If he left gasoline in it for any length of time you may need to treat it with "Mechanic in a Bottle"
Need chainsaw advice
- Thread starter merrill77
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Mike,
Does Seafoam work the same as "Mechanic in a Bottle," or is that completely different?
My weed whacker is a Husky and doesn't start the first pull but isn't bad. The instructions (in pictures) are cast into the plastic - can't loose those. They say to both choke and prime it. I leave gas in all my 2 cycle motors and have only had to clean out the boat engine once - never the little stuff. I take the carberator off and spray cleaner through all the passages.
After you limb that tree completely, you will have to see where the trunk goes. As you take weight off you will have to be ready for it to shift. You always want to think about where gravity will take things and also realize there could be tension in the wood due to the way it grew and is laying. You have to position yourself and the saw based upon those factors. The reason to start under the tree is that side will tend to open up the kerf as the tree goes down. But if you go so far that the trunk falls on your saw you better have another saw. But you should get warning. The kerf will start to open and there could be cracking. If the trunk is sound you could go most of the way through it before that happens.
I kind of don't understand the principle of kickback on a chain saw. I've used both sides of the tip in cutting and not had anything bad happen. I think it is far more important to anticipate where the wood will go as you cut than worry about what part of the bar you are using. I use the bar down near the motor to cut whenever possible and for serious cutting through the trunk. I use the tip cutting off little limbs and stuff like that. I worry about movement - even of limbs. In other words, the movement of the wood will drive the saw harder and faster than anything the motor does. You have to be out of the way when that happens. I had an uncle loose all his toes on both feet. He cut a large tree that was bound up in the limbs and it rolled towards him. He didn't know if the trunk got his toes or the saw. Didn't really matter. That's the kind of thing you have to be thinking about. Where is it going to want to go and what will I do if.
I've never been bitten by my chain saw but I got a few stiches from my reciprocating saw cutting a metal awning off a house. When it came down the awning pushed my saw into my other hand. Bleed a lot but didn't get any tendons so few stiches later I was OK. I should have thought more - and probably quit a half an hour sooner. Being tired is a good way to make mistakes.
After you limb that tree completely, you will have to see where the trunk goes. As you take weight off you will have to be ready for it to shift. You always want to think about where gravity will take things and also realize there could be tension in the wood due to the way it grew and is laying. You have to position yourself and the saw based upon those factors. The reason to start under the tree is that side will tend to open up the kerf as the tree goes down. But if you go so far that the trunk falls on your saw you better have another saw. But you should get warning. The kerf will start to open and there could be cracking. If the trunk is sound you could go most of the way through it before that happens.
I kind of don't understand the principle of kickback on a chain saw. I've used both sides of the tip in cutting and not had anything bad happen. I think it is far more important to anticipate where the wood will go as you cut than worry about what part of the bar you are using. I use the bar down near the motor to cut whenever possible and for serious cutting through the trunk. I use the tip cutting off little limbs and stuff like that. I worry about movement - even of limbs. In other words, the movement of the wood will drive the saw harder and faster than anything the motor does. You have to be out of the way when that happens. I had an uncle loose all his toes on both feet. He cut a large tree that was bound up in the limbs and it rolled towards him. He didn't know if the trunk got his toes or the saw. Didn't really matter. That's the kind of thing you have to be thinking about. Where is it going to want to go and what will I do if.
I've never been bitten by my chain saw but I got a few stiches from my reciprocating saw cutting a metal awning off a house. When it came down the awning pushed my saw into my other hand. Bleed a lot but didn't get any tendons so few stiches later I was OK. I should have thought more - and probably quit a half an hour sooner. Being tired is a good way to make mistakes.
I haven't used Seafoam. I have been quite surprised by Mechanic in a bottle though.
My mother had a Sears tiller that was several years old. When we cleaned out her house we brought it home. I tried to start it a couple times with no luck then had a mechanic look at it. He said it needs a new carburetor so I left it another year.
Than I found Mechanic in a bottle followed the directions and nothing. So I left it another year...
Then one day i was cleaning out and decided to throw away the tiller. My wife said she wanted to keep and get it working. I said it'll never run and pulled the string to show her and it fired right up the first pull. Has run ever since.
Mechanic in a bottle.
My mother had a Sears tiller that was several years old. When we cleaned out her house we brought it home. I tried to start it a couple times with no luck then had a mechanic look at it. He said it needs a new carburetor so I left it another year.
Than I found Mechanic in a bottle followed the directions and nothing. So I left it another year...
Then one day i was cleaning out and decided to throw away the tiller. My wife said she wanted to keep and get it working. I said it'll never run and pulled the string to show her and it fired right up the first pull. Has run ever since.
Mechanic in a bottle.
I have an internet friend in Ohio or someplace out that way that had a chainsaw kickback on him. I saw the pictures, I've known this guy for more than ten years and he is a forest nut, woodsman, hunter, construction guru... He knows what he is doing.
He now has a scar from his chin to his right eyebrow about 1/2 inch wide. It ain't pretty.
He said it happened in a flash, there was nothing he could do. Never saw anything like it. The saw just jumped up at him.
Scar from chin to eyebrow.
Think about it.
He now has a scar from his chin to his right eyebrow about 1/2 inch wide. It ain't pretty.
He said it happened in a flash, there was nothing he could do. Never saw anything like it. The saw just jumped up at him.
Scar from chin to eyebrow.
Think about it.
A quick google search brought up these images. The kick back danger is the top half of the tip of the bar. Below the center of the tip, the chain will tend to pull the saw away from you. Above the center of the tip, the direction of the chain travel tends to send the bar towards the operator at high speed. You can do a lot with the tip, but using the top half of the tip, if that makes sense, is dangerous.
http://www.theoregonshop.com/Chain-and-Bar-Information(1710848).htm
http://www.theoregonshop.com/Chain-and-Bar-Information(1710848).htm
That part I get. What I'm unsure about is: It is not possible to avoid cutting with that part of the tip when cutting from below (with a saw shorter than the log diameter). So is this danger mitigated when cutting from below? Is it because the saw can NOT kick up, only back or down?
The saw kicks up.
When the bar is deeper under the tree then the bar is held down by the tree.
When the tip of the blade is touched to the wood then it will kick up. As long as you keep the middle of the bar in contact with the wood it should be ok.
You can make a plunge cut using the bottom tip of the bar, once that tip is completely inside the wood you can cut either way.
The danger is always at the tip. I have cut down on a branch and let the tip ride back up before. I had a super good grip and my chain lock worked. But, yes it can happen in a flash.
When you limb from underneath be sure the middle of the bar is under the branch, not just the tip.
You may not have ever felt kickback if you have always used safety chain. It has grippers that dig in and help to keep the saw from kicking back. But you still should know what CAN happen and watch out for those conditions.
When the bar is deeper under the tree then the bar is held down by the tree.
When the tip of the blade is touched to the wood then it will kick up. As long as you keep the middle of the bar in contact with the wood it should be ok.
You can make a plunge cut using the bottom tip of the bar, once that tip is completely inside the wood you can cut either way.
The danger is always at the tip. I have cut down on a branch and let the tip ride back up before. I had a super good grip and my chain lock worked. But, yes it can happen in a flash.
When you limb from underneath be sure the middle of the bar is under the branch, not just the tip.
You may not have ever felt kickback if you have always used safety chain. It has grippers that dig in and help to keep the saw from kicking back. But you still should know what CAN happen and watch out for those conditions.
I've had my chain brake activate before, maybe that was due to kickback. I had a coworker with one of those scars..... Only chain saw injury I've seen was to a guy who was inexperienced and in a hurry. It was superficial but still bad enough. Ruined jeans (no chaps) and I think he needed a few stiches. A chain saw chain is an ugly thing to let touch you when it's moving.
Zooming on your pic is fairly conclusive and I think that it's a white oak.
http://www.carolinanature.com/trees/qual.html
http://www.carolinanature.com/trees/quru.html
As others have emphasized, be safe and anticipate what may happen and how the tree will react. If you're not sure, step back and reconsider your approach.
The top V-cut is about an eyeball +/- 1/3 and it's only necessary when anticipating that your saw could get pinched and hung up. Otherwise chunk it out from the top side and the logs will drop cleanly (on your feet?).
Zooming on your pic again. That tree looks pretty groaty and probably diseased/dying so usable lumber from the trunk is a crap shoot. Your better bet is a good supply of firewood in its entirety.
Thanks for that.
The roots came up, so it was at least solid enough that the trunk did not break. This is a low-lying area that stays pretty moist even in the drier summers, so I'm hoping it was healthy when it fell. All the branches had leaves on them. But I'm actually hoping for some interesting wood. I have some spalted oak from another tree on my property that looks really nice. The pieces I have are pretty small, though, so I'm hoping to find some in here.
This will be my first time doing more than cutting stormfall into firewood or dropping small trees, so I decided I had better get more serious about safety. Just ordered chaps and a helmet/face shield along with some kevlar gloves to go with my steel-toed boots. I have some cant hooks and wedges. After I take most of the limbs off, I'll revisit the situation. May have to pick up a rip chain and try out the Granberg mini-mill to see how well that works for flattening a side and maybe even try cutting some planks from it.
I saw an Alaskan mill on craigslist a while back, but he never returned my email. It was overpriced, AFAICT, so no loss.
The roots came up, so it was at least solid enough that the trunk did not break. This is a low-lying area that stays pretty moist even in the drier summers, so I'm hoping it was healthy when it fell. All the branches had leaves on them. But I'm actually hoping for some interesting wood. I have some spalted oak from another tree on my property that looks really nice. The pieces I have are pretty small, though, so I'm hoping to find some in here.
This will be my first time doing more than cutting stormfall into firewood or dropping small trees, so I decided I had better get more serious about safety. Just ordered chaps and a helmet/face shield along with some kevlar gloves to go with my steel-toed boots. I have some cant hooks and wedges. After I take most of the limbs off, I'll revisit the situation. May have to pick up a rip chain and try out the Granberg mini-mill to see how well that works for flattening a side and maybe even try cutting some planks from it.
I saw an Alaskan mill on craigslist a while back, but he never returned my email. It was overpriced, AFAICT, so no loss.
That's encouraging.
Question: Can I cut a 36" d trunk safely with a a 16" bar on my saw? Answer: Yes, but your 18" bar would be better and safer to avoid plunge cuts and potential kick back. It's also a lot more work for you and the saw.
It's basically a clockwise cut from left to right working your way around the circumference-carefully.
I've been there once before but it was 56" diameter poplar with a 24" bar and trust me its not pretty nor is it safe.That's encouraging.
Question: Can I cut a 36" d trunk safely with a a 16" bar on my saw? Answer: Yes, but your 18" bar would be better and safer to avoid plunge cuts and potential kick back. It's also a lot more work for you and the saw.
It's basically a clockwise cut from left to right working your way around the circumference-carefully.
I started my wedge cuts in the middle of the trunk by plunge cuts, I rocked the bar to the left and to the right, then connected the plunged wedge cuts on each side. I did the same for the back cut. But started on each side, the last cut was the plunge cut again rocking the bar back and forth to connect the end cuts. There was a huge hinge left in the middle. But a bunch of wedges brought her down. Talking about hard work and a brown underwear moment. this was it... I will never do this again. Now that I'm thinking about it one of those 2 man hand saws would have been a lot less work and a #### of a lot safer.
I now have the right saw for the job. I got a killer deal on a husky 3120xp power head with a 6' bar and chain, I also have 4' and 5' bars and chains for the head. Now I set up the saw according to the tree. The 3120xp is one wicked chainsaw and I only use it when I have to, its a good saw to rip a log in half so the bobcat can pick it up. I have other smaller saws that have 16", 2' and 3' bars that are not so much of a raped ape to handle and they see a lot more use.
BTW I love my husky chainsaws, I call them butter knives
I wouldn't part with any of my XP heads but I would part with my 455 rancher that runs the 16" bar and chain.
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If you looking at beast mode saws, go MS880. Outboard clutch in the Husky is more problematic to keep running right IMHO. I like husky, but I only like their inboard clutch models. I have replaced several clutches on both husky's and stihls, it just seems to me that the husky's burn the clutch faster and are more aggravating to change, which is counter intuitive. Only problem with that 880 is the same problem Jeff is having above. It's heavy and POWERFUL! I have ran both saws and they preform pretty much the same. I would like to own an 880, I just don't want to use it often unless in a mill.
Good post Zach.
For the OP, I would advise against trying to use one chainsaw to cut firewood and slab. A saw large enough to effectively slab is going to weigh a lot more than a felling and bucking saw. Plus running a chainsaw at full throttle for 5-10 minutes at a time accelerates the wear on them significantly.
Your 025 is a great saw. It actually has the best power to weight ratio of any saw that Stihl has ever produced.
If you want a good, new felling and bucking saw the MS 361 is one to consider. Then drag that log out of the woods and take it yo a miller to slab for you.
Scott
When you limb that tree, I am pretty sure the trunk will rise. I don't think that is a bad thing but something to be prepared for. I would just cut it from small the big end into firewood sized trunks if it stays low enough. If not, you'll have to drop it, preferably onto pieces of limb to keep it off the ground.
With a 14 inch bar I have experience cutting bigger trees than my saw bar. I do not go around the tree as described previously other than perhaps for a light cut to mark where to cut. I just cut through from one side to the middle, walk around to the other side and cut it straight down. Cutting around the tree for me tends to turn into not cutting to the center of the tree. With a sharp chain, I have had good success just lowering my little McCullough through the tree straight down.
With a 14 inch bar I have experience cutting bigger trees than my saw bar. I do not go around the tree as described previously other than perhaps for a light cut to mark where to cut. I just cut through from one side to the middle, walk around to the other side and cut it straight down. Cutting around the tree for me tends to turn into not cutting to the center of the tree. With a sharp chain, I have had good success just lowering my little McCullough through the tree straight down.
I like the thought of having a bigger saw just for slabbing with a mill attachment. Though I'm a bit conflicted. I don't really have a good reason for wanting to turn this tree into usable wood...I have enough oak on hand to complete my next project and I don't forsee many more projects from oak in my house. And if I had one, I'd just go buy some nicely milled stock. There's no logic behind this and the economics of buying a saw and required accessories do not compute. But for reasons I can't explain, I just WANT to do it!
:dontknow:
If I could, I would. Though I'm not sure my 1500lb cap trailer could haul one of those. But getting that log out of the woods just isn't practical. I could get my Wrangler back there, but it would make a mess of the area. Drag a big log back - I can't imagine the mess between the mud and rocks.
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