"overhand" chainsaws

[NebClimber]

Can someone please tell me why Echo and other manufacturers make "overhand" chainsaws (e.g. Echo cs 3400)? By overhand I mean the throttle/hand-grip sits over the engine instead of behind the engine. These saws are lightweight and can be easily operated with one hand. Is one-hand operation the motive behind the design? Local retailers here tell me the overhands are for one-handed operation. But the safety manuals for these saws say they must be operated with two hands. It seems to me the design invites/encourages one-handed operation, and the saws are marketed for this purpose, and the safety instruction calling for two-handed operation is just a cover. While everyone on this site might agree that two handed operation is safest, I would really like to know if you think these saws are designed/marketed with one handed operation in mind.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Uh - oh.....

 

[geofore]

top handle saws

Do a search on top handle saws, I like them for trimming, though I have both, I like top handle up in the trees, some don't. The tail stock on the other saws puts too much weight on my wrist and elbow, top handle moves the center of gravity a little. You are extending your arms with a weight in your hands, how long can you hold that weight? Some like the extended reach of the tail stock, you'll pay for that years down the road when elbow gives out before the end of the day. Maybe not with the new saws, lighter and better anti-vibe than old saws. Anything 50cc and over should not be top handled, you need the additional leverage to control the bigger saw in bigger wood. JMHO

 

[Stumper]

Geofore just made a great observation about how tophandles can help in 2 handed extended reach situations. Top handles do invite one hand use and are indeed manufactured with a covert intention for such use (my opinion). The advice in the manuals to NEVER use a saw one handed is good CYA for the manufacturer but they know that most climbers one hand occassionally and prefer top handles because they can be operated that way by someone with good wrist strength (rear handles require gargantuan wrist strength to be safely operated with only one paw). A top handle design is also more compact which is a plus for a climber. (Mike Mass disagrees but he is.... well.... Mike.) The europeans have gone over this in detail-Some nations with their overweaning /Socialist governments attempted to ban Tophandle saws. A couple of Brits wrote a manual on safe chainsaw operation in trees and that, together with some educated lobbying by the UK's tree care industry, staved off the ban in the U.K. (I believe that they do designate such saws for professional use only and prohibit using them on the ground!).

 

[Stumper]

Amen Brian!

 

[geofore]

inertia chain brakes

Forgot to mention the additional safety feature on my tweaked up husky 335xp cali top handle saw, the inertia chain brake. It is sensitive to the quick motion of a kickback and sets the brake to stop the chain. A must have safety feature for anyone who tries the one handed cuts. You know you should not be using one hand to cut and the inertia chain break is there to protect the foolish (lowest common denominator). Check the brake when you start the saw to make sure it works. every time you use it. Someone, I believe, suggested removing the brake on another forum, DO NOT remove the brake, it is there for your protection. This is in no way an endorment to use any saw with one hand, use both hands. Learn the right way, practice the right way and it will become second nature.

Work safe and Live long

 

[Lumberjack]

From what the local dealer tells me, the saws are intended for 1 hand use. An easy way to tell is that the saw is balanced on the top handle. The only reason why the book says use to hands is because they have to protect themselves from someone who will take the saw, use one hand for the first cut in his life, and cut off his leg. Then he would sue the company because they didn't tell his ignorant self not to. My theory on saftey practices similar to this, practice, and see what can happen, think about it a few nights and if you can do it easier and SAFER one way than the other, then do it.


Carl

 

[NeTree]

Good thread for the chainsaw forum. JPS, can we get this thread moved over there?


Interesting point. I do make one-handed cuts quite often, both while climbing and when in the bucket. I don't find it particularly unsafe, as long as you keep a secure grip with the one hand and mind where your other body parts are in relation to the saw.