PDA

View Full Version : Chainsaw Training DVD



Shannon Nash
10th April 2008, 10:21 PM
I have used a chainsaw a limited amount with various self taught people. I am very careful with powertools and have many years working with them so do take great care and would like, on top of the stuff I have seen, and what I have read to have a look at a Training DVD on using a chainsaw which Husky apparently have made.

Has anyone got a copy? Does anyone know where I can get a copy.

Cheers
SN

BobL
10th April 2008, 11:28 PM
I have used a chainsaw a limited amount with various self taught people. I am very careful with powertools and have many years working with them so do take great care and would like, on top of the stuff I have seen, and what I have read to have a look at a Training DVD on using a chainsaw which Husky apparently have made.

Has anyone got a copy? Does anyone know where I can get a copy.

Cheers
SN

While a training DVD will be useful I recommend you consider taking a one day chainsaw operators course. They are usually run by private providers for the employees of specific businesses but if you hunt around you can find course providers who sometimes allow individuals tag along. The courses are not cheap but being run by someone who is fully up to date with the latest OHS standard showing you the ropes is worth it.

I have been around chainsaws for around 45 years and learned basics and a fair bit of common sense stuff from my dad who was a tree faller. I used to go out bush with him cutting down tree from when I was about 8 years old. I could have given the operators course myself but the latest OHS stuff was worth it. Besides I got to flog the pants of the course providers near new Husqvarnas and then got a neat certificate to put up along my other degrees at work - lifts a few eyebrows I can tell you!

Sigidi
12th April 2008, 01:35 PM
You will be able to get the DVD from a husky supplier, I would presume.

AS for the course, I don't have a ticket for a saw, but wasn't brought up with saws in the family either. My experience is rather limited and very informal. I remeber being taught some basics in the Army about saws, but nothing I put into practice until some 10 years later. I think everyone should have a ticket before being able to buy a chainsaw, no ticket, no saw.

This may be unpopular for some, but when you think about the mechanics of a chainsaw, there is no other power tool one can buy which has less guards over the cutting equipment, think about circular saws, table saws, jointers/planning tables all of those things all come with automatic/semi-automatic blade guards, not so for hte chainsaw. I feel this way as I walked into a shop dropped enough money on the counter and in my hands (with little or no experience/knowlegde) I had what could be a very dangerous combination of tool and inexperience. So far I have not hurt myself more than a bit of skin on fingers from handling a sharp chain, but I am always respectful of my saw.

Shannon, contact the DPI in your state, ask for recognised trainers and contact them for upcoming courses, they will tag you onto a course around your area in 3-6 months, but expect to pay somewhere like $300-$500 for the course. (this is my only reason for not doing a course, I don't have this money spare - If I was forced to do the course, I would find a way to have the $'s)

So, yes although I advocate no ticket no saw, I don't have a ticket and I have a saw

BobL
12th April 2008, 04:03 PM
While I recommend some kind of course I'm not sure about the no ticket no Chainsaw rule unless there is some consistency applied across the board.

Despite their guards and other safety features circular saws are still involved in more injuries than chain saws. In fact there are heaps of injuries and deaths out there caused by the simplest of DIY events and tools.

There is an excellent report on DIY injuries in WA by the WAICCW on "A review of do-it-yourself injury surveillance, incidence and prevention in Australia and internationally" which provides sober reading.

See http://www.iccwa.org.au/new%20info/DIY%20Injury%20Report.pdf
There is an older but similar report at http://www.monash.edu.au/muarc/reports/Other/DHS01.pdf

If we use number of injuries as a statistic for requiring a ticket, then a table on Page 15 of that report suggests that grinders and the humble ladder should require tickets before purchase.

Chainsaws are not in the top 10 causes of attendance at emergency departments but are the 6th most likely DIY cause of hospital admission, just behind motor vehicle maintenance and ahead of hand saws.

OK - we should normalize the data against the number/users of these tools which I assume would move chainsaws up the list (bureaucrats only seem interested in total numbers of events before they act). According to the second report many chainsaw injuries have been happening with older chainsaws which have no chain brakes and the rate of injury is dropping as the older machines die.

I think the manufacturers could also do a little more, eg if Sunbeam can sell a $600 espresso machine with a 2 hour course on coffee making I can't see why chainsaw manufacturers can't do the same.

Sigidi
12th April 2008, 05:55 PM
Bob, I think there are less chainsaw accidents as more people shy away from chainsaws unless they must use them. A chainsaw doesn't fall into the category of tool one may buy for a home handyman as an adjunct to their workshop - which may or may not be used.

I would think a large proportion of chainsaw owners have at some time made a living of some sort using their chainsaw, or used their chansaw to help them make a living?

What do others think about ticketing and average useage of a chainsaw? are most used to make a living? Do you think training of some kind should be mandatory for Chainsaw ownership?

BobL
12th April 2008, 08:42 PM
Bob, I think there are less chainsaw accidents as more people shy away from chainsaws unless they must use them.
I agree, fortunately chainsaws scare most people so they stay away from them. But while you can still buy them in stores with no safety advice provided on purchase they remain a problem. Even a little 30ccer can cause problems if mishandled.


A chainsaw doesn't fall into the category of tool one may buy for a home handyman as an adjunct to their workshop - which may or may not be used. I would think a large proportion of chainsaw owners have at some time made a living of some sort using their chainsaw, or used their chansaw to help them make a living? I dunno, a lot of wood turners for example would own a chainsaw. Very few of the used saws I go to look that are advertized in the classifieds belong to professionals, mostly they're owned by people who haven't got a clue!

This may be true for bigger saws but just like motor cycles there are a lot of small ones sold and as I said above they can still cause problems

Ianab
13th April 2008, 09:15 PM
What do others think about ticketing and average useage of a chainsaw? are most used to make a living? Do you think training of some kind should be mandatory for Chainsaw ownership?

Generally I'm against any more government restrictions on things like that. If you need a license to drive a chainsaw, what about a table saw, or a circular saw, or a chisel. :-

In NZ the Govt run accident insurance corperation actually pays for free one day chainsaw courses for anyone in a rural area that may need to use a chainsaw occasionally for work or firewood cutting. I guess the bean counters have done the maths, and the cost of the courses is probably less than paying out for a lopped off leg.

So - I say less on the laws, more on the education.

And yes I have done the course, got my OSH approved chainsaw operator certificate and all :wink:

It's not a DVD, but here a couple of good PDFs on chainsaws.

http://www.osh.dol.govt.nz/order/catalogue/pdf/chainsaws-2006.pdf

http://www.osh.govt.nz/order/catalogue/pdf/treefell.pdf

The first one is basic how to run your saw stuff.

The second is how to actually drop a tree and cut it up without killing yourself. It goes into some fairly advanced stuff, but a big part of chainsaw safety is knowing when you have a problem before you make the cut.

Ian

Sigidi
13th April 2008, 09:37 PM
Ian what are your useage thoughts for chainsaws? who do you think generally own chainsaws?

Shannon Nash
13th April 2008, 10:38 PM
I have lloked locally for a course and will try an get into one. I just thought that it would be worthwhile having a look at the training DVD. I think I have read every possible book on woodworking and take great care with all my tools. As with my woodworking I will always try and educate myself in as many possible ways as I can, Watch, Read, Listen, Try etc.

Thanks for the PDF's. All part of the education.
Shannon

Sigidi
13th April 2008, 11:50 PM
Shannon

thats a great way to be. I was, and still am, scared to death with saws.

Husky already gave out a pretty comprehensive manual with their saws, but I reckon you can contact your Husky dealer and they would sell you one the DVD's - may even find they might use parts of the DVD on a saw course soon?

Doughboy
14th April 2008, 12:35 AM
While chainsaw use is important probably more important is keep the thing sharp. We all know that a sharp instrument cuts while a blunt one tears. Forcing a blunt saw to do what a sharp one should do is a recipe for disaster.

I may be wrong but I dont think that anyone can learn to sharpen a saw in a couple day course.

BobL
14th April 2008, 06:54 AM
While chainsaw use is important probably more important is keep the thing sharp. We all know that a sharp instrument cuts while a blunt one tears. Forcing a blunt saw to do what a sharp one should do is a recipe for disaster.

I may be wrong but I dont think that anyone can learn to sharpen a saw in a couple day course.

I agree sharp chain makes for better use and although you can't learn to sharpen in one day at the very least the course will tell you about this so you consider getting it sharpened at a saw shop or by someone else sooner rather than later.

I'm talking about learning really really basic things like not walking around or climbing over logs with the saw running without the chain brake on, use of basic PPE, how to start a saw safely, how to clean it properly and adjust the chain. Learning about kickback is useful because it happens whether the chain is sharp or blunt. People simply don't read instruction books and only when they fork out $250 for someone with experience to say it to them face-to-face along with a couple of gruesome stories do they usually take a bit of notice.

Ianab
14th April 2008, 02:41 PM
Ian what are your useage thoughts for chainsaws? who do you think generally own chainsaws?

I live in a small rural town / farming area. There are 2 gas stations and 4 power tool/chainsaw dealers.

Most everyone I know owns a chainsaw of some sort, even if it's only for gardening or firewood cutting.

Generally every farmer owns one for fencing, firewood or clearing downed trees.

Doesn't mean they all know how to use one properly. :no:

Ian

BobL
14th April 2008, 02:50 PM
I live in a small rural town / farming area. There are 2 gas stations and 4 power tool/chainsaw dealers.
Sounds like my kind of place!


Most everyone I know owns a chainsaw of some sort, even if it's only for gardening or firewood cutting.

Generally every farmer owns one for fencing, firewood or clearing downed trees.

Doesn't mean they all know how to use one properly. :no:
Sound all too familiar.

Ianab
14th April 2008, 02:54 PM
While chainsaw use is important probably more important is keep the thing sharp. We all know that a sharp instrument cuts while a blunt one tears. Forcing a blunt saw to do what a sharp one should do is a recipe for disaster.

I may be wrong but I dont think that anyone can learn to sharpen a saw in a couple day course.

The blunt saw is a problem, but mostly because you are going to wear out your saw (and yourself) faster.

I could probably teach someone how to keep a saw basically sharp in 5 mins, and with an hours practice you will keep it good as new. The old guy that took our course could take a new chain out of the box, and make that cut better than new. I'm not that good yet ;)

The important thing with chainsaw safety is to know what could go wrong. The couses go over the real ways that people do actually injure themselves, and how to avoid it happening to you.

Kickback, slipping over with a running saw, widowmakers in trees, dropping trees on yourself, barberchairs and springpoles. The things that can and do happen, and kill you.

Ian

Sawdust Maker
24th April 2008, 11:04 PM
I have to agree with most of what is said above
I grew up on a farm. My step grandfather used a chainsaw, I recall watching him. Had a mate who used one for a lining - he taught me a lot - most of it indirectly, as I closely watched him using it. but he gave me a few specific pointers. 20 years on I bought a husky (yeah, got into woodturning). I think I know enough to be careful and wary. I also know enough to be dangerous.
I also know enough that I'll take the advice here and find a two day course:!
Thanks you've all probably saved me cutting my leg off.:2tsup:

BTW where is the coffee making course?:D

BobL
24th April 2008, 11:36 PM
BTW where is the coffee making course?:D

It was free for buyers of the Sunbeam 6900/6910 and it was run in a major hotel in every capital city in Australia. One of my mates took the course and he said it was quite good. I don't know if it still operates.