Frank Chandler
ArboristSite Lurker
I give up. I'm an old surveyor in Alaska. I used to have a Jonsereds 521EV that would start on 1 pull and run 12 hours straight, with a carbide-coated chain (sharpen it once every evening). The heated handles kept my hands warm at 30 below. The saw was set to die if I let go of the trigger (surveyors have to cut in some pretty strange places, and run from tree to tree playing the "Most Line Today Beer Contest." Most of the time we're out standing in our field). I was showing off for a Highway Department guy in 1978, cutting a spruce that was canted 5° toward the highway: he said it coudn't be done, but I was going to make it fall parallel to the highway. I cut it right and it fell parallel, but as it twisted on the plug I had left to force it to turn it grabbed my blade so that I couldn't pull the saw out of the cut. I watched in pain as 5,000 lbs. of tree slowly crushed my saw. Broke my heart. The local dealer didn't have another 521EV but he did have a 451E with a 20" bar: lighter, he said, and just as good for cutting the 16" and smaller trees that cover Alaska. I bought it and still have it - it's a great topping saw, very light (for a solid magnesium saw) and very fast, but one must have patience when cutting a 12" tree if you're used to horsing your way through them. I ended up with a Stihl 041AV as a work saw that had the power, even if it was a little heavier and bulkier than my old 521.
I moved into the office shortly after that and my saw has been getting a good 3 or4 hours a year worth of running time in the back yard since then. It was getting persnickety at starting, so I took it to the local small engine repair guy - he loved the compact magnesium body (said "They don't make' 'em like this anymore") but said he had to fix these 200 snowblowers before he could get to it. 8 months later he said he had to get these 200 lawnmowers fixed before he could get to it. I figured in another 6 months he'd have 200 snowmachines that he had to get fixed before he could get to it. So I got online and found The Arborsite - this place is great! I love reading real people talking about real things that they actually know about!
I found a carburetor kit for the saw here on Arborsite, and asked our master mechanic if he could install it for me (there's a reason I always used reliable saws - if I took a saw apart 3 times I'd have enought leftover parts to build a new one).. He usually works on machines that weigh in at over 100,000 lbs, but he said he'd take it to the guy who does all our Stihl saws. That guy had it until about a month ago: he finally returned it saying "The diaphragm is just too stiff - see? This little plastic part here is supposed to flex, and it doesn't (kind of like me). It's just too old (kind of like me). They don't make them anymore and I can't find one in the specialist markets."
So I have a really nice little saw, great for hanging from your belt while scaling a tree to cut off the top 20 feet, that would be even greater if it would start. Anybody got any ideas? The saw really probably only has maybe 100-150 hours total running time in its entire life; still has a carbide-coated chain with 70% life left; even the paint is in good condition. Now I'm a old curmudgeon and don't need a chainsaw (I'd probably cut off my foot if I could get it to start) so I'm looking for a good home for it. I'd give it to my son but he already has a doorstop. I would entertain any idea for the saw except an offer employment on a survey crew cutting line all day. Offers to buy? Need parts? The chain alone probably cost me $200, 45 years ago (sorry I can't remember exactly what I paid - I have a really good memory; it's just short). Any chainsaw museum owners out there? Photographers or Painters? ["Still life with Chainsaw"] Got any Ideas on how to fix it? Any horror movie producers out there? (it's a safe as a movie-prop pistol.)
Thanks for reading. Hope you have an answer~
Frostbite Frank of Alaska
HEY YOU KIDS! GET OFF MY LAWN!
I moved into the office shortly after that and my saw has been getting a good 3 or4 hours a year worth of running time in the back yard since then. It was getting persnickety at starting, so I took it to the local small engine repair guy - he loved the compact magnesium body (said "They don't make' 'em like this anymore") but said he had to fix these 200 snowblowers before he could get to it. 8 months later he said he had to get these 200 lawnmowers fixed before he could get to it. I figured in another 6 months he'd have 200 snowmachines that he had to get fixed before he could get to it. So I got online and found The Arborsite - this place is great! I love reading real people talking about real things that they actually know about!
I found a carburetor kit for the saw here on Arborsite, and asked our master mechanic if he could install it for me (there's a reason I always used reliable saws - if I took a saw apart 3 times I'd have enought leftover parts to build a new one).. He usually works on machines that weigh in at over 100,000 lbs, but he said he'd take it to the guy who does all our Stihl saws. That guy had it until about a month ago: he finally returned it saying "The diaphragm is just too stiff - see? This little plastic part here is supposed to flex, and it doesn't (kind of like me). It's just too old (kind of like me). They don't make them anymore and I can't find one in the specialist markets."
So I have a really nice little saw, great for hanging from your belt while scaling a tree to cut off the top 20 feet, that would be even greater if it would start. Anybody got any ideas? The saw really probably only has maybe 100-150 hours total running time in its entire life; still has a carbide-coated chain with 70% life left; even the paint is in good condition. Now I'm a old curmudgeon and don't need a chainsaw (I'd probably cut off my foot if I could get it to start) so I'm looking for a good home for it. I'd give it to my son but he already has a doorstop. I would entertain any idea for the saw except an offer employment on a survey crew cutting line all day. Offers to buy? Need parts? The chain alone probably cost me $200, 45 years ago (sorry I can't remember exactly what I paid - I have a really good memory; it's just short). Any chainsaw museum owners out there? Photographers or Painters? ["Still life with Chainsaw"] Got any Ideas on how to fix it? Any horror movie producers out there? (it's a safe as a movie-prop pistol.)
Thanks for reading. Hope you have an answer~
Frostbite Frank of Alaska
HEY YOU KIDS! GET OFF MY LAWN!
