spudulike

Yes, when they go, they really do go so anybody reading this - don't run up a saw without a bar and chain when the clutch has been off - thats if you value your good looks, windows and light fittings:lol:

Cheers Martin, details passed on and will see what occurs!

The bit about meshing the spur part of the clutch drum is spot on and an easy mistake to make. Of course I have never had a sprocket explode necessitating an hours search with a metal detector to find the bits 30' away or had them spin down the drive at 60mph and bury themselves in the shrubs:blushing: I would say you only do it once but would be lying:001_rolleyes:

Of course Andy (Stubby) is correct, simple way to know if your saw is blunt - remember how it cuts when the chain is new:thumbup: The saw should belt out little squares of cut wood known as chips, it should self feed in to wood with no or little presure being put on the saw on the wood. The pic in my avatar shows an upward cut and the explosion of chips exiting the cut:thumbup1: Keeping it sharp saves time, saves fuel and chain oil, cuts down engine wear, sprocket/bar/chain wear and reduces fatigue in your body thus reducing the risk of injury. Get your pal to show you and get him to show you how and when to file the depth gauges (rakers) - a common mistake is to not file these and wonder why you are polishing your way through wood:001_rolleyes: It will all make sense with 30 mins tuition and you will know when you have done a good job.

I haven't used one but the 41cc engine is fairly small and you would be surprised how much extra wallop another 5-10cc actually gives. Weight wise the saw will be good though and if the majority of timber you will cut is 4" - 12", you will probably be OK with it. Don't get carried away with the bar size, 15" would be perfect for it, longer would be bad and the engine won't cope with say an 18" - please take this as gospel - large bars don't mean large todgers:lol: If you get the choice, go for an Oregon Micro lite bar with 95VPX narrow kerf chain, it will allow this little saw to keep going in larger wood and will make it much nicer to use. I still rate a decent secondhand 345/350 for under £200 but understand that it is a risk buying from Ebay etc - just sold my 345 to Geoff on this site - great little saw:thumbup:

Takes all sorts in life and the longer you live, the more you see. Sounds like you have a bit of common so no offence intended about PPE and keep safe:thumbup: Sorry to hear about your idiotic tendancies, my favourite saying is "I may act like an idiot but it doesn't mean I am":lol:

Mmmm - when I first started cutting I was a bit blase about PPE, was on the US site and saw a picture of a climber who took a saw accross his face - the surgeon gave up couonting stitches at 300+........I went out and purchased a helmet with ear and face protection the next day. That image will stay with me forever:thumbdown: If you do nothing else, find out how kickback occurs (DO NOT CUT WITH THE TIP OF THE BAR) as well as the pinching on a compression cut and learn to cut avoiding these phenomena - prevention is better than a cure! Saw wise as I previously stated, for under £200 you will be able to purchase a tidy 345/350 Husky or a decent 024/026 Stihl, all will give you long service and cut the wood you need to. These saws are relatively light and won't break your back when using them for a couple of hours and that is a major factor if you don't do loads of physical type work. IMO, the Huskys have better AV and air filtration and maybe the Stihls have a longer life but TBH, with cutting your own firewood, you won't wear your saw out!

The Micro-Lite bar and 95VPX is very fast cutting - it will transform a slower saw!

Will certainly be faster, try a 15" bar - Oregon Microlite with 95VPX is worth a go, narrow kerf and fast cutting.

Looks that way, poop or bust We have the technology to build the first.........

Always fun when messin around with saws in good company with like thinking nutters:thumbup: Stage 2 tuning completed now for stage 3

This one allowed the throttle to close again rather than be held open on full choke and then was real difficult to move. Your problem sounds like it is with the spring that holds the lever in certain positions and also earths the coil to kill the engine, part number - 1122 442 1603

Just finished the 066, found the choke/fast idle controller bar was broken and my repair wasn't good enough so replaced it along with a bodged washer and clip on the sprocket. I like to change parts like this where operator safety is in question and they only cost a few pounds.

Three years ago I was in the same position, I had been using a very old Stihl 009 but wanted something with more go. I am guessing £290 is the top end of your budget and you can buy a wealth of saws from secondhand pro saws to lower power, home owner saws brand new. My opinion in this case is always look for a tidy secondhand 345/350 Husqvarna. The 346, 560XP that the lads on here are talking about are pro saws and will probably scare the bejesus out of you. The two saws I am recommending will be great on a 15" bar and cut your 12" - 18" with no issues, both will be a joy to use and cut your firewood for years to come - I had a 345 for three years and cut loads of firewood - always a joy to use!

A Rancher is a halfway house between Home owner and pro saw, it won't set your world alight with its speed but it will cut your firewood for years to come in a decent way and spares will be available for years to come. Sub £100 is a bargain, buy it or I will:thumbup: Just make sure it starts, idles and runs OK unless you are a tech!

Possible that the other guys quote £650 then up the price after a days work! Seen it done in other non arb business! Don't dwell on it!

It is possible the chain tensioner has worn a hole through the wall of the oil tank, seen it on older machines and is repairable with decent epoxy such as JB Weld.

Just seen the "Cotherstone Stud" one, is that a nickname:lol: Nice looking kit though:thumbup:

Google the chaps name - something smells like a potted pork product:001_rolleyes: Where's that frying pan - got the yearn for fritters again:thumbup:

Not sure if that was lucky you got away with it or unlucky it happened, glad you survived. Was that the saw I rebuilt? If it was, I am hoping cleaning and checking the chainbrake helped it work as it should- there are a couple of components that fail and generally not too many clean out the crud that builds up in them. Keep safe - Personally I never feel happy about having my hands so close together when using a saw but I am not a climber! Glad all is well apart from the change of underwear:thumbup:

Yeah - has anyone got nicked up a tree, with a tree or in possession of wood:blushing::lol: Nope, never been nicked - never caught up with me:thumbup:

Don't think anyone in our office would understand how an engine works let alone fix it. Whinging about aircon is the No1 sport, I did a couple of months in a tannery when I was in my teens, that really was tough smelly work - just one up from an abattoire. Anyone complaining about conditions should try this work on a hot sunny day.

That big triangle has hurt my head:lol: Think we need a Ven diagram:thumbup: My word of advice past the type of soil, grow veg that are easy and where you get a decent crop, some veg are notoriuosly difficult and get eaten by the bugs etc. My tips - runner beans, courgetes (Zucchini), lettuce, Tomato (best in the greenhouse), cucumber/chilli - also best under glass, onion, leeks -not too much nibbles these - apart from rabbits if you have them. My woes were brassicas- thats cabbage and broccolie type veg, the cabbage whites love them as do their catapillars:thumbdown: So - don't be a busy fool, make it easy and get heavy crops for your work, the first year will tell you what you can grow best and what works!

Just used LSE and will see how they perform, got my tach from the same place, good product and good service. Will be going in to MrSolutions later in the week and will see what they have been up to. They were pretty good but a few have had a few issues of late.

Not done a 372 yet, pretty standard design so should be able to get more out of it. I would really need the whole machine rather than just a cylinder. Bare minimum is the piston and cylinder - need to check the clearence between piston skirts and the ports. Doing the whole machine is best as that way, correct carb setting can be done as well.