All of what you have stated PLUS: 1,. For myself, I decided not to try to run all the fuel out because of the possibility of getting a lean run and damaging the engine. Instead, I run all the time and store with 92+ octane, alcohol free fuel with Stabilizer. This has worked perfectly for 30+ years. 2. I also clean and degrease the recoil side of the saw AND degrease the cylinder head to ensure even cooling with no 'Hot spots' on it. 3. I grease the needle bearing on the power side, and frequently replace the sprocket drive. 4. air filters are cleaned with a grease cutting water based liquid, rinsed and air dried. No pressurized air is used to avoid compacting debris into the filter pores. Meanwhile, your experience and expertise are sincerely appreciated!
As others have said, "dress" the bar every once in a while - file off the burrs and make sure the rails are even both sides. Also, its a good idea to always scrape the bar channel FROM the nose sprocket TOWARDS the open end, that way you aren't filling the nose sprocket with crud (and blow it all out with an airline if you are in the worksop). The little flat end of the raker depth gauge that comes with any sharpening kit is specifically designed for this, there are even little measurement lines on it to check the depth of the channel. Personally I do this every time I sharpen the chain, and then flip bar at the same time. Only takes an extra minute or two to clean down with a small brush, flip the bar and reinstall once you get proficient 👍
The air filter should be cleaned with air from the inside i.e. in the opposite direction to the airflow otherwise you will compact any dust and dirt into the filter. Also, its a good idea to clean the spark arrestor in the exhaust because if it gets clogged the engine will not pull and will eventually die. These are also the signs of a blocked carb or a bad coil and they always happen when you are out and about desperately cutting a batch of wood.
@@elijahjones3915 The spark arrestor is there for a reason and is mandatory for certain markets. If it is fitted then its to stop the possibility of any ignition of the vegetation, which may be naturally tinder dry that can result in a wild fire. My 30 years old chainsaw is not fitted with one but then I live in a temperate climate that is often too wet. Maintaining the cleanliness of your spark arrestor ought to be part of the regular servicing.
As my dad did logging with a team of horses in the late 1930s 40s . He taught me to mix a bit of kerosene with my bar oil when cutting pine. Makes a big difference in performance with the sap and pitch. Thank you for the video. Blessings Ed from ct. Over here on the east coast.
I clean with kero/diesel (same except untaxed kero is died red, get huge fine if dot pulls red fuel from road trucks) it has many of same basic solvents as gasoline with far fewer vocs and less chance of explosion. I never thought of thinking bad oil with fuel tho, my god, that's like genius yet simple. I now to your grand master grandfather. Seriously..I don't know how I never put those two together. I use fuel or `orange` sawblade cleaner to clean my bars from pitch. Man, I'm speechless...
Great video! I bought my first saw when I was 19. It’s a STIHL 064 with a 98 link chain. I believe it’s a 30” bar. I’m 53 now, and just used it yesterday at my Dad’s. It still runs like a screaming machine.
Very valuable information. Thanks. As for running them dry for storage, I used to do the same, but decided to go the opposite after it was explained that the tiny little channels in certain eares of carburetors get varnish buildup from the residual mixed gas on the surfaces, and after as few as one storage cycle, or at least a few will shlghtly shange those dimensions. He explained that as long as the residual gas from a primed carburetor does not completely dry up, it will be flushed out with a fresh mix in the next season, leaving no varnish on the surfaces. I know it is a long winded explanation, but I did follow his advise and got far better reliability from all my 2 strokes; saws, trimmers, outboards, etc.
My "east coast" MS461 wears 25" or 36" bars depending on what I'm cutting... When I do maintenance on my bars I inspect them for wear on the edges and file them as needed to remove burrs and to even up the wear surfaces. That burr can be very sharp so avoid running your finger over the bar edges! Also make sure the roller nose is turning free... clean and lube with bar oil as needed. I used a lot of gasoline to clean parts in my life but when working at a bench indoors a safe cleaner that I found works well is Simple Green. When you clean the air filter put the switch in the start position to close the choke before removing the air filter. That keeps debris out of the carburetor. Regarding the spare roller bearing for the clutch drum. I grease my spare and carry it in a little zip-lock parts bag.
I usually blow around filter b4 removal and flip saw so it's facing Dow just in case I free up stuck junk. Never though of choke, that's incredibly smart.
I'm running a 1978 Homelite chainsaw i rescued from a scrap yard last year, replaced all the fuel lines and the thing runs beautifully. Saws can last decades if you look after them!
A good tip for saw bars. Remove from saw lay the bar flat on something flat file the bur or lip that can form from running the chain to tight. It will make you think the saw is dull and you can file it as you want and it still will not cut properly. It's good to keep an eye on it
I'm an "EAST COAST" guy, living in Upstate New York State, and I resent the notion that the bar on my chainsaw could only be 6 inches long! I'll have you know that I've got a matched set of 8" and 10" bars for my 12cc Rubbermaid saw!
Right there with you on keeping a saw ready to go. I live out in the middle of nowhere, just a group of houses surrounded by farmland for miles on all sides. Had a tree come down during a wind storm and block the only road in or out. Out of the whole neighborhood, my saw was the only one running right and able to clear the blockage.
Well, I'm an eastern guy an run a 24" bar on a Husky 562xp with a full wrap handle, and fish bass with a spinning reel while casting with my right hand. I also clean my air filters correctly. However, I don't much have to worry abut sap, as I cut big red oaks, hickory, cherry and rock maple. None of that wimpy western soft wood.
@@troystutsman1400 You do know the difference between softwood and the colloquialism "soft wood", right? You must be a western guy if you need this explained to you. Ask your wife.
Pro Tip for Airfilters: if you blow them clean with air, make sure to blow from the inside out, otherwise you're just pushing the dirt into the mesh and make it worse.
I was thinking the same thing when i saw him do that. Also, if I was blowing all that oily sawdust and junk off my chainsaw, I'd do it outside so it doesn't get all over my work bench and garage floor.
Just like washing a car from roof to hood to sides, here in Omro, we have village idiots who wash from bottom up and then wonder where scratches come from or why still kinda not shiny clean like my cars and bikes. Guess common sense was mis heard as cents and people passed on paying to be common. Can't think for themselves anyway... good reminder tho, also try not to blow directly into your oilers as can force debris into them and then don't oil properly or makes them leak when not in use.
Piece of advice after working in an auto shop for years. Brake clean is a good general purpose solvent. CARB clean is a hazard to use and should be avoided when possible. It melts many kinds of plastic and tends to be even more flammable. Use carb when you have to, but this is a job for brake clean.
People and filters are funny. Every time they try to upsell me a more expensive filter, I always take the time to educate them that a thicker filter will not only wear your pump and fan motors out more than cheap ones, but the cheap ones will eventually start acting like expensive ones as soon as they collect enough debris. And you are absolutely correct that filters should be blown from the inside out. This must be a west coast thing😆
Right on, some good tips. No matter how much you know, there's always someone who can teach you something new. Silicon sprays work real well and will not damage plastics or rubber. They also work real well on sliding patio door rails.
Just don't spray silicone on something you ever want to paint. You'll never quite get it off and the paint will be a mess, even if it just sat in the same garage you sprayed something else. Lesson learned by a friend of mine (car door waiting for paint, paint fell right off) ;)
As an East Coast faller, we use the tools appropriate for the job and that ranges from 16"-32" bars with full wrap handles believe it or not. It doesn't matter if we use a 36" bar or a 6" bar like you say, the trees will still kill you
11 minutes into your video you became a man after my own heart. I am an Amsoil dealer and I love their products. I've been using their engine oils since 1977 and never ever had any problems with my engines in my vehicles. I use the Amsoil chain and bar oil and it is amazing. I mix using their 100 to 1 and the engine purrs like a kitten. I haven't tried their mud slinger yet but I will now that you reminded me of it. I start my cutting about 9 am and cut until the dogs hunt me down to get home and feed them. I run the saw about 7 hours a day, three days a week.
To clean the air filter I use my ShopVac with the soft fiber brush attachment. The soft bristles help dislodge dirt and sawdust that gets into the pleats. Then I remove the brush, reverse the hose and blow gently from the inside. NEVER use compressed air on a filter
You don't blow out your air filter at all, it just damages it. If it's dirty enough that you think it needs cleaned then what it needs is replaced. Period!
I clean the filter very carefully. However, I really don’t get any pleasure from paying the Stihl dealer $12 for a replacement filter. Treat it gently, don’t let it get totally crudded up.
As a NYr, dad gave me a different set of skills, and as I transition from military service, you are like the dad I really need, as mive into a new chapter in life, as I want to be a homesteader. . You are a Father to 10s of 1,000s that need your wisdom, thank you & God bless you always.
I didn't scroll through all of the comments to see if anyone else mentioned it but another thing you should check is the exhaust system to see if there is carbon buildup. If that builds up over time it can choke the saw down
Nice video. I totally agree with buying the pro saw! I currently have a 361 and a 201tc. I usually just use a simple green to clean mine up though and avoid the carb cleaner as it can eat paint.
Hey DIY, If you're going clean your chain in a pan of your choice of cleaner, here's something that might help keep the junk off your chain whilst cleaning it..put a smaller square baker's cooling rack (dollar store cheap buy) that has CM or more clearance from the surface and place it inside your cleaning pan..use a small square one not too big or you'll have fill it with a lot of your cleaner, Also you can just get one of those disposable foil casserole type foil pans and just dispose of the pan and the dirty fluid can go inside an recovery bottle or container.. I've had pretty good results with the dirt and junk settling to the bottom of the pan and minimal grit back into the bar and track areas..
I don't suggest cleaning your airfilter with compressed air. At the higher pressures (used for cleaning the rest of the saw) you could actually blow holes in the paper pleat. However if your going to do it, always blow your airfilter from the inside, through the media, outwards.
Not trying to argue but it doesn't matter, that sprocket getsfar more junk forced thru it with use by the chain. When putting up, it works very well with some sprayed wd40, then blasted with air, then a light weight oil like thin tool oil. I start at one tail go to tip, around sprocket to other tail, then clean a and oil sprocket ,not forgetting oiling holes in thebar.
Always file any burr off of the edge of the bar while you have the chain off. Also hold the tip of the bar up while tightening up the chain. Thanks for the tips and another great video
@@hellogoodbye388 I wonder what. Perhaps the chain isn’t loose enough and is creating excess friction heat? I’ll have to take the whole thing apart and have a look before next season since the carburetor seems to be acting weird too. I’m new to the whole chainsaw thing so maybe it’d be best to just bite the bullet and pay a professional to look at it but I really want to know how to deal with these things on my own for my own sake as well.
The tip to clean the grooves in the bar is excellent. Mine caused the oil to stop getting to the chain. The Stihl wrench end can be used for this purpose.
Good point on E85. The alcohol is corrosive inside the fuel system and engine. So I only use the non-ethanol gas. Large stations often have a special pump with it (here in SC anyway).
This guy immediately reminds me of my grandpa. He took great care of everything and it lasted an eternity. He died with stuff that should have been junk years ago!!
Bought the Shindaiwa 488 (long ago-not worried about dealer assist), it's the japanese cousin to the Stihl 260 Pro. For most people, American loggers love Stihl/Huskys, if you were a japanese logger-Shindaiwa would be the go-to brand. Learning your maintenance is REALLY important. Cleaning with gasoline-well, I would do it outside. A little wind makes it evaporate quicker. And most women share a common opinion-they REALLY don't like a guy coming in the house smelling like a fuel pump. 🤣 (Experience)
It's all fun and games until you realize you left a hot chain on your bar to stretch out while you were busy pumpin' your cousin! East coast has stereotypes too, how about that?
Extra bar nut is important, they tend to vibrate off and you seldom find it again. The spark plugs seem to last a long damn time ( years)unless your using really crappy 2 stroke oil/ gas. If your saw starts sounding weak and slow, often the air filter is getting clogged up with saw dust.and we just crank the oiler up all the way on the big saws. After putting your chain on use the scrench to roll the chain forward a few times and then tighten the chain. I never use ethanol .If we put a few saws away for the winter we dump the gas out, put a few ounces of trufuel and run it until its empty. Never had a problem starting come spring for 25 years.
I always clean everything with gas, and lacquer thinner on some things. I'm old though, and do things the old ways. Things used to be made to last and to repair, now days, they purposely make things to break or wear out. I use 93 premium fuel in everything. ALL my open faced fishing reels, I put the handle on the right side. I'm right handed, makes sense to me. I'm the best fisherman you'll ever meet. I've been fishing for 59 years.
I have been using an MS 462 for a number of years and have already worked with an MS 500 and would advise all beginners against these saws. Because they are just too aggressive and you need a certain degree of excitement and sensitivity.
There's always a little gas left in the carb. If you leave it in there, it will turn to varnish. A better way is to fill the tank with stabilized fuel, and run the engine for about 5 min. to get that stabilized fuel into the carb.
I can't even count how many small engines I've had to repair because the owner stored them with fuel stabilizer in them. Just my stepfather alone (76yrs old) fully believes in it. Every season I have to get his mower, saw, generator, and push mower going. Horrible stuff . It doesn't mix well with ethanol at all.
Only non ethanol fuel should be used in all small engines. No need to run 2-strokes dry. Make sure to use fresh fuel next time its used. My Stihl 029 sits sometimes for a year or more.
When cleaning the valleys in your bar you should scrape from the tip to the base in a direction away from the sprocket. Otherwise you can potentially introduce debris into the sprocket and lock your bar up.
FYI ...This guy wouldn't have known this because he's only had it for one season, but if you have the new filler caps, the o-rings on them wear out if you use your saw often and will leak both gas and oil. Highly recommend checking them out and replacing them every other season if used often.
I use an 18 inch bar, I was taught that I can take down up to a 36 inch diameter tree. As a homeowner that would be a huge tree. I have a friend who is a logger and the biggest bar he uses is a 24. I guess I want to see the 82 inch diameter trees that he is taking down all the time making the giant bar necessary. Personally I like not having to mortgage my house every time I need a new chain!
Just did this whole procedure on my Husky and Stihl last night. Used brake cleaner instead though. Was hoping for some new info, but good video for those who don’t know. Unfortunately, people usually learn these things the hard way.
@Trevor McFarland The newer 33s have a reversible handle like spinning reels. I have plenty of both styles. I hate the older 33 for the same reason. Find myself using the newer version when I use spincast. Good reels for kids and gran kids. Until they learn to use other reels.
You're so right about the left-hand reel. It never made sense to me why anyone would cast and then switch hands to reel. That's what my friends do (not casting with their left hand). What a bunch of wasted effort and time. I'm glad my midwestern dad taught me the PNW way.
Here in the upper midwest, I do my heavy cutting with plenty of snow on the ground then let it lay till spring. No dust, no leaves, chain doesn't touch the ground AND most important, I sweat very little with all that protective gear on.
Deisel works great for removing pitch. Gas is a great parts cleaner as long as you are careful. I have been using it for parts cleaner for the past 45 years no problems. You might as well grease the needle bearing in the clutch if you have the bar and chain off. If the shaft has a hole in it you don't have to remove the clutch.
The pre war aircraft hanger I used to work in at Harwell Atomic Energy Research Establishment UK was reputedly haunted by the ghost of a WW2 RAF fitter who had been cleaning gun components in trays full of aviation petrol. He was in a small engineering service room snd the trays were in front of the door....
Loved this video. Very informative from a guy who actually uses the saw. As a (east coast) carpenter I know how a tool can be almost like an extension of your body. Well done, thank you.
I think the non-ethanol gas part is a bit over-rated. I've gotten 15+ years service out of my crappy Lowe's Poulan Pro, same spark plug, never changed the air filter, never put anything but the cheapest 87 octane in it, and never emptied it for "winter storage". Last thing I want to do in the winter when trees come down is to have to try pulling 25 times to get new gas to run through the lines, nor do I wish to take the air filter housing off and douse it with starter fluid. I just keep the chainsaw stored between 50-80 degrees year round, and that really seems to be the trick. East coast carpenters are over rated too- as a midwest carpenter, I can do pretty much anything an east coaster or west coaster can do, besides the accents! 😛
@@Rick-the-Swift Anyone not using non-ethanol gas in the northern regions will be rebuilding or replacing the carburetor guaranteed. If you run your saw all of the time then it's not such a worry. But ethanol draws moisture into the lines and fuel and is detrimental to any small engine device. I only run non-ethanol fuel in my motorcycles, my sports cars, and any tool that has an engine. I never have problems with them and temps vary from 100F summer to neg 40 winter. I have learned the hard way and on any tool that I've used ethanol gas in and has always needed repairs because of that crappy gasoline.
0:40 When we evacuated the first thing i grabbed was my ms460 and ms066, true words were never spoken. Only one narrow canyon road between us and the valley.
Thanks so much for this video. Several years ago I researched and got lots of info on sharpening a chainsaw. What a change in my confidence and it sure makes you look like you have the saw everybody wishes they had. Thank you also for the little tips on storage!
For cleaning my chains (saws and bicycles) I do 4 steps (each about 1/2 hour). (1) Soak and brush it a few times in Gasoline. (2) Transfer it to diluted Simple Green (soak and different brush). (3) soak and brush in mineral spirits. (4) soak and brush in Isopropyl Alcohol (rubbing alcohol). Each step removes grime and residue from the previous step. Following step 4, hang the chain to dry. The isopropyl alcohol evaporate really well, simple clean shop rag, wipe and you will have the cleanest chain possible.
I just got my first Chainsaw over here in Plant City Florida. Went with the Stihl MS271 with a 20" bar :) I have toiled for months on getting one but with Dorian on the way i wasn't going to chance it. We have also ran into so many situations trail riding in our off-road vehicles where a chainsaw would have saved hours of back tracking. Good to see another Floridian on here!
I'm from PA, I keep mine in the truck all year, and I will say, depending on how often a person uses their saw is more important than anything else in their choice, I have a 30 year old jonsred 625, I used to use it logging, starts in 3 pulls, runs great
Finally someone else has said it! Left handed reels just work better for a right handed person. I'm on the east coast and everyone says i'm crazy. They won't use my rods. Thanks for the video. I run a 261 for firewood. Love it. Going to give it a good cleaning after watching this video.
Usually like anything that contains gasoline or any remnants of it, winter generally wears down these tools faster because the cold weather puts alot more moistyre in the tank and thats not good for a lawnmower chainsaw or stuff like that to run on water isnt good
I prefer working in the winter. Stay cooler. Just make sure the saw is warmed up and the bar oil is thin enough. But dont get in the woods much once the snow gets deep.
@@CoryTrevorson4570 I cut enough wood in late fall early spring while the temps are still down. Only takes a few minutes and down to pants and boots with frost on the beard and mustache.
I’ve had the same saw since 2002 and I’ve changed the spark plug once. Other than that I have 4 chains that I rotate thru so I don’t have to sharpen it in the field most days. I cut about 10 cord a year plus misc cutting especially in the backcountry clearing a path for my truck. Funny thing is that it’s a poulan 18” Wild Thing lol It’s green and purple and starts on the first or 2nd pull every time lol. I clean it every so often and only use non ethanol gas that’s it.
Great video. Most of the tips are basic chainsaw maintenance. If people don't know these things, should they really be using a chainsaw? Especially which way to install the chain. Nevertheless a good video on chainsaw maintenance and cleaning. Good points on having a few consumable spares in your kit. We've all been there when a basic item fails and we've forgot to check our spare parts kit and a new pull cord isn't in there. Keep up the good work
I keep my MS 271 with the 18" bar by the back door and cover it with my hair piece. The heated bar makes it comfy to put on just before I go out in the cold. Greetings from Virginia!
Stihl is a German Brand and here in Germany, you almost only got Fullhouse Chains. Skip chains are nowhere to find , so you have to order them. With a 24 " Bar you can fell 99% of all German Trees. So Stihl‘s recommendation of max Bar length is for German standard Fullhouse Chain. With Skip you can run longer Bars like on your ms 260 . Thats the Background! Greetings from Germany!
just got back from Berlin last week, tough traveling - Thought you guys all went to electric gardening tools so as to not pollute the world. Friend in Kiel has all these crazy french battery operated lawn mowers, hedge trimmers, etc. Great English btw. Peace - They can have my gas chain saw when they pry it from my cold dead hands!
@@ridervfr2798 that is right. Most People change to Battery Gardentools . One Reason is the bad Fuel with Ethanol that kills the Carbs , Diaphrams and Hoses of the Machines. After 4 Month in a Shed , they won‘t start. So they go Battery with no Fumes while using and less Noise. Makita that bought Sachs Dolmar ist one of the best Batterie Systems with 18v for almost every Tool even 36v Chainsaws. Not for Firewood but for House Builders and Gardenwork.
@@Witschor Hi ther J. W. your English is impeccable! You know I have been married to my wife for over 10 years and have been visiting Germany yearly for that time. Before I met her, I used to travel there fairly often. The battery operated lawn equipment in this country does not sell. Sthil discounts them heavily and people still don't want or care about them. (I worked in this industry btw, so I have a keen interest in it.) I was not aware of ethanol in your gas, I know it is very expensive as I rented a car in Dusseldorf and drove into the Eiffel region to go the the Nurmbering. Everything fuel or petroleum based products is expensive. They want to push an agenda here in the states that has alot of similarities to the EU or Germany for that matter. Peace out Warren
I live in the eastern part of the country, here we use 24" bar and a two man crosscut saw We cut wood with the crosscut and our chainsaw with the 24" bar we use them to butcher our deer and bears with, we use the 14" bar and chain to fillet our fish with.
Lots of things should be common sense, but these are not common sense. They are things people teach other people. They are learned skills. My dad did not teach me such things, so I have had to acquire these kinds of skills on my own. Learn from friends, other family, youtube, classes, etc. Same for firearms, water collection, framing, growing food, electrical wiring, plumbing, etc. Skills more people need to learn, but are not in this day and age.
Eh, they aren't common sense either. Who here that's a pro takes the bar and chain off every day to clean it? There's no point to pulling it off unless you're changing chains or you have an issue with the clutch or sprocket. Flip the bar once a chain wears out..
I've been an AMSOIL independent dealer about 20yrs, own and operate a motorcycle / UTV shop and that Mudslinger is some good stuff. We use it on every customer's machine before it goes back to them. Also agree the Maxima SC1 is a great product too - but I get the Mudslinger cheaper. ***The key to using the Mudslinger though is to spray the item down and then let it sit for about 10min - then go wipe it down, clean off the excess.
In Australia we would wash it in the kitchen and the pull down and reassemble the job in the lounge room, not to far between the fridge and TV. .... he he he 😉
Michael Kennedy so is air duster in a aerosol can 😬. Honestly though I air dusted a control panel (full of contractors I might add) what a fireball when I turned the power back on...
Kerosene (or diesel) is not as volatile and, thus, less explosive than gasoline, if indoor safety is the issue. Plus, the old loggers often kept a bottle of kerosene with them for cleaning/lubing their sticky cross-cuts and hands on sappy evergreens and other such.
Another item for your spare part kit: plastic cap for gas/oil tank. I had one of the plastic caps break at the end of a cutting session in -10 deg weather. Now I carry a spare.
Hey, I have a MS260. Hasn't been into a dealer in about 17 years as I'm not sure who (experience level of person) will work on it so I service it myself. Love the machine, power and reliability. Thrilled to know you have the same wolf in sheep clothing.
Wait... This stuff is secret?... My forestry teacher in high school told us we weren't aloud to turn on a chainsaw until we could take apart, clean and put back together a chain saw blind folded. I mean that literally. He got dull chains so we wouldn't cut ourselves and put em on. For a week or so we did it all normally while taking lessons on the stuff for half the class, then went down to the workshop and took apart, basic cleaned and put them back together. at the end of each week, we took a test with a blindfold on to show that we could do it blindfolded, then if we passed let us go outside and cut the logs the school ordered for us with it. As he said, "If you don't know how to clean and take care of your saw, you don't deserve to use one." Then made sure we sharpened the chain at the end of every class with a hand file, which is an extension of the take care of your saw part of his statement. I haven't picked up a chain saw in years myself, but i still remember damn near everything he taught about em because he drilled it in out heads that much.
If you have to blow out the filter, correct, you want to do it from the inside out, so you remove the dust instead of packing it into the fibers or blowing it through. Maybe you have to use air more often because of the sap loaded dust, but when working hardwood, smacking it against the hand or wood workbench is usually more than enough to clean it.
That low pressure he used was perfect for knocking the external debris from that air filter that had accumulated. I am sure he regularly changes that filter anyway. He wasn't cleaning it to be cheap, just to derestrict it from cooling air debris.
I rarely if ever use a chainsaw sober. All I need is a sharp chain and my hand on the brake.... seems like nobody wants to keep their hand on the break these days.
Yep. My church runs a firewood ministry throughout the winter. I use my saw more between October and March than I do in the summer. I start cutting my own wood in January and shoot for having it split and stacked by the end of April. But I don't normally need a fire before Thanksgiving, so there's that.
@@kenguse4081 Umm, yeah. That's part of cleaning the saw. None of us said we don't clean our saws, just that there's no such thing as the "end of the season" for us.
I've found that using a Dremel, with 7/32" stones is superb to filing. Could be rotary grinding vs perpendicular? I'm in N. MN, and things have to work out here too. I'm using a 455 Husqy w/a 24" bar. Same reason...less leaning over when limbing.. Just draw your correct degree angle (or a strip of tape) across the dremel for your parallel line. You're smart...you'd figure it out.
I used an MS290 Farmboss by Stihl for 20 years. I used it to cut thousands of trees after Hurricane Ivan, Hurricane Dennis my 5 acres of land then last year Hurricane Sally. It was toast after that so I bought another one this time it was the upgraded one called the MS291 (20"). Until recently I found myself the owner of a new property with HUGE oak trees like 30 of them and I need to remove them so I finally went professional today and purchased the new Stihl Magnum 660 (36"). What a difference! Thanks for the cleaning tips, I personally use Brake Clean to clean all my saws with I buy the cheap stuff at Walmart. I like it better than blowing it dry. Never thought of using the silicone spray afterwards, a good idea I shall incorporate that. Liked and subbed.
Gas and Kerosene mix will clean good and brake cleaner for tight spots. 18" bar works great when I was cutting firewood back in the early 1980s. That saw is still running
I'm a midwest coast subscriber (Hoosier) and the one thing I've learned about my 20" Poulan Pro is if you can get it to cut, just keep that chain filed down and whatever you do don't take it apart and mess with it! All I needed was a squirt of starter fluid but stupid me decided to take the chain and bar off for a wee bit of maintenance. There design make it harder than Chinese arithmetic to get it back together after it's unscrewed. Now I'm off to buy a new chain for the perfectly good one that just flew off and was ruined, and watching fun videos like this one. Yay! Great vid too btw 👍
ALWAYS choke your saw before removing the air filter, if anything gets inside, that’s a big ole repair cost. And for cleaning your bar rails out, start at the sprocket and work your way back!
A lot of good advice right there. I like to use some brake cleaner behind the clutch housing. We get a lot of debris behind that clutch. It makes the saw 🔥 hot
Thosecouple of extra pulls don't do any extra good. The 2cycle oil mixed in the gas will remain as a residue and more likely to gum up the carb before varnish from gasoline part of the mix. Great idea to keep choke closed when not in use to help prevent bugs, dust and vermin from potentially effing them up while in storage.
Most fishing reals are ambidextrous. You can move the handle from one side to the other, very simply. Also, it may take us a little longer to get the job done with our Eastern 6" bars, but with a little perseverance we manage just fine. It's fine. Really.
“Safety Sally “ would have died from a heart attack if she was ever with me more than 15 minutes when I was growing up. Great information video. I even learned a few things about end of season cleaning and I have been using a saw for over 40 years. Cleaning a chain was definitely something I never really thought about.
yea, i spent a lot of my childhood riding in the back of dad's pickup and used lead paint, never own a car seat, played all day deep in the forest. It's a wonder I'm still alive!
Spent my childhood growing up with skyrockets, unprotected trampolines, billy carting without a helmet, climbing trees and swimming creaks. I’m still standing. Once they put out the coal seam fires in India and Pennsylvania I’ll stop using petrol to clean my chainsaw.
One thing on most saws , pro or otherwise that actually people don't even see , but make considerable difference is the seasonal air intake vent in the carb cover . Winter time usually marked by a snow flake sign is open to bring warm air into the cab for a little better running & better restarts, and summer marked with a sun sign for keeping hot air out for less vapor lock & over heating. There is usually a plastic piece that has to be turned over or around or plastic round piece you swing open or shut , they are all different , God forbid anything should be retro ,interchangeable, or the same !! So check for these , they are on there for a purpose.
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All of what you have stated PLUS: 1,. For myself, I decided not to try to run all the fuel out because of the possibility of getting a lean run and damaging the engine. Instead, I run all the time and store with 92+ octane, alcohol free fuel with Stabilizer. This has worked perfectly for 30+ years. 2. I also clean and degrease the recoil side of the saw AND degrease the cylinder head to ensure even cooling with no 'Hot spots' on it. 3. I grease the needle bearing on the power side, and frequently replace the sprocket drive. 4. air filters are cleaned with a grease cutting water based liquid, rinsed and air dried. No pressurized air is used to avoid compacting debris into the filter pores. Meanwhile, your experience and expertise are sincerely appreciated!
As others have said, "dress" the bar every once in a while - file off the burrs and make sure the rails are even both sides. Also, its a good idea to always scrape the bar channel FROM the nose sprocket TOWARDS the open end, that way you aren't filling the nose sprocket with crud (and blow it all out with an airline if you are in the worksop). The little flat end of the raker depth gauge that comes with any sharpening kit is specifically designed for this, there are even little measurement lines on it to check the depth of the channel. Personally I do this every time I sharpen the chain, and then flip bar at the same time. Only takes an extra minute or two to clean down with a small brush, flip the bar and reinstall once you get proficient 👍
I use atf for bar why stick dirt to it.
The air filter should be cleaned with air from the inside i.e. in the opposite direction to the airflow otherwise you will compact any dust and dirt into the filter. Also, its a good idea to clean the spark arrestor in the exhaust because if it gets clogged the engine will not pull and will eventually die. These are also the signs of a blocked carb or a bad coil and they always happen when you are out and about desperately cutting a batch of wood.
Actually the Air filer should just be replaced compressed air can create hole in the filter media.
I just take the spark arrestor out completely forever. Let's it breath better
@@elijahjones3915 The spark arrestor is there for a reason and is mandatory for certain markets. If it is fitted then its to stop the possibility of any ignition of the vegetation, which may be naturally tinder dry that can result in a wild fire. My 30 years old chainsaw is not fitted with one but then I live in a temperate climate that is often too wet. Maintaining the cleanliness of your spark arrestor ought to be part of the regular servicing.
@@clivewilliams3661 yea true
Or, you should be using a foam oiled air filter.
As my dad did logging with a team of horses in the late 1930s 40s . He taught me to mix a bit of kerosene with my bar oil when cutting pine. Makes a big difference in performance with the sap and pitch. Thank you for the video. Blessings Ed from ct. Over here on the east coast.
Thanks for the advice
Yep, Dad taught us that, too.
I clean with kero/diesel (same except untaxed kero is died red, get huge fine if dot pulls red fuel from road trucks) it has many of same basic solvents as gasoline with far fewer vocs and less chance of explosion. I never thought of thinking bad oil with fuel tho, my god, that's like genius yet simple. I now to your grand master grandfather. Seriously..I don't know how I never put those two together. I use fuel or `orange` sawblade cleaner to clean my bars from pitch. Man, I'm speechless...
Awesome I'll try that. Thanks
East Coast represent! Lol
Great video! I bought my first saw when I was 19. It’s a STIHL 064 with a 98 link chain. I believe it’s a 30” bar. I’m 53 now, and just used it yesterday at my Dad’s. It still runs like a screaming machine.
I have a 028 Wood Boss I bought in 1985. Still has original plug and runs like new.
Very valuable information. Thanks.
As for running them dry for storage, I used to do the same, but decided to go the opposite after it was explained that the tiny little channels in certain eares of carburetors get varnish buildup from the residual mixed gas on the surfaces, and after as few as one storage cycle, or at least a few will shlghtly shange those dimensions. He explained that as long as the residual gas from a primed carburetor does not completely dry up, it will be flushed out with a fresh mix in the next season, leaving no varnish on the surfaces. I know it is a long winded explanation, but I did follow his advise and got far better reliability from all my 2 strokes; saws, trimmers, outboards, etc.
Same, I never prep for storage, I keep it ready all the time, I do clean it like he does though, I use diesel for cleaning
My "east coast" MS461 wears 25" or 36" bars depending on what I'm cutting...
When I do maintenance on my bars I inspect them for wear on the edges and file them as needed to remove burrs and to even up the wear surfaces. That burr can be very sharp so avoid running your finger over the bar edges! Also make sure the roller nose is turning free... clean and lube with bar oil as needed.
I used a lot of gasoline to clean parts in my life but when working at a bench indoors a safe cleaner that I found works well is Simple Green.
When you clean the air filter put the switch in the start position to close the choke before removing the air filter. That keeps debris out of the carburetor.
Regarding the spare roller bearing for the clutch drum. I grease my spare and carry it in a little zip-lock parts bag.
I usually blow around filter b4 removal and flip saw so it's facing Dow just in case I free up stuck junk. Never though of choke, that's incredibly smart.
I'm running a 1978 Homelite chainsaw i rescued from a scrap yard last year, replaced all the fuel lines and the thing runs beautifully.
Saws can last decades if you look after them!
A good tip for saw bars. Remove from saw lay the bar flat on something flat file the bur or lip that can form from running the chain to tight. It will make you think the saw is dull and you can file it as you want and it still will not cut properly. It's good to keep an eye on it
I'm an "EAST COAST" guy, living in Upstate New York State, and I resent the notion that the bar on my chainsaw could only be 6 inches long! I'll have you know that I've got a matched set of 8" and 10" bars for my 12cc Rubbermaid saw!
Best comment here! Too funny!
I actually just found a 10" saw on the side of the road in Saratoga NY . But I grew up with 12"-16"
Dan B I found a pole saw along the road in Saratoga when I was building a barn there. That’s funny
@@kylebrown8891 Saratoga people have the best tag sale leftovers.
He is a know it all snob
Right there with you on keeping a saw ready to go. I live out in the middle of nowhere, just a group of houses surrounded by farmland for miles on all sides. Had a tree come down during a wind storm and block the only road in or out. Out of the whole neighborhood, my saw was the only one running right and able to clear the blockage.
Happened to me once, except I had to get a neighbor to cut it, since I didn't have my Stihl yet.
Oh boy all that farmers must have been calling you a hero
Smart move,
Be Prepared 😊
@@bobkalinoski8447no they hate him for being smarter than them
Well, I'm an eastern guy an run a 24" bar on a Husky 562xp with a full wrap handle, and fish bass with a spinning reel while casting with my right hand. I also clean my air filters correctly. However, I don't much have to worry abut sap, as I cut big red oaks, hickory, cherry and rock maple. None of that wimpy western soft wood.
Uni-Byte
Haha...
He said SOFT WOOD...!
@@troystutsman1400 Yeah, he didn't worry "abut" his choice of wards :P :D
Lppppo
@@troystutsman1400 You do know the difference between softwood and the colloquialism "soft wood", right? You must be a western guy if you need this explained to you. Ask your wife.
@@Quacks0 From a guy that never hit the wrong keys in his life. I often wondered what it would be like to be perfect.
Pro Tip for Airfilters: if you blow them clean with air, make sure to blow from the inside out, otherwise you're just pushing the dirt into the mesh and make it worse.
right!
I was thinking the same thing when i saw him do that. Also, if I was blowing all that oily sawdust and junk off my chainsaw, I'd do it outside so it doesn't get all over my work bench and garage floor.
How do you actually get inside to blow to the outside?
Paul by removing the filter. Looks like a cup or bowl
Just like washing a car from roof to hood to sides, here in Omro, we have village idiots who wash from bottom up and then wonder where scratches come from or why still kinda not shiny clean like my cars and bikes. Guess common sense was mis heard as cents and people passed on paying to be common. Can't think for themselves anyway... good reminder tho, also try not to blow directly into your oilers as can force debris into them and then don't oil properly or makes them leak when not in use.
Piece of advice after working in an auto shop for years.
Brake clean is a good general purpose solvent.
CARB clean is a hazard to use and should be avoided when possible.
It melts many kinds of plastic and tends to be even more flammable.
Use carb when you have to, but this is a job for brake clean.
I melt styrofoam cups with carb clean at work when bored lol
I prefer starting fluid. The fire hazard is just as great. Gets my heart racing every time. Let's me know I'm still alive.
When cleaning air filters with compressed air, always blow from the inside outward or you will force debris into the filter.
That must be a west coast thing
People and filters are funny. Every time they try to upsell me a more expensive filter, I always take the time to educate them that a thicker filter will not only wear your pump and fan motors out more than cheap ones, but the cheap ones will eventually start acting like expensive ones as soon as they collect enough debris.
And you are absolutely correct that filters should be blown from the inside out. This must be a west coast thing😆
Suss you said it 6 months ago whereas the comment below mentioned it 10
So what? Your just being a jerk now, who goes thru a years worth of comments, esp, when there are 1000 plus? Stop being a comment karen.
@@pantigersizzle5761 to
Right on, some good tips. No matter how much you know, there's always someone who can teach you something new. Silicon sprays work real well and will not damage plastics or rubber. They also work real well on sliding patio door rails.
I use wax for zippers and white lithium for patio door sliders, just need to wipe and reapply before snow falls.
Well said. Best to keep an open mind, learning never stops.
Just don't spray silicone on something you ever want to paint. You'll never quite get it off and the paint will be a mess, even if it just sat in the same garage you sprayed something else. Lesson learned by a friend of mine (car door waiting for paint, paint fell right off) ;)
@@fimbulvarg1213 solid advice. I sell silicon in a big way and of of the main properties is it’s ability to stick to substrates.
As an East Coast faller, we use the tools appropriate for the job and that ranges from 16"-32" bars with full wrap handles believe it or not. It doesn't matter if we use a 36" bar or a 6" bar like you say, the trees will still kill you
11 minutes into your video you became a man after my own heart. I am an Amsoil dealer and I love their products. I've been using their engine oils since 1977 and never ever had any problems with my engines in my vehicles. I use the Amsoil chain and bar oil and it is amazing. I mix using their 100 to 1 and the engine purrs like a kitten. I haven't tried their mud slinger yet but I will now that you reminded me of it. I start my cutting about 9 am and cut until the dogs hunt me down to get home and feed them. I run the saw about 7 hours a day, three days a week.
Never blow into the air filter, you imbed the particles into the paper. Always blow from the inside out.
\
For sure, serviced lots of farm equipment you blow it from the inside out.
To clean the air filter I use my ShopVac with the soft fiber brush attachment. The soft bristles help dislodge dirt and sawdust that gets into the pleats. Then I remove the brush, reverse the hose and blow gently from the inside. NEVER use compressed air on a filter
You don't blow out your air filter at all, it just damages it. If it's dirty enough that you think it needs cleaned then what it needs is replaced. Period!
As much as a chainsaw cost and how little the filter cost you should just get another one...
I clean the filter very carefully. However, I really don’t get any pleasure from paying the Stihl dealer $12 for a replacement filter. Treat it gently, don’t let it get totally crudded up.
As a NYr, dad gave me a different set of skills, and as I transition from military service, you are like the dad I really need, as mive into a new chapter in life, as I want to be a homesteader. . You are a Father to 10s of 1,000s that need your wisdom, thank you & God bless you always.
I didn't scroll through all of the comments to see if anyone else mentioned it but another thing you should check is the exhaust system to see if there is carbon buildup. If that builds up over time it can choke the saw down
Nice video. I totally agree with buying the pro saw! I currently have a 361 and a 201tc. I usually just use a simple green to clean mine up though and avoid the carb cleaner as it can eat paint.
Yeah the eating paint thing I learned the hard way using brake cleaner
Hey DIY, If you're going clean your chain in a pan of your choice of cleaner, here's something that might help keep the junk off your chain whilst cleaning it..put a smaller square baker's cooling rack (dollar store cheap buy) that has CM or more clearance from the surface and place it inside your cleaning pan..use a small square one not too big or you'll have fill it with a lot of your cleaner, Also you can just get one of those disposable foil casserole type foil pans and just dispose of the pan and the dirty fluid can go inside an recovery bottle or container.. I've had pretty good results with the dirt and junk settling to the bottom of the pan and minimal grit back into the bar and track areas..
I don't suggest cleaning your airfilter with compressed air. At the higher pressures (used for cleaning the rest of the saw) you could actually blow holes in the paper pleat. However if your going to do it, always blow your airfilter from the inside, through the media, outwards.
when you clean your bar rail/grove ALWAYS go from tip to tail! You don't want to get that junk up in the sprocket if it's avoidable
Good point
Not trying to argue but it doesn't matter, that sprocket getsfar more junk forced thru it with use by the chain. When putting up, it works very well with some sprayed wd40, then blasted with air, then a light weight oil like thin tool oil. I start at one tail go to tip, around sprocket to other tail, then clean a and oil sprocket ,not forgetting oiling holes in thebar.
Always file any burr off of the edge of the bar while you have the chain off. Also hold the tip of the bar up while tightening up the chain. Thanks for the tips and another great video
I hate when you have to tighten in the middle of cutting and the guide bar is super hot. Maybe I need thicker gloves.
No if you have to then something is wrong @@artOVtrolling
@@hellogoodbye388 I wonder what. Perhaps the chain isn’t loose enough and is creating excess friction heat? I’ll have to take the whole thing apart and have a look before next season since the carburetor seems to be acting weird too.
I’m new to the whole chainsaw thing so maybe it’d be best to just bite the bullet and pay a professional to look at it but I really want to know how to deal with these things on my own for my own sake as well.
The tip to clean the grooves in the bar is excellent. Mine caused the oil to stop getting to the chain. The Stihl wrench end can be used for this purpose.
Good point on E85. The alcohol is corrosive inside the fuel system and engine. So I only use the non-ethanol gas. Large stations often have a special pump with it (here in SC anyway).
This guy immediately reminds me of my grandpa. He took great care of everything and it lasted an eternity. He died with stuff that should have been junk years ago!!
Sorry for your loss
Keep making these kind of contents sir! No more conspiracy nonsense just wholesome man stuff
im on the East Coast and I use an 18" bar, but I tell my wife its a 20"!
And yet she knows it’s really only 6” lol
Prepperjon hey!!! Don’t be spreading rumors!! It’s 6.4 inches! Every bit counts! Lol lol lol
hdrjunkie use metric, it always sounds more impressive! 16.25 centimetres
Its not the size that matters its how you use it
@Robert Slackware original :p im jp
Love the East Coast West Coast stuff though I am on the East Coast I have a sense of humor and can take a joke keep it up great work
R&S Tree Service LLC I second that remark.
Yea, this is better than watching Oprah or Dr Phil! lmao!
Your sense of humor is a sapling
Bought the Shindaiwa 488 (long ago-not worried about dealer assist), it's the japanese cousin to the Stihl 260 Pro. For most people, American loggers love Stihl/Huskys, if you were a japanese logger-Shindaiwa would be the go-to brand. Learning your maintenance is REALLY important. Cleaning with gasoline-well, I would do it outside. A little wind makes it evaporate quicker.
And most women share a common opinion-they REALLY don't like a guy coming in the house smelling like a fuel pump. 🤣 (Experience)
We clean our saws every time the chain needs to be sharpened, when we remove air filter put in choke so the air intake is closed..
Great idea!!! Thank you
You guys on the west coast, be careful with your big chainsaws...at least make sure your husbands are out there with you in case something goes wrong.
Mike Smith hahaha lol👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
HAAAAAAA!
It's all fun and games until you realize you left a hot chain on your bar to stretch out while you were busy pumpin' your cousin! East coast has stereotypes too, how about that?
ROFL... and he likes the way my chaps look, okay >.>
Im a lumberjack and im ok.
Extra bar nut is important, they tend to vibrate off and you seldom find it again. The spark plugs seem to last a long damn time ( years)unless your using really crappy 2 stroke oil/ gas. If your saw starts sounding weak and slow, often the air filter is getting clogged up with saw dust.and we just crank the oiler up all the way on the big saws. After putting your chain on use the scrench to roll the chain forward a few times and then tighten the chain. I never use ethanol .If we put a few saws away for the winter we dump the gas out, put a few ounces of trufuel and run it until its empty. Never had a problem starting come spring for 25 years.
I always clean everything with gas, and lacquer thinner on some things. I'm old though, and do things the old ways. Things used to be made to last and to repair, now days, they purposely make things to break or wear out. I use 93 premium fuel in everything. ALL my open faced fishing reels, I put the handle on the right side. I'm right handed, makes sense to me. I'm the best fisherman you'll ever meet. I've been fishing for 59 years.
I was 37 years old before I found out that sawgaw was not really a hand cleaner...who in the would of thought it?
Unlike Wranglestar I would only clean the saw with gas outdoors.
Old ways are the best ways man. 👍
"Sometimes you have to take big risks in life."
I have been using an MS 462 for a number of years and have already worked with an MS 500 and would advise all beginners against these saws. Because they are just too aggressive and you need a certain degree of excitement and sensitivity.
There's always a little gas left in the carb. If you leave it in there, it will turn to varnish. A better way is to fill the tank with stabilized fuel, and run the engine for about 5 min. to get that stabilized fuel into the carb.
I can't even count how many small engines I've had to repair because the owner stored them with fuel stabilizer in them. Just my stepfather alone (76yrs old) fully believes in it. Every season I have to get his mower, saw, generator, and push mower going. Horrible stuff . It doesn't mix well with ethanol at all.
@@simpleman2627 Really? I've used it in my lawn tractor for years and it starts right up every spring.
Only non ethanol fuel should be used in all small engines. No need to run 2-strokes dry. Make sure to use fresh fuel next time its used. My Stihl 029 sits sometimes for a year or more.
When cleaning the valleys in your bar you should scrape from the tip to the base in a direction away from the sprocket. Otherwise you can potentially introduce debris into the sprocket and lock your bar up.
Also handy advice for cleaning your junk...nothing will send you to the urologist quicker than crud in your sprocket.
@@southernviking71 scraping your junk from the bottom to the top action to prevent getting debris down the tip of the shaft and creating problems..
Oh boy, I gotta get out here... I've lost it now for sure...(sorry bout that)
And never put your junk down in the dirt! Vaseline, vinegar, or whip cream is fine, but NEVER in the dirt!
FYI ...This guy wouldn't have known this because he's only had it for one season, but if you have the new filler caps, the o-rings on them wear out if you use your saw often and will leak both gas and oil. Highly recommend checking them out and replacing them every other season if used often.
The trees never complain about my 20in bar - they all fall for it!
dlb83082 DeltaDan treehee
@@austinwebb8986 gawd dammit, you 2 CUT that out before this becomes a tumbler/Reddit post.
@ DeltaDan Make like a tree and get out of here !!
Nice
Great comment.
I use an 18 inch bar, I was taught that I can take down up to a 36 inch diameter tree. As a homeowner that would be a huge tree. I have a friend who is a logger and the biggest bar he uses is a 24. I guess I want to see the 82 inch diameter trees that he is taking down all the time making the giant bar necessary. Personally I like not having to mortgage my house every time I need a new chain!
Arborist here I use a 661 ported on the daily with a 4 foot bar.
Just did this whole procedure on my Husky and Stihl last night. Used brake cleaner instead though. Was hoping for some new info, but good video for those who don’t know. Unfortunately, people usually learn these things the hard way.
use brake cleaner as well.
3:23 "sometimes you just have to take big risks in life." Absolutely sir!
Here in the Mid-west we reel with our left, punch with our right, cut trees with dozers and know yippees live on both sides of us.
Best comment yet!
@Trevor McFarland The newer 33s have a reversible handle like spinning reels. I have plenty of both styles. I hate the older 33 for the same reason. Find myself using the newer version when I use spincast. Good reels for kids and gran kids. Until they learn to use other reels.
Illinois here i reel spinning reels with my left, bait casters with my right. 🤷🏼♂️
AMEN,I live about 5mi from EAST ST. LOUIS(Grew up about 45 from Detroit),THAT'LL toughen you E/W pussies up!
Yippies huh? lol
You're so right about the left-hand reel. It never made sense to me why anyone would cast and then switch hands to reel. That's what my friends do (not casting with their left hand). What a bunch of wasted effort and time. I'm glad my midwestern dad taught me the PNW way.
In NY, while you west coast guys are dying your hair purple, i use the 6" bar to trim my nose hairs.
what hair?
Where in NY? I'm just outside Syracuse. :D
East coast advice.
Be sure to use a ripping chain when trimming the nose (or other) hairs.
@@singJJBplay Same here. South of SYR...in Jamesville.
@@davec.3198 Nice! Liverpoool myself, Town of Clay, not the Village of...
Here in the upper midwest, I do my heavy cutting with plenty of snow on the ground then let it lay till spring.
No dust, no leaves, chain doesn't touch the ground AND most important, I sweat very little with all that protective gear on.
Deisel works great for removing pitch. Gas is a great parts cleaner as long as you are careful. I have been using it for parts cleaner for the past 45 years no problems. You might as well grease the needle bearing in the clutch if you have the bar and chain off. If the shaft has a hole in it you don't have to remove the clutch.
The pre war aircraft hanger I used to work in at Harwell Atomic Energy Research Establishment UK was reputedly haunted by the ghost of a WW2 RAF fitter who had been cleaning gun components in trays full of aviation petrol. He was in a small engineering service room snd the trays were in front of the door....
NEVER blow out an air filter by blowing parallel to normal air flow. Blow counter flow, less chance of driving accumulated dirt INTO the filter.
Never thought about flipping the bar over when sharpening. Great point.
Thanks for the tip.
Flipping bar also keeps tightest channel on cutting edge bottom, wobbly chain give angled cuts.
Loved this video. Very informative from a guy who actually uses the saw. As a (east coast) carpenter I know how a tool can be almost like an extension of your body. Well done, thank you.
I think the non-ethanol gas part is a bit over-rated. I've gotten 15+ years service out of my crappy Lowe's Poulan Pro, same spark plug, never changed the air filter, never put anything but the cheapest 87 octane in it, and never emptied it for "winter storage". Last thing I want to do in the winter when trees come down is to have to try pulling 25 times to get new gas to run through the lines, nor do I wish to take the air filter housing off and douse it with starter fluid. I just keep the chainsaw stored between 50-80 degrees year round, and that really seems to be the trick.
East coast carpenters are over rated too- as a midwest carpenter, I can do pretty much anything an east coaster or west coaster can do, besides the accents! 😛
@@Rick-the-Swift Anyone not using non-ethanol gas in the northern regions will be rebuilding or replacing the carburetor guaranteed. If you run your saw all of the time then it's not such a worry. But ethanol draws moisture into the lines and fuel and is detrimental to any small engine device. I only run non-ethanol fuel in my motorcycles, my sports cars, and any tool that has an engine. I never have problems with them and temps vary from 100F summer to neg 40 winter. I have learned the hard way and on any tool that I've used ethanol gas in and has always needed repairs because of that crappy gasoline.
0:40
When we evacuated the first thing i grabbed was my ms460 and ms066, true words were never spoken. Only one narrow canyon road between us and the valley.
Thanks so much for this video. Several years ago I researched and got lots of info on sharpening a chainsaw. What a change in my confidence and it sure makes you look like you have the saw everybody wishes they had. Thank you also for the little tips on storage!
For cleaning my chains (saws and bicycles) I do 4 steps (each about 1/2 hour). (1) Soak and brush it a few times in Gasoline. (2) Transfer it to diluted Simple Green (soak and different brush). (3) soak and brush in mineral spirits. (4) soak and brush in Isopropyl Alcohol (rubbing alcohol). Each step removes grime and residue from the previous step. Following step 4, hang the chain to dry. The isopropyl alcohol evaporate really well, simple clean shop rag, wipe and you will have the cleanest chain possible.
If you want to know how to do it correctly watch Buckin Billy Ray.
Can't wait for the chain sharpening by a (..real..) pro...
I agree
Billy is the real deal I've learned a lot of tricks from billy
Weaver Kevin7
so true!!!! great guy!!
Greetings from Florida. I keep a chainsaw ready to go in my truck during storm season
I just got my first Chainsaw over here in Plant City Florida. Went with the Stihl MS271 with a 20" bar :) I have toiled for months on getting one but with Dorian on the way i wasn't going to chance it. We have also ran into so many situations trail riding in our off-road vehicles where a chainsaw would have saved hours of back tracking. Good to see another Floridian on here!
Winter Haven here.
I'm from PA, I keep mine in the truck all year, and I will say, depending on how often a person uses their saw is more important than anything else in their choice, I have a 30 year old jonsred 625, I used to use it logging, starts in 3 pulls, runs great
I do the same thing.. might be because I'm from FL
Finally someone else has said it! Left handed reels just work better for a right handed person. I'm on the east coast and everyone says i'm crazy. They won't use my rods. Thanks for the video. I run a 261 for firewood. Love it. Going to give it a good cleaning after watching this video.
who puts their saws away in the winter? cut all year long except most days in the summer
Usually like anything that contains gasoline or any remnants of it, winter generally wears down these tools faster because the cold weather puts alot more moistyre in the tank and thats not good for a lawnmower chainsaw or stuff like that to run on water isnt good
@@CoryTrevorson4570 Right. And that's why people put away their cars and trucks all winter 🙄
I use my saw all winter no problems and my Polaris snow machine.
I prefer working in the winter. Stay cooler. Just make sure the saw is warmed up and the bar oil is thin enough. But dont get in the woods much once the snow gets deep.
@@CoryTrevorson4570 I cut enough wood in late fall early spring while the temps are still down. Only takes a few minutes and down to pants and boots with frost on the beard and mustache.
I’ve had the same saw since 2002 and I’ve changed the spark plug once. Other than that I have 4 chains that I rotate thru so I don’t have to sharpen it in the field most days. I cut about 10 cord a year plus misc cutting especially in the backcountry clearing a path for my truck. Funny thing is that it’s a poulan 18” Wild Thing lol It’s green and purple and starts on the first or 2nd pull every time lol. I clean it every so often and only use non ethanol gas that’s it.
I've heard nothing but good things about those
Great video.
Most of the tips are basic chainsaw maintenance. If people don't know these things, should they really be using a chainsaw? Especially which way to install the chain.
Nevertheless a good video on chainsaw maintenance and cleaning. Good points on having a few consumable spares in your kit. We've all been there when a basic item fails and we've forgot to check our spare parts kit and a new pull cord isn't in there.
Keep up the good work
I keep a spare chainsaw in my kit.
I keep my MS 271 with the 18" bar by the back door and cover it with my hair piece. The heated bar makes it comfy to put on just before I go out in the cold. Greetings from Virginia!
As carpenters / rough framers in MI, we use left handed porter cable frame saws - very light and powerful and can see the blade when cutting.
I winterize my chainsaw by using it close to everyday.
Fall, writer and spring are the tines I use it most. Fall-winter being the definite most.
Stihl is a German Brand and here in Germany, you almost only got Fullhouse Chains. Skip chains are nowhere to find , so you have to order them. With a 24 " Bar you can fell 99% of all German Trees.
So Stihl‘s recommendation of max Bar length is for German standard Fullhouse Chain. With Skip you can run longer Bars like on your ms 260 . Thats the Background! Greetings from Germany!
just got back from Berlin last week, tough traveling - Thought you guys all went to electric gardening tools so as to not pollute the world. Friend in Kiel has all these crazy french battery operated lawn mowers, hedge trimmers, etc. Great English btw. Peace - They can have my gas chain saw when they pry it from my cold dead hands!
@@ridervfr2798 that is right. Most People change to Battery Gardentools . One Reason is the bad Fuel with Ethanol that kills the Carbs , Diaphrams and Hoses of the Machines. After 4 Month in a Shed , they won‘t start. So they go Battery with no Fumes while using and less Noise.
Makita that bought Sachs Dolmar ist one of the best Batterie Systems with 18v for almost every Tool even 36v Chainsaws.
Not for Firewood but for House Builders and Gardenwork.
@@Witschor Hi ther J. W. your English is impeccable! You know I have been married to my wife for over 10 years and have been visiting Germany yearly for that time. Before I met her, I used to travel there fairly often.
The battery operated lawn equipment in this country does not sell. Sthil discounts them heavily and people still don't want or care about them. (I worked in this industry btw, so I have a keen interest in it.) I was not aware of ethanol in your gas, I know it is very expensive as I rented a car in Dusseldorf and drove into the Eiffel region to go the the Nurmbering. Everything fuel or petroleum based products is expensive.
They want to push an agenda here in the states that has alot of similarities to the EU or Germany for that matter. Peace out Warren
"A man needs to know how to sharpen his own chainsaw".............you're absolutely right.
I live in the eastern part of the country, here we use 24" bar and a two man crosscut saw
We cut wood with the crosscut and our chainsaw with the 24" bar we use them to butcher our deer and bears with, we use the 14" bar and chain to fillet our fish with.
These arent really secrets. They are kind of common sense for anyone with a chainsaw. Though, common sense isnt common these days.
Lots of things should be common sense, but these are not common sense. They are things people teach other people. They are learned skills. My dad did not teach me such things, so I have had to acquire these kinds of skills on my own. Learn from friends, other family, youtube, classes, etc. Same for firearms, water collection, framing, growing food, electrical wiring, plumbing, etc. Skills more people need to learn, but are not in this day and age.
Not that we wont tell you it's that you wont ask
Eh, they aren't common sense either. Who here that's a pro takes the bar and chain off every day to clean it? There's no point to pulling it off unless you're changing chains or you have an issue with the clutch or sprocket. Flip the bar once a chain wears out..
@@trevors8577 Exactly! Finally, someone gets it!
I've been an AMSOIL independent dealer about 20yrs, own and operate a motorcycle / UTV shop and that Mudslinger is some good stuff. We use it on every customer's machine before it goes back to them. Also agree the Maxima SC1 is a great product too - but I get the Mudslinger cheaper.
***The key to using the Mudslinger though is to spray the item down and then let it sit for about 10min - then go wipe it down, clean off the excess.
I have another pro tip...
Blow the chainsaw off outside so you don’t get oil and wood chips all over the place.
It's a workshop
riggshouse 577 “it’s a workshop” is not the point of my comment. The point of my comment is to do it outside too not make a mess inside...
In Australia we would wash it in the kitchen and the pull down and reassemble the job in the lounge room, not to far between the fridge and TV. .... he he he 😉
@@simontheyers547 niiiiiceeeee!!
But the Harley in the living room is in the way...
Gas is flammable..... Well... SO is carb cleaner??
Michael Kennedy so is air duster in a aerosol can 😬. Honestly though I air dusted a control panel (full of contractors I might add) what a fireball when I turned the power back on...
those poor contractors! I hope they were OK? :D
Grain dust is flammable so is corn dust.
Kerosene (or diesel) is not as volatile and, thus, less explosive than gasoline, if indoor safety is the issue. Plus, the old loggers often kept a bottle of kerosene with them for cleaning/lubing their sticky cross-cuts and hands on sappy evergreens and other such.
Not ☭california carb cleaner, coarse it doesn't clean either.
Another item for your spare part kit: plastic cap for gas/oil tank. I had one of the plastic caps break at the end of a cutting session in -10 deg weather. Now I carry a spare.
Didn't know they made such smalls bars like that 32" hmmm interesting.
...for the small stuff: kindling, toothpicks,...
“Safety Sally” 🤣 The “Karens” before Covid and social distancing.
Hey, I have a MS260. Hasn't been into a dealer in about 17 years as I'm not sure who (experience level of person) will work on it so I service it myself. Love the machine, power and reliability. Thrilled to know you have the same wolf in sheep clothing.
Wait... This stuff is secret?... My forestry teacher in high school told us we weren't aloud to turn on a chainsaw until we could take apart, clean and put back together a chain saw blind folded. I mean that literally. He got dull chains so we wouldn't cut ourselves and put em on. For a week or so we did it all normally while taking lessons on the stuff for half the class, then went down to the workshop and took apart, basic cleaned and put them back together. at the end of each week, we took a test with a blindfold on to show that we could do it blindfolded, then if we passed let us go outside and cut the logs the school ordered for us with it. As he said, "If you don't know how to clean and take care of your saw, you don't deserve to use one." Then made sure we sharpened the chain at the end of every class with a hand file, which is an extension of the take care of your saw part of his statement. I haven't picked up a chain saw in years myself, but i still remember damn near everything he taught about em because he drilled it in out heads that much.
Thank you for sharing that story. It's a great lesson in life.
That must have been before you could find them on clearance at Wallyworld every year. They are disposable now😆
You had a forestry teacher? Man, I missed out.
You had a forestry teacher? At school? That's amazing.
Chainsaw is always doing something . Stihl ms250c 18" has been a good saw . I use an air compressor to clean my saw but it gets everywhere
Love my ms250c
a pleasure to listen to a practical, knowledgeable and zero-bullshitter kind of guy. Good video !
Never blow the air filter from the outside
I cringed when I seen him do that. His grandad should have taught him that.
If you have to blow out the filter, correct, you want to do it from the inside out, so you remove the dust instead of packing it into the fibers or blowing it through. Maybe you have to use air more often because of the sap loaded dust, but when working hardwood, smacking it against the hand or wood workbench is usually more than enough to clean it.
should never as it can put holes in the filter
That low pressure he used was perfect for knocking the external debris from that air filter that had accumulated. I am sure he regularly changes that filter anyway. He wasn't cleaning it to be cheap, just to derestrict it from cooling air debris.
That's how it's done out west
Tip #1 Never use a chainsaw while intoxicated. I lost some fingers and now typing with my feet.
I rarely if ever use a chainsaw sober. All I need is a sharp chain and my hand on the brake.... seems like nobody wants to keep their hand on the break these days.
🤣😂
Yoy dont have your hand on the brake you roll your wrist forward on the grip and tge back if your handengages the brake ny man
Good to see someone giving quality advice. Not a TH-cam but a small engine mechanic doing Saw's most the time. Good video! Keep up the good work.
End of the season with my chainsaw? Never heard that.
Yep. My church runs a firewood ministry throughout the winter. I use my saw more between October and March than I do in the summer. I start cutting my own wood in January and shoot for having it split and stacked by the end of April. But I don't normally need a fire before Thanksgiving, so there's that.
MtlCstr RFB ???
@@beckywatt5048 You're gonna have to spell that one out.
How about cleaning the chain break,that’s seams to be important
@@kenguse4081 Umm, yeah. That's part of cleaning the saw. None of us said we don't clean our saws, just that there's no such thing as the "end of the season" for us.
I've found that using a Dremel, with 7/32" stones is superb to filing. Could be rotary grinding vs perpendicular? I'm in N. MN, and things have to work out here too. I'm using a 455 Husqy w/a 24" bar. Same reason...less leaning over when limbing.. Just draw your correct degree angle (or a strip of tape) across the dremel for your parallel line. You're smart...you'd figure it out.
I used an MS290 Farmboss by Stihl for 20 years. I used it to cut thousands of trees after Hurricane Ivan, Hurricane Dennis my 5 acres of land then last year Hurricane Sally. It was toast after that so I bought another one this time it was the upgraded one called the MS291 (20"). Until recently I found myself the owner of a new property with HUGE oak trees like 30 of them and I need to remove them so I finally went professional today and purchased the new Stihl Magnum 660 (36"). What a difference! Thanks for the cleaning tips, I personally use Brake Clean to clean all my saws with I buy the cheap stuff at Walmart. I like it better than blowing it dry. Never thought of using the silicone spray afterwards, a good idea I shall incorporate that. Liked and subbed.
On the east coast our left arms are as strong as our right arms!! It's called "not being a SALLY" xD
Gas and Kerosene mix will clean good and brake cleaner for tight spots. 18" bar works great when I was cutting firewood back in the early 1980s. That saw is still running
Got a 1984 husky 60 cc and she runs like new
I started with a Lombard, until I watched stock Partners right out of the box win the chainsaw competition at the Pual Bunyan Show at Hocking College.
I have an old yellow McCullough with a manual oiler that still fires,it needs a clutch but there's no doubt that it won't run, I think it's a 555.
I'm a midwest coast subscriber (Hoosier) and the one thing I've learned about my 20" Poulan Pro is if you can get it to cut, just keep that chain filed down and whatever you do don't take it apart and mess with it! All I needed was a squirt of starter fluid but stupid me decided to take the chain and bar off for a wee bit of maintenance. There design make it harder than Chinese arithmetic to get it back together after it's unscrewed. Now I'm off to buy a new chain for the perfectly good one that just flew off and was ruined, and watching fun videos like this one. Yay! Great vid too btw 👍
LOL.... it’s not the size of your bar, but how you work your chain
Lol
Drum roll 🥁 pls!!
Says the guys with a smaller bar.
The ones with a bigger bar can get it done with less effort.
that's not what she said
Bigger bar can reach the deeper fibers 😉
ALWAYS choke your saw before removing the air filter, if anything gets inside, that’s a big ole repair cost. And for cleaning your bar rails out, start at the sprocket and work your way back!
On my 028 Super you can't take the cover off unless the setting is on choke.
A lot of good advice right there. I like to use some brake cleaner behind the clutch housing. We get a lot of debris behind that clutch. It makes the saw 🔥 hot
For the semi safety salleys out there, diesel is also a good cleaner but not as explosive or flammable
A Mc my thoughts exactly
Or kerosene
Storage - after you run all the fuel out and it dies do remember to put the choke on, full, and pull it twice to get any remains fuel out of the carb.
Thosecouple of extra pulls don't do any extra good. The 2cycle oil mixed in the gas will remain as a residue and more likely to gum up the carb before varnish from gasoline part of the mix. Great idea to keep choke closed when not in use to help prevent bugs, dust and vermin from potentially effing them up while in storage.
@@paelenasriel9908 I don’t think so. Any oil left over will end up in the crankcase and cylinder where they are needed.
Most fishing reals are ambidextrous. You can move the handle from one side to the other, very simply. Also, it may take us a little longer to get the job done with our Eastern 6" bars, but with a little perseverance we manage just fine. It's fine. Really.
“Safety Sally “ would have died from a heart attack if she was ever with me more than 15 minutes when I was growing up.
Great information video.
I even learned a few things about end of season cleaning and I have been using a saw for over 40 years.
Cleaning a chain was definitely something I never really thought about.
Man, I grew up using gas to clean everything. In a medal pan. Without a grounding strap
yea, i spent a lot of my childhood riding in the back of dad's pickup and used lead paint, never own a car seat, played all day deep in the forest. It's a wonder I'm still alive!
Spent my childhood growing up with skyrockets, unprotected trampolines, billy carting without a helmet, climbing trees and swimming creaks. I’m still standing. Once they put out the coal seam fires in India and Pennsylvania I’ll stop using petrol to clean my chainsaw.
One thing on most saws , pro or otherwise that actually people don't even see , but make considerable difference is the seasonal air intake vent in the carb cover . Winter time usually marked by a snow flake sign is open to bring warm air into the cab for a little better running & better restarts, and summer marked with a sun sign for keeping hot air out for less vapor lock & over heating. There is usually a plastic piece that has to be turned over or around or plastic round piece you swing open or shut , they are all different , God forbid anything should be retro ,interchangeable, or the same !! So check for these , they are on there for a purpose.
I enjoy your tutorial, your speaking style is conversational, like my friend walking me through it all.