Muddy42

Sorry its a bit hard to tell from the video which line you are applying pressure/vacuum to? Personally I test the fuel inlet, the purpose being to test the needle seats properly and then pops off with a certain amount of pressure. Ive never had reason to test the purge line, but I think all that would tell you is whether the check valve in the fuel pump diaphragm is working. Even then I think the carb would work. Just be careful, some of your testing looks pretty forceful and that may have caused further damage.

I get this. I stretch and lie on a foam roller under the offending body part. The foam roller hurts like hell if you havn't used it for a while, but it does make a difference.

For file handles I just use bits of seasoned hazel wood. I have made loads of them. Wirewool off the rough bark, chop to size, round off the end that goes in your palm with a belt sander, drill holes. Very comfortable and free!

I've tried the 2 in 1 system and I think a separate round file and a flat file does a better job. you can see what you are doing better. Get the right round file for your chain. Use or make handles for your files. Always use a sharp file - if in doubt just bin it - its so much easier to sharpen with a fresh file. Take your time and have good lighting. Mount the chainsaw bar in a vice. Look at the shape of a new tooth and replicate it. I sharpen everything by hand, up to 36 inch bar.

Yes I know what you mean. I also use a flat edge, or both together, the flat edge and the digital spirit level, because its magnetic.

I've never used one. I generally clean the bar first in soapy water. Then I use a flat file to take off any burs, then I have a good look for squareness with a mini set square and flatness with a piece of aluminium. I also use a magnetic spirit level on the bar, knowing my vice and workbench are perfectly level. I bang dings with a hammer. Finally once flat, I remove the tracks in the rails where the teeth run.

I have the expensive Makita one. I got sucked into the Makita LXT system because that is who I bought my first battery drill (and battery) from years ago ! Its called XPG01Z and I have to say its excellent. I stuck with manual guns for years, telling everyone the electric ones were just a gimmick, but wow do they make a difference. It has some auto mode which senses when the pressure increases and the cavity is full of grease. This really makes greasing a one handed operation and is fantastic for when you are lying on your back under the loader trying to reach all the awkward grease points.

I agree that the vacuums are a bit rubbish unless you have OCD and need to collect every last leaf in a small garden. It needs to be perfectly dry and the bag fills up fast.

You could use a dowel jig (picture below) to make perfectly circular handles for rakes or similar? The widest Ive made were 1 inch wide, but I can't see why you couldn't go wider. I used a second piece of wood with a hole on the outturn side to help with the alignment. I used a drill to turn the wood and a very sharp chisel.

I also use engine oil in a few of those vintage manual oil pumps. Yes engine oil is a bit tacky, but for oiling tools, trailer hitches, pulleys or ratchet straps its fine. Probably cheaper than WD40, which I go through gallons of otherwise. Also I use it in my aux oiler for chainsaw milling. Aux oil doesn't need to go round the bar, so anti-fling additives are not needed. It definitely makes the cutting faster.

I dont think thats a crime. The way I think about it, not all the oil is removed at an oil change, at least a film and probably some puddles are left. Brands must get mixed the whole time surely?

super interesting thanks. I guess it wouldn't be that hard to experiment by mixing heated intake air with cooler air (to give varying temperatures) to see what happened. Rather like mixing valves do, between the flow and return water of a biomass boiler. You get problems if the return water is too cold.

sorry my typo. What i was trying to say was I got a bit lost with those two posts. I dont really buy the concept of an air supply cooling the (post burn) exhaust and flue, condensation and needing fans to improve the draft. What i was trying to say was that biomass boilers, which are the peak of design and efficiency (by both of your measures) and they have an extreme external air supply and dont have these issues. hope that makes sense.

Sorry I'm a bit following the last two posts here?. My understanding was that the most efficient wood burners are the biomass central heating systems. These have fans but not in the flue, in the body of the burner to supercharge the burning process. Granted they are burning all the time, unlike a stove. Interestingly my ecoangus actually burns downwards - the fans initially push the exhaust downwards before they rise naturally and the heat is extracted via the tabulators.

Yea but once I'd bought 25l and used some, it was too late and I'd rather rescue it with diesel. I don't think this affects the additives. My take on bar oil is that the base oil is one massive compromise - too thick and it will bung up the pipes and too light and it will fling off the bar. The additives give it a little extra boost so that it has increased ability to stick to the bar nose for a given viscosity. Also as described above an adjustable oiler helps to correct for any system problems or allow you to get away with thinner oil.

Ive posted here about this but Ive had a lot of bar oiling problems recently on older Stihl chainsaws with Stihl bars. These are professional saws with adjustable oilers that I have set to max. I've done all the usual problem solving, cleaning out the tank, lines and pump etc. but ultimately I had to open up the oiler holes on the bar as they weren't aligning properly. Bar oiling problems are a right pain and a good way to wreak bars. I found that thinning the oil with diesel was helpful.

Probably not. But I have repaired a rake handle with a slanted brake by splicing in a new bit of wood across the join. It helps if the handle is totally straight. I've used a router to make a square groove in the handle then forced in a new piece of wood. Lots of glue, clamps, plane off the excess wood then whip. In theory glued wood can get stronger than the original, because you are mixing up the grain directions, sort of like composite wood.

I call that 'whipping.' I use this technique loads, you can make really strong repairs. To get maximum strength, I have used layers of glue under and on top of the string. You can also let it try and then repeat with multiple layers.

I think the only people that can justify that would be big workshop doing thousands of chains a month including via mail order. Learning all the settings takes a lot of time too. For any other mere mortals, you're better with a non-automatic grinder.

Pics would be helpful. if im not mistaken those are the stub axles that have two 90 degree bends in them like this. i dont like them, the design just seems weak. Can you somehow fit stub axles like this? I have replaced with these before (not on an ifor william trailer). You may beed to adjust the wheel guards, drill new bolt holes, bit of welding or get bigger wheels.

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.

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.

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.

And they are less fiddly to work on.

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.