teach me

[highpointtree]

sounds like your just loading that bar and chain up with a fair amount of sawdust (chips) when your buried in the big wood. not giving the saw a chance to clear the cut of all the sawdust (chips) you have a lot of teeth pulling a lot of chips. when the bar starts to pinch it won't let the chips clear the cut. your probrably maxed out for a full tooth chain. any bigger bar and you might try a skip tooth chain.

 

[056kid]

I'm keeping it just right but as it stretches and cools, I have to adjust it . Once we start bucking the logs into firewood, I'll get a lot of practice with it and learn what it likes . Dropping trees doesn't give ether one of us much of a work out and I've only run about 5 tanks of fuel though it so far .

No you dont... with a 25'' set-up, hell a 36'' set-up you shouldnt have to fool with the chain, flesh searing hot or ice coverd cold. Granted, it is gonna stretch alittle, but i suspect that your problem is that your chain is too tight. Get some chit in the bottom of your rail groove running a really tight chain & you are sure to have oiling problems (your chain will be brown) which just adds to your problems. loosten the chain after you sharpen it & see what you think..

 

[Ramblewood]

Thanks guys for all your good advise . I may get a skip tooth to try but for right now, I'm cooking a big steak and need to eat it !

 

[boltonranger]

No you dont... with a 25'' set-up, hell a 36'' set-up you shouldnt have to fool with the chain, flesh searing hot or ice coverd cold. Granted, it is gonna stretch alittle, but i suspect that your problem is that your chain is too tight. Get some chit in the bottom of your rail groove running a really tight chain & you are sure to have oiling problems (your chain will be brown) which just adds to your problems. loosten the chain after you sharpen it & see what you think..

I was wondering the same thing - - If you're under oiling for whatever reason it would make trouble for you. Are you throwing oil off the tip of the bar?
-br

 

[Ramblewood]

First thing I did was turn up the oiler before I ran it at all . I knew I would be cutting in snow and that can "wash" the chain a bit and I wanted to be sure not to screw it up on the first day . Still have some oil in the tank when I gas up so I'm not running out and the color is really good . No brown at all . I think I need to sharpen more often and learn the saw and what it likes . I will be trying or considering everything I have read today as you guys seem to have way more time in the woods than I do .

 

[Oldtimer]

Fairly long bar for the saw ,new chain, cutting frozen hardwood......

From what I have read, there's nothing wrong. It happens, even with my 575XP and a 20" bar. Nothing to worry over. In fact, from what you have posted, you sound well versed in this game. Trust your own self more.

 

[huskyhank]

Maple and cherry are going to make some fine dust, especially with a dull chain. Take the chain off and clean out the groove. I bet its got a bunch of crud in it. Add some ATF to your bar oil to keep it flowing. I'm running it about 1:4 at around freezing and its working great.

 

[Ramblewood]

Thanks "Oldtimer", I fell better now ! I have a Gibson SG too .

 

[bitzer]

It sounds like the chain needs to be sharpened and your bar grooves cleaned. May also be tight. A 441 should have no problem running a full comp 25". I would not run skip of any kind. Stihl recommends no larger than 32" on the 441 so 25 you are good to go. I run 25" on my 60cc saws (ported of course), but a 70cc saw should pull a 25 no problem. The maples and other hardwoods are DAMN hard right now and if the wood is anything like it is here its all frozen. Chain has got to stay SHARP! You can bog a 90cc saw if you are dogging it hard enough in frozen wood. YOu may have also been pinching a little in that cherry instance or just not gettin chips cleared. It happens. You'll get the feel for when the chain is beat when you start bucking and making more regular cuts. Throw a different chain on if you think it could be a problem and see how it does.

 

[Ramblewood]

It sounds like the chain needs to be sharpened and your bar grooves cleaned. May also be tight. A 441 should have no problem running a full comp 25". I would not run skip of any kind. Stihl recommends no larger than 32" on the 441 so 25 you are good to go. I run 25" on my 60cc saws (ported of course), but a 70cc saw should pull a 25 no problem. The maples and other hardwoods are DAMN hard right now and if the wood is anything like it is here its all frozen. Chain has got to stay SHARP! You can bog a 90cc saw if you are dogging it hard enough in frozen wood. YOu may have also been pinching a little in that cherry instance or just not gettin chips cleared. It happens. You'll get the feel for when the chain is beat when you start bucking and making more regular cuts. Throw a different chain on if you think it could be a problem and see how it does.

Thanks for the feedback . I think sharpness is a factor and I'll be filing before I cut again . Also think I may have had some pinch . Had a wedge in but the tree was a back leaner and I had to wedge it over after I finished the back cut .

 

[joesawer]

If you have an 8 tooth drive on it it will have more chain speed but tend to stall much easier than a 7 tooth.
Try using a lighter touch and keeping your saw in its power band. Normally it will bog down and start straining before it suddenly stops. Pay closer attention to the engine speed.

 

[Metals406]

Maple and cherry are going to make some fine dust, especially with a dull chain. Take the chain off and clean out the groove. I bet its got a bunch of crud in it. Add some ATF to your bar oil to keep it flowing. I'm running it about 1:4 at around freezing and its working great.

:agree2::agree2:

I do the same in the winter. . . At the same ratio ironically. The ATF thins the bar-oil, and the detergents in the ATF keeps everything from getting clogged up. Another thing to consider is the thicker bar-oils -- at cold temps -- can strip the plastic gears used in oil pumps.

I call it Redneck-Winter-Weight. . .