CTYank said:
I'd definitely change the fuel filter and check the lines for cracks.
Cleaning the fins should be high on your list.
Keeping chain razor-sharp is a lifetime-extender; hand-filing is a Good Thing.
x1 on the chain part (and the rest, too).
Go ahead and invest in an extra Stihl full-chisel chain, some good files (WoodlandPro is doing good for me, though I've got some Save-Edge waiting in reserve)...don't forget a decent flat file for the rakers. Take your time and learn to file correctly. BIG difference between throwing dust and chips!...faster cutting, easier on you and the machine, less fuel burned, chains last longer, and it simply makes you feel better seeing that pile of chips quickly pile up!
BIG TIP...........keep your saw out of the dirt! A cant hook is good for this....cut through 2/3's the log, roll it, and finish the cut. On the side that you roll upward there is a good possibility of dirt being on it...carry a stiff brush to brush it off or at the very least wipe it off with your glove or sweep it with a bush limb....cutting through that dirt will dull your chain quick, too.
Since you've got your own saw now you will be using it more often. Seriously be thinking of personal protection equipment (PPE) if you don't already have it. Chaps would be one of the first things that I'd look at, hearing protection is cheap, eye protection doesn't have to be expensive, if you're going to be cutting standing timber then a helmet would be *highly* recommended, steel-toed boots are very nice as they *will* save your tootsies from being mashed, bruised, and battered (a cheap pair can be had at Wallyworld if that is all you will use them for...they're not high-mileage for everyday wearing)....
Also study cutting techniques. "To Fell a Tree" by Jeff Jepson is an excellent book, I highly recommend it as do other folks.
Safety-wise: Always start your cut with the throttle wide open. Always know where the tip of your saw is and where any objects/hazards are that might contact the tip while sawing. Always keep your body out of the plane of the saw bar...this will require that you "saw to the side" a touch. If you find yourself with the saw cutting anywhere it front of you with your body in the plane of the saw then you are in a danger zone of getting cut up if kick-back happens. If you find yourself in that position you are either tired or your mind is wandering...it's time to take a break and re-assess your physical/mental condition and either go home, rest a bit, or get your mind back on what you're doing.
I know you've been using a chainsaw already, but you have moved into the area of owner/operator meaning you will be running a saw much more often than before. Previously, as you stated, you were all out in a hurry to finish what you were doing so that you could return the saw(s). You will find yourself cutting now at a more leisurely pace for shorter intervals but more frequent intervals. Thus you will have more occasions to have different things on your mind when cutting...you may have just had an argument with your dog, or overjoyed at the new health insurance cost increase, or maybe excited that you get to take the car in for estimates where your teenage daughter backed into the police car,...so there will be more mental variables affecting you each time you cut. Keep your mind on what you're doing.
The big thing is to remember that you have a virtual death machine in your hands and that
KICK-BACK, PUSH-BACK, OR PULL-IN WILL HAPPEN EVERY TIME YOU USE YOUR SAW
! BE PREPARED!!
You probably are more experience than I am with a saw so toss all of this if you already have it down PAT...but I figured a little reinforcement wouldn't hurt.
Congrats on the new saw
! Excellent upgrade from the borrowed Ryobi
! Be safe
!
Ed
