Tree cutting accident

[ning]

But that video contradicted your claim. There was absolutely no damage to the log on either electric chainsaw.

You can see that the electric saws eat more chaps. Also, your leg in chaps isn't quite like a solid log, and as the chaps get wound up in the chain, those chaps pulled away from the log, but the log is probably braced a lot better than your leg when you're trying to cut into it. I'm not suggesting a live test, but I'm saying the test isn't perfect.

My guess is that the chaps manufacturers realize that the electrics are more likely to eat more chaps, and don't want to make claims as a result.

Just because eating twice as much chaps doesn't get through it, maybe they can reduce the chaps material by 50% and keep the prohibition on electrics on it, make lighter and cheaper chaps. Why don't they do this, despite the world's late-stage capitalism state? Because they know that sometimes a gas saw still eats 90% of what's there, so they need all that filler they do supply, and maybe sometimes an electric goes right through the chaps.

Personally, I'd keep wearing the chaps, because even if they don't eliminate that risk, they'll likely reduce the damage and at worst they'd give a little extra time to try to get my finger off the trigger.

I'd be interested in seeing someone do a similar test with a known very sharp chain; he mentioned that the battery saw had a fully charged battery (and obviously the corded saw was plugged in) but there was no mention of a freshly sharpened chain.

Also: we saw one cut each. I have to trust a youtuber that this was a scientific enough test that he just showed us a representative sample of all the cuts he made... though he probably just made one cut each. I'm certain that the chaps manufacturers use a variety of saws (including 500i's, 881s, and much lesser saws) and make many many cuts, because they've got serious liability by providing a safety product. It better do what it says, and if they're saying "don't use this with electrics" that's reducing their potential market which isn't a common thing for a company to do lightly, so you should believe them that a high-torque electric may get some cutting beyond those chaps.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

Food for thought:
I recently had tree cutters drop a large oak for me, I could have done it...but worth the $400. Now that it's down...easy cutting for firewood. I was telling them my reasoning and this happened recently they said.
They gave an estimate to drop a tree for a friend of mine I hadn't seen in a while. He thought he would save a few hundred bucks cutting it himself. Tree fell, hitting him, breaking his back. So he called the tree cutters since he was now unable to do it.
Tree cutters saw him in a body cast, and they were paid for the job by his widow since he passed away soon after.
Food for thought...

 

[scootr]

Food for thought:
I recently had tree cutters drop a large oak for me, I could have done it...but worth the $400. Now that it's down...easy cutting for firewood. I was telling them my reasoning and this happened recently they said.
They gave an estimate to drop a tree for a friend of mine I hadn't seen in a while. He thought he would save a few hundred bucks cutting it himself. Tree fell, hitting him, breaking his back. So he called the tree cutters since he was now unable to do it.
Tree cutters saw him in a body cast, and they were paid for the job by his widow since he passed away soon after.
Food for thought...

Holy sh it.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

You can see that the electric saws eat more chaps. Also, your leg in chaps isn't quite like a solid log, and as the chaps get wound up in the chain, those chaps pulled away from the log, but the log is probably braced a lot better than your leg when you're trying to cut into it. I'm not suggesting a live test, but I'm saying the test isn't perfect.

My guess is that the chaps manufacturers realize that the electrics are more likely to eat more chaps, and don't want to make claims as a result.

Just because eating twice as much chaps doesn't get through it, maybe they can reduce the chaps material by 50% and keep the prohibition on electrics on it, make lighter and cheaper chaps. Why don't they do this, despite the world's late-stage capitalism state? Because they know that sometimes a gas saw still eats 90% of what's there, so they need all that filler they do supply, and maybe sometimes an electric goes right through the chaps.

Personally, I'd keep wearing the chaps, because even if they don't eliminate that risk, they'll likely reduce the damage and at worst they'd give a little extra time to try to get my finger off the trigger.

I'd be interested in seeing someone do a similar test with a known very sharp chain; he mentioned that the battery saw had a fully charged battery (and obviously the corded saw was plugged in) but there was no mention of a freshly sharpened chain.

Also: we saw one cut each. I have to trust a youtuber that this was a scientific enough test that he just showed us a representative sample of all the cuts he made... though he probably just made one cut each. I'm certain that the chaps manufacturers use a variety of saws (including 500i's, 881s, and much lesser saws) and make many many cuts, because they've got serious liability by providing a safety product. It better do what it says, and if they're saying "don't use this with electrics" that's reducing their potential market which isn't a common thing for a company to do lightly, so you should believe them that a high-torque electric may get some cutting beyond those chaps.

Yes, I completely agree with you a log attached to a tractor does not make a very good imitation leg. I am just saying that was not a very convincing demonstration of the destructive power of an electric saw.

Edited to add: But you would have to think that chaps are better than nothing, right? I doubt I will ever have a plug in chainsaw in my arsenal, just doesn't make sense. I could see myself owning a battery powered one some day.

 

[2manyrocks]

Think about the difference in practical HP between a gas engine and an electric motor. A gas motor will stall where an electric motor will power through.

 

[WinterDeere]

But that video contradicted your claim. There was absolutely no damage to the log on either electric chainsaw.

Not "my" claim, it's the disclaimer printed on the chaps by the manufacturer. I'm just the messenger.

And yes, I did notice that despite taking much longer to stop, those particular chaps did protect that particular log from that particular saw. I suspect the manufacturer's warnings indicate that results may vary.

 

[Torvy]

Thanks. I genuinely had no idea that is how/why chaps "work". I figured they had some had coating that would not be cut easily by the saw teeth.

Interestingly, the example shows the concept still works, especially with battery operated saws. I have cut way too many cords on hedge trimmers to ever go that route again!

 

[tradosaurus]

ladder + chainsaw = hospitals ER......

Of like my father-in-law in 2009, a coma for a month before he died.

 

[ning]

Yes, I completely agree with you a log attached to a tractor does not make a very good imitation leg. I am just saying that was not a very convincing demonstration of the destructive power of an electric saw.

Edited to add: But you would have to think that chaps are better than nothing, right? I doubt I will ever have a plug in chainsaw in my arsenal, just doesn't make sense. I could see myself owning a battery powered one some day.

I think it helps that your typical battery saw has an overload protector and will cut the power if it digs in too far so that it doesn't torch the battery.

Most likely plug-in electrics are like my plug-in hedge trimmer and that motor is putting out the torque as long as my finger is on the trigger.

Regardless I'd consider the chaps better than nothing. Just like a motorcycle helmet is better than nothing, with no guarantees; I wear gloves when I ride the bike even though I know I'll still suffer injury if I crash with them, because it's very likely less injury than otherwise.

That said, I don't usually gear up past eye & hand & foot protection when I do little saw work like cutting up smalls. I'll do a full gear-up (helmet/face screen/chaps) for downing trees or if I'm bringing out my bigger saw. It's a risk I take, maybe stupid, and I'll gradually add more gear even for lesser jobs... history has shown that I do gradually get less and less comfortable doing various things without protective gear; I used to hate gloves and glasses and now I'll forget to take the eye protection off when I go in the house (helps that they're slim, very clear, and inexpensive, and I have them hanging in many places ready to grab).

 

[Omega Woods]

No amount of gear will replace common sense.

Alas, there is no market for that.

I prefer to combine the two to the extent possible. You can't fix stupid but I try and mitigate mine where I can. I wear chaps and all the rest but none of that helps much when you cut a widowmaker wrong. I am thankful for the training my dad gave me and from all I've learned from YouTube.

 

[5030]

When I lived in Ohio, many years ago, I owned and managed a tree care company and worked myself in the air and on the ground with very large and small saws and I will say that I never even came close to an upper torso injury from a chainsaw. Just below the waist only and only from my stupidity.

I always have the utmost respect for a chainsaw as none of them have a mind and like a firearm, they only do what the operator wants them to do. Both are just objects. It ALWAYS takes a human to make them a vehicle of injury or death.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

Very true, which is why I posted the story. Like I was telling the tree cutters here, I'd rather pay $400 than have a broken finger!
I use a chainsaw quite a bit and older I get I try using what brain I have left!

 

[WinterDeere]

Very true, which is why I posted the story. Like I was telling the tree cutters here, I'd rather pay $400 than have a broken finger!
I use a chainsaw quite a bit and older I get I try using what brain I have left!

I drop a lot of trees, I'm the guy in any gathering (neighborhood, employer, church, etc.) that everyone else seems to call, when it's time to take down trees. I heat a large old home with wood, and so I'm felling, splitting and stacking 10 cords per year for myself, plus sometimes up to an additional 10 cords for others or working ahead.

That said, I still call a pro when it's time to drop something super-technical, or when there's danger of it hitting a structure. This has amounted to just a handful of calls to bring in a pro in the last 12 years, but always worth the peace of mind.

In each case, I could have probably done it myself without issue, but I couldn't be sure enough of it to make it worth the $100 - $150 I usually pay to have an individual tree put on the ground. In at least one case, I still did the cutting, but had the pro there to help rig and manage safety lines.

 

[nickmags]

I have never worn a safety device in my life outside of safety glasses maybe 50% of the time.
Been at it for 40+ years without a significant injury.

Added: I in no way condone this. My injuries have been mostly falls or a few concussions.

Lots of folks don't wear seat belts either. When I was young and thought I was indestructible, I was like you. After a near miss at cutting my leg on a downed tree limb that was under tension (saw cut my double layered logging jeans, long johns, and left minor cuts along top of thigh) and one actual cut where saw deflected into my boot just missing the steel toe and put 10 stitches in my foot I decided maybe I should wear some safety gear. Experience can be a great teacher, IF you survive it. I cut between six and eight cords of firewood a year and have for more years than most on here have been alive.

 

[WinterDeere]

Lots of folks don't wear seat belts either. When I was young and thought I was indestructible, I was like you. After a near miss at cutting my leg on a downed tree limb that was under tension (saw cut my double layered logging jeans, long johns, and left minor cuts along top of thigh) and one actual cut where saw deflected into my boot just missing the steel toe and put 10 stitches in my foot I decided maybe I should wear some safety gear. Experience can be a great teacher, IF you survive it. I cut between six and eight cords of firewood a year and have for more years than most on here have been alive.

Good post. Reminds me of the day I decided to start wearing a seatbelt, after being in my first car accident on my 11th birthday.

 

[MossRoad]

Good post. Reminds me of the day I decided to start wearing a seatbelt, after being in my first car accident on my 11th birthday.

Mine I believe I was 19 in 1980. Under 20mph and still hit my head on the windshield. Week later, my sister and brother in-law in an identical car got hit head on. They had their belts on. Both had big bruises across their chests, brother in-law had bruised hands where they hit the windshield, very sore, but otherwise OK. I haven't driven without one on since.

 

[ruffdog]

Felling trees is very dangerous as so much can happen real quick. Over the years I have had some close calls and have been lucky not to have been hurt. Now at 80 years old I am much more cautious as I am not as quick as I used to be.

I too am learning that I don't bounce as good as I did years ago.

A fool never learns.
A smart man learns from his mistakes.
A wise man learns from the mistakes of others.

 

[Rockbadchild]

Aroumd here, saws are so dangerous, that no logger is allowed to have one by the insurance co. They will use a limb saw if necessary.

limb saw ??

 

[Drstrangeglove]

limb saw ??

Pole saw. It's what we call it.

 

[Rockbadchild]

I very rarely use the brake on my chainsaw... I use it when needed and when I hand down a running chainsaw to someone and when I leave a running saw on the ground and that's about it... the course do teach and show to use it every time you take a step which is hilarious to see someone do in my opinions ...

I often use a chainsaw in a ladder all construction work I never cut limb up a tree with a latter but I would if needed but like bcp said my latter is tied up dangerous yes I certainly don't recommend it.