Billy_S said:
Thanks for the input, gentlemen.
While we're on the subject of chainsaws, let me ask another question and get the benefit of your superior experience and knowledge.
Most of the stuff I have to cut is in the 2-6 inch diameter range, thus the reason I bought the smaller saw. A couple of weekends ago, I did fell a tree that was maybe 16" in diameter and 40' tall. Although it was uneventful, I was very wary the whole time I was cutting. The tree made a horrendous noise when it finally did fall, but my son and I thought it was really neat. For the most part, I leave the really big trees to the professionals.
Anyway, on to my question. I am fairly small of stature as well as brains. I am also fast approaching 50 years old. The 25 inch saw is difficult for me to handle. I wonder if changing to a smaller bar would make it easier or is the reason it is difficult for me to handle because of the weight of the engine?
Don't sweat the 'approaching 50' I am still out there at a soon-to-be 72. It is making wood that is my physical excercise and also recreation. If it werent' for the work I do in the woods, I would be 500 lb couch potato and probably dead from a heart attack.
Do use PPE (Personal Protection Equipment). At a bare minimum, a pair of chainsaw chaps. One trip to the emergency room to get a saw cut stitched up will have paid for their cost. Safety goggles by all means (I am one eyed due to stupid carpentry accident). EARMUFFS. Loss of hearing is permanent and it doesn't take much of that saw buzz to deteriorate it. I learned too late but now wear them when using my mowers, my splitter and the saws. To be sure, I carry one set in the PU and hang one on the riding mower thus I never have the excuse that I "forgot them".
That falling trees is my least favorite thing. Been making my firewood for right at 30 years now working big stuff. 30" and up at the butt. Running 3 saws:
Stihl 041/24" for the falling and big bucking.
Stihl 310/20" for most bucking
Husky 51/16" for limb/trim/small bucking.
Makes a great stabe witht the right size for everything...well, there are times I wish I had a saw with about a 32" bar
.
You haven't said what saw you have the 25" on. In general, for the stuff you are cutting, a saw big enough to haul a 25" bar is way oversize for wood hat size. Putting a shorter bar on it, maybe a 16", would be better but you will still be boosting around a fairly heavy set-up and then it will be a bit unbalanced.
When cutting stuff thicker than the bar length you can cut em up using two techniques.
Start the cut with saw on top of log and rotate the bar down vertically on the off side as you cut in (keep the nose out of the dirt), then rotate the saw back towards you pivoting pretty much around the bar nose.
Start the cut horizontally as normal, cut down most of the way or as low as you can without getting into dirt, go around the opposite side and do the same thing. Calls for moving around a lot and I sometimes have a problem with my cuts not lining up too well.
You haven't said what model saw you have.
Bar 'flipping' I do that every time I sharpen the chain. I use a magic marker to put an arrow on the bar pointing up before I take it off the saw. That way I can tell how to remount it 'flipped'. The bar and saw should be cleaned regularly. After each use is best but I do it when I am sharping chains.
Take the chain/bar off
Set choke full on to keep crud out, pull carboretor cover.
Use compressor to blow all the crud off of the saw and out of all crevices you can reach.
Remove air filter and give it a good cleaning.
Clean bar - The depth guage tool has two 'teeth' on one end that are sized to slide down the bar rails cleaing all the gunk out. You will be amazed at how much stuff is crammed in there. Also be sure the oiler holes in the bar are clear - usually a blast of air will do it but I have had to use a wire to dig small chips out sometimes.
If you aren't going to use the saw in the near future, empty the gas and run it dry. At least that is the recommendation. saws sitting on a shelf with fuel in them tend to crud up the carb. I do it sometimes. Haven't done it to mine this year yet as I got a sudden weather change that shut me down for the season...hmmm, looks like a good job to be doing today.
Harry K