Tip of the Day thread:

[ChoppyChoppy]

I pour my bar oil in a small gas jug, the spout makes it easier to fill without dumping oil all over the saw. Also I normally thin it down with a cup or two of diesel when it's cold outside.

 

[unclemoustache]

Don't let your saw fuel sit for more than 3 months. Dump it in your truck and get fresh fuel.

 

[zogger]

Working on oakzilla, I REALLY appreciate having a 94cc saw! You may not need a big saw day to day, but boy howdy they come in handy when you do. Even just once a year or something..get one! If you see a deal, grab it! And it's true, get a big saw, the big trees find you! ha! Right now I'd like to have a 3120 with a 72 inch bar, sure would make the work even easier and more fun! ***for my stunt double****

 

[Cody]

Refilling bar oil: I buy bar oil in gallon jugs. As, the gallon gets low I tend to get sloppier. The saw handle is there, the jug shadows the hole, etc. and so quite often over fill to the cap threads. I like to keep this area clean because in the past I got grung in the bar oil tank and plugged the pump. First thing is clean the area, including the front of the saw where the cap hangs by its tether. An old repurposed tooth brush it great for this. To deal with the over fill a squeeze bottle is the ticket, sucking out the excess. They can be found in food stores, wood working stores, dollar stores, and such. I also use squeeze bottles to measure and access the front hilliard clutch and rear right angle drive.
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I bought some quart squeeze bottles like that and and a 100 pack of 0 rings to fit onto some automotive style "christmas tree" plugs that I've got an assortment of. Cut the right size whole in the cap/nozzle and it makes for a good tight fit, and with the 0-rings they don't leak and you can squeeze pretty good without the plug coming out. For me, it's quicker to fill up and much cleaner. Gallon jugs suck to pour in the winter.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

Starting a flooded saw: Disclaimer...this can be dangerous. We have probably all flooded a saw at one time or another when trying to start it. This was passed on to me and it has worked for me, that does not mean you should do it. The saw I flooded is an 066, a big saw. A smaller saw can hurt you just as bad, maybe quicker. To do this somewhat safely I set the chain brake, turn saw upside down and clamp the saw tightly in a well secured bench vise by its bar, and in a well ventilated area. I have a passage door in the rear of the garage that i block open and open the overhead garage door for through ventilation. Set saw switch to on, but do not choke. If there is a compression release use it. Pull until the saw starts, about seven or eight times. Shut saw off immediately, as no need to let it run longer, and remove from bench vice. I tried this in the field without the bench vise. Two things happened. I sprained my wrist and dumped the saw on the ground. Luckily it did not start. There is no good way to hold a saw upside down. Do not do this with kids watching either. Perhaps an added safety step should be to remove the cutting chain from the saw before clamping the power head by the bar in a vise. If you know a safer way to start a flood saw please post it and share. NOTE: Before trying this read Todd Williams post #3 of this thread. It may be the most important Tip posted. [EDIT: For a safer way of starting a flooded saw go to Zogger's post #27] Thanks Zogger!

 

[Sandhill Crane]

Not a slam to either of you guys, because your tips are sound, but be careful when you are getting tips or how to's on anything dangerous (like using chainsaws) from the internet. I've seen a lot of videos on Youtube that look like a good way to get yourself killed.

I did not know how to edit in this quote from another page after I already posted.

 

[zogger]

Starting a flooded saw: Disclaimer...this can be dangerous. We have probably all flooded a saw at one time or another when trying to start it. This was passed on to me and it has worked for me, that does not mean you should do it. The saw I flooded is an 066, a big saw. A smaller saw can hurt you just as bad, maybe quicker. To do this somewhat safely I set the chain brake, turn saw upside down and clamp the saw tightly in a well secured bench vise by its bar, and in a well ventilated area. I have a passage door in the rear of the garage that i block open and open the overhead garage door for through ventilation. Set saw switch to on, but do not choke. If there is a compression release use it. Pull until the saw starts, about seven or eight times. Shut saw off immediately, as no need to let it run longer, and remove from bench vice. I tried this in the field without the bench vise. Two things happened. I sprained my wrist and dumped the saw on the ground. Luckily it did not start. There is no good way to hold a saw upside down. Do not do this with kids watching either. Perhaps an added safety step should be to remove the cutting chain from the saw before clamping the power head by the bar in a vise. If you know a safer way to start a flood saw please post it and share. NOTE: Before trying this read Todd Williams post #3 of this thread. It may be the most important Tip posted.

You can leave the switch to off, pull the plug, turn saw upside down and yank crank the extra out. Let it sit open like that for a few minutes, clean the plug dry, then reinstall and try to start again.

 

[Fred Wright]

Guide bar nuts are very easy to lose in the woods. Get a few spares to put in your saw kit.

 

[BoBDoG2o02]

Guide bar nuts are very easy to lose in the woods. Get a few spares to put in your saw kit.

Wait, they have woods in Delaware?

 

[Sandhill Crane]

I think Zogger's way of starting a flooded saw sounds much safer than mine in post #25 because the engine is not actually starting when upside down. Thanks, cause that's the whole point, getting it done safely. I need to add a 'suction ball' to my field kit to blow the plug area clean before removing the plug, a squeeze ball thing used to clear or suck snot from and infants nose.

 

[dave_376]

Refilling bar oil: I buy bar oil in gallon jugs. As, the gallon gets low I tend to get sloppier. The saw handle is there, the jug shadows the hole, etc. and so quite often over fill to the cap threads. I like to keep this area clean because in the past I got grung in the bar oil tank and plugged the pump. First thing is clean the area, including the front of the saw where the cap hangs by its tether. An old repurposed tooth brush it great for this. To deal with the over fill a squeeze bottle is the ticket, sucking out the excess. They can be found in food stores, wood working stores, dollar stores, and such. I also use squeeze bottles to measure and access the front hilliard clutch and rear right angle drive.
View attachment 454144 View attachment 454145 View attachment 454146 View attachment 454147

I do this except I use a 1qt gear oil bottle. It hold plenty of oil and has a cap.

 

[BoBDoG2o02]

I think Zogger's way of starting a flooded saw sounds much safer than mine in post #25 because the engine is not actually starting when upside down. Thanks, cause that's the whole point, getting it done safely. I need to add a 'suction ball' to my field kit to blow the plug area clean before removing the plug, a squeeze ball thing used to clear or suck snot from and infants nose.

Zogger's way is how i was tought to deal with any flooded small enginge, Pull the plug and air it out. I propane torch comes in handy to clean up the spark plug too.

 

[Whitespider]

Guide bar nuts are very easy to lose in the woods.

Paint them florescent orange... along with your scrench... you'll never lose them again.
*

 

[Sandhill Crane]

Orange is good. As I do more firewood to sell I try to be more efficient. This often comes from trial and error, and more often then not, little steps. One of those is often using a pulp hook. I first saw one used on a Canadian splitter builders demonstration video, the one with two vertical splitters and a conveyor in the middle. Ordered the pulp hook through Bailey's and was surprised at the tip configuration. It is not pointed as one might expect. Actually I ordered three, and one was pointed. I gave it away as it was far less efficient at holding and much more dangerous. And dangerous they can be too! A certain amount of force is needed to set the triangular tip. If you glance off the side, or skim the top of a round or split, the hook continues in motion. With a little opps, this tool can easily become a meat hook, the user shin becoming the meat! For this reason alone I would not use a pulp hook with a pointed tip, let alone the fact that a pointed tip does not grab, or release, as well as the triangular profile. With practice the hook can be set with slight wrist action, a crack of the whip snap kind of thing, and abandoning the use of the less controlled arm swing motion. On the plus side, anyone that uses one safely can, can appreciate there use. Again, I strongly suggest not using this tool if kids are watching, as they learn by observation and experimentation, as we do too. However they lack experience and perhaps knowledge. Short story: One winter evening I was under the car in the garage changing oil with a trouble light. Car on jack stands, floor jack removed. While I was busy, my six year old son raised the cherry picker by inserting the handle in the pump. I heard the cross tie of the rafter creak from the raised boom. A little later, putting the oil plug back in, I hear a buzz-pop, BAM, instant blackness. My breath stopped... Followed by my sons gasp and crying. I found him in the dark. Resetting the breaker this is what I found. He had picked up a long wooden handled pair of lopers and made half a dozen cuts in the orange trouble light cord before the BAM. You don't know what they don't know, and I was not watching. They mimic us, for good or bad. I think this tool is a great aide but please do not leave this tool where a child can access it. Enjoy trying and using this tool. It may find a useful place in your tool box. The one shown has a replaceable tip. I have grazed the splitter wedge on a miss and easily touched the triangular edges back up with a file. Interesting tip shape isn't it?

EDIT: My son I spoke of is well and turned thirty this fall, despite my parenting skills or lack there of.

 

[redoakneck]

Chainsaw tip, when tightening a chain, pull up on the back handle so only bar tip is touching soft ground/ towel, check tension, tighten, then re check. Much easier than pulling up on bar tip for right handed folk.

 

[redoakneck]

Wash hands after eating atomic hot buffalo wings and before you take a leak or take contact lenses out

 

[redoakneck]

Explain difference between log splitter and chainsaw to 6 year old before he tells first grade teacher he ran a chainsaw for his dad!!!!

I let him control the log splitter lever helping me one weekend, then his teacher had a "talk" with me about letting him run a saw by himself!!!

 

[KenJax Tree]

Explain difference between log splitter and chainsaw to 6 year old before he tells first grade teacher he ran a chainsaw for his dad!!!!

I let him control the log splitter lever helping me one weekend, then his teacher had a "talk" with me about letting him run a saw by himself!!!

Tell her mind her own damn business, no harm no foul.[emoji3]

 

[unclemoustache]

Wash hands after eating atomic hot buffalo wings and before you take a leak or take contact lenses out

Yeah - tabasco sauce in the eye is not fun. Comes out pretty easy though.

 

[unclemoustache]

Don't let a renter get too far behind on rent.

(Not even if he's a husband and father, a leader in a Boy Scout Troop and attends a local church. Deadbeat. )