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Post by welder on Aug 4, 2020 14:58:59 GMT -5
No matter what you choose, the NUMBER ONE THING is keep it out of the dirt and keep it SHARP! If you don't know how to file, learn. Gramps always said "no time lost in sharpening". Truer words were never spoken.
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Post by bullseye69 on Aug 4, 2020 17:51:41 GMT -5
No matter what you choose, the NUMBER ONE THING is keep it out of the dirt and keep it SHARP! If you don't know how to file, learn. Gramps always said "no time lost in sharpening". Truer words were never spoken. Yes ...dirt is a killer
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Post by esshup on Aug 4, 2020 20:29:38 GMT -5
I had one skip tooth chain that I ran on the 32" bar. It didn't seem to cut any faster or slower than a regular chain, so after it wore down I just went with regular chain. Both my 79cc and 50cc saw run the same size chain - I swapped the sprocket on the 50cc saw and put a different bar on it. I have a spool of chain, so now when I need one I just pull off the spool, pin it together and go on my merry way.
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Post by firstwd on Aug 5, 2020 4:46:02 GMT -5
I had one skip tooth chain that I ran on the 32" bar. It didn't seem to cut any faster or slower than a regular chain, so after it wore down I just went with regular chain. Both my 79cc and 50cc saw run the same size chain - I swapped the sprocket on the 50cc saw and put a different bar on it. I have a spool of chain, so now when I need one I just pull off the spool, pin it together and go on my merry way. Skip tooth chains will only show a difference if kept very sharp and the head has enough speed and power to pull it through the wood. The chips will be noticeably larger by maybe 4 to 5 times. They also perform best in soft wood. A since closed local saw shop would make mine and they would make quick work of ash trees. On more thought. Use ethanol free gas if you can get it locally and don't mix it thinner that 40:1. I don't care that the paperwork says 50:1. Those are EPA numbers for smoke control, not manufacturers numbers. One of the first things I was taught decades ago about chainsaws is a sparkplug is way cheaper than a powerhead. I'm 7 years into my newest saw and am just now starting to notice a little bog. The new plug is in the saw box and ready to go.
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Post by beermaker on Aug 5, 2020 4:55:32 GMT -5
I’m sure to get poo-pooed by a few here, but have you considered a battery powered saw? I won a DeWalt60v at the company Christmas (NOT “holiday”) party. Unless one is cutting wood as a primary heat source for their home, it would take some real convincing for me to not recommend it to anyone. If you foresee dropping the occasional big oak, it’s probably not for you. But for cutting camp wood, clearing trails, dropping medium sized trees, etc., I wouldn’t have anything else. No gas, no oil mix to be out of, no starting, no stink, etc. Just grab-and-go. I went on to buy a 60v weed eater and leaf blower. I now have two 60v batteries and the weed eater will also run with the 20v’s I already had. I have since traded my backpack blower for some landscape work and a Stihl ms170 for some home brew equipment. Still have a ms250 and an Echo weed eater to barter.
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Post by HighCotton on Aug 5, 2020 10:40:55 GMT -5
I’m sure to get poo-pooed by a few here, but have you considered a battery powered saw? I won a DeWalt60v at the company Christmas (NOT “holiday”) party. Unless one is cutting wood as a primary heat source for their home, it would take some real convincing for me to not recommend it to anyone. If you foresee dropping the occasional big oak, it’s probably not for you. But for cutting camp wood, clearing trails, dropping medium sized trees, etc., I wouldn’t have anything else. No gas, no oil mix to be out of, no starting, no stink, etc. Just grab-and-go. I went on to buy a 60v weed eater and leaf blower. I now have two 60v batteries and the weed eater will also run with the 20v’s I already had. I have since traded my backpack blower for some landscape work and a Stihl ms170 for some home brew equipment. Still have a ms250 and an Echo weed eater to barter. Actually, I like your idea so much that I just checked with my son and I will borrow his Greenworks 60V, 18” chainsaw whenever I need to cut wood. I could see myself needing that saw to back up the other saw if I get it stuck or have other issues!
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Post by HighCotton on Aug 5, 2020 10:46:03 GMT -5
The more I am getting educated on these chainsaws, the more I am thinking I may use my gift cards for something else at Rural King! A little more opened minded to a good 20” chainsaw! Not stuck on a particular brand.
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Post by bullseye69 on Aug 5, 2020 11:07:51 GMT -5
How about this one. No gas or oil or batteries!!
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Post by esshup on Aug 5, 2020 11:31:59 GMT -5
The thing that makes me run from most battery powered equipment is the battery life. I tend to keep things for a LONG time. I can see tossing a battery powered drill or impact when the batteries wear out and I have to buy new ones; batteries cost about as much as a new tool with batteries and a charger. BUT for something that costs more than a few hundred dollars, I can't convince myself to do that. A customer has a battery powered grease gun. Bought it when he bought his green tractor in 2010. 3 years ago the batteries died in the grease gun. $100 for new ones, now 3 years later THOSE are toast.
I can still fire up Dad's chainsaw that he bought in 1965.....
Same customer looked at Stihl battery powered weed whackers. For $1,000.00 he could get one, but it was cheaper to buy gas powered ones.
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Post by HighCotton on Aug 5, 2020 11:36:36 GMT -5
How about this one. No gas or oil or batteries!! Funny that you popped that up here. I was actually in to Northern Tool the other day and a fellow was showing me something called a High limb rope chain saw. It looked real similar. I just wonder if anybody’s ever used one, and how well they might work?!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 5, 2020 11:37:55 GMT -5
I'm with you esshup. Plus battery sizes per power changes every year. My plan lately is this is my last purchase if possible. My gas chainsaw, weed wacker, and Toyota truck last for the rest of my life.
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Post by bullseye69 on Aug 5, 2020 11:44:45 GMT -5
The thing that makes me run from most battery powered equipment is the battery life. I tend to keep things for a LONG time. I can see tossing a battery powered drill or impact when the batteries wear out and I have to buy new ones; batteries cost about as much as a new tool with batteries and a charger. BUT for something that costs more than a few hundred dollars, I can't convince myself to do that. A customer has a battery powered grease gun. Bought it when he bought his green tractor in 2010. 3 years ago the batteries died in the grease gun. $100 for new ones, now 3 years later THOSE are toast. I can still fire up Dad's chainsaw that he bought in 1965..... Same customer looked at Stihl battery powered weed whackers. For $1,000.00 he could get one, but it was cheaper to buy gas powered ones. You can take you battery packs to batteries plus and iirc its close to about half the price for them to rebuild them.
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Post by esshup on Aug 5, 2020 13:35:52 GMT -5
The thing that makes me run from most battery powered equipment is the battery life. I tend to keep things for a LONG time. I can see tossing a battery powered drill or impact when the batteries wear out and I have to buy new ones; batteries cost about as much as a new tool with batteries and a charger. BUT for something that costs more than a few hundred dollars, I can't convince myself to do that. A customer has a battery powered grease gun. Bought it when he bought his green tractor in 2010. 3 years ago the batteries died in the grease gun. $100 for new ones, now 3 years later THOSE are toast. I can still fire up Dad's chainsaw that he bought in 1965..... Same customer looked at Stihl battery powered weed whackers. For $1,000.00 he could get one, but it was cheaper to buy gas powered ones. You can take you battery packs to batteries plus and iirc its close to about half the price for them to rebuild them. Thanks! I have 2 here that need rebuilding. A guy on ebay wants $50 each.
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Post by beermaker on Aug 5, 2020 16:34:30 GMT -5
You can take you battery packs to batteries plus and iirc its close to about half the price for them to rebuild them. Thanks! I have 2 here that need rebuilding. A guy on ebay wants $50 each. I bought two 4ah knock-offs for my Ryobi set from Amazon for around $60. Been at least six months and still doing fine.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 5, 2020 16:56:31 GMT -5
The more I am getting educated on these chainsaws, the more I am thinking I may use my gift cards for something else at Rural King! A little more opened minded to a good 20” chainsaw! Not stuck on a particular brand. That`s up to you, but the brand does matter.
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Post by esshup on Aug 5, 2020 18:38:30 GMT -5
The more I am getting educated on these chainsaws, the more I am thinking I may use my gift cards for something else at Rural King! A little more opened minded to a good 20” chainsaw! Not stuck on a particular brand. That`s up to you, but the brand does matter. I don't think the brand matters much if you stick with the professional series of saws, and a number of mfg's. make them. Professional series saws are lighter for their power than homeowner grade saws, and I think built stronger due to their projected hourly use over "X" days/years. Husky Stihl Dolmar Jonesred Echo Not in any particular order, but all of those make professional grade saws. Makita/Dolmar are basically the same, I think Home Depot or another big box store used to rent Makita saws. If you can't work on them yourself, get the brand that has a good dealer that has a repair shop nearby. Like others have said and you know, non-ethanol gas, a good brand of oil (I use synthetic oil), safety equipment (Good professional grade chaps, eye and hearing protection, and a hard hat. I hate wearing a hardhat. I have Labonville full wrap chaps with 10 layers of Kevlar. Biggest thing is to stop cutting when you get tired. Mistakes can happen easier and a small mistake with a chainsaw can have dire consequences. As for chains, that's a whole 'nother ball game. Full chisel is great for fast cutting, but if you have sandy soil or are cutting close to the ground they dull faster. I have to use semi-chisel chains here due to the sandy soil. I've seen sparks from a branch that was 20' in the air. Dang squirrels have sand stuck to their feet/fur and bring it up into the tree. I don't have scientific evidence to back it up, but I have my chains cryogenically frozen and they seem to hold an edge longer than ones that aren't frozen. Use good bar oil, don't buy into the "any oil will do" camp. For what the bars and chains cost, paying a buck or 2 more for real bar oil is cheap insurance in my book.
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Post by huntnandplumbn on Aug 6, 2020 13:01:43 GMT -5
Go with a brushless battery powered saw. If your not doing it much you won’t be sorry. No more gas/mixing and tugging the cord😉. I went with a Ryobi setup and it’s been great pole saw and regular chainsaw.
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Post by hornzilla on Aug 6, 2020 20:01:50 GMT -5
I cut a lot of wood feeding a outdoor stove and selling some on the side. Get a good name brand saw. And keep that chain sharp. A big power head with a shorter bar will be money ahead in the long run over a smaller power head pulling to much bar. I personally like the Husqvarna line up. 455, 460 on farm saws. 385xp or 395xp on professional line.
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Post by HighCotton on Aug 6, 2020 20:23:42 GMT -5
Kind of funny where some Southern Indiana half mile gravel lanes will lead a fellow! I digested a ton of feedback from the likes of you guys here on chainsaws. And then I called my ole buddy jack ryan, who has become my old German Wirehaired Pointer "Duke's" best friend! He told me to keep an open mind and not to make a decision until I found a way to get down to D&D Enterprises in Salem, IN and let Luke school me in the chainsaw world. So, I made that happen today. WOW! The first thing that surprised me was how packed the place was. There were trucks and people everywhere! Since I had called Luke earlier, he had prepared some time for me. I got 2 hours of education. Tore into some saws. Learned the ins and outs! I told him to think of me as one who had never seen a chainsaw before. The "lessons" started with him telling me that I was holding the saw wrong ! And it just got better from there! I got schooled in everything from proper maintenance to safety to demonstrations and practice at sharpening chains and so on. Talk about customer service and support!! I ended up shelling out $300 and some change for a 2004 Husqvarna 55 Rancher (completely gone through by Luke with a new Carlton chisel tooth chain) and the goodies you see here, including 2 gallons of their premixed fuel and a gallon of bar chain oil. I just loved how the saw ran and balance to hand! And after a quick study, I realized that I could totally rebuild this saw myself if so desired. After some work reports this evening, I got out to my garage to play with the saw a bit. Did a compression test just for the heck of it and she came in at a strong 148 psig! You know a shop is a good shop when you start thinking of excuses to stop by again! I'll definitely be back there soon!
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Post by scrub-buster on Aug 7, 2020 6:16:46 GMT -5
Nice looking saw! Sounds like you went to the right place to buy one. I really like my Husky. I only run the premix fuel in mine. I add a bit of extra oil to the can when I first open it. I had a saw repairman tell me that a little extra smoke in the exhaust is better than scorched cylinders. He also said the government restrictions on exhaust has caused leaner fuel ratios to be used so companies can meet the stricter limits. The leaner mix leads to faster engine failure. He said most of his business was newer saws with burnt up cylinders. I'm no expert by any means but he repaired small engines for a living so I listened to his advice. I use a heavy mix on my Homelite saw that is over 40 years old and it's still running like new.
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