What is the longest bar that 550  XP "sensibly" can use? I have 16” and 18” bars for my 3No XP550s already and wondered if I could get away with a longer one

Just had the chains referred to in a previous post repaired by a garden machinery specialist. the obvious to bent links have been fixed but the chap could not find the other defective ones despite my fixing tape on the links that were sticking in the bar round the sprocket    Paid for them to be professionally sharpened   Went back to put in the bar (now cleaned as advised on this forum) and Lo and Behold! still sticking.  Aaaargh   Took advice from a pro tree surgeon locally and he said when that happens to him he simply puts the chain in the saw and runs it hard to get it to fix itself ! 

There is a certain logic in this as the link has no VISIBLE bend or dink 

It may be that there is a machine that can measure this but for sure the operator will have to have good glasses!

Any comments on what to do?

I must have been a muppet on dealing with a particularly large 5 stemmed sycamore and bent the bar which, unsurprisingly, now wanders on the cut.  When I first measured the deformation it was about 2.5 mm and by judicious use of boot and a flat surface I have reduced this to "almost" straight BUT I am somewhat concerned as to how to get it fully straight and not overdo it and bend it the other way!  To exceed Young's modulus by just the right amount I am thinking of using two plates of steel  at each end about 2mm thick and pressing down on the centre with about 100 mm wide load eg a 4 x 2" timber and a lump hammer and see if that works.  If not go up in 1 mm increments until it does

Is there a professional way to do this in a better precision engineered way?  Who would provide such a service?  I am near Oxford

See also the other post on sticky links

9C45F9A6-1BDB-409B-A945-8C894FFA4339.heic 5A596F21-F4AA-47D9-B968-16720F3DB433.heic 6948D16D-3A36-4D3D-94FB-2416454408BB.heic

Thanks all.  I will stick with my eye and a flat file 

Chris

My mentor told me how to get the burrs off the sides of the chain bar with a flat file. He also showed how o level out the two sides at 90 degrees.  I see on the many videos of maintaining a worn chainsaw bar that a tool is recommended. See the image below.  

Question 1

Is this what professionals use? I have never seen the three guys I know use one.

Question 2 

If so what is recommended model or make? Stihl, Husqi etc whack them out at over £30 but the one below is under £10

Seems a no brainer to go cheaper IF (and I suspect it is not) recommended by the professionals

Chris

Apparently self seeded. What are they?

The saga continues.... Got the new switch and fitted it BUT although the key operates the ignition LIGHTS

turning it to the right to get the starter motor to turn does not work   The supposed diagram supplied by the supplier of the switch has different colours to the colours on the actual switch   The earth and the power are black and orange  that is pretty clear  The other three colours on the machine itsefl are respectively 

Red / Grey (sort of grey)

Purple which the diagram says goes to the ignition cut out switch and a component I cannot fathom on the diagram

Orange/green/blue 

The diagram has Blue / red  and 

Red 

The actual wiring is on the photo and I  have downloaded the diagram as a pdf. 

not sure if it will work!

1 - K C A (91-02).pdf1 - K C A 1 - K C A (91-02).pdf(91-02).pdfam

So my question(s) 

Assuming the orange and black are right  What are the other colours?

What colour is equivalent to the missing colours

or was the replacement switch the wrong one?

It was sent on the recommendation of a Countax expert 

Chris

The chain came off within the saw because I had not put it on properly and as it fell apart it hit the saw. It pains me to admit this but as George Washinton said..... 

I have managed to mildly mis align three of these and take out a complete half axle on four Oregons  that still have lots of life 

Anyone able to recommend a local chainsaw doctor (or indeed forester) in the Oxford area   I am told that local Garden centres provide this service but I am somewhat wary of such chaps having twice been mislead by the so called engineers I find at such places 

I am in OX1 

Yours 

Chris George 

Dear Member L

I am intrigued by you making up chains... I am a late coming amateur old git  Took up chainsawing when I bought some woodland well north of age of 65 but a reasonably competent motorbike engineer.  I have managed to mangle four chains. Three of them have no easily visible defect but when you put them on the bar they stick round the sprocket and it appears that one of the links is slightly bent   The fourth one has an obvious half in half out central axle where one end has popped half out of the link.  On a push bike (I do a lot of that) you get a chain link tool that pushes out the axle on the link and shorten the chain or put in a link.  Question. Is there a service available for repairs of such defects in chains or a tool for DIY or is this simply too dangerous ?

Chris George 

Thanks for all this.  I have ordered a new one from a different supplier Its £45 with the postage but it has taken me a day and a night of worry and lots of head scratching. Never for a moment suspected the ignition console  but on looking at the back they are different. 

ANSWER found

The key replacement console - although looking identical - actually was a different wiring set up and so was dead as a do do   It was found by (again) double checking with the old key console after charging up the battery.  Now to find out which wire goes to which part of the new switch.  Any countax experts out there with a clue as to how I find the right colours for the new switch? Thanks to those who put in answers

I will try the battery terminals   Never thought of that 

Its obvious but they "look" good and are a robust clip on mechanism. However I will do that right now!

Yes to the sensor seat. I tested that by shorting out the connections   See photo with blue wire

Tried to change the key starter lock mechanism today and shorted very briefly (small spark) as I fed the new lock into its hole.  Went to start it and - nothing! dead as a Dodo. Assumed it was a fuse but on checking, it was not.  Double checked the three fuses with a mulitmeter. All sound.  Triple checked by putting in new ones. All dead. Checked the earth from the battery. OK. Checked the seat cut out switch (which should not affect the ignition lights - only the running of the engine. No ignition lights. Just to be sure put a wire across the two connectors. Still dead. Went to lunch to think. Still dead. It was working with the old switch (with a screw driver as lock was effed) and put that back in  Still dead.  Battery has 12.65 volts and is fine and fully charged.  Checked with the manual and diagram for wiring to see if there is a hidden fuse somewhere else in the system. Cannot see that.  Took the top off the fuse console to get direct access to the female fuse connectors and cleaned them up a bit and put in new fuses - still dead. 

Thoughts.... is there a hidden fuse?  Unlikely...

There must be something very simple that I am missing... 

Now pretty desperate as my tiny brain is hurting and its sunny and the lawn is telling me I want to be cut!

Chris George

CA966F2A-78AF-425A-85B9-9D03E6A10428.heic 7175BC2D-E57E-4063-AD9C-459B761F71E2.heic

Dear Anyone

I have spent quite a lot of time on refurbishing this machine over the last 8 years and inter alia have replaced the fans (big cast ali ones), tapped and die some of the fixings the block.  I "think" it might benefit from a new block but that is just a guess. I am looking for someone within fighting range of Oxford who has a small business with low overheads (and hence not too expensive) who can go through this machine and do the following which is a bit of a guess 

I suspect it may need 

a) a replacement block and rollers (I have drilled and re tapped the studs a couple of times) but you MIGHT be able to drill and re-tap with a slightly larger diameter stud

b) total service of engine and all other parts 

c) check and, maybe, a new wiring harness or repair where needed with good insulation and connections

d) repair and re-weld the safety bar (it does not comply with current legal requirements but "sod that" - it works)

e) sharpen the cutting blades 

f) tidy up the shoot lever angle adjustment mechanism

g) check wheel bearing etc etc  and replace if needed

f) clean out fuel tank and fuel lines and refill with clean diesel

g) new diesel glow plugs if needed 

What I have done in the past

Purchased a service pack of spare parts and carried out a service including the following:

1)    Jet washed all oiled chippings, grease and other contaminants from engine and chassis

2)    warm up and remove existing engine oil, safely contained and disposed at local refuse centre

3)    drained down fuel, loosen and clean out water contaminant from fuel tank by loosening off chassis and jacking up tank fully to drain

4)    new oil

5)    change filters for fuel and oil

6)    remove and replace electrical wiring clips to ignition switch 

7)    attempted to drill out one of two defective bolts broken off in place holding on wiring  front plate. This failed and still needs to be done for both

😎    removed and cleaned out using tap and die the thread of the arm cramp securing the dolly wheel

9)    repaired the clamp for the rear stand using 8mm bolt supplied by others

10) Install two new chipper blades

11) Test run engine 

12) Adjust three drive belts’ tension

13) Lubricate grease nipples of chassis tow bar

14) Supply new fuel cap and lock

Work carried out on 3^rd and 4^th October 2016 with part time assistance.

PARTS

Chipper Service and Fuel Cap -                                     £61.80

Chipper Blades -                                                                      £89.40

1)    Investigation of fault with infeed rollers intermittently stopping

-       Found loose relay causing the fault

- Secured relay in place with zip tie

Work carried out on 10^th October 2018 

I have done the following similar  work to this was all done in March 2019 Complete new fan and assembly and bearings

https://arbtalk.co.uk/forums/topic/9965-timberwolf-fins-and-flywheel-bearings/

Did a replacement of those silly cast Ali fans 

=======

23^rd and 24^th March 2021 – 7 Hours

Remove Feed Roller and remove blades and sharpen, replace onto new roller and fit assembly.

Remove and fit new starter motor.

Remove battery and charge.

Collect new solenoid valve.

Remove Feed in/out solenoid and valve and replace with new one.

Tested all good.

PARTS £150

I may be that someone out there is interested and if so let me know otherwise I will go to Mr Scot (with whom I spoke today and was most helpful in suggesting a possible part exchange)

Over to you guys!

Chris George

I have two of these machines one mark 1 one mark 2 (I think!), lets call them A and B. My "regular" one A has been good as gold until a month ago.  It was always a bit of a b^&&£r to start but then it went dead.  Checked the plug sparking by taking out plug of A and turning over. No spark.  Put the plug out of B which worked and checked that in A.  No spark .  Took the plug out of B which worked in B  and swapped over the plug  to A  No Spark.  Checked therefore both plugs in B and there is nothing wrong with the plugs.  So it must be the generation of the spark   Now I am an old old git close to 80 and I was brought up on motorbikes with. contact breakers and magnetos etc etc so I do not have a clue as to what generates the spark but suspect it is some form of electronic chip/package that you screw in and out.  Where do I start looking for a solution?

Latest on this project.  Flywheel off by removing the collet which cunningly had only two grub allen screws with the third non threaded hole being used to push out the collet.  I remember now why I put two white lines on the used ones - Doh!  Opened up casing to find it well out of shape and cracked.  The option to take out the engine to get at the frame was considered for all of a micro second before being discarded.   Will cut out  bent parts and weld replacement in situ with a complete new "inner" liner of say 5mm steel also welded in on the bottom 30 degree segment and along up to the top of the chute.  

A replacement roller box is well north of £1000 so it looks like some clever reaming and oversize threaded rod to get welded back in but there is not much room in the inside with the roller so cannot use a bolt as originally planned. That means a special two diameter threaded rod one to weld in and one to hold the pump.  

Any other ideas welcome

Chris

I put a new fan on a complete rebuild of this machine about four years ago.  It has again disintegrated!

Question(s) 1.  Is the cause of this likely to be user-related by putting stones or metal instead of timber?  Seems  unlikely as it is not on the cutting path.  If not, what has caused this after such a short time?  I would not expect this to be a service replaceable part but to last the lifetime of the machine.  Any comments ?

Question 2.  At the same time, I noticed that the threaded studs on the bottom hydraulic motor have pulled out of the cuboidal housing of steel  despite being welded in last time.  Is it time to buy a new plate steel housing or (and I am inclined to favour the latter) should I drill out the steel hole, weld in a new bolt rather than threaded rod with the bolt head set inside the steel and if necessary ground down slightly should it be needed for clearance (yet to be determined)

Question 3. How do I pull out the bearing on the main frame steel plate shown in the photo with the bearing puller which only fits on two of the three sides? What am I missing here?

Question 4.  If it is the case that this is normally a life time part for the machine and it is not possible to damage it by abuse, what are my chances of the supplier replacing it FOC or at cost price?

Chris

A relative newbie asking so be polite and patient

See this Sequoia 

The bottom section has been cut in one length about 4.5 m long and it is big and heavy.  

There are two sections about 2 m long and the rest are chunks about 600 to 900 taken down in slices.  I reckon they are only good for firewood unless sequoia is good for turning as some of the heartwood has a fantastic hue. 

So the question is "Would it be worth bringing in a proper mobile mill and doing some cutting into thin sections or bringing in an Alaskan and DIY ?  What is hewn / planked Sequoia worth? 

Is it ok for furniture?

Anyone know its structural properties of it?  From what I read on the internet it is much valued for both furniture and structures and is pretty difficult to get hold of.

Thoughts?

Chris G

It appears that around my patch Wootton (the one near Oxford) / Cumnor etc an Avant and lots of other local guys have had stuff nicked - chain saws and the like.  I have lost a nice Husqui pole saw and top notch Back pack leaf blower nicked  in my totally isolated area at Youlbury - never had a problem before as it is right at  the end of a long private road at a dead end.  Just wondering if any other areas have had a blight of such thefts?  Have any of you been offered cheap tools? If so please take a photo of the licence plates of those offering unless you know they are kosher.  I am now going to have to spend over 10 grand on top of the range face recognition camera set up with vehicle registration recognition software from VL office to get to grips with this low life.   I normally keep my shotgun stock away from the barrel hidden elsewhere in the house on firearms officer advice - perhaps it is time to reunite them!? 

Looking for a quick response to hire man and machine to take about 100 trees cut to varying lengths of max 6 m but mostly between 2 and 4.2 m  Max diameter about 1.25 for the largest (very few of those) but average round about 900 mm from location to local store less than a mile away and all on private land. Day rate not a quote but have got free supply of red diesel and will provide food tea etc.  Can accommodate overnight if needed.  07478 601456 or [email protected] 

Pryor & Rickett Silviculture

Sorry to hijack a forum post but I am in need of finding Adam Todd.  Anyone know if is is well and functioning as he is not answering his phone.