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Chain saw stuff

10K views 89 replies 28 participants last post by  DaveVK 
#1 ·
Some of us use chain saws quite frequently for a variety of chores while others may own a chain saw for emergencies, like when fallen trees block streets and driveways, or entrances to homes or garages.

Assuming one knows how to safely operate a chainsaw, in an emergency situation just owning a chain saw, a can of 2 cycle gas, some bar oil and safety gear (eyes, ears, gloves etc...) is courting frustration.

Chain saws get dull with use and it is a good idea to know how to sharpen the chain, or at least have a spare chain and the knowledge to replace it when it's dull. In an urban environment there are many things out there that can dull a chain rather quickly and that's not going to help when you're trying to clear a post incident evacuation route.

Files with guides aren't expensive and are easy to use.
 
#44 ·
Kerosene will cut the gum from some trees and the pitch from pines . Been feeding my family for years with a tree company I owned . I use cheap oil in oiler and used to use used oil when a lot was being used . Chains stretch and I only use non kick back chains . Not cheap .
 
#54 · (Edited)
Cityboy GONRA's "occasionally user" chainsaw knowledge isn't much. But hava little experience:
Learned that cheep Big Box Bar Oil may not be tacky enuf - damages equipment. >>> Get Name Brand Bar Oil ONLY! <<<
Also, for us occasional users, forget your Fragile Male Ego and get a Girly Start (windup spring pull) Stilhl MS 251 C-BE.
Use their (expensive) canned fuel too - REALLY saves "ethanol problems"!!!
Get a Harbor Freight electric chain sharpener.

Above verks for me and has saved/stopped ENDLESS !@#$%^&* problems...
 
#56 ·
Now this "non Ethanol" description is interesting in and of itself.



I queried the owner of a local fuel depot on this. A young man that I generally consider to be fairly honest as I have known him for quite some time. My question to him was why do they label this fuel as "non Ethanol" fuel as opposed to labelling it Ethanol free fuel. It might stand to reason that since they currently label these poisonous soft drinks as being "sugar free". Why do they not Label gasoline in the same fashion?

His reply to me made a lot of sense. As he suspected that the gasoline dispensed as such may not be entirely Ethanol free. These corporations will sell you down the river any way that they can. Make no mistake about it.
 
#57 ·
An even better label would be "real gas".
I noticed the other day that the pumps now all have stickers with the Federal, State, and local taxes listed. I always shake my head at the idiots who bad-mouth evil 'big oil' and their egregious profits. The government makes about 7 times as much, and does far less.
 
#64 ·
Yep, on avg it's about $1/gal in just taxes!

nobody (NOBODY) who collects $$ wants to see less gas usage.

In AZ (and I am sure elsewhere), e vehicles are becoming an issue for the tax collectors. Since e vehicles use little to no gas the revenue stream from that tax is vanishing, BUT, DOT will now assess a "e vehicle fee" in registration to help offset the lost tax revenue from gas. This additional fee is near $250+. $250 is about half of a 12kmi/yr car running at 22mpg! As vehicles advance to electric the reg fees will go up.

Technology doesnt always help the consumer.
 
#59 ·
Yeah. At great expense, the wife and I only use the "Ethanol free" pump in town for all our cars, yard tools, etc.

We might be getting screwed (maybe there is some Ethanol)...but I'm kinda old school. Just want gas. Not interested in any fancy, earth-saving additives...which are just a fancy way of saying, "We watered down your gas for your convenience...and our profit. Thank you."
 
#62 ·
The Ethanol in the gas thing is a corporate subsidy.



This is a hand out to Cargill, Con Agra, and a couple of the other big players. Disguised as a green initiative. They are not concerned how this affects the performance of your small engines. After all none of these people actually do their own yard work.

Over the course of the next few years when grain prices start to spike up world wide. As they are already starting to do due to climate issues. And you start to have millions of people starving to death each year as opposed to maybe a few hundred thousand in any given year. You may actually see some push back on this. But in the meantime, I do not think that the Cargill family will be losing any sleep over it.
 
#61 ·
I use high octane gas in my weedeaters and chainsaws that is available locally. Hard to tell if it has ethanol or not. They put ethanol stickers on hard to see places on the pumps sometimes.

I treat the gas with Sta-Bil. It's when this ethanol flavored gas sits in the tanks of my weedeaters and chainsaws for a length that I have problems.
 
#68 ·
Sometimes I get tempted.



To buy one of the 800 series Stihl saws. The ones that have more power than your average automobile, and boast 36 inch bars at a minimum. Just to have one. But I have a little more sense than I used to. Some great chainsaw vids on Youtube though. It is amazing how many of these dummies actually survive.
 
#71 ·
I have a Stihl & really like it. Don't heat with wood anymore so it mostly goes hunting with me to clear trees off roads. I use premium gas, no ethanol, & clean, drain oil & fuel after every use. After a long period of resting in its case, it'll still start about the 5th pull.
 
#73 ·
Both kinds of music.



Country and western.
 
#74 ·
Husqvarna's blade speed is a bit higher than Stihl's which some find more desirable. Stihl service and support is pretty strong in our area. Better than Husqvarna.

Although I have never owned Husqvarna everyone that that I have talked that owned both Stihl and Husqvarna said the quality of Husqvarna is just as good as Stihl.

I have had only one bad Stihl. Through experience I prefer Stihl.
 
#76 ·
I gave up trying to find ethanol free high octane fuel at service stations. Seems only 87 or rarely 89 octane is available. So I resorted to canned fuel from Lowes or HD and it has solved my run performance and fuel degradation issues.
It's expensive but unless you're cutting mega firewood it goes a long way and the after opening shelf life is 2 years. I started using the 4 stroke version in my Honda generator after spending hours cleaning the crud out of the carb jets.
And I went south when I recently bought a new chainsaw. Got an Echo and deviated from the Stihl/Husky dominance. So far it's great.
 
#79 ·
Your saw will start easier with lower octane fuel.

Than it will with higher Octane. With that said. If you are really looking to provide yourself with a lot of usable firewood. The saw is just part of it. You will also need to have a good saw horse. Additionally you will need to have a way of placing heavy logs in your saw horse. A good set of pallet forks for your tractor will serve you well in this regard.
 

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#82 ·
Than it will with higher Octane. With that said. If you are really looking to provide yourself with a lot of usable firewood. The saw is just part of it. You will also need to have a good saw horse. Additionally you will need to have a way of placing heavy logs in your saw horse. A good set of pallet forks for your tractor will serve you well in this regard.
That's what I've always seen referred to as a sawbuck, USMM guy.
Shaped like an X, hence a $10 bill is a sawbuck, and $20 is a double sawbuck, XX.
(your woodcutting history lesson is now over, ;) )
 
#80 ·
Here is my main firewood saw and my chain sharpening set-up. Takes about 5 minutes to sharpen a chain. The second pic is of the handiest saw accessory known to man.

Did some thinking today as I was cutting wood on the ethanol debate. This saw was purchased 13 years ago. The day it came home, E-10 gas went in the tank. It has had E-10 continuously in the saw for 13 years. It runs for a couple hours a week all winter and gets used a couple times during the summer. It starts and runs like when it was new.
 

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#81 ·
You have been lucky.

Usually that E-10 gas will eat up your carburetor over time.
 
#87 ·
Usually that E-10 gas will eat up your carburetor over time.
The carb, the hoses, the impulse line.

I’m stocked up on the 50:1 pre mix in cans by the cases it lasts 3 years it’s non ethanol gas.
 
#85 ·
Chainsaws love them as much as 1911s . Have done tree work most of my life and accumulated 25 running Stihl saws from the old 020 up to the MS 880 .

I keep a saw in every truck and cant count the number of times I have cut a tree out of the road way and saved having to backtrack through the mountains . If you have a saw learn how to sharpen it .

If you have the dexterity and patients to sharpen a knife shaving sharp on a stone you should have no problem using a file and sharpening a saw .

That said treat your saw chain like you would the crown of your pistol barrel . Keep it out of the dirt . Makes for much less sharpening It is not a mini ditch witch . Stihl sells premixed gas with no ethanol a must for the just in case box . I store all my saws with this gas in it and have no problems
 
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