Storm damage and chainsaws

[Old2stroke]

We have recently had a vicious storm with high winds extending from southern Ontario all the way up into Quebec. It has become obvious that there are a LOT of chainsaws out there in the hands of homeowners and most of them know very little about how to use them or are even aware of the maintenance required. Typically, you see pro saws and consumer saws all with a very dull chain sagging 1/2" off the bottom of the bar and the operator forcing them into the cut but just producing sawdust. Smoke coming off the bar is not unusual. When they see a sharp chain pulling chips out of the wood and the speed of the cut, they want to know what kind of chain you are using and seem annoyed that they would be expected to learn how to sharpen a chain. Cutting through a log and right into the ground is common practice. How people can spend a lot of money on chainsaws and be content to use them with so little understanding of what they are doing is an ongoing mystery.

 

[OM617YOTA]

Chainsaws are nothing. How many retards spend $60k on a vehicle, can't drive for ****, and would never do any maintenance, or check the air pressure in their tires, if the screen on the dash didn't tell them to?

 

[user 122190]

Blame the manufacturers. I don't recall anything in the owners manual about sharpening the chain. To do it, or how. What's obvious to some (people here) is not to most all else. I cut with a guy who still can bare!y sharpen his chain. 5 years ago he didn't know he even had to. Don't mock people. Try and help them. And be honest, that we all had to spend a lot of time over the years to get good at sharpening our chains.

 

[rwoods]

Pages 53 - 56 in MS500i manual.

Ron

 

[user 122190]

Page 33

https://manualzz.com/doc/52026778/stihl-ms-500i-owner-manual

 

[user 122190]

Pages 53 - 56 in MS500i manual.

Ron

Correct. It is in the owners manual. I as someone that cuts 10 or more cords a year, owns 3 saws, frequent this site, you'd think I would know that. Either
1. I'm an idiot along with the rest of the population or
2. It is not something people walk around with in their hands and constantly thinking about.

Incredible that you would have the 500i owners manual at your fingertips, ready to pounce on something said in error.

 

[ChainLightning]

Sadly its the same with any piece of equipment for a lot of people whether it being anything from a Cat D9 to a sewing machine. They just assume that its a simple, mantinence free item and don't take the time to learn how to use them, let alone the safety hazards. Precisely why I don't let anyone borrow any of my tools anymore. Chainsaws being #1.

 

[Franny K]

Correct. It is in the owners manual. I as someone that cuts 10 or more cords a year, owns 3 saws, frequent this site, you'd think I would know that. Either
1. I'm an idiot along with the rest of the population or
2. It is not something people walk around with in their hands and constantly thinking about.

Incredible that you would have the 500i owners manual at your fingertips, ready to pounce on something said in error.

3). You type in a lawyer way using the word recall. It is in all the Stihl manuals for models you post about and on an insert in each Stihl chain package, lots of them with a roll.

 

[user 122190]

Sadly its the same with any piece of equipment for a lot of people whether it being anything from a Cat D9 to a sewing machine. They just assume that its a simple, mantinence free item and don't take the time to learn how to use them, let alone the safety hazards. Precisely why I don't let anyone borrow any of my tools anymore. Chainsaws being #1.

Correct. I have a sewing machine, and use it once every couple of years. I have read the owners manual, and it is complex. Sometimes it works great, and sometimes it is frustrating. I'm sure there is a sewing forum out there that bashes someone like me that doesn't know when to toss a needle, or uses the wrong type of thread, etc.

You know what I say to them. F-You!

 

[ChillyB]

Well, look at the issue with curiosity and a scientific interest and the reason for their ignorance isn’t difficult to understand.

1. Fewer and fewer homeowners cut wood for heat, or grew up doing so.

2. Housing trends continue toward compact developments where there isn’t much need for dealing with tree maintenance.

3. Generationally men are growing up less exposed to Olde Tyme manly endeavors of all forms. Dads either obsess over sports, work too many hours, or are entirely absent.

4. There aren’t many in-person training opportunities unless one is a commercial/municipal saw user to fill in the experience gaps. YouTube can only go so far.

It would be a great opportunity for dealer networks to host an annual training class. Insurance companies might even be interested to help share sponsorship. Advertise, make a big deal out of it, discount for saw purchases for graduates, free class if one purchases a saw….

 

[rwoods]

Correct. It is in the owners manual. I as someone that cuts 10 or more cords a year, owns 3 saws, frequent this site, you'd think I would know that. Either
1. I'm an idiot along with the rest of the population or
2. It is not something people walk around with in their hands and constantly thinking about.

Incredible that you would have the 500i owners manual at your fingertips, ready to pounce on something said in error.

Nothing personal, just defending the manufacturer.

Nothing incredible, Stihl puts its manuals on-line. I couldn’t tell you at the moment where my 500i manual is.

Have I read the manual cover to cover
- no. Do I expect others to - no. Have I read the sharpening portions of this and other manufacturers’ manuals -yes. Am I good at sharpening- no.

BTW other than blaming the manufacturers, I agree with your post 100%.

Ron

 

[dstrick]

I work with a tree service to collect wood. Walking past his Vermeer chipper at the last haul out I notice all the grease zerks had clean grease and bearings had a fresh ooze of lubricant. His crew also operates with sharp chains. Go figure.

 

[Old2stroke]

Blame the manufacturers. I don't recall anything in the owners manual about sharpening the chain. To do it, or how. What's obvious to some (people here) is not to most all else. I cut with a guy who still can bare!y sharpen his chain. 5 years ago he didn't know he even had to. Don't mock people. Try and help them. And be honest, that we all had to spend a lot of time over the years to get good at sharpening our chains.

I have offered to show many people how to sharpen a chain but the response is often, "that's too tedious and I don't have the time, I'll just buy a new chain when this one is dull". It might be a valid approach for some who don't mind throwing money around and it's their money so it's not up to me to tell then how to spend it but the sad part is, if you give these people a new chain it will be dull before 1/2 tank of fuel is used, they will always be cutting with dull chains and rarely experience the satisfaction of using a saw that cuts the way it should.

 

[user 122190]

I have offered to show many people how to sharpen a chain but the response is often, "that's too tedious and I don't have the time, I'll just buy a new chain when this one is dull". It might be a valid approach for some who don't mind throwing money around and it's their money so it's not up to me to tell then how to spend it but the sad part is, if you give these people a new chain it will be dull before 1/2 tank of fuel is used, they will always be cutting with dull chains and rarely experience the satisfaction of using a saw that cuts the way it should.

I agree. The neighbor I mentioned use to buy chains in bulk. I swear he has at least 100 chains hanging off a few big nails in his garage. He is now sharpening, and doing an okay job at it. He does still hit dirt regularly though.

Some don't know, some don't care, and some don't know or care. BUT some will wake up and try and learn and over time will become competent and enjoy working with a chainsaw.

 

[Jonny Quest]

I lived in the Houston, TX area for many years. I've lived through hurricanes, storms, lightning, winds, etc. East Texas has an incredible amount of trees -- pine, oak (several varieties), cedar elm, Texas ash, etc. After big storms, the homeowners come out with their "Barbie Tools" in an attempt to tackle the storm damage. I've seen a lot of kooky stuff. I remember one guy in my area that had a big limb break from a live oak. He was standing at the top of a step ladder holding a hand circular saw that was plugged into a portable generator and was about to tackle the broken limb. Nutz. I talked him down from his ladder perch and told him to put the saw on the ground. He was kinda pissed at first. I told him that I didn't want to drag his sorry a$$ off to the hospital. I brought my saw and tree equipment over and helped him out. He stopped being pissed after that. I saw another local dude attempting to cut a 12" diameter ornamental tree with a chainsaw. I noticed that he was wearing shorts, flip-flops, and a T-shirt. No PPE of any kind. He had a consumer-level Husqvarna saw, so there was real danger for the uninitiated. Damn. I helped him out also. Dude...RESPECT THE SAW. Another neighbor had 2 big pines blow down in his backyard. I heard a chainsaw running for about 20 minutes so I went out to take a look. He has a little 40cc Sears Crapsman chainsaw and safety chain and was attempting to buck up the 2 big pines. His saw was small and the safety chain needed to be sharpened. I showed up with my 385XP wearing a 24" bar and freshly sharpened chain. I had the 2 trees bucked-up and stacked in no time. My neighbor was simply blown away. He couldn't believe that he could "cut" for 20+ minutes and make almost no progress while my saw needed under 15 seconds per cut. It was a graphic example of homeowner vs. pro-grade saws.

After Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Ike, I spent a significant amount of pro-bono "service" time helping folks out. The amount of tree damage is difficult to imagine and even more difficult to explain to anyone who hasn't seen that kind of damage. Big trees can be incredibly destructive. I've seen houses cut in half by trees -- cars flattened by trees -- miles of power lines taken out by trees -- livestock killed by trees, etc. I can't begin to count the gallons of fuel and oil I ran through my 353 and 385XP saws during those days. There was no end to the downed trees. It felt like bailing the ocean using a teaspoon...

Most people mean well, but they are underinformed or uninformed. It's easy to watch a tree expert and think: "I can do that -- it looks easy". Then the homeowner runs off and attempts to imitate the tree expert on his own. Bad ju-ju. I'm happy to teach folks and help them learn. No problem. Usually, my main concern is to help Joe Average Guy understand the dangers of working with chainsaws and trees. Dude...just be careful. If your Spidey Sense starts to tingle...put the saw down and call me.

JQ

 

[Bango Skank]

As long as my hands aren’t cramping too badly, I sort of enjoy sharpening by hand. Just a file, a handle, and a vise.
It’s kind of serene and tranquil way to end the day, maybe have a few beers and listen to some music during it.
I sleep better knowing my tools are ready to work, and it’s quite satisfying when my chains cut faster than new chain.

 

[thenne1713]

Correct. It is in the owners manual. I as someone that cuts 10 or more cords a year, owns 3 saws, frequent this site, you'd think I would know that. Either
1. I'm an idiot along with the rest of the population or
2. It is not something people walk around with in their hands and constantly thinking about.

Incredible that you would have the 500i owners manual at your fingertips, ready to pounce on something said in error.

OM, you say? I thought "real men" NEVER read instrucs? LOL.... Me, I read x 3, then keep for lounge chair reading again... as I get older, the reading gets more difficult, and the comprehension/ retention suffer, too... especially when you fall asleep in mid sentence

 

[magreeable]

OM, you say? I thought "real men" NEVER read instrucs? LOL.... Me, I read x 3, then keep for lounge chair reading again... as I get older, the reading gets more difficult, and the comprehension/ retention suffer, too... especially when you fall asleep in mid sentence

That's a fact lol

 

[Mad Professor]

How about southerners driving in a snowstorm?

 

[Alabama Disaster Relief]

I lived in the Houston, TX area for many years. I've lived through hurricanes, storms, lightning, winds, etc. East Texas has an incredible amount of trees -- pine, oak (several varieties), cedar elm, Texas ash, etc. After big storms, the homeowners come out with their "Barbie Tools" in an attempt to tackle the storm damage. I've seen a lot of kooky stuff. I remember one guy in my area that had a big limb break from a live oak. He was standing at the top of a step ladder holding a hand circular saw that was plugged into a portable generator and was about to tackle the broken limb. Nutz. I talked him down from his ladder perch and told him to put the saw on the ground. He was kinda pissed at first. I told him that I didn't want to drag his sorry a$$ off to the hospital. I brought my saw and tree equipment over and helped him out. He stopped being pissed after that. I saw another local dude attempting to cut a 12" diameter ornamental tree with a chainsaw. I noticed that he was wearing shorts, flip-flops, and a T-shirt. No PPE of any kind. He had a consumer-level Husqvarna saw, so there was real danger for the uninitiated. Damn. I helped him out also. Dude...RESPECT THE SAW. Another neighbor had 2 big pines blow down in his backyard. I heard a chainsaw running for about 20 minutes so I went out to take a look. He has a little 40cc Sears Crapsman chainsaw and safety chain and was attempting to buck up the 2 big pines. His saw was small and the safety chain needed to be sharpened. I showed up with my 385XP wearing a 24" bar and freshly sharpened chain. I had the 2 trees bucked-up and stacked in no time. My neighbor was simply blown away. He couldn't believe that he could "cut" for 20+ minutes and make almost no progress while my saw needed under 15 seconds per cut. It was a graphic example of homeowner vs. pro-grade saws.

After Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Ike, I spent a significant amount of pro-bono "service" time helping folks out. The amount of tree damage is difficult to imagine and even more difficult to explain to anyone who hasn't seen that kind of damage. Big trees can be incredibly destructive. I've seen houses cut in half by trees -- cars flattened by trees -- miles of power lines taken out by trees -- livestock killed by trees, etc. I can't begin to count the gallons of fuel and oil I ran through my 353 and 385XP saws during those days. There was no end to the downed trees. It felt like bailing the ocean using a teaspoon...

Most people mean well, but they are underinformed or uninformed. It's easy to watch a tree expert and think: "I can do that -- it looks easy". Then the homeowner runs off and attempts to imitate the tree expert on his own. Bad ju-ju. I'm happy to teach folks and help them learn. No problem. Usually, my main concern is to help Joe Average Guy understand the dangers of working with chainsaws and trees. Dude...just be careful. If your Spidey Sense starts to tingle...put the saw down and call me.

JQ

I am the mechanic on an Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief chainsaw team. I have worked with a lot of different men who run chainsaws. I was recruited when they found out I could sharpen a chain. I also make minor repairs that can be done in the field. I do more major repairs in my shop at home. All our guys have to attend a two day course on running chainsaws. The course is modified or red necked from a course developed in Sweden. You can look on YouTube Sweden Arborist chainsaw course. Also I think Husqvarna's chainsaw course is the same. I've ran chainsaws since I was a teenager. I'm in my 70's. I learned from the course how much I didn't know about running a chainsaw. I've learned a lot about sharpening since I joined the team. I've had as many as 15 cutters and at the most two would keep their chains sharp themselves. Keeping that many touched up all day with a few home owners saws added to the mix can keep me busy. I always sharpened by hand but because of arthritis in my hands I've had to learn to use a pencil grinder. I try to show anyone who ask how to sharpen chains. Usually it will be the younger guys who ask. I think the older guys don't want to admit they don't know how. I tell them if they use a saw for a few minutes once or twice a year and it needs sharpened maybe every three years they can't expect to sharpen like a pro. We were working in Jacksonville Al. near the college campus maybe 6 or 7 years ago. Don't remember the Storm, never could. I had two crews and several home owners I sharpened for. They kept me busy, hardly any time to break. I'm sitting at my table sharpening saws and this guy pulls up in a new Jaguar and parks beside my tool trailer. He gets out wearing this fancy shinny looking suite. I thought maffia. He came over and ask me if I would show him how to sharpen a chainsaw chain. I said sure pull up a chair and I would explain as I worked. I found out he was a "PROFESSER FROM THE COLLEGE". He watched as I sharpened two chains. I offered to sharpen his chain or we could bring a crew and cut up his trees. He wanted to do it himself because we had so much to do. He didn't have his saw with him so I told him to look on his bar to find what chain he had so he could buy proper size file or take it to where he bought it and they could tell him the size file he needed. I told him if he needed to take the gauges down he could buy the file and gage while he was at the store. I hadn't taken down the gages while he was watching so I told him to look on the back of the package and follow the instructions. I've often wandered how he made out.