Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Smallhold Farming and Rural Living => Property, Buildings, Equipment and Alternative Energy => Topic started by: composthappens on December 31, 2013, 14:11
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hi there, ive just bought a pole chainsaw to cut our confiers and it didnt come with any chainsaw oil, can anyone tell me if i could use anything similar to chainsaw oil becuase i dont need to buy a litre of the stuff, it is an electric chainsaw. thank you and happy new year to you all. :)
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Hi. Good luck with your pole saw. Very useful piece of kit. Regarding the oil I would suggest you get at least a litre as if you haven't used one before you are going to be surprised at how much oil you will get through. Most times you refill the fuel you will need to top up the chain oil. Steve
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thank you steve, mine is electric so I will have to keep checking the level I suppose, its a bit scary, but I do need one, its a titan from screwfix £59 inc delivery, good reviews apparently.
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chainsaw oil & a blade sharpening kit.
safety gear especially if going into the tree to cut.
if not needing the wood, freecycle or preloved and it will be gone.
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That confused me at first, needing oil for an electric chainsaw. But as Steveharford said - a litre will go very quickly. Check the oil level frequently as without it the chain will blunt in minutes.
I don't sharpen my blade, bought a couple of spare chains off a firm on ebay who also sharpen blades for you.
Safety kit - get it! It is seriously easy to kill yourself with a chain saw. Hit the femoral artery (think that's the correct name, top of the leg) and you can bleed out in minutes. It will cost you more than the saw but imagine sitting down short of an arm or even just a nose. Once again, I got mine from ebay but do check for certificate.
Sorry to go on like granny - but local chap showed be his scar from an accident - wake up call.
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Echoing John's comments about chainsaw safety equipment - I've seen safety trousers which took the brunt of a slipped chainsaw. They did their job and the user wasn't injured. They'd have lost the leg in all likelihood, or worse, if unprotected.
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Chainsaw bar oil is not replaceable with anything else. As said, without it, the chain can't move once it dries up. On our electric saw, we make a point of filling the reservoir after every one hour of use. Better to do it often, even if a little, then to find it's dried out and screwed up the whole saw. As long as you own the saw, you'll need the bar oil.
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hi there, ive just bought a pole chainsaw to cut our confiers and it didnt come with any chainsaw oil, can anyone tell me if i could use anything similar to chainsaw oil becuase i dont need to buy a litre of the stuff, it is an electric chainsaw. thank you and happy new year to you all. :)
A litre of chain oil shouldn't last that long as it should be using some whenever the saw is in use, if not then the oil feed may be blocked. Certainly worth checking and topping up regularly. As well as lubricating the chain and bar, the oil will also help prevent corrosion. Invaluable if, like me, you don't always clean equipment as much as you know you should when you put it away after a long day - amazing how standards drift when every muscle aches!
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I used to use chainsaws on a daily basis and we used engine oil for Diesel engines. Never had no problems personally.
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hi ive just bought a gallon of anti fling gear oil it lasts about a month one tank of oil to 2 fills of petrol yours will propably need toping up every half hour dont forget to sharpen the chain regularly definatly get chain saw trousers or chats my chainsaw tutor at college drummed it in to us to always wear chainsaw protection he forgot to practice what he preached he touched a icy log with the chain it went straight through his leg severing the femoral artery 1/2 day out with an undertaker ,we used a log in a pair of chain saw trousers for safety demos the action of the trousers was quite shocking stopped the chain in 3 milli second ,sorry if this offends any one. jezza
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Jazza - it's not offensive to point out the level of risk. All tools can be dangerous - the more powerful the greater the risk and chainsaws are powerful tools.
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I worked with a chainsaw for about 15 years (my back and knee's can testify to it) and I think that you should learn how to sharpen the chain properly.A blunt chain is much more dangerous then a sharp one,particularly with a pole saw.If its blunt you force it more and as it is a distance away you cannot see when you are through the timber resulting in the blade suddenly going through the wood and you looseing your'e balance as you haven't anything to take the weight anymore.I've done it and apart from looking and feeling like an idiot got away without injury.
I'd buy the anti fling chain oil.I've seen people use engine oil and you could spot them more often then not as they were quite often covered in the stuff.You can also buy veggie oil for chains thats made from spent chip fat.It doesn't keep for long(1-2 months) before becoming lumpy and useless.The smell of chips also made me really hungry and I stank like id done a 12 hour shift at a chippy
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I bought a brand new Husqvarna chainsaw earlier this year, and I've studied a lot about them - I did use and maintain/repair them a lot many years ago when i worked at the agricultural dealers in Wales, and used them frequently in the forestry, but things change, so I had to re-chip myself.
Points to note regarding electric chainsaw:
Definately need good quality and specifically chain oil - nothing else will do. In a petrol chainsaw you fill up the chain oil first before the fuel - that shows you how much it uses.
Safety helmet, ear-muffs, face-shield, steel-toecap boots, and definately chainsaw leggings/trousers. You may look like a complete prat, but you'll look a bigger prat getting carried away in an ambulance.
Its hard to describe on here, but find out from a professional where the kick-back zone is on the tip of the blade. If this segment of the chain touches anything while you're sawing, it will kick-back, and that is one experience that you don't want!
Ironically enough, having said all that, don't be scared of it. You're in control - not the machine.
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Hi all, new member mikky here.
I know this thread is a tad old now, but would just like to reiterate what the more professional users of chain saws have said on here with regards to SAFE USE of them.
Their advice should never be underestimated, chain saws are frighteningly quick, a matter of milliseconds between life and death is all it takes.
I have two now and treat them with the utmost respect when I use them.
I like this site, some interesting topics and friendly too!
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Hopefully kick back with a pole chainsaw will not be a danger to the operator who should have a firm grip at the other end of the pole !
Make sure nobody else comes within the possible arc of the saw !
A local profesional tree surgeon got injured recently , a saw in the face..................luckily he is recovering !
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Hopefully kick back with a pole chainsaw will not be a danger to the operator who should have a firm grip at the other end of the pole !
The problem, as I see it, is the "accidents", rather than the "deliberates" :)
Safety clothing for chainsaws is just insurance ... life insurance at that ...
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I had to ban my OH from using my chainsaws without PPE. He asked me when it became "my" chainsaw rather than "ours" and the answer was the moment he thought about using it without PPE.
You don't get a second chance with a chainsaw.
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Found an excellent chainsaw sharpener that's perfect for folks who don't know how to sharpen a chain...it's pretty fool proof and makes the chain sharper than one done on an electric sharpener. Actually, the chains come out sharper than a new one and last longer in between sharpening. We were so impressed by this thing that now everyone in the family seems to have gotten one...cuts down on down time on wood cutting days, is fast and easy to do and you really can't mess it up.
http://www.timberlinesharpener.com/shop/timberline-chainsaw-sharpener (http://www.timberlinesharpener.com/shop/timberline-chainsaw-sharpener)
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Looks brilliant :) Looks like it costs almost as much as my chainsaw did!! :(
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Yep, it's pricy...but if you use your chainsaw a lot and you depend on it as much as we do for heating fuel, you want something that will pay for itself in the long run. This does. It saves us time and money, so we consider it as much an investment as the chainsaw itself.
My dad always did the chainsaw sharpening here but he's now got dementia and in a facility. Just my 80 yr old mother and I here now and we were never allowed to run the chainsaw much, nor learn how to maintain those, so are on a learning curve now. Wood still has to be cut and there's no man jumping forward with his hand raised up to volunteer for that job. ;) This sharpener is the great equalizer for us women and it cut that learning curve down to nil...we knew how to start a saw, run a saw and how to cut a tree down or cut up a log...but sharpening is a little more fiddly and I know men who have been doing it all their lives and still can't sharpen a chain worth a hoot.
But I can now. :D That's worth the money.
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when running 4 saws as I do ,it is simpler and easier to sharpen by hand lol. BE sure to remember to give each tooth a tap with a bit of wood afterwards ;)
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I'm not very good with mechanical things, just don't have the gene or something. So, found a firm on Ebay who sharpen chains cheaply. I bought a couple of spare chains so return 2 at a time and they sharpen and return. If it's beyond a sharpen, replace. All well and good until son in law demonstrates his skills learned at college on top of the range petrol saws with my cheap electric machine.... as the flames came out of the engine I knew those spare chains were not such a good investment. :(
I had to ban my OH from using my chainsaws without PPE. He asked me when it became "my" chainsaw rather than "ours" and the answer was the moment he thought about using it without PPE.
You don't get a second chance with a chainsaw.
If you don't have any protective gear, chainsaw in the nude. I guarantee you'll be very, very careful especially working at slightly below waist level! :ohmy:
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I got my chainsaw license when I was at collage doing my city and guilds in countryside studies. I have special boots which not only have steel toecaps and steel undersoles like normal safety boots but they also have wadding on the front in the tongue - these had to be ordered in specially because I am only a size 4.5. Chainsaw trousers also have the wadding - this wadding helps to bind the chain up and stop it cutting through to your legs. I have safety gloves, helmet, face protection, ear defenders - the whole works.
The equipment can be very expensive but it can also safe your life. If you aren't prepared to buy this stuff then dont use a chainsaw and get a professional in.
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Y'all have to be licensed to use a chainsaw over there? We don't have that here. I can honestly say I've never seen anyone wear any of that gear in all my life around wood cutting, nor have I ever worn such things. Folks just don't suit up like that around here. Not even the logging crews in these parts, though they do wear hard hats. I've also never met anyone who got cut by a chainsaw, though I've seen such things on TV shows and such.
I think safety is a good thing, we are mighty careful when using the saws.... but I also feel the most important equipment one can use while operating a chainsaw is that stuff between one's ears. ;)
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Y'all have to be licensed to use a chainsaw over there?
My understanding is that it only applies if you are employed to do chainsaw work, then you have to go on a training course / get a certificate.
So for a home-owner there is no requirement.
I can honestly say I've never seen anyone wear any of that gear in all my life around wood cutting, nor have I ever worn such things
I expect you will find that folk over here find that staggering :) The safety clothing is readily available here, sold alongside the saws etc. such that unless someone is very poorly off (and then I am doubting they would be buying a chain saw) I think that 99% (or whatever) of people will buy the safety clothing too.
Chainsaw kickbacks not that rare .... accidents are rare ... but brains alone doesn't prevent them :( ... car accidents are rare too, but everyone (with few exceptions) in the UK wears a seatbelt in both the front and back seats in a car. Its been a while since I visited the USA regularly, but I don't remember seat belts being worn that commonly when i was last there, particularly in back seat.
I even wear a seatbelt when I get in a taxi - its become second nature when in a vehicle and now "feels wrong" if I don't have a belt on. No matter how skilled commercial drivers might be they are still at risk from having someone else's accident. Same applies to chainsaws in my opinion.
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Getting back on TOPIC ! Yes you do need to use proper chain oil ! ::)
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Yes I know - it's an old topic. However, some recent learning for you:
My nephew has just finished his treatment at East Grinstead Hospital for being a total prat - using a chainsaw with one hand while holding the wood with the other = partly severed thumb. And this happened two days after I told him about the dangers of the machines. He'll listen and inwardly digest the next time, I reckon!
As far as licensing goes, anybody can buy a chainsaw without a licence - unless it is a proper arborist chainsaw, where the trigger handle is at the top of the machine, rather than at the back, in which case you will need to show proof of having been suitably trained.
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I still reckon the most dangerous time is when you stop being scared and become confident using chainsaws. Same goes for a lot of tools. Son-in-law managed to get his leg the other week with the chainsaw at college. Happily he was wearing the right gear so no injury.
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I still reckon the most dangerous time is when you stop being scared and become confident using chainsaws. Same goes for a lot of tools. Son-in-law managed to get his leg the other week with the chainsaw at college. Happily he was wearing the right gear so no injury.
Very true, i used to work with a few foresters who likened a chainsaw to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
They always get their man !
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My family have been using chainsaws for 40-50 yrs now, each year to cut our fire wood..a LOT of firewood, and not a single accident...still don't wear any safety gear. The most valuable tool anyone has is common sense and a healthy respect for things that cut, especially machinery.
I expect if one did it for a living, they'd want to wear gear simply because a person gets careless or in a hurry when they are working on the clock and the law of averages catches up~like driving a car every day, one is more likely to get in an accident. When just working steadily to get in firewood, there is no rush, no need for careless behavior and one can use machinery wisely.
It could be that those who wear all the safety gear feel more confident in their safety and get more careless because of it? I would imagine the less protection you wear, the more cautious you would become...imagine cutting wood while naked. A person would be the most careful of all. ;)
An accident can happen to anyone, it's true, but it's more likely to happen to those who are not familiar with the equipment or don't practice a healthy respect of it and grow careless. I know farmers who farmed all their lives and one day roll their tractor over on themselves...just takes that lack of judgement or loss of concentration to have a sad ending.
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I can say for sure that inexperiance is not the cause of all chainsaw injuries.
During a teabreak with the foresters chainsaw injuries was mentioned and this resulted in a show and tell session with the lads getting their scars out.
Probably 8 out of 12 these long time professionals had scars, some of them very nasty !
All these scars were pre chainsaw trouser days ..........................did the lads wear them nowdays..........oh yes !
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I think it's like driving, you don't need a seat belt or airbags until something happens.