Chainsaw mishap (pics)

Chuck White · October 29, 2012, 01:43:33 PM

I'm glad to hear that all it cost you was a pair of chaps Ruffneck!

Ruffneck · October 29, 2012, 10:08:14 PM

Quote from: Jim_Rogers on October 29, 2012, 10:10:56 AM
So tell us what happened?

What caused the bar to touch the chaps?

We all could learn from this.

Jim Rogers

I was 4 hours into my second day of thinning, just about ready to take a break. I was making a cut on a 2 inch pine when the tip of the bar touched another small tree and kicked back horizontally striking my left upper thigh. It happened in the blink of an eye...
The chaps worked and yes it did a number on the clutch. I think the number one contributing factor to this near miss was my fatigue.
I am very fortunate having been exposed to many chainsaw accidents in my line of work. It has proven to me how important ALL the safety equipment being worn ALL the time is. The average number of stitches required for a chainsaw accident is 110...
The word needs to be spread, $75 is worth it... No matter how hot or uncomfortable they may be, chaps are cheap insurance.

Ron Scott · October 29, 2012, 11:55:31 PM

A great testimonial for wearing chaps.

Jim_Rogers · October 30, 2012, 11:19:02 AM

Thanks for the reply.

My chain saw repairman once told us that the saws he works on cut at the rate of 72 stitches per second.
So don't slip for a 10th of a second......

Jim Rogers

Bogue Chitto · October 30, 2012, 05:48:18 PM

After reading your post, I bought some chaps. I just need to wear them :

.

Magicman · October 30, 2012, 08:20:08 PM

Yup, sharing our mistakes are surely to benefit others. Thanks.

thecfarm · October 30, 2012, 09:56:16 PM

Bogue,it only stays a minute to put chaps on. it only stays a second to get cut with a chainsaw. I have to tell myself the same thing when it takes me longer to put them on and take them off than it does to cut what I want with the chainsaw. There is no way possible to count the times that I have tried to save 20 seconds and it cost me 15 minutes of aggravation,because it came out wrong and caused more trouble than it was worth to try to save 20 seconds.

Warbird · October 30, 2012, 10:18:25 PM

Glad you had the chaps and were using them. Frightening to think what your leg might have looked like. From the sounds of it, it could've been real bad.

Holmes · October 31, 2012, 06:29:49 PM

I caught my chaps once and it did stop the saw. I took the kevlar out of the clutch but could not get it out of the tip sprocket. The sprocket would not move.. I took a torch to the sprocket end, heated up the bar and melted the kevlar out. Saved the bar , it got me thru a few months but I did replace the bar that year.

Ruffneck · November 02, 2012, 01:29:37 AM

First of all, thanks for posting this thread grweldon. We all need to post any close calls, near misses and direct hits so others may learn to be safer in these very dangerous undertakings we take on in the woods...
Upon further inspections of my chaps, I could tell the chain had penetrated the first layer and stopped...
The most common body part hit in a chainsaw accident is the left thigh.
I am thinking I'll upgrade to a wrap around handle. If I had one, I think I could have avoided it all together...
Stay Safe!!!

horselogger50 · December 07, 2012, 10:47:29 AM

Thank you for the reminder how quick things can go bad, I'll be buying chaps soon

LOGDOG · December 07, 2012, 11:07:35 PM

I bought my first pair of chaps today from the Stihl dealer down the road because of this thread. I've been running chainsaws for 25 years and haven't been bit. Hopefully I never do. Thanks for the reminder.

Ron Scott · December 09, 2012, 10:43:51 AM

Well done!

Magicman · December 09, 2012, 10:13:49 PM

I didn't think that I needed them until I did. Fortunately, only my leather apron, pants leg, and pocket was cut. That was "buying chainsaw chaps" close.

gspren · December 10, 2012, 01:43:15 PM

I just bought my first set of chaps in Oct and havent started the saw without them since! The more I wear them the faster I get at putting them on plus they keep the pants cleaner.

LOGDOG · December 10, 2012, 03:32:07 PM

Yep, they definitely keep the pants cleaner. They're a little warm to wear hear in the South but vs. the alternative I was happy to wear them. I just took down 14 large trees in my yard over the weekend and wore my new chaps the whole time. My legs don't have one nick on them in spite of all the work I did this weekend.

haywire woodlot · December 10, 2012, 09:46:42 PM

Most guys around these parts wear logger king or similar chainsaw pants. They come in winter and summer weights. When held up with braces, they are just as comfortable as jeans or carharts to work in. Once you put 'em on in the morning their on, so there is no temptation to pick up your saw and make "just one cut" with out putting your chaps on!

Ruffneck · December 13, 2012, 09:43:22 PM

Quote from: thecfarm on October 28, 2012, 11:33:45 PM
Time for a new pair. That stuff I heard makes a mess on clutches and fly wheels if you don't get it all out. Better to make a mess of that than your leg.

Don't know if it's just coincidental, but my MS 290 is not working. It doesn't turn over all the way. It gets hung up at top dead center. Wonder if the sudden stop killed it. I used it for eight hours after cleaning it up and replacing clutch springs. I got a almost new 290 from a buddy for $250...

It's good to hear about you all getting the chaps. They need to be looked at as mandatory equipment. A chainsaw to the femoral artery and a person will be dead before they'd be able to apply a tourniquet. Please, get chaps and use them! Thank you to everyone that is ;D ;D ;D

Stay Safe!

lumberjack48 · December 20, 2012, 04:01:39 PM

I started running saw in 1960, 12 yrs old, i never saw anybody using any safety gear, not even a hard hat. My dad had 4 gypo's strip cutting, they were older guys that had done piece work all there life. I went to school 3 days a week, the other 3 days i was strip cutting. When i turned 16 i quit school, started logging full time. I was on 6 other logging jobs, never seen anybody using safety gear. I started wearing a hardhat part time in 1980, never wore chaps or ear plugs. Luckily my hearing is excellent and i never cut myself. We logged full time, there were no supplement jobs to run the household, like farming, ect.
The worst saw there is, is a dull saw, or somebody has cut the rakers to low.
The best thing is to make sure you have your chaps on, always safety first.

Magicman · December 20, 2012, 08:48:13 PM

The anti-kickback brakes are also a worthwhile innovation. Homelite XL12's didn't have it.

This is my upper right arm after the bar tip grabbed some unseen fence wire. It flipped the saw around and caused me to completely loose my grip. Eighteen stitches. :-\

Woodhauler · December 21, 2012, 06:28:45 PM

Quote from: Magicman on December 20, 2012, 08:48:13 PM
The anti-kickback brakes are also a worthwhile innovation. Homelite XL12's didn't have it.

This is my upper right arm after the bar tip grabbed some unseen fence wire. It flipped the saw around and caused me to completely loose my grip. Eighteen stitches. :-\

XL 12!!! Brings back memories! Dad bought me one in the early 70s! :laugh:

grweldon · January 02, 2013, 09:32:08 AM

Quote from: Magicman on December 20, 2012, 08:48:13 PM
The anti-kickback brakes are also a worthwhile innovation. Homelite XL12's didn't have it.

This is my upper right arm after the bar tip grabbed some unseen fence wire. It flipped the saw around and caused me to completely loose my grip. Eighteen stitches. :-\

Ouch! Bet that caused you some grief! BTW... Happy New Year!

JuniperBoss · January 21, 2013, 01:30:00 AM

I got myself once too. Not quite as bad as you did, but i'm sure if I went to the doctor he would have said "get some stitches". The legs are a terrible place for a chainsaw to be near. If your going to get hit, it's probably going to be there. I wear chaps and a helmet now.