How Do You Hold Your Saw When Starting?

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A saw should never be started between your knees, or on the ground. It does not take some violent act to start a saw. If it won't start there is either something wrong with it, or it's too much saw for the user. Most people pull way too hard or flale around with it. Anyone ever heard of finding TDC/BDC?
 
Depends on the saw. Husky 141, 61, 372, crotch start cold, drop start hot. Homelite Super Wiz, crotch start. C-5, set it on something firm and clear, right hand on controls, left hand pull. 288xp and Mac 15 on ground with right heel on rear handle bottom strap because any other way equals pain. Mac 795 and 1-82, set on something firm, log, table, whatever... left handle on throttle, right hand pulls twice with ignition off. Turn on ignition, turn up death metal, and pull like you intend to rip the starter off and sacrifice it at the altar because any other way equals pain.
 
Burvol said:
A saw should never be started between your knees, or on the ground. It does not take some violent act to start a saw. If it won't start there is either something wrong with it, or it's too much saw for the user. Most people pull way too hard or flale around with it. Anyone ever heard of finding TDC/BDC?
Click to expand...

You're better off beatin' your head against a wall Burvy ol' buddy... :bang::bang:

:laugh:

Most people just don't/won't get it mang...

Gary
 
Out here in Khazakstan

In my native country of Khazakstan, were we are the largest exporters of Potassium we have a few ways of starting our wood cutting devices.

I usually kick my wife in the backside and she grunts and groans and eventually goes and gets the axe. Sometimes when its hot she burbles a bit when her cooling fins have become clogged so I hose her down.

I also like to use the more prefered method of yo-yo ing the chainsaw up and down in a rapid motion. It usually start but im not so sure my brother Bilo is going to recover.

Another method for the more modern Khazakstanian is to have a person hold the saw bar up facing a live pto on a tractor (having a small tractor is highly technological) and tossing an extended pull rope at the live pto. Ha ha Bilo dont forget to put the chain brake on.....!!!

We Khazakstanians are noted for our slender physique but big feet. And you know what they say about big feet......cannot afford shoes! So we cant start a saw with a foot in the saw. So we stand on the bar instead! Saw never moves. Haha thats why they have steel toe boots. But we are always sharpening our saws.

Back in Canada. Its Tdc and yank between the legs. Or bdc and yank. But seems like its always between the legs.
 
Zero Gravity said:
This very same person got 12 stitches kick starting a DRZ400. I think he has a dark cloud following him around.
ZG
Click to expand...

yeah yeah yeah, i wanna saw big enough for a kick starter...:givebeer::clap::censored:

go good on that 3120 w/ 56" i saw recently...

build a trailer to haul it on...cooler than spinners yo:greenchainsaw:
 
My 076 I start like this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trfAYoZFuAg
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/trfAYoZFuAg&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/trfAYoZFuAg&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
(sorry it's not a very clear video)
 
drop start

Gary:
where/which hand is placed where on the saw when you start it?

I watched my buddy drop start my 044... right hand on the rear handle, left hand on the pull... dang near had the saw hit him in the head when it bucked... then he laid the bar on a log and tried again. Oh.. and he was a BC logger years ago.

when I tried, I held the saw in my left hand on the wrap handle on top, and pulled with my right. Brake on. So I could hit the choke easier.

when I first bought it, the Stihl dealer started it the first time and he had the rear handle between his thighs, left hand on the wrap, and pulled with his right.
 
alright already, i'll have to come clean. i've not been totally honest in my replies here. been joking about.

and we all know that gasoline-powered cutting tools are no joking matter.

so to be quite clear and honest and possibly help my sawyer brethren out, i'll come clean with the bare (nearly) facts of how i hold my saw when starting.

well.

you see.

i _don't_.

she starts it for me:

cherie_currie_chainsaw.jpg
 
nanuk said:
Gary:
where/which hand is placed where on the saw when you start it?



...I held the saw in my left hand on the wrap handle on top, and pulled with my right. Brake on. So I could hit the choke easier.
Click to expand...

Same way... except I don't use the chain brake...

The big Macs with right hand start... I hang on to the rear handle with my left (so I can hold the choke) and pull with my right... have the big ol' bar sittin' on a log or stump.

Gary
 
GASoline71 said:
Same way... except I don't use the chain brake...

The big Macs with right hand start... I hang on to the rear handle with my left (so I can hold the choke) and pull with my right... have the big ol' bar sittin' on a log or stump.

Gary
Click to expand...


I have never used the chain brake when drop starting. None of the guys I work with do either.
 
What I'm suppose to start my saws? I thought they all look pretty good together sitting on the bench keeping each other warm. When I start em, I put it on the ground right knee on top, left hand on starter, right hand on handle.
 
When I drop start, I hold the front handle in my left hand with the saw at belly height. I then pull with my right hand and push down with my left. I can see how drop starting without a chainbrake can be dangerous if you don't drop/push down on the handle when pulling up on the starter. I've seen people try and just pull the cord without dropping/pushing the saw down. It doesn't work too well.
 
m44 said:
I drop start every saw I own, its the way I was taught and its the way everybody I know does it. On smaller saws I have been known to drop start it with one hand on the rear handle pulling the trigger.
Click to expand...

i do that if i screw up and flood it when it is cold. only gets hairy with the 28" bar on...
 
385XP RE: your post #69 - please stop by and give me a demo on starting the SP125 without using the compression release. Please bring a spare rope and starter dogs, maybe a flywheel as well...

I have several right hand start saws, bigger ones must lay over a log or on a bench, worst case on the ground/floor; left hand on the controls and as CPR stated, pull like you mean it.

Smaller RH start saws (i.e. McCulloch 10 Series) I like to hold the rear handle/throttle in my right hand and reach over to pull with the left, sort of a modified drop start.

Most of the modern LH start saws up to the 036 Stihl I lock the handle behind my right knee like the Stihl dealer showed me.

Smaller LH start saws seem to work best with the right hand on the rear handle, throttle held wide open, drop/throw and pull with the left hand.

Other big saw with or without compression release I like to place on the ground, knee on the saw, pull with the left hand.

For you robust younger guys who only drop start now, just wait, your day is coming when you will look for a less demanding approach.

Mark
 

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