New Stihl MS 250. Had first issue tonight, something I should worry about?

[Superhunter12]

Hello all. Tonight I was cutting a red oak with a very hard bark. When I was about half way through the tree which was about 3 inches, I noticed some sparks coming out of the tree. I backed off and tried it again at a different angle and not really sure what had happened. Any ideas possible? I have an 18 inch bar with a .325 chain if that means anything.

 

[H 2 H]

Check the chain you might have hit something in the tree

 

[Superhunter12]

Check the chain you might have hit something in the tree

I had that in mind too. When I dropped the tree I did not notice anything. "Rock Oak" is what some of the old timers call this type of tree I was cutting.

 

[alderman]

Dirt or sand on the bark.

 

[Superhunter12]

Dirt or sand on the bark.

That could be possible.

 

[struggle]

I have seen sparks and not hit nails before. As long as the chain stays sharp you are good to go. If you cut often in the dark I bet you would be surprised at how many spark can fly while cutting

 

[Superhunter12]

I have seen sparks and not hit nails before. As long as the chain stays sharp you are good to go. If you cut often in the dark I bet you would be surprised at how many spark can fly while cutting

It was dusk. Around 7:30 pm EST. I dont keep track of the time, but with sunglasses as safety glasses I probably should find something that would not make it feel so dark.

 

[stihl023/5]

+ on the dirt or sand.

 

[luke 560xp]

It could of been the chain half derailing... it seemed to happen alot when i first got my 560 ... Nothing to worry about:big_smile:

 

[7sleeper]

What is supposed to be the issue? A few sparks are not an issue but if you have a rooster of sparks like from a angle grinder then I would begin to think there might be an issue here...

7

 

[lambs]

Absolutely nothing to worry about, but you might want to check the cutters on the chain to see if they have a little ding in them on the cutting edge. That can be corrected. You didn't indicate that the saw stopped cutting well but if so, refile it. There are plenty of threads on the site about how to file a chain to make it good as new. Just be patient with it and you'll get the hang of t.

I always cut a tree a few feet above ground, then limb it and buck it, finally cutting the stump off last in case there's dirt in the bark that will dull the chain.

 

[w8ye]

I've seen those sparks sometimes when cutting after the sun has gone down. I'd be cutting pretty high on the tree. The spark would often come out the area where the chain exits the clutch cover. Couldn't see any damage on the chain or chain plates?

I think there are often sparks from the chain that you don't notice when the sun is shinning?

 

[indiansprings]

Sparks will fly off the bark, you will see them in the dark, also when you hit metal/rocks etc in the tree. It is a nothing but a myth about species of trees ( at least in the USA) being so hard that sparks fly. People claim all the time sparks will come off hedge but it is nothing more than bar/chain metal to metal contact. I've had people come in with badly rocked chains and claim the wood was so hard it dulled the chain in the first cut, I often struggle to keep my mouth shut, they are too ignorant to realize that they either hit something or trench the ground.

 

[SawTroll]

Dirt or sand on the bark.

Most likely just that!

 

[REJ2]

Bar and chain in contact with each other, just like Indian said, it happens during the daylite hours also, you just cant see it as easily.

 

[oldmar]

See it myself now and again. Always nice to confirm that the saw is oiling properly, though. Should be about 1 tank of oil to every 2 tanks of mix on an ms250.

 

[Superhunter12]

See it myself now and again. Always nice to confirm that the saw is oiling properly, though. Should be about 1 tank of oil to every 2 tanks of mix on an ms250.

I am getting one tank of gas for every tank of bar and chain oil.

 

[H 2 H]

I am getting one tank of gas for every tank of bar and chain oil.

That's the way it should be IMO