Chainsaw

So, you've purchased your new chainsaw after doing a little market research and are happy that your hard earned cash has been well spent. If you bought your saw from a local store you may have received a brief run through of how to use your new chainsaw. On the other hand, you could have ordered your chainsaw online, in which case, if you have never used a chainsaw before, you will not be familiar with chainsaw safety or how to get the best performance from your new purchase. In this article we will try to talk you through the basics of using your chainsaw in a safe and efficient manner, ensuring that with a little practice, you become confident and competent at carrying out a range of domestic tasks.

Lets assume you that you bought your new chainsaw to prepare firewood for the winter months and that logging will be your main occupation when using the saw. If you have not already done so, it is advisable to purchase a good quality sawhorse to hold timber in place whilst it is being logged. Before you even commence work, think about your working environment and where best to locate yourself and your tools. Ideally, a clear, flat space with at least 5 meters of clearance in all directions will be best, and don't forget to inform others of where you are or what you will be doing.

It is imperative that you read fully the instruction manual that is provided with your chainsaw. Some manufacturers will even provide a chainsaw safety video or DVD; watch this as well. With your new saw on a bench or table in front of you, familiarise yourself with all of the controls, in particular the safety controls that are there to prevent accidents from happening. All saws from different manufacturers will vary but most will have the following safety features, whether the chainsaw is electric or petrol:

At the bottom of the saw there is a small metal bar running under the chain, this is the chain catcher. It is there to catch the chain in the event that it either breaks or derails.

Along the bottom of the rear handle you will notice a wide, flat guard. This guard is designed to protect your right hand should the chain break or derail. It is also used when starting the chainsaw, allowing you to place your foot across the guard whilst pulling the recoil rope to turn over the engine. A vitally important safety feature on your chainsaw is the chain brake. It is the lever located in front of the top handle and is activated either manually by pushing it forwards or by inertial forces that are the result of dangerous kickback, encountered when the top half of the chainsaw bar nose (the kickback zone) makes contact with something unexpectedly, forcing the chainsaw upwards and backwards.

An odd question you might think when you are about to use a chainsaw but one that you need to spare a little thought over. Chainsaw safety clothing is vitally important in protecting you should an accident occur. In an ideal world you would be wearing the correct safety gear from top to toe, but this is not always practical or within your budget. At the very least, do make sure that you are wearing clothing that is made from heavy, tough materials and a sturdy pair of boots with a heavy-duty toecap. Gloves should be thick but you must be able to move your fingers freely to operate the chainsaw safety controls properly, and quickly if necessary. However, if you only buy one piece of chainsaw clothing, make sure it is a built-for-purpose chainsaw safety helmet. Facial injuries from chainsaw accidents are often the most severe and a chainsaw helmet will go a long way to preventing anything serious. They are fitted with a face guard and ear defenders and are not always as expensive as people often think. Buy one!

Now that you are familiar with your chainsaw and have the correct safety gear, you can get it started! Before you do, check the chain. On a new saw the chain will be sharp but after a little use it will stretch and slacken. You must become familiar with the chain-tensioning device on your particular saw and learn to how use it. Also of great importance is chain sharpness. You must learn how to use a chainsaw sharpener or file to keep the chain in peak condition, before you use the chainsaw. A few more safety tips are listed below:

Remember to check the safety brake is working properly by squeezing the throttle and applying the brake at the same time, it should stop the chain immediately.

Test the chain lubrication by holding the chainsaw bar over a light coloured surface (e.g. newspaper]. Run the saw, a thin trail of oil should be evident.

If you're not familiar with operating a chainsaw, get some practice in. Start off by cutting some small logs before progressing onto the bigger stuff, and remember, it can be tiring work. Don't try to do everything at once, rather start off in small bursts and gradually increase your working time. Hold the saw firmly on both handles and don't be afraid to keep the chainsaw close to your body. This will provide better balance and also put less strain through your back, as will a wide stance with your feet apart and your knees bent.

Once you are familiar with your saw you can move onto other projects around your property such as tree pruning or construction work. Try to learn how to use both sides of the chainsaw guide bar. You will notice that when you are using the upper edge of the bar, you encounter what is known as a pushing chain, with the chainsaw literally being pushed towards you. The conventional mode of using the bottom edge of the chainsaw bar pulls the saw away from you, known as a pulling chain. Mastering these techniques will provide you with much confidence when using your chainsaw and gradually lessen the time it takes you to complete certain tasks.

Electric chainsaws are generally smaller and more lightweight than their gasoline-powered counterparts. This includes the saw, the flat guide bar that supports the chain, and the motor itself. The fact that they're powered by electricity from an attached cord makes using an extension cord a must.

The primary uses of electric chainsaws include: Light pruning of branches, trimming and cutting (at most), medium-sized limbs from trees. Because electric chainsaws typically vibrate less and have much less of a kickback than gas chainsaws do, you may also find them used in the art of wood carving in workshops.

The maximum blade length for an electric chainsaw is about 16". Though a chainsaw can theoretically cut a tree down that is less than twice the length of the blade by rotating the saw around the tree, bear in mind this may not always be the most practical solution.

Gas chainsaws are the primary type of chainsaws recommended to be used for heavy duty jobs. This includes cleanup of downed limbs after a heavy storm and cutting wood up for firewood. As stated before, typically everything about gas-powered chainsaws is larger than their electric or cordless cousins, thus they're more suited for the large jobs. The fact that gas chainsaws inherently have the capability to be larger also means that the kickback is much larger upon coming into contact with the knotted or hard wood. They're also meant for people who are experienced with logging.

Electric chainsaws are typically much lighter than gas chainsaws. While they do not offer the longest blade length or drive power, they make up for it in mobility and relative ease of use. For the inexperienced logger, or perhaps the logger that doesn't want to have to lug around a larger, cumbersome saw. As you research various chainsaw reviews, you will most likely find that the electric chainsaw is a perfect choice provided it is sufficiently powerful enough to finish the job at hand.

Cordless chainsaws are even more lightweight than electric chainsaws, with the maximum blade length being 4" to 5". Instead of being tethered by a cord, they run on batteries. Each battery gets, on average, 15 to 30 minutes' worth of cutting time. Cordless chainsaws are generally only useful for very light pruning of low-lying branches.

Electric chainsaws are sort of a "middle ground" between gas-powered and cordless chainsaws. For some people, they're simply not powerful enough to chop firewood up nor big enough to cut down entire trees. For other people, they'll swear that electric chainsaws are incredibly easier to handle, due to their lower motor power and therefore decreased amount of kickback, and that they tend to require less chain oil lubricant than their gas counterparts. Most chainsaw reviews describe the electric chainsaw as easy to handle, provided you have a heavy duty extension cord, they can be used for almost anything that a cordless chainsaw can do. In short, they can perform adequately enough to get most of the jobs done that doesn't require heavy duty work.

The CDC reports that roughly 36,000 people make trips to the emergency room each year due to chainsaw related accidents. In order to prevent this from happening to you, there's a few things you should observe when handling electric chainsaws.

First and foremost, always wear the proper chainsaw safety equipment. This includes eye and ear protection, as well as gloves, tight-fitting clothing that won't come loose and get caught in the blade, logging leg chaps, boots, and a hard hat with an optional, but highly advised, protective face guard.

Secondly, make sure to keep your tool in optimal condition and well-maintained. Make sure the cutting chain is sharpened, tensioned, and oiled appropriately. Remember that a chainsaw should be oiled every five to ten minutes of use. It also doesn't hurt to have a second or reserve oiled chain handy.

Third, make sure to maintain a proper grip on your chainsaw. Use both hands and keep both of your feet firmly planted on the ground. Avoid sawing with the tip of the chain and bar because this is where kickback typically occurs. Taking note of all these things will help to keep chainsaw's blade from flying back at you.

Fourth, when using an electric chainsaw, make sure to have it plugged in via a heavy duty extension cord. Minor damage to a lighter duty extension cord in a heavily wooded area or around already felled brush is a good way to start a fire.

Lastly, make sure to be careful when you're felling a tree. When cutting down a tree with a circumference greater than 6", you may want to call in a professional. The reason for this is that in the process of actually cutting the tree down, a tree may appear to lean one way before ultimately falling in another direction. You can take some precautions with rigging and whatnot, but it's still best to play it safe and call in someone who has their expertise in felling. Always read the owners manual and take time to research safety tips provided by professionals.

The electric chainsaw is ideal for the homeowner with a small to medium size yard, considering the need for an extension cord. Many chainsaw owners own an electric chainsaw as a secondary chainsaw for trimming limbs and small branches. Safety is always an important consideration when purchasing an power tool, especially those with the power and cutting action that a chainsaw provides. The electric chainsaw offers convenience and energy efficiency that many other power tools don't provide.

When buying a chainsaw there are several things that one should consider. The most important thing to consider is how will the saw be used? If you are planning on using the saw for general around the home use is one thing, but if you plan on making a living with your new chainsaw is quite another.

There are hundreds of different models of chainsaws made by as many different companies that are for sale in stores all over the world. There are however two brand name chainsaws the tower heads above the rest. Those two are Stihl and Husqvarna each rating about the same in quality and longevity. They are both quite expensive in comparison to some other chainsaws, but if you're shopping for quality you can't go wrong with either of the two chainsaws mentioned above.

Determining who makes the best chainsaw is to say the least a difficult task for obvious reasons. There are as many different uses for a chainsaw as there are chainsaws. If you are buying a chainsaw to work with every day or on a very regular basis then the Stihl or the Husqvarna are definitely recommended. If you are buying a chainsaw for general occasional lite to moderately heavy use the McCullogh, and Poulan chain saws are good for the job.

In a recent pole to see which chainsaw is the best Husqvarna received 41 percent of the votes out of around 3,100, Stihl -came in second with 40 percent of the votes, after that Jonsered received 7 percent, Echo 4 percent and all others a whopping 8 percent. That is not to say that the all others aren't perfectly good chainsaws. You should choose your chainsaw according to your needs.

With any chainsaw that you purchase one of the most important things is maintenance and care. If you don't take proper care of your chainsaw you shouldn't expect it to last for long. What if you never put oil in you lawn mower? It would blow up and it would be you own fault. It works the same way with chainsaws. You take care of them and they will take care of you.

How much your chainsaw weighs and the size of the motor are two more very important things to keep in mind when shopping for a chainsaw. The heavier your chainsaw is the more difficult it will be to handle, so keep it as light weight as possible. Both the Stihl and the Husqvarna chainsaws come in many different weights and sizes.

Safety is another thing to keep in mind when looking to buy a chainsaw. A chainsaw can be very dangerous or even fatal if they are not operated properly. The Stihl chainsaw comes with a safety feature called a, "quick stop" chain brake which will cause the chain to stop turning if kickback occurs. Stihl also has low kickback saw chains and reduced kickback bars.

Stihl isn't the only chainsaw company that offers special safety features on their chainsaws, but all things considered Stihl chainsaws come out on top of the chainsaw pile as number one. Just keep in mind that the number one chainsaw for you is the one that you choose no matter what name brand you choose.

Chainsaws are very useful and yet very dangerous power tools. Did you know that every year, about 4,000 people get injured when using chainsaws? If you want to buy a new chainsaw, you must consider some significant points.

You're probably wondering by now on what to look for in a new chainsaw. Well, firstly, you need to ask yourself if you're going to use the power tool frequently or infrequently. What type of power tool do you need? You can ask a salesperson or any knowledgeable individual who can calculate your needs for you. Oftentimes, people buy infective and too powerful tools which can only lead to disaster. Inexperienced cutters can put their life in danger if they use too powerful chainsaws. You should also know the hazards that are involve in using chainsaws.

Another thing to consider is whether you will opt for electric chainsaw or the gas powered ones. For frequent use, it would be best to opt for gas powered chainsaws. This type of chainsaw is portable and can handle tough or heavy cutting tasks. This type of chainsaw is also available in various sizes.

On the other hand, the electric chainsaws are most suitable for inexperienced cutters. This type is quieter and can handle less frequent cutting tasks. It is also cheaper as compared to gas powered chainsaws. If you simply want to do trimming tasks, this is an excellent choice.

Chainsaws come in different models and brands. So which one are you going to choose? You can ask for referrals from friends or relatives who already have chainsaws at home. You can also conduct your own research online to determine the top seller products. Check out unbiased product reviews on chainsaw so that you will know the best ones in the market. If you shop around locally, the local salespeople may be of great help but just make sure that you get the right chainsaw and don't be swayed by their sweet sales talks. Stick to your budget and get an appropriate chainsaw. You already know some basics about chainsaws; use it to your advantage.

If you are looking to purchase a new chainsaw then we can help you do your research. We have a full list of all the best chainsaw ratings. We review all the top brands of chainsaws like Stihl chain saws, Echo chainsaws and Poulan chainsaws. We can also help you choose whether you want a gas or electric powered chainsaw. Make sure to look at our electric chainsaw reviews to see which one will fit your needs the best and give you what you are looking for.