Billhook

Does anybody know if the Stihl MS340 was fitted with a decompression device local dealer says not but elsewhere on the internet it does show some spare parts listing a 340 decompression valve I always assumed that the thing on top of the cylinder head in the photo was a valve with the plunger missing but it must be something else. I do not see this item on some other photos of 340s

There are plenty about, Garboldisham, Stiffkey, Marham (Not the RAF version!), Costessey, Setchey, Hunstanton They do it so that they know if you are a foreigner or not, meaning North of the Great Ouse or South of the Waveney, ma old buty!

My brother and I were coming home through a muddy track in the woods after dark. I misjudged a corner and became very stuck with the six wheel drive Land Rover V8 Sandringham Six. No worries, had a good winch in the front and sent brother off into the gloom to tie the cable onto a tree. He went into a clump of Blackthorn and tied it around a stout 30 inch diameter Ash trunk. Started the winch, and the cable took the strain and started to come in but there was no forward movement on the Land Rover. "What's happening" I yelled. The answer "The whole tree plus root ball has come out of the ground and is heading towards you!" Turns out that the tree had broken off about ten feet up and was rotten but he could not see this in the dark and amongst the Blackthorn.

In Flying Magazine there is a page near the end headed "I learned about flying from that" where pilots confess their sins in the hope that it might help others not do the same thing. I'll start it off! Just replaced the stolen branch logger with a tractor driven one which I am very pleased with. The feed hopper folds up neatly to reduce the width for road work. It is mounted on my Little Grey Fergie which is a good combination as the Fergie is petrol and I have rigged the safety bar on the feed hopper to cut the coil out to stop the engine. I also noticed that when folded up the hopper makes a neat little storage compartment for transporting the Stihl 170 and the oil/fuel can. (no room on the cabless Fergie) Somehow my mind went blank when I set off and lifted the hydraulic lever to raise the logger for transport. The Grey Fergie is unusual in that it does not have constant flow hydraulics and the power take off must be engaged to power the pump to lift the arms................... I was very lucky in that there was only a loud "Twack" as the orange chainsaw cover was ejected from the rear of the machine, luckily the chainsaw blade was not drawn in! No harm to the logger blades but it does show the strength of the Stihl bar cover as apart from a couple of slits it survives to be used again. Next time before I engage pto I will endeavour to engage brain at the same time!

My Split Dilemma seems to have already split into two topics all on its own! I will put a new chain on the Stihl 340 to give you a chance. A lot depends on how much time it takes to change logs on the Lucas If I had one big twenty foot long five foot diameter log on the Lucas it would win hands down.

I think that the prime suspect must be "The Village Hallfwit" !

I am afraid they are not very good otherwise I would put them through the Lucas more carefully

I have quite a large heap of two foot plus diameter logs, many 10-15 feet long Ash Beech and Sycamore, too big and heavy for the 10 inch capacity Palax. I have been trying out a very strong vertical tractor hydraulic driven splitter with a four way wedge. It has dealt with some really awkward knotty pieces with ease. This means quite a bit of chainsawing large rounds into the Teleporter bucket to take a load to the splitter and then tip the split pieces into a 2 cubic metre box. The ram is slow on the splitter An alternative is to grab a couple of logs with the Teleporter, maybe four if they fit within the 20 foot length of the Lucas Mill. Faff about lining them up. Cutting into 8x8 inch length and then putting them through the Palax to cut and split them and load into the same box. This would produce the most consistent sized firewood. I will time how long it takes to fill each box, which one do you think will be the winner?

I have quite a large heap of two foot plus diameter logs, many 10-15 feet long Ash Beech and Sycamore, too big and heavy for the 10 inch capacity Palax. I have been trying out a very strong vertical tractor hydraulic driven splitter with a four way wedge. It has dealt with some really awkward knotty pieces with ease. This means quite a bit of chainsawing large rounds into the Teleporter bucket to take a load to the splitter and then tip the split pieces into a 2 cubic metre box. The ram is slow on the splitter An alternative is to grab a couple of logs with the Teleporter, maybe four if they fit within the 20 foot length of the Lucas Mill. Faff about lining them up. Cutting into 8x8 inch length and then putting them through the Palax to cut and split them and load into the same box. This would produce the most consistent sized firewood. I will time how long it takes to fill each box, which one do you think will be the winner?

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr and thrice times Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

I just opened a five gallon jerry can. The cap was under pressure and when it released I am now covered in petrol! So it is now. " I stink therefore I am!" (I think I shall be using the cordless saw if this sort of thing keeps happening)

Now there's a thought, because of course "thinking is the best way to travel!"

Dan Maynard Junior Member 3 posts Report post Posted 13 hours ago I don't know what the chain is exactly but my Stihl Kombi pole saw has bumper links between the teeth - won't cut on the tip of the bar at all so doesn't kick back, you can't bore. That's 3/8" narrow kerf so may fit the MSA120? TigerTree Junior Member Posted 13 hours ago An Oregon Guard Mate might be what you want... Both those are good thoughts thank you

In search of the lost chord?? That's very moody and blue!

All sounds a bit diminished to me!

Taken on most of the advice and today went off and bought a MSA 120 with two AK 20 batteries and a short bar. It has the tiny PM3 Micro chain for which I have not managed to find a small enough grindstone for my Oregon Suresharp. I will test it myself tomorrow in a variety of possible kickback situations and see whether I need to put any more protection on the blade as described above.

Are all your guitars chordless as well???

I like the sound of that saw and chain and bar. How long does the battery last, can you buy different sizes of battery? Where did you buy your saw?

Good call

cycle chain guard might work but I am now thinking that Paul in the woods has a point about catching the saw and metal to metal is not good so perhaps a stout plastic chain guard cut in half would work I will buy a 120 and test the kickback myself first and all this may not be necessary as some of you have pointed out, but the horizontal nature of the cut and proximity to the main trunk as well as the multiple strands of ivy are all factors which are not normal chainsawing scenarios for beginners.

Tried that but although easy for me and thee, she is not strong enough to do a days work with the loppers. Weaker sex!

The little Stihl 120 cordless is what I had in mind. Just wondered if there was a device on the market as I have described to fit over the chain

It is hard to argue with her now her mind is made up! She just needs a small saw for cutting ivy off some of our trees. I bought her a cordless reciprocating saw but she say it is too slow, heavy and the battery is pathetic. Buy her a Silky I hear you cry! Tried that , bad result She has the leggings, gloves, helmet and boots but I am still worried about kickback, particularly when messing about on the horizontal plane with multiple strands of ivy, some over three inches diameter at the base I bought this saw horse off eBay to resurrect my old Dolmar electric which has no kickback safety device. The saw horse does have a top cover which offers protection and also having seen the Alligator saw sold by Tesco which has a similar top cover is there anyone selling a lightweight top hinged cover to retro fit? It would need to be lightly sprung to keep it in position. Are there any obvious disadvantages. I have no problem with the Dolmar going through ten inch logs or more. Even if I cut a plastic chain guard in half and hinged it near the handle it would be light and offer protection. i was wondering in view of all the accidents with kickback why there is not such a device readily available bearing in mind most amateur chainsaw users only cut downwards.

Here are some pictures of the two Limes. Very difficult to take a good photo on the steep wet bank but each one must be four foot diameter, four foot up from the trunk. A bonus is that they took down a two foot diameter Ash with them which is buried beneath By the way the second picture is not "Rate my Hinge"!

Life begins for you!