Richard Thompson

i use old fuel as a cleaner in an old squirty spray bottle or it gets mixed in for the small mower

Not exactly on the bench but I've just stripped my log buster ready for some welding after cracking the hydraulic tank on Saturday morning I'll flush through the pipes and pump also service the engine and maybe even a little paint job

I picked up two four blade heads for my backpack strimmers and they could handle four lines but i got rid of the bigger machines for lighter strimers as they create less user fatigue and the third head was a gift that didnt fit a clients strimmer so i knocked it down to a two line just for conveinence

I have three of those heads, all of them have been split down to a two line head rather than 4 just to save on excess weight and strain on the shaft/engine and they all run 4mm square line from sarp or the grey nobbly flexi-line from oregon

Have you thought about changing the rim sprocket ??

I'm never without a set of Facom 501 locking pliers in the works vehicle https://www.facom.com/cz/products/Series-500A-Description.html brilliant bit of kit that i must get another pair of for the workshop also another vote for the bondhaus allen wrenches i've got two sets of the long reach and folding kind in metric, i really need to get a good set of torx drivers or T drivers for all those deep holes that the allen type dont reach properly.

I use carb cleaner or neat acetone for the tough stuff and an airline for the loose stuff. i sometimes use white sprit/petrol if i have to off site or if I'm out of the proper stuff

I have a 391 that has a 20" bar that I sometimes upgrade to 23" when needed, that bar combo is also used on my 041 and my 661 along with its standard 32". It just depends on the job I'm doing, I normally noodle chunks with a 20" and ringing up with the.longer bars

I've got a full service kit for my ms250 ( fuel,oil,air filters,pipes, magneto,carb and electrical cables) The boot came off the ignition lead so I've had the saw in bits for a complete clean and service.

I've had my husqvarna 450 on the bench for a clean up after cutting a crumbly/dusty old oak, an ms250 for a spark plug lead rebooting but the saw needs a new magneto and a makita saw that needed a new primer bulb

I've got a few rolls of the 2mm marlow line, It's a good strong line that's abrasion resistant and a good price

Mostly a running bowline or timber hitch, I only use steel karabiner's if I'm doing a solo job for ease if there is not the space to just drop.

I'm quite happy with my catapult and throw line at the moment But I would like to try an air cannon or big shot some time in the future

I've never used one but I have seen a metering arm adjustment gauge from zama or walbro it might be useful ?? Just done a Google search and a few popped up if you need to see one.

It looks too me that it should have a finer velvet type of fuzz on the filter . When I had a cheap and cheerful Chinese saw I replaced the damaged mesh with some tights material as I couldn't find a new filter to replace it.

I wear leather/elasticated nylon mix gloves that my saw dealer sells comfortable when using a saw and doing any rope work and thick rubber dipped gloves if it's wet/ brash dragging. I find the chainsaw rated gloves too bulky/hazardous to use every day and they are bloody expensive here. I know what price do you put on your hands but I find reflexes are quicker in something light

Around here we have the Fantôme gris ( grey ghost ) the old dead trees with no bark that have turned grey Basically a widow maker. A favourite for uprooting with a tele - handler or tractor these french farmers don't like paying for a climber to dismantle there trees ( long pockets and short arms )

I'd like to try one of those 10 pin racing sprockets that sometimes pop up on ebay but they cost a fair bit

I've not sharpened a chain with a diamond grinder but I use diamond discs to sharpen chisels and cutters for my lathe, very good edges and cool grinding it is my favourite method ATM. I've only used my chain grinder a few times on well used/abused chains as it's very aggressive and tends to burn the cutters

When I first got my 200t I used youtube for the throttle/trigger video that has alone saved many trips to the service centre

I run my 661 with an 8 tooth sprocket thats with a 24" bar for every day use. But I do carry a 7 tooth as a spare for no particular reason over an 8 tooth it's just what i picked up as a spare

I have a couple of cheap chinese saws both bought in desperation due to the stihls being in the shop getting repairs, Both have different manufacturers and i've diferent experiences with them, the 20" 58cc model is just rubbish, the bar is sloppy the chain is soft the engine wont run properly no matter what i do to it and the plastic round the screws just crumbles if you strip it too much to get to the problems. the saw set me back about £100 and its cut twice that but it's been hard work getting that back in firewood alone. its currently sitting in the loft doing nothing the small pruning saw has gotten me out of trouble a few times and been a very usefull saw ( it's no ms150 ) but it has earned it keep and paid for it's self many times over, I converted it to the stihl small gauge chain and bar along with the sprocket and it runs even better with the light chain. The AV mounts could do with being a little more forgiving and the chain brake could do with being a bit smaller, but the saw quickly replaced my ms150 when i stepped on it. Thats not saying im going to keep runnng the cheap saw once i've repaired the 150 but it's a good backup for the apprentice to train with or if your main saw goes down. These cheap saws have there place but you have to know the limitations and lower your expectations

I've got my ms150 on the bench. Broken top handle after I stepped on in getting down off the ladder , I am now high clipping my saws when decending out of the tree

I have a brand new front handle for my MS250 it was cheap from China got it through the bay, the carb screw holes are not present in the handle and the AV mount holes are out of alignment so it won't fit on the saw. I repaired the original plated, bolted, rodded and resined I try and not buy cheap parts but it depends on the customer and availability. I have a cheap exhaust on an 041 as it was the only one I could find at the time and it's absolutely fine but I spent the money on a stihl cylinder head just to get a good one.

Any pics might help , my 038 is tucked away in storage and the other one is locked away and the keys out of the country if I remember the carb only has one butterfly valve as the air filter is also the choke but I could be wrong I haven't played with the saw for eighteen months in the least