Discussion
Have you looked at Silky saws? Won't do the trunk but make light work of branches without any electrical equipment involved.
http://www.silkyfox.co.uk/
I use an F180 folding saw for branches as it cuts both on the froward and backward motion and has been one of the best tools i've bought. Great for working at height. Cheapest is £23 on e-bay. They do bigger hand saws (Genki Tamagari has a 500mm blade) but never used one that big.
FFG
http://www.silkyfox.co.uk/
I use an F180 folding saw for branches as it cuts both on the froward and backward motion and has been one of the best tools i've bought. Great for working at height. Cheapest is £23 on e-bay. They do bigger hand saws (Genki Tamagari has a 500mm blade) but never used one that big.
FFG
This is just my two pennies worth...
I was in the exact same place as you about 6 months ago (There's a thread here somewhere which is fairly similar to yours!) I use it to cut down smaller trees and feed a log burner same as you.
I decided in the end to go for a Stihl MS181 - It was £220 which is a little more than you've budgeted for but stay with me - These are my reasons for buying it instead of a £100 saw.
1. Parts and help/guidance is much more readily available.
2. Much easier to fix and work on - they are more refined and better designed machines.
3. Second hand prices.
I ebayed a few of the £120ish saws so see if i could find a second hand one before I plunged to buy new and found they were about £40-50 for a 12 month old model. Whereas a 12 month ol stihl was still hanging on and selling at £180-190 for a good condition saw. I'd much rather use one for 3 years and getting most of my money back than having to give it away.
Some things to think about maybe?
Dion
I was in the exact same place as you about 6 months ago (There's a thread here somewhere which is fairly similar to yours!) I use it to cut down smaller trees and feed a log burner same as you.
I decided in the end to go for a Stihl MS181 - It was £220 which is a little more than you've budgeted for but stay with me - These are my reasons for buying it instead of a £100 saw.
1. Parts and help/guidance is much more readily available.
2. Much easier to fix and work on - they are more refined and better designed machines.
3. Second hand prices.
I ebayed a few of the £120ish saws so see if i could find a second hand one before I plunged to buy new and found they were about £40-50 for a 12 month old model. Whereas a 12 month ol stihl was still hanging on and selling at £180-190 for a good condition saw. I'd much rather use one for 3 years and getting most of my money back than having to give it away.
Some things to think about maybe?
Dion
I bought a dinky little Makita electric a year ago which has proven to be money well spent. I'm not too fearful of it, although it could be dangerous. It's taken down one largish conifer, a few smaller ones, and loads of old fence posts and branches. It's been handy for cutting these into firewood.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Home-Kitchen/Makita-UC3...
Top tip if you've not used one before - DON'T cut into soil - it dulls the chain pretty sharpish.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Home-Kitchen/Makita-UC3...
Top tip if you've not used one before - DON'T cut into soil - it dulls the chain pretty sharpish.
captainzep said:
Felling a tree with a trunk wider than the bar isn't impossible, but I wouldn't choose to make it my first task.
I think if you have the space to move around the trunk, then a bar less deep than the trunk can be helpful in some situations https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKIhOJ_kMjcI have a 14" Makita (said the bishop to the actress). It cost me £150 brand new and my mate that is a tree surgeon rates it. Get the sharpening kit and keep on top of the sharpening. Get all of the PPE.
Get yourself a log mate which hold the timber in a toothed clamp. This means you are only ever carrying out the same cut over and over again from the same position and increases safety. They are fearsome things and are to be well respected. There are very few second chances with them. My wife asked me to teach her how to use mine. This is from a woman who trips over her own shadow and is constantly crowning her head on the very low doorways in our gaff. Er, no dear, not while I still like you.
Get yourself a log mate which hold the timber in a toothed clamp. This means you are only ever carrying out the same cut over and over again from the same position and increases safety. They are fearsome things and are to be well respected. There are very few second chances with them. My wife asked me to teach her how to use mine. This is from a woman who trips over her own shadow and is constantly crowning her head on the very low doorways in our gaff. Er, no dear, not while I still like you.
Trophy Husband said:
Get yourself a log mate which hold the timber in a toothed clamp. This means you are only ever carrying out the same cut over and over again from the same position and increases safety.
The Triton Superjaws will do the same job and is a much more versatile bit of kit, with lots of other uses. I get loads of use from mine and really rate itThis image is taken from a South African website, where the lack of PPE indicates that operators there are blesed with the ability to grow another leg, should the need arise
Chris Type R said:
I think if you have the space to move around the trunk, then a bar less deep than the trunk can be helpful in some situations https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKIhOJ_kMjc
Can't access youtube vid, but personally I've always struggled when cuts get more technical and you need to make them meet accurately from different sides. I managed it for a leaning 70ft ash last Nov with an 18" bar...
...but I generally prefer to put a face cut (and in this case bore cut) without wandering around the tree too much.
Just to counter all the 'you will die' posts I've been using a chainsaw quite regularly for the last 30 years for all kinds of jobs. Used to have trees delivered on a grab lorry for cutting up when my only heating was a back boiler wood burner, bit of light felling, clearing etc and the worse thing that has happened is getting the bar trapped a few times.
Respect it and take the usual care and you'll be fine.
I've been disappointed with the quality of the non-pro versions of Sthil equipment over the past few years to the point where I have rebuilt a 1980s vintage AVS 028 as its much, much better.
Respect it and take the usual care and you'll be fine.
I've been disappointed with the quality of the non-pro versions of Sthil equipment over the past few years to the point where I have rebuilt a 1980s vintage AVS 028 as its much, much better.
Dont be complacent. I did and ended up cutting my finger badly last year, passed out in shock at the sight of what i saw and ive ended up with little feeling in it after the operation. Wife luckily saw it from the kitchen and dialled 999. Ive used one since but I am very cautious. A tree that needed chopping down couple of months ago - id of cut it myself last year but got a bloke in to do it.
wjwren said:
Dont be complacent. I did and ended up cutting my finger badly last year, passed out in shock at the sight of what i saw and ive ended up with little feeling in it after the operation. Wife luckily saw it from the kitchen and dialled 999. Ive used one since but I am very cautious. A tree that needed chopping down couple of months ago - id of cut it myself last year but got a bloke in to do it.
How did you cut your finger? My hands tend to stay away from the spinny sharp endi was stupid enough to be cutting some logs that were too small. So like an idiot I held the log while using the saw with one hand. The log was quite long but as soon as i put the saw on it scatted up the log till it hit my finger and chewed it up.
I'm now worried about kick backs in the face and a load of other things after watching videos on youtube of accidents.
Anyway i digress, just be bloody careful and dont get hurt.
There is a great video series on youtube, I think it's something like the Canadian health and safety site, shows you about widow maker trees' - made me even more worried about using one!
I'm now worried about kick backs in the face and a load of other things after watching videos on youtube of accidents.
Anyway i digress, just be bloody careful and dont get hurt.
There is a great video series on youtube, I think it's something like the Canadian health and safety site, shows you about widow maker trees' - made me even more worried about using one!
wjwren said:
i was stupid enough to be cutting some logs that were too small. So like an idiot I held the log while using the saw with one hand. The log was quite long but as soon as i put the saw on it scatted up the log till it hit my finger and chewed it up.
wjwren starting his saw earlier:
Sorry to hear about the injury though, sounds horrible, hope you get some feeling back in the finger.
haha!
its about 70% which is as good as it will get. I also cant stretch it out 100%. They operated while i was awake. I didnt have the stomach to look at what they were doing.
Friend of a friend is a tree surgeon he was injured couple years ago, an apprentice passed him the saw from down the tree and he held the chain - motor was still running and he put his hand on the trigger and sliced through 4 fingers. Hospital patched him up but like mine not 100%
I heard of someone else on this forum who was running down their garden and their foot fell in a rabbit hole and he cut his chest.
its about 70% which is as good as it will get. I also cant stretch it out 100%. They operated while i was awake. I didnt have the stomach to look at what they were doing.
Friend of a friend is a tree surgeon he was injured couple years ago, an apprentice passed him the saw from down the tree and he held the chain - motor was still running and he put his hand on the trigger and sliced through 4 fingers. Hospital patched him up but like mine not 100%
I heard of someone else on this forum who was running down their garden and their foot fell in a rabbit hole and he cut his chest.
Ean218 said:
I have a Stihl 280 16" blade saw for cutting stuff up at home. The biggest I would ever dare to cut with it would be about a foot in diameter.
An untrained, inexperienced user with a 20" blade cutting a 2 foot diameter tree sounds horrific to me.
^^ This. And many other stories on this thread like it.An untrained, inexperienced user with a 20" blade cutting a 2 foot diameter tree sounds horrific to me.
I bought a 280 for home use and have many sub-1ft 'trees' to fell and process. Got myself the trousers, gloves, goggles etc.
If your budget is 100 quid, get some chainsaw trousers/gloves/goggles. Then save up for the saw.
I have used the saw with and without the PPE, and find myself much more confident, safer, with the PPE on. Without it I tend to act like a little girl holding a spider. Which makes it less safe.
it is horrifying how quicly a chainsaw will take your leg off. Never saw alone, always have a phone handy if remote, and keep it sharp; just like a kitchen knife, the more effort you need to put into it - the more likely you are to slip....
wjwren said:
haha!
its about 70% which is as good as it will get. I also cant stretch it out 100%. They operated while i was awake. I didnt have the stomach to look at what they were doing.
Friend of a friend is a tree surgeon he was injured couple years ago, an apprentice passed him the saw from down the tree and he held the chain - motor was still running and he put his hand on the trigger and sliced through 4 fingers. Hospital patched him up but like mine not 100%
I heard of someone else on this forum who was running down their garden and their foot fell in a rabbit hole and he cut his chest.
I remember a story from when I was a student - somebody was up a stepladder, pruning a tree with a chainsaw. His wife was holding the ladder. He dropped the saw...its about 70% which is as good as it will get. I also cant stretch it out 100%. They operated while i was awake. I didnt have the stomach to look at what they were doing.
Friend of a friend is a tree surgeon he was injured couple years ago, an apprentice passed him the saw from down the tree and he held the chain - motor was still running and he put his hand on the trigger and sliced through 4 fingers. Hospital patched him up but like mine not 100%
I heard of someone else on this forum who was running down their garden and their foot fell in a rabbit hole and he cut his chest.
Definitely get the full PPE and remember that you need the correct chain speed rated trousers for your saw otherwise they are useless.
If you don't you're asking for it.
Threat the saw with respect and work on the assumption that given half a chance it will have you and you won't go far wrong.
If you don't you're asking for it.
Threat the saw with respect and work on the assumption that given half a chance it will have you and you won't go far wrong.
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