Pacific
ArboristSite Operative
Uhhhg its a tranny or a guy that needs help 
How Too Start Your Chainsaw
- Thread starter Gypo Logger
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Marky Mark
Hell's Kitchen Trapper
I wonder if he ever got his saw started.
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NO NO, the chain brake is the handle on top!
Maybe he is trying out some chaps wiyh EXTRA protection. Hope they pass.
Maybe he is trying out some chaps wiyh EXTRA protection. Hope they pass.
If he did get it started I bet he wishes he hadn't!
Harry K
Harry K
Here's one which I haven't used, but which might be useful, and I didn't see in the threads above --- if you've got a long bar and the foot in the stirrup posture is not working for your aching back, and the veins in your right leg, just behind the knee, have been bruised up by a mean and sore saw, then,
holding the powerhead with your left hand, with the bar going out at 45° to the left, drop down onto your right knee, and place the powerhead on the ground, going out 45° to the left, with the back plate of the rear (trigger) handle snugged up against the inside of your right knee. As for a drop start, when you "pop" the starter chord with the right hand, momentarily press the saw down with the left hand on top of the front handle bar, and backwards a little toward the knee, to brace the saw in a triangle between the ground, your left hand, and your right knee. it won't be moving. With your right hand, smartly pull the starter chord backward (in a plane with the bar), using short one2two "pop" pulls--say 18" of chord max.
When first "waking up" a saw (and myself), I use the between the knees method but slightly modified from the above ... with the bar going out to the front (lol), I turn the saw over 45-60° on its side, and tuck the top of the rear handle just behind the right knee, which is angled just ahead of the left knee. A bottom edge of the saw rests against the top of the left thigh. The left hand holds the front handle bar over to the side, just below the bend (thumb about at the middle of the bend), to give a little tilt control (the disadvantage of this method is the left hand is too near the center of gravity of the saw, and if it's on top of the bar it's useless). Any reactions around the COG should occur in the 45-60° plane (0°=vertical). Never seen a saw benefit from long pulls on the starter chord, so I use short one2two pop pulls with the right hand, sort of upward and back from the saw
Once the saw has been running, I use one-pop drop starts only. Once warmed up, my Makita/Dolmars reliably start on short (8" maybe) "pops" of the starter chord, that is as long as they aren't out of gas. On that point, they are just about the nicest saws I've owned--although the muffler modded 540 is one thirsty little bugger.
---
the picture above reminds me of a joke ---
Lucky Pierre is at the beach in his sexy red bikini, and is getting all the girl's attention. So, Lumberman Jack (above?), who is attending the beach in his bluejeans, goes over and asks Lucky Pierre, "Hey man, how come you get all the girls?" Lucky Pierre answers, "Easy man, you just got to get yourself nice sexy little red bikini. Trust me, all the girls will pay attention." So, Lumberman Jack gets himself a skimpy red bikini and tries it out the next day. All day, parading around, but ... still no girls. So, he asks Lucky Pierre again, what should he do. Lucky Pierre looks down, and sees the problem immediately. "Hmmm ... Now look here, Lumberman Jack, don't tell anybody I told you this ok, but go to the grocery store and get yourself a nice big potato, and put it in there, ok. Then you can get all the girls, just like me." So the next day, Lumberman Jack follows the advice, puts the potato in there, and parades up and down the beach all day ... but still ... no girls. So, he asks Lucky Pierre again. Again, Lucky Pierre immediately sees the problem. "Next time," he says to Lumberman Jack, "try putting the potato in the front."
holding the powerhead with your left hand, with the bar going out at 45° to the left, drop down onto your right knee, and place the powerhead on the ground, going out 45° to the left, with the back plate of the rear (trigger) handle snugged up against the inside of your right knee. As for a drop start, when you "pop" the starter chord with the right hand, momentarily press the saw down with the left hand on top of the front handle bar, and backwards a little toward the knee, to brace the saw in a triangle between the ground, your left hand, and your right knee. it won't be moving. With your right hand, smartly pull the starter chord backward (in a plane with the bar), using short one2two "pop" pulls--say 18" of chord max.
When first "waking up" a saw (and myself), I use the between the knees method but slightly modified from the above ... with the bar going out to the front (lol), I turn the saw over 45-60° on its side, and tuck the top of the rear handle just behind the right knee, which is angled just ahead of the left knee. A bottom edge of the saw rests against the top of the left thigh. The left hand holds the front handle bar over to the side, just below the bend (thumb about at the middle of the bend), to give a little tilt control (the disadvantage of this method is the left hand is too near the center of gravity of the saw, and if it's on top of the bar it's useless). Any reactions around the COG should occur in the 45-60° plane (0°=vertical). Never seen a saw benefit from long pulls on the starter chord, so I use short one2two pop pulls with the right hand, sort of upward and back from the saw
Once the saw has been running, I use one-pop drop starts only. Once warmed up, my Makita/Dolmars reliably start on short (8" maybe) "pops" of the starter chord, that is as long as they aren't out of gas. On that point, they are just about the nicest saws I've owned--although the muffler modded 540 is one thirsty little bugger.
---
the picture above reminds me of a joke ---
Lucky Pierre is at the beach in his sexy red bikini, and is getting all the girl's attention. So, Lumberman Jack (above?), who is attending the beach in his bluejeans, goes over and asks Lucky Pierre, "Hey man, how come you get all the girls?" Lucky Pierre answers, "Easy man, you just got to get yourself nice sexy little red bikini. Trust me, all the girls will pay attention." So, Lumberman Jack gets himself a skimpy red bikini and tries it out the next day. All day, parading around, but ... still no girls. So, he asks Lucky Pierre again, what should he do. Lucky Pierre looks down, and sees the problem immediately. "Hmmm ... Now look here, Lumberman Jack, don't tell anybody I told you this ok, but go to the grocery store and get yourself a nice big potato, and put it in there, ok. Then you can get all the girls, just like me." So the next day, Lumberman Jack follows the advice, puts the potato in there, and parades up and down the beach all day ... but still ... no girls. So, he asks Lucky Pierre again. Again, Lucky Pierre immediately sees the problem. "Next time," he says to Lumberman Jack, "try putting the potato in the front."
Mange
Addicted to ArboristSite
Ryan Willock
Addicted to ArboristSite
Hi Mark, I did finally get my saw started. It took me a while to figure it out but I have it down now, this nice home owner came over and took pitty on me and showed me how.
Dan Forsh
Addicted to ArboristSite
Gypo,
I've used the drop start method after you told me about it and it works great on smaller saws (242XP) Do you do it when initially choking the saw too? I've found it great for a warm saw, but tend towards foot on the base of the back handle for initial start up. I'm a lefty too.
I've used the drop start method after you told me about it and it works great on smaller saws (242XP) Do you do it when initially choking the saw too? I've found it great for a warm saw, but tend towards foot on the base of the back handle for initial start up. I'm a lefty too.
Gypo Logger
Timber Baron
Hi Dan, even when choking, most drop starters use the drop start. It's really alot less effort than any other method. It's not the only way, but everyone should do what is most comfortable.
Ken Dunn has a very interesting starting style which is a derivitive of the West Coast faller/bucker starting method. Probably developed because of the use of long bars.
John
Ken Dunn has a very interesting starting style which is a derivitive of the West Coast faller/bucker starting method. Probably developed because of the use of long bars.
John
tenacrewoods
ArboristSite Operative
Ha! Gypo Logger maybe you and MasterBlaster could Do your own Videos On Your drop start methods for more experienced users and other safter methods for beginners.Since you two are the vid. masters on this site,I think this would be a great service here. Show proper start and useage of a chainsaw,Then Again asking two of the wildest Chainsaw Guys out there to instruct us, Maybe a crazy thought!Ha! Ha! NO really do a video.Could help alot of readers. 
THanks
Mike E.
THanks
Mike E.
Raymond
Addicted to ArboristSite
Makes ya look like you know what you're doing. :dunno:What in the world is the advantage to drop starting a saw?
I drop start everything I have but always set the break.
It's there might as well use it.
windthrown
361 Junkie
I drop start all my saws with my right hand on the top handle and left on the starter rope. No decomp on my 044, but drop starting I do not really need them. Starting them on the gournd? I need the decomp.
Long live Gypo Logger!
Long live Gypo Logger!
Holy cow!! This has to be the oldest thread in any forum I have been on that has been brought back to life. Anyway FWIW, I still drop start climbing saws, but usually ground start the rest. Back in my younger days I drop started all of them, I'm too old now. Once I kneel down to gas up, I usually can't get back up so I start them while I'm there on the ground, lol.
stinkbait
Addicted to ArboristSite
Sawdustmaker
Addicted to ArboristSite
i worked on a crew one time that did not allow droppstarting.... that was annoying since i drop start anything on which i don't bang the bar on the ground 200t-066
whao. right hand on handle pull with left. are you left or right handed? i guess that is bar to the right?
whao. right hand on handle pull with left. are you left or right handed? i guess that is bar to the right?
Raymond
Addicted to ArboristSite
Yeah I did too years ago. I would get wrote up for it often. They said 3 write ups for the same thing you were sent home for 3 days. After I got my 3rd one I said good I get to go home huh, after each one but the butthead never let me leave.
After awhile I figured they ain't gonna fire me, so I had no choice but to quit.
Yeah I did too years ago. I would get wrote up for it often. They said 3 write ups for the same thing you were sent home for 3 days. After I got my 3rd one I said good I get to go home huh, after each one but the butthead never let me leave.
After awhile I figured they ain't gonna fire me, so I had no choice but to quit.[/QUOTE]
that right thar is funny raymond---apparently--your employment was more important than your starting method!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :greenchainsaw:
After awhile I figured they ain't gonna fire me, so I had no choice but to quit.[/QUOTE]
that right thar is funny raymond---apparently--your employment was more important than your starting method!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :greenchainsaw:
Raymond
Addicted to ArboristSite
that right thar is funny raymond---apparently--your employment was more important than your starting method!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :greenchainsaw:[/QUOTE]
LOL Yeah I got wrote up for a few things, it wasn't hard.
I wasn't really a trouble maker though...I did my job. Well unless you consider putting Playgirl magazines under the bosses seat of his truck when he wasn't looking. NOT MINE! We found them on a job site and he happened to show up later. Oh yeah and a big ball of stink bait under the seat one day. :hmm3grin2orange:
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Sawdustmaker
Addicted to ArboristSite
was it you that told the story of making some guy think his new saw had fallen off the truck?
