Any time you touch it. I have seen some nasty injuries caused by non running saws.
When to be most on guard with your saw? Newbie question
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Chaps are unisex and come in different sizes. What would be the problem? Are you normal sized? Skinny? Circumferentially challenged? Chaps are extremely adjustable.
Bugz goggles are stylish and unfoggable. I've worn them a lot and not had anything except juice from vegetation get through whilst weedwhacking. For chainsaws, they definitely protect and are durable.
Steel toes? I will argue on that. If you pay attention to where your feet are, you'll be fine.
Get that chainbrake fixed! I engage it when walking with the saw running, when starting, and it is a good habit. I haven't wrecked any clutches or whatever yet.
There are some tricks that we women can do to save energy, but I don't think you are running a saw for very long. I got into the habit of using my upper leg to kind of help hold the saw, and leaning the bar on things like limbs and stuff (down trees) and moving around the saw. Chainbrake engaged, of course. If your chain is sharp, it'll save you a lot of energy too. My back was so sore, I had to roll out of bed onto the floor kind of when I first ran a saw for pay. After a week of that and figuring out some tricks, things got a lot better, and I could keep up with the crew.
Work slowly, not jerkily and relax. The saw is our friend. I put bling and barbie stickers all over my saws. That makes them run better.
My dog is around, but he knows to stay out of the way and understands what Look Out means. Ooooooh, just like on axemen!
Bugz goggles are stylish and unfoggable. I've worn them a lot and not had anything except juice from vegetation get through whilst weedwhacking. For chainsaws, they definitely protect and are durable.
Steel toes? I will argue on that. If you pay attention to where your feet are, you'll be fine.
Get that chainbrake fixed! I engage it when walking with the saw running, when starting, and it is a good habit. I haven't wrecked any clutches or whatever yet.
There are some tricks that we women can do to save energy, but I don't think you are running a saw for very long. I got into the habit of using my upper leg to kind of help hold the saw, and leaning the bar on things like limbs and stuff (down trees) and moving around the saw. Chainbrake engaged, of course. If your chain is sharp, it'll save you a lot of energy too. My back was so sore, I had to roll out of bed onto the floor kind of when I first ran a saw for pay. After a week of that and figuring out some tricks, things got a lot better, and I could keep up with the crew.
Work slowly, not jerkily and relax. The saw is our friend. I put bling and barbie stickers all over my saws. That makes them run better.
My dog is around, but he knows to stay out of the way and understands what Look Out means. Ooooooh, just like on axemen!
HuskStihl
Chairin'em for the sound
A little girl at a "learn to skate" class I was volunteering at put a princess sticker on my helmet. Sometimes guys make fun of it. Once.
KenJax Tree
Terraphobic
Does learn to skate turn into hockey brawl when you're sticker is made fun of?
HuskStihl
Chairin'em for the sound
Yup.
Sorry to disagree, but no wire-mesh goggles (or visors) meet ANSI specs for eye protection. Eyes are way too valuable to become victims to convenience. I use mesh goggles and helmet visor, over safety (prescription) glasses. The mesh keeps dusty debris and brush out of eyes, no high velocity stuff.
We have to wear what works. I cannot wear any glasses. They fog up. Period. Rag on head or no, glasses fog up. I've not had anything punch through the bugz, have worn them while going through saw certification, where the examiners are very anal, and had to wear more primitive mesh goggles in the early 1980s while working on a TSI crew so I could see what I was cutting. I've had nothing penetrate the wire, and equally importantly, I can see.
Safety glasses get scratched up, dirty, fogged up, coated with sweat etc. and all that makes them extremely unsafe for those of us who glow. Let me see, while weedwhacking, I generally send little chunks of pumice and rock flying and none of that has penetrated the Bugz. Having worn various types of eye protection, the Bugz get two thumbs and big toes up for safety regardless of what specs you quote.
Perhaps there are different regulations for arborists
than forestry folks because I see a few timber fallers wearing bugz. I see more going without safety glasses. Most don't like wearing the glasses because....they fog up! It is kinda important to be able to see when falling timber, don't ya think?
Oh, and we don't wear no stinkin' helmets. We wear hardhats out here. I don't wear one whilst
whacking up firewood as there is nothing that is likely to fall out of the sky. It is not stylish to wear the earmuffs Canadian/East Coast stuff. A full brim hard hat gives a bit more protection from those annoying little branches, snow and rain that falls out of the sky. I believe I have foam earplugs that exceed the cheapo ear muffs, which also seem to break easily. Sturdy equipment is needed because in the real world, we forest folks tend to toss such things into the front or back of a pickup at the end of the day. We do not have little organized compartments for everything. I'm tired, I'm hot, I'm cranky and I toss my hardhat in the backseat without paying much attention to where it lands. On a crew it gets hooked to a pack and tossed in the back.
Me opening up a road.
Safety glasses get scratched up, dirty, fogged up, coated with sweat etc. and all that makes them extremely unsafe for those of us who glow. Let me see, while weedwhacking, I generally send little chunks of pumice and rock flying and none of that has penetrated the Bugz. Having worn various types of eye protection, the Bugz get two thumbs and big toes up for safety regardless of what specs you quote.
Perhaps there are different regulations for arborists
than forestry folks because I see a few timber fallers wearing bugz. I see more going without safety glasses. Most don't like wearing the glasses because....they fog up! It is kinda important to be able to see when falling timber, don't ya think?Oh, and we don't wear no stinkin' helmets. We wear hardhats out here. I don't wear one whilst
whacking up firewood as there is nothing that is likely to fall out of the sky. It is not stylish to wear the earmuffs Canadian/East Coast stuff. A full brim hard hat gives a bit more protection from those annoying little branches, snow and rain that falls out of the sky. I believe I have foam earplugs that exceed the cheapo ear muffs, which also seem to break easily. Sturdy equipment is needed because in the real world, we forest folks tend to toss such things into the front or back of a pickup at the end of the day. We do not have little organized compartments for everything. I'm tired, I'm hot, I'm cranky and I toss my hardhat in the backseat without paying much attention to where it lands. On a crew it gets hooked to a pack and tossed in the back.
Me opening up a road.
Nope. Nothing spec'd for any trade. Certainly nothing rant-worthy. ANSI Z87.1-2010 standard, with specific hazard matching for impact, dust and fines, among others. Spent long days in lots thicker tangles of big hardwoods than you show, working as a volunteer. I know how to sweat, and how to deal with it. Like, hiking back miles from the work area. So, I don't understand the problem.
Still won't accept short-cuts with eye-protection, nor with my HELMET and its attachments, being a Yankee. My glasses sit on my nose- nothing hard about that during any waking hour. Most of our fogs are out at sea- no fog probs with glasses and no alibis. Helmet keeps rain off the glasses. I sure as hell wear a helmet when working under woody bits above that can kill me. Firewood processing, not so much. What's that about?
Boiled down, my message was simply to not cut corners for eye protection if possible, nor to offer such advice. Still goes.
Still won't accept short-cuts with eye-protection, nor with my HELMET and its attachments, being a Yankee. My glasses sit on my nose- nothing hard about that during any waking hour. Most of our fogs are out at sea- no fog probs with glasses and no alibis. Helmet keeps rain off the glasses. I sure as hell wear a helmet when working under woody bits above that can kill me. Firewood processing, not so much. What's that about?
Boiled down, my message was simply to not cut corners for eye protection if possible, nor to offer such advice. Still goes.
DanTheCanadian
Weekend Warrior
I disagree. These wire mesh glasses are certified to ANSI specs. I guess my earlier post was skipped. http://www.wesspur.com/items/saf307.html
AIM
Addicted to ArboristSite
The instant you tell yourself that this tree will be a piece of cake.... Stop! Your guard is already down...
I've worked with her. She doesn't cut any corners on eye protection or any other kind of PPE. She does cut a lot of logs though and for many years got paid to do so.
Three here have made the point about being tired.
The real trick is being able - and WILLING to know that it is time to stop. How many say "just one more cut" and get hurt.
Know the signs of being tired and heed them.
Hal
The real trick is being able - and WILLING to know that it is time to stop. How many say "just one more cut" and get hurt.
Know the signs of being tired and heed them.
Hal
woodbooga
cords of mystic memory
Interesting post.I am going for that healthy respect position, and I guess i look at it like a sliding scale with fear on one end and respect on the other. This kind of fear has a big indicator - being frozen, unable to act. So I'm good with my progress so far since I've cut nearly 3 cords since May. I know that's a drop in the bucket to most of y'all, but I'm pretty happy with that number. I really appreciate the feedback and your post was great for getting me thinking about not being afraid of the saw vs respect. Cheers!
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The frozen part is what can be most harmful. Don't feel the freeze. You know the risks,,,but have respect....and how to be safe. Take it a step at a time. You'll be fine. Risk is there, sure. But you seem smart and aware.
Going forward, don't focus on what you can't do. Think about how you successfully cut 3 cords. What was easy? What difficulties did you successfully problem solve? Focus on the bright spots. And how to replicate them in future situations.
I'm glad slowp chimed in here. She is a well respected member whose advice is good. She can also allay your concerns about being a woman running a saw.
marcy-m
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Of course the stickers make it run better!
Bling and Barbie stickers make everything better! i heard you were around here! Nice to "meet" ya!I'm just using a little saw, so weight isn't a big issue (McCulloch Eager Beaver 16"). I'm pretty strong for a woman, and I'm not cutting all day. I've spent 4-6 hrs out there at a time before, but usually it's just a tank of gas 3-4 times a week. About the chaps, I've got big legs (thundering thighs when i was a skinny girl growing up). I wasn't sure if men's chaps would actually fit around big thighs. I'm wearing my cowboy boots (and jeans but i would rather be in cut offs) now when i use the saw. I really didn't want to go with steel toes if at all possible. So glad to hear that about being aware where your feet are. If I get some chaps, maybe I could wear my bj shorts, hmmmm. Need to find a place that has them so I can really look at them first.
Bugs goggles - gonna check them out. Those may have been the ones I saw on amazon. I'm excited about getting this problem fixed. So irritating stopping allll the time to wipe them out.
The chainsaw brake is on the to do list. I hope they can get the parts for my saw.
On the back issue, are you felling or bucking? I don't think my back could take felling all day or bucking near the ground. I love cutting off the crib pile, though.
I love your saw picture!
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marcy-m
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That looks great! Thanks! I will definitely study it.
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marcy-m
ArboristSite Operative
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Of course the stickers make it run better!
I'm just using a little saw, so weight isn't a big issue (McCulloch Eager Beaver 16"). I'm pretty strong for a woman, and I'm not cutting all day. I've spent 4-6 hrs out there at a time before, but usually it's just a tank of gas 3-4 times a week. About the chaps, I've got big legs (thundering thighs when i was a skinny girl growing up). I wasn't sure if men's chaps would actually fit around big thighs. I'm wearing my cowboy boots (and jeans but i would rather be in cut offs) now when i use the saw. I really didn't want to go with steel toes if at all possible. So glad to hear that about being aware where your feet are. If I get some chaps, maybe I could wear my bj shorts, hmmmm. Need to find a place that has them so I can really look at them first.
Bugs goggles - gonna check them out. Those may have been the ones I saw on amazon. I'm excited about getting this problem fixed. So irritating stopping allll the time to wipe them out.
The chainsaw brake is on the to do list. I hope they can get the parts for my saw.
On the back issue, are you felling or bucking? I don't think my back could take felling all day or bucking near the ground. I love cutting off the crib pile, though.
I love your saw picture!
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I am retired. I did get certified as a bucker because I got tired of not being able to get to places for work unless I broke out the pulaski and chopped through, or called somebody to cut a road out, which usually took more than a day. After getting the blessing of the head saw guy, I'd go out with the road crew after storms and cut open roads. In the early 80s, I worked on a thinning crew and I guess we were were falling. Some of what we cut to leave and be burned up would be sent out on a log truck today. I was young though and skinnier. After that first week, my back was no longer sore. I did have to straighten out my left hand in the morning. I'd wake up with numbness and a claw. I guess that's what the yellow saws were famous for?
Currently, I cut small diameter alders when I feel like it, for firewood. They are leaning pretty good so I don't try to swing them--they go on the ground in the direction of the lean.
I have fat legs and the chap straps have lots of slack so they'll fit. Be aware that the length measurement is not the inseam, but the whole length.
