Notes from the woodpile

Your first cuts: mini chainsaw safety for beginners

A mini chainsaw is far less intimidating than a full-size saw, but it is still a chainsaw. These are the habits that make the first cuts safe and the hundredth cut as safe as the first.

Gear before you start

• Safety glasses or goggles — chips fly from every cut
• Work gloves, ideally cut-resistant (many Tietoc kits include a pair)
• Closed shoes and long trousers
• Hair tied back and no loose sleeves or scarves

Read the manual once, cover to cover, before the first charge.

How the safety lock works

Every Tietoc mini chainsaw uses a two-step start: the safety lock button and the trigger must be pressed together for the chain to move. Let go of either and the motor stops. A splash baffle sits over the chain to keep wood chips away from your hand, the handle is textured so it does not twist in a glove, and a bar sheath covers the chain when the saw is not in use.

How to stand and hold the saw

Keep your feet apart and planted, with the saw at waist height and to the side of your body, never in front of your legs. Hold the saw firmly with your dominant hand and keep the other hand on the branch, well behind the cut, or on your hip. Do not cut above shoulder height with a handheld saw — that is what the pole saw is for.

Cutting a branch cleanly

• Let the chain reach full speed before it touches the wood
• Let the saw do the work; pushing hard bends the chain and slows the cut
• On limbs still attached to a tree, make a small undercut first so the bark does not tear
• Support long pieces so the cut does not close and pinch the bar
• Release the trigger as soon as you are through

Mistakes beginners make

The common ones are cutting with a dry chain, ignoring a loose chain, cutting into the ground and reaching across the bar to clear chips with the motor running. Always remove the battery before touching the chain, clearing jams or changing parts. Keep children and pets well back, and never use any chainsaw near power lines.