Clueless homeowners and their saws

[Mad Professor]

Is it possible to sharpen sawzall pruning blades?
They're fairly inexpensive and when one gets dull, I toss it and start a new one.
Would it be hard to sharpen one?
View attachment 1000261

No, like new bow saw blades. Unless metal has changed.

I found this one, note the teeth pattern, not a carpenter's saw. I'm making it good again...

 

[camel2019]

I see all kinds of stuff come in most of it is the bad gas/carb kits/ fuel lines. but some stuff is just off backwards chains and dull chains on a lot of stuff. Had a customer that I’m dealing with now bring me a bunch of stuff, one being a Cheap off brand corded saw that he bought a new chain for that was too big(61 drive links when he needed 56). problem was there’s nothing marked on the saw for drive link count and he has basically no understanding of chainsaws.

 

[krustysurfer]

Knowledge is lost in a generation. A father knows how to do stuff. So busy doing stuff or at work or entirely absent. Junior grows up in front of a TV. Right there, the family tree lost a precious inheritance that will likely never be recovered.

Agreed

 

[krustysurfer]

A big problem is all the kids growing up in urban centers with all the apartments, condos and private homes with completely finished basements. No workshop facilities. Only tools in the place is a junk drawer with a few screwdrivers, pliers and duct tape and parents who consider the right way to fix anything is to call someone in to do it. Kids grow up thinking the only tool you need is a computer and the internet. Kids growing up in the country still have a chance with the right parents.

They are preparing children for robots to take care of things.... Its going to get ugly.

 

[copen]

Is it possible to sharpen sawzall pruning blades?
They're fairly inexpensive and when one gets dull, I toss it and start a new one.
Would it be hard to sharpen one?
View attachment 1000261

If the blades aren't induction hardened, yes, they can be sharpened with a file. If they are, you can use a rotary tool with a cutoff blade. Fiberglass and PPE.

 

[JRM]

Living out in the weeds has its advantages. My kids (one graduated last year, the other a senior this year) have both taken at least 2 years of wood shop and Ag. My youngest will have 3 years of wood shop when he graduates. Ag class is a mix of agriculture, metal working, and basic mechanical repairs. Mostly all skills they learned here but is good to see in other settings. I'm slowly building on my wood working tool collection but it's pretty minimal in the grand scheme of things so they have learned a lot and used tools that they wouldn't have learned or used here. Most of their projects have been made from the rough cut lumber brought from home. When in 10th grade My son made a sign for mom from a maple he cut down himself, then ripped the board with the mill. He was pretty proud of that one.

 

[Czed]

Got a good sample of what a clueless homeowner can put a saw through on Sunday. Was helping a friend out at his cabin when I noticed one of his paths was blocked with a fallen tree. I knew his little Stihl ms170 should be up to the task so I volunteered myself to clean it up.

First thing I noticed was the blue scorch marks and missing paint all around the rails of the bar, it had gotten very hot. The chain had been run too tight and was still this way, no doubt contributing to the situation. The pico chain was also dull, but I thought "how bad could it be?"

Well I found out, I couldn't even get halfway through a three inch piece of wood without it starting to smoke! Well that was enough, I managed to scrounge a hobby file that was about the right size and went to sharpening the chain. And then set chain tension where it was supposed to be and tried cutting again. Now it was cutting like it should, throwing chips and going through effortlessly, at least for the first 5 inches when I found out it was cutting crooked because the rails had worn uneven!

I managed to clear the path at least, and then later that day found a cheap replacement bar and chain for him.

We take it for granted that we know what we're doing when it comes to saw use, but this makes me wonder if we are actually in the minority. What percentage of saw owners actually take the time to learn how to use the tool properly? Maybe this is why we find so many small saws in the garbage dump, they are treated like a disposable commodity, beat to death and thrown away.

My nephew a 30 year master plumber
Is no saw man
He showed me a 017 I gave him 15 year's ago
And said he just fried another bar
I said what do you mean
He said this was the 5th bar that burned up
I checked the oiler it's fried
He wasted all that money for no reason.

 

[Czed]

On the other hand I did buy a virtually new jonsered 2165
Because the guy was adamant
He does not need a 28" bar
I said buddy you can put whatever length you need on it
He didn't understand
So I bought it so he could buy a 16" saw.
In his mind whatever length is on a saw
That's what'll always be.

 

[sean donato]

I guess I need to revise my post.

My parents were utterly ****ing useless. I'm the kid who taught himself to wrench, and rebuilt the 350 in their pickup at 12 years old. Fixing and flipping lawnmowers since 10. Bought my first truck and put a new motor in it at 14, sold it for a profit before I got my driver's license though. Look at my username.

My brother had these opportunities too. He was more interested in following in the footsteps of our alcoholic and pothead parents, though. Last I talked to them, he was still living with mom and dad, in his old bedroom, no car or driver's license, not the slightest bit further ahead in life than he was at 10 years old, despite being in his 30s now.

I have a biological sister that's the same way. No want or need to succeed in life. Had a bunch of kids and leaches off the system. Pathetic... glad I got adopted.

 

[Phecda]

Iwas ~20-25 years younger than yourself.

Yes HS had home EC for the ladies.....these days would be some confused dudes/trannys......

I took home ec to chase the easy single moms. Our shop class was long gone at the point anyway. It was either that or a computer class.

 

[Phecda]

Public schools used to tech kids how to think…

now they teach kids what to think…

Well said.

 

[quantico]

Buy a stihl brand chain, I know it will have the angle hash mark on the back of the cutter tooth to file it. There are other brands with the angle line on the top of the tooth but I know the stihl will have it for sure.

Have a 200 t and two McCullough gas saws. And 4 electric saws. Some I have used 30 years. . Up to now i bought new chains or paid for sharpening..

 

[quantico]

My nephew a 30 year master plumber
Is no saw man
He showed me a 017 I gave him 15 year's ago
And said he just fried another bar
I said what do you mean
He said this was the 5th bar that burned up
I checked the oiler it's fried
He wasted all that money for no reason.

After the first bar why would you not trst the oiler without starting the saw to see if it works ?

 

[JRM]

I took home ec to chase the easy single moms. Our shop class was long gone at the point anyway. It was either that or a computer class.

Single moms in high-school

I knew of one girl in high school that got pregnant. The guy (kid) that got her pregnant is now a teacher at the same high-school and assistant wrestling coach on my kids team. They are still together. I guess that's the exception rather than the norm....

 

[TRTermite]

On the other hand I did buy a virtually new jonsered 2165
Because the guy was adamant
He does not need a 28" bar
I said buddy you can put whatever length you need on it
He didn't understand
So I bought it so he could buy a 16" saw.
In his mind whatever length is on a saw
That's what'll always be.

I was working at the GMF in KCMO (U.S.P.S.)and one of the Building Engineers was Brain washed into thinking the length of the Bar was How you rated a saw. That was more than 25 years ago and I am sure he still believes the same today.

 

[Captain Bruce]

On the other hand I did buy a virtually new jonsered 2165
Because the guy was adamant
He does not need a 28" bar
I said buddy you can put whatever length you need on it
He didn't understand
So I bought it so he could buy a 16" saw.
In his mind whatever length is on a saw
That's what'll always be.

SCORE! Luck is always right round the corner, with a dumb-ass trotting behind....

 

[Husky77]

On the other hand I did buy a virtually new jonsered 2165
Because the guy was adamant
He does not need a 28" bar
I said buddy you can put whatever length you need on it
He didn't understand
So I bought it so he could buy a 16" saw.
In his mind whatever length is on a saw
That's what'll always be.

how some people get through life amazes me

 

[XYooper906]

Buy a stihl brand chain, I know it will have the angle hash mark on the back of the cutter tooth to file it. There are other brands with the angle line on the top of the tooth but I know the stihl will have it for sure.

I switched my Stihl 026 to a 3/8" pitch 72LGX060G chain and bar combo. I can confirm that Oregon brand chains have the angle/wear line on the top of the cutters.

 

[Franny K]

Is it possible to sharpen sawzall pruning blades?
They're fairly inexpensive and when one gets dull, I toss it and start a new one.
Would it be hard to sharpen one?
View attachment 1000261

Sawzall is a Milwaukee trade mark name those are Porter Cable. My porter cable is a tiger saw what is the name of yours? The first question would be is are they soft enough to file? If not then would need grind. The teeth would need set for like new results. If you stay up from the ground those last a long time though mine is a bit different design.

 

[sean donato]

Sawzall is a Milwaukee trade mark name those are Porter Cable. My porter cable is a tiger saw what is the name of yours? The first question would be is are they soft enough to file? If not then would need grind. The teeth would need set for like new results. If you stay up from the ground those last a long time though mine is a bit different design.

Sawzall is used like Cresent wrench, doesn't matter if it's a trade mark or not. Everyone knows what tool your talking about.