Chainsaws

Mike ,you know I have an Engle and a Waeco , thought that $139 "might " have been a bargain buy for what I want a chainsaw for ,, recall is in place so no saw to be had ,, what I'm realy after is a chainsaw with only a small bar ,say 8" ,, be easier to store and carry in the C/Ts tool box.

Too small Alloy, and I doubt anyone makes one anyway.

Frankly wood that an 8" bar would go through you could probably (mostly) break by hand anyway?

I bought a "Can't Remember" brand from Bunnings a few months ago for my son for about $200, he's used that a few times now (camping use) and reports that it does the job very well - about a 14" bar iirc?

Mike Harding

Oh, and I'm not knocking cheap saws.
I have a Poulan. It is almost all plastic, I have had to helicoil the bolt holes that hold the muffler on and the vibrations make your hands hurt after an hour, but it does the job I ask of it.

And don't forget the pack of nappies so your Mummy can put them on for you.

Yes Mike I suppose a pack of nappies could be an alternative to the safety gear & training....................You could use them to stop the bleeding after one chopped their leg off :-)

What about a training course to teach Mummies how to put nappies on? I don't think they should just be allowed to do that without a formalised training, do you?

Mike Harding

Crackles , you cut me up [pun intended] , funny that a piece of paper that says you have done a course makes YOU think you can do anything and be "safe " , bit like a Qld boat license , pay your money to the "trainer" , sit in a room for a couple of hrs listening about how the trainer did this and that and how he got his new boat ,then spend 5min on his boat ,do an open book tick and flick "test" while your certificate is printed ,front up at Qld transport with your certificate ,pays your money and walk out with your licence , SAFE and licensed to operate , you betcha ,and pink pigs fly.

I used to think like that too.........I know what I'm doing, safety gear...... that's for babies, training......what a waste of time, but having had one friend killed & 2 others seriously cut (one a chain into the knee while cutting a 200 cm log off a track) I make no appologies for pushing the safety angle nor do I recommend saws to others that are often devoid of many of the safety features. You're right Alloy c/t, many training & licencing tests are way too easy & should be tightened up but that's no excuse to put your head in the sand & pretend you know.
And Mike if you remember back to the ante-natal class's for your 1st child they do teach new parents how to put nappies on at a formalised training session, but no I don't think you should need a licence to do it ;-)
Cheers Craig............

I remember before there _were_ antenatal classes, astonishingly, babies still survived.

No one's against safety Craig but we don't all need, or indeed _want_ to be nursemaided every time we do something. I see far too much of it today and it's turning us into a bunch of people who are afraid to take risks - and that is a "Bad Thing".

Mike Harding

C'mon, Craig, there would be lots of evidence out there to show safety equipment and training have done nothing to lessen injuries with chainsaws. Mike wouldn't be just making blanket statements about us taking too few risks, eh?

Cheers,

Mark

Oh dear.... you totally missed the point in your eagerness to score one, Mark.

I made no definitive statement about the impact of "safety training" - in some cases it has it's place, I recall when I was working in the area of Aldermaston where they assemble the warheads for nuclear missiles we all felt it was appropriate then. I remain less convinced with regard to chainsaws.

The thrust of my argument was about the insidious nature of "The Nanny State" and it's impact on our natural risk taking attitude.

If you're going to challenge me at least have the courtesy to read and understand my posts first and then challenge on what I write rather than how you would wish to interpret it.

Mike Harding

I'd say your first two follow-ups were taking the p#@s of Craig's points. Good to see you've retained your SOH Mike!

More seriously I'm not sure we are taking less risks, there is a "nanny state" mentality but I think it's mainly in response to A) common sense- there ARE a lot of things we used to do which in hindsight a pretty bloody stupid. B) Litigation c) higher numbers of people involved in things which used to be considered a professional activity.

I've worked in areas I thought were a bit out there (teaching outdoor adventure courses and the like) but when I see the things some of the kids are doing now in terms of risky sports I'm gobsmacked. We might like to look back and say "When I were a lad", but the truth is no one back then rode downhill bikes, motocross, skateboarded, snowboarded etc. anywhere near as aggressively or dangerously as some of these kids do now.

Cheers,

Mark

>Good to see you've retained your SOH Mike!

I enjoy the cut and thrust of debate and argument but I don't take it seriously and I never take it personally - we can have heated debates Mark but I'll always be glad to share a beer around the camp fire with you :) Actually you sound like you'd be a fun guy to do that with... a little misguided in some areas but fun, nevertheless :)

I do agree that some of the things we did (and I remember some industrial situations in the UK in the 70s) were terrible and simply unsafe and lacking in concern for welfare and thank God that has largely stopped.

Eeerrrrmmmmm when I was growing up in the 50/60s we did, indeed, have motocross and I had a skate board in about 1966. And I can assure you there are few things so exhilarating as riding a motorcycle on a warm afternoon in light clothes and no crash helmet (try that today!). Hell! Try having fun with your kids by making Black Powder and blowing up a few tins.

I agree in regard to the litigation aspect and really that is something we should adopt a much more sensible attitude to - if people wish to leap into the sea (whatever) then they should bare 100% of the risk for so doing and not be able to sue anyone for their foolishness.

But I am heartened to hear that you were able to help some children discover the delights of the bush and to push their boundaries and take a few risks - when we become afraid of risk we loose so much of our zest for life and we'll certainly loose our ability to develop as a nation.

Mike Harding

Nah ,only want a saw to cut up ignorant loud-mouthed terracan drivers.

Just my 2c worth, I won't buy another over priced stihl mine has a small design flaw it disintegrated when in contact with saw dust!!!!!!!!!! Buy a cheapie if you like it; it wont be as dissapointing as doing all the shopping around buying an expensive saw that is a POS.

Other than that... you were happy with it though...?