acquiring a certificate in chainsaw usage

Lamont · Post by **Lamont** » 28 Dec 2008, 01:51

Well I don't know what to say. I guess if you are from a city, you should probably have someone go over the basics with you. I have been using chainsaws and felling trees of everynature from one side of Canada to the other for over 40 years. Even did a winter logging in the mountains of British Columbia, that was a unique experience. Most people who get hurt, forget to keep their work area clean, I have climbed and topped trees with spikes and belt with chainsaws hanging from my belt. Most money I evermade dropping trees was 3,000 dollars for cutting down an oak, that was hanging over a doctors country home. And i kept the wood. Just foled it all down, like colllapsing an accordion. To each their own I guess. The big thing is having respect for what the saw can do, the saws I used in BC had 3-4 blades on them and a lot of HP. You always had two saws, so that you always had a sharp saw. If you dulled one, you sharpened it on your lunch break as you were making your tea over the fire. We cooked our lunch over the fire because the lunch was always frozen from sitting in the crummy all morning at -20-30. Lot's of fun.

Catweazle · Post by **Catweazle** » 28 Dec 2008, 03:46

Edited out - I'm far too sarcastic when I'm pissed

MisterE · Post by **MisterE** » 28 Dec 2008, 09:39

Its on the course too muwhahahahahaaa

Seriously though, I know where Lamont is coming from, when I see people try DIY I used to hit my head against the wall thinking this muppet cant even use a hand saw. But as I got older and my old pigheaded brain developed the ability to think

, I realised we are all different and learnt different skills as we grew up - I cant juggle and would look a complete fool trying it, nor can I perform an operation, or assemble an engine. The point is if you grew up with doing this ie 16-21 qualifications and on job training, 21-27 becoming proficient and making whatever skill part of you be it white or blue collar work, hands on or hands off, then you get an innate feeling that you believe that others can at least do some of the skill too - ie its easy. But they cant, not without help which is why we need courses, training and certification, to teach people how to do something and do it safely. Its a crimial mindset to forget how crap you were when you started - a lesson I learnt when I trained others for 3yrs

JohnB · Post by **JohnB** » 28 Dec 2008, 13:20

Although I've spent all of my working life sitting at a desk, I come from a family of engineers, so have been using, and around other people using, tools all my life. I may not have a huge amount of experience, but know how to handle tools safely and reasonably competently. I'm self taught with a chain saw, but know my limitations, and won't go beyond them. If in doubt, I don't do it (usually!). If I see a job that I can't tackle I'd get training or get someone else to do it. I'm sure a lot of people don't have that advantage though, and with the availability of cheap electric saws I'm surprised you don't hear of more accidents.

Post by **mikepepler** » 28 Dec 2008, 17:45

Lamont wrote:Are you folks serious about needing a license to operate a chainsaw, or are you just having fun? I can understand needing to learn how to fall a tree if you have never done that, my father taught me how. But then he ran logging camps many years ago. Sounds like a scam.

No, you don't need a license. But if you want insurance, then you have to prove to the insurance company that you're competent, and the only way to do that is to have taken an exam - hence the training course.

I know people who use chainsaws and fell trees safely who never had an official training course, but they all spent time with an experienced forester to learn how.

I know other people who use chainsaws but never learned from someone else, perhaps they just read the book, and having watched one of them (a friend of my Dad's) in the woods I'm surprised they still have all their limbs. Another person I saw felling a tree in a wood near us was so unaware of what they were doing that I didn't want to be anywhere near them - there was a tree hung up and severed from the stump just left swaying in the breeze, while the guy's sons were carrying logs back and forth underneath it!

Personally speaking, Tracy and I were completely new to using chainsaws and felling trees, and the only way to get some intensive "quality time" with an experienced forester was to pay for it. Not only did we learn how to use and maintain a saw, how to fell trees and deal with problems, but we also got to try out lots of different equipment before buying any, and got to network with other people doing forestry work.

I suppose if I'd known a forester at the outset I could have got some advice from them for free, but you can't work in forestry here without a certificate, as your employer wouldn't be able to get insurance, so opportunities for practical experience are limited for most people.

I agree that it could come across as a bit of a scam, keeping trainers and examiners in business, but it worked for me in that in the space of a week I learned about techniques and equipment that I find are new to some self-taught users who've been felling trees for years...

carlight · Post by **carlight** » 28 Dec 2008, 19:13

hi . i see a few folk that have been on a two-day type course , and , more importantly , the dreadful non-forestry mess left behind - trees not snedded out , felled into other trees/fences ,and more .
whilst personal safety is obviously the priority , we were also taught to respect the woods wherein we worked , and to leave it in a tidy state .
i shall refrain from a full rant , suffice to say , it saddens when i see a countryside ranger type doing what i consider poor practice .
i believe the 'lantra' type courses are a poor substitute for nptc course/ticket combined with all and any time spent with a professional.

MisterE · Post by **MisterE** » 28 Dec 2008, 20:03

You go for it, many of us love full rants - best form of education I reckon is someone who tells it as it is

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 28 Dec 2008, 21:02

The perils of not respecting your woodland!

Lamont · Post by **Lamont** » 29 Dec 2008, 13:30

Rants about what? A question about why you need a license to operate a chainsaw?

no1birdman · Post by **no1birdman** » 30 Dec 2008, 14:12

Hello, I have just sold my electric chainsaw as I did not feel safe useing it, are reciprocating saws ok to cut aprox 4in timber etc. I have seen one in argos for aprox 30 pds.Thank You

JohnB · Post by **JohnB** » 30 Dec 2008, 14:21

no1birdman wrote:Hello, I have just sold my electric chainsaw as I did not feel safe useing it, are reciprocating saws ok to cut aprox 4in timber etc. I have seen one in argos for aprox 30 pds.Thank You

Sold it! Does that mean someone else is going to cut their leg off, rather than you

MisterE · Post by **MisterE** » 30 Dec 2008, 14:45

no1birdman wrote:Hello, I have just sold my electric chainsaw as I did not feel safe useing it, are reciprocating saws ok to cut aprox 4in timber etc. I have seen one in argos for aprox 30 pds.Thank You

You will not beat a chainsaw, I dont like recips, next to that a chopsaw would be ok, but it would need to be meaty. If you dont feel safe using a chainsaw then use this (Portek Saw Horse)

http://www.hirecentres.com/product/408/ ... horse.html

http://www.mowers-online.co.uk/itm01064.htm

Plus saves your back big time, which is why I got it, gives you an extra set of hands. I'd not be without mine at all!

Catweazle · Post by **Catweazle** » 30 Dec 2008, 22:19

no1birdman wrote:Hello, I have just sold my electric chainsaw as I did not feel safe useing it, are reciprocating saws ok to cut aprox 4in timber etc. I have seen one in argos for aprox 30 pds.Thank You

Get a heavy petrol chainsaw instead. Honestly, they're not the scary beasts you might think. As long as your wood is held solidly and you wear the appropriate protective equipment and stand well to the left of the blade you'll be fine. There are some good safety videos on youtube.

Personally I don't like reciprocating saws, they jump around on dry wood and clog up on green wood.

JohnB · Post by **JohnB** » 30 Dec 2008, 23:47

Who needs a chainsaw. Get one of these instead

MisterE · Post by **MisterE** » 31 Dec 2008, 10:39

Full on! How do you use it, pull on its tail and rub peanut butter on the tree? Mwuahahahahaa. They must be some sharp teeth