Last Saturday a local woodlot owners association had a meeting where
an instructor from the Forest Industry Safety and Training Institute
gave an abbreviated (but excellent) class on chain saw use complete
(after lunch) with some pictures of injuries. He said the only time
he had ever been injured was not when he was working in the woods but
rather on a weekend when he was only going to do 'a little work'
before deer hunting when he cut through his hunting boots and got his
toe.

When you drop a tree or cut it up (at least for me) it is the real
thing so I wear the chaps and helmet costume for safety. But it
dawned on me when one is making a bowl blank in the garage you are
just going to be using the saw for a 'little while' so costumes are
a hassle and it is easy to think you won't have an acident. Deciding
how safe you want to be also is more complicated when using an
electric chainsaw inside. They stop pretty quidk when you release the
trigger and the electric saw I have seems to run slower than my gas
one.

Has anyone heard much about electric versus gas chainsaw safety?
Obviously touch a running chain and you get blood but the electric
ones seem tamer ... or are they?

My chain saw experience is almost all with gas saws. But the few
electric saws that I have used have MUCH lower chain speeds than gas
saws do. Getting one horsepower or so down a skinny power cord limits
the total cutting ability, so I suppose they limit chain speed to what
the motor can handle without burning out immediately. Having never seen
a $200-$400 electric chain saw (to compare to a higher-end gas saw)
though, maybe all I know about are the inexpensive ones.

Pete Stanaitis
---------------------------------

TWW wrote:

Last Saturday a local woodlot owners association had a meeting where
an instructor from the Forest Industry Safety and Training Institute
gave an abbreviated (but excellent) class on chain saw use complete
(after lunch) with some pictures of injuries. He said the only time
he had ever been injured was not when he was working in the woods but
rather on a weekend when he was only going to do 'a little work'
before deer hunting when he cut through his hunting boots and got his
toe.

When you drop a tree or cut it up (at least for me) it is the real
thing so I wear the chaps and helmet costume for safety. But it
dawned on me when one is making a bowl blank in the garage you are
just going to be using the saw for a 'little while' so costumes are
a hassle and it is easy to think you won't have an acident. Deciding
how safe you want to be also is more complicated when using an
electric chainsaw inside. They stop pretty quidk when you release the
trigger and the electric saw I have seems to run slower than my gas
one.

Has anyone heard much about electric versus gas chainsaw safety?
Obviously touch a running chain and you get blood but the electric
ones seem tamer ... or are they?

On Wed, 24 Oct 2007 06:34:01 -0700, TWW wrote:

Has anyone heard much about electric versus gas chainsaw safety?
Obviously touch a running chain and you get blood but the electric
ones seem tamer ... or are they?

Just my limited personal experience... electric for years and now a few years of
light use with gas..

The biggest plus of electric for me is the light weight and lower noise level..
That can also be a safety issue, because it doesn't "feel" like a "real" saw and
the normal fear/healthy respect is missing..

The electric might be a little less distracting for beginners... no choke, pull
starter, running out of gas, etc... You hold the trigger down and cut until
you're done..

I feel for most jobs the power of gas makes it a little safer because you might
tend to push the cuts with electric because it just isn't happening as fast as a
gas saw cuts??

I've been lucky enough to never even get a nick from a chain saw, but if I ever
stop being scared of it and aware of how bad you could get hurt if you're NOT
careful, I'll sell them in a garage sale.. YMWV


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

Would less power and speed offer a better chance for kickbacks? Even so
and over all, I want to 'believe' that using an electric chainsaw in the
friendly confines is safer, but the difference in serious injuries
caused by a gas or an electric chain saw is probably akin to the
difference between being hit by a Mack truck or a freight train. Much
different, but less difference.


Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter


http://community.webtv.net/almcc/MacsMusings

Thus far, the only chainsaw injuries I have had are when the saw is
off, and I am sharpening. A little slip, and a little slice on the
knuckles. I still haven't learned to put my gloves on every time when
sharpening.
robo hippy

On Oct 24, 9:48 am, (Arch) wrote:
Would less power and speed offer a better chance for kickbacks? Even so
and over all, I want to 'believe' that using an electric chainsaw in the
friendly confines is safer, but the difference in serious injuries
caused by a gas or an electric chain saw is probably akin to the
difference between being hit by a Mack truck or a freight train. Much
different, but less difference.

Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter

http://community.webtv.net/almcc/MacsMusings

I have been around chain saws since before I could walk and used them more
years than I want to admit. While I have never had an accident I have
bandaged a few to get them to a hospital where the real work is done.
At present I have a Stihl 025 gas (now called the M250) and a Poulan
electric. Both are safe with the right attitude especially if you let the
saw do the work and do not force it. Both are dangerous if you take your
mind off the cut and do something stupid.
A couple of things. Keep the saw sharp. Always know where the nose of the
saw is (kickback spot). Make sure there is oil, especially with electrics
that often have manual oilers. Take safe cuts.
If you use a buck to hold the wood, most indoor cuts for turners are safe
ones.


--
God bless and safe turning
Darrell Feltmate
Truro, NS Canada
http://aroundthewoods.com
http://roundopinions.blogspot.com
"mac davis" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 24 Oct 2007 06:34:01 -0700, TWW wrote:

Has anyone heard much about electric versus gas chainsaw safety?
Obviously touch a running chain and you get blood but the electric
ones seem tamer ... or are they?

Just my limited personal experience... electric for years and now a few
years of
light use with gas..

The biggest plus of electric for me is the light weight and lower noise
level..
That can also be a safety issue, because it doesn't "feel" like a "real"
saw and
the normal fear/healthy respect is missing..

The electric might be a little less distracting for beginners... no choke,
pull
starter, running out of gas, etc... You hold the trigger down and cut
until
you're done..

I feel for most jobs the power of gas makes it a little safer because you
might
tend to push the cuts with electric because it just isn't happening as
fast as a
gas saw cuts??

I've been lucky enough to never even get a nick from a chain saw, but if I
ever
stop being scared of it and aware of how bad you could get hurt if you're
NOT
careful, I'll sell them in a garage sale.. YMWV


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

In a similar demonstration, I was told that chaps are no protection for an
electric saw.

As I understand it, the fabric in chain saw chaps cuts into fibers, which
jam the saw, which kills the gas motor, but not the electric.

Old Guy
"TWW" wrote in message
ps.com...
Last Saturday a local woodlot owners association had a meeting where
an instructor from the Forest Industry Safety and Training Institute
gave an abbreviated (but excellent) class on chain saw use complete
(after lunch) with some pictures of injuries. He said the only time
he had ever been injured was not when he was working in the woods but
rather on a weekend when he was only going to do 'a little work'
before deer hunting when he cut through his hunting boots and got his
toe.

When you drop a tree or cut it up (at least for me) it is the real
thing so I wear the chaps and helmet costume for safety. But it
dawned on me when one is making a bowl blank in the garage you are
just going to be using the saw for a 'little while' so costumes are
a hassle and it is easy to think you won't have an acident. Deciding
how safe you want to be also is more complicated when using an
electric chainsaw inside. They stop pretty quidk when you release the
trigger and the electric saw I have seems to run slower than my gas
one.

Has anyone heard much about electric versus gas chainsaw safety?
Obviously touch a running chain and you get blood but the electric
ones seem tamer ... or are they?

Take a look at this.

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/newinventors/video/

ABC ( Oz ) New Inventors 25th October find Petrol Sawsall

I had to use Flash to play it.

Quite impressive

After a year stored in a seatainer and another 6 months stored on my
back verandah while waiting for the new shed to be constructed, I
finally managed to do some turning.

What did I make ?

First, 2 axles on the metal lathe as the old lawnmower wheels used
to move the wood lathe had disintegrated while standing in the
seatainer and the replacement wheels had a different axle size.

Once the wheels were in position I could move it onto working
position, then remove wheels and start turning after sharpening
gouge,skew & parting tool.

My tractor with FEL will not fit into shed. It was not happy moving
700 kg of metal lathe to the doorway, moved to position on rollers.

Then the Woodfast Cobra got power, 1800 rpm and I roughed out a well
seasoned piece of Jarrah, hit it with the skew ( Sorby Oval ) and
made

2 file handles

I will not use files without handles as I have seen a couple of
spiked palms from the tang, messy.

I have 7 Sheoak bowl blanks left, having had to dispose of about 2
tonnes of turning blanks which would not fit in the seatainer and a
fair amount of Jarrah for spindles, pepper mills etc.

Next thing is to get proper power into the shed instead of 2 x
15A/240V extension leads.

Life is getting better and summer is coming.

Alan

Just as an afterthought, since I got my 16HD Laguna bandsaw, I never
use the electric chainsaw.
robo hippy

On Oct 25, 10:57 am, Steve Russell
wrote:
Hello Alan,

Glad to hear you're back up and running. When I go on vacation to Hawaii for
two weeks, I come back feeling great! (but also like I need a turning
fix...) We're just going into winter here in Houston. It's been really hot
of late, so I'm looking forward to cooler temps. Take care and all the best
to you and yours!

--
Better Woodturning and Finishing Through Chemistry...

Steven D. Russell
Eurowood Werks Woodturning Studio, The Woodlands, Texas
Machinery, Tool and Product Testing for the Woodworking and Woodturning
Industries

Website:http://www.woodturningvideosplus.com
Free Monthly Woodturning Newsletter * Your email is kept confidential
Sign up at:http://www.woodturningvideosplus.com/lathe-talk.html

On 10/25/07 12:20 PM, in article ,

"Alan" wrote:
After a year stored in a seatainer and another 6 months stored on my
back verandah while waiting for the new shed to be constructed, I
finally managed to do some turning.

What did I make ?

First, 2 axles on the metal lathe as the old lawnmower wheels used
to move the wood lathe had disintegrated while standing in the
seatainer and the replacement wheels had a different axle size.

Once the wheels were in position I could move it onto working
position, then remove wheels and start turning after sharpening
gouge,skew & parting tool.

My tractor with FEL will not fit into shed. It was not happy moving
700 kg of metal lathe to the doorway, moved to position on rollers.

Then the Woodfast Cobra got power, 1800 rpm and I roughed out a well
seasoned piece of Jarrah, hit it with the skew ( Sorby Oval ) and
made

2 file handles

I will not use files without handles as I have seen a couple of
spiked palms from the tang, messy.

I have 7 Sheoak bowl blanks left, having had to dispose of about 2
tonnes of turning blanks which would not fit in the seatainer and a
fair amount of Jarrah for spindles, pepper mills etc.

Next thing is to get proper power into the shed instead of 2 x
15A/240V extension leads.

Life is getting better and summer is coming.

Alan

On Fri, 26 Oct 2007 01:20:26 +0800, Alan wrote:

Hey Alan, glad you can feed your turning addiction again!

I'm guess that from your wood selection, metric weights and "shed", that you're
in Australia?


After a year stored in a seatainer and another 6 months stored on my
back verandah while waiting for the new shed to be constructed, I
finally managed to do some turning.

What did I make ?

First, 2 axles on the metal lathe as the old lawnmower wheels used
to move the wood lathe had disintegrated while standing in the
seatainer and the replacement wheels had a different axle size.

Once the wheels were in position I could move it onto working
position, then remove wheels and start turning after sharpening
gouge,skew & parting tool.

My tractor with FEL will not fit into shed. It was not happy moving
700 kg of metal lathe to the doorway, moved to position on rollers.

Then the Woodfast Cobra got power, 1800 rpm and I roughed out a well
seasoned piece of Jarrah, hit it with the skew ( Sorby Oval ) and
made

2 file handles

I will not use files without handles as I have seen a couple of
spiked palms from the tang, messy.

I have 7 Sheoak bowl blanks left, having had to dispose of about 2
tonnes of turning blanks which would not fit in the seatainer and a
fair amount of Jarrah for spindles, pepper mills etc.

Next thing is to get proper power into the shed instead of 2 x
15A/240V extension leads.

Life is getting better and summer is coming.

Alan


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing