McCulloch Chain Saws

[vinnywv]

I have a little Mac Cat that came to me in a deal for a couple saw cases for my older Macs. Decent little saw. I've only used it for cutting brush mostly, but yesterday I had it out for that and ran into a bigger (10") oak log I had to cut in half. Strange situation cutting the big log with that little Mac Cat. It didn't want to cut straight through the log and kept wandering to the right. Sort of like making a reverse "J' as it cut down through. Never seen a saw do that. Is this because the bar is worn out and the chain isn't being held straight or something? Anyone seen that before?

Rob

Yes, ive seen that. If one rail is higher or lower it will not cut straight. A guy gave me a saw once and said it wont cut. New chain too. After some questions i took the chain off and looked at the bar. It was as i mentioned. I put it on the sander and flattened the rails evenly. It stood on edge by itself and then tested. It cut straight. So check the bar rails. Hope that helps

 

[BigBlue]

Yes, ive seen that. If one rail is higher or lower it will not cut straight. A guy gave me a saw once and said it wont cut. New chain too. After some questions i took the chain off and looked at the bar. It was as i mentioned. I put it on the sander and flattened the rails evenly. It stood on edge by itself and then tested. It cut straight. So check the bar rails. Hope that helps

Thank you. I'll check that out.

Rob

 

[Jethro 2t sniffer]

Thank you. I'll check that out.

Rob

If ya have a square around you can use it and what ever metal remover at your disposal and dress it up.

Just run the square along the the bar with a light behind it and watch the height of the rails. You may have to take the worst of the burrs off the bar before using the square.

It is possible to bring back some nasty old bars from the scrap pile with a bit of time and a small angle grinder. I have a couple still cutting wood that were well gone drivers bottoming out in the groove just throw aways really but a thin cut off disk sorts that out then close the rails up with a hammer dress it up n it will do another turn.

I like to do this as old vintage bars look much nicer on a old saw instead of a new cheapo laminated bar and I'm not going to spend decent money on a nice bar for a saw that sees a few tanks every so often

 

[vinnywv]

Today my firewood cutting has come to an end. Ive got all i need for the year cut split stacked and all cleaned up. Its been great this year running old saws. I had zero issues with them. They all performed great. Awesome machines. I ended up with over 6 rows. Took me one week cutting a bit everyday. Thanks for the comments and replies. All are positive. Now its on to help the neighbors and just burn some fuel..ha ha

 

[vinnywv]

Ive got a couple of good videos to if i can figure out how to upload em i will.....be patient

 

[PogoInTheWoods]

Thank you. I'll check that out.

You'll also want to carefully inspect the chain for uneven cutter wear on one side where it may have snagged or banged against something like a rock or nail while the other side escaped damage. Rakers lower on one side will also cause the problem as can simply running a chain that's way too loose. As soon as it favors one direction over another that's pretty much where it's gonna want to go as the path of least resistance.

 

[Jethro 2t sniffer]

Well said Poge. Can be 1 or 2 or all of these things to make a saw cut wonky.

It's quite enjoyable taking a bar n chain that's doing that and fix it up. Watching it plow through the wood nice n straight chips flying and YOU did it.

Ive got a couple of good videos to if i can figure out how to upload em i will.....be patient

Is that all dead wood Vinny? How much do ya burn per year? Looking forward to ya videos

 

[PogoInTheWoods]

Ive got a couple of good videos to if i can figure out how to upload em i will.....be patient

You can upload em to YouTube and then just copy the url of the video to the link box provided by the media icon in the toolbar of the post composition window.

 

[BigBlue]

You'll also want to carefully inspect the chain for uneven cutter wear on one side where it may have snagged or banged against something like a rock or nail while the other side escaped damage. Rakers lower on one side will also cause the problem as can simply running a chain that's way too loose. As soon as it favors one direction over another that's pretty much where it's gonna want to go as the path of least resistance.

Thanks. I'll probably just get a new chain. This is a short bar... can't be very expensive. And I don't really know anything about the finer details of sharpening and tuning a chain.

Rob

 

[vinnywv]

Jethro, its all downed by wind or snow or whatever. I do not cut trees down. If its dead standing i will but ive always just taken care of whats down. Theres probably 4 times that amount of firewood in down trees right now. Ill get em eventually.

Ill try the youtube route. See if theyll load up.

 

[edju1958]

Hi gang,I've been out of action due to back surgery earlier this month.I started dipping my fingers back into the oil slowly.I picked up a fairly good looking Timberbear a couple of weeks ago & I tore it apart the other day to examine the P&C.They both looked good,no scoring & good compression.I swapped over the bar & chain off my old TB & had to swap the carb as well.I have myself a nice running TB once again.I'll try to get some pics on here tomorrow.
Ed

 

[Goinwheelin]

Hi folks! I Got the PM850 cleaned up. Added another snort of fuel just to see if she would still run, and it ran for a few minutes cutting then the idle deteriorated and it died. After that it would start and run for a few seconds then die. When I cracked the fuel cap there was what seemed like a lot of pressure released.
I already ordered a new fuel line, filter, carb kit, and air filter. Should I get a new cap and gasket?
Intake boot looks good as well as the impulse line.

 

[Maintenance supervisor]

Hi gang,I've been out of action due to back surgery earlier this month.I started dipping my fingers back into the oil slowly.I picked up a fairly good looking Timberbear a couple of weeks ago & I tore it apart the other day to examine the P&C.They both looked good,no scoring & good compression.I swapped over the bar & chain off my old TB & had to swap the carb as well.I have myself a nice running TB once again.I'll try to get some pics on here tomorrow.
Ed

Hope your standing tall now, buddy of mine had back surgery a couple years ago and I hadn't seen him stand up straight in 10 yrs.

 

[Maintenance supervisor]

Hi folks! I Got the PM850 cleaned up. Added another snort of fuel just to see if she would still run, and it ran for a few minutes cutting then the idle deteriorated and it died. After that it would start and run for a few seconds then die. When I cracked the fuel cap there was what seemed like a lot of pressure released.
I already ordered a new fuel line, filter, carb kit, and air filter. Should I get a new cap and gasket?
Intake boot looks good as well as the impulse line.

View attachment 767545
View attachment 767543View attachment 767544

Duck bill needs replaced in the fuel cap that brass tube contains a tiny spring and the duck bill valve. The tube will come out with a pair of pliers and a firm grip , 2 things - the cap is plastic/bakelite it will break and two the tiny sprimg may try to get back to California when you free the tube.
There's lots of posts about it. ZAMA DAMNA! carburetor . I prefer walbro.

 

[Goinwheelin]

Duck bill needs replaced in the fuel cap that brass tube contains a tiny spring and the duck bill valve. The tube will come out with a pair of pliers and a firm grip , 2 things - the cap is plastic/bakelite it will break and two the tiny sprimg may try to get back to California when you free the tube.
There's lots of posts about it. ZAMA DAMNA! carburetor . I prefer walbro.

Thank you. This cropped up Saturday and I’ve done searches on it. I read about the duckbill valve in a different thread, but I was looking at the cap wondering how the F it came out. When parts availability is scarce I’m a little hesitant to tear into stuff lol.

 

[vinnywv]

Ok my first try. I hope it works.

 

[vinnywv]

Ive git another video but itll have to wait till anither time. My internet stinks. Honestly it took 2hrs to upload that 2 minute video. At work that would take 5 minutes. Im serious...it took 2 hrs!!! The things i do for you guys....

 

[Jethro 2t sniffer]

Ive git another video but itll have to wait till anither time. My internet stinks. Honestly it took 2hrs to upload that 2 minute video. At work that would take 5 minutes. Im serious...it took 2 hrs!!! The things i do for you guys....

Haha thank you Vinny.

That thing purrs man

 

[vinnywv]

Haha thank you Vinny.

That thing purrs man

Thanks, thats the first time ive cut with it. It really ran great. Chain wont stop though. Ill look into that later. Weak spring perhaps. But i was impressed. After i got started i gave it full throttle. You can hear it in the second cut really well. Great saw.

 

[Jethro 2t sniffer]

Thanks. I'll probably just get a new chain. This is a short bar... can't be very expensive. And I don't really know anything about the finer details of sharpening and tuning a chain.

Rob

How far gone is the chain? No better time to learn is now man. Make sure the cutter has a C shape from the side make sure if its chisel chain that the working corner is nice if not keep filling until it is.

Go n get a raker gauge a progressive 1 like the husky type then the shorter cutters wont matter. It's like tying shoes man. Top plate angle isn't very crucial side plate angle (the C) is and raker height is. That's all that's needed to get a chain cutting as good as most grinder jobs from the apprentice at the saw shop if not better.

Once you get quite good at it youl never take a chain there to be butchered again lol

Another thing is the old nearly gone chains cut the best of all.

It takes 5 or 6 min to whip around a 20 inch bar with a file between tanks and chains last a long long time as the nice edge is only a couple strokes away.

Also ya bar never gets a hammering as the chain pulls itself into the wood