Electric starters for chainsaws?

[Sunrise Guy]

This is a serious question about a serious problem: Does anyone out there know if anyone is making electric starters for light saws like the 192T and/or heavier saws like the MS-460? After over twenty years in the biz, I am probably going to have to bail if I need to keep yanking the damn cords. The left bursa under my left scapula has collapsed and my ribs are separating from my sternum due to the forces applied to these areas each time I have to start up my saws. I wake up in true agony most nights and I can't keep enduring this crap. While I have been laughing it off for years, at 58 the pain has gotten too old to keep that up. My hot tub helps, but not to the point of great relief, anymore. I found an article in an old Popular Science magazine from 1966 (Popular Science - Google Books) that featured a saw with an electric starter. It was going for about $270, back then, which would be like $1800, today, according to an online converter. Money is no object, within reason, as it's either find electric starters or quit my active involvement with the biz. I climb for my company.

 

[mheim1]

I'm not aware of any add on device (but I haven't looked either).
I would think, you could easily build something with a cordless drill.
Just thinking out load:
-remove the starter assembly
-cut a hole in the cover
-secure the flywheel nut
-attach some sort of clutch to a cordless drill
Might work.

 

[brokenbudget]

buy an electric saw.

 

[Brian VT]

buy an electric saw.

or hydraulic ?

I am surprised they aren't building saws with electric start.
Batteries are plenty light enough these days.

 

[brokenbudget]

or hydraulic ?

I am surprised they aren't building saws with electric start.
Batteries are plenty light enough these days.

yeah i have no ideae either. i have a nice mcculloch 5-10 that i redid the batteries on and it works very well. it sits at allweathers in brockville on display. too nice to use:shame:
seem today with the lipo and liion batteries it would be no problem making it work. for the older or 'lamed up' homeowners it would be a god send to have.
the only option to easier starting is the easy2start from stihl, only available on a couple of saws. echo echo echo has their own version that seems to work better.

 

[kev1n]

The drill idea would work easily, makita makes very small lithium ion drills with plenty of power. Just cut a hole big enough on the flywheel side to get the socket on the nut. Get yourself a holster for drill and your good to go. I use my electric makita to start my riding lawnmower. You could probably fab up a small kick starter, I was just looking at old briggs engine kick starters this morning. I think a kick start would be awesome. Kick starting a saw up in a tree is probably not a good idea.

 

[zogger]

Offhand starting?

This is a serious question about a serious problem: Does anyone out there know if anyone is making electric starters for light saws like the 192T and/or heavier saws like the MS-460? After over twenty years in the biz, I am probably going to have to bail if I need to keep yanking the damn cords. The left bursa under my left scapula has collapsed and my ribs are separating from my sternum due to the forces applied to these areas each time I have to start up my saws. I wake up in true agony most nights and I can't keep enduring this crap. While I have been laughing it off for years, at 58 the pain has gotten too old to keep that up. My hot tub helps, but not to the point of great relief, anymore. I found an article in an old Popular Science magazine from 1966 (Popular Science - Google Books) that featured a saw with an electric starter. It was going for about $270, back then, which would be like $1800, today, according to an online converter. Money is no object, within reason, as it's either find electric starters or quit my active involvement with the biz. I climb for my company.

Have you tried reversing your hands and starting it that way? A little clunky, but perhaps with enough muscle memory it could work..

electric start..ya I thought about that at one time with a drill and some sort of solenoid or something. Seems like almost doable. a tapered driver socket for the drill, only works one way, slips off the other, would do it. Still clunky up in a tree though..

BS had some deal I was reading that once started, a lawnmower engine, the engine would compress some air, then on the next start it used that to restart itself. Lather, rinse repeat. If the onboard air tank didn't leak, theoretically the engine would only need to be pull cord started once. Maybe use the hollow handle on a saw for the onboard air tank reservoir... No idea if they even made these things or not, just reading about it some years ago now.

Hear ya on getting older and finally not being able to do your "regular" job. I had to give up one I was doing for 15 years, was my "career" of sorts. that was the plan anyway, keep doing that until "real" retirement, was making enough to live OK and sock some away every week. Just couldn't hack it after a bad back injury. I *tried*, went back and worked a little..no cigar. Had to admit reality and move on, do something else. I have taken a huge hit in pay too, but that's reality. Some job making some money is better than no job no money living on the street. Got the T shirt on that last deal..pretty much a sucktastic life.

 

[bcsizemo]

Going on that kick start idea, could you fasten a quick release where the pull start handle is now and add on a large D handle?

Something you could get your foot into?

That way you could hold the saw with both hands (and probably sitting would be best), pull start it with you foot? Might need to have the cord come out of the bottom of the starter housing rather than the top/back...

-Note: I haven't thought that all the way out, and it seems plausible for a smaller saw, but don't hold me to any liabilities.

 

[Sunrise Guy]

Now I'm looking at electrics, cordless and corded

The Stihl electrics are about $550, and I would need to plug in to each client's outside outlet, which might rile a few. Then there will be the older homes without them. I could bring my generator, but how would I start it---Yep, pull the damn cord. Aloft, I'm going to try the Mikita for about $225. I suppose extra batteries will add another couple hundred bucks. Then I still have the plug-in-the-charger issue with outside outlets. This is a hassle, to be sure, but I don't want to leave the biz, so what other choices do I have? It's really odd feeling my left scapula grate along the back of my ribs, and when my ribs separate from my sternum, even a mm or so, it feels like an ongoing, daily, heart attack. Some fun--not!

 

[fearofpavement]

Sounds like you have put some serious wear and tear on the joints. Have you really taken the time to consider if not having to start the saw is going to resolve the problem with your high mileage body? It may be time to consider some other type of occupation or at least less direct involvement in the more physical parts of it. I guess trying a cordless electric will be a good experiment to see if it helps. I have bursitis issues on my left elbow right now so can feel for you.

 

[brokenbudget]

yup, it may be time to hire somebody to swing that chainsaw around for yuh.

 

[1steve]

Sorry to hear of your pain, you are the owner of the company correct? If so and you dont work alone just have one of your guys do the starting. Just a thought.

 

[thomas72]

If you have to cut a lot of wood I would go hydraulic over electric. You probably could get around a 10hp Honda with hydraulic pump and reservoir and cut a good while on a gallon of fuel.

 

[Mr. Bow Saw]

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[Mr. Bow Saw]

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[Taxmantoo]

Can you pull one of the little saws with a spring loaded starter?
My Stihl dealer claims that the saws will start no matter how slow you pull the cord. I assume the Dolmar 420 works the same way.

Here's what they start 40cc model airplanes with:
TowerHobbies.com | Sullivan Dynatron Super Power Starter
(you'd have to make a hole in the flywheel housing so you could jam the starter in there)

 

[andrethegiant70]

Ouch! Sorry to hear of your troubles. I've had a few bouts with irritated bursa.. it takes the danged things forever to calm down. It's just me speculating, but it sounds like you have an autoimmune issue. Do you also have asthma or allergies? If so, you might start to think about what is irritating your system.

 

[BobL]

The drill idea would work easily, makita makes very small lithium ion drills with plenty of power. Just cut a hole big enough on the flywheel side to get the socket on the nut. .

A member on the milling forum did this on his 076 and burnt out his drill after a few starts although chances are that it would better survive on a 70 cc saw.

. . . . The left bursa under my left scapula has collapsed and my ribs are separating from my sternum due to the forces applied to these areas each time I have to start up my saws. I wake up in true agony most nights and I can't keep enduring this crap. While I have been laughing it off for years, at 58 the pain has gotten too old to keep that up. . . .

I can't see how you can climb with bursa problems. I'm close to your age and had both bursa inflamed to the point where I not raise my arms above my shoulders and also found it hard to sleep. Four years ago, in sheer foolishness I took up CS milling with an 076 (with no decomp valve) and now an 880 and that seems to have cured it!

 

[galde]

Cranking with an electric drill on the flywheel nut will likely just unscrew the nut unless the high strength loctite is used.

 

[Stihlcutter]

I was going to suggest something like Bow Saw posted. Take a 260pro and you can put an easy start on it.Another suggestion is to start the saw on the ground and just leave it running? Another idea is to contact stihl about it? They have been good with me and my suggestions and complaints. Just some thoughts. I know your pain. Get better
-ac