What exactly does "woods port" mean?

[Canyon Angler]

Sorry if this is a dumb question. I keep seeing people talk about "woods porting" their saws, and I've searched around on "woods port" here and on Google and at Wikipedia, and all I find are posts on AS from people who have "woods ported" saws, but there is no explanation of what it is.

So, WTH does "woods porting" mean??? And why is it called "woods porting"?

Thanks, Jeff

 

[jefeVTtreeman]

for me it was a mod package nwchainsaw.com

 

[Four Paws]

A woods port is a type of modification that involves porting the cylinder head and altering port timing in such a manner that the saws performance increases, yet reliability remains the same or improves. This modification gains power by helping the saw to breathe better. Durations are usually lengthened to obtain a larger fuel/air charge in the intake, and allow for exhaust gasses to exit the engine with less restriction through a modified muffler.

 

[BostonBull]

Also dont forget that normally when doing a woods port the operating temp goes down. Adn oh yeah more POWER!!! :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[Adkpk]

It's a light but airy, sometimes sweet, wine. It's mostly used for cooking but if your thirsty enough you'll drink it straight. :jester:

 

[drmiller100]

Also dont forget that normally when doing a woods port the operating temp goes down. \ :hmm3grin2orange:

is that a good thing?????

 

[jefeVTtreeman]

heat is the enemy of all engines

 

[Lakeside53]

Also dont forget that normally when doing a woods port the operating temp goes down. Adn oh yeah more POWER!!! :hmm3grin2orange:

Don't assume the temp goes down... sure if you only use the same power as non-modded, but the purpose is more power.. and that small margin gained by opening the muffler is quickly placed in the rear vision mirror... If only the reciprocating engine was 100% efficient, or more...

 

[Crofter]

I think to be a truly "woods ported" saw it should be capable of handling anything a stock saw can, without needing any special handling. It should have noticeably more power with no drawbacks (like reduced life expectancy). As Lakeside points out heat is usually a problem with an air cooled engine if you start asking it to produce a great deal more power than its cooling system was designed for. Another requirement I would suggest is that any parts can still be replaced with stock parts by the user without any special machining to make them fit. In other words you can still revert to stock parts with no special consideration.
About three years ago there got to be more and more competition to see which builders supposedly woods ported saws were the fastest. I think a whole lot of saws now wont meet the requirements I have posted above; in reality they are closer to race saws. Sure you can still cut firewood with most of them but you better run a really sharp chain with high rakers and dont lug them down at all. Give them to someone heavy handed and they will fry them. Opening up the exhaust on most modern saws will yield about 20% decrease in cut time and require carb adjusting. Some fairly minor work on streamlining ports, matching flanges, perhaps removing base gasket will yield another 10 % or so. That is what places like Walkers did for years. There is usually another 20% or more on top of all the previous that can be had but you will definitly start to make tradeoffs in a quite a number of ways. I have one saw that has been taken through the progression in stages and it has been a lot of fun. Same old race horse / draught horse thing. You cant fill all needs well with one animal. You gotta find the compromise you want or have some of each!

 

[deezulsmoke]

Dont mean to jump in on your post but I have also seen "walkerized" saws. Just wondering if that is the same as woods porting or what all that involves ?

 

[Crofter]

Deezulsmoke, I think woods ported means different things to different people. Some use a definition that as long as it will cut a full tank of fuel, cut after cut without fainting that it constitutes a woods ported saw. The fact that some of them will cut twice as fast as stock though, tells me that ports have been enlarged to the point of reducing piston bearing area that will result in accellerated wear. Compression will likely have been increased to where heat is a problem in heavy going hot weather. Machining likely will have been done to jug and piston that precludes mix and matching them openly with stock replacement parts. Because it got to be a turf war the term got to be used for a different kind of saw. Before you buy modifications you need to know what you want and need and you want to be sure the builder has the knowledge to build a saw that will meet those needs. Walkers saw shop used to do a basic modification that was win win and would not get you in any trouble. Say on a husky 359, it would be like perfectly matching the exhaust flange opening with the muffler opening, slightly enlarging exhaust outlet in muffler and streamlining the bottom entrance to the transfers on the cylinder. Different saws often have some particular glitch that can be sweetened up quite handily. I dont think they get into major reconstrucive surgery.

 

[rb_in_va]

Here's a pic of a woods port.

Oh yeah, hi Frank! How those cows doing?

 

[Crofter]

Here's a pic of a woods port.

Oh yeah, hi Frank! How those cows doing?

See, I told you woods port depends on who you are talking to.

I know one user who wants a really fast limbing saw and has some pretty keen rivalry going with fellows he works with; He gets some saws worked over pretty thoroughly for that, but he doesnt cut stumps with them either!

Rb, the cows are keeping the garden fertilized and the freezer full...... not milking any at present.

 

[timberwolf]

It is a line in the sand.

No absolute definition, lots of different methods and levels of "woods" modification, lots of grey area. Is it still a woods port if it can cut fire wood as long as it is treated right? Even though in the wrong hands the saw could be overheated?

Though the idea that it must be able to run a tank of fuel, falls apart with an alky saw that can empty a tank in 3-4 cuts.

 

[MAG58]

"Woods Porting"

Wood porting of a Husky 36 (just for fun), slightly enlarg,streamlining ports, matching flanges, cleand and polich.

 

[NWCS]

my "woods port" package is a modification geared to a saw that is going to cut wood all day, not just some saw sitting on the shelf with stories being told about how it can do this and that.. they are meant to be used, get dirty and ugly, mill logs, etc. they have the power to get the job done with more end of day production over a stock saw.


my race port package is just for racing, this one would not hold up to work use. strictly racing with this one! continued use would cause overheating and much owner/operator anger.

 

[manual]

Winterized woods port

Heres a picture of a Winterized Woods Port.

 

[rb_in_va]

And here is a race port.

 

[Crofter]

Ben, that sounds like being realistic. Despite all the foolishness and hype that went along with the Rare Simon saws, what he described as his objectives and methods sounded like the makings of a good productive woods saw. Without really knowing what has been done inside, a one shot demonstration of cutting speed, is about the worst way of judging what is a good woods port saw. By the same token, being slower is no plus rating either. Unfortunately that got to be the goal of that game for a while. A lot of changes can be made to a saw that will have a plus, negative, or neutral effect on the ideal characteristics you are seeking. The best game plan would be the one that had all the moves on the plus side of the ledger. Easier said than done!

 

[deezulsmoke]

I think RB is way off base with the term "port" in this thread