How easy are these to use? Someone has lent us one but we are afraid to
touch it. We are thinking of trying to dismantle a couple of trees with
them.
Hayley

H Ryder decided to add:

How easy are these to use? Someone has lent us one but we are afraid to
touch it. We are thinking of trying to dismantle a couple of trees with
them.
Hayley

Not too hard if you follow a few simple rules...
but I would suggest that if you are afraid of it you should not even open
the box!

http://forestry.about.com/od/forestr.../byw_saw_6.htm

In article ,
bigjon wrote:
H Ryder decided to add:

How easy are these to use? Someone has lent us one but we are afraid to
touch it. We are thinking of trying to dismantle a couple of trees with
them.

Not too hard if you follow a few simple rules...
but I would suggest that if you are afraid of it you should not even open
the box!

http://forestry.about.com/od/forestr.../byw_saw_6.htm

Cutting up logs on a horse is relatively easy; cutting down trees
is a LOT trickier. My fater-in-law gave us one, which we thanked
him kindly for, gave it garage space and will transfer direct to
the tip.

I have cut down and cut up trees of 1' in diameter in less than a
day with a bowsaw - and I am neither an expert nor do it regularly.
Get a 30-36" bowsaw with a decent blade and leave the chainsaw in
the box.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

The message
from (Nick Maclaren) contains these words:

Cutting up logs on a horse is relatively easy; cutting down trees
is a LOT trickier. My fater-in-law gave us one, which we thanked
him kindly for, gave it garage space and will transfer direct to
the tip.

Don't do that! I'd give it a loving home...

I have cut down and cut up trees of 1' in diameter in less than a
day with a bowsaw - and I am neither an expert nor do it regularly.
Get a 30-36" bowsaw with a decent blade and leave the chainsaw in
the box.

I think I would agree with that. (I've been using power (chain) saws on
and off since 1956, and still do from time to time.)

--
Tony http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

The only way to tell when a Finn is in love with you
is that they look at your feet instead of their own.

In article ,
Anthony Anson writes:
| The message
| from (Nick Maclaren) contains these words:
|
| Cutting up logs on a horse is relatively easy; cutting down trees
| is a LOT trickier. My fater-in-law gave us one, which we thanked
| him kindly for, gave it garage space and will transfer direct to
| the tip.
|
| Don't do that! I'd give it a loving home...

You haven't seen it - it probably doesn't even work reliably. If
you live near me, you may collect, but I disclaim all responsibility.
And, no, I will NOT take payment ....


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

The message
from (Nick Maclaren) contains these words:
In article ,
Anthony Anson writes:
| The message
| from (Nick Maclaren) contains these words:
|
| Cutting up logs on a horse is relatively easy; cutting down trees
| is a LOT trickier. My fater-in-law gave us one, which we thanked
| him kindly for, gave it garage space and will transfer direct to
| the tip.
|
| Don't do that! I'd give it a loving home...

You haven't seen it - it probably doesn't even work reliably. If
you live near me, you may collect, but I disclaim all responsibility.

Proper address slipped out in error - yes, I live within er, eighty
miles. A day trip is not out of the question: buses from Norwich are
easy. Besides, I'd like to make it during term time, so I can fit in
Choral Evensong at John's.

But I won't be getting my first pension payment for about six weeks,
they tell me. (By which time it should be a fortune...) Would that be
too long to hang on to it?

And, no, I will NOT take payment ....

But you might have your arm twisted if the right seeds are to hand?

--
Rusty
Emus to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co full-stop uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

I have cut down and cut up trees of 1' in diameter in less than a
day with a bowsaw

do you mean 1 inch? We also have a bow saw and have been wondering about
using it instead.
Hayley

In article ,
"H Ryder" writes:
|
| I have cut down and cut up trees of 1' in diameter in less than a
| day with a bowsaw
|
| do you mean 1 inch? We also have a bow saw and have been wondering about
| using it instead.

!!!!! No. One foot. I have cut down and cut up trees of 1"
diameter in less than a minute :-)

Make sure that your bow saw is big enough and has a decent blade.
Buy a new one unless the blade feels VERY sharp.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

H Ryder wrote:
I have cut down and cut up trees of 1' in diameter in less than a
day with a bowsaw

do you mean 1 inch? We also have a bow saw and have been wondering about
using it instead.

1" is one inch, 1' is one foot.

FWIW I use a chainsaw for felling trees and I'm basically self taught.

HOWEVER (!) I used the chainsaw for many years for simply cutting logs
before I tried felling a tree and I also looked at various places on
the web and in books to get information about how to safely fell
trees.

I wouldn't really recommend taking a 'new' chainsaw out of the box and
immediately trying to fell a tree with it.

--
Chris Green

decided to add:

H Ryder wrote:
I have cut down and cut up trees of 1' in diameter in less than a
day with a bowsaw

do you mean 1 inch? We also have a bow saw and have been wondering about
using it instead.

1" is one inch, 1' is one foot.

FWIW I use a chainsaw for felling trees and I'm basically self taught.

HOWEVER (!) I used the chainsaw for many years for simply cutting logs
before I tried felling a tree and I also looked at various places on
the web and in books to get information about how to safely fell
trees.

I wouldn't really recommend taking a 'new' chainsaw out of the box and
immediately trying to fell a tree with it.

haha neither would I

I'd agree about leaving it in the box if you're not practised.

If the trees are large, get a contractor. He will have the extra
benefit to you of disposing of the all the debris; when down, a tree is
2 or 3 times the size it seemed when it was 'up'!

If the trees are not so large (and I myself would take down one with a
trunk up to a foot thick), nobody else has yet said:

- saw off all the boughs progressively from the top down.
- saw off pieces of the trunk until it's about 8' (that's feet) tall
- dig round the roots, attach a rope to the top of the 8' "stump",
recruit the neighbours (or use the car) and pull the stump over.

There is no work in the garden harder than digging up a tree stump, so
use the leverage of the tree itself to do you that one last service.

have fun
john

In article ,
John writes:
|
| If the trees are not so large (and I myself would take down one with a
| trunk up to a foot thick), nobody else has yet said:
|
| - saw off all the boughs progressively from the top down.
| - saw off pieces of the trunk until it's about 8' (that's feet) tall

Depending on its shape, yes. Some trees are better done slightly
differently.

| - dig round the roots, attach a rope to the top of the 8' "stump",
| recruit the neighbours (or use the car) and pull the stump over.

Nah. And pull the towing bracket out of the car, ending up with
a bill that will dwarf that of employing a "tree surgeon". Most
modern cars aren't up to the job for stumps large enough to be a
problem digging out.

| There is no work in the garden harder than digging up a tree stump, so
| use the leverage of the tree itself to do you that one last service.

It's not as hard as all that for trees of up to about 1' in diameter
and pretty easy for ones of up to 6", if you have enough space, the
right tools[*] and take your time. It is a real pain if you don't
have enough space to dig the stump out. And, above about 1', stumps
get HEAVY.
[*] Including a grub-axe, sharp axes and enough beer.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

John wrote:
I'd agree about leaving it in the box if you're not practised.

If the trees are large, get a contractor. He will have the extra
benefit to you of disposing of the all the debris; when down, a tree is
2 or 3 times the size it seemed when it was 'up'!

If the trees are not so large (and I myself would take down one with a
trunk up to a foot thick), nobody else has yet said:

- saw off all the boughs progressively from the top down.

Don't do this with a chainsaw if it involves being up a ladder,
working with a chainsaw off the ground is a highly skilled occupation
for which you need sereiopus training.

- saw off pieces of the trunk until it's about 8' (that's feet) tall
- dig round the roots, attach a rope to the top of the 8' "stump",
recruit the neighbours (or use the car) and pull the stump over.

There is no work in the garden harder than digging up a tree stump, so
use the leverage of the tree itself to do you that one last service.

Always assumes you want to be rid of the stump of course.

Felling a whole tree is easier/safer if you cut it two or three feet
from the ground.

--
Chris Green

The message
from "H Ryder" contains these words:

How easy are these to use? Someone has lent us one but we are afraid to
touch it. We are thinking of trying to dismantle a couple of trees with
them.

Well, there are chainsaws and power saws.

Chainsaws break down into two types, remote, and operated with cords
(difficult), and hand, (fairly easy).

However, I expect you mean power saws. These can be quite easy,
especially the electric ones, but the petrol driven ones can be very
idiosyncratic.

Most of them have excellent safety features these days, so assuming that
it isn't too heavy for you to use comfortably, go for it.

A few rules:

Correct CUT
________________________________/ /
| Free end, weight _||_
________________________ ___________ \ /
\ \ \/

--------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------

Wrong CUT
________________________________/ /
Free end, weight _||_
_______________|________ ___________ \ /
\ \ \/

--------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------

Correct CUT (Upwards)
______________________________/ /
| |
|________________|_______________|
/ \ / \
| | | |
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

--------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------

Wrong CUT
______________________________/ /
| | |
|________________________________|
/ \ / \
| | | |
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
(cut will tighten on the blade)

--------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------

| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| Fall | | Fall | | FALL |
| --- | | --- | | --- |
| | | | | Even |
| OK | |BETTER| |BETTER|
|___ | |\ | Second |\ |
| | | \ | cut | \ __| First cut
| | | \| | |
| | | | | |

But the angle of the downward cuts is a lot less steep

--
Rusty
Emus to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co full-stop uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

Jaques d'Alltrades wrote:
The message
from "H Ryder" contains these words:

How easy are these to use? Someone has lent us one but we are
afraid
to touch it. We are thinking of trying to dismantle a couple of
trees with them.

Well, there are chainsaws and power saws.

Chainsaws break down into two types, remote, and operated with
cords
(difficult), and hand, (fairly easy).

However, I expect you mean power saws. These can be quite easy,
especially the electric ones, but the petrol driven ones can be
very
idiosyncratic.

Most of them have excellent safety features these days, so assuming
that it isn't too heavy for you to use comfortably, go for it.

A few rules:
[...sensible rules snipped...]

I don't care what Rusty says: forget it. The things are *******s, and
you must have had a proper ATB or similar training course, and _all_
the correct protective gear. I wouldn't, in fact, even recommend one
of the Mickey-Mouse Black and Decker ones. A good bow saw costs very
little, and will do your small job well and quickly. If that's beyond
your capabilities or experience, _please_ pay a properly insured
professional.

--
Mike.