At Home In The Woods
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PAGUY
Gold Member
A couple of thoughts about cutting up firewood:
1. A tree trimmer gave me this one - Always sharpen your chain before storing it till you use it again even if it is only a short time between usage. We tend to forget this step and then have a poor preforming cutting action. Takes little time and chain will last a lot longer.
2. I just cut up a storm damaged tree (early wet snow storm) with an electric chain saw. I used a small generator bought at HF ($89.99) to power the saw. It was nice to start and stop the saw w/o having to turn off a gas engine to reposition log that I was working on.
3. It was pointed out to me by the owner of a Stihl equipment shop that you must add stabilizer to gas tank if you are using ethanol/gas before any length of time in storage as the lifetime is only 2 months before it breaks down.
Hope this helps others.
1. A tree trimmer gave me this one - Always sharpen your chain before storing it till you use it again even if it is only a short time between usage. We tend to forget this step and then have a poor preforming cutting action. Takes little time and chain will last a lot longer.
2. I just cut up a storm damaged tree (early wet snow storm) with an electric chain saw. I used a small generator bought at HF ($89.99) to power the saw. It was nice to start and stop the saw w/o having to turn off a gas engine to reposition log that I was working on.
3. It was pointed out to me by the owner of a Stihl equipment shop that you must add stabilizer to gas tank if you are using ethanol/gas before any length of time in storage as the lifetime is only 2 months before it breaks down.
Hope this helps others.
OP
Obed
Elite Member
I need to learn how to sharpen a saw. I've never done it or seen someone do it.
Obed
OP
Obed
Elite Member
My wife brought home 13 used pallets today. She stopped at some businesses and asked if she could have them. They all seemed happy to give them away. One guy mentioned it was good because now he wouldn't have to cut them up and dispose of them.
Hopefully this weekend I'll get to put some freshly split logs on the pallets!
Hopefully this weekend I'll get to put some freshly split logs on the pallets!
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tommu56
Elite Member
dstig1
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The basic method is by hand with files. There are many sharpening guides on the market from simple to very complex. You need to know what size/pitch of saw chain you will be using, then get files & guides to match. It is a simple matter of holding the file correctly (where the guide helps a lot) and taking a few strokes with it on each tooth. You file from the inside out (that point will make sense when you look at a chain) so you do every other tooth from one side of the bar, then do the other half from the other side. Flip the saw or move around to the other side, depending on how you are set up.
You need something to secure the bar - with a standard bench vise/clamp etc, or a stump vise or the like meant for chainsaw sharpening.
There is technique to it, but mostly it comes down to consistency. Use the same pressure, same length stroke, and same number of strokes on each tooth. Over time, unless you are really good the teeth will probably get unbalanced and then it makes sense to use a bench top grinder (a specific kind for chain sharpening) or paying someone to true it up. The risk with grinders is taking off too much metal and using up your chain in short order for no reason.
A quick touch up of 2-3 strokes every couple tanks of gas through the saw will keep it in good shape.
A great source is Baileys Husqvarna Chainsaws, Outdoor Power Equipment and Tree Care Supplies from Bailey's look under the category "Files" I have a basic Stihl guide and the older Pferd ones. Good and bad points about both. Some cheapo guides are too flimsy, but these are solid. You can't buy Stihl products online, only in person at a dealer.
Try it out. Especially on shorter chains, the cost of failure is small, and nothing you can't correct with another go at it, or to bring it to a shop to fix.
Here's a decent video, though it takes a good 2-3 min before he actually get to the sharpening. It shows the basic motions well.
Chainsaw Sharpening - How to Sharpen Which Chainsaw - YouTube
This one is kinda bad as he doesn't even secure the saw and the file angle is wandering all over. You generally need to hold the file perfectly horizontal for the full stroke (some chains take a slight angle, but the sharpening table on the chain box will tell you, and it needs to remain consistent). But none the less, it shows the principle:
How to hand sharpen a chainsaw - YouTube
One of those things that is far easier to show than describe.
You need something to secure the bar - with a standard bench vise/clamp etc, or a stump vise or the like meant for chainsaw sharpening.
There is technique to it, but mostly it comes down to consistency. Use the same pressure, same length stroke, and same number of strokes on each tooth. Over time, unless you are really good the teeth will probably get unbalanced and then it makes sense to use a bench top grinder (a specific kind for chain sharpening) or paying someone to true it up. The risk with grinders is taking off too much metal and using up your chain in short order for no reason.
A quick touch up of 2-3 strokes every couple tanks of gas through the saw will keep it in good shape.
A great source is Baileys Husqvarna Chainsaws, Outdoor Power Equipment and Tree Care Supplies from Bailey's look under the category "Files" I have a basic Stihl guide and the older Pferd ones. Good and bad points about both. Some cheapo guides are too flimsy, but these are solid. You can't buy Stihl products online, only in person at a dealer.
Try it out. Especially on shorter chains, the cost of failure is small, and nothing you can't correct with another go at it, or to bring it to a shop to fix.
Here's a decent video, though it takes a good 2-3 min before he actually get to the sharpening. It shows the basic motions well.
Chainsaw Sharpening - How to Sharpen Which Chainsaw - YouTube
This one is kinda bad as he doesn't even secure the saw and the file angle is wandering all over. You generally need to hold the file perfectly horizontal for the full stroke (some chains take a slight angle, but the sharpening table on the chain box will tell you, and it needs to remain consistent). But none the less, it shows the principle:
How to hand sharpen a chainsaw - YouTube
One of those things that is far easier to show than describe.
srossman
Silver Member
If you have a dremel tool, they sell a chain saw sharpener attachment which works well. Like was stated earlier make sure you get the correct file size to match your chain.
clemsonfor
Super Member
!!!!!!What are you doing to keep it sharp? They only last for at most about 2 Avg sized trees before they get dull, even a new chain! Its not that hard. Watch some vids on Youtube, im sure there on there. Or find a logger and ask to watch his saw hand sharpen his saw, ask him to tell you and go slow,they sharpen a 20" chian in a few mins!
Some chains have a mark on the top of the cutter at the angle they file needs to be held. I have discovered those flat filing guides dont let the file into the tooth all the way and should not be used. Also hold the file perpenducular to the bar or parallel to the ground not angled toward the sky or anything. If your at an angle you will actually see your filing marks on the chain link. If you have a real saw with real 3/8 chain (not the micro 3/8 or .325 pitch) you use 7/32 round file on it. Not all chains have that mark on them im talking about which also serves as a wear indicater when to toss chain. I dont use the mechanical sharpeners they seem to wear out a chain faster. Also make sure you sharpen even on both direction cutters, if one side is sharper your saw will try and cut circles, meaning you will end up with a crooked cut no matter how straight you hold the saw as one side cuts better.
Also every 3-5x you sharpen you need to file your rakers down. The rakers are what pull the chips out of the cut and look like the shark fins between the cutters. You take a flat file and hit each one say twice just flat across the top to take the height down. The reason for this is that as the cutter gets filed away it shortens, look at it, and if the raker is to tall the cutter will not be allowd to take a full bite (rakers have a wear mark as well on them). If you like to get full potential out of a chain, assuming you have a saw with enough @$$ to pull it you can file the rakers down more than this to allow it to take a larger bite and cut bigger chips, this also will cause the saw to bog if its not big enough and can create more kick back as well. I would not do this esp since your not really sure how to sharpen a chain, which probly means you have not used a saw that much.
OP
Obed
Elite Member
Electrical Problem
We have noticed a very faint acrid "electrical" smell in our foyer on rare ocasions. Yesterday, after we had the foyer/front hallway ceiling lights turned on for a while, I noticed the smell again. We aired out the foyer/hallway then turned on the lights later in the day as a test. Sure enough, the smell came back.
There's something wrong with the electrical wiring or components for the foyer lighting. Do you guys know of a way to test the wiring for this sort of problem? I suspect some wiring insulation has been compromised but that's just a guess. Our "smell" test is very subjective. I would like a more objective and reproducible test so that when we are done re-wiring I can be confident that we've fixed the real problem.
We are trying to decide whether to call the electrician or handle the issue ourselves. Obviously we don't want to use the foyer lights until we've resolved the problem.
We have noticed a very faint acrid "electrical" smell in our foyer on rare ocasions. Yesterday, after we had the foyer/front hallway ceiling lights turned on for a while, I noticed the smell again. We aired out the foyer/hallway then turned on the lights later in the day as a test. Sure enough, the smell came back.
There's something wrong with the electrical wiring or components for the foyer lighting. Do you guys know of a way to test the wiring for this sort of problem? I suspect some wiring insulation has been compromised but that's just a guess. Our "smell" test is very subjective. I would like a more objective and reproducible test so that when we are done re-wiring I can be confident that we've fixed the real problem.
We are trying to decide whether to call the electrician or handle the issue ourselves. Obviously we don't want to use the foyer lights until we've resolved the problem.
brin
Super Member
Do you have any recessed lighting in the ceiling...maybe insulation is too close to one or more of the cans...? Do you have access to the attic above...? If so take a look...just my first guess.
