The chainsaw thread...

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Originally Posted by donutlynx

Take chains back and ask them to grind square? Saw shops that used to be saw shops are becoming more common. Only one place down here will actually grind square chisel. I hand file all my square chisel now and am looking into getting a Simington.

I will say that I'm surprised that a saw shop in a timber town missed that in NW OR?

Edit: I'm late to the discussion, as usual.

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Better late than never. The shop in question won’t grind square. That leaves none here in the mid valley that will. I can’t blame them, most square users are grinding their own chain because it’s just part of the job.

My old man has a Simington. He was just out of town and I had been using a lot of chain cutting for the church group. I am going to use this as a learning opportunity for me and finally learn how to do it myself. Maybe make a YouTube video of him griping about having to fix it and get on the record his ways and by proxy grandpa’s ways and techniques since square seems to be so individualized.

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Originally Posted by Hood26

...I can’t blame them, most square users are grinding their own chain because it’s just part of the job.

My old man has a Simington. He was just out of town and I had been using a lot of chain cutting for the church group. I am going to use this as a learning opportunity for me and finally learn how to do it myself. Maybe make a YouTube video of him griping about having to fix it and get on the record his ways and by proxy grandpa’s ways and techniques since square seems to be so individualized.

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Good points. Most professionals are grinding their own chain and you could discuss technique with a dozen log cutters and get a different perspective from each. YouTube video of your dad griping and then handing down two generations of knowledge could be awesome!

Stihl new gear presentation next weekend at local rental center. GF has to teach a felling class so looks like i get to go eat free dogs and watch demos. Raffle for a bg56c blower.

My ignition troubles continued. I had a couple of good days running it, then this weekend fired. Ran on high idle to warm. Hit the throttle to start cutting and then dead. Maybe I should have bought OEM parts. I will tinker a bit more, but ultimately the 15 year old saw might head for the parts pasture because…

Well I happened to be working 5 minutes down the road from the Husky dealer so this new sled dog finished the day cutting fir with the RORs

Attachment 476064

Also, cut some oak today for myself.



It is a 390XP and one of the last ever made. Two tanks of gas through it so far and really like it. I have had both a 394 and a 395 and both are noticeably heavier. I was tempted by the 592, but $400 extra at $1600 was 1/3 again more. The 572 is probably all the saw I really need, but I have a lot of 36in bar and chain and the 572 would need a port job to spin it, so the 390 it was. Shopping tip, if replacing a saw negotiate for the power head only. Just make sure the sprocket pitch is right. No need to take that short heavy bar and low end chain they are going to package it with.

It was the only one they had and it doesn’t have full wraps, so I will either rob the pair from the 395 (if I can’t get it running with minimal money) or buy a set for $50… or maybe just cut enough with it to realize I am not falling much with it and that half wraps are probably better anyway for firewood.

The last of the 390s have some of the updates like the tool-less air cleaner, hex and flat screws, better choke, side chain tensioner. Only thing I really don’t like about this saw is it still has the shitty kill switch.

This is my first ever new saw. I got 10 years each out of my last saws that were rode hard daily for 5yrs before they came to me, I should be able to weekend warrior this one for a long time.

Check the spark arrester?

Attachment 476078
I'm all set. Paid a local patroller on timber crew to buck up a couple cords. Now I get to run the splitter.

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Originally Posted by Hood26

My ignition troubles continued. I had a couple of good days running it, then this weekend fired. Ran on high idle to warm. Hit the throttle to start cutting and then dead. Maybe I should have bought OEM parts. I will tinker a bit more, but ultimately the 15 year old saw might head for the parts pasture because…

Well I happened to be working 5 minutes down the road from the Husky dealer so this new sled dog finished the day cutting fir with the RORs

Attachment 476064

Also, cut some oak today for myself.



It is a 390XP and one of the last ever made. Two tanks of gas through it so far and really like it. I have had both a 394 and a 395 and both are noticeably heavier. I was tempted by the 592, but $400 extra at $1600 was 1/3 again more. The 572 is probably all the saw I really need, but I have a lot of 36in bar and chain and the 572 would need a port job to spin it, so the 390 it was. Shopping tip, if replacing a saw negotiate for the power head only. Just make sure the sprocket pitch is right. No need to take that short heavy bar and low end chain they are going to package it with.

It was the only one they had and it doesn’t have full wraps, so I will either rob the pair from the 395 (if I can’t get it running with minimal money) or buy a set for $50… or maybe just cut enough with it to realize I am not falling much with it and that half wraps are probably better anyway for firewood.

The last of the 390s have some of the updates like the tool-less air cleaner, hex and flat screws, better choke, side chain tensioner. Only thing I really don’t like about this saw is it still has the shitty kill switch.

This is my first ever new saw. I got 10 years each out of my last saws that were rode hard daily for 5yrs before they came to me, I should be able to weekend warrior this one for a long time.

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Congrats! Great saw, of course. Sounds like the right choice. Love the half wrap for firewood.

Good advice on the powerhead-only. The "saw shop" here will swap the sprocket out at no charge. They sell all the pro saws as powerhead-only (but won't grind a square chain).

Hope you enjoy running the new saw!

Thanks man!

Ran the saw again today. Really like it. I think I will find a pair of full wraps. Sometimes my father is right, he warned that since I am used to full wraps I might flip her over automatically like there is a handle there and no handle there could be bad.

Got a new ignition module for my 395 today. It’s running again. Mighty rough though. The last ignition mod I tried as a $13 special and it loosened itself up (the body metal was soft and the bolts couldn’t hold it) and ran into the flywheel gauging it. I think this is why it is running rough. Might try to smooth it out a bit with sand paper.

I would like to get it running best I can for max sell-ability or to keep as the backup.
Update: cleaned up the flywheel with some emery cloth and put it back together. Running right and strong. Now to keep or sell…

The answer is probably I should take it in to a shop, but, having a little issue when I start my 362. Right when the engine kicks on the chain rotates without hitting the trigger until I then purposely hit the trigger to rev it up and, I presume, burn off some fuel, because then when I let go of the trigger the chain stops rotating as it should without adjusting anything else.

Thoughts on what needs to be adjusted?

I don't claim to know much about chainsaws, but they use a centrifugal clutch right? If so the answer to the clutch sticking on small engines is usually take it apart and clean it (or replace shoes or the whole thing it if it's significantly worn).

Is that answer at me? So, it sounds like my clutch is the issue?

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Originally Posted by couloirman

Is that answer at me? So, it sounds like my clutch is the issue?

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Guess I should have replied with quote. Yeah, clutch is the first thing I would check given what you're describing

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Originally Posted by couloirman

The answer is probably I should take it in to a shop, but, having a little issue when I start my 362. Right when the engine kicks on the chain rotates without hitting the trigger until I then purposely hit the trigger to rev it up and, I presume, burn off some fuel, because then when I let go of the trigger the chain stops rotating as it should without adjusting anything else.

Thoughts on what needs to be adjusted?

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Is the idle higher than normal til you hit the throttle? Is this happening during cold starts, where the engine starts on half choke? If so, that's normal. If it's happening on warm starts where you start it in run, sounds likely to be the choke lever is sticking. With the saw off take the air filter off so you can see the butterfly valves in the carb and go from full choke, to half choke to run then hit the throttle, the butterflies should move with each. Then go from off to run and see if the butterflies are closing or sticking.

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Standard maintenance should include pulling the clutch cover and removing the accumulated junk.

I've also seen it occur with the idle set too high


Edit - Also your chain shouldn't be spinning at start up anyways because the saw should be started with the chain brake on.

This.

Chain brake on for starting.

I don't always remember, but the manual says I should.

This doesn't mean something isn't loose though. I'm sorry I don't know what it would be. I run a fairly loose chain and my 462 hasn't had this issue even when I forget the brake.

Curious, does it do the same thing on a hot restart or only on cold start?

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Originally Posted by oldnew_guy

Standard maintenance should include pulling the clutch cover and removing the accumulated junk.

I've also seen it occur with the idle set too high


Edit - Also your chain shouldn't be spinning at start up anyways because the saw should be started with the chain brake on.

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this^^

my standard maintenance routine after a day of operation is to pull the covers to dig out sawdust & smoo, also clean out clutch area, also clean out bar slot & flip bar, sharpen chain or chains of which i would carry 2 spares, if you think about it a dirty filter will alter the mixture of the engine so i swap the airfilter ( a spare is cheap ) for a clean one which i then wash & dry ... the saw always runs the same

a chainsaw is a very high performance engine and should be treated as such

This guy used to sell chainsaws and now sells wine. The old school two man saws are nuts!https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...6d88a218f8.jpg

I like that display. Grandpa went from selling chainsaws to animal feeds. Wine would have been more fun.

Started working up a rotted out old deadfall oak yesterday. Interesting to run one saw with full skip and another with semiskip. Both square chisel. Both chain cut equally fast in the green wood, but on the dead an hardened wood the semi was a clear winner.

Got a new grinder to get dialed in. The angles are the manufacturer’s settting at the moment.

Attachment 491192Attachment 491193Attachment 491194

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Originally Posted by Hood26

Attachment 491194

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Does that look right?

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Originally Posted by Meadow Skipper

Does that look right?

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I've never seen a cutting block look like that.

It’s pretty close. I think I have adjusted it a bit since that picture from a few weeks ago. I ran it by a few of my cutter friends.

What are you seeing? I am happy to keep learning more. There is a lot of art and science in grinding square and everyone seems to have their take on it.

It’s all about the corner. This is the iteration I cut with yesterday.

Attachment 491198

I will start hand filling the gullet out when I take care of the riders.

Attachment 491199 This is one that my pops has been grinding on a while. Not a great pic.

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Originally Posted by Hood26

It’s pretty close. I think I have adjusted it a bit since that picture from a few weeks ago. I ran it by a few of my cutter friends.

What are you seeing? I am happy to keep learning more. There is a lot of art and science in grinding square and everyone seems to have their take on it.

It’s all about the corner. This is the iteration I cut with yesterday.

Attachment 491198

I will start hand filling the gullet out when I take care of the riders.

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Well, I’ve never worked with a full chisel chain so that might be a factor here, and I’ve always hand filed. But I guess I kind of expect a more extended top plate with a corner on it, maybe a touch more gullet. But hey, if it’s working…

That picture above looks more like what I’m used to.

The last pict is looking better but if i had to guess I would say the stone seems to be taking out the gullet like its not for that kind of chain ?

I always use a a hand filing jig at home which makes for a sharp chain

Square chisel is fascinating. Cuts faster but dulls faster? Do you treat the rakers the same?

Looking at that tooth profile I don't really see how one would sharpen that chain in the field ??

I had bud who cut the big wood out on the coast, he said the company did not allowed them to hand file in the field, instead they give em 3 sharp chains in the morning which they hand in at night to be re-sharpened get 3 more in the AM

Buddy said it was too scary bucking stems sticking 30 ft in the air and he quit

The angle of the top plate changes the aggressiveness and durability. More angle is more aggressive and more square is more durable. Dad is running more aggressive because he was always cutting clean, green, softwoods. I am going more durable because of cutting all kinds of firewood.

The stone and grinder are definitely for this chain; however, I need to keep fiddling. There are a few adjustments on the grinder itself and then the main adjustments are on how the stone is shaped itself, I am using Simington’s stone shape right now, but may change it. There are two diamond dressers with adjustable angles. One is for the top of the stone and the other for the side.

Square can be filled in the field with a square file, hit it’s a PIA especially trying to get the same angles as the grinder. I would rather swap chain. A few minutes of swapping the chain and keep cutting fast :)

There is the conventional wisdom that square dulls faster, but I think it’s a push. Dirt dulls the chain equally fast, what is different though it the break ability. A square tooth chain running fast through wood and then hitting wire or rock can break right off, especially on a chain that has been ground a lot.

https://youtu.be/IqTfvxFDo5g?si=7pVYSrT1PLUmReK0

Lots of YouTube coming up now. People are getting hip to square.

Handle the rakers just like round. A few swipes every grind. There are raker and gullet grinders but they are expensive and not too worth it.

Thanks the response. A lot about square chisel that I did not know.

Awesome! I think you're real close with the last image. Looks like maybe a bit of top beak? I hand file square and trend toward a little bit of side beak just to make sure I keep the outside top plate angle and that corner intact the whole way across. I am still hemming and hawing about a Simington, but deep down I know it will pay for itself.

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For the greater good -

Falling and bucking in the woods - square is unbeatable, imo. Adds precision ability to falling face cuts, and speed to the back cut/limbing/bucks..

There a touch of top and side. I need to shape the stone a bit I think.

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Originally Posted by Hood26

The angle of the top plate changes the aggressiveness and durability. More angle is more aggressive and more square is more durable. Dad is running more aggressive because he was always cutting clean, green, softwoods. I am going more durable because of cutting all kinds of firewood.

The stone and grinder are definitely for this chain; however, I need to keep fiddling. There are a few adjustments on the grinder itself and then the main adjustments are on how the stone is shaped itself, I am using Simington’s stone shape right now, but may change it. There are two diamond dressers with adjustable angles. One is for the top of the stone and the other for the side.

Square can be filled in the field with a square file, hit it’s a PIA especially trying to get the same angles as the grinder. I would rather swap chain. A few minutes of swapping the chain and keep cutting fast :)

There is the conventional wisdom that square dulls faster, but I think it’s a push. Dirt dulls the chain equally fast, what is different though it the break ability. A square tooth chain running fast through wood and then hitting wire or rock can break right off, especially on a chain that has been ground a lot.

https://youtu.be/IqTfvxFDo5g?si=7pVYSrT1PLUmReK0

Lots of YouTube coming up now. People are getting hip to square.

Handle the rakers just like round. A few swipes every grind. There are raker and gullet grinders but they are expensive and not too worth it.

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Back in the day we made sure everyone had a raker guide, they're pretty cheap and help keep the chain cutting efficiently.

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Originally Posted by Powder Ho

Back in the day we made sure everyone had a raker guide, they're pretty cheap and help keep the chain cutting efficiently.

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for sure on the guide. I use one.

The echo 4910 chainsaw has been discontinued and replaced by the 4920. The 4910 is very similar to the 501 with some cheaper parts like a plastic handle. Anyways Home Depot still has some. Normally I would not recommend buying a saw from them, but they are cleared out from all the dealers. This is a nice 50cc saw that you can open up with a very simple muffler mod. I like the saw and wanted to pass on the heads up.

My old Husqvarna 340 is acting weird.

After 4 or 5 cuts, the chain tightens up to the point where I have to reset the bar. I never had this happen before, it used to get looser.

What gives, gurus of the wood?

Bar tip worn out?

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Originally Posted by BCMtnHound

Bar tip worn out?

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Is there an algorithm to determine that?

Haven’t heard of that issue but start by taking the bar off and clean everything in the adjustment mechanism and tightening stuff. Clean out the groove in the bar of all the chips and sawdust - go deep with some thin piece of metal.

Might have to clean out the clutch and drive sprocket.

Does the tip sprocket need cleaning and lube?

If you’ve taken the bar off recently did you put it back together correctly? All the right parts in the right place and orientation? Washers/nuts and such? Can you move the bar up and/or down when you think it’s all tightened?

This is kind of a reach, but is the chain brake mechanism fully functional and correctly adjusted?

Another reach - did you throw the chain recently? Sometimes the drive links can get damaged causing drag in the groove on the bar.

If none of that works might want to try a new chain to see if that fixes things…and maybe a new bar.

I’m sitting in DEN, trying to get home in spite of delayed flights, so this is a welcome diversion.

Edit: when the saw is put together, adjusted, and ready but not running can you pull the chain smoothly along the bar? That might ID a tip problem.

One more: is the chain oiler working, not plugged or anything?

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Originally Posted by Meadow Skipper

Haven’t heard of that issue but start by taking the bar off and clean everything in the adjustment mechanism and tightening stuff. Clean out the groove in the bar of all the chips and sawdust - go deep with some thin piece of metal.

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Took the bar off twice, cleaned out some of the sawdust as well as I could with a screwdriver, reset it with the proper tension (enough slack (thanks to JR Bob Dobbs) so that the groove teeth stayed in the groove, but a little bow in the chain). Lubed it each time. Started up fine and seized with tight chain after 5 8" cuts through hemlock.

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Might have to clean out the clutch and drive sprocket.

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Some sawdust remained, didn't have a waterpick, flamethrower or pressurewasher on hand.

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Does the tip sprocket need cleaning and lube?

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Lubed it twice.

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If you’ve taken the bar off recently did you put it back together correctly? All the right parts in the right place and orientation? Washers/nuts and such? Can you move the bar up and/or down when you think it’s all tightened?

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I think so. Did this twice as noted above. Didn't have access to a maul.

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This is kind of a reach, but is the chain brake mechanism fully functional and correctly adjusted?

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I think so. After the fixes, it cut fine for 5 or6 cuts, then the chain tightened again. I'm not wearing boat shoes.

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Another reach - did you throw the chain recently? Sometimes the drive links can get damaged causing drag in the groove on the bar.

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No.

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If none of that works might want to try a new chain to see if that fixes things…and maybe a new bar.

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New chain as of this morning. Headed to the bar shortly.

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I’m sitting in DEN, trying to get home in spite of delayed flights, so this is a welcome diversion.

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I do my best to divert, as evidenced.

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Edit: when the saw is put together, adjusted, and ready but not running can you pull the chain smoothly along the bar? That might ID a tip problem.

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Yes. After each of the 2 reassembles, the chain pulled fine.

Oiler might be plugged, but oil is draining.

To check the oiler function rev it up while pointing the bar at some paper or something (without touching) and you should see some oil spray or splatter on whatever you point it at.