Clueless homeowners and their saws

[Pioneer]

Got a good sample of what a clueless homeowner can put a saw through on Sunday. Was helping a friend out at his cabin when I noticed one of his paths was blocked with a fallen tree. I knew his little Stihl ms170 should be up to the task so I volunteered myself to clean it up.

First thing I noticed was the blue scorch marks and missing paint all around the rails of the bar, it had gotten very hot. The chain had been run too tight and was still this way, no doubt contributing to the situation. The pico chain was also dull, but I thought "how bad could it be?"

Well I found out, I couldn't even get halfway through a three inch piece of wood without it starting to smoke! Well that was enough, I managed to scrounge a hobby file that was about the right size and went to sharpening the chain. And then set chain tension where it was supposed to be and tried cutting again. Now it was cutting like it should, throwing chips and going through effortlessly, at least for the first 5 inches when I found out it was cutting crooked because the rails had worn uneven!

I managed to clear the path at least, and then later that day found a cheap replacement bar and chain for him.

We take it for granted that we know what we're doing when it comes to saw use, but this makes me wonder if we are actually in the minority. What percentage of saw owners actually take the time to learn how to use the tool properly? Maybe this is why we find so many small saws in the garbage dump, they are treated like a disposable commodity, beat to death and thrown away.

 

[Jonny Quest]

Untrained homeowners and Barbie tools. What a combo…

 

[Dean-O]

I would say the percentage is lower then you think. A lot of bars and chains that come into my shop for bar rails and sharpenings are super hammered. Some chains have never been sharpened and we can’t save them. The top of tooth peeled back, the plating damaged beyond recognition. I can only picture in my head the customer trying to use that chain to cut any size or type of wood and not saying to himself “wow this is not working very well”. Also bars missing all paint and completely blue from overheating.

I see it on a daily basis.

 

[Mad Professor]

If you have a nice vertical belt sander you can save some pretty ugly bars. The groove can't be worn too wide, but if you even up the rails and the drivers don't bottom out most can be saved. You also have to be careful not to grind to low near the tip.

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

My favourite is the owners that go buy a new chain, because the last was rocked beyond all comprehension- and they slap it on the untouched bar who's rails are rounded over and splayed out like banana peel razors each side of the bar- wider than the chain kerf.
Dang saw still don't cut good!

 

[Mad Professor]

My favourite is the owners that go buy a new chain, because the last was rocked beyond all comprehension- and they slap it on the untouched bar who's rails are rounded over and splayed out like banana peel razors each side of the bar- wider than the chain kerf.
Dang saw still don't cut good!

Every few days of running I pull the clutch cover, clean inside, and clean the bar groove, dress bar if needed, and flip bar when touching up the chain. I still hand file and clamp the saw/bar in my bench vise.

If it's ugly I'll pull clutch cover and clean in there, but that's not too often

 

[JustPlainJeff]

None of us are "born pros" at anything we do. The first time I did a lot of things in my life were learning curves that turned out poorly. Proficiency comes through repetition. I won't talk smack about a person not knowing something, because there's always somebody that can do something that's outside of my wheelhouse better than I can.

 

[Backstage]

My grandpa’s Stihl is the poster of that. 30cc engine, beat to death, out of tune, 14” bar shot, and a hopeless 3/8 lp chain. Only saw he ever had to my knowledge. I have no idea how he cleared so much hardwood with it. That gen did a lot with not much.

 

[user 122190]

None of us are "born pros" at anything we do. The first time I did a lot of things in my life were learning curves that turned out poorly. Proficiency comes through repetition. I won't talk smack about a person not knowing something, because there's always somebody that can do something that's outside of my wheelhouse better than I can.

Takes time to learn, and if the saw isn't used much, it will never be learned.

Manual says sharpen the chain. That and about 100 warnings about not cutting off your leg. After reading 90 of the 100, people stop reading and don't get to the chain sharpening part. Of course that pertains to people that read manuals.

 

[Old2stroke]

Most of the people just don't understand that a chainsaw is one of the power tools that requires frequent and knowable maintenance and then there are others that kind of understand it but just can't be bothered doing it. I have told a lot of people that they shouldn't own a chainsaw if they can't be bothered learning how to sharpen a chain.

 

[BrettS]

None of us are "born pros" at anything we do. The first time I did a lot of things in my life were learning curves that turned out poorly. Proficiency comes through repetition. I won't talk smack about a person not knowing something, because there's always somebody that can do something that's outside of my wheelhouse better than I can.

There are some people on here who would disagree with that and beat you about the head and shoulders with their supposed 'better experience', 'better way' and righteous indignation when you don't agree with them.

 

[user 122190]

There are some people on here who would disagree with that and beat you about the head and shoulders with their supposed 'better experience', 'better way' and righteous indignation when you don't agree with them.

I got most of them on ignore. A much better site this is, bypassing the heavy BS.

 

[J D]

We take it for granted that we know what we're doing when it comes to saw use, but this makes me wonder if we are actually in the minority. What percentage of saw owners actually take the time to learn how to use the tool properly? Maybe this is why we find so many small saws in the garbage dump, they are treated like a disposable commodity, beat to death and thrown away

I believe this extends well beyond just chainsaws to a great deal of tools & practical skills... Add to that the expense of labour & ready availability of cheap tools... The average Joe's temptation to buy some tools & have a go with no more experience or education than is provided by a couple of online videos & the mindset that if the tool lasts the job it's served it's purpose is all to common

 

[ValleyForge]

There are some people on here who would disagree with that and beat you about the head and shoulders with their supposed 'better experience', 'better way' and righteous indignation when you don't agree with them.

The bigger problem is common sense, it’s sorely lacking with many just about everywhere. It’s a Precious commodity and you see people shun it at every opportunity unfortunately. We just need to be fearless is spreading it every opportunity you get and just wish the best for the fools who put people on ignore on a great site like this to escape reality, they’re beyond reach.

 

[stihltech]

You know you will se the saw back in rough shape when the customer comes with the chain stuck and you release the chain brake for them with one click.

 

[Overlooker]

What percentage of the time a person spends with a chainsaw is wood-cutting, and what percentage is maintenance? Early on, I was amazed at how much time I was expected to spend cleaning, sharpening, and adjusting my saw. But soon I learned that regular on-time maintenance of my saw dramatically improved the cutting experience and significantly reduced down time. That's also when I learned the benefits of having a second saw at the ready in case I hit a rock or, for any reason, found that my first saw wasn't cutting well. Live and learn! Although...it seems that some people never learn! Occasionally I find myself in that category..."I really should have known better than to do what I just did!!" O

 

[Kevin GB]

It's pretty much everything mechanical, I've bought chainsaws "That don't cut worth a ****" with the chains on backwards, mismatched chains, sprockets and bars, lawnmowers and tractors with the blades on upside down. I once bought a Cub Cadet 3000 series tractor from a guy that was telling me he was the tech that put it together at the dealership, he told me it just never ran good. Found the throttle and choke cables reversed (And the blades on upside down). I bought a Zero turn mower that the owner told me the right side hydro was bad because it pulled to that side, replaced the front wheel bearing and it's been cutting great for 6 years now.

As much as I shake my head when I see these things I still love those people because they have saved me a ton of money over the years

 

[Dean-O]

You know you will se the saw back in rough shape when the customer comes with the chain stuck and you release the chain brake for them with one click.

Happens on a daily basis in my shop. Also on a daily basis is the customer who comes in with a Husqvarna 450,455,460 that they bought from a big box store and had nobody go over the chainsaw with them like we do at my shop, and can’t get the side cover back on because they pried it off with a screwdriver and hammer because they had the chain brake engaged.

We show them how to fix it, tell them if the side cover won’t budge when trying to remove it then disengage the chain brake and it will come right off.

Most customers say oh man that’s my bad thanks for the advice. Some even throw us a tip for lunch. But some customers swear up and down that’s not how it happened and the saw has a defect and is broken. Even after we show them how it happened, how to fix it, how to prevent it and the marred up brake band from the screwdriver pounding it off.

 

[Kevin GB]

I agree, I bought an Echo CS-590 last year that was pretty much brand new except it had no compression and the rings were welded to the piston. Guy said he had no idea what happened, "Just put gas in it, started it up and it froze". I asked why he didn't return it and he looked away and mumbled something. Pretty sure he knew exactly what he did wrong and so did the shop he bought it from. Anyway, after $25 for the saw and a new piston/ring kit it runs like new, the cylinder cleaned up fine with just polishing tape. Like I said, I love these people.

 

[user 122190]

Happens on a daily basis in my shop. Also on a daily basis is the customer who comes in with a Husqvarna 450,455,460 that they bought from a big box store and had nobody go over the chainsaw with them like we do at my shop, and can’t get the side cover back on because they pried it off with a screwdriver and hammer because they had the chain brake engaged.

We show them how to fix it, tell them if the side cover won’t budge when trying to remove it then disengage the chain brake and it will come right off.

Most customers say oh man that’s my bad thanks for the advice. Some even throw us a tip for lunch. But some customers swear up and down that’s not how it happened and the saw has a defect and is broken. Even after we show them how it happened, how to fix it, how to prevent it and the marred up brake band from the screwdriver pounding it off.

Its always someones fault. Someone else...