spudulike

Just read your last post again.....have you not managed to get fluid or air through the pump? Any blockage will be on the pickup side of the pump so any fluid/pressure needs to go on the pump where it pumps oil from. As I said earlier, try rotating the pump gear whilst putting WD40 through it as in one position, the shaft flat will be in a position that will allow both holes to be pretty much open and the fluid should flow through easier.

Bearing in mind that you know there is no blockage and the pinion and arm are OK, I would say that Pleasant is correct. I used to test by attaching a bit of tube to the oil pickup or oil outlet union and blowing down it whilst turning the pump gear slowly. If the air flows through with little resistance, the pump is worn and you can also do similar with WD40. Basically, the end of the pump shaft has a flat on it and when it spins, the pump produces enough vacuum to pull the oil out of the tank. If the alloy body or shaft wear too much, the pump will stop working. I found this on a few old MS200Ts but less so on larger saws as they are used less but it is now the most likely cause if the pickup is clear of debris and the tank has been flushed out. £75..ouch, the price of spares is getting stupidly expensive.

I use a plane and then a rasping file, that takes a fair bit of wood off but is very controllable. I get the end of the handle to fit then work it down the handle, bit by bit and leave the last part tight so the head needs a real good belt to get it bedded. The rest is just fitting a well shaped wedge. I also use a god dollop of PVA wood glue over the handle and the wedge to bond it all together.

Well that's a bit bollocks isn't it. I used to get the older ones in regularly as most had no idea how they worked or how to fix them. I had 6 in at one go once and got three made up out of the parts and returned the rest as serviceable spare parts to keep the three good ones working. A big shame that companies stop making parts serviceable which inevitably means scrapping the major part and replacing the complete unit.

So, the last one is finished. The handle is a Stihl unit and came with a red end, lots of warning shyte and a big Stihl logo. On the plus side, it is ash and had a very straight and nice looking grain. The handle was stripped, cleaned, sanded, stained and the end matched with the eye of the Brades head which I believe to be manufactured toward the end of WW1 so 106 years old. The securing wedge went nicely on this one - very tight fit on the handle and a nice tightly fitting wedge, very satisfying. I was reading an article online waxing lyrically about a 1.5lb head on a 17" handle...this is a 500mm handle pared down to 18" and actually works really well, light but powerful, ideal for whacking big logs down to big kindling.

The MS460 is like the MS660 and is pretty much bullet proof. I have never seen pinion issues with this saw so it is most likely that the oil pump is plugged with fine saw dust. The oil will flow from your RED bit so any blockage will be on this part of the oil pump. If you get an aerosol with one of those small pipe appendages like WD40 has, stick it in the hole that connects with your GREEN hole and blast it down there. If nothing comes out of the other hole, it is most likely plugged with shyte and it needs cleaning out. You can either strip it or try blasting it with a compressor etc. Other than that, make sure you haven't worn the end off your oiler arm see below pic....this is relatively common on saws that are 10-20 years old and can be difficult to see. Check that the end of the arm is locating in the slot in the sprocket. If it isn't. the end has completely worn off. This was very common on low hours MS261s a few years ago but I have seen issues on well used 460s - not a design issue but just an issue found on saws that have lasted a bit too well.

Not sure on the HL135 but on the earlier version, the drive would fail on extension if the last bearing attached to the extension pole had either failed (middle fallen apart) or the pop rivet holding it on to the extension pole had failed. Worth popping it apart and looking at it but go careful, these things are not that easy to work on.

I just use a detail sander and a drill with a wire brush to remove rust. I tried a bit of brick cleaner but this works well for me.

The ball pein, no idea but have since seen a few that have come up on eBay. I reckon it was just a blacksmith that needed an axe and had a spare hammer so made one. I liked it as it was different - good for small bits of kindling, the larger kindling got me in to resurrecting axes!

Nice job, always good to bring these old tools back to life. So much more rewarding than getting some old bit of that that wont last. The history is what I find interesting, not that you see much of it but every axe tells a story. Stihl do decent Ash axe handles that don't cost a fortune if anyone is interested in this work. Doing my Brades 1.5lb head at the moment, have stripped the handle of the paint and logo and am shaping the end to receive the head over the weekend.

Nice job.....but I think those gloves have seen better days!! Those 630s are decent machines, well built and solid construction. Should last you a fair while.

Just started a new thread on Antique Axes etc....fill your boots!!

I was asked to show some pics of what I am currently messing about with in the workshop on another thread so rather than de-railing it, I have started another thread to honour the great Industry that was Great Britain and the axes and gardening tools that came from our foundry's typically Sheffield and Cannock. Feel free to post up your projects, horror stories, loves and hates etc. So, here are the beasties...I own a Fiskars X27 for splitting, these are all smaller hatchet type axes From the left, a ball pein hammer converted in to an axe - the rubber strapping is to get a good grip on what is a hammer handle - I picked this up from East Ruston Gardens. The next is a small kindling axe/knife stamped "Made in Sheffield", The next is a Kent design hatchet 15" handle which will be original as it was my Grandfathers so probably 100 years + Stamped Riley and Sons. Next is one I have just aquired, an Eagle Edge Tool Company axe, around 1 3/4lb, the handle has a serious twist but feels fine in use. The next is a Gilpin Kent Style with a head of around 2.5LB and handle of 18". The two on the right have had the handles removed and re-wedged, I fitted a small metal cross wedge on the Eagle one as one was fitted already and wanted a clean job. Close ups below: - This last one is work in progress, a Brades head stamped 1918....possibly from WW1. I have an Ash Stihl handle on its way so I will strip, stain and fit it when it arrives.

So the Stihl AT software isn't quite as good as the OBD2 port on your car then I took a look at the IPL again and the generator was for the heated handles - I thought it strange as the Stihl AT machines I have worked on have used two magnets on the flywheel to generate the AT power. Lets hope it is the coil, I hate it when you have to resort to swapping out parts like you have had to, I much prefer a charred fooked up part that is definitely causing the issue.

Another thought....I once had a 372 XPT that had been round 3 dealers with a farting mid range which was a bit on an off. Anyway....the long and short was that the generator behind the flywheel had come loose. I haven't had a MS462 in so am working blind but the IPLs look like it has a generator fitted. Worth checking out the tightness and wiring.

Have you checked the AT wiring is OK and also given it a stretch when checking? The MS201CM has a habit of fracturing or wearing the wiring under the top handle front AV mount and that can give similar bad running. I haven't used the Stihl AT software but is the machine setting the high and low fuel settings correctly? Not sure if you can see this info but sometimes the tests on Husqvarnas CST test with no faults found but the fuel settings can often be interesting.

A good result...I think....... logic takes over with things like this and stupidity of others can often be the route cause. Hope it works out.

I am getting a kick out of refurbing some old vintage English axes to make my own kindling for my own use. The history of the English tool manufacturing is interesting as most of it ended up as Spear and Jackson. It all started with my grandfathers Riley and Sons axe that is probably 100 years +. S & J Family Tree.pdf

The 254 is another fine machine. The first one I ported was scary as to how the pick up changed...again light and powerful....great saws.

Possibly a bit of gunk in the gauze strainer, the pump diaphragm may be holed on the sealing flaps or the air filter may be dirty...don't be fooled by it "Looking" clean, the orange ones especially as the open areas block easily and look clean but they are not.

Mantis tillers are great for small allotments and gardens but wild flowers generally don't need nice soil and lots of things other plants demand. Lightly dig and rake is probably enough. Scatter the seeds once the earth warms up after the frosts have finished, March/April will get it going. You could get some of them going in small compost filled pots. I am doing a similar bed in my garden and many of the plants I listed will flower from spring to autumn. Cosmos, Salvia, hotlips, marigolds, nasturtiums are all very bee friendly and have amazing flowering periods. It is great to see bees on a flower in November - that was the salvias last year. Any flower that has an open middle is good for the bees. A mini buddleia would be good if you want a shrub.

Open

Options: - !) Till it over, replant with grass seed and will be good in three months. 2) As above and use some wild flower mix - one cut in Autumn 3) Till and plant Nasturtiums, Cosmos, Foxglove, Delphiniums, Canterbury bells, Marigolds, Salvias, lavender and watch the bees love you for your cottage garden....oh, don't forget the crocus and daffs for early colour. 4) Plant half of it as a veggie garden...runner beans, courgettes and onions are easy and worthwhile. 5) Block pave it and be destined to end up in hell!!!!

I have a 346XP, same as Stubbys and it always brings a smile to the face. Light, good AV, revs like a wasp on steroids and picks up like nothing else and is soooooo good to use. I reckon the 3 series Huskys were some of the best saws out there and some of the best to take modification that takes them to the next level.

eBay US.... Jonsered Throttle Lever. Part 501 77 33-01. Acquired from a closed dealership. WWW.EBAY.COM Jonsered Throttle Lever. Part 501 77 33-01.