chainsaw 101

[lgottler]

OK, so I picked up a new (to me) chainsaw for the Jeep. Yes I consider a chainsaw a Jeep accessory.

I know very little about these things. I was able to start it up, cut some branches, then shut it off! I cleaned it up best I could, picked up a spare chain for it, got a socket and ratchet dedicated to the saw so I could replace the chain if needed. I picked up a thing of bar and chain lube, and some 2 stroke oil.

Question is, what should I bring with it on a scouting trip? If I fill it up with both gas and bar oil will it operate for a long time??? Or should I bring that stuff with me? Would it work for like 2 hours or only 20 minutes???

Also, how loose or tight should the chain be? Right now, I tightened it only enough so that when I pull on the chain, about 1/2 of the lower guide part of the chain stays in the "bar". This means I pull as hard as I could on the chain and it did not lift entirely out of the guides....?

Air filters. I can't find an air filter anywhere. It almost looks like a K&N type that might be washable and oilable. Is this so? Or do they have to be replaced???

Its a McCulloch Mini-Mac 6 14" chainsaw my brother-in-law found for 20 bucks.

When I was little, I saw my dad cutting with his bigger chainsaw and he taught me some major do's and don'ts, anyone have anything in particular they found out from using 'em?


Thanks,

Lucas

[WhiteRhino]

Lucas,
I sounds as if you have the chain about right. Typically, if you pull on the chain you should be able to not quite see the bottom of the drive teeth at the halfway point along the blade.
Usually, a single tank of gas will suffice for a half hour or so,...which is quite a bit of cutting. I also carry an extra small can of gas. I don't remember if it 1/2 or 1 gallon.
I have never needed to use any gas from it. But it is nice to have in case your saw leaks!
I will also have a chain saw on Labor day. So, between us, you don't need to bring anything extra.
I can't give you any specifics on your particular saw.
The number one rule with a saw........ Be careful! Other than that, it's common sense.

[lgottler]

Good to know I'm on the right track.

I think I'll leave the gas and oil at home then. I always have an axe anyways, so if I run out of gas, it's not the end of the world.

Lucas

[JohnnyJ]

Oh, if you put the chain on backwards, cutting with the top side of the saw won't do much good; but it will polish the wood. :blink:

[WhiteRhino]

Funny you say that John: My dad had a saw given to him years ago because the d$@^ thing wouldn't cut. When he got it home, the blade was on backwards!

[Timbr Wolf]

You guys had me laughing pretty good about the backwards chains! I suppose to the uninformed or the simply brain dead, stranger things could happen! So.... The biting edge of the chain should be traveling away on the top of the bar, and back to you on the bottom.

The first thing a saw needs to be usefull is a full tank of gas and oil. The second most important thing to bring along is a FILE of the correct size for your chain. A dull saw cuts very little wood. Fluffy sawdust is a good indicator of a dull saw. Sharp saws make nice little chips. If you are not sure of what size file to get, the chain should have small numbers stamped right on it. If not, take it to your local hardware store. They can hook you up with the correct file.

Beware of touching the wood with the round end of the bar and chain! Doing this will kick the saw up toward your face! Newer saws have a "chain brake". This is the big paddle type lever in front of the top grab handle. If the saw does kick up, the back of your left hand will hit this lever. So at least if it does hit your face, the chain will not be spinning. The chain brake can also be engaged to keep the chain from spinning while you are not holding the saw.

[JohnnyJ]

The chain story is from a trail ride we were on. We got to a trail with a downed tree and one of the guys in our group was cutting it with a little hand saw. Someone else rolled up and said they had a chain saw and came up to the downed tree, fired it up, and went to town. After they polished the tree, we said they probably had the chain on backerds, so they tried cutting up. We finished the cut with the hand saw and continued on. We still joke about it to this day...

[Creative Fab]

One thing I have found very handy to have along is the wedge, this device will help when the log you are cutting has pinched your bar. By driving in the wedge you can seperate the log enough to extract your saw.

I do carry extra bar oil and gas with me. But the bar oil is in a small power steering fluid bottle and the fuel is in a one gallon can without being mixed untill I need it. That way I can use the fuel in the Jeep if need be. And dont forget your eye protection!