How do I start this saw??

[MasterMech]

I plan to start swinging from the trees with the thing in my teeth.​

Awesome mental picture.... I so want video of that.

Other than the video on the Stihl website, is there somewhere I can learn the finer points of chain sharpening? I don't find myself with a lot of free time on my hands. Hopefully this is something I can do while I'm watching a few innings of baseball?

The Stihl video is pretty decent, there's all kinds of good/bad advice on YouTube. Look into what chains cost for that saw, last I checked, they're pretty in expensive.

I dunno if I'd bring a saw in the living room, but I guess whatever floats your boat.

I can't get away with a saw in the living room either but damn sure I'd put a TV in the shop.

 

[HDRock]

Other than the video on the Stihl website, is there somewhere I can learn the finer points of chain sharpening? I don't find myself with a lot of free time on my hands. Hopefully this is something I can do while I'm watching a few innings of baseball?

There is a lot of good info here (broken link removed to http://www.madsens1.com/muu_barchain.htm)

 

[HDRock]

I can't get away with a saw in the living room either but damn sure I'd put a TV in the shop.

What about a carb on the dinning room table

 

[MasterMech]

What about a carb on the dinning room table

Lot's of "carbs" on my dining room table.

 

[HDRock]

Lot's of "carbs" on my dining room table.

My X wife, didn't care for it much

 

[Ashful]

I don't find myself with a lot of free time on my hands. Hopefully this is something I can do while I'm watching a few innings of baseball?

You have time to watch baseball?!?

 

[rudysmallfry]

You have time to watch baseball?!?

I'm single and live alone. It's the only thing that keeps me in the house long enough to clean the house. I'm a bit atypical where home decor is concerned. A chainsaw on my coffee table is nothing odd. There's currently a miter saw on it since I'm putting in wood floors in my living room. Martha Stewart would not be amused.

 

[DexterDay]

Saws on my kitchen island are common place. Thats where I sharpen most of them.

 

[rudysmallfry]

Okay, I'm confused again. I went to tighten the tension on my chain only to find it wasn't loose. I can pull it away from the bar, but not by much. If that's the case, why was it spinning on it's own the other day when it choked on that larger log?

 

[DexterDay]

Okay, I'm confused again. I went to tighten the tension on my chain only to find it wasn't loose. I can pull it away from the bar, but not by much. If that's the case, why was it spinning on it's own the other day when it choked on that larger log?

Idle is to high and chain was Hot (warm metal expands and oil is present and thin).

 

[rudysmallfry]

That would explain why it was hissing at me when I shut it off. Other than add oil, what do I do regarding the idle? Being a new saw, do I just run it for short amounts of time and let it break in?

 

[nate379]

Tried that once. Forget what I was working on but it flew across the garage and right into the tv, cracking the screen

I can't get away with a saw in the living room either but damn sure I'd put a TV in the shop.

 

[nate379]

Turn it down, small flathead screwdriver in the carb adjsuter hole that is for idle. Or if you can't figure it out, the dealer will adjust it, normally without chargering.

That would explain why it was hissing at me when I shut it off. Other than add oil, what do I do regarding the idle? Being a new saw, do I just run it for short amounts of time and let it break in?

 

[Ashful]

Okay, I'm confused again. I went to tighten the tension on my chain only to find it wasn't loose. I can pull it away from the bar, but not by much. If that's the case, why was it spinning on it's own the other day when it choked on that larger log?

1. When you loosen the bar nuts, you'll notice there's some up-down play at the nose of the bar, and that chain tension varies as you move the nose of the bar up and down. Make sure you pull up on the nose of the bar when making chain tension adjustments, and when re-tightening the bar nuts.

2. What do you mean "spinning on its own"? There is a clutch that only engages above a specific rpm. Below that engine speed, the clutch allows the chain to freewheel, and this is not a function of chain tension.

 

[MasterMech]

Okay, I'm confused again. I went to tighten the tension on my chain only to find it wasn't loose. I can pull it away from the bar, but not by much. If that's the case, why was it spinning on it's own the other day when it choked on that larger log?

The chain can expand a bit with heat, causing it to loosen up. It's not uncommon to need to make adjustments after the saw warms up, especially with a new chain. With your saw, it's very easy and quick to do. No tools required either. (You do have an Easy2Start MS180C right?)

As to why it was spinning on it's own? I have no idea, perhaps the idle speed is set a bit high? Your saw is awfully new to have fatigued clutch springs. If it continues to do that, I'd swing it by the dealer for a quick adjustment.

 

[Ashful]

I'm assuming that this saw, like most, comes from the factory adjusted a tad rich. That's to protect it during break-in, when piston/cylinder friction is still very high. Typical procedure is to run it a few days (get maybe 10 hours on the saw), and then take it back to the dealer for a re-tune (almost always, leaning it out). You'll notice a big improvement in power and speed after the re-tune, since saws tuned rich tend to bog easily.

You can do the re-tune yourself, but as an amateur, I wouldn't want to do it without a tach on hand to check max RPM.

 

[rudysmallfry]

1. 2. What do you mean "spinning on its own"?

I started to cut a piece of cherry about 10" around and the chain made a sound and stopped moving like it seized up. I tried it again with same result. I set it down on the crate next to me to readjust the log on the sawbuck, and noticed the chain was slowing making it's way around the bar on it's own.

 

[Ashful]

Well, two separate issues, I think. Chain spinning around the bar while idling = idle set too high. The chain stopping is just that... engine not strong enough to keep up chain speed, chain speed drops, clutch disengages. If your saw is adjusted rich (see my prior post), then bogging in the cut like that is a very common problem. You can have a local saw shop lean it out a tad, if it's not usable, but not too much. You want to run it on the rich side for a while, and just deal with a little lack of power, until it's broken in.

 

[HDRock]

Let the saw do the cutting, it is not an axe

 

[rudysmallfry]

Well, two separate issues, I think. Chain spinning around the bar while idling = idle set too high. The chain stopping is just that... engine not strong enough to keep up chain speed, chain speed drops, clutch disengages. If your saw is adjusted rich (see my prior post), then bogging in the cut like that is a very common problem. You can have a local saw shop lean it out a tad, if it's not usable, but not too much. You want to run it on the rich side for a while, and just deal with a little lack of power, until it's broken in.

Thanks for the info. So I guess I'll just cut all the smaller stuff up, let it break in, and then get it adjusted before doing the bigger stuff.

Let the saw do the cutting, it is not an axe

Not sure what this means. I am letting the saw do the cutting. I'm not doing anything other than putting it in position and letting it cut.

 

[Ashful]

Not sure what this means. I am letting the saw do the cutting. I'm not doing anything other than putting it in position and letting it cut.

Big saws have big dogs at the heal of the bar, so you can plant them into the log, and rock on them. This provides a lot of leverage to force the bar into the log, and greatly accelerate cutting. Some folks (myself sometimes included) get used to this, and try to do the same with smaller saws, and of course they bog down, causing the phenomenon you describe.

For any saw, there's an ideal feed rate, somewhere between no feed pressure and stalling.

 

[Nixon]

Just curious ...... OP did you ever work out your saw difficulties ?

 

[Adkjake]

Update...got it started no problem and quickly realized that you guys have been holding out on me. That thing is FUN to use! I can't believe I was that intimidated by it. All I've ever heard from people are how dangerous chainsaws are. It was very easy to use and went through the logs like butter. That being said, about 30 cuts and 20 minutes later, it kinda choked on a larger cherry log. I noticed the chain was slowly moving at idle. I'm guessing it worked itself a little loose? It was hot and I was already done with what I wanted to cut, so I called it a day. Is that normal for new saw chains to need a little tweaking? Also, how often should I be adding chain oil? I noticed it was kind of hissing at me for a minute or two after I shut it off. Thanks for you help guys.

Good to hear you got the saw going and had a good experience cutting, a new saw and a new chain will cut logs like butter. So, if I might, I recall in your intial post that you also bought the appropriate protection equipment, GOOD, always use it and remember, chainsaws are dangerous! Also, lots of posts on this site and on the web on how to sharpen your chain, learn to do so or take it to a shop for regular sharpening. Like knives and axes, they are actually safer when sharp.
From what I know, given that both are filled at the same time, saws will run out of gas before the chain oil is exhausted. Keep an eye on your saw for the first few cuttings.

Safe and enjoyable cutting

 

[rudysmallfry]

Just curious ...... OP did you ever work out your saw difficulties ?

Yes, we are in good shape. I'm getting good at refilling the chain oil and fuel. I've got half my wood cut up and a vacation next week to do the rest. Still cutting great. Love how the teeth just grab the wood. It really is a nice saw to use. I am using my safety gear every time. I'll probably just buy a second chain since I doubt I'll ever have time to sharpen it myself. It's easier to just put the new one on and bring the old one in to have sharpened. Thanks for all your help guys.

 

[Ashful]

If you can spare the money, buy two more chains. That way you always have a spare on-hand for that "oh sh*t" moment, when you hit a rock or bit of old metal fencing in the wood, and your spare chain is at the saw shop being sharpened.