How to start a saw.

[Cameljoe73]

another drop start thread?

I drop start everything including my lawn mower... I think I'm going to head out to the shop right now, flip my kids dirt bike up side down grab the kicker, and drop start that :censored: thing, just for the he!! of it.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Yes blipping, do it all the time. Irritates (did I spell that right?) people alot but does not seem to hurt saw. Only do it after saw warms up.

I think they designed my Echo CS3900 to NOT be drop started when cold. (1) compression is too doggone high, (2) pull cord handle might be too small, (3) it takes five pulls--3 on choke and 2 after it pops. That explains why it's the best and strongest 16", under 40 cc saw that I have ever owned.

'nuff said.

 

[blsnelling]

And that's how the majority of accidents happen, not just in chainsawing, but in life.

Then convince me otherwise.

 

[kiwiguy]

Then convince me otherwise.

No disrespect intended from me, a casual saw user and forum n00b, to you a forum regular and multi-saw owner, but working as a doc in an emergency department I see the results of "didn't see the danger" every day.

I've no need to convince you or anyone else of the best way to start a saw - just pointing out the logic is all - to each their own, I say.

 

[bowtechmadman]

Drop start here as well...saw in right hand...pull w/ left hand. Watched a guy today holding saw in left and pulling w/ right. Gently encouraged him to try it the other to keep the bar away from him and not next to his left thigh.
Max I drop start is 066 w/ 28".

 

[spacemule]

I used to drop start smaller saws, and larger saws on the ground--before I figured out the faster and more energy efficient method I use now. I put the rear handle bar underneath my right knee, hold the front handle with my left hand, and pull the starter cord with my right hand. Fast, controlled, efficient, and safe. I've got no problem with others drop starting, but I also realize the only reason they do this is because they haven't thought about the procedure and that certain ways of doing things become ingrained in folk's heads. One just has to think of the older loggers who used to pull off chain brakes cause "they don't need them and they're in the way."

I'm sure there's a Forest Gump saying that applies, but I'll leave it to you all to figure out which one.

 

[GASoline71]

another drop start thread?

Yep...

...and for the record... I wuz doin' a little trollin'...

I have always drop started saws... no matter what their size. Always have and always will... nothin' dangerous about it.

Gary

 

[buzz sawyer]

I used to drop start smaller saws, and larger saws on the ground--before I figured out the faster and more energy efficient method I use now. I put the rear handle bar underneath my right knee, hold the front handle with my left hand, and pull the starter cord with my right hand. Fast, controlled, efficient, and safe. I've got no problem with others drop starting, but I also realize the only reason they do this is because they haven't thought about the procedure and that certain ways of doing things become ingrained in folk's heads. One just has to think of the older loggers who used to pull off chain brakes cause "they don't need them and they're in the way."

I'm sure there's a Forest Gump saying that applies, but I'll leave it to you all to figure out which one.

Beat me to it Space. Saw this method at the Paul Bunyan show a couple years ago. Rear handle behind the right knee (bend the leg a little) and press forward with the left. I start my SP125 and 1050 this way once they're warmed up.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Yep...

...and for the record... I wuz doin' a little trollin'...

I have always drop started saws... no matter what their size. Always have and always will... nothin' dangerous about it.

Gary

Yep. I pegged that right. I figured you were a gorilla.

 

[pdqdl]

The alternative is that you've missed the initial "pop" or "burp" and you've flooded it. So now you need to take the choke off, squeeze the throttle wide open and pull until it starts.

If you're not sure if it is flooded, pull the rope slowly and smell the exhaust. A flooded engine will smell that way.

If a flooded engine (in good condition) doesn't start after extensive pulling with the throttle held open: pull the spark plug and change it. If you don't have a spark plug, hold a match or other flame to the spark plug, burning away the extra gas and heating it up, too.

 

[Octane]

No disrespect intended from me, a casual saw user and forum n00b, to you a forum regular and multi-saw owner, but working as a doc in an emergency department I see the results of "didn't see the danger" every day.

I've no need to convince you or anyone else of the best way to start a saw - just pointing out the logic is all - to each their own, I say.

Amen to that, but what do you know. You only work as a doctor in an ER.

 

[Mountainman]

QUOTE: "Max I drop start is 066 w/ 28"."

I have never run a 28" bar. Always 20, 24, and 32. I drop start an 066 without the comp release. I think it would be hard to drop start an 070 or 090, since you have to hold the comp release button down to use it.

Years ago, it was not uncommon to see a faller drop start an 051, 870 Homie, etc with a 36" bar. I've swung an 066 with a 32" bar a time or two, but decided that was where I drew the line. But I'm quite content holding on to the back handle and cranking one with a long bar, as long as I can find some wood to rest the bar tip on.

One of my worst nightmares is recalling a seasoned foreman pick up an 870, leave the bar buried in the mud, hold on the the rear handle, and crank the saw.

 

[RES]

What about top handle saws. Drop starting seems to be the most practical option for this type of saw.

 

[csx7006]

I do that to my super 2 and the rest of my saws

 

[abohac]

Every now and then I get a saw that's going to be hard headed and not start.
How do you start a saw when it does this?
Let's say I put the choke on pull it until it burbs then take the choke off and pull it until it start's.
What do I do if I pull it with the choke on and it never burbs? First then I check is to make sure I'm getting a spark and fuel and it's okay then what?

While we're on the subject how do you drop start?

Thanks.

Drop start? You mean using the weight of the saw against your pull to help a high horsepower saw start that has a lot of compression? I guess you gotta do it and I guess I'm ashamed to say it's the only way I start my saws ('cause someone in this post says that you should never do this technique). Sure beats that rope handle trying to rip your fingers off!

 

[abohac]

another drop start thread?

I drop start everything including my lawn mower... I think I'm going to head out to the shop right now, flip my kids dirt bike up side down grab the kicker, and drop start that :censored: thing, just for the he!! of it.

Man I'm with ya! Could you post pictures of you drop starting your lawn mower! I'd kinda like to see that.

 

[Justsaws]

Real manly men drop start mowers and kick start trucks.

 

[pdqdl]

Really manly men

When I was a teenager, my dad had an old tractor with a hand crank for a starter, in addition to the electric one. One day, the battery was dead...

Bad idea to try, especially when you are a young pup with no experience and hand cranks. I can only imagine what it was like to start some of those older machines in winter, before any of them came with electric start.

 

[logbutcher]

Crotch start demands strong thighs . Elbow the brake ON, clamp the beast between the crotch ( again, those oh so strong thighs), pull, blip the throttle, "de-elbow" the brake, ready to go. Only the top handles get drop started....but with the brake on.
Why? The ER doc has it right: there's a hell of a torque in most medium to big saws at full throttle. Not much control with the beastie at arms length even if you're Gasoline opcorn:
That's what the chain brake is for.
Now ....what oil .........

 

[woodyman]

When my parents first opened the campgrounds the farmer neighbor brought over his big old John Deere twin cylinder disel tractor so we could cut up some slab wood.That thing had like a 3 foot round saw on the front with a 5" belt running it off the crank and it had no electric start,you opened a valve on top of each cylinder and grabed the big flywheel and turned it till you hit the compression stroke then you gave it all you had and got your hands out fast,if it started then you closed the valves and you were good to go.Wanted to drop start it but could not figure out how.