It’s been a pretty mild winter so far this year but with a few months of cold weather yet to come, it could be the perfect time to stock up on some more firewood to keep the house warm.

Check over your saw

If you haven’t used your chainsaw in a while make sure you do a basic maintenance check to ensure everything is as it should be including bar maintenance and lubrication.

A chainsaw will definitely run a lot smoother and is therefore safer to operate if it has a good sharp chain.  A blunt saw chain will not cut at its best which will make the job harder on the user and also the saw so if it hasn’t been sharpened in a while either take it to your local dealer to have it sharpened or do it yourself at home.  A handy tool for doing this is the 2 in 1 File Holder from STIHL.  This enables you to sharpen both the cutting tooth and the depth gauge at the same time, which reduces maintenance time and also makes it easier for the correct cutting angle.

Another important check is to ensure the correct tensioning on the chain around the bar.  Chainsaw chains can stretch during use and begin to sag on the guide bar, if it becomes too loose it can come off during operation and can cause a serious accident for the user. 

Next check the oil levels in your chainsaw to ensure there is enough lubrication in the engine and circulating around the bar and chain.  Improper lubrication can cause damage to the engine.   Finally ensure you have enough fuel in your chainsaw to complete your cutting job.  Always check that you are using the correct mix with your saw.

Chainsaw Safety First

So that’s your chainsaw all checked and ready for action, what next?  Safety!  Basic protective clothing and equipment is essential when using a chainsaw so ensure you are covered from head to toe.  Face and head protection which covers your eyes, ears and face is a necessity.   Good saw protective gloves and trousers are also essential as well as a chainsaw boots with a good grip.

Let’s get Cutting with your Chainsaw

A great piece of equipment to use if you are cutting firewood at home is a saw horse.  Firstly, we would recommend that you cut tree trunks into manageable lengths. Place the lengths horizontally on the ground and ensure it will not roll away.  The wood can now be cut down the middle along its entire length – approximately 10 cm deep.  You can now prize the log apart using a splitting wedge.  The split piece of wood can be loaded onto the saw horse and cut into smaller pieces. At robertkee.ie we stock a range of useful saw horses in a variety of price ranges. We also stock a range of useful forestry tools which will assist you when cutting timber.

Storing your firewood

Once you have the wood cut store it in such a way that the air will circulate through it and dry it out. You should then cover the stacks of wood with waterproof tarpaulin to protect it from the weather.  So that’s you stocked up with firewood now so make yourself cosy in front of a lovely fire this winter.

If you are thinking of investing in a chainsaw take a look at our range of chainsaws suitable for homeowners or novice users. For the more experienced user we offer a large range of professional chainsaws. Call into any of our showrooms in Laghey or Letterkenny Co. Donegal and speak with one of our experienced salesteam who will advise you on the correct saw for your needs.