one handing a top handle saw

dov

Considering the common one-handedness of the industry, shouldn't we start looking into a chain brake that works more effectively for one hand use?

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arborjockey

Thats a good idea. I found adding 2" to my bar length while working in trees with a larger DBH, as in the N.W. has helped out emensly. Curbing one handed use by about 50%. The extra 2" also helped from having to overextend thus reducing fatigue. HUSKY HUSKY HUSKY rear carbs on the stihl causes terrible ergonomics. The handle sucks and puts your rist is at a bad angle.

jdog

one handing is more a fact of life type thing regardless of what we should do for me it's a matter of what I must do. Try hard to only one hand my top saws to finish a cut and release the work. Not to allow my free hand to handle the work, I have short lengths of rigging line for that but to steady my position, stay balanced or to enable myself to get out of harms way. Yep guilty

kel

Always one hand my 200, (and got the scars to prove it.) The ergonomics and balance indicate the manufacturers designed it with one handed use in mind also.(don't think they'ld admit to it though) I'll admit you need to pay close attention to the bar tip/kick back zone, which could be a trap for young players, but I'ld feel handicapped having to only use it with two hands. Would it count if I had one hand on the lanyard? Whats the comments regarding cutting above your shoulders? Don't tell me thats a "no no" too?

arborjockey

husky too.... look theres a spot to set your thumb while you one hand

windthrown

Kind of says it all, right there.

stirmantrees

and seeing as you are the one guy that actually always uses 2 hands i suppose it is logical that we have to take it from you. only fair

the times that i have cut myself had nothing to do with one handing, but the jury is still out as i still do tree work.

NeTree

Your post sure didn't make it look that way.

TreeCo

I one hand frequently but not as a rule and I've not cut myself in over 20 years. I never cross arms but instead hold the saw either in my left or right depending on my body and limb position.

It's about knowing your limbitations!

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stirmantrees

not crossing over is probably a good choice.
the 2 times i got cut was once when i was trimming a butia capitata and my ladder spun on me in mid cut. that was a serious injury that actually turned my entire life around. bitter sweet if you will.
and when i was much younger, climbing, had shorts on, and the saw at my side and when i lifted my leg the chain caught my shin area and took a chunk out. not as serious but an incredible lesson.
ofcourse i have sharpened saws when i did not have gloves and nicked myself but that is very rare. its amazing how bad a little nick in the knuckle hurts

Bruce Hopf

First time I ever done this. I don't wear cloves, while handling a sharp chain, and putting it on the chain saw. Gloves and I don't get along all that well, can't stand wearing them.
I went to put a chain on the other day, and not paying attention, I put it on backwards. First time, I ever did that. I was trying to spin the chain, checking for tension, and as I was trying to spin it, the chain caught, and I took a chunk of skin, out of my finger. Then I realized that the chain was on backwards. Bruce.

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windthrown

Yah, I am the perfect sawyer. Now bend over. A little more now... come on now, spread 'em wide... that's it, now here comes the two-handed plunge cut!

Logical? No, sorry. I am not here to be the one handed saw Nazi. I do not know why you imply that. I simply pointed out why*I* sold my TH saws. Oh dear, I did warn about tendonitis, didn't I? Oh dear oh me oh my. Well, I guess I will have to retract that statement, and you all go ahead and do whatever you want up there in those trees. Why not juggle your saws one handed? Or why not use one in each hand and get the job done twice as fast? Heck, take it to the limit!

As Jomo says, whatever floats your boats...

stirmantrees

i know you werent being a nazi just calling it like you saw it.
all in good fun windthrown.
till somebody gets hurt cutting one handed ofcourse
2 saws at a time. wow! you just gave me an idea.

your tendenitis get better(or not get worse) once you started using back handled saws exclusively again?

i

Victor Lindsay

Always remember...continued one handed saw usage can lead to only having one hand to hold that saw.

stirmantrees

that should be on the warning labels for sure

windthrown

I ~saw~ a guy on Venice bach once that juggled 5 live TH Mini Macs at a time. The chain brakes were not set. He revved each saw as he caught and tossed them spinning through the air. He did a cutting demo during the warm-up to draw a crowd to show that each one was nice and sharp. I did a video of him and the south Asian Indian fellow next to him that broke a pile of glass bottles, nice and jagged, and then walked barefoot in it and then sat in it. I do not know what happened to that tape. The production manager wound up with it. We did a freelance shoot with a pro camera one day in Hollywood when a rock video shoot was cancelled. I was going to make a "safety video" using these two fellows as fine examples.

Better. A lot better actually. Remove the source of the problem, and it gets better. I also sold all my high vibration saws, like the 250 and 660. You can also one-hand a 260 pretty easy. Old habits die hard. But you cannot do the easy one handed cutting that you can with a TH, so it is far less likely, and it makes you move position rather than make that last inch cut ~just~ past where it is really safe to cut.

TGCIII

i'm a one hander that balances myself, pushes, holds and catches limbs, sometimes even give a small top a little swing, with the other hand on a daily basis. BUT i will say i take that extra second or 2 to look things over now, when i'm using a saw one handed, where i never did before, because of discussions like this. being aware and looking for a safer alternative if it exists is half the battle to me.

Eric Frei

A handy thing to have on you if you know you will be doing a few "cut'n chucks" is some cheap tape loop slings.

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stirmantrees

elaborate on the slings please

NeTree

Butt-hitch piece, put saw away, un-sling and chuck. All with 2 hands.

Garry Brockley

he means endless tape slings they rate to 30Kn and come in various lengths

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TGCIII

the other options are endless, no doubt. chainsaw use aloft is an art in its self with both hands!

stirmantrees

got it.

NeTree

Yep... I know.

newguy18

Likewise there is a time and place for one handing,also the almighty dipshits at ansi make rules that have alot of gray areas so its been my experiance common sense is better than a rule book.

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old schooler

Cole

yeah i dont one hand on a daily basis, i try to stay away from it, i guess the chainsaw came with two handles, you need two hands to start it, you need two hands to take the chain break off you need two hands when cutting your notch/scarf, so why do all these things then cut...the most dangerous part with one hand, we instantly fail anyone who one hands when doing climbing assesments here in aus, obviously its way diffrent overe there, do you guys have to have a ticket or licence to operate a chainsaw on a work site etc over there, here you need one theres a few diffrent levels im sure ekka can elaborate on this if he wants

Eric Frei

Never one hand whilst undergoing an assessment, never ever.

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newguy18

Nope,no ticket to use a chainsaw,a homeowner can go out and buy an ms880 with a 60" bar if he wanted to,oh and i can cut a notch one handed with a top handle saw,but alot of the time i climb with a back handle saw just so i have to really use 2 hands.

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old schooler

windthrown

So one-handing TH saws there in Oz is not kosher? Amusing. Here in the US there is no one watching how anyone uses a chainsaw, unless you are comercial/professional and then OSHA can bust you for required equipment, etc. The chances of them actually looking for and finding you on a job site is fairly remote though. There are no licenses or permits needed to buy or run chainsaws here. Not in any states that I have lived in or that I am aware of anyway. Anyone can buy a saw and use it however or wherever they want, and pretty much do whatever they want with them (YouTube is filled with them). No assesments. They are just another power tool. In many states (like this one) most people can also buy guns without a license (in some states it is very difficult and you need a license though), and you can buy and carry knives here as well.

Licenses for running chainsaws though... no wonder chainsaws are so expensive in Oz, eh? An entire state run beaurocracy to fund. And all you guys are one-handing there "illegally"? Wow... no wonder you are giving me flap for going by "your" rules. Shows you how well licensing works.

TGCIII

i wouldn't be crowing too loud, guys! hell, with our wonderful president and the bureaucratic bullshit government that goes with him, we're headed down the same path. healthcare reform?