I was thinking exactly the same, common for the long bar west coast guys to do that, rest the bar on a fallen log and hold the handle/throttle in the right hand and use the left to give her a tug. Wouldn't advise it with a short bar high cc saw, but with a 28"+ it works goodly.
Drop Start, no, yes, when, never.
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Colt Marlington
ArboristSite Guru
I wasn't talking about the act of drop starting.From the way it has been described, I have "Drop Started" my saws, and never felt like I was risking injury drop or any other way of starting them, and I have been doing it for more than 40 years
Doug
It's the ops bad shoulders that started the thread.
Where does it end? Cars on the road are FAR, FAR more dangerous than trees along the road...why not keep those away too. How about dogs and cats? Any dog can bite, cats can scratch and spread disease. Do we eliminate all of those too? The Camp Fire was started by faulty power lines...that destroyed over 18000 structures. Let's legislate against power lines.
It is good to evaluate trees for risk, but to say any tree within striking distance should be removed seems extremely excessive, costly, and leads to the loss of benefits.
In most states:
*if the tree poses danger that a "reasonable" person would recognize, than the owner of the tree is already liable for the damage
*if a qualified expert is on site and documents actual risk beyond what a "reasonable" person may recognize, the owner could also be held liable
*if the tree is determined to not pose any abnormal risks, than the owner cannot be held liable
windthrown
361 Junkie
I drop start all my saws. Always have. Learned that way on my dad's Homelite. Every contractor, sawyer, logger, faller and tree butcher that have I worked with has drop started their saws. Every sales and shop guy in the shops I have been to have drop started saws.
Saws were and are actually DESIGNED to be drop started. Period. Stating a saw with your foot in the back handle will put you off-balance and you will have far less leverage to pull the starter in that position, which IMO is far LESS SAFE. I do not care what the OSHA people say or you weenies that start saws the OSHA way say. And forget holding the saw between your knees... man, talk about unsafe. Been using chainsaws since I was about 10. I am 62 now. Right hand top handle, left hand starter. Always have, always will.
Saws were and are actually DESIGNED to be drop started. Period. Stating a saw with your foot in the back handle will put you off-balance and you will have far less leverage to pull the starter in that position, which IMO is far LESS SAFE. I do not care what the OSHA people say or you weenies that start saws the OSHA way say. And forget holding the saw between your knees... man, talk about unsafe. Been using chainsaws since I was about 10. I am 62 now. Right hand top handle, left hand starter. Always have, always will.
Your points are very valid.
I liked the part about getting off balance by placing a toe in the handle. When I tried that I thought about what would happen if I fell on that chain. Between your knees, ouch, thats scary.
My left shoulder is about back to normal. It's been 18 months now. Right shoulder will be a year 01/03/20.
Still having some problems but today I started a chainsaw with no pain. 72 and still going. In about 10 more years I'll probably sell out and move. Some place where I can ride my bicycle all around. Maybe Belieze. Thought about Mexico but my daughter that lives there for the past 12 years thinks the crime is to bad. May stay in the states. I'm kinda used to carrying a Pistol and USA is about the only place gun friendly. The Gun Haters don't realize if you open carry you seldom need to shoot. Bullies look see old Smith and Wesson and walk on. Conseled carry means the gun comes out after the trouble starts. Then the snakes have no clue. I get a few cotton mouths a year. We have Bears and Wild Hogs but Rabid Coyotes and Racoons are more likely. My brother and I had 3 Raccoons running Straight for us. I got one. He got two. The last one was 6 feet from me and about to jump at my head when he was dropped. After that I stopped carrying a single shot. I'd feel naked without my semiautomatic pistol.
But this is a Chainsaw Group so I'm going to get back on track. Had no problems starting my saw today. Gonna be flush cutting stumps now that it's nice and cool. Stump grinder drive wheel 5 inch pulley wallowed out the keyway. Always something needs to be done. Good day
What does that even mean? that cars on roads are not dangerous? or that power lines cannot cause problems?
I don't claim to know LA law, but a quick search found this (which sounds like most other states i am aware of):
Under Louisiana law, a tree owner is not liable simply because his tree falls and damages another’s property. Rather, someone seeking recovery for such damage must prove that the tree’s owner knew or should have known that the tree was diseased or otherwise “defective.” A tree owner is not under a general duty to become a professional arborist in order to diagnose a non-apparent defective condition of an apparently healthy tree. He must, however, take appropriate steps to evaluate the tree’s condition and to prevent damage through ordinary maintenance.
source
Exactly. But a healthy tree tall enough to fall on a mobile home and LEANING, a so called Natural LEAN can't be CUT even on the line by EITHER PARTY without the written and notorized permission.
I have stopped dropping trees for anyone within 10 feet of a property line.
Here most trees are blown over by Western or South Western winds. Occasioally by North winds. In this location most smart people will a TALL tree leaning Over the line but growing on the line is a legal nightmare. The winds blow trees over locally (N.W Louisiana) every storm.
Power Lines get downed. We have some pretty hefty winds and very tall trees. Some not as big around as others. Some willowy swaying like crazy. I like trees but dangerous trees got that way because home owners allowed it. On my property I have some beautiful trees. I topped them and pruned them. If I were not so old there are more Id be trimming about mid February. There are two or three I can top standing in my tractor bucket. I may get the courage to top, rather than Drop a few nice oaks. Trees and property lines are serious problems. High Voltage lines and Trees are too. In fact I long for the day technology removes all high wires. It'd be great if we all had Generators at each resident. Something quiet, cheap to operate and practical. My brother has one. Runs on Propane. Turns 1800 rpm not 3600. Supplies power to his entire home. Back up power. Automatic switch. His lights blink then he's on the Generator. Still not practical for everyday. My Generator is duel fuel, Electric start. Runs mostly on Propane. With the increase in storm severity Generators make good sense. Storms are predicted to be getting more severe. I've got a very tall badly leaning Gum tree on schedule. Bull rope, tackle and tractor to keep it off a building. No climbing. Yes, I can attach the 3/4 double braid nylon line without climbing. Most of us can. Its easier when the leaves fall off. Good luck.
pschaefer
ArboristSite Lurker
I agree. I hold top handle as well and always drop start. I really think the only reason they say to not do it in the manuals is liability on the company if someone gets cut while drop starting. I could see if folks are holding it by the rear handle drop starting where that could be dangerous on larger saws especially.
I've found that light saws are more trouble for me to drop start. Jsered or husky 357, and another brand 2 weekend's ago. 1st start choked on the ground of 661c, after drop start with enough weight to be stable drop starting after. About the same on my 72cc Stihls. The light saws haven't enough weight for how my Stihls have showed me to do over the years.
