Ok,

We've got a 6-7m high hedge that is now out of control height-wise & needs a serious topping.

I've hired a chainsaw & scaffold for this coming weekend and have been reading online tutorials etc, as last time I used one was in high school (about a decade & a half ago...) so am after a refresher.

So I know using the tip of the chainsaw is a big no no and asking for kick-back & a self administered limb (or head) amputation, but are there any other do's & don'ts vorb can add?

Have all the safety gear lined up too, like earmuffs + earplugs, helmet with face guard, chainsaw chaps, gloves.

Also, looking at the forecast it looks like rain may crash my party - besides potentially loosing footing, is chainsaw use OK in the rain?

these are the guides I've been using, they are pretty informative:

http://www.ehow.com/videos-on_4798_...n-chainsaw.html

http://forestry.about.com/od/forest...s/byw_saw_6.htm

Do it once, then write a book on it.

Looking at it though, it sounds like you may be getting the wrong tool. Is it really that think that a chainsaw is needed? Perhaps one of those hedge trimmer things may be more suited. Other than that, using a chainsaw in the rain is fine, but with significantly increased risk. Things get slippery, not just foot holds, but what you're holding, what you're cutting, etc...If it is wet I'd recommend holding off.

Other than that, just keep what you're cutting through nice and close to the hand end of the chainsaw and you'll be sweet. Oh yeah, if you're trimming the top right across, put up a string line as a guide to get it straight and level. And, remember that anything that falls on your neighbors property is your responsibility to clean up.

cheers for that matto,

as some trunks are up to 15-20cm so beyond the use of hedgetrimmers unfortunately

I was told to never cut above the shoulder. What size bar is it?

Hire someone to do it. Sit on deck with Beer and watch.

Best way and you keep all your body parts.

sooby wrote:Have all the safety gear lined up too, like earmuffs + earplugs, helmet with face guard, chainsaw chaps, gloves.

Just get the chaps with the chainsaws to do it for you.

16inch bar

will be working at waist level, so hopefully avoid any above shoulder work

Best tip I can offer is to let the saw do the work (just like hand sawing) rather than forcing the bar to cut faster than it wants to, which will just make it grab and jam. Looks like none of the branches in that hedge will be bigger than about 2 inches tho, maybe a decent pruning saw would be better/safer?

Edit: saw you said 15-20cm, but I would still do the smaller stuff by hand if you can get one.

thats a big hedge. any way to get up inside/on top of it? when we were kids we used to climb around in and on top of hedges like that. might prove better access than trying to hack your way in from the outside...

chainsaws are fun. cutting above your shoulder is a tad dodgy, but everyone seems to do it anyway. 'swhat ACC's for, right?

How about this way:

swtchbckr wrote:thats a big hedge. any way to get up inside/on top of it? when we were kids we used to climb around in and on top of hedges like that. might prove better access than trying to hack your way in from the outside...

chainsaws are fun. cutting above your shoulder is a tad dodgy, but everyone seems to do it anyway. 'swhat ACC's for, right?

yeah, last sunday I climbed on the shed roof & hacked away as much as I could with a pruning saw, got pretty hairy standing on one trunk top while cutting another, so would prefer not to do that with a chainsaw. Think the scaffolding should let me get it all safely if I position it on both sides & attack it that way.

nzmatto wrote:How about this way:

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ha ha! In desperation I have thought of that. I think this would be more fun tho, shame the hire centres don't stock them:

Or, for a boring suggestion, you can get one of these from Hire Pool. I've used them a few times, they are not as unwieldy as they look.

Do a proper training course if you intend to use a chainsaw, there are many polytechs etc that run them and they're not expensive compared to losing a limb or life. definitely not toys!

Chain saw would cause havoc, you really want a petrol/electric hedge trimmer.
You would get so much stuff caught in the chain.
It would be just as easy to use hedge trimmers etc.

But they are good fun... my best advice is to grow up in an area dominated by the forest industry


But aside from that - I suspect the chainsaw is not the ideal tool... hedge trimmer and pruning saw for the bigger chunks.