimes) that he won't always be around to help me, so the best way he can be my "knight in shining armor" is to let me do it now while he's here so I can learn. When you're cutting anything, make sure that your face and head aren't in line with the bar and chain. Tilt your head and shoulders to one side a bit so if the saw kicks back it'll go to one side instead of splitting your skull. I cringe every time I see someone looking straight down on top of their saw chain while they're cutting something! Don't tilt your head and shoulders too far or you won't have good control of your saw. Just a little bit off to one side is plenty. Stop cutting every now and again and look around you. So many times I've been so into cutting that I don't notice that someone is walking up behind me. I mean, you can't hear a thing while that saw is running! Getting a scare while running a chainsaw is NOT a good thing. Get a new saw if you can. My second saw was a 2.0 Craftsman that a friend gave me for Christmas ~ got it on sale for $109. It's 5 years old and still running great. My friend gave it to me because my only source of heat was wood and I had an OLD McCullogh that I came close to hurting myself with many times, usually when trying to start it. And don't ever loan it to anyone! Besides just maybe breaking it, they may tighten the chain more than you like it or set the idle up a bit higher and forget to tell you. When you go to use it, you'll be surprised and, again, surprises are not good when using a saw. When I first got my "new" Craftsman, I kept my old McCullough and would loan it if anyone asked for one. If they wanted to use my Craftsman, I explained to them that if anything happened to it I couldn't cut wood and would freeze, so I was sorry, but no. If they were that hard up, I would go cut wood for them while they hauled it, but they were NOT going to use my Craftsman. I can't emphasize this enough. Keep your chain sharp. It takes a bit to learn how to sharpen a chain properly by hand, but it makes all the difference! A sharp chain is much less likely to kick back. There are lots of places that sharpen your chains for you, but I would advise against having them do it. They use machines to do it and the process shortens the life of your chain ~ not only do they take a LOT off of each chain tooth, but sharpening it that way heats up the teeth and makes them brittle. Get some good files (both round for the teeth and flat for the guides ~ your "teacher" will show you what these are). Getting a file guide is a good idea, too. Once you get the hang of it, it's really not that hard and it'll save money. Have your teacher show you how to take your saw apart and clean it. Also how to mix the gas/oil properly and keep the chain oil level full. This will avoid many problems and extend the life of your saw, bar and chain. Don't use your saw when you're alone if at all possible. Even just having a kid standing by with instructions on how and when to call 911 is a great idea. If you HAVE to cut wood when you're alone, drag the wood up close to your house and have the phone at arm's reach. If I have to cut alone, I take my cordless phone with me now, but before I got it I bought a 50' phone line and put my regular phone outside with me. And 911 is #1 on speed dial! Don't have any loose clothing or loose long hair that can get caught in the saw. Make sure you shirttails are tucked in and your coat/jacket is zipped up ~ tie those strings at the bottom of your jacket if they're there or cut them off. My hair is down to my butt and I don't EVER use a chainsaw unless I put it all up in a bun on top of my head. Kenny's hair is pretty long, too, so he keeps it in a pony tail or braid AND tucked inside his shirt.

I'm sorry this is so long, but I sure would hate for you to get hurt. I've been where you are now. When I read your posts, I could tell that you have some spunk just like me and I know that you can do this. And what a feeling of empowerment when you cut a pile of wood and see it sitting next to your fireplace which is already full of burning wood you've cut! Just be safe, get some instruction and you'll never be cold again!

-- Wingnut (wingnut@moment.net), February 01, 2001.

Rebekah, I am so glad jumpoffjoe and others CAUTIONED about safety. I've only used a chainsaw a few times, and my brother taught me how to use our chainsaw after his accident. He's very experienced but he had one kickback on him and it caught him in the throat. If he'd been alone he would have been dead within minutes. Luckily a coworker was right there, called on cellular and a medic happened to be on the island and was there within 5 minutes. The Lord wasn't ready for my brother that day and he was truly blessed!

On the other hand, my husband gets upset with me when we wants to go alone to our land in the country, cut fallen trees, etc. and I have a fit. He's blind in one eye. Says I'm too protective of him--go figure, somebody has to! Maybe I am overly cautious, but I like the "buddy system" in the event of an emergency when using any potentially dangerous equipment.

-- Marsha (CaprisMaa@aol.com), February 01, 2001.

Rebekah; I can't agree more with the cautions of safety above. I would add that you need to check the idle. It should be set so that the chain will not move when the saw is idling. I have a nice scar on my thigh where I let the bar down while clearing branches with my free hand. The saw was idling and the chain was free wheeling. Get some chaps, steel toed boots and hard hat. Wear well fitting leather gloves. Always handle a saw with respect. A newer well designed saw will have a kickback brake. The forward handle is connected to a device that locks the chain if there is a sudden kickback.

Never try to cut logs in a deck. While standing at one end, pry the logs off and roll them away from the pile. Cutting in a pile can be very dangerous. Invest in or borrow a peavy. It's a heavy wood shaft with a pointed metal end and a curved hook. It's used for rolling logs easily.

When starting your saw, place in on the ground with the chain on a piece of wood. Set the choke and throttle and with one toe on the rear handle and your left hand on the forward handle, pull the cord until it starts. Then quickly release the choke and rev the engine.

While cutting, always keep a steady, balanced stance. It's okay to kneel on one knee to prevent back strain, but always keep the saw in front and slightly to your right, so that your face is out of line with the bar. Cut two thirds to three quarters through the log from one end to the other about every 18 inches, or however long you want your firewood, then roll the log over and finish the cuts. Never cut into the ground or you'll rapidly ruin the chain.

Make sure the chain tension is properly adjusted. With the saw OFF, pull the chain up away from the bar. The togs that run in the groove should just barely clear the bar. If the chain is too loose it can fly off the bar and could cause injury. If too tight, it will bind up and damage the saw. If the saw is not a self oiler, remember to press the oiler periodically to keep the chain lubricated. Always fill the chain oil reservoir when filling the gas.

Be safe!

-- Skip Walton (sundaycreek@gnrac.net), February 06, 2001.

One safety suggestion I did not see so far in this thread is to always wear a hard hat. This is not to protect agains falling "Widow- makers" but in case of kickback. If the tip of the saw does dig into something, despite all your precautions, the bar will be flung back and up. The chain break, if there, may stop the chain, or be stopping it, by the time it gets close to your head. That's where the hardhad comes in. Hopefully, the bar and chain will bounce off it. It's cheap insurance against a potentially devastating accident. Most of the recent owner's manuals I have seen strongly recommend a hardhat.

-- Martin Boraas (boraas@miliserv.net), February 10, 2001.