On 2/25/2014 12:56 PM, Tom Dacon wrote:


"Leon" wrote in message
...

Being a pro in a particular field does not made you an expert on every
piece of equipment within a product line that you may or may not use.

Yeah, I get that, Leon. In my original response to Gramps, I just
mentioned that the local arborists are Husky users, merely as a point of
comparison to offer a different viewpoint from mine as a satisfied Stihl
user. Trying to be even-handed. If Stihl vs. Husky is a religious war in
some quarters, I have no intention of dying in a ditch over it. In fact,
the reason I've got a Stihl is that the nearest good chainsaw repair
place was at the time a Stihl dealer; if it had been a Husky dealer I'd
no doubt own a Husky instead.

I bought my Stihl cause my father-in-laws saw was so old and till
running but just not top notch. So I stuck with that brand considering
that brand has held up for so long. Of course it helps that the dealer
who also does the service on Stihls is about 2 miles from my house.
As far as chainsaws that is the only brand that they carry in that shop
but they do carry other brands of other implements.


I love the SawStop - I'm half-owner of a fairly new one that I share
with a boat builder friend, that we purchased to replace a Delta cabinet
saw that took off one of his index fingers. I'm on the Festool bandwagon
too, with a CXS drill, a jigsaw, and a random orbital sander - hope this
admission doesn't bring the Festool haters out of the woodwork, too.

One of the saws that my tree guys use is a very small and light Husky
limbing chainsaw with about a 14-inch bar, that they use one-handed when
they're up a tree. I lust after it, but it's a professional tool and
priced to suit - about $600 or so - and there's no way that I could
justify it for the occasional use I'd make of it.

Tom


Tom doesn't Stihl have a small limbing saw for around $200?
I thought I seen one in my local dealer.



--
All the Best
Dale Miller
Tennessee
ASP since February 2005

Registered Linux User: #317401
Linux since June 2003
Registered Ubuntu User #26423




(cut the spam to reply)


VOTE TO REBUILD!
www.twintowersalliance.com
__

On Tue, 25 Feb 2014 10:56:51 -0800, "Tom Dacon"
wrote:

snip

I love the SawStop - I'm half-owner of a fairly new one that I share with a
boat builder friend, that we purchased to replace a Delta cabinet saw that
took off one of his index fingers. I'm on the Festool bandwagon too, with a
CXS drill, a jigsaw, and a random orbital sander - hope this admission
doesn't bring the Festool haters out of the woodwork, too.

Not a Festool hater, by any means (track saw, router, and Domino) but
I'm not "getting" the drill or jigsaw. My wife even commented that
the ROS looks nice. ;-)

I admit that I don't use a jigsaw very much and I'm quite happy with
my Bosch the few times I need it. Why do you think the drill and
jigsaw are better than the myriad of others? I've asked others this
before but I just wanted your take. Thanks.

"Morgans" wrote in message
...


"Gramps' shop" wrote in message
...
I have infrequent need for a chainsaw and have a little McCullough
electric that does OK. There are a couple of trees down in the back too
remote for the electric and I'd like to have a gas saw to take advantage
of found logs or limbs.

Since my use is infrequent, I don't want to invest too much. CL
frequently has Poulans available. Here's an example:
http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/tls/4346181306.html

Go to the local pawn shop, and find you an old saw with good compression,
and ask them to start it up for you. I have a Poulan a bought when Huge
hit in (89 I think) and I use it for mainly trimming. I guarantee I could
go get it out of the shed, put fresh gas in it, and start it on the 4th or
5th pull. I don't know about the newer Poulans. As little as you sound
like you use one, an old used saw sounds like what you need.
--

I agree, I have an old Poulan that I bought around 1980. It will take about
6 pulls of the cord to get it started as it hasn't run for about 8 years,
but I am certain it will start, and then it will start on the first pull
after that. I am going to clean it up and sharpen it when this cold snap is
over, as I have a yard full of fallen tree limbs from the ice storm to get
rid of.

"BillinGA" wrote in message
...
I would vote for Stihl also. I like to purchase 100% gasoline...not
anything with an ounce of ethanol in it. Others have good luck with
Stabil or like additives. As posters above point out...drain the gas if
used infrequently. I drain gas tanks on 2 stoke devices I can easily flip
over...large 4 strokes like mowers or tillers I put a cut off valve in the
gas line and run them until they die from lack of fuel. Purists may point
out starving an engine struggling to run is lean/harmful...no problems so
far. All start on first pull with the addition of fresh fuel next time
used.

I have learned to never use ethanol gas in single cylinder engines,
especially the small ones. I have a Honda baby tiller 4 cycle engine that
will NOT run with ethanol gas, but put premium ethanol free gas and it will
purr like a kitten. I now use it in my Honda 4 cycle string trimmer and it
starts instantly. I use it in my lawn mower, snow blower and other small
engines and they all seem to start and run better. It will be used in my
chain saw when spring comes -- with the addition of 2 cycle oil.

EXT wrote:

I agree, I have an old Poulan that I bought around 1980. It will take
about 6 pulls of the cord to get it started as it hasn't run for
about 8 years, but I am certain it will start, and then it will start
on the first pull after that. I am going to clean it up and sharpen
it when this cold snap is over, as I have a yard full of fallen tree
limbs from the ice storm to get rid of.

Ahhhh... back in the day when Poulan was a competitive name.
Unfortunately... not today.

Really - unfortunate that another good name bit the corporate dust.

--

-Mike-

Not a Festool hater, by any means (track saw, router, and Domino) but
I'm not "getting" the drill or jigsaw. My wife even commented that
the ROS looks nice. ;-)

I admit that I don't use a jigsaw very much and I'm quite happy with
my Bosch the few times I need it. Why do you think the drill and
jigsaw are better than the myriad of others? I've asked others this
before but I just wanted your take. Thanks.


I forgot to mention the track saw, in which I'm also partners with my
fingerless friend. Best purchase we've ever made. We can slide sheet goods
right from the truck onto a work table and break them down, right to the
finished line, without having to fire up the table saw for big cuts. Saves a
huge amount of time and turns what's often a two-person job into a solo
operation. Hell of a tool.

The CXS drill is mostly because of my bad shoulders. Forty years of wooden
boat repair and restoration have pretty much wrecked them, so I now have a
heck of a time holding tools up over my head. The CXS drill is Festool's
smallest at 10.8 V, but it's lightweight, has more power than I expected,
and has proven to be pretty good for what I do with it nowadays. I keep the
spare battery on the charger and swap them whenever I need to, but I don't
run a portable drill as hard as I used to and so it doesn't turn out to be a
problem. An inconvenience is that it only goes up to 5/16 diameter bits. So
I'm thinking of adding a C15 to the shop for heavier work and larger drill
bits, in spite of the additional weight (and cost!).

I got the jigsaw to replace an ancient Makita that's started to rattle so
loud that my wife says she can hear it from the house. As advertised, it
claims that its splinter-guard inserts will handle the issue with breakout
on top of the piece, and that was the main reason I got it instead of the
very-highly-regarded Bosch. But in practice that aspect hasn't worked out
very well, and in addition the plastic shroud that's part of the dust
collection system somewhat obscures my view of the cutting line, so the
premium cost of the Festool name was pretty much wasted in this case. I've
gone back to using it like I was doing with the Makita, which is to use
hollow-ground down-cut blades. With that scheme I can follow a mark within a
few hundredths of an inch if I keep my wits about me. If you can believe it,
Starrett now even makes a combination up-cut and down-cut blade that leaves
a clean edge on both the top and bottom of the piece.

I guess what I'm not "getting" is the router. I've got a Porter-Cable 890
that lives permanently in the router table, a couple Porter-Cable 690s that
I use handheld, and recently a new Dewalt 611 which is a nice little 1 1/4
hp machine, a sort of big brother to a trim router. It has a good depth
adjustment mechanism, but has the drawback that it accepts only 1/4" bits.
All these machines are working out OK for me, so I'm not feeling like I need
to up my game in that area.

Tom

"Dale Miller" wrote in message
...


Tom doesn't Stihl have a small limbing saw for around $200?
I thought I seen one in my local dealer.

You don't say...I'll have to take another look.

Tom



--
All the Best
Dale Miller
Tennessee
ASP since February 2005

Registered Linux User: #317401
Linux since June 2003
Registered Ubuntu User #26423




(cut the spam to reply)


VOTE TO REBUILD!
www.twintowersalliance.com
__

On Wed, 26 Feb 2014 11:50:47 -0500, "EXT"
wrote:


"BillinGA" wrote in message
...
I would vote for Stihl also. I like to purchase 100% gasoline...not
anything with an ounce of ethanol in it. Others have good luck with
Stabil or like additives. As posters above point out...drain the gas if
used infrequently. I drain gas tanks on 2 stoke devices I can easily flip
over...large 4 strokes like mowers or tillers I put a cut off valve in the
gas line and run them until they die from lack of fuel. Purists may point
out starving an engine struggling to run is lean/harmful...no problems so
far. All start on first pull with the addition of fresh fuel next time
used.

I have learned to never use ethanol gas in single cylinder engines,
especially the small ones. I have a Honda baby tiller 4 cycle engine that
will NOT run with ethanol gas, but put premium ethanol free gas and it will
purr like a kitten. I now use it in my Honda 4 cycle string trimmer and it
starts instantly. I use it in my lawn mower, snow blower and other small
engines and they all seem to start and run better. It will be used in my
chain saw when spring comes -- with the addition of 2 cycle oil.

I have no trouble with E10 in my small engines, including Honda lawn
mower, Crapsman tractor, Generac pressure washer, and 4-cycle
trimmer/blower/brush cutter/edger. Works fine in all. Starts fine,
even in the spring after sitting for six months. I just change the
oil, top off the fuel, and pull.

On Wed, 26 Feb 2014 11:03:01 -0800, "Tom Dacon"
wrote:

Not a Festool hater, by any means (track saw, router, and Domino) but
I'm not "getting" the drill or jigsaw. My wife even commented that
the ROS looks nice. ;-)

I admit that I don't use a jigsaw very much and I'm quite happy with
my Bosch the few times I need it. Why do you think the drill and
jigsaw are better than the myriad of others? I've asked others this
before but I just wanted your take. Thanks.


I forgot to mention the track saw, in which I'm also partners with my
fingerless friend. Best purchase we've ever made. We can slide sheet goods
right from the truck onto a work table and break them down, right to the
finished line, without having to fire up the table saw for big cuts. Saves a
huge amount of time and turns what's often a two-person job into a solo
operation. Hell of a tool.

The CXS drill is mostly because of my bad shoulders. Forty years of wooden
boat repair and restoration have pretty much wrecked them, so I now have a
heck of a time holding tools up over my head. The CXS drill is Festool's
smallest at 10.8 V, but it's lightweight, has more power than I expected,
and has proven to be pretty good for what I do with it nowadays. I keep the
spare battery on the charger and swap them whenever I need to, but I don't
run a portable drill as hard as I used to and so it doesn't turn out to be a
problem. An inconvenience is that it only goes up to 5/16 diameter bits. So
I'm thinking of adding a C15 to the shop for heavier work and larger drill
bits, in spite of the additional weight (and cost!).

I have the Bosch 12V (10.8V) and 18V drills and drivers. The smaller
ones are the most used. I'm not seeing the difference. "It makes
holes!" ;-)

I got the jigsaw to replace an ancient Makita that's started to rattle so
loud that my wife says she can hear it from the house. As advertised, it
claims that its splinter-guard inserts will handle the issue with breakout
on top of the piece, and that was the main reason I got it instead of the
very-highly-regarded Bosch. But in practice that aspect hasn't worked out
very well, and in addition the plastic shroud that's part of the dust
collection system somewhat obscures my view of the cutting line, so the
premium cost of the Festool name was pretty much wasted in this case. I've
gone back to using it like I was doing with the Makita, which is to use
hollow-ground down-cut blades. With that scheme I can follow a mark within a
few hundredths of an inch if I keep my wits about me. If you can believe it,
Starrett now even makes a combination up-cut and down-cut blade that leaves
a clean edge on both the top and bottom of the piece.

Interesting. I'll have to look into the Starrett blades, though I
haven't had a lot of tear-out with the Bosch (I threw away a few
older-crappy saws).

I guess what I'm not "getting" is the router. I've got a Porter-Cable 890
that lives permanently in the router table, a couple Porter-Cable 690s that
I use handheld, and recently a new Dewalt 611 which is a nice little 1 1/4
hp machine, a sort of big brother to a trim router. It has a good depth
adjustment mechanism, but has the drawback that it accepts only 1/4" bits.
All these machines are working out OK for me, so I'm not feeling like I need
to up my game in that area.

I had a PC7518 motor in a table, a PC691, and a Bosch Colt trim
router. I wanted something bigger for hand-held but wanted it
controllable. The OF1400 has very nice depth adjustments and the
plunge control really smooth. I guess I just liked it better than
anything else I found. I wouldn't buy a router (other than a trim
router) that didn't take 1/2" bits (so didn't bother looking further
at that OF1100).

EXT wrote:
"BillinGA" wrote in message
...
I would vote for Stihl also. I like to purchase 100% gasoline...not
anything with an ounce of ethanol in it. Others have good luck with
Stabil or like additives. As posters above point out...drain the gas
if used infrequently. I drain gas tanks on 2 stoke devices I can
easily flip over...large 4 strokes like mowers or tillers I put a
cut off valve in the gas line and run them until they die from lack
of fuel. Purists may point out starving an engine struggling to run
is lean/harmful...no problems so far. All start on first pull with
the addition of fresh fuel next time used.

I have learned to never use ethanol gas in single cylinder engines,
especially the small ones. I have a Honda baby tiller 4 cycle engine
that will NOT run with ethanol gas, but put premium ethanol free gas
and it will purr like a kitten. I now use it in my Honda 4 cycle
string trimmer and it starts instantly. I use it in my lawn mower,
snow blower and other small engines and they all seem to start and
run better. It will be used in my chain saw when spring comes -- with
the addition of 2 cycle oil.

You are well advised to follow that plan sir. I use ethanol shields and
they have worked very well so far, but it is still better to use fuel that
does not contain ethanol. Even with the ethanol shields, natural rubber gas
lines decay, seals decay, etc. It's not worth the trouble to use the junk.
As you say - just buy non-ethanol gas and be rid of all of the ethanol
problems.

--

-Mike-

Tom Dacon wrote:


I guess what I'm not "getting" is the router. I've got a Porter-Cable
890 that lives permanently in the router table, a couple Porter-Cable
690s that I use handheld, and recently a new Dewalt 611 which is a
nice little 1 1/4 hp machine, a sort of big brother to a trim router.
It has a good depth adjustment mechanism, but has the drawback that
it accepts only 1/4" bits. All these machines are working out OK for
me, so I'm not feeling like I need to up my game in that area.


I have a DeWalt 618 that also spends 99% of its time in the table. It came
with both the 1/4" and the 1/2" collets, but I don't think I've ever put the
1/2" collet in the thing. The 1/4" has handled everything I've ever needed
to throw at it so far, so who knows - maybe at some point, but for now - it
just works.

--

-Mike-

Tom Dacon wrote:
"Dale Miller" wrote in message
...


Tom doesn't Stihl have a small limbing saw for around $200?
I thought I seen one in my local dealer.

You don't say...I'll have to take another look.

Tom

They do! I know because that's what I bought for my wife for Christmas a
couple of years ago when she made the mistake of saying that she wanted a
"girly chainsaw". I bought her a 170. It was under $200, and I gotta tell
you - I love that little saw. It is so much better to limb with than my
361! Lightweight, maneuverable, doesn't get all caught up in the branches
like my long bar on my 361. It's good for blocking wood up to about 8" in
diameter or so, and then it starts to show its size. It will still cut
bigger pieces, but it's working harder to do it. But like I said for
limbing - it's the cat's meow.

--

-Mike-

"Mike Marlow" wrote in message ...

They do! I know because that's what I bought for my wife for Christmas a
couple of years ago when she made the mistake of saying that she wanted a
"girly chainsaw". I bought her a 170. It was under $200, and I gotta tell
you - I love that little saw. It is so much better to limb with than my
361! Lightweight, maneuverable, doesn't get all caught up in the branches
like my long bar on my 361. It's good for blocking wood up to about 8" in
diameter or so, and then it starts to show its size. It will still cut
bigger pieces, but it's working harder to do it. But like I said for
limbing - it's the cat's meow.


That sounds like a good recommendation.

Thanks, Mike.

Tom

"Mike Marlow" wrote
You are well advised to follow that plan sir. I use ethanol shields and
they have worked very well so far, but it is still better to use fuel that
does not contain ethanol. Even with the ethanol shields, natural rubber
gas lines decay, seals decay, etc. It's not worth the trouble to use the
junk. As you say - just buy non-ethanol gas and be rid of all of the
ethanol problems.

In addition, I have had the metal in some small engine carburetors all but
dissolve using E10. They form a powdery type of corrosion that plugs up the
small passages and jets, then you might as well throw them away. Expensive.
--
Jim in NC


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On 2/25/2014 12:42 PM, Markem wrote:
On Mon, 24 Feb 2014 23:20:41 -0500, "Mike Marlow"
wrote:

Puckdropper wrote:


Here's what I was thinking about:
http://powersharp.com/default_NoFlash.asp#

I thought there was also a version built into the saw. Looking at the
website, though, it looks like one of those products that's a good
idea but restricted to special products only offered by one company.

Puckdropper

Please,,. don't waste your money, There is no wa you can properly sharpen a
chain in the way they describe. No matter - it only takes minutes to do it
the right way without getting scammmed by this kind of crap. Go to a local
chainsaw repair shop and have them show you how to do it. It will be so
worth your time that you will be posting comments about it. A simple round
file of the right size and a couple of strokes, and you can have a perfect;u
sharpened chain. Really... Yoi can!

Have an 12V electric file takes me about ten minutes to do the 18" and
14" saws, about twenty minutes with a regular file. Also remember to
mark the starting tooth otherwise it takes all day.

Mark

If you were to measure the cutting life of two chains, one sharpened
with a hand file, the other sharpened with an electric, I would say that
the hand file sharpened chain would last twice as long. The hand file
simply removes less metal, and it reduces the tendency of ham handed
operators to go crazy with them.

Do what the pros do. Carry a couple of very simple files, and know
where to take off the metal. Same as any guy who knows how to sharpen
knives. I've seen knives that were sharpened down to almost nothing,
starting at 3/8" wide at the handle, and coming down to a toothpick on
the point. Absolutely no need to remove that much metal besides
inexperience and error.

Steve

Steve

"SteveB" wrote

Do what the pros do. Carry a couple of very simple files, and know where
to take off the metal. Same as any guy who knows how to sharpen knives.
I've seen knives that were sharpened down to almost nothing, starting at
3/8" wide at the handle, and coming down to a toothpick on the point.
Absolutely no need to remove that much metal besides inexperience and
error.

Another comment I would make is to keep spare new files on hand. It seems
to me the speed of sharpening with a file used just a very few times is
twice as slow as a nice new file.
--
Jim in NC


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Yep - I vote the same. My 25 year old Husky 20" 50 is still running.
Need rings I bet - leaks a bit of oil in the piston. But
then it has been really used and is a hand to use at 67 now. I love
my arbor Stihl a lightweight baby that works like a horse. But
use both. This new gas is crap for a lot of tools. Be sure to buy
the treatment to keep the water out - water and gas destroys light metals.

I used to live in a Redwood forest. The woodmen who cut the various
oaks, madrones and redwoods (species and sub-species) all use Stihl.
They have Husky's as backups and trim work on downed trees.

Martin

On 2/24/2014 12:41 PM, Mike Marlow wrote:
Nick wrote:

Tom, I have to agree with you on all counts.
Except for Poulan. I'm in UK and have never heard of this make. I've
used Stihl chainsaws for 35 years. My oldest one, a really useful
009, died yesterday. It has been on its last legs for some while but
I will miss it nevertheless. Stihls have served me very well over the
years and I look after my 4 saws. I'm somewhere in between a hobbyist
and a pro. The wood burner takes some feeding and I have a fair bit
of timber to attend to. Last week there were some tree surgeons
working locally on a large weeping willow that had toppled following
high winds and flooding. About 100ft high. Blocked a stream and a
lane. Too big for me at my age and these guys came with a 130T
capacity crane to assist! I got talking to one of the guys. He was using a
Husqvarna with a 48"
bar. He told me that he had stopped using Stihl as they, in his
words, 'lost the plot some years ago when they started concentrating
on saws for hobbyists'. Husqvarna have taken on the mantle and now
produce excellent saws for both pro's and hobbyists. I think this a
bit of a shame as Stihl led the market for years, but times change.
Husqvarna now lead the field in pro saws through innovation.
I don't think I'll ever need a new saw, if otherwise I will certainly
look at what Husqvarna might have to offer.
Good luck.
Nick.

I think that Husky (prior to the sell out), was a viable competitor to
Stihl. I am a Stihl guy and there are plenty of Husky guys out there.
Never really did see where one was really better than the other. Both great
saws. I would though, strenuously disagree with your tree guy. Don't know
what he's smoking, but to this day Stihl still makes some of the best pro
model saws available and that is proven by the number of pros that still use
them. I think he was just talking ****. Even their homeowner line is far
better than competing products. Still Stihl quality. Not pro quality, but
way better than typical homeowner quality junk that's out there in the
market. My thoughts on the quality of Stihl are not just based on my
preference for that saw but are hugely influenced by my local dealer who
sells both Husky and Stihl, and repairs everything out there. Talk to one
of those guys - not the tree guy who really does not know.

Well, that was a spirited discussion! I've decided on the Stihl MS170. Thanks for all of the good recommendations -- and for steering me away from some bad options. Buying this from a local outdoor equipment company at about 30% off MSRP. It was his last one.

Larry


On Sunday, February 23, 2014 1:52:40 PM UTC-6, Gramps' shop wrote:
I have infrequent need for a chainsaw and have a little McCullough electric that does OK. There are a couple of trees down in the back too remote for the electric and I'd like to have a gas saw to take advantage of found logs or limbs.



Since my use is infrequent, I don't want to invest too much. CL frequently has Poulans available. Here's an example: http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/tls/4346181306.html



Any thoughts?



Larry

Gramps' shop wrote:
Well, that was a spirited discussion! I've decided on the Stihl
MS170. Thanks for all of the good recommendations -- and for
steering me away from some bad options. Buying this from a local
outdoor equipment company at about 30% off MSRP. It was his last
one.


Good for you Larry. That is a very good saw for light weight work and you
will not be disappointed in it at all. If you want to use it beyond it's
real design intent, just remember to go slow and easy - it will do it, just
don't try to push it hard at that point. If I can offer any user based
advise on that saw, just give a yell. But - I think you're really going to
love that saw. It's a great little saw.

--

-Mike-

Thanks, Mike. The dealer seems like a good guy and promised to show me how to properly start and maintain it, including sharpening the chain.





Good for you Larry. That is a very good saw for light weight work and you

will not be disappointed in it at all. If you want to use it beyond it's

real design intent, just remember to go slow and easy - it will do it, just

don't try to push it hard at that point. If I can offer any user based

advise on that saw, just give a yell. But - I think you're really going to

love that saw. It's a great little saw.



--



-Mike-