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My first real chainsaw!

Started by JoeyLowe, February 22, 2002, 04:50:25 PM

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JoeyLowe

 8) Earlier this week I found that I needed a chainsaw to use along with my Woodmizer sawmill so off to the local cahinsaw dealer I went.  He sold me a Stihl 029 and told me that it was all the chainsaw that I would ever need.  It had a 20" blade and seemed to be a very nice chain saw until I met the mother of all logs.  Now I'll admit that I should probably brush up on my tree identification skills because I initially thought that what I was about to mill was an old pecan tree.  I figured that the 029 would work just fine.  Boy was I wrong.  Turns out this tree was 50" in diameter and was a willow oak, not a pecan.

So back to the dealer I go to get a bigger saw.  So I ordered the Stihl 066 with the 36" blade.  I was told it would arrive the next day so I waited patiently.  Well it arrived on schedule and I approached the tree again.  (photo below).  I must say that this saw is awesome.  I was a little scared of it at first.  I still respect it, but I'm much more comfortable with it now.  This saw went through that oak like it was hot butter.  All I can say is "WOW".

Photo of tree after it was on the ground and limbed.


--
Joey Lowe

"Working towards perfection has to be a part of anything one does.  You've got to put yourself into it." ... Sam Maloof (chairmaker)

JoeyLowe

By the way, that is my F350 to the right in the photo. That will give you some idea of the size of this tree.
--
Joey Lowe

"Working towards perfection has to be a part of anything one does.  You've got to put yourself into it." ... Sam Maloof (chairmaker)

Kevin

JL, what chain do you have on the beast? RS?

KiwiCharlie

G'day Joey,

You wont regret the extra cost for the 066.  A real nice saw, which will will service you well, if you make sure to look after it!  Keep that chain really sharp, avoid the dirt, and look after the bar too.
Once you get past the fear of the saw (wont take long), but always respect it, you will have a safe time with it.  It is a big saw, and may be a bit large for the smaller wood youll come across, however all that means is you have an excuse for buying another saw!  Works for me every time!  
Invest in a pair of chaps if you havent got them already.  I was doing a tiny, quick job the other day and didnt bother putting the chaps on, managed to eat a nice sized hole in my shorts........ :o  Didnt trip/stumble or anything like that either.  Sounds funny dont it, but a whisker closer and Id have a fancy set of stiches in my thigh!! :-[
Cheers
Charlie.
Walk tall and carry a big Stihl.

Corley5

Big saws are wonderful tools but hang on to 'em tight so they don't get away.
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

JoeyLowe

Not sure what  chain is on it.  I guess the proper reply would be the stock chain.  It's razor sarp though.  I was removing the blade guard and snagged the meaty part of my little finger on one of the blades.  Made a nice v-shaped incision and I bled everywhere.  No stitches though.  
--
Joey Lowe

"Working towards perfection has to be a part of anything one does.  You've got to put yourself into it." ... Sam Maloof (chairmaker)

Bud Man

JL : A sharp chain is the best kind  :D :D
The groves were God's first temples.. " A Forest Hymn"  by.. William Cullen Bryant

Corley5

It's better to get cut with the saw off than running under power.  It's much cleaner that way. ;D  That's really not funny. Be careful, chainsaw bites are NASTY :'(
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

woodmills1

it didn't take me long to realize that saw chain is really good at cutting flesh when not running.  good rule is to wear gloves when you sharpen or maintain your saw.
James Mills,Lovely wife,collect old tools,vacuuming fool,36 bdft/hr,oak paper cutter,ebonic yooper rapper nauga seller, Blue Ox? its not fast, 2 cat family, LT70,edger, 375 bd ft/hr, we like Bob,free heat,no oil 12 years,big splitter, baked stuffed lobster, still cuttin the logs dere IAM

Don P

[shadow=red,left,300] Made a nice v-shaped incision and I bled everywhere.  [/shadow]

I'm going with full chisel...do I win? :D

Frank_Pender

  Welcome to the 066 Club, Joey.   The are a cuttin' machine.   I have used mine for quarting some Sequoia that were 6' across and I did not even have to put on a ripping chain. 8)
Frank Pender

CharlieJ

Hey Joey,

Now you know 066's rule :D

CHARLIE

Y'all got my interest up. With my piddally cutting, I don't need anything that big, but I'm gonna havta go look at one of these monsters just to see it. It's gotta be something to see!  :o :o

Kevin, can a guy tell what kind of chain he's got on the saw by just looking at it?  AND....How many types of chains are there? ::)
Charlie
"Everybody was gone when I arrived but I decided to stick around until I could figure out why I was there !"

Kevin

Charlie, see if there`s a number on one of the links including the driver.

woodmills1

shucks, i have 066 fever.  :D pine to cut soon, big pine, did i mention i am a sthil man :D hey kathy i haven't bought a saw ina long time :D shucks
James Mills,Lovely wife,collect old tools,vacuuming fool,36 bdft/hr,oak paper cutter,ebonic yooper rapper nauga seller, Blue Ox? its not fast, 2 cat family, LT70,edger, 375 bd ft/hr, we like Bob,free heat,no oil 12 years,big splitter, baked stuffed lobster, still cuttin the logs dere IAM

John_Boisselier

An 064/066 has always been one of my favorite saws, but it is still a toy by comparison to an 084/088.  
  Full chisel chain has a flat top coming at a sharp corner into the side of the tooth.  it cuts fastest, but is more sensitive to abrasive conditions.  If the tip of the tooth gets dull, it just doesn't cut worth a hoot.
  Old chipper chain was kind of curved from the side of the tooth all the way around the top.  It naturally cut best when sharp, but it didn't affect it much if it was dull either.  It would just keep gnawing away at a fairly slow rate of speed.
  Semi Chisel chain has a flat top coming into the side of the tooth with a rounded corner.  It cuts almost as fast as full chisel, but the rounded corner gives it a lot more tolerance to keep cutting while running slightly dull.
  I personally prefer to use full skip full chisel chain and just keep it razor sharp with a touchup as often as necessary.  Keep cutting.  John
The Woodsman

JoeyLowe

 :-[ :-[ :-[  Had my first wake up call today with a chainsaw.  I was taking some short spikes off of a big old pine so it would roll easier, when I had a little kickback on my Stihl 029.  Well the chain came flying off and struck me in the left knee.  Thank God for safety gear.  All I got was a bruise and a re-newed deep appreciation of the damage that can be caused by these wood eaters.
--
Joey Lowe

"Working towards perfection has to be a part of anything one does.  You've got to put yourself into it." ... Sam Maloof (chairmaker)

Kevin

J,
What type of chain are you using and was it snug to the bar or loose?

L. Wakefield

   Yeah, that one got me to sit right up- I haven't done MUCH sawing, but from the beginning I was taught to always, ALWAYS check the chain for snugness. No one has told me the precise 'correct' tightness- and I'd seen mostly chain that got TOO tight- it was this old saw with a wobbly bar that just did NOT have a good adjustment screw. It might have been a McCulloch, but I didn't like it, which is why I bought my own Husky. But I sharpen (only under extreme duress like having hit a rock..), tighten as necessary, turn it by hand a turn or 2 because they almost always loosen up a bit after that first turn. I think it has to do with how the tightness comes onto the chain- asymmetrically somehow and then when you turn it it evens out. I like it to turn easy by hand, and be able to pull a tiny bit of slack when I pull up on the chain, but by no means be even close to jumping a tooth. I honestly can't imagine a chain jumping off unless the thing got right out of adjustment. I think from my mental picture of your assident that you may have just sent me further down the road toward a pair of chaps. One thing that, frankly, has held me back is that I don't do a lot of sawing, so I tend to get a good bit of ribbing if I show up with some new item of safety gear. Hard hats- laughed at and not used. (granted they were terrible and the ear muffles fell right off) Chaps will be the same way. But it's not anyone else's leg- it's mine, and I'd be the one laid up, not 'the other guy'.    ::)  lw
L. Wakefield, owner and operator of the beastly truck Heretik, that refuses to stay between the lines when parking

Jeff

Maybe not just laid up. Maybe dead. Dont take long to blead to death from a chainsaw assident. Lots a times your not near help. Trees tend to grow in the woods and away from help. Big reason to always have a buddy. Shortly after Tammy and I were Married, her Dad had a nasty assident while cutting firewood. Luckily he had Taken Tammys 8 year old sister with him. She drove him out and got help.

Tammy grew up living next to her grampa's very large junkyard. Her and her sister were driving when they wer 6 or 7 and Hauling cars with the wrecker at 16. She knew way more about fixing cars and getting parts then I did when we met at the age of 16. Had more money too. Her grampa used to pay her 50 cents a piece for every carb, radiator, starter, generator, etc, she tore off of cars, and brought up and put on the parts shelfs.
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

Kevin

 :D ,  I know what you were interested in when you first met Tammy and it didn`t have anything to do with fixing cars now did it?
Parts maybe but it wasn`t car parts!

                  

Jeff

I married her for her parts. I had a 68 Plymouth Sport satelite that ate trannies and Tammy could get them for me... Then occasionally a guy would need a rear end. :o
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

L. Wakefield

   Yeah, sure is tough to be young and looking for a rear end. You could use a helping hand.  Kinda like when you are looking for the garage that can do cut rate lube jobs. In deepest sympathy... :D :D :D   lw
L. Wakefield, owner and operator of the beastly truck Heretik, that refuses to stay between the lines when parking

JoeyLowe

Hey Kevin:

What do you mean type of chain?  I didn't know there were different types of chains. :)
--
Joey Lowe

"Working towards perfection has to be a part of anything one does.  You've got to put yourself into it." ... Sam Maloof (chairmaker)

Kevin

J,  different manufacturers and oodles of different design characteristics.
You should know the type of bar , type of chain and pitch that you`re using.

village-moron

I think there should be a law that says: if you dont know the difference between a chipper tooth chain and a semi chisel chain, YOU CANNOT OWN A PRO SAW!! I know what each type of saw chain looks like, I even know the differing gauges and pitches of chain almost by heart. I use mostly semi and round chisel chains on my saws. I love my Mac PM-610 I even have all the original parts for it including chain. It came with a 16" bar and 60 dl round chisel chain on it when I bought the thing, for aboout $5 usd from a friend who had no use for it anymore. I just had to rebuild the carb on it and away I went!! number of problems: 0 number of things cut: I dunno, 50? just bought a new bucking spike and 20" windsor speed tip bar for it on ebay. gotta love that place.
town moron

Duane_Moore

 :) Try the chain saw Pants, fit over your Levis and have zippers in the legs, Don't look bad like chaps, , only two problems. 1 no cut to get to your pants pocket,2 the zippers are upside down for me, should be top to bottom, but a good saddlemaker could fix these things,  BE SAFE,  Duane 8) 8)
village Idiot---   the cat fixers----  I am not a complete Idiot. some parts missing.

Duane_Moore

 :( I feel this forum is for learning things like different types of chain, Saws, Mills, Cars, Beer, opps. bears, and many people own pro saws, aand are not pros,  God Bless,  Duane 8)
village Idiot---   the cat fixers----  I am not a complete Idiot. some parts missing.

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