any advice for a new saw owner?

[tater1337]

I've been digging out scrap metal from around my newly purchased farmhouse and hauling to the scrap yard and bought a saw

I'm new, so don't laugh, it was on clearance, plus GF got an employee discount.

craftsman 40cc 18" #358.350830

my only research I did was read "barnacle parps chainsaw guide" a free pdf from third world cd (they got pdfs for EVERYTHING) copyright 1977.

I wasn't really looking for a saw, as I had a guy comming over to deal with the trees i didn't want, but he wasn't the brightest of the bunch.

anyway, it is a mini saw, and it only came with the following
chain saw
chain adjustment tool
lil bottle of 2 cycle oil
carrying case(with spots for extra stuff like files)
manual

edit:I have quite a bit of safety gear, but probably have to buy chaps. got air compressor too for blowing junk out of it after use. I only plan on using it at a rate of 1 tree a month,i.e. landscaping not for heating fuel purposes

so what else should i pick up before i start it? the obvious one is chain oil. Parp says I get an extra
bar - i'd like a shorter one, but how to cross reference?
chain
sprocket
spark plug
sharpening tools
wedges

anyone got anything else to add, or an order i should prioritize this list in? I've done some cutting when I was younger, but nothing serious, and I shudder about what i didnt know then that i know now.

 

[mo239]

I'm definetly no expert, but obviously always use fresh mixed gas. Be careful not to get any water in it, small saws can be real sensitive to a little water. I'd say get some safety chaps. I wasn't sure about getting em, but at about $50-60 bucks, its pretty cheap insurance. Steel toed boots, hearing protection, and eye protection are good too. I try not to do any sawing alone either, just in case something were to happen. Keep it sharp should be spitting out nice chips, not dust. Definetly don't take that expert village guy on youtube's advice!

 

[rxe]

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=132715

 

[GeoffM]

I'm definetly no expert, but obviously always use fresh mixed gas. Be careful not to get any water in it, small saws can be real sensitive to a little water. I'd say get some safety chaps. I wasn't sure about getting em, but at about $50-60 bucks, its pretty cheap insurance. Steel toed boots, hearing protection, and eye protection are good too. I try not to do any sawing alone either, just in case something were to happen. Keep it sharp should be spitting out nice chips, not dust. Definetly don't take that expert village guy on youtube's advice!

:agree2: Safety gear is the most important thing and you should get it before you start using that saw.

Geoff.

 

[HorseShoeInFork]

Barnacle Parps Chainsaw Guide

:monkey:

 

[SteveH]

Barnacle Parp's guide, I have a hard-cover copy of that, a bit dated but a decent enough read.

Figure out how to keep the chain tensioned correctly and the air filter clean. Many of us clean the filter at least every day of cutting. Compressed air will do a good job of that, if you have access to a compressor.

Don't purchase more fuel than you will figure on using in a couple months. Fresh fuel prevents many hair-pulling hassles. If you have some older fuel mix, just pour it into an automobile tank or lawn mower, whatever, as the tiny percentage of oil is negligible.

A sharp chain is worth 10 ccs of engine displacement. Touch up the chain regularly, which means learn to sharpen. Good files cost a buck or two apiece or something like that. It is very handy to have an extra chain [sharpened] on hand. If you do much cutting, you will end up with several chains.

When the saw engine is running, treat the saw as you would a gun [assume it is always loaded]. Don't ever reach up overhead to cut a limb or something, I mean ever. You are asking for a cut to your face. Do not set the saw down if the chain is still moving. It can catch on something and jerk and cut your leg or forearm. I think it is even a good policy to keep your eyes on the saw til the chain stops moving [usually only a second or so]. I know, this is common sense, but you would perhaps be surprised at the number of people who need to be told this.

Until you gain experience cutting, if something strikes you as beyond your knowledge or just plain hinky, just don't do it. Cut something else.

Buy and always wear a pair of safety chaps for your legs. At least.

 

[BuddhaKat]

Learn about kickbacks and how to prevent them. A kickback is about as dangerous as it gets with a saw.

If you're going to fell trees, learn how to do that properly too. Nothing more embarrassing than getting killed by a tree that wasn't even doing anything before you started screwing around with it.

 

[jmethodrose]

in my opinion an 18" bar is way to long for any 40cc saw, I'd look at finding at most a 15" and smaller if you can get away with it, depends on what you're cutting.

cheers,
Joe

 

[gwiley]

1. Buy chaps before you run the saw - Bailey's (use link above) is best, also can get them from Lowes in some places.

2. Learn about kickback - it can kill you and you will never be fast enough to dodge it. Best to learn about the kickback zone at the bar tip and learn to hold the saw so that no essential body parts are in the potential path of travel.

3. Buy and read "To Fell a Tree" - the best book I have seen on wood cutting, very thorough - will probably help you live longer.

4. Don't get over confident too soon - plenty of veterans get hurt or killed because they thought they were over the whole chainsaw or multi-ton tree vs. flesh thing.

 

[DSS]

1. Buy chaps before you run the saw - Bailey's (use link above) is best, also can get them from Lowes in some places.

2. Learn about kickback - it can kill you and you will never be fast enough to dodge it. Best to learn about the kickback zone at the bar tip and learn to hold the saw so that no essential body parts are in the potential path of travel.

3. Buy and read "To Fell a Tree" - the best book I have seen on wood cutting, very thorough - will probably help you live longer.

4. Don't get over confident too soon - plenty of veterans get hurt or killed because they thought they were over the whole chainsaw or multi-ton tree vs. flesh thing.

Best post I've read forever.

 

[tater1337]

Learn about kickbacks and how to prevent them. A kickback is about as dangerous as it gets with a saw.

If you're going to fell trees, learn how to do that properly too. Nothing more embarrassing than getting killed by a tree that wasn't even doing anything before you started screwing around with it.

I am aware of the dangers of kickbacks, and it has been one of the reasons i took so long to buy my own saw.

I WILL be felling trees, and thats a whole other nightmare. 80 ft tall, near(ish) power lines. utility wont cut em. rotten on the inside. average of one tree per year falling, with about a third of them hitting the power lines. so old that they no longer provide the windbreak they were planted for. first things first, how to cut wood

 

[DSS]

I am aware of the dangers of kickbacks, and it has been one of the reasons i took so long to buy my own saw.

I WILL be felling trees, and thats a whole other nightmare. 80 ft tall, near(ish) power lines. utility wont cut em. rotten on the inside. average of one tree per year falling, with about a third of them hitting the power lines. so old that they no longer provide the windbreak they were planted for. first things first, how to but wood

Dude, you need to get a professional to knock those trees for you , or the next time we hear about you is going to be in the obituaries.
Don't fool with anything near a powerline. Even if you manage to not get turned into a crispy critter, you will be responsible for any damage you do to the lines.
Get a good tree guy, might even be one on here near you.

 

[BuddhaKat]

I am aware of the dangers of kickbacks, and it has been one of the reasons i took so long to buy my own saw.

I WILL be felling trees, and thats a whole other nightmare. 80 ft tall, near(ish) power lines. utility wont cut em. rotten on the inside. average of one tree per year falling, with about a third of them hitting the power lines. so old that they no longer provide the windbreak they were planted for. first things first, how to but wood

Chills down my spine reading that post. Those are NOT trees for an amateur to be experimenting on. First of all, if you fall a tree into the power lines, you have to pay for the power company to come out and fix it. That repair bill is going to be more than your house.

2nd, Trees with rotten centers are prone to do something called Barber Chair. That's one of the biggest killers of even professional loggers. There are ways to bring these kinds of trees down, but it involves some sophisticated cutting techniques and they are NOT something that you should try.

 

[tater1337]

Chills down my spine reading that post. Those are NOT trees for an amateur to be experimenting on. First of all, if you fall a tree into the power lines, you have to pay for the power company to come out and fix it. That repair bill is going to be more than your house.

2nd, Trees with rotten centers are prone to do something called Barber Chair. That's one of the biggest killers of even professional loggers. There are ways to bring these kinds of trees down, but it involves some sophisticated cutting techniques and they are NOT something that you should try.

good. first off, I complained to the utility company, and they said not to worry, I knock the power lines down, they'll come and hook em back up(note, these lines are the ones that go to my house, not ones going along the road, so I am the only one without power)

second, I dont think they are rotten enough for barberchair-ing. but I do agree with you that it is risky and i will only attempt it when I am fully confident that I can fell them without problems.

considering how cautious I am about chainsaws to begin with. I'll either come up with a bulletproof plan to fell them or I wont do it.

please remember, I am not an expert, and until you have seen the situation, neither are you

 

[DSS]

good. first off, I complained to the utility company, and they said not to worry, I knock the power lines down, they'll come and hook em back up(note, these lines are the ones that go to my house, not ones going along the road, so I am the only one without power)

second, I dont think they are rotten enough for barberchair-ing. but I do agree with you that it is risky and i will only attempt it when I am fully confident that I can fell them without problems.

considering how cautious I am about chainsaws to begin with. I'll either come up with a bulletproof plan to fell them or I wont do it.

please remember, I am not an expert, and until you have seen the situation, neither are you

No - we are not experts. I think Buddacat as well as myself were trying to help you avoid getting your ass in a sling.
You seriously think the power company is going to come out to your house and put wires back up and not charge you ?
What about the side of the house when you pull the mast and the meter, siding, eave,etc all off the side of the house?
Are they going to go inside and repair the panel if you damage it too?
You don't think they are going to barber chair???
Really....based on what???
If it does, and catches you under the chin, launching you and your new saw into the neighbors back yard, will you get some help then??

Good luck with your bulletproof plan.
And next time , if you don't want someones opinion, don't ask

 

[tater1337]

No - we are not experts. I think Buddacat as well as myself were trying to help you avoid getting your ass in a sling.
You seriously think the power company is going to come out to your house and put wires back up and not charge you ?
What about the side of the house when you pull the mast and the meter, siding, eave,etc all off the side of the house?
Are they going to go inside and repair the panel if you damage it too?
You don't think they are going to barber chair???
Really....based on what???
If it does, and catches you under the chin, launching you and your new saw into the neighbors back yard, will you get some help then??

Good luck with your bulletproof plan.
And next time , if you don't want someones opinion, don't ask

A) I didnt ask about felling the trees, like I said, thats a whole other nightmare and i am not even CLOSE to thinking about tackling it.
B) you didnt ask about the location of the power lines in regards to the trees, the meter the poles the siding or anything else. if I posted pics and a layout of the whole setup, I think you'd be removing your foot from your mouth. anyway, see A
C) unless you know what discussion I had with the power company, or what written documentation I got from them regarding liability on their part, you really shouldn't discuss.
D) thanks for wishing me luck, I dont ever intend to need it. I'd rather do things right instead of relying on luck.


I came here to post about what a guy should get when he gets his first chain saw. lets try to keep to that. at this stage I have just finished reading the manual, made up a list of things to get, and will be planning on cutting some wood in the next week(NOT felling trees).

note, not a complete newbie, felled trees before, cut wood, many many years ago, without knowing how dangerous it was. now I do know and it is making me way more consious of the dangers. I am still temped to stay with the axe, which I've been doing for years, but big trees take a while with an axe

 

[jmethodrose]

I am aware of the dangers of kickbacks, and it has been one of the reasons i took so long to buy my own saw.

I WILL be felling trees, and thats a whole other nightmare. 80 ft tall, near(ish) power lines. utility wont cut em. rotten on the inside. average of one tree per year falling, with about a third of them hitting the power lines. so old that they no longer provide the windbreak they were planted for. first things first, how to cut wood

mate, this post is scary. I will freely admit I'm not an expert, but based on your description I would not touch those trees with a ten foot bargepole let alone a 40cc craftsman saw. There are hundreds of possible outcomes here, most of which are expensive and/or dangerous to you, and only a few which could go exactly as planned. My advice would be find an expert, the fact that the power company refuses to touch them should say something? Not meaning to sound patronising, just don't want to hear about you in the injuries/fatalities section.

as is said on here, stay safe!

cheers,
Joe

 

[tater1337]

mate, this post is scary. ......

as is said on here, stay safe!

cheers,
Joe

agreed, but as i said before, a whole other nightmare to worry about. lets stick to the original part of this thread

 

[DSS]

Well , it certainly sounds like you have all the bases covered.
As I said before, good luck.

 

[jmethodrose]

A) I didnt ask about felling the trees, like I said, thats a whole other nightmare and i am not even CLOSE to thinking about tackling it.
B) you didnt ask about the location of the power lines in regards to the trees, the meter the poles the siding or anything else. if I posted pics and a layout of the whole setup, I think you'd be removing your foot from your mouth. anyway, see A
C) unless you know what discussion I had with the power company, or what written documentation I got from them regarding liability on their part, you really shouldn't discuss.
D) thanks for wishing me luck, I dont ever intend to need it. I'd rather do things right instead of relying on luck.


I came here to post about what a guy should get when he gets his first chain saw. lets try to keep to that. at this stage I have just finished reading the manual, made up a list of things to get, and will be planning on cutting some wood in the next week(NOT felling trees).

note, not a complete newbie, felled trees before, cut wood, many many years ago, without knowing how dangerous it was. now I do know and it is making me way more consious of the dangers. I am still temped to stay with the axe, which I've been doing for years, but big trees take a while with an axe

you must have posted this as I was typing

people on here are just trying to help, and offer their own opinions. If you even hint at felling dangerous, rotten, even remotely close to power line trees in a thread about your first chain saw, expect people to respond. This is not to put you in your place, rather to help you realize how dangerous this can be and hopefully advise you as to the best course of action.

cheers,
Joe