TKU Saw School: Chainsaw Maintenance and Sharpening Clinic - PDX

A big thank you to Oregon Tool, Inc. for hosting this collaborative opportunity with TKO to provide a chainsaw maintenance clinic at their facility in Portland, OR. We will start the day with some introductions and then break off into smaller groups to go through maintenance stations that will be set up for hands-on practice. After running through the different stations, participants will have an opportunity to tour the Oregon plant and lab facilities. We will end the day on the cutting deck to run a few chainsaws and see the difference between proper and improperly sharpened chainsaw chains. Throughout the day there will be Oregon Tool staff interacting with participants with the intent of creating content (photos and videos) from this event to include on social media platforms. Oregon Tool is interested in engaging with participants who utilize these tools and wants to emphasize a commitment to giving back to the user community.

Here are some topics we will be covering.

• Chain types
• Powerhead types and maintenance
• Bar types
• Fueling and winterization
• Chain sharpening (with a hand file and chain grinder)
• Creating chainsaw chain loops.

Note: Please bring work gloves, safety glasses, hard hats, hearing protection, chainsaw chaps, and your current chainsaw certification card if you intend to operate chainsaws with TKO. Some of these PPE items will be provided by TKO and Oregon Tool if needed. You must be currently chainsaw certified if you plan to operate a chainsaw at this event. Please contact [email protected] if you have any questions.

Directions: Directions will be provided to participants as we get closer to the scheduled event dates.

What to bring:

• Lunch (Oregon Tool will be providing lunch but please bring your own if you have a strict diet. This will most likely be Pizza or something similar.)
• Plenty of water for the day.
• Snacks
• Gloves, Safety Glasses, Hard Hat, Hearing Protection, Chainsaw Chaps, Saw Fuel, Bar Oil, etc.
• Hand Sanitizer

What to wear:

• Boots (Please wear something sturdy that will protect your toes from sharp tools. If you have safety-toe boots please bring them. Oregon Tool will have toe covers that people can slip on over their boots for those who don’t have safety-toed shoes. Metal/composite toes are all acceptable. Boots must cover your ankles. No tennis shoes allowed.)
• Work gloves
• A long-sleeved shirt is a requirement
• Long pants are required
• Hearing protection is a requirement
• Chainsaw chaps are required when operating a saw
• Face Mask (optional for indoor class, optional for outdoors)
• Rain gear as appropriate for the weather

Questions?

Please contact Vito Perrone at [email protected].

Additional Information:

Check out the TK-U Saw School page for more info.

Free online crosscut course from the University of Montana.

Saws That Sing. A guide to using crosscut saw.

One moving part: The Forest Service Ax Manual

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: TKO recognizes that the trails we work on travel through the traditional lands of many Indigenous tribes and communities. We are the most recent in a long line of stewards to this land, and it is our responsibility to do so with humility and respect. We are grateful to these tribes and their descendants for being the original and continuing stewards of these spaces, and encourage everyone to go beyond a land acknowledgment by supporting Indigenous communities and organizations in your area.

ACCOMMODATION REQUESTS: TKO seeks to make our events inclusive of people of all backgrounds and abilities. If you would like to discuss potential accommodations to allow for your participation in this event, please click here to complete a short Google survey. TKO staff will then contact you to discuss options. Please note: available accommodations will vary by event and typically need to be requested a minimum of two weeks in advance. If you have any questions, please contact TKO Stewardship Manager Lindsay McIntosh-Tolle at [email protected].

EQUITY & INCLUSION: TKO seeks to make Oregon’s trails a place where people can go to connect with nature & one another. Not everyone feels safe or welcome in the outdoors due to issues like racism, bias, and hate. We commit to being part of the solution to this problem and to enact change. Conduct, speech, or expressions that target any individual or group will not be tolerated by TKO.

PERSONAL SAFETY: Your physical and emotional safety is our number one priority. If a person’s actions or comments make you feel uncomfortable or unsafe, you may: interrupt directly, tell a crew leader, and/or inform TKO staff via the post-event survey.

While TKO no longer requires masking/vaccination for our events, we do support those who choose to mask for their own safety. We ask participants to respect the health of folks who wear masks by distancing or wearing a mask while in close proximity.

Host or Publisher Trailkeepers of Oregon