Chainsawing In Winter

[Wood Wules]

In my little neck of the universe it is supposed to get winter cold this week. What is the lowest temperature you operate your chainsaw at without worrying something bad might happen?

 

[Beer Belly]

I would think the Bar Oil would be an issue....not sure if guys thin it out, or what trick there is to make sure it flows.

 

[Ashful]

I buy Stihl winter mix, for when it's cold. It's a thinner grade of oil, specifically for very cold weather. Most pro saws have a summer/winter switch, in the form of a baffle that changes air flow around cylinder and carb.

How cold can the saw run? Definitely colder than I can handle. I've been out cutting below 0F, with no problem, and it doesn't get colder than that here, very often.

 

[peakbagger]

I expect that your comfort is the limitation on how low a temperature to run the saw. I have run my saw in minus zero conditions and routinely run it in the range of 10 to 30 degrees. You do need to run winter grade lower viscosity bar lube. On Husky saws there is a port inside the air cleaner that pulls heated air into the carb that you swing open in cold conditions, be careful its easy to forget about it in the summer. The hassle for most folks is keeping their hands warm. Unless you have heated grips, holding onto the saw is going to tend to slow down the blood flow to your hands and they will get cold. If you do cut in the winter be ready to wear layers. It easy to start out with way too many clothes on and warm up to quick. if you dont have layers its easy get way to warm.

 

[Buzz Saw]

There is no limit really. Do you limit operating your vehicles in subzero temperatures. I do keep my saws, oil, and other gear in a heated garage, which makes start up easy and fast.

 

[heavy hammer]

You will get cold before your saw does run winter mix bar oil and then run with it. Like the others said the saw will tolerate it much easier than you be careful and try and stay warm. Cold hands make it harder to hold saw which can be a problem.

 

[saskwoodburner]

As long as you have thin or winter grade bar oil, the limit will be yourself and how you handle the cold weather.

You definitely need layers, or you will overheat shortly. I suppose if you cut wood at a relaxed pace it wouldn't matter as much. I plan which trees and where and how I'm going to buck, and I give 'er. I find around -10 C 14 F is about the coldest for easy layer up/down.

 

[CentralVAWoodHeat]

Today's quality saws from major manufacturers are meant to handle very cold weather. Your saw can likely handle colder weather than you can.

As for winter bar oil, I never use it and routinely cut in temperatures well below freezing. I keep bar oil in my house so it is always around 70 degrees. Once your saw gets warmed up, the oil in the reservoir also heats up just from the heat of the engine. Your first tank of bar oil will be warm from inside the house and then from then on, it won't matter if you put in cold bar oil as it will quickly get very warm. Many times I have even started a saw from cold in single digit weather with bar oil from my shed that was also cold. There was no difference in overall bar oil output compared to when it was warm. I just try to avoid any extra stress on the pump.

That being said, bar oil is cheap so if keeping some in your house is a problem, just buy some winter bar oil. Furthermore, always buy actual bar oil. So many folks have ideas about cheaper/better ways to go about this but manufacturer recommended bar oil is cheap so use it.

 

[osagebow]

My ms290 has an air baffle that flips over for winter use. I assume it's on many newish stills?

 

[Ashful]

My ms290 has an air baffle that flips over for winter use. I assume it's on many newish stills?

It's on the oldish ones, too... if my old 064 is any indication.

+20C and up, normal mode
-10C to +10C, open carb pre-heater shutter
-10C and below, install optional air pre-heating kit

In that unspecified +10C to +20C range, you can run with carp pre-heater shutter open or closed.

 

[Lake Girl]

Hubby has been out in -40 cutting (he was lots younger) ... skidders and other equipment were more of a problem than the Stihl chain saws. He did bring them in every night though. Mentioned that limbing was a breeze as branches would just explode off when you dropped the tree.

 

[saskwoodburner]

As for winter bar oil, I never use it and routinely cut in temperatures well below freezing.

How well below freezing does Virginia get compared to a more northern state?

 

[peakbagger]

I picked up some summer bar lube on a minus 10 F day once and the oil ran like cold honey. It would flow and used in hot saw it might not cause damage but I expect if it sat overnight in the saw out in the garage I expect it would be a few minutes before any lube got to the bar.

 

[firefighterjake]

Two strokes tend to do quite well in cold temps . . . as mentioned . . . winter bar oil is recommended with the different vicosity. Some saws can be changed to "winter use" . . . my saw either doesn't do it or I've never noticed it . . . runs fine.

 

[CentralVAWoodHeat]

How well below freezing does Virginia get compared to a more northern state?

It probably feels like summer here in January compared to the weather you all have!

Cold is always relative when you're talking about different geographical locations but it will easily hang out in the 0-20's range here in late January and early February. We'll get the occasional cold spell where it will get into the -20's at night. Definitely not a Northern Winter.

What we grapple with here is weather variability and unpredictability. We rarely have two weeks in a row with similar weather. For example, last week it hit 11-14F degrees at night and two nights ago, it didn't get below 43F. This is more common than not.

 

[saskwoodburner]

It probably feels like summer here in January compared to the weather you all have!

Cold is always relative when you're talking about different geographical locations but it will easily hang out in the 0-20's range here in late January and early February. We'll get the occasional cold spell where it will get into the -20's at night. Definitely not a Northern Winter.

What we grapple with here is weather variability and unpredictability. We rarely have two weeks in a row with similar weather. For example, last week it hit 11-14F degrees at night and two nights ago, it didn't get below 43F. This is more common than not.

Just having fun taking a poke at your weather.

I was meaning to put a shot of both summer and winter bar oil in clear containers just to check the flow at various temperatures. The stuff I use up here seems to have a noticeable difference in viscosity? when the weather gets cold.

 

[DougA]

I haven't used winter grade for many years since I can't ever find it on sale and refused to pay twice the price for thinned out oil. I find that as long as the oil reservoir is emptying when I refill, it must be flowing just fine. When it gets too cold for that, it's too cold for me to be outside cutting!

 

[computeruser]

Super cold is less of an issue than kinda cold + wet, at least for me. The saws don't care either way. Heated handle saws are what comes out when the temps drop, it helps keep the hands warm and happy.

 

[osagebow]

How well below freezing does Virginia get compared to a more northern state?

hahaha... no where near what you Canadian prarie guys would get! We had 9F Monday morning, that's rare. I've cut to 20F or so with canola, now that I'm ahead that's also rare LOL. Helped a neighbor cut at 25 or so this past weekend with no issues.

 

[saskwoodburner]

hahaha... no where near what you Canadian prarie guys would get! We had 9F Monday morning, that's rare. I've cut to 20F or so with canola, now that I'm ahead that's also rare LOL. Helped a neighbor cut at 25 or so this past weekend with no issues.

I mixed some used canola oil with my winter bar oil to try out his year. It flowed pretty well in the 0 to -10 C (14-32 F) range.

 

[DougA]

If you burn used fryer oil in a diesel VW, the exhaust smells like french fries. So if you put used canola oil in your saw, what does it smell like? My wife hates the 'chainsaw' smell when I walk in the house. Thought if I could change that to fries, it might help.

 

[saskwoodburner]

If you burn used fryer oil in a diesel VW, the exhaust smells like french fries. So if you put used canola oil in your saw, what does it smell like? My wife hates the 'chainsaw' smell when I walk in the house. Thought if I could change that to fries, it might help.

It like a hint of fried food, mixed with the smell of 2 stroke exhaust...kid you not.

 

[three feathers]

I have cut lots of wood in below 0 temps. I have always let my saws warm up well before using.

 

[CentralVAWoodHeat]

Just having fun taking a poke at your weather.

I was meaning to put a shot of both summer and winter bar oil in clear containers just to check the flow at various temperatures. The stuff I use up here seems to have a noticeable difference in viscosity? when the weather gets cold.

I know

I absolutely love the cold and envy how cold it gets up by you all. I guess the grass is always greener though. I'm sure you all are ready for winter to be done come the end of the season.

 

[Dobish]

i went out the other day when it was around 15 and sunny and spent a few hours with the saw. I didn't bother with the winter mix for the oil, and didn't really have any problems once it warmed up. I actually thought that it cut better, since the saw stayed cooler. I was more worried about having to pick up the pieces that were buried in the snow than anything else

i will probably be heading out this evening to try and finish up the rest of the pile before it snows again!