Gardening with 372XP & Canola Oil

I dodged a bullet today having to garden. My secret weapon was Canola oil and my 372XP. Take a look:

http://s176.photobucket.com/albums/...rrent=070331Rogermakingcurlyfrieswithchai.flv

I don't know if I'll use it often, but I needed it for a special need this afternoon. I initially thought the guys on the forum using Canola were a little off center. My personal opinion after using it is that my chain seemed to move easier, the saw stayed a lot cleaner, and it was an absolute breeze to clean. After using it, I drained the tank and ran some of Bailey's "Motion Lotion" bar and chain oil through the system for storage and for my next use.

EXCELLENT

are you gonna try hardwood ?
maybe potatoes are worth a try

Great video(s)!

Great video and good ideas. However I could never put wood right on the ground like that here with the termite problems around this area.

If the termites come, I'll just have to figure out a way to use a chainsaw to combat them! Think they can take on the Husky?

LOL, problem is termites like dirt, saw chains do not like dirt. Also termites win by sheer numbers.

I don't care who you are, that's funny right there!

engineeringnerd said:

I dodged a bullet today having to garden. My secret weapon was Canola oil and my 372XP. Take a look:

http://s176.photobucket.com/albums/...iew¤t=070331Rogermakingcurlyfrieswithchai.flv

I don't know if I'll use it often, but I needed it for a special need this afternoon. I initially thought the guys on the forum using Canola were a little off center. My personal opinion after using it is that my chain seemed to move easier, the saw stayed a lot cleaner, and it was an absolute breeze to clean. After using it, I drained the tank and ran some of Bailey's "Motion Lotion" bar and chain oil through the system for storage and for my next use.

Click to expand...

Glad you gave it a try! I used it because I herd good things about it. Was skeptical at first but have been happy with it. Not that I am a environmentalist, hell probably done more damage with a choker chain and winch with no tree saver than most people, my thought if the tree dies I will cut it down for firewood next year!And since for me it is less than half the price of regular bar oil I will stick with it.I think the price has to do with were you live, since canola is practically grown in my back yard is why it is so cheap hear.

I haven't priced it recently, but I think most vegetable oils can be bought at the big box stores for about $25 per 35 lbs, which I believe equates to roughly 5 gallons. That would put it somewhere around $5/gal retail, which is a little cheaper than most bar oils. I think I commonly pay about $7 for good bar oil.

I'm still amazed at how easily it cleaned up after using the saw.

What size bar do you have on that 272xp? I was thinking of picking one up with a 28" bar for felling some large pines...a few folks here said to stick with a 20" bar as this saw is in better balance with the shorter bar. How does your saw handle ....how happy are you with the saw in general?

Groover,

I'm assuming your question is addressed to me. I have a 372xp, you mentioned a 272xp (typo?). In any case, I like the 372 a lot. I normally run a 24" bar on it, preferably with full comp semi-chisel (Bailey's SC or Oregon DP). I also have a 20" bar and a 32" Oregon Power Match bars. The 24 balances perfectly, but the 32" is a little bar heavy. If you go with a 28", consider a reduced weight bar. On the few occasions that I run the 32" bar I run full skip semi-chisel. I've raised the wrath of some for this preference, but it cuts faster on my saw, cuts smoother, and stays sharp, much, much longer than chisel in the type of cutting I do. The following video link shows my saw running with different chain types in really tough oak with a 32" bar:

http://s176.photobucket.com/albums/...rrent=Roger070127HQHusky372xpchaintrialsD.flv

32" is on the edge for this saw in hardwood, but it makes it when I need it to. I know that chisel chain is supposed to outperform semi-chisel, but for some reason it doesn't on my saw. Chisel chain tends to "bite" into the wood too much and gets it in a bind. I've read others having the same issue with this particular saw.

It is an extremely smooth running saw, but it takes about 15 tanks of fuel to loosen up. I also did a muffler mod which helped quite a bit. Magic started happening after the 10th tank and I feel like power went up about 20%, allowing me to pull the 24" bar with full comp chain and the 32" with skip. 32" is a lot of bar for this saw, it would probably be better suited for 28", but it pulls it pretty well.

20" works really well, but as you can see from my pictures, I like to run with a large set of dogs, which takes up another 1.5" of the bar length, hence the 24" works well for me. I will probably be ordering a few loops of 20" SC chain in the next few days. I'm about to retire my Eager Beaver 3.7 with a 20" bar and will use the 372 with that length more in the future when the wood is smaller.

Today I generally use my 346xp with a 16" or 20" bar when I get into lumber less than 16" in diameter. It's a few extra pounds lighter and cuts through the small stuff incredibly fast.

Feel free to look at the other video's in my Photobucket account while you are there.

Yes I meant 372xp! Great informational video. I was thinking of getting a 28" bar with the saw but was talked down to a 20"-22" max by some on others here. So I had kind of settled on a 24". I had started a thread in the forestry and logging forum. I guess a 24" would be good for everything I would be cutting. Is there anyway to save your video to disc? Looking at that sure takes away any doubts I had about buying that saw! They are out of them till 4-6-07 so I have to wait anyway. I guess they discontinued it but by popular demand they had to start making them again. So I was told by dealer. Thank you much for the info.

Engineer,
Just curious what the wood is for in the garden? Just cosmetic and a way to keep the feet clean? Curiousity has me. I helped my folks do a long walk way using oak pavers that we cut. Like the looks of them in your garden, would also I'm sure reduce the weed growth.
Thanks

grover said:

... I guess they discontinued it but by popular demand they had to start making them again. So I was told by dealer. Thank you much for the info.

Click to expand...

They have been making them all the time, they were discontinued in the US only (for EPA reasons), as far as I know.....

Grover,

I believe Baileys is advertising the 372 for $569 in their most recent sales brochure. A lot of other guys really like the Dolmar 7900, which is only about a 0.5 lb heavier, but has just under 1 HP more power (6.3HP rating). I hear it cuts great. The 372 is the more tried and true since its been out longer and many like the filtration system better. It's a Ford/Chevy thing, but in this case the Chevy (Dolmar) does have more horses. It may come down to who can better support your saw. I think Dolmar has a few chinks in their armor in this regard as they don't have nearly as extensive a dealer network and I've read a number of threads about their parts supply chain having some problems. Many on the forum have had great Dolmar support, some being dealers themselves. All I can say is that the Husky has been great and I don't regret the purchase. There are tons of these saws being used by pro's all over the place. The 372 and the Stihl 044/046 are some of the most tested saws on the planet.

As far as saving the file to disc, you'll have to ask your local IT guy. I know you can, but it takes a little doing. You can copy the link in this thread and forward it to someone and it will work as long as my source video is on the hosting site.

Madman,

The slats are cut from yellow pine. The mulch is being used to keep the soil from washing away and to hold moisture in when we water the garden. The slats in the aisles are for convenience when walking during watering or after a rain. we have red clay in Georgia, and it really sticks to your shoes and is hard to clean. These "pavers" will probably only last a year or so before they rod or termites get them. I'll enjoy making them again!


Sawtroll,

How are you liking your 372xp? Would you buy it again, or go with the 7900?

I really enjoyed the video!

Your better half may be cursing you for the next 2 weeks. When you put newly cut wood mulch on the garden it robs it of nitrogen. Wood has a high carbon to nitrogen ratio and as such will take the nitrogen out of the garden.

It needs to compost for a while first or put down fertilizer with extra nitrogen before putting fresh wood mulch on the garden.

I learned this the hard way. The garden will recover after a few weeks.

See this link on carbon/nitrogen ratio of wood.

http://whatcom.wsu.edu/ag/compost/fundamentals/needs_carbon_nitrogen.htm

Mike,

Thanks for the tip, I'm not on the forefront of the science of gardening. We'll see if we can put a little extra Nitrogen down to compensate.

engineeringnerd said:

....
Sawtroll,

How are you liking your 372xp? Would you buy it again, or go with the 7900?

Click to expand...

I would have bought it again, just for the reasons that you mentioned + that it is super smooth, and that it is a classic on its way out - just had to have one before they all were gone.

For my wood, I don't need the extra power of the 7900 anyway (didn't really need the 372 either, but......) :hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange: :biggrinbounce2:

Btw, that video is great! :rockn: :rockn:

Grover,

I had another thought for you. If you go with a 24" bar as your only bar, you might want to get a loop of skip chain to break the motor in on the 372. I don't recommend skip unless you are competent with a saw due to its added kickback. I find the 24" full compliment chain is only marginally more to pull than the 32" with skip, so give the saw a break for the first 10 tanks or so. Once you get there, you should be fine.

Also, I highly recommend a muffler mod. Plenty of links on how to do it, just make sure you adjust your carb richer and don't over-rev it. You'll probably have to remove the carb adjustment limiter caps, which is a piece of cake.