LittleLebowski's big inspirational chainsaw thread

[Crazy Dane]

Ahhh, the noodlin'. Noice! Nice mod too.

I have a confession to make. A couple years back, in this very thread, I turned myself into an ask-hole. I solicited guidance on which Stihl saw to get (this was right when the 500i was becoming available in the U.S.) and was steered toward a 462. I went down to the local saw shop (actually a hole-in-the-wall place situated in a cow pasture) that apparently caters to local pro loggers. There, I talked with the old man, Larry, who owned the place and fangered both the 462 and 500i. I was surprised when he pulled the covers off each how complicated the 462 appeared as compared with the 500i. Sort like an old carburetated hot rod vs. a fuel-injected set up. Even knowing how solid and bulletproof the 462 is (which is usually my thing), I opted for the 500i. I surprised myself because I tend very strongly toward not being an early adopter. Larry sold me the 500i with the biggest bar he had in the shop which was a 28" and shortly thereafter I bought a 32" lightweight bar.

Early on, I had a few of the regerts because it was kind of a one tank wonder. Trying to re-start it after running hard for about a tank of gas was sometimes and exercise in futility. A little while back I changed out the stock air filter for a Max Flow. About the same time I started letting the saw idle for a minute or so after running hard before shutting off (letting the computer catch up the the fact that it is no longer running WOT). For whatever reason, no further issues with hot starts. Having newly arrived in the hills of Appalachians and now trying to catch up and get ahead on firewood (my primary heat source), I have been doing a fair amount of cutting - with more to come. With the hot start issue resolved, I'm super happy with this saw. It pulls that 32" chain like it is nothing and I have had it buried in some oak wider than the bar is long on more that a couple of occasions. Plenty of power for everything I do and it has a super smooth ride. Whenever I go back to my old MS390, it just feels like a pokey old rattletrap (not a fair comparison at all, but it's what I got). The other knock on the 500i is fuel consumption. Well no shit! I got a 6.4L powered truck that loves gas too! If you want high performance horses, it's gonna come with a cost. (And the fuel consumption thing is overblown in any event.)

I keep eyeballing the West Coast Saw billet clutch cover and dogs, along with the kit to stiffen the suspension some. It does kinda flop with the 32" bar (which is primarily a nod to Buckin' Billy Ray's "Stand Up and Buck" mantra - it's legit by the way). Beyond that, I don't think I would do anything else to it; not even a muffler.

I guess at some point the computer could shit the bed and the supply chain might bite me; but I suppose that could be true for any saw part. Right now, I'm happy with the 500i.

My latest wood-related obsessions are chain sharpening, pickaroons/hookaroons, and axes. The chain is to the saw as bullets are to firearms - that is what does the work. A sharp chain can make a shitty saw cut well; but the baddest saw will not perform with a dull chain. I'm still trying to perfect round filing. I do okay, but still have room to improve. (That 32" chain gives me a lot of opportunities for reps...) I also recently discovered pickaroons and Wow! what a game-changer for handling firewood. Now I only bend over to grab some wood if I want to (and I seldom wanton). And lastly, my Paw-in-Law recently gifted me three axe heads. Those combined with a Norlund Hudson Bay style hatchet that I've had since at least my early teens and a small sledge hammer head that has needed a handle since forever, resulted in an order to House Handles. So far I've re-hung the hatchet and the little sledge. I'll be starting on the axe heads sometime this week in-between honey-dos. I have found the process of (trying) to get a good fit to be very soothing. Yup, I'm a weirdo.

So, I'm not really sure what prompted that whole post, other than I've really been enjoying all things firewood-related lately. And I have also enjoyed this thread. Cheers!

I'm going out here in a bit to run the 550 to fully test the 3/8s chain set up. I'm trying a $40 Oregon 20 inch bar, If it proves to be a worthy change, I'm gonna drop a 24 inch Sugihara bar on it so I can stand up and buck.


I find the Husqvarna roller file guide helps a lot of people to learn how to file properly. Combination Chainsaw File Guide | Husqvarna US

A stump vise is a must for filling long bars in the field, I use this one because it is orange and has the plastic knob, I dont like thumb screws for some weird reason. Amazon.com: Filing Stump Vise - Forester Chainsaw Sharpener Chainsaw Sharpening Kit Chain Saw File Guide Vise Mounting Kit Chain Raker/Teeth Filing Logging Tools Chainsaw Chain Sharpening Jig : Tools & Home Improvement

It may be a sacrilege to loggers everywhere but I use an Estwing axe. I haven't found a wooden axe handle that I couldn't break, usually at an inopportune moment.

A good hookeroon and peavey is on my list of tools to add. The older I get the harder it is for me to manhandle the wood.

[Cookie Monster]

Ahhh, the noodlin'. Noice! Nice mod too.

I have a confession to make. A couple years back, in this very thread, I turned myself into an ask-hole. I solicited guidance on which Stihl saw to get (this was right when the 500i was becoming available in the U.S.) and was steered toward a 462. I went down to the local saw shop (actually a hole-in-the-wall place situated in a cow pasture) that apparently caters to local pro loggers. There, I talked with the old man, Larry, who owned the place and fangered both the 462 and 500i. I was surprised when he pulled the covers off each how complicated the 462 appeared as compared with the 500i. Sort like an old carburetated hot rod vs. a fuel-injected set up. Even knowing how solid and bulletproof the 462 is (which is usually my thing), I opted for the 500i. I surprised myself because I tend very strongly toward not being an early adopter. Larry sold me the 500i with the biggest bar he had in the shop which was a 28" and shortly thereafter I bought a 32" lightweight bar.

Early on, I had a few of the regerts because it was kind of a one tank wonder. Trying to re-start it after running hard for about a tank of gas was sometimes and exercise in futility. A little while back I changed out the stock air filter for a Max Flow. About the same time I started letting the saw idle for a minute or so after running hard before shutting off (letting the computer catch up the the fact that it is no longer running WOT). For whatever reason, no further issues with hot starts. Having newly arrived in the hills of Appalachians and now trying to catch up and get ahead on firewood (my primary heat source), I have been doing a fair amount of cutting - with more to come. With the hot start issue resolved, I'm super happy with this saw. It pulls that 32" chain like it is nothing and I have had it buried in some oak wider than the bar is long on more that a couple of occasions. Plenty of power for everything I do and it has a super smooth ride. Whenever I go back to my old MS390, it just feels like a pokey old rattletrap (not a fair comparison at all, but it's what I got). The other knock on the 500i is fuel consumption. Well no shit! I got a 6.4L powered truck that loves gas too! If you want high performance horses, it's gonna come with a cost. (And the fuel consumption thing is overblown in any event.)

I keep eyeballing the West Coast Saw billet clutch cover and dogs, along with the kit to stiffen the suspension some. It does kinda flop with the 32" bar (which is primarily a nod to Buckin' Billy Ray's "Stand Up and Buck" mantra - it's legit by the way). Beyond that, I don't think I would do anything else to it; not even a muffler.

I guess at some point the computer could shit the bed and the supply chain might bite me; but I suppose that could be true for any saw part. Right now, I'm happy with the 500i.

My latest wood-related obsessions are chain sharpening, pickaroons/hookaroons, and axes. The chain is to the saw as bullets are to firearms - that is what does the work. A sharp chain can make a shitty saw cut well; but the baddest saw will not perform with a dull chain. I'm still trying to perfect round filing. I do okay, but still have room to improve. (That 32" chain gives me a lot of opportunities for reps...) I also recently discovered pickaroons and Wow! what a game-changer for handling firewood. Now I only bend over to grab some wood if I want to (and I seldom wanton). And lastly, my Paw-in-Law recently gifted me three axe heads. Those combined with a Norlund Hudson Bay style hatchet that I've had since at least my early teens and a small sledge hammer head that has needed a handle since forever, resulted in an order to House Handles. So far I've re-hung the hatchet and the little sledge. I'll be starting on the axe heads sometime this week in-between honey-dos. I have found the process of (trying) to get a good fit to be very soothing. Yup, I'm a weirdo.

So, I'm not really sure what prompted that whole post, other than I've really been enjoying all things firewood-related lately. And I have also enjoyed this thread. Cheers!

I am on the west coast but we should hang out.

[DocGKR]

Just be sure to wear proper safety gear when using chainsaws--I've recently treated several folks with severe injuries....

[Crazy Dane]

My first Holz Hausen. This is my third start, I think this one will go all the way. I worked at this all day and never started the saw.

I got the idea out of this thread, sorry I dont remember who posted it but thank you.

[Tensaw]

Mr. Dane, I've been using this Stihl 2-in-1 rig which works pretty well for me. Training wheels for sure, but this thing hits the rakers which is something I was largely neglecting previously. This thing is stupid expensive for what it is (I think I paid $25 a while back and thought *that* was too much) but it gives me enough visual reference that I am able to maintain a surprisingly consistent angle on the cutting tooth. Every so often in between using this tool, I'll freehand it and go all Billy Ray but the tool helps me get a decent filing on the chain.

I've had a stump vise almost as long as I've had chainsaws but I try to avoid sharpening in the field if I can get away with it. I try to bring extra chains and swap out as needed.

I'm one truck load of wood and one wood yard clean-up in to using this pickaroon. eBay shows none available at present. Definitely a Gucci-level firewood tool, but I liked the design. While shopping pickaroons, I debated handle length. I'm 6'4" with a 34" inseam and this one is just a hair short for me when it comes to grabbing smaller logs off the ground, but it does a pretty good job nonetheless. This outfit offers any handle length you want, as long as it's 31"... I will likely end up with a 36" version of this Peavey unit for pulling rounds out of truck beds and trailers before it's over with. The Hipps Tool pickaroon sticks pretty well, holds *very* well, and releases pretty easily.

That Holz Hausen is cool man! My next non-small project is a woodshed, which will mostly just be a 24'x4' by 8' tall platform with a generous roof. I've got a fence line that runs east-west and the south side of that fence line is open pasture. Got some wood stacked in the open there now and it gets sun nearly all day. The dead oak that I cut and split about three months ago has already turned gray and looks close to ready to burn. I suppose that is the result of a fairly constant breeze, low humidity, and direct sun for hours each day. The woodshed may end up being a frivolous lark, but it will make me feel better on rainy days.

RE: Doc's post on chainsaw PPE, he ain't wrong. I attended the Paul Bunyan Show in Ohio last month. (It was a hoot!) Watching guys handling bigger saws with longer bars, I saw a couple of instances where running chains came pretty close to interacting with feet/lower legs. It was like watching someone ride the trigger way too long as they try to re-holster too fast; there was just nothing you could do for them except hope it turned out okay. I'm already wearing chaps when I work the woodpile, but this got me thinking hard about kevlar boots. My other two pro-tips on saw safety are to stop cutting when you get tired and try not to have more than one saw working a tree at a time (thinking about storm-damaged blow downs or felled trees). Particularly with blown down trees, there are already enough weird pressures and tensions on those trees and limbs without complicating things with someone else cutting on the same tree and potentially changing the dynamics at work. I've been with groups of guys doing storm clean-up and have watched as four or five guys with saws will all charge in on one tree. I let them have at it and find something else to do. Usually they will quit and take a break after the first tank of gas or so and then I can have the tree to myself. Blow downs are a dangerous PITA. NATS put on some pretty good cutting classes at Paul Bunyan. They had some very good information, but the delivery was kind of bad. The presenters were trying to be entertaining, but the fluff-to-nugget ratio was waaay off so I ended up bailing. I would love to sit through a day of just hard info from them though. There is a whole lot about cutting that I don't know.

Oh, last thing... Re: the battery-powered saws, those look fantastic for riding the truck in the event you come across a downed tree blocking the road (not an uncommon occurrence in my neck of the woods). Gas won't go bad or smell up the cab of the truck while it rides around with you.

[Hemiram]

My first chainsaw was a 20"(?) McColluch, I don't remember the model number anymore, and it is best forgotten. Hard to start from day one, then suddenly, it started on the first pull, but always seemed to lack the power needed to be really a pleasure to use, especially on the dreaded Trees of Heaven I mostly used it for. When I moved out West, I gave it to a friend who still has it! Once in a while, it comes out as a firewood chopper, used by his wife to cut logs up into fireplace friendly chunks. When I came back to NW Ohio, I had a gift card to Sears and bought a GREAT Craftsman saw, one of the high end big ones and I used it for many years, like 35, and it ran great until one day it just seized up. I have no idea how many chains I went through cutting the Trees of Heaven down over and over again. The property I own is next to busy train tracks and the TOH's come up every year as they do almost everywhere near tracks. Due to my mobility issues, the last few times I've hired friend's kids to cut them down. I furnish the saw, a Stihl I bought a few years ago. It's pretty decent, but I miss the big Craftsman when I have to cut a tree up, which isn't often, maybe once a year after a storm.

[Welder]

the dreaded Trees of Heaven

I think you're talking about Ailanthus Altissima, which can regrow as suckers from cut-down stumps pretty much indefinitely. It's an invasive species brought from China centuries ago. You can kill these stumps by painting them with non-diluted Roundup immediately after cutting them, just FYI.

[Hemiram]

I think you're talking about Ailanthus Altissima, which can regrow as suckers from cut-down stumps pretty much indefinitely. It's an invasive species brought from China centuries ago. You can kill these stumps by painting them with non-diluted Roundup immediately after cutting them, just FYI.

Yeah, that's the scientific name for Tree of Heaven. I hire people to take care of them at this point. I wouldn't touch Roundup or similar with your hands, gloves or not. Bad stuff. TOH's are pretty impressive, as one of them somehow grew a branch inside a wall of a building I own and broke the concrete block wall to the point we had to have a crew come in and jack up the wall and rebuild it. With all the railroad tracks, still existing and past, here in NW Ohio, TOH's are kind of part of the scenery at this point. Huge ones over next to the ex-NYC/PC/Conrail now NS Chicago line, biggest ones I've ever seen, they are quite old, as I saw them, or previous ones in the same place, 50 years ago.

[Welder]

Yeah, that's the scientific name for Tree of Heaven. I hire people to take care of them at this point. I wouldn't touch Roundup or similar with your hands, gloves or not. Bad stuff. TOH's are pretty impressive, as one of them somehow grew a branch inside a wall of a building I own and broke the concrete block wall to the point we had to have a crew come in and jack up the wall and rebuild it. With all the railroad tracks, still existing and past, here in NW Ohio, TOH's are kind of part of the scenery at this point. Huge ones over next to the ex-NYC/PC/Conrail now NS Chicago line, biggest ones I've ever seen, they are quite old, as I saw them, or previous ones in the same place, 50 years ago.

Yeah my Dad used to call them "Shoemakes," I guess an odd location-specific and screwed-up version of 'Sumac,' which they of course aren't. It wasn't until I worked for an arborist that I learned their correct name and history. We had a few customers that wanted them D-E-A-D dead, and Roundup was our solution. As a chemical, it's obviously not to be trifled with, but there are far worse on the ag and industrial scenes.

We had RR tracks going through our farm, and I later learned that Ailanthus actually puts out a low-level poison into the soil which helps keep other plants out of it's root area....that and the shading they produced probably explained why crops just wouldn't grow well within 10' or so of the RR right-of-way. A quick glance at Wikipedia says that they live for about 50 years...

[Cookie Monster]

Just be sure to wear proper safety gear when using chainsaws--I've recently treated several folks with severe injuries....

This had me looking at the Clogger website and found chainsaw pants on sale.