Muddy42
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Sorry if this is basic. Can you get the chain and bar off? Can you loosen the chain tension a bit? Is the saw oiling at all? Clean out the bar groove and oiler holes. Try 'priming' the bar groove with oil.
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Gorse is ok a best in my experience. The knotty curvy bits can have a bit more character, but the fast growing bits (looks like what you have) can be a bit bland and fibrous. But by all means open it up and see. But honestly, for the amount of work you are going to put into, just find some pretty wood - yew, laburnum, any fruit tree, then all the hardwoods. I like holly, hazel or box which have very pure close grained pale wood.
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Just to be clear, the fact that your chain is full chisel or semi chisel refers is a different consideration - whether the side plate has a curved top or a sharp chisel top. Either work fine for ripping. The only difference between a 'ripping' chain and a normal 'crosscut chain is the top plate angle. Generally crosscut is 30 degrees and ripping is shallower 5 or 10 degrees. With hand sharpening you can change the angle over time either way. However I have tried ripping chain angles before and now I dont bother. Like you I cut a lot of very hard knarly oak and I find the crosscutting chain is better and if you think about it when cutting knotty, curvy bits, you are effectively crosscutting a little too. Just focus on your filing technique. That is and always will be the key. With practice you should be able to match or even exceed the performance of a new chain. Oak is hard, so cutting is always slower than other woods. Don't ever force the saw or cut with a dull chain.
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And they are less fiddly to work on.
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Wise words. I tried a ripping chain for a while (10 degrees rather than 30) but went back because I didn't notice enough of a benefit. Correct sharpening and not pushing nor see-sawing the saw is more important.
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On the theme of not 'buying twice', Id seriously consider a 120cc saw for any milling. Milling is such hard work on a saw and bigger saws are better suited. Yes you can get away with a 90cc saw, but 120 cc is so much easier. Remember for milling you don't necessarily need all the comfort or safety features like AV or chain brake. Use this to get a good price on an older saw.
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Bow saw? They get a bad rep, but its often because people use a blunt blade or the wrong type of blade (there are special blades for green wood).
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ive had this for a while and its really grown on me. Its great for bonfiring. Much quicker that a silky! just make sure your battery is compatible, i think there are a few types.
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Or one of these in whatever brand you already have the batteries for. This makita one is excellent. I used it for a while to get used to it then I have now removed the guard so I can do undercuts and help chip clearance. Keep the other hand and body well away and use with caution, Im sure it could cause some serious flesh damage.
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Is it diesel and do you do lots of short journeys? I've had the dreaded DPF fail plus all the associated sensors. Expensive.
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Best practice is that people stay >5m from anyone using a chainsaw. I'm not aware of any requirement to have a physical barrier, nor should you need one if you are always 5m away. Furthermore the 5m is constantly changing as the chainsaw person moves and I see this as extending in three dimensions (like a bubble) so a physical barrier is completely unrealistic. I suggest you stop this line on enquiry fast - SSOW was fine, people just didn't follow it.
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...and on the attachment point, I have never found blades as robust as a heavy duty string setup. Eventually you hit something and they are easily knocked out of alignment and you have to replace parts. I've been using 3mm Diamond edge string and a Oregon Jet fit head for three years now and its amazing. It will munch through anything. Granted I appreciate a blade can be useful to increase what a small powered machine can achieve, occasional use only.
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I've always found 4-strokes to be heavy for a given power output? Ive used both of Honda's GX25 and 35cc models but not this beast. I do have a 555rxt. - Husqvarna website says their 555rxt delivers 2.8kw. And its max rpm is 9,000 - Honda says their 450XE delivers 1.47 / 7,000 kw / rpm I hope those are comparable, both machines weigh about 9kgs. Personally I find 9kgs is some weight to be carrying around - if I run a few tanks through it I need a lie down!. Id be interested to find out how you get along with the Honda.
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I've had both Stihl MS162 (or actually 170) and Husqvarna 120s. I look after my saws so they were kept sharp and air filters cleaned etc. Both worked fine and were light to use, both lasted 4 years or pretty light use. However both eventually lost compression and showed piston scoring. Small saws are hard to overhaul so I sold them as not working on ebay. However for £160 you cant really go wrong - a professional saw would cost 5 or 6 times the cost.
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It will be fine. Generally I think people are too precious about what firewood looks like.
