Chainsaw "pullback" - avoidable?

[glenhyrst]

I have a Stihl 076 which I have rigged to take a home-made Granberg-style mill. It's about 20 years old.
I have used it several times over the years to mill logs.
It's 111cc's can cause a "pullback" so vicious at startup that the last time I
used it my shoulder was wrenched badly and still troubles me after 2 years.
It seems impossible to let go of the pull handle before being jerked back to the machine.
Can anyone suggest a way of avoiding this happening? I've been offered a pear tree and am lothe to let it go but wary of further injury.
So severe has been the "pullback" that even the casing on the saw has cracked at the point of impact.
Contrast that with my smaller Tanaka - a more modern machine equipped with a decompression button. A joy to start and use but nowhere near man enough to rip a tree trunk.
I suspect that all I can do it pray and try to let go of the pull cord ASAP but any suggestions?


Phil

 

[blsnelling]

Does it not have a decompression valve near the sparkplug? If not, you can add one.

 

[habanero]

What you're describing is what many non-chainsawers call kickback (chainsaw operators obviously have another use of that term) and it's common in pretty much any hand-started engine. A friend of Dad's had an old Farmall tractor (F-20 I believe, but could be wrong) that nearly broke my arm once kicking back when I was cranking it. Larger kick-start motorcycles will come close to launching you off the bike at times because of it.

As far as what to do about it, I'm not sure there's anything you really can do. My big saws will do it once in a while, and about the only thing I've found that helps to avoid getting jerked is just to hold the rope handle sort of lightly in your fingers such that when it kicks it will slip back through without pulling your hand with it. That's easier said than done, though.

 

[blsnelling]

Kickback in a chainsaw is when the chain throws the bar out of the wood and back at the operator.

 

[habanero]

Kickback in a chainsaw is when the chain throws the bar out of the wood and back at the operator.

Yes I realize that. That's why I prefaced my comment with saying that's what non-chainsawers call what he's describing.

 

[blsnelling]

Yes I realize that. That's why I prefaced my comment with saying that's what non-chainsawers call what he's describing.

I missed that part. Sorry

 

[habanero]

I missed that part. Sorry

No worries...

 

[056kid]

Man up and pull harder & faster.

it may sound crazy but drop starting thoes big saws is wayy easier..

 

[GASoline71]

I used to run an 076 many moons ago... They are big, heavy, and have a lot of compression. I'm a big dude, and drop starting saws usually is no big deal to me.

Bring the saw up on the compression stroke with the starter cord. You will be able to tell while you lightly pull it along until the piston starts to make a little compression. It will be harder to pull... then let the rope go back in to the rewind and then "YANK"... Do this everytime for that big ol' monster.

If you are off the compression stroke and then pull... if it misses (doesn't fire off), it will kick your a$$...

I used to run the 076 with a 36" bar and sometimes a 42" bar. Dropstarted it with the bar resting on a log or stump... just as I described above. Mine had no decomp on it either.

Gary

 

[spacemule]

Has anyone ever thought of winding extra starter rope around the starter pulley? The more rope you have, the larger the effective diameter of the starter pulley becomes, and the more leverage you'll get. This is why a saw with a small starter pulley will feel as if it has more compression than an otherwise equal saw with a large starter pulley.

 

[thomas72]

I think Gasoline71 gave the best answer. It is really a technique that is learned. I can drop start a sp125 no problem now, so I believe the 076 should be manageable.

 

[GASoline71]

Has anyone ever thought of winding extra starter rope around the starter pulley? The more rope you have, the larger the effective diameter of the starter pulley becomes, and the more leverage you'll get. This is why a saw with a small starter pulley will feel as if it has more compression than an otherwise equal saw with a large starter pulley.

Never gave that a thought Rexy... but I don't know if there would be enough room under a starter cover to allow a guy to put enough rope on it to make a difference... I like the theory...

Gary

 

[gink595]

I used to run an 076 many moons ago... They are big, heavy, and have a lot of compression. I'm a big dude, and drop starting saws usually is no big deal to me.

Bring the saw up on the compression stroke with the starter cord. You will be able to tell while you lightly pull it along until the piston starts to make a little compression. It will be harder to pull... then let the rope go back in to the rewind and then "YANK"... Do this everytime for that big ol' monster.

If you are off the compression stroke and then pull... if it misses (doesn't fire off), it will kick your a$$...

I used to run the 076 with a 36" bar and sometimes a 42" bar. Dropstarted it with the bar resting on a log or stump... just as I described above. Mine had no decomp on it either.

Gary

I have an old Yamaha thumper, 76' TT500. You just described the way I have to kick start it. Otherwise that pig will send you flying with a bruised foot:taped:

 

[super3]

I used to run an 076 many moons ago... They are big, heavy, and have a lot of compression. I'm a big dude, and drop starting saws usually is no big deal to me.

Bring the saw up on the compression stroke with the starter cord. You will be able to tell while you lightly pull it along until the piston starts to make a little compression. It will be harder to pull... then let the rope go back in to the rewind and then "YANK"... Do this everytime for that big ol' monster.

If you are off the compression stroke and then pull... if it misses (doesn't fire off), it will kick your a$$...

I used to run the 076 with a 36" bar and sometimes a 42" bar. Dropstarted it with the bar resting on a log or stump... just as I described above. Mine had no decomp on it either.

Gary

Yep do it like Gas says,I have 2 of these saws and 155 lbs. of ass,no problems starting here.

 

[Dibbs]

You could put an elastostart handle on it, if you haven't got one one on it already.

Edit:- I'd love to see all you "drop start" guys try this method with the mill attached!

 

[2dogs]

I like a loop handle on bigger saws. The Stihl MS460R rescue saw comes with a nice size handle. I feel it saves my elbow.

BTW I never drop start a saw by holding the loop handlebar with my left hand and the starter cord with my right. I drop start with my right hand on the throttle and my left hand on the rope. The nose of the bar is over a log. That way the saw does not spin around on me at a high RPM. Most of the time I am standing holding the loop handlebar with my left hand and the throttle is under my right thigh. First thing in the morning when the saw is cold I ground start the saw.

 

[Taxmantoo]

Bring the saw up on the compression stroke with the starter cord.

:agree2:

Has anyone ever thought of winding extra starter rope around the starter pulley?

A properly filled starter pulley is within one rope diameter of the edge. Your leverage idea is a good reason to take Gary's advice and let the rope retract after finding the compression stroke.

 

[GASoline71]

I have an old Yamaha thumper, 76' TT500. You just described the way I have to kick start it. Otherwise that pig will send you flying with a bruised foot:taped:

I have a 1988 ATK 406MX... Rotax big bore 2-stroke... same deal... either send you over the bars... or you get a bruised foot arch and sometimes the back of your calf...

It's a left side kick start too... so it's already awkward enough...

Edit:- I'd love to see all you "drop start" guys try this method with the mill attached!

That would be quite a feat... I spaced on that part of the OP's post... You can still bring the saw up on the compression stroke on the ground, and it should make life (and wear and tear on the sawyer) a lot easier.

Gary

 

[J.W Younger]

gary nailed it but what space said makes sense too.

 

[rms61moparman]

Send it to me !!!!

I guarantee it wont hurt you anymore! LOL