Storage habits destroying our saws?

[Den]

Since I sold my house and put everything in a u-lock, I'm wondering if the extreme heat, cold, moisture, dryness, etc. are damaging engine seals on my chainsaws?

Have you ever had plastic/polymer lawn furniture, or porch furniture with vinyl strips.
When you store it in a dark crawlspace all winter, or in a hot/cold metal tool shed for long periods, the plastic/vinyl seems to degrade and turn weird colors, even scrapes off with your fingernail.

I just have the saws laying on the bare concrete floor, some on boxes, others on top of washer and dryer.

When I still lived in my home, I had the saws in an attached garage that had some level of moisture control and temperature control. All in all, pretty pampered !!!

Any thoughts?

 

[ML12]

The vast majority of my saws live in an unheated, uninsulated wooden garden shed. They are stored off the floor on shelves and they seem to be just fine. I noticed a bit of corrosion on one handle that had been shoved in a corner for a couple years, but other than that the oil and sawdust seems to protect them all right. I'd avoid putting them anywhere that would 'sweat' or could have high humidity and decent temperature swings.

The vinyl issue is most likely due to UV degradation.

 

[Definitive Dave]

off the concrete unless they are all plastic models

 

[CentaurG2]

Meh…. No matter how you store anything, someone will tell you it is wrong. If you are not using your saws, just give them away or sell them and pocket the cash. Chainsaws ain’t that valuable and most don’t appreciate in value. A $50 gold piece feels way better in the hand than a ms660. Stores a lot better too.

 

[1Alpha1]

Moisture and severe temp. swings do the most damage, IMHO.

Temps. below freezing and those above 100 can do damage to rubber. Moisture is just as bad. Storing in direct sunlight is a killer. One of my neighbor buys a new push mower about every two years or so. He'll spend a few hundred dollars on one and store it outside in the elements. He complains about how they don't last anymore.

He has a cheap metal storage shed, but it's too full of crap to get his mower in. The door to it doesn't close all the way, so when it rains, stuff inside gets wet.

All of my O P E is kept inside my garage / shop. It never gets below 45 when the heat is turned off, and it never gets anywhere near 90 in the hot summer. And, it's dry and not moist like a metal shed can be at times.

All my life's acquired treasures are in my garage. They all sleep well indeed.

 

[svk]

On the floor isn't great. Better to have them at least on some cardboard or wood. Up on a shelf is much preferable.

The floor in our barn would sweat terribly and anything metal would develop rust during the year. OTOH the cement in my home garage never has moisture as there is much more airflow in and out of the building.

We kept a mag case saw on the wood floor of our sauna building at the cabin and it had constant problems with moisture. Put the saw up on a shelf and never had any more issues.

 

[pro94lt]

Dozens of saws stored 365 days a year in a bucket truck, concrete shop slab, or in the bed of a truck. Never any issues. And even ran at 50:1

 

[Jtheo]

On a shelf in an unheated wood shed has worked for me.

The manual on some of the Husqvarna saws say dump the gas and let the carb run dry. Fill the oil tank and store. That's the way I do it, and have done so for years with no problem.

I once had a Sachs Dolmar 112 that was stored for about 8 years because I was just not needing it. Got it out, started on the second pull just like it was only stored yesterday.

 

[svk]

The manual on some of the Husqvarna saws say dump the gas and let the carb run dry. Fill the oil tank and store. That's the way I do it, and have done so for years with no problem.

Husqvarna says to store full of oil? So it all runs out and protects coats the bottom of the saw probably!!!

 

[LondonNeil]

Think stihl say that as well. I do it. I hang my saws on the wall by the handle, the scabbard slowly fills with oil!

 

[Den]

I think I'm going to get the saws off of the concrete floor, and put them on a sturdy shelf of some kind. Other than that, I'll take my chances with the heat and cold !!!
I've already run them dry of fuel.