Tough cutting conditons, any change?

[Butch(OH)]

I am going to attempt a good deed for an elderly neighbor. The tree commission communists knocked down a huge maple in their front yard, chipped the brush and told them to take care of the rest or get billed on their taxes for them doing it. I am going to attempt to get it into pieces I can split for firewood or at least load into my truck. Sawing from both sides my 20" 036 is just barely going to get the trunk section cut and I'll probably have to saw those chunks in half to be abe to handle them. It's not hollow and is almost solid knots from prior prior pruning. Going to be long tough cuts for the 036. Been thinking about upping the oil ratio a tad for the job? or should I just give it a break? or just not worry about it and cut the thing up.

 

[turnkey4099]

You might consider renting a bigger saw. Using yours, make sure your chain is sharp before you even start. I run my saws with the oil set at max for all conditions.

Harry K

 

[Stumper]

Just cut it up. (If you are running 50/1 mix ratio my personal thoughts are to run more oil-32/1 on everything all the time. "Experts" disagree so take that fopr what it is worth.

 

[eyeinstine]

You might consider renting a bigger saw. Using yours, make sure your chain is sharp before you even start. I run my saws with the oil set at max for all conditions.

Harry K

Hey harry,

with your oil set at max, do you ever find that you run out of oil before you run out of gas???

Thanks
Ron

 

[Lobo]

Butch,
Too much oil is not good either. Up your mix ratio from 50:1 to perhaps around 42:1 to 45:1, the secret is sharp sharp chains. Your 036 is a good saw and should have no problems pulling a 20 in. b/c, take your time and give the chain and saw a good chance to get the job done, don't push it in, just let it pull it self in the cut, with good shartp chains you will do just fine.
Enjoy yourself,


Here is some good reading on fuel mix and ratios.

I do not have gasohol here so I run minimum 91 octane fuel with either Stihl oil at 50:1 or Amsoil at 80:1

http://www.madsens1.com/fuelmix.htm

Good luck,

 

[056kid]

spend some bucks and get a 24 or 28 inch bar and full skip round chain. That 36 will pull it as long as you dont use your spikes much. Just let it pull it's self through. if you never use that bar again, you can sell it on ebay! Maple will dull your chain quick!

 

[Stumper]

There is a lot of useful information on the Madsen's site but that page doesn't qualify in my opinion. More 'old wive's tales' than facts.

 

[Lawn Masters]

spend some bucks and get a 24 or 28 inch bar and full skip round chain. That 036 will pull it as long as you dont use your spikes much. Just let it pull it's self through.

An 036 isnt ANYWHERE near big enough to pull a 24"+ bar, the biggest I'd go is a 20" max on that saw.

for a 24" or longer bar, you'd better step up to an MS440 460, or maybe even an 066 if you can afford to.

 

[njforestfire]

My 036 has just enough to pull a 20" now as it is (yes-the chain is sharp). I agree with old-saw but I prefer a 365 or a 372

 

[njforestfire]

Butch - if keeping the wood for firewood, you might think about a rental for a couple of hours...so you get the job done and you also get to feel/play with a larger saw. This might give you more food for thought for any kind of future bigger saw purchases.

 

[ray benson]

Hi Butch
I have cut many oak and maple trunks that no one else would cut in the 40" range using a 60 cc saw with a 20" bar max.
Just keep your sharp chain . Your 036 has to be one of the premier 60cc saws. It can handle it. My preference would be 32/1 mix. But quite a few chainsaw techs say 50/1.
Ray

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

I'd say your 036 with a 20" is about right on that maple. Out here, you do see alot of 24"s on 036's, softer wood and all. I think if your 036 is in good shape, you'd be fine, but I'd also hate to throw a bunch of hard hours on my own saw, cleaning up for the tree guys. The 036 is a darn good saw. Renting a saw for a day to handle the trunk might not be a bad idea, if you've got more than a few cuts through that trunk. Any pictures of this big boy?

Take care all,
Jeff

 

[Ryan Willock]

I've pulled a 28'' on an 036 before, I wasn't impressed but I was in a pinch and it worked for the three cuts I had to make. On the other hand I've cut quite a bit of stuff in the 30''-40'' range with an 036 using a 20'' bar and it did fine, granted I would have prefered a larger saw.

 

[Mange]

Just don't let the rpm go down too far for a long time and you will be fine.
Keep the chain sharp and Have fun!

 

[smokin_stroker0]

You might consider renting a bigger saw. Using yours, make sure your chain is sharp before you even start. I run my saws with the oil set at max for all conditions.

Harry K

I think some of you are miss understanding this
by oil set on max he is refering the bar oil not the gas mixture.

Atleast I think

 

[rmihalek]

An arboristsite member and sponsor EHP has some Husky 3120s for sale. I think they'll handle a 28 inch bar and some big maple logs!

 

[MasterBlaster]

I've pulled a 28'' on an 036 before, I wasn't impressed but I was in a pinch and it worked for the three cuts I had to make.

The same here, only it was a 32" bar and only one cut, but it was huge. It suprised me how well it handled it.

 

[056kid]

a 36 will pull a mild chained 28 inch bar in maple if you let it do the work. I had to do it it when our 044 blew up on the job. Took of the 16 incher and put on a 28, only with full chisel. it was not fast but it got the job done.

 

[clearance]

lobo is right, sharp, sharp chains are #1. Used a 036 before, adequate but nothing special. Ive bucked lots of big skanky, knotty rounds before I figured out just to high grade (stop when the branches start) and I used big saws (2101, 394) to buck and then rip them into 4 pieces. Get a peavey so you wont put it in the dirt. I personally use all the bar oil I can w/o the oil tank running dry before the gas. As for gas at least 92 octane, husky or stihl mix, scared to go right to 50-1, I go about 48-1. Nice of you to help out your neighbor.

 

[premix]

Aha, knotted big maple I've cut a fair amount of that. With a 20" 029 and a 32" 046. Your 036 will work fine if my 029 can handle it. Use your 20" bar with a Stihl Rapid Super RS chain. This will work the best by far. Safety chains suck real bad on maple.

If you are running 50:1 I would run more oil like 32:1 - 40:1 on hard knotted maple if you like your crank bearings.

Some of the fine maple sawdust from knots will plug the oil feed to the bar in less than a tank of gas. So stop and take breaks often and clean the bar oil hole and inside rails often.