Okay, so you’re ready to get to work. Your cutting experience should consist of several steps. First, make sure you have all the equipment that you’ll need: your chainsaw fuel oil mix, bar and chain oil, items needed to maintain your saw, an axe, wedges, water, first aid kit, cell phone and very important: a partner. It’s recommended that you always have a partner with you and not work alone, to help share the workload as well as to watch out for each other and be available in case of emergency.

One very important rule: never operate your chainsaw if you are not in a good physical condition and mental health, fatigued or under the influence of any substance, which might impair vision or dexterity or judgment. If you have any condition that might be aggravated by strenuous work, check with your doctor before operating a chainsaw.

The first task is to prepare your chainsaw for use. Begin by giving it one more inspection, looking for loose or broken parts, a chain that is sharpened and adjusted properly and a chain brake that operates properly.

Fueling your chainsaw should be done on a clear, level surface. Always fuel your chainsaw in an area of a minimum of 10 feet from where you’ll be starting the saw to avoid the chances of lingering fuel vapor from igniting. Wipe away any debris from around the fuel cap and release the cap slowly. Pressure can build up in your fuel tank and by slowly removing the cap; you will allow this excess pressure that may exist to release gradually.

Fill the tank with the proper fuel oil mix and reinstall the fuel cap. Wipe away any excess fuel that may be spilled on the chainsaw or the surface of where your chainsaw is sitting. If you happen to get any fuel on your clothes, change them immediately before using your chainsaw. Every time you add fuel to your chainsaw, you must also add bar and chain lubricant to the oil reservoir. Again, clean the area around the filler cap with a rag and remove the cap. Once fueled, replace the cap and wipe away any oil, which may have spilled.

Next, inspect the area where you will actually be working. Determine what you will be cutting, whether it is a standing tree or a tree already lying on the ground and then plan your work.

Regardless whether you are felling a tree or working around down trees, you must first look for obstacles that will help you determine the proper steps to take. If power lines are in the vicinity and near the wood you will be working on, it’s recommended that you have a professional with the proper tools and experience do the work for you. The same holds true if you will be working near building structures or other types of personal property such as vehicles or fences. Look for limbs and snags that will be located in the tops of trees in the area that you will be working referred to as widow makers by professional loggers.

Cutting wood with a chainsaw produces vibrations in the wood that can be just enough vibration to release a snagged limb. Disregarding this precaution and then being struck by a falling limb has injured many chainsaw operators, both seriously and fatally.

Also be keenly aware of the weather. If the weather is rainy or windy conditions persist, it is advised you postpone your work to another time. Wood becomes very slippery when wet which can cause you to lose your footing, possibly resulting in serious injury and wind can make it very difficult to manage the wood you are cutting, partially when felling a tree.

Other than the people there to assist you with your work, your partner should never allow anyone else or pets to be in or near the work area. The people working with you must always maintain a safe distance from the chainsaw and the work you are doing. Develop a set of hand gestures to communicate with each other at a safe distance from the work area.

Clear the area where you will be working to allow for solid footing and saw movement. Evaluate the condition of the wood you’ll be cutting and the surrounding area and make a plan on how you will proceed with the work the safest manner possible.

The majority of chains saws are fitter with an anti vibration (AV) system. Made up of a series of vibration isolation buffers, the AV system is designed to reduce the transmission of vibrations by the engine and cutting attachment to your hands, increasing control and comfort and decreasing fatigue.

Front and rear handguards. The rearguard is designed to protect your right hand as well as a key feature used in one method of properly starting your chainsaw. The front handguard is designed to protect against projecting branches and reduce the risk of the left hand coming into contact with the chain, if your hand were to slip off the handle bar.

The front handguard on steel chainsaws also functions as part of the chain brake device that stops the rotation of the chain if activated and an additional chain brake activation device that can be found on many saws today is an inertia chain brake, available on steel chainsaws. Also capable of stopping the rotation of the chain in certain situations if the kickback force is high enough even if your hand doesn’t contact the front handguard.

A third braking device available on select steel chainsaws is located at the rear handle. When the operator completely releases the rear handle and the interlock level with their right hand, the braking device is activated and stops the rotation of the chain.

A very important safety feature is the throttle trigger interlock. This feature helps in preventing the chainsaw from accidentally accelerating when moving around in the work area. When you have a firm grip on the rear handle, the throttle trigger interlock is depressed. You can now activate the throttle trigger and accelerate the saw. When you release the rear handle, the throttle trigger interlock isn’t depressed and the saw’s throttle trigger will not activate, accelerating the saw unexpectedly. A situation that, otherwise, would cause serious injury.

Your saw will have controls for the starting and stopping features of the engine. One lever performs all of the functions necessary from the full choke; fast idle from warm start followed by the run position and stop which turns the engine off. Check your chainsaw’s owners manual if you have a different system from this for the proper operations functions of your controls.

Some chains come with a decompression valve, typically on chainsaws with high displacement engines. Depressing the valve releases the compression in the cylinders, resulting in easier pulling action when starting. Once the engine begins to run, the decompression valve will automatically return to the closed position, allowing the engine to regain full compression.

A feature to be aware of on your chainsaw in the maintenance process is access to the air filter. Many manufacturers now utilize a toolless air filter cover that can let you easily access the filter for quick inspection, cleaning or replacement.

Some chainsaws come with a winter/summer shutter, a device that can be adjusted to the winter position, allowing the saw to draw heat from around the cylinder into the airbox where the carburetor is located. This is useful when using your chainsaw in damp or cold climates, where icing of the carburetor can occur.

Then when working in warmer conditions, the shutter can be reversed into the summer position, blocking the warm area from entering the airbox and overheating the carburetor. Some carburetors can be adjusted to compensate for conditions such as altitude or climate. Yet others may be preset and not adjustable. Check your owner’s manual for proper carburetor adjustment procedures for your saw.

Your chainsaw has two fluid reservoirs. One will hold gasoline and two-cycle oil mix that will fuel and lubricate the engine. And the other reservoir is for bar and chain oil, needed to lubricate the bar and chain. A mistake sometimes made by novice chainsaw users is to put raw unmixed gasoline in the fuel reservoir and oil in the bar and chain reservoir thinking the two will mix automatically to create the gasoline/oil mix needed to run and lubricate the engine.

Be very careful not to make this mistake, as it will result in very serious and costly damage to your chainsaw. Never run a chainsaw with raw unmixed gasoline. Always premix your gasoline with the proper two cycle oil in a separate container for your chainsaw’s needs and use specially formulated bar and chain oil for your bar and chain reservoir. Check your owner’s manual for the recommended gasoline and two-cycle mixture ratio.

On the left side of the chainsaw, you will find the chain adjustment mechanism. Although there are several different designs of adjusters, depending on the manufacturer. The procedures used to adjust the chain will basically be the same for everyone.

When you remove the chain and sprocket cover, you will see a device called the chain catcher. This is another important protective device, designed to reduce the risk of personal injury in the event of a thrown or broken chain.

Many newer saws have a bar and chain oil feed rate adjustment. Different feed rates of bar and chain oil may be required for different bar lengths or types of wood being cut. By turning this adjustment clockwise or counterclockwise, you will vary the oil feed rate as required by your working conditions.

The spike bumper on the front of the saw is designed to hold the saw steady against the wood when cutting particularly when bucking.