Saw an interest segement on ATOH about safety chaps for chainsaw users.
Padded with ballistic (nylon? Kevlar?) cords that jam the saw blade once
they get drawn into the saw. The other side of the chap was unharmed. Very
effective and pretty cheap to make/own (I assume).

The also recommended full face, head and hearing protection. I definitely
use a full face mask for any kind of sawing (bought a few masks to store
with EVERY saw). I decided that was pretty cheap insurance after reading
posts here and elsewhere about horrific eye injuries that could have been
prevented by goggles or a mask. Also partly due to a rogue piece of plastic
pipe that shattered as I was sawing it.

They also showed a neat anti-squeak kit that included an interesting drill
guide and special screws. A depth gauge helps insert the screw so that the
pre-weakened break point is level with the top of the subfloor. Then the
tool turns on its side to break off the head of the screw (in this case
under the carpet). Sweet. Reminds me that there's nothing quite like "the
right tool for the job."

--
Bobby G.

On 10/10/2015 12:25 PM, Robert Green wrote:
Saw an interest segement on ATOH about safety chaps for chainsaw users.
Padded with ballistic (nylon? Kevlar?) cords that jam the saw blade once
they get drawn into the saw. The other side of the chap was unharmed. Very
effective and pretty cheap to make/own (I assume).

About $60 and up

http://www.amazon.com/Husqvarna-5313.../dp/B000X24TIO

http://www.wesspur.com/safety/chaps.html

They can be hot in the summer. otoh, even if they never save you from a
chainsaw they pad your knees if you're kneeling on rocks and save you
from jabs by sharp branches.

"rbowman" wrote in message
...
On 10/10/2015 12:25 PM, Robert Green wrote:
Saw an interest segement on ATOH about safety chaps for chainsaw users.
Padded with ballistic (nylon? Kevlar?) cords that jam the saw blade once
they get drawn into the saw. The other side of the chap was unharmed.
Very
effective and pretty cheap to make/own (I assume).

About $60 and up

http://www.amazon.com/Husqvarna-5313.../dp/B000X24TIO

http://www.wesspur.com/safety/chaps.html

Thanks for providing those cites.

They can be hot in the summer. otoh, even if they never save you from a
chainsaw they pad your knees if you're kneeling on rocks and save you
from jabs by sharp branches.

That's good to know. The chaps/aprons are a little like the table saw
device that won't saw your finger off. There are three differences. One,
it seems far less damaging to the saw, two, it's cheap by comparison and
three, it's not being shoved down our throats by the Feds - yet.

My own experience tells me that chain sawing is more dangerous than table
sawing since I've rarely lost my footing with the RAS but I have when trying
to saw a fallen tree into bite-sized chunks.

--
Bobby G.

On Saturday, October 10, 2015 at 2:28:34 PM UTC-4, Robert Green wrote:
Saw an interest segement on ATOH about safety chaps for chainsaw users.
Padded with ballistic (nylon? Kevlar?) cords that jam the saw blade once
they get drawn into the saw. The other side of the chap was unharmed. Very
effective and pretty cheap to make/own (I assume).

The also recommended full face, head and hearing protection. I definitely
use a full face mask for any kind of sawing (bought a few masks to store
with EVERY saw). I decided that was pretty cheap insurance after reading
posts here and elsewhere about horrific eye injuries that could have been
prevented by goggles or a mask. Also partly due to a rogue piece of plastic
pipe that shattered as I was sawing it.

They also showed a neat anti-squeak kit that included an interesting drill
guide and special screws. A depth gauge helps insert the screw so that the
pre-weakened break point is level with the top of the subfloor. Then the
tool turns on its side to break off the head of the screw (in this case
under the carpet). Sweet. Reminds me that there's nothing quite like "the
right tool for the job."

--
Bobby G.

The Sqeeeeeek No More screw system has been around for well over a decade. A quick search
of a.h.r shows it being discussed way back in 2001.

Here's the website of the designer and manufacturer:

http://www.oberry-enterprises.com/

In alt.home.repair, on Sat, 10 Oct 2015 19:31:01 -0400, "Robert Green"
wrote:

"rbowman" wrote in message
...
On 10/10/2015 12:25 PM, Robert Green wrote:
Saw an interest segement on ATOH about safety chaps for chainsaw users.
Padded with ballistic (nylon? Kevlar?) cords that jam the saw blade once
they get drawn into the saw. The other side of the chap was unharmed.
Very
effective and pretty cheap to make/own (I assume).

About $60 and up

http://www.amazon.com/Husqvarna-5313.../dp/B000X24TIO

http://www.wesspur.com/safety/chaps.html

Thanks for providing those cites.

They can be hot in the summer. otoh, even if they never save you from a
chainsaw they pad your knees if you're kneeling on rocks and save you
from jabs by sharp branches.

That's good to know. The chaps/aprons are a little like the table saw
device that won't saw your finger off. There are three differences. One,
it seems far less damaging to the saw, two, it's cheap by comparison and
three, it's not being shoved down our throats by the Feds - yet.

My own experience tells me that chain sawing is more dangerous than table
sawing since I've rarely lost my footing with the RAS but I have when trying
to saw a fallen tree into bite-sized chunks.

Yeah, but an electric chain saw stops if you don't keep squeezing the
trigger, and iirc a gas one does too.

A table saw just keeps running, even when someone is fainting, tripping,
having a a seizure.

On 10/10/2015 05:31 PM, Robert Green wrote:
That's good to know. The chaps/aprons are a little like the table saw
device that won't saw your finger off. There are three differences. One,
it seems far less damaging to the saw, two, it's cheap by comparison and
three, it's not being shoved down our throats by the Feds - yet.

The Feds shoved them down my throat To clarify, the USFS was signing
my paychecks and they're big on safety gear. Most of the chaps were well
worn and had battle scars which made me think it might be a good idea.
When you're cutting a trail with a Stihl some unexpected stuff can happen.

My own experience tells me that chain sawing is more dangerous than table
sawing since I've rarely lost my footing with the RAS but I have when trying
to saw a fallen tree into bite-sized chunks.

When you're limbing out a tree it's not hard to find something that
wants to throw the saw back at you.

On 10/10/2015 07:01 PM, micky wrote:
A table saw just keeps running, even when someone is fainting, tripping,
having a a seizure.

There is that. When my brother got on in years his wife confiscated the
keys to the saw and lathe, so to speak.

"micky" wrote in message
"Robert Green" wrote:

stuff snipped

My own experience tells me that chain sawing is more dangerous than table
sawing since I've rarely lost my footing with the RAS but I have when
trying
to saw a fallen tree into bite-sized chunks.

Yeah, but an electric chain saw stops if you don't keep squeezing the
trigger, and iirc a gas one does too.

A table saw just keeps running, even when someone is fainting, tripping,
having a a seizure.

It probably doesn't matter much given how much damage a power saw of any
kind can do to human flesh and bone in just milliseconds.

With a RAS or a table saw the most common injuries are sawing off some
fingers. Continuing to run for a RAS or table saw probably doesn't inflict
much more damage after your fingers are gone unless you're slowly feeding
what's left of you into the spinning blade, a la Perils of Pauline.

http://www.toolbox.co.uk/chainsaw-injuries

Look at the injury frequency chart above and it's clear that a chain saw
inflicts a lot more potential damage than finger amputations. If you've got
a strong stomach, look at some of the pictures. If I were still using a
chain-saw, I'd certainly spring for the chaps based on where I'd be likely
to injure myself.

FWIW, that "dead man's" switch on the chain saw probably came after some
pretty gruesome accidents with a run-a-way chain saw. I imagine that it
could use its blade like a half-track and drag itself along the ground
looking for victims. I remember the first time a RAS walked on me and
dragged the saw head over the work as it rammed its way toward me. Bad
height setting on the blade - easy to do if you change heights often.

And yet some entertainers juggle running chainsaws. I'll bet at least some
dumb kid out there watching such feats has tried it on his own with less
than stellar results. I'd guess at least one chainsaw head injury of the
2,826 that occurred in 1999 was acquired that way.

Speaking of chain sawing I saw a neat trick on ATOH yesterday. To prevent
the bark from ripping when sawing off a limb, he made a small cut on the
bottom so that when the branch's weight might normally cause the limb to
break off with torn bark, the reverse cut left a clean break. Kewl.

--
Bobby G.

"rbowman" wrote in message
On 10/10/2015 05:31 PM, Robert Green wrote:

That's good to know. The chaps/aprons are a little like the table saw
device that won't saw your finger off. There are three differences.
One,
it seems far less damaging to the saw, two, it's cheap by comparison and
three, it's not being shoved down our throats by the Feds - yet.

The Feds shoved them down my throat To clarify, the USFS was signing
my paychecks and they're big on safety gear.

To clarify on my part, as far as I know chain saw makers aren't being forced
to sell the chaps along with the saws - yet. (-; IIRC, RA and table saws
have to have that saw blade stopping device installed on them at the
factory.

Most of the chaps were well worn and had battle scars which made
me think it might be a good idea.

Isn't that funny how that works? The framed display of the many exploded
and shredded shotgun barrels they keep at the skeet range always reminds me
to carry my weapon high and not let it get a mud plug. One of the barrels
exploded into still connected bands that made it look like a beer barrel
with every other stave removed. A lot of explosive power, even in those
itty bitty .410 shells.

When you're cutting a trail with a Stihl some unexpected stuff can happen.

I agree. Aside from bad footing, all sorts of gotchas are lurking out
there. A friend sawed into a wasp's nest once - thank god for dead man's
switches. They were not happy about losing their home.

My own experience tells me that chain sawing is more dangerous than
table
sawing since I've rarely lost my footing with the RAS but I have when
trying
to saw a fallen tree into bite-sized chunks.

When you're limbing out a tree it's not hard to find something that
wants to throw the saw back at you.

Yes. My RAS has chucked shaper bits at my head and splattered me with
plastic and wood chips, but it's never "come after" me the way a chain saw
can. I remember watching them fell a huge red maple in front of the house.
It was very close to the structure so they had it tethered by a crane and
stakes in the ground. When they made the final bottom cut on the remains of
the trunk - maybe 12' long - the thing broke free and swayed perilously as
the crane and the side ropes now supported the free-swinging trunk. Lots of
funny things can happen as the saw finally cuts all the way through and many
of them are very bad things.

When it was time to cut the huge tree in the back (on my dime, not the
county's) I hired someone recommended by a neighbor. A tiny little French
Candian spider monkey who climbed as high as he could go and then sawed his
way to the ground. Very impressive. He kept the ground crew very busy as
huge limbs crashed to the ground. When it was time to pay him, I got a
close up look at very, very profoundly scarred arms. I could only imagine
how banged up the rest of him was. I'll bet a USFS trained sawyer would
blanche at how cavalier some lumber jacks are about safety.

As you noted, any number of angry limbs tried to swat him off the tree as
the branches fell and things bounced around. His coworkers told me he falls
out of trees (with the chainsaw) at least once every year. I guess that's
why they get the big bucks.

--
Bobby G.

On 10/11/2015 07:03 AM, Robert Green wrote:
Speaking of chain sawing I saw a neat trick on ATOH yesterday. To prevent
the bark from ripping when sawing off a limb, he made a small cut on the
bottom so that when the branch's weight might normally cause the limb to
break off with torn bark, the reverse cut left a clean break. Kewl.

Don't get too carried away or you'll need to move on to the next video
-- how to free a pinched chain saw.

On 10/11/2015 07:27 AM, Robert Green wrote:
As you noted, any number of angry limbs tried to swat him off the tree as
the branches fell and things bounced around. His coworkers told me he falls
out of trees (with the chainsaw) at least once every year. I guess that's
why they get the big bucks.

Those residential guys earn it. When you're felling out in the woods and
it doesn't go the way you planned, you just pretend that's exactly what
you meant to do. Of course, there are the widowmakers waiting for you.

Still, it's less nerve wracking than the potential maple meets Mercedes
fiasco.

"rbowman" wrote in message
...
On 10/11/2015 07:27 AM, Robert Green wrote:
As you noted, any number of angry limbs tried to swat him off the tree
as
the branches fell and things bounced around. His coworkers told me he
falls
out of trees (with the chainsaw) at least once every year. I guess
that's
why they get the big bucks.

Those residential guys earn it. When you're felling out in the woods and
it doesn't go the way you planned, you just pretend that's exactly what
you meant to do. Of course, there are the widowmakers waiting for you.

Still, it's less nerve wracking than the potential maple meets Mercedes
fiasco.

Got a real problem tree to deal with this winter. Too close to both houses
and taller than both. It's going to be a bitch to take it down without
running into *something.* Hopefully my tree-monkey Canuck lumber jack will
be able to bring it down relatively safely.

--
Bobby G.

Robert Green posted for all of us...


That's good to know. The chaps/aprons are a little like the table saw
device that won't saw your finger off. There are three differences. One,
it seems far less damaging to the saw, two, it's cheap by comparison and
three, it's not being shoved down our throats by the Feds - yet.

My own experience tells me that chain sawing is more dangerous than table
sawing since I've rarely lost my footing with the RAS but I have when trying
to saw a fallen tree into bite-sized chunks.

--


Bite-sized chunks..

So what are you a termite or carpenter ant? Fess up.

--
Tekkie

On 10/11/2015 5:30 PM, Robert Green wrote:
"rbowman" wrote in message
...
On 10/11/2015 07:27 AM, Robert Green wrote:
As you noted, any number of angry limbs tried to swat him off the tree
as
the branches fell and things bounced around. His coworkers told me he
falls
out of trees (with the chainsaw) at least once every year. I guess
that's
why they get the big bucks.

Those residential guys earn it. When you're felling out in the woods and
it doesn't go the way you planned, you just pretend that's exactly what
you meant to do. Of course, there are the widowmakers waiting for you.

Still, it's less nerve wracking than the potential maple meets Mercedes
fiasco.

Got a real problem tree to deal with this winter. Too close to both houses
and taller than both. It's going to be a bitch to take it down without
running into *something.* Hopefully my tree-monkey Canuck lumber jack will
be able to bring it down relatively safely.


One branch at a time! How big around is the tree?

--
Maggie

On Saturday, October 10, 2015 at 7:56:50 PM UTC-5, DerbyDad03 wrote:

On Saturday, October 10, 2015 at 2:28:34 PM UTC-4, Robert Green wrote:

Saw an interest segement on ATOH about safety chaps for chainsaw users.
Padded with ballistic (nylon? Kevlar?) cords that jam the saw blade once
they get drawn into the saw. The other side of the chap was unharmed.

They also showed a neat anti-squeak kit that included an interesting drill
guide and special screws. A depth gauge helps insert the screw so that the
pre-weakened break point is level with the top of the subfloor. Then the
tool turns on its side to break off the head of the screw (in this case
under the carpet). Sweet. Reminds me that there's nothing quite like "the
right tool for the job."

--
Bobby G.

The Sqeeeeeek No More screw system has been around for well over a decade. A quick search
of a.h.r shows it being discussed way back in 2001.

Here's the website of the designer and manufacturer:

http://www.oberry-enterprises.com/


I saw the episode as well and thought it rather interesting.
But didn't know about the 'squeak no more' screws, it was
interesting as well. I've a few squeaks in the flooring in
my 75+ year old house.

"ItsJoanNotJoann" wrote in message On
Saturday, October 10, 2015 at 7:56:50 PM UTC-5, DerbyDad03
Robert Green wrote:

stuff snipped

The Sqeeeeeek No More screw system has been around for well over a
decade. A quick search
of a.h.r shows it being discussed way back in 2001.

Here's the website of the designer and manufacturer:

http://www.oberry-enterprises.com/


I saw the episode as well and thought it rather interesting.
But didn't know about the 'squeak no more' screws, it was
interesting as well. I've a few squeaks in the flooring in
my 75+ year old house.

I obviously had never seen the screws (or failed to remember them) as well.
I still have this horrible vision of someone cutting their foot open on a
"break off" gone bad. Sort of like "breaking bad." )-: Anyway, ouch!

--
Bobby G.

On Sunday, October 11, 2015 at 11:08:29 AM UTC-7, rbowman wrote:
On 10/11/2015 07:03 AM, Robert Green wrote:
Speaking of chain sawing I saw a neat trick on ATOH yesterday. To prevent
the bark from ripping when sawing off a limb, he made a small cut on the
bottom so that when the branch's weight might normally cause the limb to
break off with torn bark, the reverse cut left a clean break. Kewl.

Don't get too carried away or you'll need to move on to the next video
-- how to free a pinched chain saw.

Not hard to do. Drop the power head, use other bar/chain on it and cut the other bar/chain free. Just did it a gain the other day but in my case it is "drop powerhead, use second saw to free up the bar/chain".

Of course the "drop power head" works best if you have a Stihl or other brand with an inboard clutch.

Harry K

"rbowman" wrote in message
On 10/11/2015 07:03 AM, Robert Green wrote:
Speaking of chain sawing I saw a neat trick on ATOH yesterday. To
prevent
the bark from ripping when sawing off a limb, he made a small cut on the
bottom so that when the branch's weight might normally cause the limb to
break off with torn bark, the reverse cut left a clean break. Kewl.

Don't get too carried away or you'll need to move on to the next video
-- how to free a pinched chain saw.

I got the impression you cut a *very* shallow kerf through the rough outer
bark to keep from doing exactly that. I imagine if that happens you make a
Y pole with a long stem using some light framing lumber and get a friend(s)
to lift the branch whose weight has clamped the saw.

You don't have to worry about me pinching a blade. Gave away my CS (really
crappy electric) and use a Sawzall clone with a big wood-cutting blade. If
that doesn't cut it (arf arf) I summon the elvish French-Canadian spider
monkey man who uses a chainsaw about 3/4's as big as he is.

--
Bobby G.