# Totaled my chain saw



## Troutchaser (Mar 26, 2010)

My first year cutting wood so I expected there might be days like this.
Man am I bummed.
Big oak limb "sat" down on my bar and the only way to get it out was to chip away with the Fiskars.  So I'm chipping and calling myself an idiot when I whack the chain brake with the Fiskars, thereby cracking the guard and messing up the spring mechanism.
Guy down at the shop shook his head like a Doc. breaking bad news.  
I can buy parts, but I don't know if I want to mess around trying to fix such an important part of the saw.  But it's only three months old!
It's a Poulan Pro, 16".  What would you do?


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## madrone (Mar 26, 2010)

Buy a Stihl.


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## Nixon (Mar 26, 2010)

I'd just buy another saw and chalk it up to something learned .  I'd also buy a spare bar and chain for the new saw ,some wedges ,etc .  It's fairly easy to pinch Your saw in a cut . hopefully , Your newly purchased wedges will get You out of trouble . If not , remove the power head from Your stuck bar and chain .,Install Your spare B+C .
If You pinch that , You are on Your own


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## Troutchaser (Mar 26, 2010)

Nixon said:
			
		

> I'd just buy another saw and chalk it up to something learned .  I'd also buy a spare bar and chain for the new saw ,some wedges ,etc .  It's fairly easy to pinch Your saw in a cut . hopefully , Your newly purchased wedges will get You out of trouble . If not , remove the power head from Your stuck bar and chain .,Install Your spare B+C .
> If You pinch that , You are on Your own



You know, I never even thought about doing that.  Expensive lesson.


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## Nixon (Mar 26, 2010)

Troutchaser said:
			
		

> You know, I never even thought about doing that.  Expensive lesson.


The cheap part is getting a couple of felling  wedges( plastic )  .  If You see the tree that You are sawing on sag in the direction of Your bar , drive the wedge /wedges into the saw kerf . It'll allow You to extract Your saw.


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## Tony H (Mar 26, 2010)

It was a blessing those poolan saws are crap Buy a real saw like a Stihl, Husky,Dolmar ect and you will see the difference and buy some felling wedges .
I have pinched a saw a few times and chipping it out with an axe never seems like the right extraction method. I have however lifted the tree with a hydrolic jack and used wedges and even another saw to get it out.


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## 70marlin (Mar 26, 2010)

One word E-bay, you should be able to fine a cheap saw for parts. Second word "Two" as you should have two saws when ever you go out cutting wood. Third word "Remove" you should of had the tools to remove you're bar and chain then install a spare bar and chain "has helped me in a pinch" Fourth word "Lever" many times I've cut a 10’ or so straight limb and a round for a fulcrum and lifted a good size log. Live and learn that's how we all got started.


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## ISeeDeadBTUs (Mar 26, 2010)

Replace the broken toy with a Stihl

Pick up a peavey and felling wedges while yer there

Keep your eye on the kerf (place where the rotating chain will kick back out of the limb before it removes the side of your face) for changes in twist and/or angle.

When bucking, attempt to support the base of the limb so that the chunks can free fall when cut

On the rare occasion you pinch, use the peavey under the kerf to lift the limb enough to retrieve the saw.


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## Nixon (Mar 26, 2010)

It seems as if some here think that the problem is that Troutchaser has an inexpensive saw   I'm sure that if He'd have had a 3120 ,or ms 880 ,there would have been no post .  He however got an inexpensive saw ( to Us ) stuck ,and was asking for ways to avoid ,or correct this .  Personally , I don't think recommending a different brand of saw would have changed things . But If any of You feel different , keep suggesting  Stihl , Husq. etc


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## ISeeDeadBTUs (Mar 26, 2010)

Nixon said:
			
		

> It seems as if some here think that the problem is that Troutchaser has an inexpensive saw   I'm sure that if He'd have had a 3120 ,or ms 880 ,there would have been no post .  He however got an inexpensive saw ( to Us ) stuck ,and was asking for ways to avoid ,or correct this .  Personally , I don't think recommending a different brand of saw would have changed things . But If any of You feel different , keep suggesting  Stihl , Husq. etc



Can't speak for other posters here, but, myself, I wouldn't drop coin on an 880, then start *wacking at it with an axe!!* But that's just me

So yes, I personally DO think it's relavant what saw ya use.


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## peterc38 (Mar 26, 2010)

You say the tree "sat down on the bar". There wasn't a way to remove bar nuts and then remove powerhead?

I've done that when I have got bars pinched in a cut and then use a spare bar to finish and retrieve orignal bar.


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## FireAnt (Mar 26, 2010)

New to cutting here too. BUY WEDGES! Makes the job so much easier. Don't forget chaps and a helmet if you didn't get them yet.


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## smokinj (Mar 26, 2010)

FireAnt said:
			
		

> New to cutting here too. BUY WEDGES! Makes the job so much easier. Don't forget chaps and a helmet if you didn't get them yet.





+1 figure out what went wrong..


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## oldspark (Mar 26, 2010)

Welcome to "what was I thinking club", I am sure we are all members here, always nice to have a second saw for such things.


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## webie (Mar 26, 2010)

Sure seems you are hard on saws if it only lasts 3 months . I probably would just buy another 1-2 poulan pros like you had , Sounds like in a year you still should have a running saw as you can scavange parts from the saws that are smashed .
 My brother use to buy homelites this way only he use to make it at least a couple of seasons. The first he backed  over it with the tractor , the second  fell off the back of the truck on the way home . The third he just dropped a tree on it .  I know in the end he was so pi$$ed when it wouldnt run it then got the sledge .


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## man of stihl (Mar 26, 2010)

Another vote here for the wedges, and an extra bar/chain. Be careful out there!


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## billb3 (Mar 26, 2010)

Yes, he needs wedges so next time he can smash his saw with the maul he's slamming the wedges in with.
And then the saw falls out onto the ground from which is protruding a generously sized piece of granite..


Next time take the power head off.


I'd have gotten an estimate of repair to compare with replacement cost.

An expensive replacement is hardly going to survive any better  a rigorous learning experience as the Poulan has been a victim of.



I keep a bottle jack around, too .
Handy to lift a shed, car, house and a tree / log to  get a stuck bar out of a cut.


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## webie (Mar 26, 2010)

billb3 said:
			
		

> Yes, he needs wedges so next time he can smash his saw with the maul he's slamming the wedges in with.
> And then the saw falls out onto the ground from which is protruding a generously sized piece of granite..
> 
> 
> ...



 (bottle jack) or a ( bottle of Jack ) ?


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## FireAnt (Mar 26, 2010)

Forgot to mention +1 on the peavey.


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## Dakotas Dad (Mar 26, 2010)

OK, I see, YOU totaled your saw with a Fiskars.. Probably the first man on earth to do it, STAND PROUD!

Crap happens.  Somehow, between Friday and Monday, I broke the anti vibe mount off my 359. $160 for a whole new engine case. Saw torn down to the last piece. If you are handy, you can probably buy the parts and fix it your self. The chain brake and handle are just parts. Fix it , go on, think about wedges. remember you can remove the bar from now on. 

No crap, my neighbor once had to have me come over and get his TWO chains and bars out of a tree that really was a bit much for his saw and way more then his skill level. (but, he had thought to unbolt the power head, drive to town and buy a new bar and chain)


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## KarlP (Mar 26, 2010)

Troutchaser said:
			
		

> It's a Poulan Pro, 16".  What would you do?



First I'd order the parts to fix it.  

While waiting for the parts I'd read all of the OSHA Logger/Woodcutters/Treefellers/Treetrimming guides.  I'd say 2/3rds of the content is actually useful information for an amateur tree cutter.   The rest deals with regulations and skidder operations that don't apply to you.  

Then I'd fix the saw.  

Then I'd not admit to this act of foolishness for another 5 years. ;-)


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## firefighterjake (Mar 26, 2010)

I'm still not exactly sure what you mean by the tree "sat" on the saw . . . can't figure out if you were cutting it down and it got pinched in the cut . . . if you got the saw pinched while bucking the wood after the tree was down on the ground . . . or if there is some other scenario here.

In any case, here's my advice.

1) Cutting and bucking trees is a learning process. Reading what to do is good . . . however practice makes perfect. Trust me . . . most, if not all of us, have been where you are . . . we have pinched (and continue to) pinch saws, drop trees where we don't want them to land and end of bashing our equipment . . . with time and practice you will learn what works and what most definitely will not work.

2) Learn how to remove the bar and chain from your saw . . . a lot of folks forget that they can do this when they pinch the saw's bar. If you have a second bar and chain you can put that on the saw and hopefully free the stuck bar and chain . . . and even if you don't have a replacement bar and chain at the very least if the tree falls or drops and ruins the bar and chain you'll find it's a lot cheaper than fixing or replacing the power unit.

3) Wedges and levers are your friends. I don't tend to use a lot of wedges myself . . . but I have chopped or cut down small saplings to use as levers when I've got my saw pinched before.

4) Myself . . . I would not spend the coin to fix the Poulan. Instead I would buy a good saw like a Stihl or Huskquvarna . . . will these saws survive a direct impact from a 30-inch diameter oak tree any better than a Poulan . . . probably not. But a) when you have an expensive saw you'll tend to treat it a lot better and b) these saws are built tough and will survive the normal use and abuse that many of us subject our saws to . . . . and if you do break it you should find a dealer close by that has the parts to get it fixed and back in running order.


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## Danno77 (Mar 26, 2010)

I've only pinched a saw while felling maybe 2 or 3 times when I was a newbie (although I'll be a newbie compared to some guys on this forum for about another 15 years). people here had some good advice on how to prevent that with the use of wedges. they also had some good advice on taking the power head off of the bar. another piece of advice is to have a spare saw to help yourself cut your way out of a mess. I used to use an electric saw with a big inverter that I could hook to the Jeeps battery. always starts, and is so cheap that i don't care much about it. My new backup saw is a $99 deal from menards on black friday. it looks all pretty, but has too much plastic on it for my liking. I've never run it (haven't had the opportunity to do that yet), but it should work. I'll probably always keep that teensy electric along for my backup's backup, lol.

So, my advice is that you should have the following next time you are out cutting:

1. Wedges
2. Lots of safety gear (I count ropes here)
3. A spare saw
4. A spare bar for your main saw
5. The most reliable and most appropriately sized main saw you can realistically afford

be a boyscout about this sort of thing. extra tools don't take up much space and you'd be glad you had them.


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## smokinj (Mar 26, 2010)

Danno77 said:
			
		

> I've only pinched a saw while felling maybe 2 or 3 times when I was a newbie (although I'll be a newbie compared to some guys on this forum for about another 15 years). people here had some good advice on how to prevent that with the use of wedges. they also had some good advice on taking the power head off of the bar. another piece of advice is to have a spare saw to help yourself cut your way out of a mess. I used to use an electric saw with a big inverter that I could hook to the Jeeps battery. always starts, and is so cheap that i don't care much about it. My new backup saw is a $99 deal from menards on black friday. it looks all pretty, but has too much plastic on it for my liking. I've never run it (haven't had the opportunity to do that yet), but it should work. I'll probably always keep that teensy electric along for my backup's backup, lol.
> 
> So, my advice is that you should have the following next time you are out cutting:
> 
> ...





#2 gets over look a lot I aways have my bull rope very close and use it offten! best 150.00 bucks I have spent! (oh my mom bought that to bring down some river birch) Thanks mom! lol


http://www.baileysonline.com/category.asp?CatID=289


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## JustWood (Mar 26, 2010)

I bought my first and last wedges in 1992. A whole case. Got them for less than $2 each back then. 1992 was also the last time I've broke any thing on a saw from pinching or a tree rolling on my saw.
Wedges are some cheap insurance.


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## Kenster (Mar 26, 2010)

Troutchaser said:
			
		

> Nixon said:
> 
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> ...



Me, either.  Great idea.  I've got my old saw stuck a few times.  One time it actually bent the bar.   That was my Craftsman.  I have had a new MS390 that I haven't had time to even fire up yet.   I need to get some felling wedges.  Where's a good place?


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## Danno77 (Mar 26, 2010)

Kenster said:
			
		

> Me, either.  Great idea.  I've got my old saw stuck a few times.  One time it actually bent the bar.   That was my Craftsman.  I have had a new MS390 that I haven't had time to even fire up yet.   I need to get some felling wedges.  Where's a good place?


I'm all about saving money, but wedges are pretty cheap no matter where you find them. My Stihl dealership had some. I think they cost 2x as much as it would have online, so now I'm out that extra $0.23 I coulda saved, lol.


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## Kenster (Mar 26, 2010)

billb3 said:
			
		

> I keep a bottle jack around, too .
> Handy to lift a shed, car, house and a tree / log to  get a stuck bar out of a cut.



How does that work?  I can see using a jack to lift a downed log but how would you use it on a standing tree with a stuck saw?


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## KarlP (Mar 26, 2010)

Use wedges on little trees and jacks on big trees.

See pic 0333 in http://www.arboristsite.com/showpost.php?p=1044273&postcount=8 for an example.

Once the jack has some pressure in it the saw will be freed and you can cut the top cut further and apply a littl more pressure to the jack.  Alternate till the tree falls over.

See pic 0325 and 0328 in http://www.arboristsite.com/showpost.php?p=1044258&postcount=6


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## Kenster (Mar 26, 2010)

> #2 gets over look a lot I aways have my bull rope very close and use it offten! best 150.00 bucks I have spent! (oh my mom bought that to bring down some river birch) Thanks mom! lol



What do you use the rope for?


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## smokinj (Mar 26, 2010)

Kenster said:
			
		

> > #2 gets over look a lot I aways have my bull rope very close and use it offten! best 150.00 bucks I have spent! (oh my mom bought that to bring down some river birch) Thanks mom! lol
> 
> 
> 
> What do you use the rope for?



I put them in the tree to pull it so it falls perfect and also use weges for the samething. I and felling around houses so the drop zone can get very tight.


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## Bigg_Redd (Mar 26, 2010)

Troutchaser said:
			
		

> My first year cutting wood so I expected there might be days like this.
> Man am I bummed.
> Big oak limb "sat" down on my bar and the only way to get it out was to chip away with the Fiskars.  So I'm chipping and calling myself an idiot when I whack the chain brake with the Fiskars, thereby cracking the guard and messing up the spring mechanism.
> Guy down at the shop shook his head like a Doc. breaking bad news.
> ...



Look on the bright side: Now you can go get yourself a real saw.


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## oldspark (Mar 26, 2010)

Kenster said:
			
		

> > #2 gets over look a lot I aways have my bull rope very close and use it offten! best 150.00 bucks I have spent! (oh my mom bought that to bring down some river birch) Thanks mom! lol
> 
> 
> 
> What do you use the rope for?


To hang your self it you ruin your brand new saw!


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## billb3 (Mar 26, 2010)

Kenster said:
			
		

> billb3 said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Why would I use it on a standing tree ?


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## webie (Mar 26, 2010)

I don't have remove my bar because of a stuck saw very often , but have a few times . A 50-60 dollar bar and chain is a heck of lot cheaper than losing a power head . I have already bent a saw bar years ago  But I have never destroyed one . We did straighten it pretty good but it had about a 3 inch offset and I swear when I seen the tree land on it after we got it off the stump that it was bent in half . Usually its my old man that I have to cut his saw out of a tree. That is probably why I fell most of the trees now . Rarely do I get a saw stuck and if on a rare occasion I do  just a second saw I can get a relief cut done to remove the first saw . 
 I have 4 steal wedges and a couple of plastic ones .  If I have to walk back to the truck to get my wedges and sledge its not going to be a good day of cutting ( period )


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## hareball (Mar 26, 2010)

My Pull-on err...poolan 18" lasted a whole 10 minutes. Put it together added the liquids and pulled and pulled, she finally started then stalled out. drained fluids and back to HD it went. Brought home an Echo and she loves to run.


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## Jack Straw (Mar 26, 2010)

I bought my saw from a "mom and pop" type dealer.(for the good service) The only problem is when I do something dumb with my saw I have to take it to "pop" and explain what I did. I've gotten parts online just to stay out of trouble.


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## Deere10 (Mar 26, 2010)

+1 on the bottle of Jack after the cutting is done for the day..........


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## raven (Mar 26, 2010)

Troutchaser ya got some good advise ,but i have to ask.How did the fiskars hold up ?


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## woodmeister (Mar 27, 2010)

On the bright side you have a new anchor. Time for a stihl.


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## Tony H (Mar 27, 2010)

Nixon said:
			
		

> It seems as if some here think that the problem is that Troutchaser has an inexpensive saw   I'm sure that if He'd have had a 3120 ,or ms 880 ,there would have been no post .  He however got an inexpensive saw ( to Us ) stuck ,and was asking for ways to avoid ,or correct this .  Personally , I don't think recommending a different brand of saw would have changed things . But If any of You feel different , keep suggesting  Stihl , Husq. etc



What does " Totaled my saw " mean to you ?  We are just suggesting for the replacement saw he might want to consider a decent saw. Poulans are known to be poorly made and are not even worth having. I bet I see 50 of them for sale on CL for every Stihl enought about the saw.
All the other suggestions using a jack , peavy, wedges, removing the powerhead, using a lever are common ways to free a stuck saw. The suggestions mostly seem helpful and valid.


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## wendell (Mar 27, 2010)

Funny how it is only the Stihlheads who have had to chime in and tell him the OP to get a different saw. troutchaser, get the saw fixed, learn your lesson and ignore all the rest.


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## Deere10 (Mar 27, 2010)

Fix it and keep as a back up saw...  Buy a Husky or Stihl as a primary and keep cutting...


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## webie (Mar 27, 2010)

I had a freind who had a poulon wild thing , cut alot of wood with it it did a pretty decent job . He had it for like about 6 years then the oiler or something broke . Nice thing was he just took the bar and chain off went to the hardware store and bought another . Said hes been doing that for years .  I happen to like stihl . They rarely break and if they do they are well worth fixing . We now live in a disposible world and saws are being built the same way for our disposible lives . I use to call my old escort a bic  . First 1000 repair bill you just junk it and by another .
 Consider your self smart and lucky to have had a poulon just go by another and fix this one yourself  for a spare saw .


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## jeff_t (Mar 27, 2010)

Ya I don't think wood recommend spending $500 on a good saw until you were a bit more proficient with it. Get another Poulan.


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## BrotherBart (Mar 27, 2010)

My two best saws are my commercial 65cc Poulan 405+ (before they got out of that market) and my little 14" $99 Poulan Woodshark. The big boy for ripping big trees in half and the little guy for limbing and smaller stuff. I use the two Husky 142s just because they are light. At 23 pounds that big Poulan is getting be be more than these old bones wants to heft.

But as said here before that bad boy could rip a Pontiac in half.

If ya like that Poulan, fix that Poulan. Them and the smaller Husky's come out of the same factory now.


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## Rustaholic (Mar 28, 2010)

I do not uderstand all these posts.
I do not stick bars.
If the tree is on the ground look at where it is supported.
Some times I cut them into logs then cut down part way until they want to pinch then roll the log to cut from the other side.

If a tree wants to fall different than where I want it to go I put a rope on it and tension it with a come-a-long.
The last two trees I took down were in a very busy yard.
There was only one spot to put either tree.
The most important thing is to cut that wedge pointing where you want it to fall.
Then the second tree wanted to go the wrong way so I tied it to a tree just as far the other way from where I wanted it to go.
I told the people that had gathered to watch just where it was going to land.
When they saw how it was leaning and how I had tied it they were doubting me.
I made the back cut leaving a good hinge because it was a tall Red Pine.
I shut the saw off and set it down then told them the tree was falling.
It was barely moving but I was hearing the cracks.
That rope and the knotch were in control and as I was talking to them that tree finally started to move and down it came with it's tip landing perfectly on the little stick I had laid across the yard to show them where it was going to land.
That tree was 65 feet tall.

Oh, The rope I used was 140 feet long and about 1" rope.
I made it from one roll of baling twine that I paid $5.00 for at a swap meet.

Really???? $150 for a rope????

Amazing


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## Danno77 (Mar 28, 2010)

Rustaholic said:
			
		

> I do not uderstand all these posts.
> I do not stick bars.
> If the tree is on the ground look at where it is supported.
> Some times I cut them into logs then cut down part way until they want to pinch then roll the log to cut from the other side.
> ...


Post #1 and you are already talking down to everybody. You'll fit in quite nicely, lol. I agree on the amount spent on some of these fancy logging ropes. physics tells me that i don't need a rope capable of holding the entire weight of a tree if I'm just tuggin at the top of it to keep it from falling away, or to make it fall where I want. I spend more than $5 on my ropes, but definitely have less than $100 on all my ropes combined.


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## smokinj (Mar 28, 2010)

Danno77 said:
			
		

> Rustaholic said:
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There is reasons to have a rope with very strong tinsel strength. If your using to just pull a tree over hi tinsel not needed. But with the 12000lb tinsel strenght your rope can be used for a lot more including pulling logs on the trailer for the mill.


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## Rustaholic (Mar 28, 2010)

smokinjay said:
			
		

> There is reasons to have a rope with very strong tinsel strength. If your using to just pull a tree over hi tinsel not needed. But with the 12000lb tinsel strenght your rope can be used for a lot more including pulling logs on the trailer for the mill.



1.) My $5.00 rope would pull any log I have seen. BUT, pulling and loading logs jobs belong to my winch and chains.
2.) I sure hope I cut that quote right so this works. 8>))
3.) I was not trying to talk down to anyone here.
4.) I use a trailer hitch ball tied to a smaller rope to toss around a high branch. Then I use the small rope to pull up my big rope.


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## smokinj (Mar 28, 2010)

Rustaholic said:
			
		

> smokinjay said:
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lol didnt think you where and 5.00 for a bad @ss rope great...Lots of good uses for a high tinsel rope.


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## Rustaholic (Mar 28, 2010)

I know you weren't but Danno77 was.

Can ya tell I am a rope maker?
Very seldom will I ever buy a rope.

3/8" rope is six strands of baling twine.

I started make rope when I was running a scout group back in the 1980s with a slapped together machine I built.
Now I mostly use one of my two New Era Rope Machines.
Google   New Era Rope Machine


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## smokinj (Mar 28, 2010)

Rustaholic said:
			
		

> I know you weren't but Danno77 was.
> 
> Can ya tell I am a rope maker?
> Very seldom will I ever buy a rope.
> ...



very handy indeed do you know about what the tensil strenght would be?


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## Rustaholic (Mar 28, 2010)

I have all that info in a book somewher but right now I wouldn't know where to find it.
I think that googling that New Era Rope Machine would get ya to a place to find that info.
Let me go try right now.
Now, How do I post a URL here?
http://www.wctatel.net/web/equityrealty/NewEraPam7.html

Let's see if this works.


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## Rustaholic (Mar 28, 2010)

Okay, That worked.
The info there is for Manilla and I am using Sisal.

That link is to a page of the manual that would have come with every New Era rope machine when it was new.

AND, Just look at that,,,
If Sisal is anywhere close to Manilla I am at 12,000 pounds strength with my $5.00 rope.
It is still true that the Sisal baling twine is made from long strands of fibers if you read the rest of that booklet.
The roll I used to make this rope from was an old one that was treated not to rot.
possibly the long strand info I am thinking about is in the other New Era booklet on that site.
There is a 14 page one about WHY you need one of these rope machines.


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## smokinj (Mar 28, 2010)

Rustaholic said:
			
		

> Okay, That worked.
> The info there is for Manilla and I am using Sisal.
> 
> That link is to a page of the manual that would have come with every New Era rope machine when it was new.
> ...



Thats Awesome I will give you 25.00 for it? lol great hobby to have will come in handy working with wood thats for sure...


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## Rustaholic (Mar 28, 2010)

I don't think so,,,,,
Just buy a set of baling twine rolls and drive on up here.
We will make one for you and another one for me in just a short time.
Last time I checked the price it was around $35 for a pair of those rolls.
I am going to check the prices again.
They also make rope from the plastic twine but I like the sisal better.


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## smokinj (Mar 29, 2010)

Rustaholic said:
			
		

> I don't think so,,,,,
> Just buy a set of baling twine rolls and drive on up here.
> We will make one for you and another one for me in just a short time.
> Last time I checked the price it was around $35 for a pair of those rolls.
> ...



I will see if can come up with some of that baling twine


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## leaddog (Mar 29, 2010)

bale twine is good stuff unless it gets wet . I've picked up alot of bales that were a year old and had gotten wet. I hate it when the string breaks. the bale just does a semi-circle and it's never where you want it. If you are going to make your rope from twine take very good care of it and don't trust it with your life. Of course even a new bought'n rope can break. My dad had just gotten a new one and was tieing down a load of hay. He was on top of the load and gave it a tug. rope snapped and down he came. Broke his shoulder joint into a million pieces and bent the arm bone. Had a great Doc and he was back working in about 3 mo's. Come to find out the rope was pieced together from the manufactorer. That was back in 1965. People didn't get lawyers back the. Probably could have retired if he had but he just figured he should have checked it himself. Just check it out before you trust your life with it.
leaddog


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## smokinj (Mar 29, 2010)

leaddog said:
			
		

> bale twine is good stuff unless it gets wet . I've picked up alot of bales that were a year old and had gotten wet. I hate it when the string breaks. the bale just does a semi-circle and it's never where you want it. If you are going to make your rope from twine take very good care of it and don't trust it with your life. Of course even a new bought'n rope can break. My dad had just gotten a new one and was tieing down a load of hay. He was on top of the load and gave it a tug. rope snapped and down he came. Broke his shoulder joint into a million pieces and bent the arm bone. Had a great Doc and he was back working in about 3 mo's. Come to find out the rope was pieced together from the manufactorer. That was back in 1965. People didn't get lawyers back the. Probably could have retired if he had but he just figured he should have checked it himself. Just check it out before you trust your life with it.
> leaddog



your right about not betting your life on rope and I would throw in chain and cable as well....But if I was betting I'd use my bull rope.


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## Danno77 (Mar 29, 2010)

Rustaholic said:
			
		

> I know you weren't but Danno77 was.
> 
> Can ya tell I am a rope maker?
> Very seldom will I ever buy a rope.
> ...


Hey, no worries. I wasn't serious. Hope i didn't offend you. 

I was just commenting on how your post is like so many we see here. it kinda reads "I don't know what the problem is. You are obviously doing something wrong, and I'm really good at it, just let me tell you!" Most of the frequent hearth posters do the same (myself included). We all learn from each other, and your advice was good and hopefully helpful to the original poster. i didn't mean to imply otherwise.

I'm googling this rope making stuff as we speak. The price seems to be right, and i love to DIY as many things as I can.

Anyway, welcome to the forum. You'll like it here.


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## Rustaholic (Mar 30, 2010)

leaddog said:
			
		

> bale twine is good stuff unless it gets wet . I've picked up alot of bales that were a year old and had gotten wet. I hate it when the string breaks. the bale just does a semi-circle and it's never where you want it. If you are going to make your rope from twine take very good care of it and don't trust it with your life. Of course even a new bought'n rope can break. My dad had just gotten a new one and was tieing down a load of hay. He was on top of the load and gave it a tug. rope snapped and down he came. Broke his shoulder joint into a million pieces and bent the arm bone. Had a great Doc and he was back working in about 3 mo's. Come to find out the rope was pieced together from the manufactorer. That was back in 1965. People didn't get lawyers back the. Probably could have retired if he had but he just figured he should have checked it himself. Just check it out before you trust your life with it.
> leaddog



I still have and use rope I made from Sisal baling twine 30 years ago.
This big rope was made from an old spool of twine that was probably originally sold in the 1960s.
Maybe it was even older.
I remember mid 1960s bales from the same store were wrapped in paper.
This one was wrapped in burlap.
The feed store it was from closed here in the 1970s so I couldn't ask them.
The twine was treated to resist water damage.
This rope will for sure outlast me.

Usually right after I make a rope I find enough folks to do a tug-a-war with it to tension or SET the rope.
This rope was such a beast that I tied one end to a big Oak tree and the other end to the trailer hitch of my 4WD Ford Aerostar and gave it a good tug.

I am a rope maker.
I KNOW rope.


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## smokinj (Mar 30, 2010)

Rustaholic said:
			
		

> leaddog said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



got any pic's this is very interesting?


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## Rustaholic (Mar 30, 2010)

Do you want a picture of the rope?
I guess I could take one and post it.

I wish I had taken some pictures while we were making this big one.


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## smokinj (Mar 30, 2010)

Rustaholic said:
			
		

> Do you want a picture of the rope?
> I guess I could take one and post it.
> 
> I wish I had taken some pictures while we were making this big one.



yes and yes you should have lol


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## Scrounger (Mar 30, 2010)

Rustaholic = I think I know you?


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## Troutchaser (Mar 30, 2010)

Boy, I've been out for a few days.  Thanks for the replys.

To clear up any confusion:
I bought the Poulan because I assumed I would be hard on my first saw.
The saw became stuck in a typical pinch situation and wedging wasn't really possible.  I'm a novice and didn't think to remove the power head.  Some of you have to realize that coming into wood cutting and burning as a rookie is quite a challenge.  No old man to stand around and yell at me for getting ready to do something the wrong way.
The Fiskars all but had me off and running again when I made the miscalculation and hit the guard.  
BTW- That Fiskars split a truck load of white oak Sat.  It's doing fine.


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## smokinj (Mar 30, 2010)

Troutchaser said:
			
		

> Boy, I've been out for a few days.  Thanks for the replys.
> 
> To clear up any confusion:
> I bought the Poulan because I assumed I would be hard on my first saw.
> ...



no matter how tight the saw is drive a wedge in the crack with a slage hammer if need be it will losing up


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## Rustaholic (Mar 30, 2010)

smokinjay said:
			
		

> Rustaholic said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Well,,,,,, I never would have thought to take a picture of us making that rope if this debate hadn't come up.
Several huindred ropes have I made.
This might have been the biggest but it was just another rope.


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## ISeeDeadBTUs (Mar 30, 2010)

Smoke the rope, soap on a rope

I know I been gone a while, but. . . .how'd we go from some poor bass turd smashin' hiz own saw (did ya spend as much $ on the pull-on as ya did on the Whiskars?) to bashin peeps that make or can't make their own rope?? hh: 

It's all good :lol:


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## oldspark (Mar 31, 2010)

ISeeDeadBTUs said:
			
		

> Smoke the rope, soap on a rope
> 
> I know I been gone a while, but. . . .how'd we go from some poor bass turd smashin' hiz own saw (did ya spend as much $ on the pull-on as ya did on the Whiskars?) to bashin peeps that make or can't make their own rope?? hh:
> 
> It's all good :lol:


 Got any extra rope you want to sell?


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## Rustaholic (Mar 31, 2010)

Okay I hope this comes through.


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## smokinj (Mar 31, 2010)

Rustaholic said:
			
		

> Okay I hope this comes through.



Nice work!


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## Rustaholic (Mar 31, 2010)

I made it one day then used it the next day to take down two trees in VERY tight quarters with 15 to 20 people watching.
I still need to whip the ends.
Next rope will be 3/8" X 50'
That one will be used to toss over branches to pull the big rope up.


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## BrotherBart (Mar 31, 2010)

Give a man enough rope and he will hang himself. Give a magician enough rope and he will cut it up in pieces.


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## payton (Mar 31, 2010)

When you guys make rope out of twine do you make it into small rope then into a thick rope or do you go right from twine to thick rope?   another question what is the difference between 3 and 4 strand rope?  well not really what the difference is but what difference it makes.  for a big rope like that do you use the entire thing of twine?

I have been looking at this stuff and i think im going to make a rope machine out of cast aluminum this summer.


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## Rustaholic (Mar 31, 2010)

payton said:
			
		

> When you guys make rope out of twine do you make it into small rope then into a thick rope or do you go right from twine to thick rope?   another question what is the difference between 3 and 4 strand rope?  well not really what the difference is but what difference it makes.  for a big rope like that do you use the entire thing of twine?
> 
> I have been looking at this stuff and i think im going to make a rope machine out of cast aluminum this summer.



You start with twine and make a rope.

The 3 of 4 strand difference.
4 strand gives you a smoother rope.
3 strand makes it easier to get a nice rope.
I even have a 6 strand machine I built as a test. It is VERY hard to get a nice 6 strand rope.

As the rope is forming you need to keep all the strands at the same tension or you will get a lumpy rope.
That is very easy with 3 because you just pick which way to move the rope.
With a 4 strand machine what could you do if the upper left and the lower right strand were both starting to droop?
You would pick one way to go and get a lump in your rope.
Let us just say a beginner needs to start with a three hook machine before trying a four hook one.
You CAN make a 4 hook machine and just use 3 hook if you feel you must.
There is one other thing to consider,,,,

The man that made and sold thousands of these New Era rope machines made 3 strand machines.

Yes, I looked at the stated total feet of twine on that old package, divided that by 24 and paced off the result.
When I got it all strung out I think I had an extra nine feet of twine. That was cutting it pretty close.
If you read that New Era instruction book that I linked to you will see they use more strands than I do to get the same size rope.
They are using Binder Twine from the old Grain Binders of those days.
I use Baling Twine from the old Hay Balers.
Baling Twine is larger. The terms are not interchangable.
They use still another twine now for the big round bales.

You WANT to build a geared machine.
On a New Era machine the hooks turn just a little more than three times for each turn of the crank.
I hope this answers the questions you asked. 8>)))


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## ISeeDeadBTUs (Mar 31, 2010)

Well, Hell Rusty, you're a Ford guy. 'Splains the need for havin' ropes on hand :smirk:


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## Danno77 (Mar 31, 2010)

ISeeDeadBTUs said:
			
		

> Well, Hell Rusty, you're a Ford guy. 'Splains the need for havin' ropes on hand :smirk:


Or you could just learn to tell Chevy drivers to call a tow truck, cause you don't have the time to pull 'em home...


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## Rustaholic (Mar 31, 2010)

Thanks Danno77
Oh how true that is.


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## Redskins82 (Apr 7, 2010)

Troutchaser said:
			
		

> It's a Poulan Pro, 16".  What would you do?



I'd look for a cheap saw on ebay or craigslist to use for repair parts. You also could buy another saw just like it and use your present saw for parts. I paid $150 for my 20" saw new. Seems like you ought to be able to find a new saw like yours for about $100. I've gotten about 200 hours of use out of my Poulan over the past six years. I would not recommend a Poulan to anybody but I've gotten my money's worth out of mine. For poor people like me, you just got to use whatever you can actually afford. 

Only other advice I can give you that others haven't is, don't get impatient. I got my saw stuck pruning limbs from an extension ladder one time. I got impatient, then frustrated, and then mad. Then I got smart and just removed the powerhead, gave up for the day, and came back the next day when I had cooled off and easily removed the bar using a flat bar to pry open the cut.


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## Troutchaser (Apr 8, 2010)

I've done some looking around on the saw.  All that is really broken is the handguard.  I've got it completely back together minus fitting in that one piece, which I can get for around $25.  Still a little question as to if it will all work as it's supposed to when it gets put together, but I'm going to go for it.
The guy at the shop must have been trying to sell me a Varna when he quoted that price.  But then he'd have some time in it also.

Ya, hard to stop and walk away when you get frustrated.  Lesson learned for me though.


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## Rustaholic (Apr 9, 2010)

Why not just epoxy it back together?
If there is any hollow area that could have a couple wires in it and be filled with epoxy.
I can't see it from here but I have repaired a lot of things this way.
I like PC-7


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