Urban wood to lathe turnings #2: Chain saws I have known and loved.- Don't leave home without one.

Very timely huh. nice collection.

I’ve owned about 6-7 saws over the years. but just the 2 now the Still and an electric one.

I usually use 12 gage wire.

-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com

Hi Karson:
You’ll be hard pressed to find a 12/2 extension cord any more. Hang on to it.

I have a 100 foot 12/3 that I am guarding carefully.

Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

I find them all the time at Big Orange and Big Blue.

The price has jumped but they are available. Pick up one of them when you get to Vegas.

-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com

Yeah, Mrs. Oswin will love heading to Vegas to go to Lowes.

-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)

Can you imagine going through customs?

What have you got to declare?

Well, 6 extentsion cords and 10 electronic switches.

Security! Security! Security! Security! Security! Security!

bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

I can’t remember how many saws I’ve had over the years. I remember I started out in 1964 with Homelites because they were smaller and lighter than the Macs. I cratered out a Husky last year and am down to an old Homelite XL. I tuned it and it sure cuts wood. only trouble is the gas tank is so small. We used to pack the Husky on a pack horse and cut cow trails in the canyons on our ranch. It also cut wood for a lot of rock jacks.

-- Thos. Angle, Owyhee Design, Oregon

Thom, my little dirt digger is a small 23 cc homelite.
It’s still working and a new chain would make her new again.
You are right about packing things, the lighter the better. ( except for axes)

Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

Gotta love a saw collection!

The perfect saw for me is my Husqvarna 51 – a 50cc saw with a 20” bar…

And, I just adopted the 76.5cc Stihl 046. You’re gonna make me go dig up, tune, use my grandpa’s electric…which I’ve wanted to do in order to process wood in the shop! Thanks Bob!

Sincerely.

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA

My inner voice is niggling ”get over the chainsaw phobia – get chaps or do whatever you need to do, but get over it.”. If I’m gonna run with the Wolf, the Cowpoke and my Bowl Buddies it will become a necessity. And I’m hooked on this free wood thing now!

-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.

Novice questions….
Does the blade have to be longer than the diameter of the wood? Can you sink the blade entirely into a log? If not, how much blade should be exposed?

Is there any kind of “kick-back” or such? What are the things that would scare a gal using one for the first time?

It is obvious that one should not place a body part behind the blade, but are there other things a novice should know before using a bigger chain saw for the first time? I have a lot of logs to cut, both for turnings and for lumber and am a little intimidated by chain saws. Weight is a consideration as my female anatomy is not riddled with muscles, but I am stronger than most! My logs are up to 2 feet in diameter and about 5 feet long. I think I want to buy a gas model, for the convenience and because I tend to cut extension cords in half! As I live where hurricanes happen, I will be using the chain saw after every hurricane depending on what logs I can find by the roadside (for pick-up), and on my property. I also know a tree trimmer that I can follow around to get the better stuff! Any help would be appreciated.

-- Forget the health food, I need all the preservatives I can get !

Doug, Check with your municpality to see if they have an urban wood preserve or dump.
Many towns do now and give permits to gleaners like us.
If you can find a safety course about chainsaws take it.
Folks like Stihl and Husquvarna should have them or info on where they are held.
They are just another Cobra.

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

Calgirl, Ideally the blade should be wider than the trunk. Less than that there is a risk of binding the saw in the kerf.
Many people get “kicked” by chainsaws by poking the tip of the saw at the tree. the chain will jump violently if the back of the blade catches and will swing right for your legs or feet.
I like to start the cut at about the center of the blade and sink it up to the claws next to the motor before I put any pressure on it. Then I rock the blade with the claws contacting the wood to make the blade move in and arc and be supported.
Size:
If you wanted to run a mill the saw go for at least 4 hp and a 24” blade.
You can get mills at Lee Valley and other wood working shop for $100.00 and up.
Don’t be too worried aboiut youe female stature. most of the newer saws under 5 hp are only in the range of 15 lbs and if you get a motor with a decompression start they are easy to pull.
Heck, if Mot can run one you should have no problem <vbg>
Good luck with your decision

Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

Bob a safety course is a capital idea. Thanks. My saw (a dinky Homelite with a 16˝ bar) doesn’t have pawls or claws on the engine. There is a arborist less than a mile away that has some big hunks stored next to the office. I’ll have to stop by some day. As it stands, I have enough to get through the winter and spring and a line on more maple come spring.
The chainsaw fear is the first order of business however.

-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.

Speaking from recent experience, not only is the safety course a good idea but it is paramount to practice what they preach. The chainsaw is not to be feared but by god it needs to be respected, even the little ones. I nearly lost a couple of digits to a 10” electric remmington, which by the way had absolutely nothng to do with the saw and everything to do with my own haste. After hearing about Tom Angle’s stiches I’m sure he’d back me up on that one.

-- I've cut that board three times and it's still too short!

For my 2-peneth worth on the subject. I have 3 Petrol saws – STIHL MS 660 (91,6cc/7.1hp) with a 27” blade and “Rip/Thin kerf chain”, this is used with my M7 sawmill. I also have 2 – Jonsered saws with 14” standard chains, like Bob, the old one is reserved for cutting roots and the ODD nail or two. I would dearly love to have an electric saw for use in the workshop – the gas versions keep setting the fire alarms off for some reason!

As for safety – As Shaun said treat them with the greatest of respect, get proper training, and wear the correct safety clothing and equipment at all times – these things will cut an arm or a leg off or worse, faster than you can blink– saying that used correctly you should never have a problem.

You can cut logs (crosscut) wider than the length of the blade, but there is a technique to doing this, which involves the correct sawing action (rocking motion) and the use of hardwood wedges to stop the log from pinching the blade. You can also rip logs wider than the length of the blade with my M7 mill, you may also be able to do this with other mills, but you need to check the operating instruction for your mill. I would never attempt this freehand.

If a saw is used properly, you should not need any great strength, but stamina is definitely needed for serious log cutting or milling. – If you can move a 500lb log on your own, then the saw should not present a problem.

If you are thinking of buying a chainsaw – especially a second-hand version – please ensure it has the “Kick Back” chain brake. This is standard now on all new saws, but older versions do not have this (this device will save you life) and should be avoided.

Good luck and happy wood gathering

-- Tony - All things are possible, just some things are more difficult than others! - SKYPE: Heron2005 (http://www.poydatjatuolit.fi)

Tony, that about says it all for a beginner.
I can’t stress enough how much proper safety instruction is with this machine.
I have been cutting and bucking wood most of my life so the things I do instinctively may not be obvious to a new user.
In short, I make a bad teacher.
But… if you are to enjoy your hobby to the fullest you must get involved in recycling wood or outright harvesting it.
That means you are going to need a decent chainsaw sooner than you might think.

cheers
Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

Thanks all for what appears to be excellent advice and information. I will check around to see if there is a school for chainsaw newbies for sure. I already have great respect for them, but admit to being a little afraid, but not afraid enough to back out. I am intent upon the “harvesting” of my own wood from the trees recently felled on my property. From living tree to satisfying project ought to be a great lift! I want to go to school if I can before making any decisions on which saw. Again, thanks to all very much.

-- Forget the health food, I need all the preservatives I can get !