Advice please.

[tony baloney]

Hello everyone. I'm in the UK and interested in chain saw carving. I'm faced with the dilemma of which saw and gas or electric. I am planning on going on a chainsaw safety course and as yet don't have the awareness of the noise prouced by the Stihl MS200 I have been considering. Having neighbours on both sides of an elderly nature and having a big garage I have been also considering the Stihl MSE 180 C-BQ electric saw. Having lost my job recently and have to buy safety equipment and so cost is an issue but at the same time so is quality. From my research its seems that at least 2 saws is preferable. One for blocking and one for carving. If cost is an issue how easy is it to swop bars on the chainsaw to block and then carve? Also, does anyone know whether the above electric saw would be powerful enough for blocking. Is it better to have a cheaper gas chainsaw for blocking and the stihl eclectric for carving as more time would be spent on this. Any advice would be welcolme.

[buzzsawz]

elderly hopefully they have bad hearing,suggestion carve them a gift.carve at times that would be less annoying.electric would work fine on detailing or carving small stuff.block out with gas saw

[twoclones]

Sounds like the perfect saw for you would be a hydraulic system but those are VERY EXPENSIVE.

A good detail saw with a 12" dime tip will be all you need for carving small pieces. Swapping to a different bar will NOT make it into a blocking saw. For blocking larger pieces you'll want a lot more power and a more agressive chain.

Given your close neighbors, I'd recommend you start with the electric saw and carve small pieces. Get a propane torch for toasting [buring to darken] areas and a 4" angle grinder with some agressive flap wheels like these - Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices The grinder is not just for sanding! It can move a surprising amount of wood when used for carving... Is also great for cleaning the black off areas you didn't mean to burn.

And don't skimp on safety gear

[schizoidlogger]

Howdy Tony,
Twoclones gives good advice. I use a Stihl electric with a quarter tip for most of my chainsaw work.

For blocking I have an old Husky with a 36 inch bar. It is big and heavy but has the power and bar length to block out big stuff, and then a cheap 14" (Poulon) gas saw for medium blocking.

If you have neighbors close by it might be a good idea to do your blocking elsewhere, ie: out in the country or in an industrial area and then move the roughed out piece home. You will also need a large storage area for logs and rough outs waiting to be finished.

I agree about the 4 inch angle grinder. I've made a semi rigid backing pad (out of a 1/8 poly.) and use a very coarse (blue if you can get it) sanding disks. What I like about these disks is that they can be quite aggressive but are safe and easily controllable. However dust is a major issue with a grinder. Chainsaws (using vegetable oil) on the chain are basically dust free. So you might want to think about some kind of dust system or at least have a good mask and wear it. Over the years I have developed a bit of an allergy to red cedar because I didn't always wear one.

Chainsaw carving requires a great deal of heavy lifting and you might want to think about how you intend to handle blocks/logs ie: hydraulic tables, block and tackle or just having physical help near by. When working by yourself, the tendency is to "get 'er done" and many a back has been put out in the process.

Chainsaw carving requires commitment and equipment and is not cheap. In addition larger work tends to be more difficult to sell. I seldom do big pieces anymore for these reasons and besides I'm getting too old and tired. (chuckle)

At any rate, it is an undertaking that should not be taken lightly (pun intended)

Good luck,

Merv
I

[Caraloft]

Hi Tony

I'm from the UK too and have been a hobby carver for less than 2 years. The CS30 course is a must but nothing will move you on as much as going to a carving event and talking to the pros.

Where are you in Blighty and do you know about the Wales Woodfest 4th - 7th June or the English Open, Tatton Park, 29th - 31st August?

Cheers
Carrie

[twoclones]

I've been thinking about that chainsaw safety course. Safety training is a GREAT idea but... when carving you'll probably use saws in a way your safety instructor never imagined.

When introducing myself as a chainsaw carver, I was once told, "So you're one of those guys who buys a new chainsaw and immediately does everything the book says not to."

Have fun

[Caraloft]

Originally Posted by twoclones

I've been thinking about that chainsaw safety course. Safety training is a GREAT idea but... when carving you'll probably use saws in a way your safety instructor never imagined.

When introducing myself as a chainsaw carver, I was once told, "So you're one of those guys who buys a new chainsaw and immediately does everything the book says not to."

Have fun

Hi Two Clones

When I advised the CS30 as a 'must', I meant that in the UK we can't operate a chainsaw in public without it.

Carrie

[twoclones]

Carrie,

My post had nothing at all to do with your post.