# Wet Chainsaw?



## stihlrookie (Nov 14, 2011)

Question, can you get a chainsaw wet? I avoid cutting in the rain as much as possible but it does happen now and again. Obviously pro guys work through it all, but is it bad to get a chainsaw wet, I mean really wet? If it rains when I am cutting I generally pack up and call it a day. Sometimes traveling to and from the site it will rain and with my saws in the back of the pickup they take some moisture. Is this bad? My dad says he washes his saw with a hose! Its an MS290 so I guess I would too, lol. But for my saws no way would I consider washing with a hose. Just curious what others think or know.


----------



## Slamm (Nov 14, 2011)

No worries. I cut in rain, just don't get rain in the fuel tank. ..... obviously.

Sam


----------



## oscar4883 (Nov 14, 2011)

Yup. Not a problem. I cut in the rain often and on occasion have left saws in the truck bed to get dumped on. If they get soaked I fire them up and run them a bit before storage to make sure everything is coated well inside.


----------



## GASoline71 (Nov 14, 2011)

If I didn't cut in the rain... hell, I'd never use my saw! 

Saws are very durable in the rain.

Gary


----------



## SteveH (Nov 14, 2011)

No problem with the saw in rain. You will probably end up covered in sawdust and bark bits and dust and etc. from your clothing being wet, though. And your boots. But I've done it plenty of times.


----------



## maccall (Nov 14, 2011)

You probably shouldn't submerge your saw, but otherwise saws don't mind water. The garden hose or a pressure washer is standard procedure after a days work for many saws, and still others end up in the dishwasher if the wife happens to be out of town long enough.

Put some sturdy tape or a piece of rubber (yes, that kind might work too) over the exhaust, and the same over the air intake on the carb if you've removed the airfilter cover and wash away. Rain won't be a problem as long as you use it, unless you get water into the tank or into the carb, but I can't see that happen during normal use .

It won't grow any bigger though, even if you water it often... :wink2:


----------



## CJ1 (Nov 14, 2011)

maccall said:


> You probably shouldn't submerge your saw, but otherwise saws don't mind water. The garden hose or a pressure washer is standard procedure after a days work for many saws, and still others end up in the dishwasher if the wife happens to be out of town long enough.
> 
> Put some sturdy tape or a piece of rubber (yes, that kind might work too) over the exhaust, and the same over the air intake on the carb if you've removed the airfilter cover and wash away. Rain won't be a problem as long as you use it, unless you get water into the tank or into the carb, but I can't see that happen during normal use .
> 
> It won't grow any bigger though, even if you water it often... :wink2:



DISHWASHER?? Now theres one I have not seen. CJ


----------



## maccall (Nov 14, 2011)

I'll fix that for ya and link to a picture, it's a well known AS activity/art, and the photo is by AS member MAG58 (who takes great pictures): 







and here's his post about it. The dishwasher is an excellent way to clean your saw if you don't have access to Mr THalls "Cuda wash", no matter if the saw is in parts or put together.

Not kidding!


----------



## SkippyKtm (Nov 14, 2011)

stihlrookie said:


> Question, can you get a chainsaw wet? I avoid cutting in the rain as much as possible but it does happen now and again. Obviously pro guys work through it all, but is it bad to get a chainsaw wet, I mean really wet? If it rains when I am cutting I generally pack up and call it a day. Sometimes traveling to and from the site it will rain and with my saws in the back of the pickup they take some moisture. Is this bad? My dad says he washes his saw with a hose! Its an MS290 so I guess I would too, lol. But for my saws no way would I consider washing with a hose. Just curious what others think or know.





oscar4883 said:


> Yup. Not a problem. I cut in the rain often and on occasion have left saws in the truck bed to get dumped on. If they get soaked I fire them up and run them a bit before storage to make sure everything is coated well inside.



Yup, cutting in the rain won't do the saw any harm, but if you wash your saw with a hose like your dad does, just be sure he runs them afterward to get all the moisture out of the saw. Rusty crank bearings can sure wreck your day!


----------



## WoodChuck'r (Nov 14, 2011)

All saws run better under water.


----------



## maccall (Nov 14, 2011)

Because you _know_ there could be no air leak anymore..?


----------



## Bounty Hunter (Nov 14, 2011)

stihlrookie said:


> Question, can you get a chainsaw wet? I avoid cutting in the rain as much as possible but it does happen now and again. Obviously pro guys work through it all, but is it bad to get a chainsaw wet, I mean really wet? If it rains when I am cutting I generally pack up and call it a day. Sometimes traveling to and from the site it will rain and with my saws in the back of the pickup they take some moisture. Is this bad? My dad says he washes his saw with a hose! Its an MS290 so I guess I would too, lol. But for my saws no way would I consider washing with a hose. Just curious what others think or know.



Cutting in the rain...no problemo...we aren't made of sugar, and niether are our saws! 

But if ya know ahead yer gonna cut in the rain, clean and dry your air filters before you go out. Especially if you have been cutting dry, dead wood prior...Cuz dry dust on the filter can expand when damp air runs through it, and choke out a saw. This is more of a problem with plate filters like on 200Ts and 260s, but pleated filters can clog too.


----------



## CTYank (Nov 14, 2011)

Be sure to dry out your clutch bearing also. DAMHIKT.


----------



## HD2010 (Nov 14, 2011)

maccall said:


> I'll fix that for ya and link to a picture, it's a well known AS activity/art, and the photo is by AS member MAG58 (who takes great pictures):
> 
> 
> 
> ...



You should have at least removed the dishes so the wife wouldn't get mad.


----------



## alderman (Nov 14, 2011)

If we had to wait for a dry day out here in NW Oregon, there wouldn't be much cutting going on.


----------



## Greenthorn (Nov 14, 2011)

The only time my saws gets washed.....in the rain!


----------



## brownbuttlover (Nov 14, 2011)

i worked at a duck club years ago, the governor of ar was comming,we had to extend a duck blind, it was raining, we were there around 2 hours, before we were threw,all three husqvarnas quit runnung, they got to wet i guess


----------



## Slamm (Nov 14, 2011)

brownbuttlover said:


> i worked at a duck club years ago, the governor of ar was comming,we had to extend a duck blind, it was raining, we were there around 2 hours, before we were threw,all three husqvarnas quit runnung, they got to wet i guess



<Sorry, but this one is wide open>

If you would have had Stihl's they would still be running, LOL.

Sam


----------



## PEKS (Nov 14, 2011)

maccall said:


> I'll fix that for ya and link to a picture, it's a well known AS activity/art, and the photo is by AS member MAG58 (who takes great pictures):
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Do you keep your Husky with the plates, cups or silverware..


----------



## Slamm (Nov 14, 2011)

PEKS said:


> Do you keep your Husky with the plates, cups or silverware..



They stay with the plastic tuperware, LOL. Wow, its too easy tonight.

Come on, someone serve up another one, LOL.

Sam


----------



## madhatte (Nov 14, 2011)

Was trying to make a pun out of "WHINE glasses" but failed. Oh, well.


----------



## MattCrowe (Nov 14, 2011)

Tasmanian here, where it rains 368 days a year, sometimes i cut completely submerged breathing myself through a rolled up bit of bluegum bark... Never killed a saw yet...


----------



## slowp (Nov 15, 2011)

Hmmmmm. My saw doesn't know it is bad to get wet. 

What is the PNW famous for? That wet stuff that comes out of the sky is one answer. The other answer is trees/timber.

We have precipitation 9 months each year. Except this year. We had about 10.5 months of rain this year.
Now, could we only work 3 months when things are dry? Nope. Think fire danger. The woods generally go into hootowl in August and September. Hootowl occurs when the fire danger starts creeping up. Fallers get shut out of the woods. That leaves maybe one month to work if we couldn't work in the rain.

We work in the rain/sleet/hail/snow or not many trees will hit the ground. Twinkle ran better in a nice cool drizzle than in warm weather. Fallers often leave their saws in the units overnight. They will throw a raincoat over the saw, maybe. Twinkle rode in an open pickup bed, exposed to all the weather, sometimes buried in snow, and always started up. 

I'd say that no, rain doesn't hurt our saws.


----------

