craftsman saw

[Huck]

My brother-in-law had this old craftsman chainsaw that he gave me. It is a small top handled saw. (Like a little Mac Eager Beaver) Anyway, I took it apart cleaned everything and replaced the gas line and it fired right up. A little carb tuning and it runs like a champ. There are some parts missing on the bar cover which are not needed for operation but I am very curious as to what they were. There is a knob on the upper side of the cover that turns a threaded rod (like a jackscrew) that moves a plastic L shaped bracket up and down near the clutch. It doesn't appear to have anything to do with the oiler. The only thing I can think of is that it was part of a mechanism for sharpening the chain. The chain has ben top ground and it says "power sharp" on the bar cover. Have any of you guys seen anything like this? Just curious.

Huck

 

[Gumneck]

Yeh Huck,
Its a chain sharpener. I have a 2.3 red top handle craftsman that has the power sharp attachment. Dismantle it, b/c its crapola. They should have called it power dull.

 

[Justin Garrison]

A freind of mine has a mac 140 top handle with a chain tensioner that plugs into the bar cover above the sproket. A little rond stone that the chain rubs as it goes by. That had to be the stupidest thing I had ever seen. Thats what the homeowner market wants a chain that sharpens itself, in reality not doing anything. As long as it makes the homeoner happy they can do it right!

 

[Lawn Masters]

I MUCH rather file/grind my chains by hand with a machine instead of some crappy stone on the saw while the chain moves. All that powersharp feature does is grind the chain down more and make it duller yet. no good for a professional logger, Like Gypo.

 

[glens]

You guys are aware that the chain was an entirely different type and that they actually would be sharpened by the stone, right?  Obviously, it wouldn't work with a "standard" chain configuration.

 

[Lawn Masters]

I know. I just dislike the design of it. My brain prefers me to use a file and do it by hand.

 

[sedanman]

I defy you to hand sharpen the chain that was originally installed on a "power sharp' saw.

 

[eyolf]

Several marques tried this feature back in the day; it did work, sort-of. The geometry of the teeth was all wrong and even brand-new, razor sharp chain cut about as well as half-filed-away safety chain.

Almost all knowlegable users disabled these not just because they required that wierd chain with the upside-down teeth, but also because the ???? stones were only good for about one day of cutting.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

What about electric starters on chainsaws? Is that just a piece of woods legend or can someone post a link to one?

 

[Lawn Masters]

Sedanman, I meant I prefer filing normal chain, like the full chisel chain I use on my saws.

 

[Mange]

I have heard about some experiments, with starters, but no manofactured ones. There was one with a spring.......Hmmm.
I will see if i can find out what that was.

 

[woodshop]

You guys are aware that the chain was an entirely different type and that they actually would be sharpened by the stone, right?? Obviously, it wouldn't work with a "standard" chain configuration.

Unless I am mistaken or confusing with something else, I seem to remember Craftsmen called this special sharpen-able chain "Barracuda" chain. Quick google search came up empty though.
Dave

 

[Lawn Masters]

Oregon still makes a chain similar to what we're talking about.

 

[lesorubcheek]

Hay Tom and Mange,

I know this is getting a bit off topic, but on the subject of electric starters, I happened to be looking in one of the older chainsaw repair manuals last night and stumbled across some McCullochs that had electric starters. They were x-10E series I believe, but I am still half asleep, so I may have it wrong. Think they were like a 3-10E, 5-10E and 10-10E. Used Ni-CD batteries (10 x1.2v each) and had a generator to recharge the batteries. Never saw one, but I guess there at least is one example of an attempt to do this.

Dan

 

[chainsaw-57]

Mac Electric Start

My collection includes all three models of Mac electric start that are mentioned. They have been run for AS members. The 5-10 is the same displacement as an MS440. The saws pictures are on Mike Acres Site.

So many saws, so little time. Larry