Have we had a thread about this already? How about a quick chekclist of tips from the experts on how to maintain your chainsaw before putting her away for the winter. (Assuming you do put her away for the winter)
Winterizing the chainsaw
- Thread starter Corie
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I don't do much. The most important thing is to run it out of gas or drain it, so that you don't try to start the next season with stale fuel.
If it makes you feel better, you can clean all the sawdust and oil out. This might be a good time to change the fuel and/or oil filters, clean the air filter and clean out the bar groove and oil ports.
Store it in a clean, warm, dry place.
If it makes you feel better, you can clean all the sawdust and oil out. This might be a good time to change the fuel and/or oil filters, clean the air filter and clean out the bar groove and oil ports.
Store it in a clean, warm, dry place.
Amen to that
Guess it would be Summerizing the saw as opposed to Winterizing,I dont think I picked it up once after May.
Eric, got the book
VERY nice tip your dad had on the maul, maybe we should keep that a secret so everyone buys the book
Yes I am jumping around while reading it.
Guess it would be Summerizing the saw as opposed to Winterizing,I dont think I picked it up once after May.
Eric, got the book
VERY nice tip your dad had on the maul, maybe we should keep that a secret so everyone buys the book
Yes I am jumping around while reading it.
Yes, he's pretty proud of that maul mod. I think one of the reasons he wrote the book in the first place was to show it off.
I just re-read the chapter on cutting & splitting firewood. I think that would interest a few people around here.
I just re-read the chapter on cutting & splitting firewood. I think that would interest a few people around here.
All of my equipment gas, mix and straight, gets stabilizer added as soon as I buy it. That keeps the octane up plus keeps it from varnishing. My stuff starts right up no problem, and if I don't use my snowblower much, for example, I know it's ok to sit. Doesn't add that much to the price of the gas, and it stays fresh, especially in the summer heat when gas can lose a good percentage of its octane rating.
Gibbonboy said:
Exactly what i do , I put Sta-bil brand stabilizer in my main 5 gal gas tanks before filling.
When filling the smaller gas tank for the chainsaw i add the 40: 1 oil mix and fill with gas.
I will store the gas in my chainsaw until i use it but will dump out the gas before useing it and use fresh gas. I will never use gas in my chainsaw that is over 1 month old.
Normally i clean my chainsaw after every time i use it and i take the bar and chain off & put it back in the power box case, .
Corie said:Eric, what is this book you two kooks are speaking of?
This one Corie
(broken link removed)
Erics Dad wrote it and Eric edited it.
Dont put it off, just get it.
Get some of the woodsman wedges too
EDIT
I forgot you burn coal , get it for a woodburning friend
Hey hey hey. I'm not only a coal burner.
Didn't you see the thread on the stove I built? That was a wood firing making those secondary jets dance baby!
Didn't you see the thread on the stove I built? That was a wood firing making those secondary jets dance baby!
Eric Johnson said:
I do not agree Eric.
Like others stated, I use Sta-bil in the fall and make sure all implements are topped off, and run, with this before winter.
This goes for the chain saw, roto-till, pressure washer, lawn mowers, etc.
All start readily in the spring.
An empty tank is asking for condensation buildup. Residual gas remaining in float bowls, after draining, will varnish and plug small orfices.
I know a lot of people that just run the gas tanks dry by letting the engine run out.
I've never done this myself ......... I was afraid that the gaskets and such would dry out and varnish the carb bowl, so I've been a Sta-bil man for as long as i can remember.
I did find out/comfirm through the company that Sta-bil has a 2 year shelf life once it's been open.
I've never done this myself ......... I was afraid that the gaskets and such would dry out and varnish the carb bowl, so I've been a Sta-bil man for as long as i can remember.
I did find out/comfirm through the company that Sta-bil has a 2 year shelf life once it's been open.
Corie said:
Ooops my bad, order up the book and some wedges then
Sta-bil (there are other name brands out there as well) works great.
As far as chain saw gas, do you opt for the 93 octane or just go with the 87??
I need to find me a ripping chain, I have some pieces of Oak that cant be split.
babalu87 said:Corie said:
Ooops my bad, order up the book and some wedges then
Sta-bil (there are other name brands out there as well) works great.
As far as chain saw gas, do you opt for the 93 octane or just go with the 87??
I need to find me a ripping chain, I have some pieces of Oak that cant be split.
The highest octane you can get up to 93 is best for your chainsaw. And stay away from corn fuel at any % .
Well, I hope you guys like the book.
You can make your own ripping chain, babs, by filing a used, regular chain straight across, i.e., no angle. It's a lot of work, but the chain will last a good, long time.
I always put premium gas in my saws.
You can make your own ripping chain, babs, by filing a used, regular chain straight across, i.e., no angle. It's a lot of work, but the chain will last a good, long time.
I always put premium gas in my saws.
Thanks for that Eric, I have a chain that is a perfect candidate.
Even extra care with a ripping chain
Work smerk, my neighbor has one of them ELECTRIC sharpeners, long as I dont get it too hot I should be able to get it done pretty quick with that.
Premium gas it is. I was running 93 before and ran out. All I had was the 87 I use in the lawnmowers. Didnt notice an appreciable difference but then that was when I started touching up the chain after each tank so I attributed the better performance to the chain.
Will probably be even better going back to 93+ AND keeping the chain sharp.
Even extra care with a ripping chain
Work smerk, my neighbor has one of them ELECTRIC sharpeners, long as I dont get it too hot I should be able to get it done pretty quick with that.
Premium gas it is. I was running 93 before and ran out. All I had was the 87 I use in the lawnmowers. Didnt notice an appreciable difference but then that was when I started touching up the chain after each tank so I attributed the better performance to the chain.
Will probably be even better going back to 93+ AND keeping the chain sharp.
My winterizing or Summerizing or I think I'm done cutting wood for a while, check list CHAIN SAWS;
1. Fill chain oilier with oil.
2. Sharpen the chain.
3. File the chain height gauges.
4. Remove bar, file flat, clean out the chain grove and grease tip sprocket.
5. Remove air filter; clean or buy a new one.
6. With saw disabled clean off all wood chips and oil.
On modern barker-less ignitions I use engine cleaner (GUNK) sprayed on the whole motor and housing. With a rag in the carburetor opening and choke on, a garden hose pressure bath for every thing to force the chips and oil out, but not into the exhaust port. Next the motor is sun dried or I use an air hose and hair drier to speed drying.
7. Replace or repair any broken, missing or worn parts. Reassemble the saw tightening all loose fasteners using RED Locktight, rotate the bar bottom to top. Start it and run until it is worm lubing chain with oilier, stop the motor then drain all fuel. Restart the motor, use choke to help drain all gas from motor, after it stalls try to re start.
8. Remove the spark plug clean it or get a new one.
9. Add 2 Tablespoons of 2-cycle or fogging oil into the cylinder, pour or spray fogging oil into to carburetor opening. Then turn over the engine (pull starter cord) slowly with ignition switch off to coat inside with oils.
11. Replace spark plug
12. Store with chain cover in place or in chain saw storage box if available.
1. Fill chain oilier with oil.
2. Sharpen the chain.
3. File the chain height gauges.
4. Remove bar, file flat, clean out the chain grove and grease tip sprocket.
5. Remove air filter; clean or buy a new one.
6. With saw disabled clean off all wood chips and oil.
On modern barker-less ignitions I use engine cleaner (GUNK) sprayed on the whole motor and housing. With a rag in the carburetor opening and choke on, a garden hose pressure bath for every thing to force the chips and oil out, but not into the exhaust port. Next the motor is sun dried or I use an air hose and hair drier to speed drying.
7. Replace or repair any broken, missing or worn parts. Reassemble the saw tightening all loose fasteners using RED Locktight, rotate the bar bottom to top. Start it and run until it is worm lubing chain with oilier, stop the motor then drain all fuel. Restart the motor, use choke to help drain all gas from motor, after it stalls try to re start.
8. Remove the spark plug clean it or get a new one.
9. Add 2 Tablespoons of 2-cycle or fogging oil into the cylinder, pour or spray fogging oil into to carburetor opening. Then turn over the engine (pull starter cord) slowly with ignition switch off to coat inside with oils.
11. Replace spark plug
12. Store with chain cover in place or in chain saw storage box if available.
As soon as I 'winterize' or do my maintenance in anticipation of putting it away....that's when a load of nice free wood appears. I literally winterized today...big clean up, everything...so maybe that means a nice load of maple is coming my way!
downeast said:Why "winterize" your saw, that's for our boats.
Winter is when we do most our woodlot work except for extreme snowfall. Best time to cut next winters' firewood and commercial wood. It's cooler. No bugs !! Easier to move you and heavy gear in otherwise wet or mucky woodlands. Skidding on frozen or snowy ground is smoother and slick. Less damage to soft ground. Need more ?
Don't you get all heated up cutting ? :red:
We put our saws to bed for the hot month(s): July.
The best scrounging around here is after summer thunderstorms. I do not fell trees. I leave that to loggers AKA (Pros or them topmast men with saws) and the wind.
A good ice storm will get my saw out though. I like ice storms every things silver and the sounds of fire wood falling from trees.
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