Chainsaw restoration

[Zipster]

Sence i have retired i have taken up a new hobby of restoring vintage chainsaws. What is some of the best ways to get the black looking tar out of the gas and oil tanks , i am new to this site and any help would be greatly appreciated .

 

[Mad Professor]

Might try diesel at first.

If not plastic acetone or dichloromethane.

On old bike tanks we'd put in some BBs and solvent and shake and shake and shake..........

 

[Pioneer]

Lacquer thinner. Standard handling cautions apply. Will melt most gunk over a few days including fuel lines and some plastics.

 

[glock37]

If its like boogers
Bake it out dry it out then blast the crud away if tank is metal or cast heat tank for long time in oven
We used powder coat oven for 5 hours
Thinners and such wouldnt touch it
It was a poulan 44 sand cast saw


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[chainsawman53]

I gave up on Chainsaw restoration because I am out of room but still make all the decals.Good luck,
Garry

 

[chainsawman53]

Still doing pedal cars, like the one Charlie had. ( future king of England) that is him in the photo obove the peddler,
Garry

 

[buzz sawyer]

Might try diesel at first.

If not plastic acetone or dichloromethane.

On old bike tanks we'd put in some BBs and solvent and shake and shake and shake..........

I've used 1" concrete nails on some bad ones.

 

[heimannm]

I have had success on some with Purple Power and a scrub brush.









Others succumbed to carburetor cleaner. For sealed tanks that you can't get in and scrub the bake & shake techniques may be your only hope. I made a face plate fixture so I could slowly spin a tank in my lathe while 1/2 filled with BB's. That will certainly take care of any oxidation or dried out residue.



Mark

 

[KASH]

MEK methl ethel keytone use good common sense and be very careful while using it.
Has been known to cause cancer of the testicles in blind rats in California.
This stuff is the best I have cleaned lots of plastic snow mobile tanks lawn tractor and chain saw tanks.
Pour it in shake it empty through a filter save it for another job.One shot 10 minutes done.
Kash

 

[preventec47]

For areas that you can see easily, try spray on kitchen oven cleaner and let soak for 20 or 30 minutes and
recoat as needed before brushing with toothbrush.

 

[Jeekinz]

I use straight PineSol to clean gummed up carbs. 24hr soak, they come out like new.

 

[pioneerguy600]

MEK methl ethel keytone use good common sense and be very careful while using it.
Has been known to cause cancer of the testicles in blind rats in California.
This stuff is the best I have cleaned lots of plastic snow mobile tanks lawn tractor and chain saw tanks.
Pour it in shake it empty through a filter save it for another job.One shot 10 minutes done.
Kash

Same as, Kleen Flo, best stuff I ever used. It will remove even melted down rubber line stuck to the tank ,varnish and all other crap stuck to the old mag tank saws of which I have many. No stirring, shaking or agitation needed. One of the old RA`s I inhereted had 6 fuel lines complete with what once were fuel filters welded to the mag tank , the Kleen Flo left the tank walls shiny, no scraping at all.

 

[gumneck]

I gave up on Chainsaw restoration because I am out of room but still make all the decals.Good luck,
Garry

That's a really nice looking collection and great work on the restoration of the peddle car. Is that all of your chainsaw collection?

 

[Jasonrkba]

Soak overnight with gas then rinse. Then white vinigar for 30 minutes it will fiz like alkaseltzer. Do not let it sit to long.

 

[TheTone]

I gave up on Chainsaw restoration because I am out of room but still make all the decals.Good luck,
Garry

I would really like to be able to make decals, but I figured it would require expensive equipment. What do you use, and do you make any custom decals to sell?

 

[Steve Garrett]

On cast tanks, Mineral spirts and BB’s. Let sit, shake, shake, shake. Let sit longer, then repeat over and over until all clean.

 

[KASH]

Jerry I have not saw a can of Kleen Flo in about 40 years .My dad had a big can and I now remember the smell kinda like MEK.
Kash

 

[Jasonrkba]

That mek is some strong stuff. We used it when I worked with fiberglass as a gel activator some 25 years ago. I wonder if drano would have any adverse reactions with magnesium.

 

[KASH]

I have used toilet bowl cleaner for rusty metal tanks I have a gummy Stihl tank I am going to try the toilet cleaner on in the next few days.
Kash

 

[Jeekinz]

Oxalic acid mixed with water will remove rust. You can buy bags of it online. Lots of restoration tricks on vintage motorcycle and bicycle forums. Only thing Ive used drain cleaner (lye) on was to remove anodizing from aluminum.