This sharpening and chain info is worth reading and deserves its own thread

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DodgyNomad

DodgyNomad

Minister of Fire
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Dec 19, 2009
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West Michigan
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Some good stuff there for sure.
 
Wow! That's excellent. I've been looking for something comprehensive for a while.
 
Too bad Stihl saws generally have succumbed to the emissions police. Buy a Stihl today and plan on at least modifying the muffler to get it to run halfway decent. Plan on watching your gasoline purchases too. Chainsaws and weed wackers don't like e-gas, and e-gas over 10% will destroy a 2 stroke in short order. Thanks to the ethanol crowd, we all get to suffer.

Myself, I use Tru-Fuel or SEF (from Baileys) pre mixed 50-1 no ethanol fuel.
 
SidecarFlip said:
Too bad Stihl saws generally have succumbed to the emissions police. Buy a Stihl today and plan on at least modifying the muffler to get it to run halfway decent. Plan on watching your gasoline purchases too. Chainsaws and weed wackers don't like e-gas, and e-gas over 10% will destroy a 2 stroke in short order. Thanks to the ethanol crowd, we all get to suffer.

Myself, I use Tru-Fuel or SEF (from Baileys) pre mixed 50-1 no ethanol fuel.
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I wasn't referencing the chain info for any other reason than the sharpening and component information. The information regarding the chains and sharpening techniques can be mostly applied to any brand, imo.

I agree with your statement though, and stocked up with 2 new dolmar saws before the tighter emissions came into effect. I use only ethanol free premium fuel in all my small engines, atv's, tractors and boats and have seen remarkable benefits because of it. I work on enough other peoples fuel related repairs that I don't want to have to work on my own. I preach ethanol free in all this stuff, along with premium grade synthetic oil. I've used the canned fuel from Baileys with success as well, when they sent me a free case of it as a bonus with some saws I purchased. Seemed like fine stuff, but too pricey for my blood.
 
Thanks DodgyNomad!
Oregon has a similar manual. Which also have all details about each type of chain in their program, like different angles, recommended file diameter etc
http://www.oregonproducts.com/pro/pdf/maintenance_manual/ms_manual.pdf
Not as nice and colorful as Stihls thought, because it is an pdf of the paper version
Oregon have the rest of detail instructions on this site..
(broken link removed to http://www.oregonproducts.com/pro/service/technical_safety_info.htm)
[Hearth.com] This sharpening and chain info is worth reading and deserves its own thread
 
Very hard to find alcohol free gas around here, even using the Pure Gas website. My las (and Newest Stihl, a MS saw, needed some serious muffler work and some enrichment tweaking to get decent power. I bought a Stihl professional arborist saw (I do tree work) and it was a total dog and went back, traded for the new Husky tree saw. I've always been a Stihl fan but as of late, I'm getting away from them. I hate fiddling.

BTW, I use a Timberline and a raker gage and flat file.
 
akkamaan said:
Thanks DodgyNomad!
Oregon has a similar manual. Which also have all details about each type of chain in their program, like different angles, recommended file diameter etc
http://www.oregonproducts.com/pro/pdf/maintenance_manual/ms_manual.pdf
Not as nice and colorful as Stihls thought, because it is an pdf of the paper version
Oregon have the rest of detail instructions on this site..
(broken link removed to http://www.oregonproducts.com/pro/service/technical_safety_info.htm)
View attachment 157358
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EXCELLENT data my good man. I can't believe that I haven't tripped across these before. They should be stickied at the top of every chainsaw forum, it would save literally dozens of questions and threads from newbies and people who just want to improve their sharpening skills. It might also give folks the confidence to get the inexpensive simple tools to sharpen their blades themselves instead of taking their chains to a "professional." I can't tell you how many guys I know who have had poor success sharpening their own blades over the years, only to go back to taking them into the local hardware store with less than impressive results. But most everyone already owns, or can easily purchase a file and holder as well as a raker gauge.

By the way, the Stihl guide you linked details the techniques and principals of sharpening with a file so nicely and simply with easily understood verbage and pics, in much greater detail than I could ever hope to achieve, I wish I had seen this and studied it years ago when I was first getting serious about my saws and woodcutting. I think I'm going to print out both of these just to keep as references in my necessities box for future use.
 
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SidecarFlip said:
Very hard to find alcohol free gas around here, even using the Pure Gas website. My las (and Newest Stihl, a MS saw, needed some serious muffler work and some enrichment tweaking to get decent power. I bought a Stihl professional arborist saw (I do tree work) and it was a total dog and went back, traded for the new Husky tree saw. I've always been a Stihl fan but as of late, I'm getting away from them. I hate fiddling.

BTW, I use a Timberline and a raker gage and flat file.
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I now see you're from S.E. Mich. I've got friends over in that area, so I know how hard it is for you guys to find the good gas. I had hoped that would improve over the years, as there sure is a market for it. Only options for my buds in St. Claire area were at a couple of local marinas, and the price was "marina appropriate." Regarding the new Stihl's, I understand your issues. One of the guys I cut with bought 2 new 362's last fall with the new M tronic gadgetry, and he's had them both back to the dealer numerous times. His saws always seem to hunt and peck when he comes back to idle, and just don't run right according to him. He's pretty disappointed, and looking for an older non C-M 361 or 362 now. I hope they get it figured out, but you shouldn't have to do that much work on a brand new premium grade saw, that's for sure.
 
Yes, real gasoline is tough on this side of the state (and non-existent in Ohio, I might add). We do have it at marina's along the lakeshore but it's way pricey and for the amount I use, canned pre mix is the good alternative.

IMO, ethanol is a looser all the way around.
 
SidecarFlip said:
Yes, real gasoline is tough on this side of the state (and non-existent in Ohio, I might add). We do have it at marina's along the lakeshore but it's way pricey and for the amount I use, canned pre mix is the good alternative.

IMO, ethanol is a looser all the way around.
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I have wondered what the issue is over there, a monopoly, or some crazy collusion with the ethanol industry? I kid you not, I've had this same conversation multiple times over the years with my classic car pals and other motor heads from the east side, and they still don't have any decent options. Over in our neck of the woods, we have several stations that have ethanol free gas to choose from only minutes from my home. This keeps prices low as well. Guess we're lucky in that regards.
 
I'll be in west Michigan tomorrow, hunting turkey on my property near Big Rapids.....lol

You have an e plant out your way, south of Ionia on 66, a big one.

The closest to me non e station only has 107 octane racing gas, don't believe my 2 strokes would do well on that.
 
I've been by that plant, they had fuel available cheap right out front if it's the same one I've been by. Good luck in the woods, hope for long beards and long spurs. Some of the biggest recoil I've ever felt was from a 3 1/2" lead turkey load in my 12 gauge. I was surprised the first time I pulled the trigger while checking my pattern on a turkey target, waaay more kick than plain old bird shot, that's for sure.
 
X bow and broadheads for me. I don't own a shotgun. Thats the plant (with the fuel out front). Thats my alternate route up to Big Rapids. My first time actually. I usually hunt deer and bear (and Morrels in the spring). I have 44 acres of woodland up there.
 
SidecarFlip said:
Buy a Stihl today and plan on at least modifying the muffler to get it to run halfway decent.
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Yup, I bought two used 026s and switched out a cylinder and rings on one after the dealers told me the newer ones were sheet.
 
As in most things, older is better built. Husky's are still a good bet, at least for now. I imagine eventually, they will all be weenies.
 
SidecarFlip said:
X bow and broadheads for me. I don't own a shotgun. Thats the plant (with the fuel out front). Thats my alternate route up to Big Rapids. My first time actually. I usually hunt deer and bear (and Morrels in the spring). I have 44 acres of woodland up there.
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Sounds fun with the crossbow, and sounds like a real nice spot. We hunt the mushrooms in the spring too, love being outdoors. Have a great time, and good luck!
 
Thank you. Supposedly it's snowing up there this evening. I have to stop in Lansing at Pierce Engineering on the way up, Pierce is building a long range rifle for my annual 'out west' excursions and it appears we have an issue that needs addrfessed. Then it's off to Stanwood and get settled in the motel (no digs, just forrest). I'm hoping to put my camper there this summer, on adjacent land where it's not in harm's way (vandals are always an issue in unpoliced areas). I've had a couple run in's with poachers over the years... I always win.

Looking for a bear tag this fall. Fingers crossed. I see plenty of tracks so I know they are there.

I looked at building a house on it but the cost of power was prohibitive and I didn't want a right of way cut through the forrest anyway. The Manistee Forest is my neighbor.
 
SidecarFlip said:
Thank you. Supposedly it's snowing up there this evening. I have to stop in Lansing at Pierce Engineering on the way up, Pierce is building a long range rifle for my annual 'out west' excursions and it appears we have an issue that needs addrfessed. Then it's off to Stanwood and get settled in the motel (no digs, just forrest). I'm hoping to put my camper there this summer, on adjacent land where it's not in harm's way (vandals are always an issue in unpoliced areas). I've had a couple run in's with poachers over the years... I always win.

Looking for a bear tag this fall. Fingers crossed. I see plenty of tracks so I know they are there.

I looked at building a house on it but the cost of power was prohibitive and I didn't want a right of way cut through the forrest anyway. The Manistee Forest is my neighbor.
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Sounds like a little bit of heaven. I have hunted up in the Baldwin/Luther area, but our group dwindled down over the years with folks passing away, so the family cabin is now going up for sale, which is sad.

At Luther, I once was firearm deer hunting and stalking my way up a bending trail and snuck up on a black bear that never saw or heard me coming, which was the point of why I was stalking that day, based on the wind direction, damp trail, etc... He was just a little shaver, about the size of a keg of beer, lol. To see the look on his face when he saw me standing there only 6 or 7 feet away was hilarious. I learned that day, that absolutely yes, a bear does sh*t in the woods, especially when he gets snuck up on by a 6'4 guy holding a gun on him only 6 feet from his rump.
 
Rather than take this thread completely off subject, I PM'd you......
 
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