View Full Version : Osceola Chainsaw Course
JaxHiker
11-13-2008, 15:30
Just wondering if any other WBers will be at the FTA chainsaw training this weekend.
Cabin Fever
11-13-2008, 16:35
If Steve Shepard from Camp Lejeune is doing the training tell him Jake Mitchell from East Tennessee says hello. Steve and a retired USFS ranger did training for our club last weekend in Unicoi.
The Solemates
11-13-2008, 17:06
been workin a chainsaw about 15-20 hours a week for 6 weeks now clearing my own land for a house...fun work!
smokymtnsteve
11-13-2008, 17:31
been workin a chainsaw about 15-20 hours a week for 6 weeks now clearing my own land for a house...fun work!
esp @ -25 F:D
smokymtnsteve
11-13-2008, 17:51
Nothing is fun at -25.
everything is MORE fun at -25
Happiness is forty below!
I do believe the Northern Lights have cooked your brain.
I enjoy squeaky snow, but that is waaaay to much fresh air.
The Solemates
11-13-2008, 18:19
does the chainsaw even work very well at -25? much less -40? seems like the plastic peices would be so brittle they would fracture, and the engine would choke up
smokymtnsteve
11-13-2008, 18:33
does the chainsaw even work very well at -25? much less -40? seems like the plastic peices would be so brittle they would fracture, and the engine would choke up
ah this is where you have to know the way we do things in AK...you have to bring the chainsaw into your cabin for a couple hours and let it warm up then take it outside and crank it ( or crank it inside for that matter)
so the plastic pieces are always warm ....
one must be careful not to let the chain stop moving as the snow, frost ,ice from the wood will freeze the chain to the bar,,,then you have to go thru the warm up procedure again.
but chainsaws run fine at low temps if you warm them first..also warm your bar oil , then the engine heat will keep it flowing.
smokymtnsteve
11-13-2008, 18:36
ah this is where you have to know the way we do things in AK...you have to bring the chainsaw into your cabin for a couple hours and let it warm up then take it outside and crank it ( or crank it inside for that matter)
so the plastic pieces are always warm ....
one must be careful not to let the chain stop moving as the snow, frost ,ice from the wood will freeze the chain to the bar,,,then you have to go thru the warm up procedure again.
but chainsaws run fine at low temps if you warm them first..also warm your bar oil , then the engine heat will keep it flowing.
of course this info isn't relevant to Florida, they probably teaching safety or some such foolishness;)
BumpJumper
11-13-2008, 22:35
Hey Jax. The only person I know is Mingo. Not sure if she is a WB er or not. I have been wanting to take it but it always seems like something is in the way.
If you see Mingo, tell her I said hi.
JaxHiker
11-13-2008, 22:41
they probably teaching safety or some such foolishness;)
Geez, I hope not. :D
Hey Jax. The only person I know is Mingo. Not sure if she is a WB er or not. I have been wanting to take it but it always seems like something is in the way.
If you see Mingo, tell her I said hi.
Will do. I know what you mean about things in the way. There's way too much I want to do this and next weekend. There's a wilderness 1st aid course I'd love to do next weekend. And I'm missing a hike in N GA. I'm sure there's other stuff I'm forgetting.
BumpJumper
11-13-2008, 22:47
Yeah...like going with us on the overnighter at Flat Island:D
JaxHiker
11-13-2008, 23:18
Cabin Fever, forgot to mention that Paul Varnadoe is our planned instructor.
take-a-knee
11-14-2008, 00:56
ah this is where you have to know the way we do things in AK...you have to bring the chainsaw into your cabin for a couple hours and let it warm up then take it outside and crank it ( or crank it inside for that matter)
so the plastic pieces are always warm ....
one must be careful not to let the chain stop moving as the snow, frost ,ice from the wood will freeze the chain to the bar,,,then you have to go thru the warm up procedure again.
but chainsaws run fine at low temps if you warm them first..also warm your bar oil , then the engine heat will keep it flowing.
Stupid/Careless types don't last too long up there, not to mention lazy folks. A cold climate selects for hardiness and character.
JaxHiker
11-16-2008, 23:35
Had a blast this weekend!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v386/fotomonkey/hiking/sawyer/1193_61169.jpg
The Aftermath
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v386/fotomonkey/hiking/sawyer/1193_61207.jpg
BumpJumper
11-17-2008, 14:21
So Jax...what did yall do with all those logs?:eek:
JaxHiker
11-17-2008, 14:56
Left 'em for the bugs and worms. We asked about it, though. Most of them were dead snags that needed to be removed but there were a few green ones. Since it's a national forest we learned that removing logs = red tape. Apparently you need a permit to remove the stuff and by the time the paperwork and environmental stuff is done the wood has rotted. :D
The hardwoods thank you for the nutrient.
The Solemates
11-17-2008, 15:14
what was this done for?
Dances with Mice
11-17-2008, 15:16
The top pic - are you limbing something on the other side?
To clear that log I'd have v-cut, notched, on the top then undercut to lay it down.
The instructor I usually have gigs folks for not using a face shield. Last month at an ATC refresher I had my helmet confiscated for a problem with the face shield hinge. Since I needed it next weekend I had to buy a $66 helmet from a local store rather than waiting for the bureaucracy to get me another one. :)
As for why: Many public land management agencies require volunteers working on trail maintenance to be certified and to wear safety gear. Here is the ATC position: http://www.appalachiantrail.org/site/c.jkLXJ8MQKtH/b.851185/
The top pic - are you limbing something on the other side?
To clear that log I'd have v-cut, notched, on the top then undercut to lay it down.
How can you tell without seeing the rest of the tree?
Dances with Mice
11-17-2008, 16:22
How can you tell without seeing the rest of the tree?Yeah, that's why I asked a question and made a comment. I'm not criticizing, I hope it didn't sound like that. I'm interested since I just finished the chainsaw cert course a few weeks ago myself. Now when I see a fallen tree I start considering what steps I'd take it if I needed to clear it.
In the photo he's cutting on the backside of the log - could be limbing to clear a work space, could be cutting slits to release bending tension. Or he could be doing something entirely different. It's an interesting photo.
The Solemates
11-17-2008, 16:46
what was this done for?
i'll repeat: why was this done?
I have never had the formal training, so I wondered. Thought you might have seen something in that picture that I did not pick up on. I am always open to technique. Might not use a "method," but like to know about options.
Dances with Mice
11-17-2008, 17:01
i'll repeat: why was this done?You mean the chainsaw certification class? To be able to use a chainsaw on FS land, to clear trails for example, you have to be certified. That includes attending an approved FS chainsaw training course, receiving a rating from your instructor and completing a first aid / CPR course.
Same with crosscut saw use but that's a different training course. I maintain trails in both wilderness and non-wilderness areas so I might take both if the Club allows.
JaxHiker
11-17-2008, 18:50
Sorry for the delayed response Solemate (I tried at work but had problems with the network). DwM answered it well. In order to use a chainsaw in a natl forest you have to be certified. They cut trees to fall in a way that hurricane damage would be simulated. They basically gave us a mess that we'd find after a storm and had to clear it. If you're working in a wildlife mgmt area you can't use power tools so that's why they also offer a crosscut cert course.
DwM, I'm bucking in the top pic. My tree was one of the few that actually came down with limbs but that was to the left of this pic and already cleared. I'm not a big fan of the pie cut and neither was the instructor. Everybody did the wedge but what I'm doing there is an offside cut. That clears the wood opposite you. Once you do the offside cut you can do a top cut about a bar's depth. Then use the end of the saw to cut the side you're on and do a bottom cut. That leaves you with a square in the middle to cut with all the remaining wood cleared. I didn't get that fancy with this shot, though. I just did a top cut and dropped a wedge. I like the wedges. :) I just did a quick search and this image pretty much sums up the cuts I was describing (the bottom half anyway).
http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/logging/manual/limbingbucking/images/1g-topbind.gif
The offside/top-cut works real well for a bottom bind too. I think I'm going to make a paperweight out of the wedge I brought home. :) We also did a rollout cut to practice clearing just a trail-width section and leaving the rest of the tree.
JaxHiker
11-17-2008, 18:53
The instructor I usually have gigs folks for not using a face shield. Last month at an ATC refresher I had my helmet confiscated for a problem with the face shield hinge. Since I needed it next weekend I had to buy a $66 helmet from a local store rather than waiting for the bureaucracy to get me another one. :)
Only one guy had a helmet with a faceshield and he didn't use it. The instructor said he doesn't like them because they obscure your vision. Pretty much everyone just had a simple hard hat.
The Solemates
11-17-2008, 19:19
The Aftermath
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v386/fotomonkey/hiking/sawyer/1193_61207.jpg
NO NO NO....why was this done???!
BumpJumper
11-17-2008, 19:36
Yes Yes Yes....they had chainsaw class.....
Was that the answer poor soul?
JaxHiker
11-17-2008, 20:51
Soul, look at the large tree in the middle. See the fire damage? A lot of the trees in this area suffered fire damage during the huge Bugaboo fire (google it). Most of these were dead trees that had been identified by the Forest Service for removal. We didn't just go in blindly cutting trees. They got the trees cleared they deemed necessary and we learned how to safely clear them from the trail.
smokymtnsteve
11-17-2008, 21:09
i'll repeat: why was this done?
well I do it because its really cold and I need the firewood;)
Dances with Mice
11-17-2008, 21:13
Jax - I see. If I understand correctly you made side cuts to reduce the effective diameter of the log, cut a wedge off the top then finally an undercut to lay it down?
That would really well on a thick hardwood log and a saw with a short bar.
JaxHiker
11-17-2008, 22:04
DwM - Yes, minus the wedge cut shown in the top portion of the pic. It looks like that's what you were talking about initially with the wedge cut. Our cuts were all straight cuts in this example. However, that offside cut technique works just as well with the wedge and a release cut up from the bottom. If you cut the wedge and then make the offside cut it'll help you when you start the release cut. You can also cut a kerf in the bottom of the wedge. The pie wedge is kind of a cool cut watching the halves of the pie come together as the log comes down but I found the offside method much easier. Lots of ways to skin the cat. :)
Here's a better angle of the same type of cut.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v386/fotomonkey/hiking/sawyer/1193_61190.jpg
And your traditional wedge.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v386/fotomonkey/hiking/sawyer/1193_61187.jpg
JaxHiker
11-17-2008, 22:06
That would really well on a thick hardwood log and a saw with a short bar.
Oh yeah. You could easily use that when the log is thicker than your bar is long. There was a huge tree (I'd guess close to 3' at the base easily) that was very fire damaged. I wanted to see us tackle it but with the safety chains we had on the saws it would've taken forever.
BumpJumper
11-17-2008, 22:25
Now that we have that cleared up.....
Jax...did you see or meet Mingo (Pam)?
JaxHiker
11-17-2008, 23:37
Yes I did. Of course I forgot to ask who Mingo was. She took the pics I've posted. :)
Only one guy had a helmet with a faceshield and he didn't use it. The instructor said he doesn't like them because they obscure your vision. Pretty much everyone just had a simple hard hat.
Hmm, when I get into it I feel like I need the face shield more than the hard hat. It's the "swamper" who needs the hard hat. :eek:;)
Once I bucked a 36" tree with a 14" bar. That takes a lot of wedging out the far side, the near side, top, bottom, repeat...
In the most recent ATC course I had, we went into an area of the NPS corridor with a lot of invasive trees. Those were the ones the fellers took down or we bent over for springpole practice.
Once I went to a KTA course at a private camp where we really did cut their firewood for practice.
The Solemates
11-18-2008, 10:10
Once I bucked a 36" tree with a 14" bar. That takes a lot of wedging out the far side, the near side, top, bottom, repeat...
i cut a 42 inch diameter tree with a 18 inch bar two weeks ago. took me a while :)
JaxHiker
11-18-2008, 16:09
ki0eh - I can't imagine doing that sized tree with a 14" bar. We didn't get to do too many springpoles. All the small trees we had were too dry and would break as we bent them over.
mudhead - Yeah, the FTA training saws have the safety chains on them. On the last tree it was just spitting out sawdust and was taking forever. The instructor finally pulled out his saw with the 28" bar and a full-skip chain. Sliced right through it. Now that's a saw. I sure wish I could justify the price of a nice Stihl.
I see you were using a STIHL saw, not too bad. My father runs a STIHL and I run a Husqvarna, both great saws but I like to poke fun at my dad sometimes by saying my saw is better. :)
My Husqvarna does run higher RPM's though :D
Falling a tree just where you want to is a skill that I have had alot of fun learning...
mudhead - Yeah, the FTA training saws have the safety chains on them. On the last tree it was just spitting out sawdust and was taking forever. The instructor finally pulled out his saw with the 28" bar and a full-skip chain. Sliced right through it. Now that's a saw. I sure wish I could justify the price of a nice Stihl.
I am fuzzy on "safety chain," and the Stihl site describes full-skip as being used to mill lumber.
I will get one at the shop eventually, but it will be what the guy hands me. (humor- We like all the teeth/cleanouts.)
JaxHiker
11-18-2008, 19:56
mud - The safety chain (at least the ones we had) have like an extra piece on the link in front of the cutting edge and depth gauge (raker). I don't know the mechanics of it but it makes it low kickback. The full-skip has fewer cutting teeth which results in less drag through the wood. There are two tie straps between each tooth. I don't know about milling lumber but I guess that would make sense as they seem to be much more efficient. Of course they also have a greater risk for kickback.
Walter - Several of the guys have Husqies and seem happy with them. I might get one myself if I can put a larger bar on it. Say buy a 18 and put a 20-24 on it if the power head will support it. I called Poulan about my 4218 and they said it's maxed out with the 18" bar. I'm signed up for the felling course in Dec. That's something I've always wanted to do. I can hardly wait.
walkin' wally
11-18-2008, 20:39
What is a safety chain?
It is a chain that has a raised metal strap between the teeth that reduces the chance of kickback of the saw by somewhat reducing the depth from the base of the tooth to the top of the tooth.
The safety chains do not usually do not lend themselves to bore cutting very well but they will do the job if the nose of the bar has a more tapered point. Like some smaller saws.
The saws that I buy usually come with a safety chain unless I ask for the older style. I like the older style for bore cutting and I think they cut faster too. It's a trade-off.
walkin' wally
11-18-2008, 20:45
Sorry Jax you beat me to the post. :)
walkin' wally
11-18-2008, 21:00
On the safety chain kickback geometry, I think the less depth that the teeth have, the less they can dig into a piece of wood then the less force the kickback will have.
For those unfamiliar with the Danger Zone.I am talking about the critical area on the nose of the bar from "noon to 3 oclock" if one is looking at the bar from left to right. With the tip of the bar being on the right. Three o Clock being the very tip of the bar. Noon being the beginning of the chain's decline around the nose. That is where kickbacks occur.
walkin' wally
11-18-2008, 21:14
This year Walmart was selling a Poulan saw with a semi-skip chain on it but the powerhead was too small for the chain. It was brought to the training course by a trail maintainer and he had a lot of trouble with it both power wise and starting.
JaxHiker
11-18-2008, 21:33
No worry walkin'. Your description was better. Now that I think about it I didn't compare the height of the safety strap to the raker. I'm surprised about the semi-skip chain. I thought they (stores) had to sell new saws with the safety chain and if you want something else you have to buy it after the fact.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NB243WXwVcw
I had to look up bore cut.
I figure cutting firewood is quite different from trail work.
Notice the chips and the saw type. Yo Walter.
JaxHiker
11-19-2008, 09:36
I'll have to watch that later.
We didn't do any bore cuts. I figure we'll cover that in the felling course next month.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NB243WXwVcw
I had to look up bore cut.
I figure cutting firewood is quite different from trail work.
Notice the chips and the saw type. Yo Walter.
I'll have to check out the video when I get home later, no YouTube at work...:(
Bore cuts look scary.
I've dipped a saw like that, but not as first choice.
walkin' wally
11-20-2008, 17:09
Bore cuts look scary.
I've dipped a saw like that, but not as first choice.
It's not that bad really. Just push down with the bottom quarter of the nose. As you penetrate the wood slowly raise the back of the saw and push forward. It is good to have some instruction on this technique actually and to have a sharp chain without (generally) the extra straps.
It may not be necessary to use a bore cut when bucking downed trees.
One of the the ideas behind bore cutting is to prevent the trunk of the tree from splitting and coming backwards toward the sawyer as the tree falls. It also saves the tree from damage if it is to be used for saw logs.
It is important to leave a certain percentage of hinge wood determined by the diameter of the tree. That will usually steer the tree in the direction provided by the notch. Which, by the way, should be more than 90 degrees open.
Another idea was to get people to use the danger zone of the bar to their advantage.
Briefly, a man by the name of Soren Ericksson developed these methods because of the appalling amount of injuries to loggers back in the day.
Sorry for this long ramble.
Peter Jensen at my last training was showing off bucking with a bore cut to make a tongue and groove to keep a big log from rolling down on you if you have to work from the bad side. http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/logging/manual/limbingbucking/examples.html
walkin' wally
11-21-2008, 08:07
Peter Jensen at my last training was showing off bucking with a bore cut to make a tongue and groove to keep a big log from rolling down on you if you have to work from the bad side. http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/logging/manual/limbingbucking/examples.html
I had Peter Jensen for one of my training courses too. Nice guy and an enjoyable day.
walkin' wally
11-21-2008, 08:13
Peter Jensen at my last training was showing off bucking with a bore cut to make a tongue and groove to keep a big log from rolling down on you if you have to work from the bad side. http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/logging/manual/limbingbucking/examples.html
How does the fiber get severed between the up and down cuts and the bore cut? Is it just the weight of the tree? I couldn't tell from the pics.
o
Sorry for this long ramble.
Fine ramble.
big log from rolling down on you if you have to work from the bad side. http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/logging/manual/limbingbucking/examples.html
I avoid situations like this. I have cut on the downhill side first, but gravity and pressure are things I am very leery about.
How does the fiber get severed between the up and down cuts and the bore cut? Is it just the weight of the tree? I couldn't tell from the pics.
Right, You need to cut through all the strong planes of the fibers so you just have the weak plane holding it. The weaker the species and the bigger the size, the longer the "tongue" should be.
Dances with Mice
12-01-2008, 15:42
After taking my chainsaw course I needed to check my saw. I bought it 20 years ago and used it one weekend to install a railroad tie retaining wall then put it in the basement and never used it since. It seemed like everyone else taking the course was a lot more experienced than I was.
I remembered that at the end of the railroad tie project the saw was so dull it was practically causing fire by friction. I'd gotten my money's worth out of the tool and hadn't needed it since. So I went downstairs, found it (miracles happen!) and checked it out. It's a nice, relatively lightweight McCullough. "Relatively" because there were a lot fewer plastic parts back then compared to new models.
Not surprisingly, it wouldn't start. I took it to a repair shop with instructions to give me an estimate. I didn't want to spend more than the cost of a new saw to repair it. I really didn't have much hope it could be revived. So much time, too little care.
The shop just called. It's up and running again and for less than $65! That saves me over $150 to replace it, and the replacement saw at that price probably wouldn't be as sturdy as my old McC.
I'm signed up for the required 1st Aid / CPR course this Saturday. That'll complete the requirements to recieve my certification card.
Also while digging around in the basement I found a single man crosscut saw I inherited from my father. I only semi-remembered seeing it, then found it hiding next to the basement door, hanging in plain sight. Now I need to sharpen up my sharpening skills and sign up for a crosscut saw course.
The Solemates
12-01-2008, 18:57
After taking my chainsaw course I needed to check my saw. I bought it 20 years ago and used it one weekend to install a railroad tie retaining wall then put it in the basement and never used it since. It seemed like everyone else taking the course was a lot more experienced than I was.
I remembered that at the end of the railroad tie project the saw was so dull it was practically causing fire by friction. I'd gotten my money's worth out of the tool and hadn't needed it since. So I went downstairs, found it (miracles happen!) and checked it out. It's a nice, relatively lightweight McCullough. "Relatively" because there were a lot fewer plastic parts back then compared to new models.
Not surprisingly, it wouldn't start. I took it to a repair shop with instructions to give me an estimate. I didn't want to spend more than the cost of a new saw to repair it. I really didn't have much hope it could be revived. So much time, too little care.
The shop just called. It's up and running again and for less than $65! That saves me over $150 to replace it, and the replacement saw at that price probably wouldn't be as sturdy as my old McC.
I'm signed up for the required 1st Aid / CPR course this Saturday. That'll complete the requirements to recieve my certification card.
Also while digging around in the basement I found a single man crosscut saw I inherited from my father. I only semi-remembered seeing it, then found it hiding next to the basement door, hanging in plain sight. Now I need to sharpen up my sharpening skills and sign up for a crosscut saw course.
great for you. i just bought another one after because when my old one stopped working it was more expensive to fix than to replace. my old one was toast, but it also had hours upon hours of use on it, and I'm very rough on tools :)
JaxHiker
12-01-2008, 19:33
I doubt it'll stay in my price range but I'm watching a Stihl MS260 for sale. I can't justify the price of a new Stihl. I'm signed up for the felling course the 13th and 14th. I'm looking forward to that even more than the bucking & limbing.
walkin' wally
12-01-2008, 20:10
I doubt it'll stay in my price range but I'm watching a Stihl MS260 for sale. I can't justify the price of a new Stihl. I'm signed up for the felling course the 13th and 14th. I'm looking forward to that even more than the bucking & limbing.
Sounds great.
Considering the amount of harm a saw can do to a person, in an instant, the safety courses are time well spent in my opinion.
I am looking at a new saw too. Maybe a Husqvarna 460.
Dances with Mice
12-01-2008, 20:57
Although my saw's offically obsolete (the company went broke and the name was bought by another manufacturer who doesn't support the older models) I was fortunate enough to find a video (http://video.aol.com/video-detail/starting-the-chainsaw/1547853691)showing exactly how to start the model I have!
walkin' wally
12-02-2008, 09:02
Although my saw's offically obsolete (the company went broke and the name was bought by another manufacturer who doesn't support the older models) I was fortunate enough to find a video (http://video.aol.com/video-detail/starting-the-chainsaw/1547853691)showing exactly how to start the model I have!
The beaver isn't eager. Give the guy an A for effort. I had a Jonsered just like that.
$65 worth ought to cover your needs. It will last longer if they show you how to sharpen it. Be careful!
What else fun you got hidden in that cellar?
Old Hillwalker
12-02-2008, 09:29
One thing that I would be concerned about is that an older saw might not be equipped with a chain brake. One of my three saws does not, and it's less than ten years old. The USFS power saw safety guidelines are quite specific that the saw must be equipped with an operating chain brake. After I took the USFS/ATC Chainsaw Certification course I discovered that I was pretty dangerous with a chain saw. Nowadays I never ever use my saw without full PPE including steel toed boots. One thing important about the certification is that when working as an authorized trail maintainer you are covered by liability insurance and workmans compensation and you get free PPE. I heat with wood and generally fell, buck, and maul split around ten cords of wood a year. About half of which I give away to relatives.
PPE=Personal Protective Equipment; Helmet with sound suppressors and face screen, Kevlar chain saw chaps, and a belt carried trauma pack.
They don't provide the boots. I've always wanted a pair of winter corked boots, they look really fearsome with all those little spikes:D
Corked=Caulked
tom_alan
12-02-2008, 09:42
great for you. i just bought another one after because when my old one stopped working it was more expensive to fix than to replace. my old one was toast, but it also had hours upon hours of use on it, and I'm very rough on tools :)
Been lurking in the background on this one ~ lot of good info.
Maybe someone here can help me. I have one with very few hours on it. Apparently as a tree was growing a wire coat hanger grew into a branch and I could not see it. When I hit it the chain jumped off with a pretty good jolt. It hasn’t started since.
Do chainsaws have a sheer pin like lawnmowers do to protect the engine? Do you have any suggestions on what to look for?
Thanks,
Tom
Old Hillwalker
12-02-2008, 09:52
Couple of questions:
Is the chain back on?
Using a gloved hand, can you make the chain move on the chain bar?
The Solemates
12-02-2008, 10:05
Using a gloved hand, can you make the chain move on the chain bar?
this is my first question as well.
and i'd get a new chain regardless.
the block hard car seats in the morning in fairbanks breed character..ugh !
tom_alan
12-02-2008, 10:29
Couple of questions:
Is the chain back on?
Using a gloved hand, can you make the chain move on the chain bar?
The first thing I did is put the chain back on track. While I had it apart (hanger got into the sprocket) I inspected the sprocket and turned it. Everything looked good. After putting it all back together, I was able to move the chain in the track.
It will sputter from time to time but dies quickly. To me it acts like the timing is off that's why the question ~ Do they have a sheer pin like a lawnmower?
Dances with Mice
12-02-2008, 10:30
One thing that I would be concerned about is that an older saw might not be equipped with a chain brake. My saw's got a chain brake. The FS gave me all the PPE including the 1st aid kit and work bought my steel toed boots for me, they're required wear on some worksites. And safety glasses should be worn even under the mesh face shield attached to the hard hat.
I figure for the price of the chaps alone I owe the FS quite a few hours in return. One ice storm this winter, even a small one, will provide many opportunities for trail work in early spring.
Also in the basement was a 2 man felling saw. I don't know the history of it but it's nowhere near new. Dad was a farm boy who worked at a paper mill for 40 years but I don't know when or where he got these saws. I never saw him use them. I'd bet they're well over 50 years old.
tom_alan
12-02-2008, 10:33
i'd get a new chain regardless.
I assume that you suggest a new chain for safety reasons? I guess I didn't think about the stress the chain took when hitting the hanger. Could certainly have a weak spot in the chain. That could get ugly.
JaxHiker
12-02-2008, 10:34
Tom, I don't think mine would start after I loaned it to my neighbor and he threw the chain. Like Hill said, can you move the chain? Make sure it moves freely all the way around the bar and that the bar didn't get damaged. Mine did right at the tip so the chain would skip off and he had to buy me a new bar and chain.
Hill, we were told no steel-toed boots. Seems folks have had toes cut off as opposed to crushed. I think I'd rather opt for the latter myself. And the USFS guys said they can't wear them in the fires.
tom_alan
12-02-2008, 10:38
Tom, I don't think mine would start after I loaned it to my neighbor and he threw the chain. Like Hill said, can you move the chain? Make sure it moves freely all the way around the bar and that the bar didn't get damaged. Mine did right at the tip so the chain would skip off and he had to buy me a new bar and chain.
Hill, we were told no steel-toed boots. Seems folks have had toes cut off as opposed to crushed. I think I'd rather opt for the latter myself. And the USFS guys said they can't wear them in the fires.
I believe the bar was good but something I need to check out to be sure. I remember checking for chain movement but don't really recall a close inspection of the bar. Thanks Jax ~ I'll check that, if for nothing else, safety reasons.
Dances with Mice
12-02-2008, 10:41
Hill, we were told no steel-toed boots. Seems folks have had toes cut off as opposed to crushed. I think I'd rather opt for the latter myself. And the USFS guys said they can't wear them in the fires.We weren't told anything one way or the other about steel toes. And if there's a forest fire you'll probably find my chainsaw and all that heavy PPE either piled beside the trail or scattered along my escape route.
JaxHiker
12-02-2008, 11:08
I'll be running next to you. :D
The first thing I did is put the chain back on track. While I had it apart (hanger got into the sprocket) I inspected the sprocket and turned it. Everything looked good. After putting it all back together, I was able to move the chain in the track.
It will sputter from time to time but dies quickly. To me it acts like the timing is off that's why the question ~ Do they have a sheer pin like a lawnmower?
Take it to a shop, or where you bought it if they service. Tell them exactly what you did, and after.
I assume that you suggest a new chain for safety reasons? I guess I didn't think about the stress the chain took when hitting the hanger. Could certainly have a weak spot in the chain. That could get ugly.
Very ugly.
I was embarassed the first time I ran onto some 20lb monofiliment. New bar no big deal. Heard some great stories. Hay twine, blue tarp...
Running onto metal is a big deal. Be safe.
tom_alan
12-02-2008, 18:22
Take it to a shop, or where you bought it if they service. Tell them exactly what you did, and after.
Very ugly.
I was embarassed the first time I ran onto some 20lb monofiliment. New bar no big deal. Heard some great stories. Hay twine, blue tarp...
Running onto metal is a big deal. Be safe.
Good advice from all of you. Thanks!
walkin' wally
12-03-2008, 09:38
I was embarassed the first time I ran onto some 20lb monofiliment. New bar no big deal. Heard some great stories. Hay twine, blue tarp...
Running onto metal is a big deal. Be safe.[/QUOTE]
A few more.
Cutting into embedded barbed wire along the edge of an old, grown in, pasture. That will get your attention too.
Some people also find it neccesary to drive spikes into trees to discourage loggers.
That will get your attention too.
Old fence lines do deserve proper eyeballing.
Wally wins the understatement of the day award.
The Solemates
12-03-2008, 12:26
Old fence lines do deserve proper eyeballing.
yep, done that before too. lots of barbed wire :eek: