Keeping your saw clean

[Philbert]

DENATURED ALCOHOL is the MIRACLE solution for cleaning your chain saw.

I have heard this before for pine sap. Your post caused me to look up the differences between ‘denatured alcohol’ (ethanol based) and isopropyl alcohol. The differences appear significant. I probably only tried isopropyl alcohol on pine sap, and should pick up a quart of the denatured stuff.

Thanks!

Philbert

 

[Iffykid]

After cutting evergreen trees the saws are murder to clean because of the tar. Pine maybe the worst. I usually avoid them if possible. I admire your solution. I once knew a guy who sprayed his saw first with something before he started cutting pine, but I cannot remember what he used. He said it made the saw kind of slippery.

Balsam pitch is the worst.

 

[KASH]

In my opinion instead of paying kids to plant trees they should pay the kids to kill every balsam in Ontario.
Kash
Just kidding but on many days of cutting I sure felt this way.Balsam is the bottom feeder on the tree chain.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

If you feel the need to hermetically seal your chainsaws in SpoogeGuard® ShrinkWrap

...you may not be using them as their manufacturers intended.
Just sayin

Hope my wife doesn't see this!

 

[Bbqman]

Use your compressor blow all crap out

 

[pdqdl]

That's what I have done for many years. I think it is a different problem for the guys that cut up conifers all day long. The aerosol cloud of pine pitch coats everything, and forms a sticky layer that doesn't come off easily.

At least I think that's what they are remarking on. I haven't read the entire thread carefully, but it seems to me the guys that are reporting the most problem are in the PNW, so I am just guessing that is the cause of the problem. Compressed air works fine for me, except in the distant past when I was using vegetable oil for bar oil. Then we formed a very difficult film all over the saws that used it.

 

[Iffykid]

That's what I have done for many years. I think it is a different problem for the guys that cut up conifers all day long. The aerosol cloud of pine pitch coats everything, and forms a sticky layer that doesn't come off easily.

At least I think that's what they are remarking on. I haven't read the entire thread carefully, but it seems to me the guys that are reporting the most problem are in the PNW, so I am just guessing that is the cause of the problem. Compressed air works fine for me, except in the distant past when I was using vegetable oil for bar oil. Then we formed a very difficult film all over the saws that used it.

Not specific to the PNW but yes pine pitch most notable Balsam, Back in the day before chainsaw chaps/pants I would use the oldest jeans I could find and wear them for week straight when cutting Balsam and then throw them away at weeks end as they would quite literally stand up on their own due to the amount of pitch.

 

[LuDookie]

I cut nothing but pine for about 7 years. Several hundred cords. Never needed more than my air compressor. Never needed my saws to look like they were fresh off the showroom either though. Now I never cut pine but all remnants of them are gone.

 

[Iffykid]

Not specific to the PNW but yes pine pitch most notable Balsam, Back in the day before chainsaw chaps/pants I would use the oldest jeans I could find and wear them for week straight when cutting Balsam and then throw them away at weeks end as they would quite literally stand up on their own due to the amount of pitch.

Hmm wonder what guys/gals do now days with chainsaw chaps/pants and pitch, wear oversized jean over the top of theirs?

This would of been production felling not tree removal or firewood cutting, sometimes I forget this is a Arborist site.

 

[Bill G]

Hmm wonder what guys/gals do now days with chainsaw chaps/pants and pitch, wear oversized jean over the top of theirs?

Pants over chaps, novel idea? ....
I will say doubtful.............and that is putting it politically correct for those who like it that way. In actuality I have a different way to put it. Hmmm, pants over chaps. I already look like the Michelin man. That would make me look even better....

 

[cuinrearview]

 

[cuinrearview]

When you want to talk tough on the chainsaw forum put the @ so dudes think you're serious, but then purposely butcher their name so no alert is sent.

Then again, it looks like folks had OP nailed after the first post. Fûcking TAPE!?!?

 

[Iffykid]

Pants over chaps, novel idea? ....
I will say doubtful.............and that is putting it politically correct for those who like it that way. In actuality I have a different way to put it. Hmmm, pants over chaps. I already look like the Michelin man. That would make me look even better....

I did not consider possible style points for the weekend warrior. I was thinking more along the lines of the working guy who cannot afford to replace a pair of chainsaw pants/chaps every week because they are covered in sap to the point of standing up by themselves.

 

[SamT1]

I did not consider possible style points for the weekend warrior. I was thinking more along the lines of the working guy who cannot afford to replace a pair of chainsaw pants/chaps every week because they are covered in sap to the point of standing up by themselves.

How many guys actually wear chaps? I have some I’ve had for 15 years and never hit them, of course I only wear them when I run a 30” or bigger bar and have had more than a 6 pack.

 

[Bill G]

I did not consider possible style points for the weekend warrior. I was thinking more along the lines of the working guy who cannot afford to replace a pair of chainsaw pants/chaps every week because they are covered in sap to the point of standing up by themselves.

If that this is your attempt at a poorly veiled "dig" toward me that is interesting. That is a comment coming from someone who has zero knowledge regarding me nor anything I do. If you have questions it is best to ask them so that you get an answer from the source and not make a WAG or an assumption that is not correct.

 

[Bill G]

How many guys actually wear chaps? I have some I’ve had for 15 years and never hit them, of course I only wear them when I run a 30” or bigger bar and have had more than a 6 pack.

I will need to look but I do not believe one single logging crew here working for my brother nor the tree services I have hired to work for me. I am not judging their choices as they are independent contractors. Ask iffy as he seems to know from thousands of miles away. On a side note no softwood logging here either

 

[Gamma Woods]

Just get naked and cover yourself with some tape.

I use cheap thin coveralls/jumpsuits overtop. A bit of a hazard because they are kinda loose, but it makes it much easier to keep everything underneath pretty close to clean. Until you're drenched in sweat, anyways.

 

[Iffykid]

If that this is your attempt at a poorly veiled "dig" toward me that is interesting. That is a comment coming from someone who has zero knowledge regarding me nor anything I do. If you have questions it is best to ask them so that you get an answer from the source and not make a WAG or an assumption that is not correct.

No direct dig unless your a weekend warrior concerned with looks and it was you who brought up "I already look like the Michelin man. That would make me look even better...., " point is there is a difference between the guy cutting 5-10cords of firewood for the year and a production feller that is doing 5-10 cords a day. Most guys cutting firewood are not cutting softwoods to start with unless it is the only species available.

Regarding assumptions dont be swayed by the screen name, Since retirement it comes down to IF I am going to play with chainsaws today or IF I will play Cowboy or IF I am going dirtbikeing or IF or if or if and I am still a KID at heart. got my start back in the mid 70s logging in northern Wisconsin.

 

[joshkahan]

I had good success in selling a couple of saws this past year, mostly because I kept them in good shape. And Clean! Keeping them clean is a lot of work, and not as effective as I would like.

Anybody use tape to keep the front of the chassis (under the muffler) clean? This area gets saw dust blasted, and with green wood the wood chips can seem to be almost glued on with epoxy. Packaging tape, duct tape, anything else to try?

When I was selling my ms290, the caller remarked how good the saw looked. When I told him it was 10 years old, and I cut about 10 cords a year, the guy got real quiet and said, "Okay, I'll think about it and let you know". Of course I never heard from him again. Bottom line; Buyers like clean used saws.

not politically correct but.... I keep my 5 Stihl saws clean with liberal amounts of CRC BraKleen (the chloride-based red cans) -- then plenty of lubricants.

 

[Philbert]

I use cheap thin coveralls/jumpsuits overtop.

Tyvek pants over chaps is an interesting idea. Especially for working around poison ivy.

Philbert