Poor advice becoming more common on AS...

[MCW]

Hi guys.
This is by no means meant to be a shot at any particular members but I have a few concerns that are showing up recently.
We seem to have a whole heap of new members log in recently which is excellent. Unfortunately some of them seem to be getting way above their pay grade and answering questions from other new members and giving the completely wrong information. Some of this has been potentially dangerous information as well.
We've all learnt things on this forum but if members aren't 100% sure of their answer then they should just sit back and wait for somebody more knowledgable to answer or actually do a bit of online research.
I won't delve into some of the absolute garbage and completely wrong advice given recently as that will identify the members involved but they have actually come across as quite knowledgable when it is obvious to me that they don't know jack sh*t.
For example I don't go commenting on how to port a chainsaw as I wouldn't have a clue. I fall with mostly ported saws but I leave the saw building up to the experts (in my case Brad Snelling).
This isn't meant to be a stab at new members but sometimes it may pay to sit back for a while, read a heap of the excellent information we have here (even though some of it is difficult to find now!), and get your knowledge up before hitting the keyboard.
All the best for the new year
Matt

 

[Guido Salvage]

I apologize, I just told someone to paint their chains in order to keep track of what size they are.... In the past there have been heated battles in threads when more knowledgeable people have called out others for the information they have provided. As always, one should be cautioned that just because it appears on the internet doesn't make it true.

I miss HBRN...

 

[MCW]

I apologize, I just told someone to paint their chains in order to keep track of what size they are....

I thought that was standard practice?

In the past there have been heated battles in threads when more knowledgeable people have called out others for the information they have provided. As always, one should be cautioned that just because it appears on the internet doesn't make it true.

I miss HBRN...

I suppose you have to read all the information and then come to your own conclusion. If you end up thinking that a ported 346XP will outcut a 3120 with a 32" bar then there is no hope for you and the mods should ban you instantly
HBRN has been gonned for a while now...

 

[Dan Forsh]

I know exactly what you mean Matt.

I'm a longish time member, but limited in my experience and have to call on others for advice on a regular basis. It's worrying that you will generally get the full spectrum of advice ranging from try this... to change the fuel line, impulse line, put a carb kit on it, to only fit OEM p&c etc, . I've learned to only look to the comments from the ones I know/trust to give me answers as anyone can comment with seeming experience. Not saying I don't trust Newbies, as years service on AS isn't a certificate of anything and new members can bring years of experience to this site any time, but there are those who seem too eager to please and will regurgitate any old crap they have heard elsewhere. So to all I say, trust in the sage like advice of my old Dad, "never accept the first quote"

And to all A Happy New Year!

 

[MCW]

I am always wary of those who say that "I've never had any issues with premature saw wear because I use INSERT NAME HERE oil" when they only put 20 hours on a saw a year

I've even had clueless new members actually start an argument with me over things that they obviously know nothing about. Oh the youth of today
I hope they don't start hanging around in the falling forum telling loggers how to cut trees down. Well actually I hope they do

 

[procarbine2k1]

What an excellent post! Hope your insight falls on receptive ears too...

 

[kz1000]

It's kind of like what an old well driller said to me when I said that I was going to drill my own well----show me your hands, do you have all your fingers? well, you do so your not a well driller.

 

[XSKIER]

I am always wary of those who say that "I've never had any issues with premature saw wear because I use INSERT NAME HERE oil" when they only put 20 hours on a saw a year

I've even had clueless new members actually start an argument with me over things that they obviously know nothing about. Oh the youth of today
I hope they don't start hanging around in the falling forum telling loggers how to cut trees down. Well actually I hope they do

Oh haha, way to turn this into another oil thread... A real veteran move:?

 

[MCW]

Oh haha, way to turn this into another oil thread... A real veteran move:?

Whoops. Good point

 

[Dan Forsh]

Oh haha, way to turn this into another oil thread... A real veteran move:?

Okay, I prefer to mix my fuel 48:1, I know we have modern oil technology to rely on, but I still think it pays to be conservative. I must have at least 20 hours of run time on the couple dozen saws I've fixed over the last 8 and a half years I've been working on them, so I must know what I'm talking about.

 

[Canthook Coasty]

Did someone say oil?

 

[treesmith]

So I should stop telling people to port saws with an oversize masonry bit and a hammer drill then?

 

[o8f150]

fine,,,, I will just keep my mouth shut,,, but on the other hand I mix everything at 44.7369:1,,, just to be on the safe side,, I also only set my mixture screws out 1/4 turn to save on fuel

 

[fearofpavement]

A forum is just that. People put info in and out and some is good and some not. No one on here is vetted. It's not Ann Landers or Dear Abbey. Anyone can say anything about anything and some do for good or bad. I had tried offering vehicle repair advice on Yahoo Answers back a few years ago but there is so much cockamamie junk on there from people that obviously have no clue telling people how to do things that I just backed away and never went back. I don't have the answers to all chain saw issues and still learn things from this forum. I post up info from time to time but try to base it on things I actually know or personal experience. By far the vast majority of people on this forum are not frequent cutters. (obviously some are) but it is a strong interest in chainsaws or the determination to get a question answered that brings people here and keeps them here. The ability to sift through info and extract the good is important and if someone spends enough time on here, they'll figure out the useful info from the bullcrap.

 

[AKDoug]

I answer questions only about saws I have actually worked on. Recently I picked up a McCulloch SP125 and I have no become the question asker. I hope my relatively short time here doesn't disqualify my advice in some way.

 

[MCW]

So I should stop telling people to port saws with an oversize masonry bit and a hammer drill then?

I thought that was standard practice?

 

[MCW]

A forum is just that. People put info in and out and some is good and some not. No one on here is vetted. It's not Ann Landers or Dear Abbey. Anyone can say anything about anything and some do for good or bad. I had tried offering vehicle repair advice on Yahoo Answers back a few years ago but there is so much cockamamie junk on there from people that obviously have no clue telling people how to do things that I just backed away and never went back. I don't have the answers to all chain saw issues and still learn things from this forum. I post up info from time to time but try to base it on things I actually know or personal experience. By far the vast majority of people on this forum are not frequent cutters. (obviously some are) but it is a strong interest in chainsaws or the determination to get a question answered that brings people here and keeps them here. The ability to sift through info and extract the good is important and if someone spends enough time on here, they'll figure out the useful info from the bullcrap.

I agree on what you have said but as per the thread title it seems to becoming more and more prevalent on here from newer members. I am not talking subjective information where there can be a vast range of answers based on experiences or opinion but questions that have a single, objective answer.

I hope my relatively short time here doesn't disqualify my advice in some way.

Not at all Doug as you have made it quite clear you are a dealer and any advice I have seen from you has been spot on. As per my reply to "fearofpavement" above there has been some completely bogus answers to certain questions by new members that are so wrong it's not funny.

 

[stihl sawing]

So I really shouldn't use used motor oil for bar oil?opcorn:

 

[MCW]

So I really shouldn't use used motor oil for bar oil?opcorn:

You can if you want I've sadly done it on occasion but your bar and chain normally goes up in a plume of smoke under hard use. Millions of farmers can't be wrong can they?

 

[Canthook Coasty]

How do I muffler mod this saw?