By SCOT MAGNISH
You wouldn't pick up a shotgun and attempt to load it without instruction first.
Yet every year, thousands of people pick up chainsaws and go to work clearing roads, cutting down deadwood and trimming branches without so much as a second thought.
They ought to give it considerably more than that. Experts advise that every minute a chainsaw is in your hands, it's akin to a live hand grenade with the pin pulled: One false move, and it's game over.
The following "ten commandments" of chainsaw operation have been compiled for more than educational purposes - they’re critical rules designed to save your life. Follow them and you're just about guaranteed a lifetime of safe cutting. Ignore them, and you do so at your own peril and, possibly, put others at risk.
1. Preparation
Before you even start your chainsaw, you should be aware of its condition. Make sure the chain is sharp, the chain brake is working and the tension is set properly. Ensure the hand surfaces are clean and dry and, if you require pre-mixed fuel, that you have the right ratio of oil to gas.
2. Safety gear
You should be wearing safety glasses, a helmet, hearing protection, gloves, safety boots and long pants before you start your chainsaw. When carrying the chainsaw, the blade should be pointed towards the rear. Never work alone with a chainsaw and be sure to have a first aid kit nearby.
3. Size up the job
Survey the tree. Decide where you want it to fall, which way the wind is blowing and where you'll run to if things go awry. Use a hatchet to "sound" the wood and determine if the trunk is solid or rotten. Clear any brush around the tree and clear at least two escape paths, preferably each at 135 degrees from the direction you think the tree will fall.
4. Starting
Never "drop start" a chainsaw. Find a flat piece of ground, clear of brush and debris, to start the motor. Be sure no other people or animals are in your immediate vicinity when you start the saw and once it's running, keep a firm grip with your left hand on the front handle and your thumb, underneath.
5. The face cut
Run the saw at full revs. Keep your body to the left of the saw and avoid engaging the upper part of the blade to avoid kickbacks. Stand at a 90-degree angle from the direction you think the tree will fall and cut into the compression wood first, preferably at shoulder level. Cut a wedge at least 1/3 and no more than 1/2 of the way through the trunk. If the tree is already down, make your compression cut beneath if the log is suspended from one end, and on top if it is supported at both ends.
6 The back cut
On the opposite side of the trunk, make a horizontal cut approximately two inches higher than the "V" of the wedge. Use a wedge to keep the gap from closing on your blade. Once you've cut through enough of this "holding wood," the tree will start to fall.
7. The exit
Remove your chainsaw, turn it off and move quickly towards your escape route. Never turn your back on a falling tree and never run directly opposite to your intended fall line for the tree. Keep moving until you're a safe distance away - not only from the tree, but from any flying debris.
8 The aftermath
Wait at least 30 seconds after the tree has hit the ground to approach the stump. Small trees or trees with a lot of branches can "kick back" after hitting the ground and debris can continue to fall for several seconds after the tree has come down.
9. Clean up
If your tree fell as planned, the broken holding wood is likely sticking up out of the stump like a sharpened stake and should be trimmed off. If your tree didn't fall as planned, examine the stump to see if you can determine what went wrong. Never leave a tree hung up or partially cut - it can fall at any time and could pose a hazard to others.
10. Storage
Let your chainsaw cool before putting it away, especially if it is stored in a shed or boathouse with flammables around. If you plan on storing it for a long time, mix fuel stabilizer in with the gasoline. Remove the spark plug, squirt some oil into the combustion chamber and pull the motor over a few times. Coat any metal surfaces with oil and wrap the saw in plastic.
