Chainsaws

[Rhyolith]

I want to get some "proper" training on a chainsaw to allow me to work for various conservation bodies. I have literally never used a chainsaw, though I have plenty of experience felling with hand tools (axes and bowsaws).

What short of course should I be looking for? Will it take long or be expensive?

I am also thinking the purchasing go a chainsaw might be a good idea (to get familiar with using them). Are the Battery ones any good yet? Or is petrol still the only viable option? I was also thinking of getting and mains powered one for workshop use (log processing).

Advice appreciated! Cheers

 

[sundaytrucker]

I will be interested in the responses as I am also looking at chainsaw courses and buying my first chainsaw too.

I may be lucky enough to have a source for local timber and the use of a chainsaw combined with a chainsaw mill may well be on the horizon once I am conversant with the tool.

 

[Beau]

NPTC is the course you need. Did Lantra myself but not now recognised by some bodies.

I would still stick with petrol but cordless saws are getting pro use these days by some climbers for smaller work.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I've an Ikra 2000w elecrtric one, which for rough sawing of blanks is great, I also have an old Stihl petrol which is the mutt's nuts. I know nothing of training, so can't help on that front. One thing I would say is if you look to buy and read scores of user reviews, make sure the star rating given is relevant - I saw one of an obviously excellent saw given one star because the guy had got a faulty one - which was promptly replaced. How, pray does that reflect on the saw? Another gave a one star because he was upset that before he could use the saw he had to buy oil and petrol! Another gave a poor review because the courier was inefficient. Another gave a one star because at the end of a days use he had to sharpen the chain - I would expect to probably touch the chain up six to twelve times in a day's use, depending on what I was sawing (12 times in a morning was my record). Many (not all) of the one and two star ratings are also obviously given by people who have had zero experience of using one so be wary of what you read.

 

[duncanh]

Usually recommend NPTC. Try to do basic cross cutting and maintenance and small felling at the same time. From memory it takes around 5 days.
I think that's CS30 and 31
Small trees should get you to 350mm diameter.

You're probably looking at upwards of £600 for both including the assessment - http://www.ianmorganarb.com/arb-trainin ... d-felling/
That seems to be a fairly standard price.

If you're willing to volunteer some of your time you may be able to find an organisation which will provice some training for you. I did 2 days per week with the local wildlife trust and got my CS31 out of it. One of the local National Trust places near me (Cragside, Northumberland) used to have a scheme where they would train you and you could go and practice under supervision on their grounds. I think the local council helped fund it.


For saws - you want something designed for long days of work which will last and be reliable. We use Stihls but only because we have a local dealer who gives us a good discount. We also have a few Husqvarnas. There's often heated debate as to which is best but either is good.
We have a small battery powered Stihl and wouldn't consider it for anything bigger than maybe 20cm diameter. It's useful and lightweight so good to carry round if you don't have much to do but if I'm working all day I want something more powerful which will get the job done faster.
Our new Stihl 261's (pretty sure thats the model) are ok but they have a modern controlled carb system which doesn't let you adjust things easily and have to be taken to the dealer if they need tickover etc changing. They're ok when tuned but we've found them to stall regularly. I'd probably advise against that model.
My cousin really likes Husky saws and last time I worked for him he had a nice little one designed for home use. I think it was http://www.husqvarna.com/uk/products/ch ... 966639901/. Whilst not as robust as their work saws (more plastic parts) it was nice and light and for regular low level work with lots of bending it was great. It had some fancy easy start system which should really be needed on a saw that size, but useful if you don't have much arm strength (although if you don't have the strength to start it should you be using it!)

 

[duncanh]

The other downside to battery saws for conservation work (or at least the consevation work I do) is that you've often in remote or difficult to reach locations and usually working all day. Carrying enough batteries to last all day might be an issue. Petrol cans can be shared between everyone who's sawing and we're pretty much always working with volunteers - one of them usually offers to carry the fuel and oil

 

[AJB Temple]

Edit: forgot to push teh submit button for some hours so others have covered it largely. I attended a 2 day chainsaw course run by Kingswood training. Gave good basic safety and maintenance instruction. Personally I will not use a chainsaw at height. This was just for my own use though.

For any serious use (or anyway) you should buy chainstop trousers, helmet, faceguard etc.

Battery chainsaws (40v typically) are great. I have one that I am willing to use from a ladder. Advantage is quiet, instant stop, no hassle starting. The Stihl ones are very good now. Not as much grunt as a petrol chainsaw. I bought a 12" one as I use it for pruning and it needs to be agile. Avoid the brands with plastic spikes (I giot a greenworks one but would not recommend it) - you want the saw to grab the wood.

I also have a 16" bar petrol stihl. This is easy start but like all petrol tools it is only really easy start if the fuel is fresh or long life and if you use it regularly. This is big enough for what I need. Not big enough for serious felling. Very noisy. I only chose Stihl because there are lots of dealers around and the parts are very easy to get. You can sell them instantly second hand.

I also have a Titan corded electric from Screwfix (maybe it's not Titan - whatever their brand is). I would strongly advise against a cheap electric though - if you buy one get a good one. It is in my experience essential to have tool-less chain tensioning - which my corded one does not have. The blade and chain are light duty and the chain stretches like mad. It is easy to get to the end of your adjustment. I would not buy a cheap one again. Corded is only any use for teh log shed really, as they don't usually have power sockets on trees.

 

[El Barto]

Get your crosscutting and small felling tickets (or even just crosscutting) and that's a trade under your belt that you can use if you need it. Well worth it I reckon and as mentioned above NPTC is more widely recognised and also doesn't expire like LANTRA (I think).

You'll need boots (chainsaw boots, not just toecaps), trousers and gloves, and a helmet of course. I think a lot of courses provide this.

The small Stihl saws are good and will cover a lot of your needs. For example, on a working farm with woodland we've never really needed anything bigger than a 14 inch saw, but I suppose it's on a case by case basis isn't it. Your conservation work might require a bigger saw.

 

[duncanh]

yes, you'll need ppe for the course and the assessment. The course may provide them but if you're buying a saw then buy all the ppe and wear it every time you run the saw. It's likely to cost more than a small saw. You can save some money by buying chaps - they're ok for occasional use or if you have a day of mixed work but not great for wearing for a full day so I'd recommend trousers or even bib & braces - good for keeping your lower back warm and keeping your shirt tucked in.
Chainsaw wellies are also a bit cheaper than boots.

For our conservation work I think our new saws have 15" bars although they'll go up to 18". We also have a monster 660 with a 30" bar - mainly for planking but useful sometimes for felling.

Also, we don't often need to take down medium or large trees (although I think they're now covered by the same training ticket). A couple of staff members have medium tree ticket and for large or trickier trees we contract out to a tree surgeon.

It's also useful to learn about winching but that will likely be covered in small felling - it was for me and I had to use one during my assessment to deal with a hung up tree. We use them a lot for conservation work - whilst felling but also removing sycamore saplings.

 

[andersonec]

Ask someone on here.

http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/general-chat ... -look.html

Andy

 

[Wildman]

This is a great opportunity that may be of interest
https://www.permaculture.co.uk/news/148 ... ty-ben-law

 

[Alexam]

try training courses for Arbiculture at local colleges in your own area

My son-in-law taught at local colleges near here when he wasn't so busy with his business of Arboroiculture, which quotes the following on his Web page :-

"All arboricultural works are carried out to a minimum BS3998 standard, by experienced and competent staff, all of who have advanced chainsaw and aerial climbing units, CPD is carried out by our internal training team whom are Lantra instructors and NPTC assessors both Arboricultural and Forestry"

......... That's what you need and it takes time and money unless you want to work for a specialist for a few years and learn the art ................. expertise takes time unless you join to mass of untrained so called 'tree surgeons' that can hack anything down, dont have any insurance covering anything and soon go out of business.
Malcolm

 

[swb58]

Find out what qualifications you're going to need first, then get them from an organisation which is widely acknowledged.
I'd recommend a smallish Stihl (181) with 14" bar, their easy start system and you'll get the simple chain tensioner which is brilliant.

 

[Sawyer]

When I looked in the past, I could only find expensive courses leading to a qualification. Not being looking for employment as a forester, or similar I didn't need another piece of paper, I just wanted to know how to use a c/s effectively and safely but could find nothing suitable. I think colleges are missing a trick here?

Anyway, in the shop where I bought my Stihl, the man was kind enough to spend some time explaining and showing me the essential principles, which I have put into practice ever since.

 

[SteveW1000]

I run a conservation project working on a number of sites in NE London, can't add chainsaw use to my PL insurance without a CS30 / 31 would think that might be something any other conservation group would require before they let you loose with a chainsaw. Yes it is expensive I'm going to look for a grant to fund the training. Perhaps one of the groups you are looking to volunteer with could seek some funding to train a number of volunteers? As others have said get the appropriate PPE from a known brand, just because it says that it's for chainsaw use is no guarantee that when you need it it will save you. A neighbour cut into his leg and died cutting firewood so don't take the risk.