Tools and Materials
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How to Start a Gas Chainsaw
Before starting a chainsaw, read the owner's manual to understand all the controls and safety features. Always follow the safety recommendations. You'll need protective clothing:
- Hard hat
- Ear protection
- Eye protection
- Long pants and chaps
- Work gloves
- Steel-toe boots
See Chainsaw Safety for more tips and instructions.
Some helmets include built-in hearing protection and a face shield.
Starting the Gas Saw
How to Use a Gas Chainsaw
To make a cut, hold the front handle with your left hand — thumb wrapped underneath — and grab the rear handle with your right hand. Get in position — legs apart for stability — and pull back the chain brake to disengage it. Then squeeze the throttle. The saw cuts best when the engine is at full throttle.
- Make your cuts away from the bar tip. Cutting with the upper portion of the tip could cause kickback, which can be dangerous and may engage the chain brake. If it does engage, just pull back to unlock.
- It's good practice to cut at waist level — never above shoulder height.
- Avoid cutting too close to the ground where the blade could dig in and kick back.
- Try to cut from the side of the saw — never while hovering over the work area. A kickback in this position could be especially dangerous.
- You can cut downward with the bottom of the bar — known as cutting with a pulling chain since the chain pulls the saw out from you — or upward with the top of the bar — known as cutting with a pushing chain, since the chain pushes the saw toward you.
Keep others at least 15 feet away when you are using the saw. When felling trees, increase this distance to at least double the height of the tree.
Gas Chainsaw Maintenance
Your saw must be properly maintained to operate safely. Your manual lists the maintenance items and when to do them.
- Every time you use the saw, check the chain tension and adjust as necessary.
- Regularly inspect the bar and clean it.
- Check the air filter — clean and replace it when necessary.
- Inspect the operation of throttle lockout, the chain brake, the chain catcher and the oiler.
- Follow the manufacturer's directions for mixing fuel or use an appropriate premixed fuel. Read Fueling Outdoor Power Equipment for tips on keeping your gas-powered equipment running smoothly.
Turn the saw off before performing maintenance, checks or adjustments. Disconnect the spark plug on a gas-powered saw. Testing the chain brake and chain lubrication are exceptions; the saw must be running for these procedures.
How to Sharpen a Chainsaw Chain on a Gas Saw
Keep the chainsaw sharp. Check the saw or chain manufacturer's instructions on sharpening a chainsaw chain. Some chains require a specific method and shouldn't be sharpened manually. Some manufacturers recommend having the chain and depth gauges on their saws sharpened and filed by a professional. If you can sharpen the chain manually, it's not hard to do with a kit that contains tools for sharpening a chainsaw such as a round file, flat file, file guide and depth gauge.
Wear heavy work gloves when handling the chain.
Filing the Chain on a Gas Chainsaw
Gas Chainsaw Sharpening and Maintenance Kit
Consider assembling a tool kit with maintenance essentials:
- Wrenches and screwdrivers or an all-in-one tool
- A round file and file gauge
- A flat file and depth gauge tool
- Cleaning cloths
- Your saw documentation
Never cut with the tip of the saw and be aware that the upper part of the saw tip is the area most prone to causing the chainsaw to kick up and back toward you.