New guy from Wisconsin. Wanna-be porter

[MikeB Saw Shop]

Hey folks. Been reading threads here for quite some time. Finally joined.
I do firewood, Land maintenance, milling, the odd removal for family and friends. I've got an excessive collection of saws for my needs. Getting into port work after doing a few rebuilds.

Next projects on the bench are an 024 and 026 that I'm going to try my hand at port work with. Got all the tools. Going to find where my numbers are and then re-research where I want to take them. I have an entire spare short block for the 024, and the 026 is an aftermarket top end so I'm not too worried about ruining either of them. After I gain some confidence I'll tackle my big saws.

Anyway. Thanks for having me, this site has been a great resource for me over the last few years.

 

[stihlaficionado]

Welcome to AS

 

[Lightning Performance]

Hey folks. Been reading threads here for quite some time. Finally joined.
I do firewood, Land maintenance, milling, the odd removal for family and friends. I've got an excessive collection of saws for my needs. Getting into port work after doing a few rebuilds.

Next projects on the bench are an 024 and 026 that I'm going to try my hand at port work with. Got all the tools. Going to find where my numbers are and then re-research where I want to take them. I have an entire spare short block for the 024, and the 026 is an aftermarket top end so I'm not too worried about ruining either of them. After I gain some confidence I'll tackle my big saws.

Anyway. Thanks for having me, this site has been a great resource for me over the last few years.

Start grinding and post pics or
Do you have a plan?
If you say more power or max power that is not a plan. Chasing numbers isn't a plan it's a destination.
Bar size intended for use?
Fuel?
Economy?
All should be considered long before grinding besides fixing all the issues that are hurting performance during the "rough-in" phase.
Carb changes or swaps?
Decibel limits?
Any other changes?

 

[MikeB Saw Shop]

Start grinding and post pics or
Do you have a plan?
If you say more power or max power that is not a plan. Chasing numbers isn't a plan it's a destination.
Bar size intended for use?
Fuel?
Economy?
All should be considered long before grinding besides fixing all the issues that are hurting performance during the "rough-in" phase.
Carb changes or swaps?
Decibel limits?
Any other changes?

024 will wear a 16" bar. 026 will have an 18" both .325. Both saws have NIB WT-194 carbs waiting to go on.

I need to find my base timing numbers yet. I was going to over the weekend but after years of using wire hangers for various things it seems I've run out! I didn't have a suitable replacement pointer so I moved on to other projects for the evening. Regardless I don't plan on making large adjustments to timing. Small changes, and clean up & polish the exhaust is all the ports will see for these first attempts.
Most work will be to shape the lower transfers to increase flow. Matching the port windows on the piston and shaping to promote flow.
These are just play saws and a learning experience. They'll get used for limbing and bucking small firewood. Not worried about fuel efficiency. Would like to increase throttle response, and hope to find an increase in power.

 

[Lightning Performance]

024 will wear a 16" bar. 026 will have an 18" both .325. Both saws have NIB WT-194 carbs waiting to go on.

I need to find my base timing numbers yet. I was going to over the weekend but after years of using wire hangers for various things it seems I've run out! I didn't have a suitable replacement pointer so I moved on to other projects for the evening. Regardless I don't plan on making large adjustments to timing. Small changes, and clean up & polish the exhaust is all the ports will see for these first attempts.
Most work will be to shape the lower transfers to increase flow. Matching the port windows on the piston and shaping to promote flow.
These are just play saws and a learning experience. They'll get used for limbing and bucking small firewood. Not worried about fuel efficiency. Would like to increase throttle response, and hope to find an increase in power.

Make the intake huge like Doc does. It might eat fuel but you don't care. Machine work on the base would help. You can swap on an 045/056 boot although I never have. More so on the chamber and base work to add compression to it. Adding a much better filter an inlet helps a bunch with dynamic flow. Bevel the piston on your intake side and shape it better to the port opening. The carbs you have should work good.
Assuming you plan on 325nk chain?

Copper wire works just the same as coat hanger for an adjustable pointer.

 

[MikeB Saw Shop]

Make the intake huge like Doc does. It might eat fuel but you don't care. Machine work on the base would help. You can swap on an 045/056 boot although I never have. More so on the chamber and base work to add compression to it. Adding a much better filter an inlet helps a bunch with dynamic flow. Bevel the piston on your intake side and shape it better to the port opening. The carbs you have should work good.
Assuming you plan on 325nk chain?

Copper wire works just the same as coat hanger for an adjustable pointer.

Who's Doc? I did see Mastermind's thread on here with pretty big intake numbers.
No machine work on this one. Maybe the next go round.

Stihl 024 stock numbers, no base gasket are:
Intake Open: 68° BTDC. 136° duration.
Exhaust Open: 99° ATDC. 162° duration
Transfers Open 128/129. ATDC. ~29° Blowdown.
Squish winds up at .017"

I plan to open up intake duration a bit. Shoot for 147° and if I over shoot it, no big deal. Maybe even more? I've seen other builds that are well into the 150's. I'll take some off the port, and some from the piston skirt to keep the port size reasonable to promote intake air velocity.
Exhaust seems plenty high as it is. I'll look into widening the port, and definitely polish it to the best I can make it.
I'm not planning to adjust the upper transfers. It seems like a longer blowdown, but I guess I'm not 100% on if that's an issue or not.
Squish seems good. With a few thousandths of gasket maker at the base it should wind up around a pretty happy .020".

I'll start a true build thread shortly.

 

[Lightning Performance]

Who's Doc? I did see Mastermind's thread on here with pretty big intake numbers.
No machine work on this one. Maybe the next go round.

Stihl 024 stock numbers, no base gasket are:
Intake Open: 68° BTDC. 136° duration.
Exhaust Open: 99° ATDC. 162° duration
Transfers Open 128/129. ATDC. ~29° Blowdown.
Squish winds up at .017"

I plan to open up intake duration a bit. Shoot for 147° and if I over shoot it, no big deal. Maybe even more? I've seen other builds that are well into the 150's. I'll take some off the port, and some from the piston skirt to keep the port size reasonable to promote intake air velocity.
Exhaust seems plenty high as it is. I'll look into widening the port, and definitely polish it to the best I can make it.
I'm not planning to adjust the upper transfers. It seems like a longer blowdown, but I guess I'm not 100% on if that's an issue or not.
Squish seems good. With a few thousandths of gasket maker at the base it should wind up around a pretty happy .020".

I'll start a true build thread shortly.

The first thing I would go after is a shorter blowdown because it's just way too long like 14° too long probably.
Then put that intake in the mid seventies.

 

[MikeB Saw Shop]

The first thing I would go after is a shorter blowdown because it's just way too long like 14° too long probably.
Then put that intake in the mid seventies.

I don't have a 90° grinder, but may take a crack at it without.

 

[Lightning Performance]

I don't have a 90° grinder, but may take a crack at it without.

You don't need one.
You can use a tiny cutoff wheel to set the roof and chip away at the rest by any means possible. When people say you can port a chainsaw with a file and a broken file, you can, I've done it. It is slow but anything is possible. Using stones, end mills and round balls will get you there faster. Some people use a drill to go super slow. It won't be pretty or fast and that reallyisn'tyour goal. Grab a wood chisel while everyone keeps laughing at this statement.

Do you have a cable drive?
If so buy a cheap 90.
If not buy a cheap 1/8" collet near 90° as small as possible but air powered. It still won't be easy and running low pressure requires a very delicate touch. This is the best and cheapest advice you're ever going to get Once you move transfer ports and do it correctly you're never not doing it again. You will ruin a few cinders a week if you truly try. You will get better.

 

[MikeB Saw Shop]

You don't need one.
You can use a tiny cutoff wheel to set the roof and chip away at the rest by any means possible. When people say you can port a chainsaw with a file and a broken file, you can, I've done it. It is slow but anything is possible. Using stones, end mills and round balls will get you there faster. Some people use a drill to go super slow. It won't be pretty or fast and that reallyisn'tyour goal. Grab a wood chisel while everyone keeps laughing at this statement.

Do you have a cable drive?
If so buy a cheap 90.
If not buy a cheap 1/8" collet near 90° as small as possible but air powered. It still won't be easy and running low pressure requires a very delicate touch. This is the best and cheapest advice you're ever going to get Once you move transfer ports and do it correctly you're never not doing it again. You will ruin a few cinders a week if you truly try. You will get better.

I have an air pencil grinder on loan from a buddy. My own collection of burrs and stones and various dremel kits.
Been looking at fordem knockoffs but not sure if they're worth the effort.
One of the projects on my lost are running an air line into my basement so I can use pneumatics inside. The garage is pretty cold this time of year....

 

[Lightning Performance]

I have an air pencil grinder on loan from a buddy. My own collection of burrs and stones and various dremel kits.
Been looking at fordem knockoffs but not sure if they're worth the effort.
One of the projects on my lost are running an air line into my basement so I can use pneumatics inside. The garage is pretty cold this time of year....

Blue Point and other make an angled pencil grinder. Get an air hose and another tank on your end.
K.I.S.S