Chainsaw Carrier

[Cosmo]

A while ago (one or two years) there was a flyer going around that advertised a gizmo that would clamp your chainsaw to the frame of your old external pack to make it a bit easier to carry the thing into the woods. Does anyone recall the name of the thing, or it's maker?

Our club has the MacKenzie "Mac Pack" carrier that is pretty handy, but I was looking for something for personal use that wasn't quite as expensive.

Thanks,

Cosmo

[Tennessee Viking]

I think we had someone in the Eastman Hiking Club that adapted an old frame pack for carrying a chain saw a long time ago. Even head a small gas tank.

[shelterbuilder]

Blue Mountain Eagle Climbing Club has something similar that's home grown. Ours is a plywood scabbard that's bolted to an old pack frame. The scabbard slot is slightly wider than the saw blade, and you just slide the saw blade down into the slot from the top. Gas, oil, and sharpening tools can be lashed onto the frame. When it's loaded, it looks very much like the picture in buliwyf's post. For larger saws going miles into the brush, it's a godsend.

[walkin' wally]

I have a packframe that is very similar to the one in the photo above. I bought it a Kittery Trading Post in Maine. It did not come with any pack. Just the frame. I made a clamping system out of a piece of metal bar stock, 2 studs (bolts) and wing nuts, and a piece of oak I had lying around. I attached a bag on each side for gas and oil. I attached a couple of other bags for food and safety gear.

That photo looks pretty much like the pack frame I have but I mounted the saw much lower and did away with the folding bar across the bottom and the extension on top. That saved a little weight. It also made it esier to move around in thick growth.

It was a fairly comfortable set up to walk all day in, which was 13 miles. It has a lot of possible adjustments to the frame.

I had a three mile approach to the section I used to have, but now I just carry the saw as I only have a three minute approach.

[Foyt20]

Look for Forest Service Packs, made for firefighting. Ill look around see what i can find :runs off to the other parts of the internet:

[Foyt20]

http://www.thefirestore.com/store/ca..._firefighting/ Here ore some options, maybe not quite what you are looking for, but some ideas.

[Cosmo]

Interesting products, thanks for the link. My web search turned up an official FS webpage listing two approved chainsaw packs (among other stuff). One is the MacKenzie with which we are familiar. The other is a frame pack with a sleeve for the chain bar which puts the power head at the top of the pack (above the shoulders). This seems like it would be awfully top heavy with even the lightest saw, w/ our MS260 it would be pretty wobbly, I think.

Cosmo

http://www.thefirestore.com/store/ca..._firefighting/ Here ore some options, maybe not quite what you are looking for, but some ideas.

[shelterbuilder]

The only time that the frame carrier seems awkward is when you first put it on - the top-weight tends to want to throw the frame around more than a regular backpack. But once it's on your back and belted down, it's okay...and it's certainly better than carrying the saw in your hands for miles!

[Chicken Feathers]

I have a packframe that is very similar to the one in the photo above. I bought it a Kittery Trading Post in Maine. It did not come with any pack. Just the frame. I made a clamping system out of a piece of metal bar stock, 2 studs (bolts) and wing nuts, and a piece of oak I had lying around. I attached a bag on each side for gas and oil. I attached a couple of other bags for food and safety gear.

That photo looks pretty much like the pack frame I have but I mounted the saw much lower and did away with the folding bar across the bottom and the extension on top. That saved a little weight. It also made it esier to move around in thick growth.

It was a fairly comfortable set up to walk all day in, which was 13 miles. It has a lot of possible adjustments to the frame.

I had a three mile approach to the section I used to have, but now I just carry the saw as I only have a three minute approach.

This sounds like a lot of work just use a external frame and attach a small kitchen trash can and you have place for chain saw bottle of gas an oil

[walkin' wally]

This sounds like a lot of work just use a external frame and attach a small kitchen trash can and you have place for chain saw bottle of gas an oil

Hi

If I understand your post correctly.
The pack I have is an external frame pack. Probably the same one as in the pic. I don't think a garbage bag will hold up to branches tearing at it. I cut through a fair amount of softwood thickets or those types of blowdowns.

I will say I think the saw in the pic is mounted quite high though. I would think that would affect his balance somewhat.

YMMV

[shelterbuilder]

Hi

If I understand your post correctly.
The pack I have is an external frame pack. Probably the same one as in the pic. I don't think a garbage bag will hold up to branches tearing at it. I cut through a fair amount of softwood thickets or those types of blowdowns.

I will say I think the saw in the pic is mounted quite high though. I would think that would affect his balance somewhat.

YMMV

Wally, I think he meant the garbage can itself and not the bag that goes in it!

If you think that mounting the saw that high is going to be a balance problem, mount a shelf at the bottom of the frame, and lash the saw on, with the blade sticking out one side. Just remember that the blade will tend to catch on branches on that side! (Or...mount the blade-scabbard down lower, so that it sticks DOWN past the bottom of the frame somewhat. You'll have to lay the frame down when you take it off, but the pack's center of gravity will be lower when it's on your back. And if you want to get really fancy, mount the scabbard on a sliding track, so that when you set the frame down, the scabbard slides up to the position shown in the photo, but when you pick it up, the scabbard slides down and extends below the frame.)

[Chicken Feathers]

Hi

If I understand your post correctly.
The pack I have is an external frame pack. Probably the same one as in the pic. I don't think a garbage bag will hold up to branches tearing at it. I cut through a fair amount of softwood thickets or those types of blowdowns.

I will say I think the saw in the pic is mounted quite high though. I would think that would affect his balance somewhat.

YMMV

You misread the thread I did not say anything about a garbage bag liner. I mentioned a small kitchen can not a plastic bag

[walkin' wally]

You misread the thread I did not say anything about a garbage bag liner. I mentioned a small kitchen can not a plastic bag

Sorry about that. I am a little tired as usual and didn't read that post very well.

I just have 2 small zipper bags attached to the sides of my pack. One each for gas and oil.

Maybe I should post a pic of my pack-chainsaw set up on my pictures here. I think it is a simple setup that easy and comfortable to use.

[walkin' wally]

Wally, I think he meant the garbage can itself and not the bag that goes in it!

If you think that mounting the saw that high is going to be a balance problem, mount a shelf at the bottom of the frame, and lash the saw on, with the blade sticking out one side. Just remember that the blade will tend to catch on branches on that side! (Or...mount the blade-scabbard down lower, so that it sticks DOWN past the bottom of the frame somewhat. You'll have to lay the frame down when you take it off, but the pack's center of gravity will be lower when it's on your back. And if you want to get really fancy, mount the scabbard on a sliding track, so that when you set the frame down, the scabbard slides up to the position shown in the photo, but when you pick it up, the scabbard slides down and extends below the frame.)

I have my set up all made and have used it several times. I think it works well for me. The saw is mounted vertically about mid way up the pack frame.
The rest of the items are just a few small zipper bags lashed to frame to hold my gear.

I need to try to post a pic here on WB in my photo area.

[johnnyblisters]

Does anyone think an aluminum framed chainsaw pack for maintainers and workers would sell? I think Im going to weld up some prototypes when cool I get home... pm me if anyones interested.

[warraghiyagey]

Likely most would be looking for a softpack with molded plastic reinforcements.

[Wise Old Owl]

Makes me wish I hadn't thrown out my old frame pack and extra thick waist belt - what a great idea.