Ellicott City
10325 Baltimore National Pike
Ellicott City, MD 21042
(410) 465-9633
Store Hours:
Mon-Sat 7AM-8PM
Sunday 9AM-6PM
Repair Shop Hours:
Mon-Fri 8AM-5PM
Saturday 9AM-2PM

Columbia
8895 McGaw Road
Columbia, MD, 21045
(410) 465-0500
Store Hours:
Mon-Sat 7AM-8PM
Sunday 9AM-6PM

Ellicott City
10325 Baltimore National Pike
Ellicott City, MD 21042
(410) 465-9633
Store Hours:
Mon-Sat 7AM-8PM
Sunday 9AM-6PM

Repair Shop Hours:
Mon-Fri 8AM-5PM
Saturday 9AM-2PM

Columbia
8895 McGaw Road
Columbia, MD, 21045
(410) 465-0500
Store Hours:
Mon-Sat 7AM-8PM
Sunday 9AM-6PM

A chainsaw can be an important tool in the arsenal of anyone doing landscaping or yard work. But when a chainsaw is improperly used or maintained, it can also become one of the most dangerous tools in that arsenal. The tips below will help you operate and maintain your chainsaw in a way that minimizes the chance of injury and maximizes the life of the saw.

Operating Tips

  1. Wear safety gear: When operating a chainsaw, flying debris is inevitable. The devices are often extremely loud and produce a lot of vibration. By wearing safety goggles, hearing protection, and work gloves, you can protect yourself from issues that might arise with the use of power equipment.
  2. Read the manual: Improperly operating a chainsaw can almost guarantee an injury. Beyond basic operation, many chainsaws have safety features in case something goes wrong. Knowing how to use those before something bad happens will prevent the bad thing from becoming worse.
  3. Keep a firm grip: When operating a chainsaw, you should always keep both hands firmly on the machine. This ensures you have as much control as possible over the exposed cutting chain.
  4. Maintain your footing: It can be tempting to contort yourself into awkward positions to reach what you’re trying to cut. However, the risk of losing your footing with the chain running in front of you makes doing so extra dangerous.
  5. Don’t cut too high: Similarly to maintaining footing, trying to reach beyond your capacity to cut something reduces your control and increases the chance of fatigue.
  6. Cut at full throttle: If the chain stalls or bogs down, it can get stuck in the tree or branch being cut. This can produce a dangerous situation where you must twist and contort the saw to remove it.
  7. Take frequent breaks: The more fatigued you become, the more likely you are to make a mistake and lose control of the chainsaw. Whenever you feel fatigued setting in, rest for a few minutes to get your energy back.

Maintenance Tips

  1. Practice Safe Maintenance  When performing maintenance on the chainsaw, you want to eliminate any possibility that the chain will become active while you’re working on it. Make sure the saw is off and the spark plug or battery disconnected before you start any procedure.
  2. Check the Filters  A chainsaw’s performance is reduced when it doesn’t get the air or fuel it needs. It could even stall while cutting and produce a dangerous situation. Regularly clean and replace the air and fuel filters to prevent this.
  3. Check the Spark Plug  A worn or damaged spark plug can cause the saw to run poorly. If it gets too bad, the saw might not even start when you need it to. Regular replacement of worn plugs can avoid this.
  4. Check the Fuel Lines For the engine to run, the fuel must be carried from the fuel tank to the engine. If the lines that do this become damaged, it can result in a fuel leak. Leaking fuel can cause poor performance, and in some cases even start a fire.
  5. Inspect the Chain  To perform properly, the chain must be properly tensioned and sharp. You should check the tension of a chain every time you use it, and regularly check the sharpness. 
  6. Clean the Guide Bar Proper operation of the chain requires it to fit perfectly in the chain groove and around the guide bar. If either of these has debris in them, the chain cannot fit properly.
  7. Fill the Oil Reservoir  The oil reservoir on a chainsaw is there to make sure the chain remains properly lubricated as its spins around the guide bar. An improperly lubricated chain will shorten the saw’s lifespan and can result in accidents.

Clarks Ace Hardware’s sharpening service can help you keep the chain on your saw in optimal condition.  If you don’t already have a chainsaw, we have a nice selection for both purchase and rental. For more information, contact us today using the links below.

CLARKS ACE HARDWARE
Ellicott City

10325 Baltimore National Pike
Ellicott City, MD 21042

(410) 465-9633 GET DIRECTIONS
 

CLARKS ACE HARDWARE
Columbia

8895 McGaw Rd
Columbia, MD 21045

(410) 465-0500 GET DIRECTIONS