'Nuther Stupid Rock

[Bird]

Re: \'Nuther Stupid Rock

Thumbtrap, you shouldn't scare me like that./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif My old cheap Poulan WoodShark has been collecting dust on a back shelf in the shop just over a year (July 10, 2001, to be exact) and the gasoline and 2-cycle oil was mixed on the same day (with a little Stabil added), but I need to use it tomorrow, so this afternoon, I got it out, filled it with gas and oil, and greased the sprocket, and darned if I didn't have to pull the rope a dozen or so times, but once started it ran like new. And when I shut it off, it then started again on the first pull. I know there are better chain saws, but for a poor boy to use occasionally, I don't know how a Poulan can be beat.

 

[Harv]

Re: \'Nuther Stupid Rock

Almost too embarrassed to post the epilog of this story, but TBN seems to be a good place to flaunt our stupidity. Amazing how many times I've taken comfort from someone else's boo-boos.

Okay, I got the shiny new chainsaw blade, and even though I can't seem to remember where I put the owner's manual /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif, I know what I'm doing and have it on the saw in a matter of minutes. Then back to the property over the weekend to really make the chips fly.

For the first cut, all I had to do was make the final felling cut on an oak I had started on the previous trip. Man! There's nothing like a virgin chain with razor-sharp teeth! Didn't even feel it touch the wood, and KA-FLUMP!!! -- one more tree hits the dirt. /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif

Decided to shut the saw down while I made a quick limbing pass with the ax, and I happened to look at the saw from a short distance and noticed the chain seemed to be hanging much looser than I would have cared to see. I've never thrown a chain, and I sure as heck didn't want to start now, so I took the saw into my shop to see what was up with the tension.

Long story short (that'll be the day

) -- when I had put the chain bar back on, apparently I didn't line it up perfectly with the little tensioning pin, and proceeded to tighten it on nice and firm with the socket wrench. The result was that the tensioning screw was rather badly bent.

It's a Stihl 031AV -- anybody know what I'm talking about with this screw?

Anyway, the whole tensioning thing is pretty much non-functional now, so the chain works itself loose almost as soon as you start it up. Great! My weekend had just begun and my first choice of weapons was already out of commision.

Spent the rest of the weekend with an ax and a small hand saw. Only managed to remove and clean up a half dozen small trees, and even that was the result of non-stop hand sawing and ax swinging for a total of about 4 hours on Saturday and nearly 8 hours on Sunday. I was pretty proud of myself that I was able to maintain the effort that long, and although a little weary on the way home, I was surprised at how good I felt. Whatta man!! /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif

That feeling lasted until the afternoon of the next day (Monday), when the soreness started creeping in... and creeping in... and creeping in. By bedtime I could hardly walk or lift my arms. Fixing that chainsaw is once again a top priority. /w3tcompact/icons/eyes.gif

Doesn't look like much in the attached picture, but I will vouch for the fact that oak puts up the good fight. Wonder if anybody's ever thought of making furniture out of that stuff. /w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif

One saving grace is that the final cleanup went very smoothly and quickly, thanks to the ol' bucket forks. Without the chainsaw, I cut the tree into fairly large sections and prayed that I could move them to where I want with the loader. By hand, I couldn't lift either end of <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.tractorbynet.com/forumfiles/5-176480-TotingALog.jpg>this puppy</A>, but as you can see, the ol' Bota is in much better shape than I am.

 

[fractal]

Re: \'Nuther Stupid Rock

<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr>

Also, since being with the fire dept, I found they keep tools sharp, including shovels and "grubbing tools" like the Pulaski. It makes a HUGE difference!

<hr></blockquote>


Had some folk in earlier this year pulling weeds and other physical labor. Had the garage open when they were starting on a tree stump and the head guy's eyes lit up when he saw the bench grinder sitting on the table saw. Asked if he could use it and after I said "sure" he was back there every 15 minutes or so sharpening the hatchet he used to chop roots at or below ground.

I sharpen my shovels and hoes once a month or so on the grinder which is probably fine for how little work I do, but I can see how someone who used their tools daily might sharpen them at least once a day. I think it was my grandfather who said something to the effect that real farmer always carries a file in his back pocket to keep his tools sharp.