Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

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woodchip rookie said:
Had the b&c lock up on the 550 again today. Thats twice. Both times cutting a log directly on the ground so I couldn't cut all the way through. Both times I let off the gas and let the chain stop in the cut (not loaded) before I pulled the bar out of the cut. I think that maybe an operator issue, but this is the only saw/bar/chain I have ever had the issue with. I don't think it has anything to do with the saw. Just OE or a b&c issue. I cleaned everything I could out of the bar but I still can't get the nose sprocket to loosen up. It's like there's stuff mashed in between the outside of the sprocket and the inside of the bar. I have a brand new backup bar that I put on but its the same exact bar. Any suggestions on a better bar? It's a 16" 325/050 66DL b&c. And while we are at it, I have heard good things about the "good" Stihl chain. Which one is that?
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My 490 does that now and then. I leave the bar/chain on the saw and push the chain backwards on a log to free the nose sprocket then pull the bar and clean all the crap out. Only seems to happen in Ash but maybe that's just me.
 
woodchip rookie said:
I flip the bar every time I use the saw. On every saw. Every time. I take the bar off, clean the groove/sprocket/saw, sharpen the chain and top fluids. When I get to the field its flip, pull, run. No messing with anything before I need the saw. Compressed air won't spin this sprocket. It's too hard to turn.
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If I couldn't spin the sprocket by hand then I certainly wouldn't put it on a saw, imagine the power you're losing. If compressed air also can't spin it then I'd say it needs addressed before using it again.
 
When you bury the tip in wood, the bar will often jam up with chips. Try cutting over the top + back first so the tip is not buried.

Bar will last much longer if not buried.

Re: Taking tree down on left: Take the leaner down first, or you risk all kinds of unpredictable stuff. When cutting the leaner, make sure you use your wedges to keep from pinching your bar. Also, after you cut the bottom, you may want to winch the bottom away from the other tree.

Be Careful, step way back as soon as anything starts moving.
 
MustangMike said:
When you bury the tip in wood, the bar will often jam up with chips. Try cutting over the top + back first so the tip is not buried.

Bar will last much longer if not buried.

Re: Taking tree down on left: Take the leaner down first, or you risk all kinds of unpredictable stuff. When cutting the leaner, make sure you use your wedges to keep from pinching your bar. Also, after you cut the bottom, you may want to winch the bottom away from the other tree.

Be Careful, run like he!! as soon as anything starts moving.
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Fixed it for ya Mike.:rolleyes: Are you gettin ready for some snow.?
 
Well I wasn't planning on getting more saws but had a HS friend approach me with a fairly clean grey top 61 Husky with about a dozen dull but salvageable chains. We are going to do some horse trading tomorrow. He has young boys and I have preteen boys so we'll probably be trading goods along those lines. Will keep you guys posted
 
MustangMike said:
Re: Taking tree down on left: Take the leaner down first, or you risk all kinds of unpredictable stuff. When cutting the leaner, make sure you use your wedges to keep from pinching your bar. Also, after you cut the bottom, you may want to winch the bottom away from the other tree.

Be Careful, step way back as soon as anything starts moving.
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I should've taken a closer picture of up top, where that broken leaner is touching the elm tree. That crotch on the broken one extends quite a ways up so it should just ride that elm all the way to the ground, which is why I'm thinking of just cutting the elm, and as you've mentioned, be ready to back away once things start moving. I always plan my escape plan before the chain touches the wood, but I hate turning my back on a tree, in this case though I've got two larger trees less than 10 yards on my planned escape route to cower behind if need be. I just feel that the broken leaner is too unpredictable in what might happen. IF I had a pole saw, this is definitely where I would use it, cut the smaller branch at the crotch and get that tree to fall away from the elm I want. The best plan for now is to wait.
 
Cody said:
If I couldn't spin the sprocket by hand then I certainly wouldn't put it on a saw, imagine the power you're losing. If compressed air also can't spin it then I'd say it needs addressed before using it again.
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Duh. :D I took the saw and bar back to Wright Bros and explained what was going on. I had already put my spare bar on the 550 and handed him the stuck bar. He tinkered with it a minute then set it on the counter, went to the bar wall and grabbed another bar and said "Husqvarna can deal with it". Then I bought another Oregon Speed Cut(?) that has the grease hole and replaceable tip. So I have 3 brand new bars for the 445/550. Then I looked deep into my chain issue. I think I suck at filing. I'm not good at holding the 55 degree angle or the zero degree/perpendicular top bar angle. I think I was pushing upwards at an angle. The tooth has an optical dilusion that makes it look like its filed upwards when its not.
 
svk said:
Well I wasn't planning on getting more saws but had a HS friend approach me with a fairly clean grey top 61 Husky with about a dozen dull but salvageable chains. We are going to do some horse trading tomorrow. He has young boys and I have preteen boys so we'll probably be trading goods along those lines. Will keep you guys posted
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I think you scrounge more saws than wood. Is there a thread for that? or an app? Or therapy? :D
 
woodchip rookie said:
Duh. :D I took the saw and bar back to Wright Bros and explained what was going on. I had already put my spare bar on the 550 and handed him the stuck bar. He tinkered with it a minute then set it on the counter, went to the bar wall and grabbed another bar and said "Husqvarna can deal with it". Then I bought another Oregon Speed Cut(?) that has the grease hole and replaceable tip. So I have 3 brand new bars for the 445/550. Then I looked deep into my chain issue. I think I suck at filing. I'm not good at holding the 55 degree angle or the zero degree/perpendicular top bar angle. I think I was pushing upwards at an angle. The tooth has an optical dilusion that makes it look like its filed upwards when its not.
Click to expand...

The bar that came on my 261 only last around a year, but I do bury it a fair bit so I suppose that lead to it's failure. For $40 I just bought another replacement one as I wasn't sure if I wanted a Stihl ES bar or a Cannon. The sprocket was still good on that bar but the rails were starting to spread at the tip so there was a wobble in that sprocket.
 
farmer steve said:
barely frozen this morning but headed to the woods to get the last of my hickory. took the wife to town and then came back and went to the woods again. found a half dead pin oak that came home with me. a bucket a day keeps the oil man away!!
View attachment 630247 View attachment 630248
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Very nice. How long does a bucket full keep you warm for?

svk said:
Well I wasn't planning on getting more saws but had a HS friend approach me with a fairly clean grey top 61 Husky
Click to expand...

A likely story.

woodchip rookie said:
It's not worth it to me to knock rivets out of bar that doesn't have a replaceable tip. And I dont have one of those rivet press things, but thats cool that you can do that. I just need to figure out what I am doing wrong to cause this....
Click to expand...

Normally when I've had a nose sprocket lock-up it has been because the chips haven't been clearing properly. Typically it will be at the bottom of a cut where grass behind the saw impedes the chips from getting expelled so they continue to go around with the chain in a confined space and get into the groove and ultimately jam the sprocket.

My solution has never failed me. No need to pull the thing apart. Well, ok, you have to take the chain off. Then hit the teeth of the sprocket with something force it to turn. Normally my clutch cover undoer/chain tightener tool will work. Once or twice when that didn't work, I hit the sprocket on a prominent part of the trailer to turn it. Always works. I know it sounds a bit brutal but both Limby and the workhorse are still on their original bar so I can't see that it has done any harm.
 

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