# Newbie helper - Which chainsaw for limbing?



## Billy_Bob (Aug 9, 2008)

I sometimes have a newbie helper doing limbing of fallen trees. What is the best way to keep these people from hurting themselves with the chainsaw when they are starting out limbing and lack experience?

To me it seems limbing a fallen tree is one of the most dangerous things you can do with a chainsaw. I know experienced loggers around here who "know what they are doing", but still have been seriously injured while limbing.

I of course make the newbies watch safety videos, tell them horror stories - what a chain can do when it cuts you, and tell them 100 times "Watch the tip of your bar!" But I still see them not thinking before cutting sometimes and doing dangerous things.

I have a piece of junk "homeowner chainsaw" which has a safety bar and safety chain which I let them use without too much worry. But I have had it with this saw. I spend more time fixing this piece of junk than it runs. (Although it is not designed for heavy use - you get what you pay for!)

Then I have a second Stihl 460 with a 32" bar and regular bar/chisel chain which runs and runs and runs - very dependable. But is this saw too dangerous to give to a newbie for limbing?

Perhaps I could get a less powerful Stihl with a safety bar/chain which will be dependable and stand up to heavy use? Or get a shorter safety bar/chain for my 460? 

Or so far as kickback goes, is a longer bar less likely to kickback and hit you because of the longer distance it has to travel? (I have never had a chainsaw kickback and hit me because I always think about what I am doing before cutting and watch the tip of my bar.)

So my choices are a new less powerful saw, but must be dependable and stand up to heavy use or use my 460. Model suggestions? (Stihl only)

Long 32 inch or shorter bar. Safety bar? Safety tip? (To cover tip of saw??)

Then safety chain?


----------



## hazard (Aug 9, 2008)

Try a stihl 025. Underpowered and light.

There was a lady at work that recently bought a small electric chainsaw to cut a few 2" schubs/branches. I think on the second cut she hit the top of her foot. Went down a quarter of an inch and the cut was 1" long. Very lucky on her part. This was the first time she had used a saw and unsupervised. Scary.

Make them wear protective gear.

I started out with a chainsaw on my parents apple orchard. If you now apple trees they grow every which way. You need to be very aware of where you are stepping or tripping is very possible. I used a stihl 026 that had problems with the carb and chain liked to run all the time or the saw would quit. I didn't were any gear besides steel tipped boots. I think this was very stupid.

You should have only one person cutting on a felled tree in my opinion unless you know the tree isn't turning. Most of the trees I drop are mushroom shaped and when down the trunk isn't on the ground and the weight of the tree is on the branches. I have fears of a tree turning on me because of some one else doing something stupid on the other side of the tree.

Chris


----------



## Blakesmaster (Aug 9, 2008)

*Stihl 018*

Very light. Not much power. Cheap. I don't even think you can buy anything but safety chain for it. It's the only one of my saws that I'll let a newbie touch.


----------



## Bushler (Aug 9, 2008)

Buy a good saw that you will use, and hire someone qualified to run it, or someone capable of learning to run it.

Don't bottle neck your operation with a whimpy saw.


----------



## slowp (Aug 9, 2008)

For small limbs on conifers, a sharp axe works well. I'm serious. If it is a new to limbing person, they'll get an idea of how limbs under tension work and how to stumble around in the brush.


----------



## Gologit (Aug 9, 2008)

slowp said:


> For small limbs on conifers, a sharp axe works well. I'm serious. If it is a new to limbing person, they'll get an idea of how limbs under tension work and how to stumble around in the brush.



Not a bad idea. Ax first, then a bow saw, then work their way up to a chain saw. They'll appreciate the chainsaw more. 

Not too many people really know how to use an axe and that's a shame. A good axe, properly used, will get you out of a lot of trouble.


----------



## Bushler (Aug 9, 2008)

Re-read my advice. Ax is only good for driving wedges. Bowsaw? Never found a use for one of those.

440 mag. sthil w/28" bar has good chain speed and will last a long time. Don't hire the handicapped, (even if they're fun to watch work).

You're making me cry.


----------



## tree md (Aug 9, 2008)

I have 3 older saws I let the newbies run. One is a 192 and I have 2 older 029's. I don't like to turn a newbie loose with anything as big as a 460 that can take off a leg in an instant. My new climbers start out with a Silky hand saw and work their way up to a chainsaw. I most always have my experienced saw men limbing and bucking fallen trees (or do it myself). The new guys get to practice with the 192 (under supervision) until they learn how to use a saw.


----------



## Humptulips (Aug 9, 2008)

slowp said:


> For small limbs on conifers, a sharp axe works well. I'm serious. If it is a new to limbing person, they'll get an idea of how limbs under tension work and how to stumble around in the brush.



A sharp axe will take off a toe as fast as a power saw.

Busheler gives good advice. If you hire someone worth their salt they need something to work with that won't handicap them.

If anything you might start out with a saw chain that is not too hungry. That'll keep the kick backs down.


----------



## Billy_Bob (Aug 10, 2008)

I got a 260 Pro today with a 20" safety bar and safety chain (green labels).

Nice saw - Has a decompression button and light weight. So now I will not need to worry so much about my helper attacking himself with my 460 with extra sharp chisel chain! (I'll still preach to him about watching the tip of that saw though!)


----------



## abohac (Aug 10, 2008)

Billy_Bob said:


> I sometimes have a newbie helper doing limbing of fallen trees. What is the best way to keep these people from hurting themselves with the chainsaw when they are starting out limbing and lack experience?
> 
> To me it seems limbing a fallen tree is one of the most dangerous things you can do with a chainsaw. I know experienced loggers around here who "know what they are doing", but still have been seriously injured while limbing.
> 
> ...


I think a small saw or a junk one can hurt you as fast as a good one. I guess you really impress upon a new person with a saw how dangerous it is, explain kickback and require saftey clothing and to never ever lack respect for this job. From that point on, cross your fingers!


----------



## hazard (Aug 10, 2008)

I would still be careful with this saw. I got one 3 months ago. A great saw. It is still a powerful saw though. Fast revving.

Chris


----------

