Tuning with Tachometer

[anlrolfe]

Looking to improve the tuning on a couple of saws that I have. I find the Low speed mix adjustment easy enough when tuning "by ear" but with the H-speed mix as critical for saw longevity I have always erred on the rich side. I mix my fuel/oil at 50:1 but add stabilizer and additional top end lubes like Lucas Oil's or a bit of Marvel oil. Trying to maximize carb tuning and efficiency on working saws.

What strategies do you use for tuning with an electronic tachometer:

• Up to Manufacturers Top RPM?
• Slightly below MFG spec for longevity?
• Above MFG spec to maximize other mods or tuning?
• Don't use tach, only use the ear??

 

[mdavlee]

If your saws are ported a lot of times they will be super rich at factory specs. Muffler mods may increase the 4 stroking at the same tune but really the best way is to get the strongest cut in the wood with a nice 4 stroke out of the wood and then tach it for reference. I noticed after I got a tach I was always a lot richer than I thought I was.

 

[HuskStihl]

I like the tach a lot while tuning, but as was said above, I'll usually richen it up a smidge after I reach the number I want. The darn limited coils seem to take longer as they confuse my tach unless I approach the limit slowly from below

 

[anlrolfe]

At this point I'm working with stock saws with conservative Muffler Mods(MM). I'm a "Fire wood Troll" and only need "just need enough saw" to keep the house warm in the winter. I have toyed with the thought of doing a "big bore" kit with some porting but as long as the 026 can still pull an 18" b/c .325 RM in hard wood I find it hard to justify the $$$. Its simple home economics for me. I can save between 50-100 bucks per month on heating mid Oct thru March. Everything I do to harvest wood I feel that I need to justify against the heating bills. Unfortunately that includes collecting saws. I try to run the house as a "fiscal conservative".... Perhaps if I had a bigger stove or I would NEED a bigger saw ?????????

 

[Naked Arborist]

At this point I'm working with stock saws with conservative Muffler Mods(MM). I'm a "Fire wood Troll" and only need "just need enough saw" to keep the house warm in the winter. I have toyed with the thought of doing a "big bore" kit with some porting but as long as the 026 can still pull an 18" b/c .325 RM in hard wood I find it hard to justify the $$$. Its simple home economics for me. I can save between 50-100 bucks per month on heating mid Oct thru March. Everything I do to harvest wood I feel that I need to justify against the heating bills. Unfortunately that includes collecting saws. I try to run the house as a "fiscal conservative".... Perhaps if I had a bigger stove or I would NEED a bigger saw ?????????

I'd say most of us tune by ear as I do. Keep your saws rich if you think you might mess them up. The down side is wasted time in the cut (no much ) but better than a failure. Keep some spare spark plugs on hand at all times. Run synthetic oil or a good blended oil at the least. Tuning by ear takes experience and there is no replacement for that. I run my saws right on the edge but would never sell one tuned like mine are. Re-tune them all the time.

 

[anlrolfe]

I never implied that I was "new to a saw or saw use" (look at more than post count). Dad passed when I was 14 and I picked up his Mc 10-10 and put on his Red Wing steel toes. Can't say that I never looked back. Even though gone his words never left me. I worked most of our fire wood with my Grandfather, a man who grew up mid central Maine in hovels harvesting wood OLD School along mountain sides and twitching it out with Ox and draft horse. He showed me how an Ax should be swung. My Sister and Brother-in-law worked a pair of ++2000Lb Oxen on land that people wanted harvested but didn't want skidders... go figure? Many logging runs to Jackman when I was trying to find out "what I wanted to be"(thanks USMC). Its a bit harder when everything ends up 18" and and split not just feeding it into a chipper. I've played with air cooled engines from weed eaters through Volkswagens and know better than lean them till they squeak. None of the saws that I have ever used were what I would consider PRO saws till getting my 026. Other than Dads, most were either borrowed liming/trimming or big box store specials used by someone who couldn't figure out how to keep it out of the dirt or their toes.

Chainsaw are like guns, other peoples scare me.

 

[HuskStihl]

Sounds like you don't need to spend money on a tach. I dont judge by post count, as I generally don't know that much, but your original post made you seem less experienced than you are

 

[paduroiul]

Why is it necessary to tune the rev limited coil chainsaws in the wood, while cutting the chainsaw doesn't reach the max RPM so the tach can get a good reading so you can set the max RPM you want precisely? This is the difference between limited and unlimited coil chainsaw in what regard the carb adjustments, or not ?
I watched a lot of videoclips and read a lot of post on the matter but I'm still confuse about why you should tune rev limited saws while cutting and how ...
Maybe it's just me ...

 

[zogger]

At this point I'm working with stock saws with conservative Muffler Mods(MM). I'm a "Fire wood Troll" and only need "just need enough saw" to keep the house warm in the winter. I have toyed with the thought of doing a "big bore" kit with some porting but as long as the 026 can still pull an 18" b/c .325 RM in hard wood I find it hard to justify the $$$. Its simple home economics for me. I can save between 50-100 bucks per month on heating mid Oct thru March. Everything I do to harvest wood I feel that I need to justify against the heating bills. Unfortunately that includes collecting saws. I try to run the house as a "fiscal conservative".... Perhaps if I had a bigger stove or I would NEED a bigger saw ?????????

You can burn wood for the heating bills, then you could step it up one notch and try to cover say like truck bills as well, by selling some. Or sell enough to cover electric bill, or house taxes, etc.