# Chainsaw chain stopping mid-cut?



## Jotel me this (Nov 10, 2018)

Echo 490. Brand new. Everything adjusted properly. 
Ive used chainsaws in the past but not for a while so i dont remember if this is normal or not.

Im not pressing down too hard, just letting the chain do the work. Initially touching the chain (while running) to the log, the chain spins fine and cuts well.

Then randomly (a inch down or so) the chain will just stop. ill have to lift the saw up slightly and then it will start again.

again, havent used one in a while. i thought the engine is strong enough to simply blast through anything. is this a safety feature on chainsaws?

Thoughts and thanks.. ( i love this forum)


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## TJ1 (Nov 10, 2018)

Sounds like you dont have the throttle trigger pinned wide open


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## greg13 (Nov 10, 2018)

It could be the wood, some types are stringy and will grab the chain.


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## DodgyNomad (Nov 10, 2018)

Wood is overloading the chain from the sounds of it.  Saw being new, may need to have rings fully seated/broke in to make full power.  Could also need a touch of adjustment on the H/L carb settings.  Not much else to do on the saw other than go lighter on the pressure, sharpen the chain, or get a shorter bar/chain combo that the motor can pull.


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## Tar12 (Nov 10, 2018)

I have ran my friends 490 it doesnt stop the chain...check your bar tip to make sure it is moving smoothly..while you have the chain off saturate that bar tip with oil to make sure its being lubricated..brand new chain? If not has the rakers been taken down to far? This will cause it to be overly aggressive and "lock down" and a new full chisel chain can have the same effect...is the chain to tight?


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## Jotel me this (Nov 10, 2018)

greg13 said:


> It could be the wood, some types are stringy and will grab the chain.



interesting you said this. i dont know the type of wood i was cutting but splitting it.. oh wow.. it is STRINGY! i could barely pull the wood apart even after it went through the hydraulic splitter.

maybe its a mix of things that other people said as well? maybe just needs to be broken in.. less pressure when cutting.


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## Tar12 (Nov 10, 2018)

Jotel me this said:


> interesting you said this. i dont know the type of wood i was cutting but splitting it.. oh wow.. it is STRINGY! i could barely pull the wood apart even after it went through the hydraulic splitter.
> 
> maybe its a mix of things that other people said as well? maybe just needs to be broken in.. less pressure when cutting.


Stringy wood will not stop your chain and your saw doesnt need broken in something else is amiss here..I have ran quite a few new out of the box saws so to speak and none have ever needed broken in to cut! Have your clutch and sprocket checked out while your at it...you get it from a dealer? If not take it to someone if you cant figure it out..


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## woodhog73 (Nov 10, 2018)

Agree with what has already been said. Stringy wood can do this. Too low of rakers will allow the cutters to take too big a bite and it can stop the chain or cause it to chatter in the cut. 

Seeing it’s a new saw with a new chain I doubt it’s your rakers. Probably a combination of stringy wood and a saw that’s still getting broken in. 

If the saw has an adjustable Oiler make sure it’s turnrd up to high.

Also is that a 50cc saw ? If so it’s probably fitted with low kick back safety chain in .325. Best $20 upgrade would be to get a loop of full chisel stihl RS chain or Oregon LPX chain


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## woodhog73 (Nov 10, 2018)

Tar12 said:


> Stringy wood will not stop your chain



Actually it does on a small saw with safety chain on it. Fairly common in some cases. Have had it happen to me. Just have to use less pressure let the chain pull through. But agree it should cut and probably does but OP is not used to the chain grabbing and might be pushing harder in the cut that he thinks he is


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## Tar12 (Nov 10, 2018)

woodhog73 said:


> Actually it does on a small saw with safety chain on it. Fairly common


I have not had it happen to me running .325 chain on Stihl 250s cutting elm? What is the stock set up for a 490 now days? I remember the smaller Stihls running the narrow kerf chain would stop just looking at it! But thought the Echo ran bigger chain?


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## Jotel me this (Nov 10, 2018)

woodhog73 said:


> Agree with what has already been said. Stringy wood can do this. Too low of rakers will allow the cutters to take too big a bite and it can stop the chain or cause it to chatter in the cut.
> 
> Seeing it’s a new saw with a new chain I doubt it’s your rakers. Probably a combination of stringy wood and a saw that’s still getting broken in.
> 
> ...





woodhog73 said:


> Actually it does on a small saw with safety chain on it. Fairly common in some cases. Have had it happen to me. Just have to use less pressure let the chain pull through. But agree it should cut and probably does but OP is not used to the chain grabbing and might be pushing harder in the cut that he thinks he is




Ok, i think im seeing the picture come together now. ...

it does have the safety chain on it, the wood is incredibly stringy, and it is a 50cc. ill try to turn up the oiler to see if that helps as well.

gosh, this website is amazing. you people are so knowledgeable!


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## Tar12 (Nov 10, 2018)

If offered as a option upgrade  to a 3/8ths set up and you can really cut then! That would require a sprocket and bar and chain change but worth every penny IMO.


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## Jotel me this (Nov 10, 2018)

Tar12 said:


> But thought the Echo ran bigger chain?



The chainsaw comes with a stock .325 safety anti-kickback chain


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## woodhog73 (Nov 10, 2018)

Can’t say what’s on that 490 I’m not familiar with it. But probably a few things combined. Elm is very stringy I’ve had it clog up an Oiler on an old 250 and the chain would dry up. I’m just guessing combination of small saw, safety chain, pushing too hard in the cut, etc.

Run 5 tanks of gas through the 490 let it come alive and put a non safety chain on it , make sure Oiler is set to max, and see if the wood still stops the chain.


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## Jotel me this (Nov 10, 2018)

in case people are interested, this is the tree i was cutting. im horrible at identifying.. so i have no clue what it is..


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## Tar12 (Nov 10, 2018)

What size of bar are you running on it?


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## Jotel me this (Nov 10, 2018)

Tar12 said:


> What size of bar are you running on it?



stock 20". ive read in several places a 20" is too much for a 50cc. not sure either way if thats correct. there are no mods on the saw. its straight of the box.


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## Tar12 (Nov 10, 2018)

Jotel me this said:


> stock 20". ive read in several places a 20" is too much for a 50cc. not sure either way if thats correct. there are no mods on the saw. its straight of the box.


A 20 is to much and always will be for 50cc class saws...just because they say they can run a bigger bar that doesnt mean it is optimal...My 260 Pros(50.2 cc) came with 18 in bars and .325 chain...I couldnt stand that combination and couldnt upgrade to 3/8ths fast enough! I now run 3/8ths full chisel and 16 in bar and nothing slows them down! I am sure you dont want to hear this but you really need a bigger saw in the 60 cc range to pull a 20in bar efficiently...my 039 (64.1 cc) pulls a 20 very nicely running full chisel...early on I tried a  24in bar...no go.


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## Jotel me this (Nov 10, 2018)

Tar12 said:


> A 20 is to much and always will be for 50cc class saws...just because they say they can run a bigger bar that doesnt mean it is optimal...My 260 Pros(50.2 cc) came with 18 in bars and .325 chain...I couldnt stand that combination and couldnt upgrade to 3/8ths fast enough! I now run 3/8ths full chisel and 16 in bar and nothing slows them down! I am sure you dont want to hear this but you really need a bigger saw in the 60 cc range to pull a 20in bar efficiently...my 039 (64.1 cc) pulls a 20 very nicely running full chisel...early on I tried a  24in bar...no go.




no.. no sir i do not wish to hear that 

i would get a bigger saw but i dont think i could manage the weight. 

are you thinking i would get better use out of it if i downgraded to the 18" bar? is it dangerous to use a 20" bar on this chainsaw?

thanks


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## Tar12 (Nov 10, 2018)

Jotel me this said:


> no.. no sir i do not wish to hear that
> 
> i would get a bigger saw but i dont think i could manage the weight.
> 
> ...


It is not dangerous at all! Just slow and filled with frustration is all...like i mentioned earlier if you can upgrade to the 3/8ths set up and a 18 in bar you will be a lot happier with its cutting performance and I wouldnt consider this a down grade at all! It will up your performance by far over the stock set up!


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## jetsam (Nov 10, 2018)

In my experience with Echo saws, they are really plugged up on the exhaust side from the factory.  Open up the exhaust a bit, pull the limiter caps, and tune the carb, and you will get a significant power boost for free. (Put the limiters back on after, they also keep dirt out.)


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## Jay106n (Nov 11, 2018)

Return the 490 and get the 590.


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## woodhog73 (Nov 11, 2018)

I agree with what others have said but wanted to add a couple thoughts.

I’m assuming your just processing firewood right ? How much couple cords a year ? Well ya the 50cc saw is going to be slower and frustrating to guys used to running 70cc and bigger saws. But if your not on the clock working, cutting wood for a livelihood, or cutting 20 plus cords a year like some people do ( feeding boilers, selling firewood, etc ) then don’t get bummed out thinking you need another saw.

I agree with what Tar said that the 3/8 is faster cutting. But remember 3/8 chain is heavier. on a smaller saw it takes power away from what could be used to spin the chain. So if you go to 3/8 I would drop to a 16 inch bar. However I’m assuming you want the 20 inch. And yes it’s a little long for a 50cc saw but in my opinion for a firewood cutter doing 2 or 3 cords a year who cares. It will get the job done just a bit slower.

My honest opinion let the saw break in, put full chisel chain on it, see if it’s performance better satisfies you after 5 to 10 tanks of fuel.

You could also put a full skip sequence chain on the 20 inch set up. Less cutters will allow the saw to hold rpm better in harder dense wood. Yup slower cutting but I go back to does it really matter if your heating your house with a couple cords a year ?

You probably bought the Echo because it was s good value. Buying more bars, changing to 3/8, etc costs money. So I’m my opinion just upgrade the chain to full chisel for under $20. Get some stihl RS chain. Go run the saw. You might come to the conclusion it suits your needs just fine with the 20 inch bar.

Or you might get obsessed with performance and post up here that you just bought yourself a new 70cc pro saw. It happens. Just depends everyone is different


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## maple1 (Nov 11, 2018)

I am guessing a combo of bar too big, and jetting off a bit. And/or maybe also restricted exhaust like mentioned above. That part is hard to diagnose & fix over the internet.

I would downsize the bar. The main gain of having a longer bar is being able to reach all the way through the cut. (And maybe reduce bending over a little bit). Are you really cutting stuff that big? Even an 18" bar can get through 36" stuff, coming from each side. The tradeoff is that it takes more power to run a bigger bar, and your chain speed will most always suffer. Especially if your saw is out of tune a bit. I would likely even go 16", depending what all I was cutting with it. Would make a big difference in keeping your chain speed up.


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## TJ1 (Nov 11, 2018)

Have to disagree with a lot of you. I own the exact same saw with a 20 inch bar and it cuts just fine with the stock chain. Yesterday I bucked a white oak tree the wind blew over May 2017. Used two tanks of gas then stopped because the stock chain was getting dull and reached the point where the trunk was bigger than the bar.
Today the 441 and 25 inch bar will have to come out to finish the job.


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## Jotel me this (Nov 11, 2018)

woodhog73 said:


> My honest opinion let the saw break in, put full chisel chain on it, see if it’s performance better satisfies you after 5 to 10 tanks of fuel.





maple1 said:


> Are you really cutting stuff that big? Even an 18" bar can get through 36" stuff, coming from each side.



Thanks for the info. id like to cut about 2 to 3 cords per year. measuring the tree i just cut its 14" diameter. i do use the kick-back guard (i know... not manly) so that turns the 20" bar into a 16 3/4" usable cutting bar.

if i went down to a 18" im assuming it would become a 14.75" usable surface 

if you think i could cut 14" diameter trees with 14.75" of bar.. then sure id be willing to buy the 18" bar


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## Jotel me this (Nov 11, 2018)

TJ1 said:


> Have to disagree with a lot of you. I own the exact same saw with a 20 inch bar and it cuts just fine with the stock chain. Yesterday I bucked a white oak tree the wind blew over May 2017. Used two tanks of gas then stopped because the stock chain was getting dull and reached the point where the trunk was bigger than the bar.
> Today the 441 and 25 inch bar will have to come out to finish the job.




hello. seeing you have the same saw.. have you ever experienced the chain stopping for a second mid-cut, where you have to ever so slightly lift the saw to get the chain to spin again?


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## maple1 (Nov 11, 2018)

Jotel me this said:


> hello. seeing you have the same saw.. have you ever experienced the chain stopping for a second mid-cut, where you have to ever so slightly lift the saw to get the chain to spin again?



That can happen with any saw.


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## bholler (Nov 11, 2018)

Jotel me this said:


> hello. seeing you have the same saw.. have you ever experienced the chain stopping for a second mid-cut, where you have to ever so slightly lift the saw to get the chain to spin again?


It can happen with any saw for sure.  50cc is fine just switch to 18" bar with a real chain on it


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## TJ1 (Nov 11, 2018)

Jotel me this said:


> hello. seeing you have the same saw.. have you ever experienced the chain stopping for a second mid-cut, where you have to ever so slightly lift the saw to get the chain to spin again?



Never.
 I generally don't apply much pressure when cutting. I allow the sharp chain to do its job. The saw will use a tank of bar oil with every tank of gas. My 490 is stock, no air box mods, no screws adjusted.


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## blades (Nov 11, 2018)

other than what has been mentioned -if the chain is over tightened on the bar that can cause difficulties.  Safety chain cuts slow and most have a tendency to lean on units equipped with same. Except for specialty chains they are designed to cross cut.  also note that new saws come tuned really lean to meet EPA emmission specs, as such they tend to be a bit weak when a full load is placed on them- being starved for fuel.


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## jetsam (Nov 11, 2018)

I have a 30cc echo with an 18" bar on it (I think stock is 12" or 14").

Does it go slower? Yes. Can I bury it in oak and keep cutting speed? Yes, if I let the saw pick the cutting speed (which is very slow if you bury the bar).

Why do I bother? Because I don't use it that way... the long bar is for reach when limbing so I don't have to bend over so much.  I have a bigger saw for bucking.

Point being that while you lose power as bar size increases, you get the benefit of reach, and you can still buck (slowly) with a saw whose bar is too long.

Remember: "Speed cuts."   Keep the chain sharp and even, and keep it up to speed when it's in the cut, and you'll get through.    Keeping it up to speed is a combination of having a good sharp chain, keeping the saw in its power band, and keeping the bar from getting pinched in the cut (bring your wedges/hatchet/Peavey so you can take pressure off the cut if it's pinching).


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## Jotel me this (Nov 11, 2018)

thanks for all the responses. i think ill try out the 20" a little more and go from there. bucking the 14" diameter tree was difficult for me. yes i know many in here probably buck 90" beasts and haul them out under their engorged biceps. 

i guess i dont really see the need to have to fell (chop...fall...fallen..?) trees bigger than 14" wide...so if i go down to the 18" bar ill be able to cut down pretty decent size trees and not be worn out while doing it.


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## DodgyNomad (Nov 12, 2018)

Do check that the chain isn't too tight, and that the bar is oiling, and let the saw do the work.  There could be a fair amount of improvement as the saw breaks in.  Good luck.


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## jetsam (Nov 12, 2018)

Jotel me this said:


> many in here probably buck 90" beasts and haul them out under their engorged biceps.



@tarzan chucks the 90" trees back across the river barehanded before bucking... don't feel too bad if you can barely lift them though.


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## maple1 (Nov 12, 2018)

Jotel me this said:


> thanks for all the responses. i think ill try out the 20" a little more and go from there. bucking the 14" diameter tree was difficult for me. yes i know many in here probably buck 90" beasts and haul them out under their engorged biceps.
> 
> i guess i dont really see the need to have to fell (chop...fall...fallen..?) trees bigger than 14" wide...so if i go down to the 18" bar ill be able to cut down pretty decent size trees and not be worn out while doing it.



Does your saw have felling spikes on it? If so it's pretty easy to throw more cut at the saw than you are realizing, and load it up.


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## TJ1 (Nov 12, 2018)

If you have not already done so stop at your local store and pick up a couple of plastic wedges and a 4 pound hammer. Sooner or later you will get the chain pinched and have a heck of a time removing it without the wedges. You might of had a slight pinch on the chain. Raising it up and cutting down again could of been enough to "fix" it for you that day.


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## tadmaz (Nov 12, 2018)

I totally bound up my new MS261 when ripping/noodling some gigantic northern white cedar.  We're talking 12" long strings.  Even when turning the oiler up all the way, the strips would get stuck in the sprocket and also the tip of the bar wouldn't spin, had to manually oil that to get it to spin again.


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## Zack R (Nov 12, 2018)

Does the chain move freely by hand when the saw is off? Are you using fresh fuel/oil mix? Have you tried on a different piece of wood to see what the results are?

Old fuel and or incorrect mixture can cause problems where the saw will run but have limited power. This happened to my MS211 when it was new and I was at my inlaws. I ran the old fuel they had onsite and eventually it just lost all power. Turns out the mix was heavy on the oil and it clogged the spark arrestor. After cleaning that out with a propane torch, draining the old fuel and replacing with fresh it was good to go.


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## Soundchasm (Nov 13, 2018)

Jotel me this said:


> Echo 490. Brand new. Everything adjusted properly.
> Ive used chainsaws in the past but not for a while so i dont remember if this is normal or not.
> 
> Im not pressing down too hard, just letting the chain do the work. Initially touching the chain (while running) to the log, the chain spins fine and cuts well.
> ...



Man, you've gotten some great advice.  I'll be checking out my own machines based on what I've read.  Here's a new angle nobody's brought up yet.

Are you keeping the saw completely horizontal while you cut?  I could see a saw stopping under those conditions.  All the manuals seem to say "*cut at a 45 degree angle*".  When I'm bucking something big (24"+), I like to start on the opposite side (of course) and cut until the saw is nearly vertical.  Then pull the saw out and start again 4-5" back from the cut with the spike, and then rotate the saw back into the cut as if it were on a hinge.

Just keep repeating.  That way, I'm always cutting at some kind of angle and the saw likes that A LOT better than dolefully trudging through a horizontal cut.

I reserve a horizontal cut only for the last two inches before going completely through, assuming that the log is on the ground.  And of course, never touch the dirt, a rock or a nail or it's game-over.

Seriously, get yourself a hand file for your chain.  But first buy a spare chain of any variety.  Give filing a shot and see if the results change.  If they don't, try the new chain.  But you're going to need to learn how to sharpen the thing somehow, and it might as well be on your property at the end of a day before your next day of work, and not having to drive to drop off and pick up.  Plus remove and reinstall.

My gold standard is to hand file after *every day* of hard work.  Less effort, less fuel, better results, more satisfaction.

With a sharp chain and a machine that runs, I've had no problems cutting 30" oak rounds with a 40cc saw with a 16" bar, narrow kerf, all day long.

I think the LAST thing any saw wants to do is run 100% horizontal cuts.

I wondered if you were cutting Hackberry.  That stuff is so darn stringy it's on my list of "This better be an emergency" before I take it.  ;-)  But I can't identify what you're cutting.  

Best of luck.  There is a solution.  You will find it.  It takes time.


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## maple1 (Nov 13, 2018)

I don't think it is really being horizontal that matters to anything. It's just that any time the saw is pivoting, it is taking less cut therefore not loading the engine as much. While pivoting, the teeth right next to the saw aren't cutting anything. Or very little. Also, I suppose, gravity will have the most downward effect on the weight of the saw, when it is horizontal. But that is easily controlled by the operator. Which it all comes back to anyway.


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## TJ1 (Nov 13, 2018)

[QUOTE="Soundchasm, post: 2297391, member: 18752" 

With a sharp chain and a machine that runs, I've had no problems cutting 30" oak rounds with a 40cc saw with a 16" bar, narrow kerf, all day long.
[/QUOTE]

Now I feel bad. After one tank, maybe a tank and a half I need to resharpen the chain and I am only cutting rounds about 20-22 inches.


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## Zack R (Nov 13, 2018)

Soundchasm said:


> Man, you've gotten some great advice.  I'll be checking out my own machines based on what I've read.  Here's a new angle nobody's brought up yet.
> 
> Are you keeping the saw completely horizontal while you cut?  I could see a saw stopping under those conditions.  All the manuals seem to say "*cut at a 45 degree angle*".  When I'm bucking something big (24"+), I like to start on the opposite side (of course) and cut until the saw is nearly vertical.  Then pull the saw out and start again 4-5" back from the cut with the spike, and then rotate the saw back into the cut as if it were on a hinge.
> 
> ...



Some very good points however cutting at an angle doesn't change anything other than reducing the amount of material the saw is cutting at any one time. I'd wager the reason cutting at an angle works better in your situation is because the saw you are using (40cc) is smaller than ideal for the size of wood you are cutting (24"+). A more powerful saw will make that same cut horizontally without an issue. 

On say a 24" log I also do as you mentioned and start on the opposite side, go nearly vertical but only into the log a little bit so that there's a nice "track" for the saw to follow. I then go horizontal for the rest of the cut using the felling dogs to pivot as I go.


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## Soundchasm (Nov 13, 2018)

TJ1 said:


> [QUOTE="Soundchasm, post: 2297391, member: 18752"
> 
> With a sharp chain and a machine that runs, I've had no problems cutting 30" oak rounds with a 40cc saw with a 16" bar, narrow kerf, all day long.
> 
> ...



Well, "all day" is a bit of an exaggeration.  ;-)  I usually don't do more than a four hour shift if it's bucking, quartering with a wedge and then loading.  That's plenty for me these days.  But that little saw was simply a beast for years and years.  In the photo below I might use four tanks in a day, and sharpen that evening before the next day.

This guy was 30", 75' long, and just a branch!!


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## Zack R (Nov 14, 2018)

Soundchasm said:


> Well, "all day" is a bit of an exaggeration.  ;-)  I usually don't do more than a four hour shift if it's bucking, quartering with a wedge and then loading.  That's plenty for me these days.  But that little saw was simply a beast for years and years.  In the photo below I might use four tanks in a day, and sharpen that evening before the next day.
> 
> This guy was 30", 75' long, and just a branch!!
> View attachment 233166



If that's just a branch..... wow!


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## blades (Nov 14, 2018)

I have bogged saws from 30cc past 80cc sometimes me sometimes what I am cutting-not counting getting pinched. I sharpen a lot of chains commercialy. Any week I likely have to straighten out out 2or 3.


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