chain saw thoughts

[Matt In Oklahoma]

just to clear the air.
my early days with a mccullough and a sears.. WAS NOT an endorsement.
if you see a mc for sale cheap keep looking... i think they are out of business.

i think matt was familiar with both these saws.

Funny you should mention that. The last one was a sears craftsman POS that lasted exactly 9months and did 3 average trees before the trigger kicked out and after it was worked on twice it was discarded right where it should have been to start with. They wanted to put $150 into it but pointed out other issues it was gonna have
pure junk

[huckridge]

I've use a Stihl 028 Wood Boss with and 18" bar since the mid 1980's, has worked great. I had the gear in the oiler replaced once and that was all. Last year a storm came through and uprooted quite a few large hardwoods, my friend came over with his McCullough, don't know how good it cuts, he could'nt get it to crank so he carried wood all day while I cut.

I'm looking to add another Stihl to my collection but one a litter larger with a longer bar. I haven't made any decision which one, but I do know it will be a Sthil.

[1Admin]

I started out with Poulans way back in the long long ago. My brother still likes them, I gave him a couple of mine and recently gave him about a dozen extra chains and parts for them. Probably should have held on to them, might have made great bartering items one day. He's the only one in the extended family that likes cutting wood and heats with wood. So we often cut some stuff on the property together. He's got a big truck too, so sometimes we just cut them in the swamp and drag them back to the barn and splitter. Never forget the easily 3 foot round pine that I got him to yank with his truck "that little sissy truck won't pull this.." LOL He bent his Reese hitch but it did in fact yank it.

First serious saw I bought was a Huskie 55 Rancher. Great saw, still have it. Barely scraped together the money at the time for it. Sprocket/spindle thingee seems to get used up quicker than the Stihls. More plastic parts on the exterior. A little harder to start than the Stihls.

Had every intention of buying a 2nd one and making the 55 my go to saw. Huskie did away with the 55 Rancher not long after that. Service guys said the 455 used a few different parts, not really close to the 55 Rancher, etc.

Good ole boy from TN a few of us know talked about and demonstrated a Stihl at a campout. I liked it and kept in the back of my mind the idea of eventually getting one. Guy owed me some bucks and had a Stihl, we worked a trade. Bought an identical model maybe six months later. Never looked back. Parts are similar priced to the Huskie IMO, although I would assume the Huskie parts/accessories will be easier to find since Lowes and Homo Depot carry them.

It's really akin to the "will a Mosin Nagant be enough" type discussion regarding rifles. Sure you can handle bid'ness with a Mosin, but you can handle it much better with an assault rifle. It's kinda like that with saws too- you can cut wood with a Poulan, sharp butter knife, etc. but you can do it much better and easier with a quality saw like a Huskie or a Stihl.

Your average suburbanite isn't going to see this high on his priorities, I didn't back in the day. Thought a Poulan was plenty. It proved otherwise. Probably just one of those things you have to experience.

[blackhawk]

run a little sea foam in your mix gas cleans the carb.

[SeldomSeenSlim]

You asked about tools. I didn't have time last time I posted, but I dug out the stuff and did an inventory. All the small stuff is in a .50cal ammo can. Seems most tools I use have an ammo can or two dedicated to them.

- 2 Air filters that fit the two larger saws. No spare for the little guy.
- 3 saw wrenches (1 came with each saw)
- Extra bar nuts. I've lost these more than once when I didn't tighten it down enough.
- Spark plugs
- 550 cord to replace pull cords
- File sharpeners.
- Vice grips.
- Old chains for each saw. I usually replace a chain before it's totally shot. Then mark it with spray paint so I know. I'll use up the chain clearing brush or other rough jobs.
- Oil mix
- Gas can nozzle
- Pocket knife
- Extra gloves
- Lighter

I have a spare bar for the M310 which is the saw I use the most. It was the original bar. Still works alright but is pretty beat up so I put a new Oregon brand bar on. I only use Stihl brand oil mix. For the bar oil whatever is on sale at the local hardware store. When I go out for firewood I also pack along a maul and wedges to handle some of the big pine rounds, a timberjack and a couple lengths of machine chain (25' or so) with hooks for dragging big logs around.

[Benn Gleck]

I sold a Beretta 92 and bought a Stihl Farm Boss 290 with the money. Never looked back. Get extra files and at least one bar. I use Stihl synthetic two cycle oil and Stihl bar oil because I bought a bunch when I got the saw. Kevlar chaps are a good idea and I prefer a helmet with a face sheild over safety glasses especially when its hot like last week.

[All Talk]

STIHL Farm Boss is the way to go. I tried cheapies first (Homelite, Poulan), but once i used a Stihl I new value (and long term cost versus intial price) are the real drivers.

I also suggest getting extra chains. I use a dremel rotary tool to sharpen, but I find you can never do as well as a new chain. If you have a big day ahead, put on a new chain. You'll double or triple your cutting productivity.

Also just bought chaps, after nearly taking out my kneecap a few weeks back. other lesson learned -- know when you've worked too long. A tired operator makes for a dangerous saw.

[boltgun308]

My next saw will probably be an Echo.

[Grand58742]

Well, there I was talking up the Husky...and all the sudden mine died today. And come to realize it's leaking gas all over the place. So now I have a half cut tree in my yard until I can get it fixed.

I know one problem does not make a brand horrible. Just an FYI

[daz]

My Dad is a logger, still at it at 73 years. My oldest son age 20 is logging with him this summer. I give you that info as some background to my comments.

As far as spares, I would guess we probably use 1 or 2 saw files per chain. And a bar every 3 or 4 chains. We don't seem to go through many spark plugs. But one thing I have not heard mentioned is spare starter rope. A fellow might be able to use para cord, but other than that there is not much else that will work. And with out a starter rope a saw isn't much use. Might want to include a clutch and a clutch bearing or 2 in your spares list also.

I don't know that old chains cut any worse than new ones if sharpened properly. But sharpening by hand is a real skill, and I am by no means a expert. Also most of you may know, but for those who do not, in front of the tooth on a chain is a metal tab known as a rider. The job of a rider is to keep the tooth from cutting to deep and stalling the chain. but since the teeth slope back as you continue to sharpen them they in effect become progressively lower. And so if you do not occasionally file the riders down, after a while it doesn't mater how sharp your chain is, it will not cut. On the other hand, if you file the riders to far down, you will have a hard time because it will want to cut to deep, and it will be a constant battle to keep the chain from stopping. They do make gauges for filing riders, and you use a flat file. But if you do not have a gauge, and you have a sharp chain that will not cut, just take a stoke or 2 on every rider and try it. If it still will not cut try another stroke or 2. But make sure you file the right and left side evenly. The goal is to have the saw cut with very little down pressure and the engine neither racing or lugging.

Most timber fallers take 3 or 4 chains with them when they go to work. As one gets dull the just put sharp one on. Then they will sharpen them at night. Of course they always use electric grinders. But I find it a lot easier to do a good job filing with my saw clamped by the bar in the vise at the shop than propped up on a log or on the tail gate.

Lastly, for what it is worth, we never use bar oil. Instead we use used motor oil.

Saws Homelite 330 ( almost new and probable always will be ) Stihl 031 ( purchased as a lad for cutting cord wood ) Stihl 034, and Stihl 049 ( nice as you don't have to bend over when limbing )

[rockriver]

daz,
thanks.
good info.
rr

[BioG8r]

@Matt - I didn't add it because I forgot about it,, My husky lost a muffler bolt a couple of years ago, the guy at the local repair shop where I was order a new set of bolts, said that is a common problem, he then asked if I was leaking fuel, I told him I wasn't, he said Good you caught it in time.
Apparently the muffler comes loose and touches the plastic fuel tank, promptly there is a new saw modification A VENTILATED FUEL TANK!! He said the tanks are quite expensive and almost not worth the repair depending on the life left in the rest of the saw. He was of course talking about if HE did the fuel tank repair. I am sure it would be half price or less to do it yourself.

[MJC]

We have a friend who has been a professional tree trimmer/wood cutter for more than 20 years and a volunteer fire firefighter for about 5 years. He swares by stihl. "tried 'em all and keeps goin' back to stihl". but you have to keep them clean and in good repair and they don't like bad gas!

[PerryJeff]

Harbor Freight has an electric chain sharpener that mounts to your bench. It is around $30 bought one 3 years ago or so best money I spent. Has the 4 in stone for sharpening fast and easy to keep proper angle on the chain. I have 2 old Craftsmen’s with 16 in bars and a Mac with 24 in. Would love to get a Stihl one of these years. I agree with the Seafoam and stabil in fuel, also change the plug yearly seams to make starting easier.

[daz]

A while back I posted that you could probably use para cord for chain saw starter rope. Well yesterday I broke my starter rope. Since I didn't have a spare, I put on some para cord. It is quite a bit smaller, but it seemed to work fine. We will see how long it lasts.