Hi
I've got a chance to go on a week's course to acquire a chainsaw ticket. I know there are several posters who've done such courses.
Thoughts? What to ask, aim for, expect? Is it worth it?
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TOT, in The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, 'certificate' is written as 'stifficut', which I always thought hilarious and in this case slightly appropriate. There you go.
acquiring a certificate in chainsaw usage
Moderator: Peak Moderation
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emordnilap
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acquiring a certificate in chainsaw usage
I experience pleasure and pains, and pursue goals in service of them, so I cannot reasonably deny the right of other sentient agents to do the same - Steven Pinker
It's definitely worth it even if you only use a chainsaw infrequently.
I would expect a course to cover: Risk assessment, PPE, chainsaw maintenance, felling (standard, forward leaners, backward leaners, on the flat, on a slope), snedding, handling windfalls and hang-ups, cross-cutting, stacking and safe manual handling of timber.
I have a ticket but I did it as a part of a two year forestry course.
I would expect a course to cover: Risk assessment, PPE, chainsaw maintenance, felling (standard, forward leaners, backward leaners, on the flat, on a slope), snedding, handling windfalls and hang-ups, cross-cutting, stacking and safe manual handling of timber.
I have a ticket but I did it as a part of a two year forestry course.
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emordnilap
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Although I have scant details as yet regarding the contents of the course, according to the initial notification the cost will be 'approximately' €650 for a week-long course.Vortex wrote:Emma chissit, this chainsaw ticket?
I've e-mailed the organisers asking them exactly what will be included, what hours etc and I must remember to ask how many are expected to be on the course. I hate it when you end up getting very little one-on-one tuition because of high student numbers.
I experience pleasure and pains, and pursue goals in service of them, so I cannot reasonably deny the right of other sentient agents to do the same - Steven Pinker
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emordnilap
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- Joined: 05 Sep 2007, 16:36
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I'm not judging it until I know what's involved. €650 for a week-long intensive course with a recognised qualification at the end of it could be ok. I'll have to wait and see.
Oh, and I suppose there's around €115 vat in there too.
Oh, and I suppose there's around €115 vat in there too.
I experience pleasure and pains, and pursue goals in service of them, so I cannot reasonably deny the right of other sentient agents to do the same - Steven Pinker
Watched a good Jonsered safty video online. And Axemen is very good (joking...). Not knocking it and all, but E650 sounds steep considering the economic climate etc... Just spend the E650 on a chainsaw and take things slowly and carefully. Read and learn. Plenty of people around to pass on tips, but don't listen to those with only 3 limbs. 
Jim
For every complex problem, there is a simple answer, and it's wrong.
"Heaven and earth are ruthless, and treat the myriad creatures as straw dogs" (Lao Tzu V.i).
For every complex problem, there is a simple answer, and it's wrong.
"Heaven and earth are ruthless, and treat the myriad creatures as straw dogs" (Lao Tzu V.i).
I probably shouldn't admit it, but the first time I used mine the chain came off 
. I hadn't adjusted the chain properly. Cost me a bit to replace it too, but at least I had all my bits still attached 
. I've got leggings and a helmet, and wear safety boots. I haven't had any training, but always take things carefully, and don't do anything I don't feel comfortable with. I've mainly used it for cutting logs, and have only taken down a few small trees. I'd get someone else to fell anything bigger, or get training first.
My chain saw is in store, so I haven't been able to play with it for ages
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Oh, and quite a length of the narrow gauge Lynton and Barnstaple Railway in North Devon was laid with ex main line sleepers I cut in half with it.
. I hadn't adjusted the chain properly. Cost me a bit to replace it too, but at least I had all my bits still attached . I've got leggings and a helmet, and wear safety boots. I haven't had any training, but always take things carefully, and don't do anything I don't feel comfortable with. I've mainly used it for cutting logs, and have only taken down a few small trees. I'd get someone else to fell anything bigger, or get training first.My chain saw is in store, so I haven't been able to play with it for ages
.Oh, and quite a length of the narrow gauge Lynton and Barnstaple Railway in North Devon was laid with ex main line sleepers I cut in half with it.
Last edited by JohnB on 14 Nov 2008, 00:58, edited 1 time in total.
Well, I've been asking myself the same thing. Some expression of extreme risk-aversion I guess.RGR wrote:You actually PAY that kind of money to learn to USE a chainsaw? Versus say, buying one for less than that and actually USING it for a few weeks to get it figured out, along with a self help book? And you get a CERTIFICATION for this?emordnilap wrote:Although I have scant details as yet regarding the contents of the course, according to the initial notification the cost will be 'approximately' €650 for a week-long course.Vortex wrote:Emma chissit, this chainsaw ticket?
.
Never really understood why perfectly healthy US men run to the doctor for "checkups" all the time either. Comparing the latest cholesterol test seems to be perfectly normal for dinner conversations and loss of "healthcare" seems like a major setback of some kind. I can understand why someone who is sick want "healthcare", but all the others?
RGR, in Europe we PLAN things. We get the paperwork sorted out BEFORE we start the task.RGR wrote: You actually PAY that kind of money to learn to USE a chainsaw? Versus say, buying one for less than that and actually USING it for a few weeks to get it figured out, along with a self help book? And you get a CERTIFICATION for this?
An anecdote: some years back I was working in a dark, deep bunker in a dangerous foreign land installing some equipment with a German/American team of engineers.
The Germans had blueprints for the work ... but whilst they were checking where we needed to drill several holes in some heavy metal plate the Texans decided to do their own thing.
They simply grabbed the equipment we were fitting, slapped it against the metal plate, hoiked out a huge battery powered drill and whacked holes into the plate until "it looked right". The whole process took about 45 seconds!
The Germans went absolutely nuts and spent the rest of the day photographing the setup, and faxing details back to Germany.
They had to work all night too because the bunker had one crap telephone line and a steam powered fax machine. By breakfast the next day we had a revised set of plans faxed back from Germany.
The funny thing was that we had THREE chambers to set up ... and the SAME thing happened TWICE more.
The Germans & Americans were disgusted with each other by the end of all this!
Let me guess. Iraq during the 1980's.Vortex wrote:
An anecdote: some years back I was working in a dark, deep bunker in a dangerous foreign land installing some equipment with a German/American team of engineers.
... and officially the Americans weren't supposed to be there? (that's more of a punt)
"When the facts change, I change my opinion. What do you do, sir?"
John Maynard Keynes.
John Maynard Keynes.
Can't say.skeptik wrote:Let me guess. Iraq during the 1980's.Vortex wrote:
An anecdote: some years back I was working in a dark, deep bunker in a dangerous foreign land installing some equipment with a German/American team of engineers.
... and officially the Americans weren't supposed to be there? (that's more of a punt)
The most surreal part of this job was the staff canteen.
It was a small, pretty single story hexagonal building sitting in the centre of a manicured grass lawn ... but fitted with very thick concrete walls, heavy green bullet proof windows and very heavy steel doors.
The canteen food was great ... but sadly it took so long to ascend from the depths, we usually took sandwiches for lunch.