Calling all Critics! Instructional Video Review

[Therivermonster]

Howdy, forum. I put together a little YouTube video about 'How to Properly Clean a Chainsaw Bar', while getting the saw ready to do a bunch of cutting. This video is directed at an audience like yourselves, so I figured who better to view the video and provide feedback.

What do you like or dislike? Do you find the information to be correct and complete, or would you add or remove content? Considering the video generally, what would you change if anything?

I look forward to your feedback. Please be brutally honest if necessary. Once I get a good amount of feedback, I'll go back and make any popular changes to the video. Also, if you like it, please give it a thumbs up. I look forward to making more of these types of videos, and I look forward to making them better with all of your help.

You will notice that this video has a title of Self Sufficient Urban Living. (I just noticed that 'Sufficient' in the title is spelled incorrectly. I'll make the change.) I plan to make a small series of videos that are within this realm, and firewood processing certainly belongs in this category. If you have any ideas or suggestions of other videos that you would like to see made that fit within this category, please let me know. I would love to help out.

Well, on with the show...

 

[kennyp2339]

Pretty good vid, Cat seemed annoyed

 

[Jon1270]

Please be brutally honest

Well, okay. One of the first things I look at when opening a video is the duration. There is no way I would ever spend 14 minutes of my life watching a video ostensibly about cleaning a chainsaw bar; I'd see that 14:10 at the bottom of the window and immediately hit the back button to choose something else. I mean, I'd be looking for something in the range of your average pop song - three and a half minutes or so. To paraphrase Billy Joel, if you wanna have a hit then you gotta make it fit, so cut it down to 3:05.

I did watch the first couple of minutes and can see that you're cleaning a lot more than the bar itself and giving other useful tips along the way, but that's not what I'd be wanting if I were looking for videos about cleaning chainsaw bars. If what you're offering is a more comprehensive video on regular chainsaw maintenance then the title should reflect that so that the people who actually want that can find it.

 

[Therivermonster]

Well, okay. One of the first things I look at when opening a video is the duration. There is no way I would ever spend 14 minutes of my life watching a video ostensibly about cleaning a chainsaw bar; I'd see that 14:10 at the bottom of the window and immediately hit the back button to choose something else. I mean, I'd be looking for something in the range of your average pop song - three and a half minutes or so. To paraphrase Billy Joel, if you wanna have a hit then you gotta make it fit, so cut it down to 3:05.

I did watch the first couple of minutes and can see that you're cleaning a lot more than the bar itself and giving other useful tips along the way, but that's not what I'd be wanting if I were looking for videos about cleaning chainsaw bars. If what you're offering is a more comprehensive video on regular chainsaw maintenance then the title should reflect that so that the people who actually want that can find it.

This is great feedback. Thanks Jon1207! I had actually paired the video down from 20 minutes, but I do agree that it is still too long. I'll work on getting to the point more quickly. Maybe the cat was annoyed that I was droning on.

Any other feedback would be great.

 

[Joey]

Not to bad at all. I would recommend that you have gloves on during the video. I have gotten cut a few times by a chain and also gotten some metal splinters from the bar. I learned my lesson. Gloves always for me.

 

[Therivermonster]

Not to bad at all. I would recommend that you have gloves on during the video. I have gotten cut a few times by a chain and also gotten some metal splinters from the bar. I learned my lesson. Gloves always for me.

Thanks, Joey! Besides gloves, if you would change one thing about the video what would it be?

 

[NextEndeavor]

Anytime a saw is running, especially in a training video: Safety gear must be warn; chaps, eye protection, hearing protection and gloves. Many wear steel toed boots too. And never drop start a saw! A misfire kickback will put that baby right into you. Your Stihl manual shows two recommended, safe ways to start a saw.

 

[Jon1270]

And never drop start a saw! A

Oh man, I bought an MS360 via Craigslist a couple of days ago, and the seller thought he needed to show me how to start it. I guess the compression was a bit much for drop starting, so he grabbed the rear handle with his right hand and basically threw the saw out from his body while pulling the starter handle back towards his face with his left, leaving him with a heavy and suddenly jumpy saw at the end of his hyper-extended arm, half-supported by its own starter rope. I wasn't sure whether he was more likely to drop the bar into his leg or flip it back onto his face. I had instinctively backed away, and didn't approach again until he'd put the saw down on the tailgate of his truck.

Sorry to veer off-topic, but NextEndeavor's comment prompted a a momentary shudder.

 

[Therivermonster]

Anytime a saw is running, especially in a training video: Safety gear must be warn; chaps, eye protection, hearing protection and gloves. Many wear steel toed boots too. And never drop start a saw! A misfire kickback will put that baby right into you. Your Stihl manual shows two recommended, safe ways to start a saw.

This is good feedback. Thanks, NextEndeavor! I suppose that I should really be setting an example in these videos too. I'll take that to heart.

 

[jebatty]

Instructional videos are very good, and I often look for them when I'm not sure how to deal with a particular issue. Thanks for doing this.

I agree that too long, such that I did not watch the video. Takes me about 3 minutes to use the bar rail dresser and then the bar rail closer, when needed, and I'm done. What's missing that's important? Have been using the same bar for 12 years, about 9 cords/year of felling and bucking for 16" and 18" stove wood, plus about another 3000 board feet/year of felling and cutting to length for lumber. I rotate 10 or so chains, grinder sharpen all to the same point, and hand file about 5 times before switching chains. Also same spark plug and 0 repairs. The Husky 372XP has been flawless.