Alan R
ArboristSite Lurker
What an intro to the forum. At least you may get a chuckle out of this.
After much deliberation, I bought a new Echo CS400 for light to moderate use at home. Read the manual, got the recommended fuel and lube, filled it up and tried it out (with frequent checks of the chain tightness). Started fine, ran fine, life was good. Made about a half dozen cuts, then the wife walks up and wants to know if I can cut a slab off the end of an old tree that's been down for years. Of course, I couldn't refuse. The tree diameter is about the same as my 18" bar, but I figure if I just go slow and let the saw do the work, no problem. Wrong. The bar buried itself pretty quickly, but then the smoking began, so I slowed down more and pulled back often to attempt to keep things from getting too hot. The smoke got heavier, but I was almost through, so I finished the cut, then turned off the saw to let it cool. Didn't think much about it until the next time I tried to use the saw. Bound up tight, chain wouldn't budge. Yes, I felt like an idiot. Took off the bar and chain. Tried lubing and working to loosen up the chain, but gave up and bought one from Home Depot. All they had was a "Powercare" brand B72 which listed the CS400 on the package. Went home, made sure the starwheel on the nose of the bar spun freely, put on the new chain. Doesn't seem to fit very well around the tip of the bar (links stick out a bit). Fired up the saw, but the chain won't spin unless it is extremely loose. What did I screw up? Did I fry the clutch? Is it the bar? Is the new chain no good? I would rather be embarassed here than at the dealer, so go ahead and unload on me if you want, but please tell me what is most likely wrong with the saw. Thanks.
After much deliberation, I bought a new Echo CS400 for light to moderate use at home. Read the manual, got the recommended fuel and lube, filled it up and tried it out (with frequent checks of the chain tightness). Started fine, ran fine, life was good. Made about a half dozen cuts, then the wife walks up and wants to know if I can cut a slab off the end of an old tree that's been down for years. Of course, I couldn't refuse. The tree diameter is about the same as my 18" bar, but I figure if I just go slow and let the saw do the work, no problem. Wrong. The bar buried itself pretty quickly, but then the smoking began, so I slowed down more and pulled back often to attempt to keep things from getting too hot. The smoke got heavier, but I was almost through, so I finished the cut, then turned off the saw to let it cool. Didn't think much about it until the next time I tried to use the saw. Bound up tight, chain wouldn't budge. Yes, I felt like an idiot. Took off the bar and chain. Tried lubing and working to loosen up the chain, but gave up and bought one from Home Depot. All they had was a "Powercare" brand B72 which listed the CS400 on the package. Went home, made sure the starwheel on the nose of the bar spun freely, put on the new chain. Doesn't seem to fit very well around the tip of the bar (links stick out a bit). Fired up the saw, but the chain won't spin unless it is extremely loose. What did I screw up? Did I fry the clutch? Is it the bar? Is the new chain no good? I would rather be embarassed here than at the dealer, so go ahead and unload on me if you want, but please tell me what is most likely wrong with the saw. Thanks.