Do You Warm Up Your Chainsaw?

[TomSeller]

Curious if people let their chainsaw warm up. I keep seeing people start them, blip, blip them and start right in cutting at full rev. I usually let mine warm for a short time. Not long, maybe a minute.

 

[grnspot110]

Long enough to get it running decent!

 

[deerseeker001]

Same here.

Curious if people let their chainsaw warm up. I keep seeing people start them, blip, blip them and start right in cutting at full rev. I usually let mine warm for a short time. Not long, maybe a minute.

 

[KiotiKowboy]

Only until it smooths out and idles - maybe 30 seconds or so.

 

[motownbrowne]

I start mine up, and run it at partial throttle (not idle, not WOT) for 10-20 seconds, then I get to cutting.

 

[Citydude]

Mine doesn't like to idle at start up. I blow the cobs out of it and then it will idle. So no, I don't let it warm up.

 

[dave1949]

I let mine warm up for maybe 30 seconds. Then I make little light power cuts for a bit like clearing brush away, limbing, etc. before making cuts using extended rpms and power. I don't know if that helps anything really but it never seems like a good idea to run a cold engine hard.

 

[wmonroe]

I go 30-60 seconds at a moderate rpm. Not sure why, just never liked putting a load on a cold engine.

 

[Citydude]

I guess I never thought of a chainsaw as needing warmed up. I don't warm up my push lawn mower or weed eater either. I've had each for over 10 years.

 

[SPIKER]

I dont warm mine up much, start it and run above idle enough to clean up a bit then run 3/4 throttle when cutting. most people over rev their saws while they can run 100% best cutting is usually somewhere lower depending on species of wood & sharpness of chains. I keep my chains hand filed sharp & I cut at RPM where I can feel/hear the best cut for the gas buck.

M

 

[Tollster]

Always warm it up then kick off high idle.

 

[Thomas]

Good 30 second follow couple or so rev's.

 

[kenmac]

If it will run without the choke on , it's warm enough

 

[s219]

I warm it up enough to get into the temperature range the carb was tuned for. A cold saw should not run perfect, since it will be running a little lean. If a cold saw did run perfect, it will be running way too rich when it warms up.

 

[Douglas733]

Mine is a Stihl Farm and ranch - the dealer told me it was designed to start and run as soon as it would run without the choke on.

 

[Parkanzky]

I dont warm mine up much, start it and run above idle enough to clean up a bit then run 3/4 throttle when cutting. most people over rev their saws while they can run 100% best cutting is usually somewhere lower depending on species of wood & sharpness of chains. I keep my chains hand filed sharp & I cut at RPM where I can feel/hear the best cut for the gas buck.

M

I've never considered running my saw at anything other than WOT. How does it cut better at lower RPMs?

 

[s219]

Saws are meant to be at wide open throttle (WOT) when cutting, however the load when in the cut will drop RPMs down to where they are supposed to be (and where you should be tuning the carb). So pull the trigger all the way and run at WOT, not 3/4.

What is bad is full throttle in free air (i.e., not in the cut). That can overheat a saw in no time.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Warm up time is whatever it takes so it idles without dying and then how ever long it takes me to walk to the cut. As for throttle, I run it WOT when cutting. Nothing worse than attacking small limb at low RPM and having it grab the chain and bind it up.

 

[TomSeller]

I run my saws at WOT when in the cut and am confident of the saw. When limbing and can't always see what is in front of my tip, or when I think there otherwise could be danger of kickback, I run at slightly reduced throttle. So far so good. Maybe it is just that I focus better at what I am doing during those times, not sure.

 

[Billrog]

The saw manual says I'm suppose to warm the saw up before putting it to work and I think about it every time but at most I start off easy for 30 sec. or so then fly at it wo . I have 4 saws ,a mill ,fire wood and selectively log so they get plenty of use. I tuned them to run at approx. 1000 to 1100 rpm in a cut once their warmed up. Max rpm on mine is to be 1200 rpm but running them to lean kills the motor and so far I've never had a problem & they all cold start with 2 to 4 pulls.