After using the saw

[andyrlee]

Just got to work with my new Stihl MS 361!

Lets just say I have a smile from ear to ear.

So what do you guy do to clean up your saws when your through with a project?

Is your process any different when ice and snow get on it? (moisture)

Thanks

Andy

 

[LLigetfa]

I ride her hard and put her away wet. She doesn't get any loving until I take it out the next time. Been doing it that way for more than 30 years.

 

[Kong]

I'm sort of the opposite, but in a way sort of the same. We both do the same work, just at different times.

I take spare chains and bars into the woods with me, so at the end of the day I've got both the saw and dull chains to deal with. I resharpen all of the chains (and clean the saw up in the process) before the day is done and I refill the saw(s) with gas and oil. So next time around for me its just pick up the saw and walk. Like I said, same work, just done at a different time.

If mine's wet it will get dried off as I sharpen, putting bars and chains off and on but to be honest about it I've never had any problem with ice and find it hard to imagine just where or how any ice would form. Its not like I'm out there cutting blocks of ice to build an igloo. The thing might get a little snow on it and a some drops of water might freeze, but so what? One yank of that rope with the switch turned on and the ice is going to go by-by in a mighty big hurry.

 

[andyrlee]

I'm sure ice and snow are not a big deal in the woods, I guess my biggest concern is, is it a problem storing it away like that or should I be drying it off and maybe oiling it more than what the bar oil is doing?

 

[wendell]

I would dry it off but your bar and chain should be fine.

 

[thinkxingu]

Andy,
I'm loving my 361, too. Dropped/limbed/bucked/split up a 40' oak yesterday in short time. Beautiful day to be out cutting, and the saw ran sweet. I need to head to the shop tomorrow to get the idle adjusted, though--it would stall after idling for a minute or so.

As for cleaning, I rub it down with a rag and blow off all the dust/wood chips. Nice and clean.

S

 

[heffergm]

I sharpen the chain after an outing, tighten it up if necessary and give the saw a basic cleaning, but I don't refill with gas or oil. I always try to run the tank dry and leave it that way when I'm done so if it does end up stored for a while it won't have stale mix in it.

 

[LLigetfa]

In the 30 some years I've owned a saw, I never let the saw sit with no gas in it. I'm from the school of thought that a dry carb will dry out the soft parts.

If I had a nice new 361/362 then I probably would clean it up after using it. Well... the first few times anyway.

 

[smokinj]

Blow it out with air compresser mainly and hit the air filter good..

 

[Backwoods Savage]

When finished, I simply put the saw in the case and forget it until the next time I'm ready to saw. That is how I've done it since I first started running a chain saw, at age 12.

 

[stee6043]

I only spend "real" time cleaning my saw when I'm done cutting for winter. I'll spot clean it throughout the year but nothing more than 10 minutes worth. I do try to hit the air cleaner with electircal contact cleaner two or three times per summer, depending on how much cutting I'm doing...and the usual chain swaps, sharpening...

 

[savageactor7]

Is your process any different when ice and snow get on it? (moisture)

In the winter I always dump out any remaining bar oil reservoir. So to prevent contaminating the recovered bar oil with wood chips I brush off the saw before tipping the saw over for draining.

I keep the bar oil warm in the house and never cut more than a tankful in the winter anyway. That's mostly because I don't have to cut, I'm there cause I want to be...unless the situation dictates otherwise.

 

[Kong]

In the 30 some years I've owned a saw, I never let the saw sit with no gas in it. I'm from the school of thought that a dry carb will dry out the soft parts.

If I had a nice new 361/362 then I probably would clean it up after using it. Well... the first few times anyway.

I suspect this may have been a good plan once, but with the advances in materials sciences since the 50's and 60's I doubt very much that there is any gasket material in today's carbs that can 'dry out' if there's no gas present.

With the saw I keep it full. With the splitter I keep the tank full but I shut off the fuel at the valve provided to do so and let the engine (carb) run dry when shutting it off. If there is a way I could do the same with my saws I'd do them the same way.

 

[snowtime]

As far as the ice and snow I use to cut blocks of ice from the river for an ice house and keep a spot open to get water. Glad those days are over though I have to admit if your young and strong those times can be the best. I would bring the saw in to melt the ice off [usually -20 to -45 so yes the water freezes] and fill the fuel and oil. I always keep the main saw ready with a sharp chain and fuel never know if I will need it in a hurry out here.

 

[bogydave]

I clean mine & have it ready to go after each use. Only takes a few minutes & makes it lighter.
When cutting in winter I get lots of water/snow in the sawdust/chips which causes corrosion.
That way I know if somebody borrows it. (borrowers never clean)
(If I know it's going to get borrowed, I put on an older chain & hide the good ones)
When I need it, it's ready to go.
If I store it a long time with gas in it, I dump the gas & put in new.
But it's only 28 years old.
My saw lets me know when it needs maintenance, it quits idling, slow or no trigger response or won't start. Then it's time for some TLC, every 4 or 5 years.

 

[LLigetfa]

One time I went to grab my saw from the shed and nearly tore my arm off. The darn thing was froze solid to the floor. Still starts with 3 pulls.

 

[golfandwoodnut]

I am usually getting tired after alot of cutting and splitting so I just put the saw away. Sharpen and clean it next time out. The only problem I had leaving gas for a long period of time in my Husqvarna was that it could get really hard to pull, too much compression, the service guy said it had something to do with the gas. I just had to remove the spark plug and pull the cord a couple of times, then it would start up fine. My Stihl has a compression button, so that is not an issue, and I have been cutting so much the Husky rarely sits long. I also do normally run it out, however, I have learn to shut it off when it starts leaning out.

 

[zzr7ky]

Hi -

I like to run the gass out. I'm a big believer in avoiding alcohol in gas for any equipment that sits for weeks without use.

I clean it well when swapping a new chain on, or flipping the bar over.

That's about it.

ATB,
Mike

 

[timberr]

Personnally, when done using my saw I get it ready for the next use, file the chain, fill with stabilized gas and bar oil. About every 8 hrs. I take the bar off, file it and turn it over and put it back on. Since the side cover is off I blow it out with the air compressor.

Also don't unersetimate ICE it can dull a chain just as fast if not faster the some dirt.

 

[Georgiadave]

I recently was advised by the local Stihl tech that ethanol gas, which is almost all of it, will attack the metal in the carburator. He recommends draining the tank and running the appliance dry. Marathon Oil makes a "recrational gas" which does not have alcohol in it, and Aviation gas is also alcohol free. Try Marinas for the Marathon gas.