Drop starting saws

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You drop start your chain saws:

  • Always, every time, no matter what

    Votes: 174 38.7%
  • Mostly (unless the safety boss is around)

    Votes: 51 11.3%
  • Usually (unless I am feeling guilty or safety minded)

    Votes: 54 12.0%
  • Sometimes (only when the dang thing will not start)

    Votes: 53 11.8%
  • Rarely (only when the mother-in-law is in town)

    Votes: 51 11.3%
  • Never, every time, no matter what

    Votes: 64 14.2%
  • Other (I let someone else start my saws)

    Votes: 3 0.7%

  • Total voters
    450
starter ropes are for sissies

I usually push start mine, but to avoid being excessively manly I do at least wear gloves. I grab a hold of the chain and just give it a good quick shove in the forward direction, fast enough to spin up the motor and kick it over.

If I'm feeling kind of tired at the end of the day I'll turn on the bench grinder with a big wire wheel attached, and bump start it with a quick touch of the chain to the rotating wire wheel. Usually I perform that technique with one hand on the handle while holding a beer in the other hand, since the second hand isn't really needed for anything else.
 
THat was funny cityboy!
I drop start the 020t in the tree, everything else is either the ground start for first of the day, or the leg lock for warm starts, holding the handle on the curve with the left hand exposes the pull cord handle more so you boys don't wallop your goolies.
I always have the chain brake on, the only time its loaded is that first cold start when its on high idle, otherwise the warm starts have no load on the clutch with the brake on. A quick blip on the throttle takes the load off in no time. Been starting my saws that way for years (8 for the little one) and not burned out a clutch or bell housing yet.
 
It looks like most of us drop start the saws, but it looks like most of us are drop starting smaller saws. One or two guys talking about big saws.

I drop start too; except for a couple of saws. The Jonsered 90, even when I remember to use the decomp is a bear. I swear Jonsered must have used starter pulleys the size of nickels in the old days. Husky 395 wears a 32", and it is kinda scary waving that thing around like a sword when she catches.

then there are the antiques...most of them want the extra lovin' that comes to them through repeated strokin' the rope....
 
Yah, the drop starters are still way out in front. But one fessed up to having someone else start their saws.

Yah, starting a 460 or 650/660 is a b-i-t-c-h w/o decomp. Drop starting the 361 is easy w/o the decomp, until later in the day after a lot of sawing. Then I start to use it more often.
 
Yeah, those decomp's are pretty important.
I never use one, so I decided to take it out of the jug since I wasn't using it.
:censored: saw wouldn't start at all, I screwed it back in and she started on the 1st pull.
Gotta have them decomp's.

Andy
 
Never used the de-comp, honestly - drop start my little saws (460) and my biggers saws 660 the same. Since I started building my own I remove the de-comp valve and plug the clylinder anyway. I have been shooting for the 190 range in PSI, squish around .20-.22. So they sometimes bite back, but I just cuss em' and yank harder.
 
It's an OSHA-legal method here to drop start with the bar resting on a stump or log, as long as the tip is clear. That's the method we teach on industrial (logging) sides and one of the methods I always taught at the Forest Service.
 
Sawtroll will tell you if you owned a husky with an outboard clutch it is slightly heavier on the clutchside which leads to safer drop starting anyhow ;). And don't forget the added gyro effect.
 
Sawtroll will tell you if you owned a husky with an outboard clutch it is slightly heavier on the clutchside which leads to safer drop starting anyhow ;). And don't forget the added gyro effect.


oooohh... That's the secret. The gyro effect PUSHES the bar down into the log making drop start safe....:greenchainsaw: :greenchainsaw:
 
Centrifugal force, effects how the chain cuts, upper bar all torque and smooth cuts, underneath full horsepower and rough cuts, reverse the motor get the opposite effect
 
I usually drop start, brake off. I did that with one of C4F's saws at the last GTG and it almost took my head off. It's got a tad bit of compression as compared to mine. LOL On went the compression release and between the thighs it went.

Ian
 
You missed another thread where Troll was first touting and then backpedaling on the gyro stuff... ;)

It is in fact a valid point, at least limbing smaller limbs at a high rate, but not a very important one overall.

The gyro effect from the rotating chain will of course be less notisable, when the bar is closer to the weight axis.......

I just found it futile to get it into some peoples head, and gave up.....:biggrinbounce2: :laugh: :laugh:
 
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