Chainsaw

[tony sayer]

In article , michael adams scribeth thus

We know a song about that;!.....

[tabbypurr]

d the work over

in one go. You'd

not really practical. It will all be done in one shot, so a full day's work is expected. One lunch break is all. I also have doubts about a cheapass d iy saw doing continuous work. But I also don't want to pay Makita, this job is more cost sensitive than is usual here.

ority would be

sonable price

n Amazon and eBay

yup, will check that

l for all but

Why not? The files are cheap. I sharpen everything else.

NT

[michael adams]

Given that sharpening things isn't an innate skill, but is something which needs to be practised and learned for each new thing needing sharpening, this comes as close, by my way of thinking anyway to a "dedicated hobbyist" as its possible to get, IMO.

michael adams

...

[michael adams]

Sorry, not really paying attention. Assuming this is say a 31 ft branch which is presumably a gross over-estimate - and assuming you want it in 1 ft lumps that's only 30 cuts. Say 2 minutes per cut another gross overestimate and 10 minutes rest/cooling for the motor each time thats only 360 minutes in total. Which even a cheapo should manage. However as an insurance policy it might be an idea to fit a new chain after each ten cuts , regardless of whether you think it needs one or not. So an outlay of an extra ?30 max. Or ?15 for a branch of between 10 and 20ft.

When cutting the branch each side of the cut should ideally be supported in at least two places, close to the cut either side and near each end. So there's absolutely no movement possible or pinching as the saw goes through the wood. (And subsequent faffing about trying to release the saw while keeping the chain in place) If the branch is already resting on the ground then such a possibility will still need to be allowed for.

michael adams

...

[tabbypurr]

pread the work

all in one go.

ork is expected.

I also don't

It's around 12' long, and will be cut into 1.5-2" long discs. A cut every 2 " would be 72 cuts. There's also some smaller material, so under 100 cuts. Thinking about this further the main time consumer will be moving the sawin g platform, so it looks like the poor titan would get lots of brief breaks.

age. However as

I'm not clear what that would insure against.

ready resting on

Most of the cutting will be removing an unsupported 2" or so of wood, so it 'll be relatively easy to support the main log and avoid movement. For the initial chop up into handleable lengths the limb will of course be supporte d close to the cut and elsewhere.

NT

[michael adams]

A blunt chain will put more strain on the motor.

At a guess half the reason many cheapos give up the ghost so early is because of the chain going blunt. And maybe its not being that good to start with. And the same goes with the original blades fitted to any number of cheapo tools.

A new blade/drill bit/cutter/chain can often work wonders on any old rubbish IMHE. Even if a premium replacement may cost half as much as the original tool.

michael adams

...

[tabbypurr]

0 max. Or £15 for

2 chains at £15 each is £30. The saw is only £50. So to brea k even there would need to be a 60% chance of the original chain killing it .

I'm still undecided whether to go Titan or something 2-3 x the price.

NT

[Jonathan]

Sounds absolutely lethal to me.

Jonathan

[michael adams]

As you like sharpening things and could probably get the time down with practice, unless you're super-fit, providing you had 2 sharp chains before the start of a job I can't see you outlasting the saw - over a day's sawing at least.

Maybe after 20 or 30 such days the saw may give up, but you'll have had your money's worth by then.

Someone on here mentioned plastic gears and I don't know whether they were serious or not. But other than that for ocasional use with a sharp chain* its difficult to see what's to be gained by spending a lot.

All the thing is, is an electric motor, driving a wheel which engages the chain which runs around the arm. That and the braking mechanisms. By the very nature of chainsaws its difficult to see why anyone would need to run one continuously for over a minute say. Except up a tree lopping small stuff obviouisly, but that's not we're talking about here.

*Regardless of technicalities, its easy enough to recognise a blunt chain when you try to use one. The bugger simply won't cut - even when fitted the right way around.

michael adams

..

[michael adams]

There are plenty of Youtube videos of such frames. Presumbly what the OP wants to cut are bowl blanks for turning, which are a lot safer to cut; and there are specific videos for that, as well. Providing you use the bottom of the saw and saw downwards the worst that can happen is a log shooting backwards towards you* as the saw will go forwards away from you if it snags. That's assuming the handle is at this end not having actually watched any of the videos.

Bucking spikes as are fitted on forestry type saws would prevent this and are a way of securing the work but I assume aren't necessary here.

michael adams

...

[Clive George]

It was me, and I was serious - the cheap electric chainsaw died in a couple of hours use, and on examination the problem turned out to be melted plastic bits.

The one which died was being used to chop up wood on the ground, much like NT is proposing to do, albeit with smaller logs. The duty cycle was far too high for the device - and I reckon NT's project will present similar or worse.

[michael adams]

Any chance of the brand, so others can be forwarned ? And were they actually gears ? To me this would be a straight case for SOGA or whatever its called nowadays. Clearly unfit for purpose. A burned out motor which maybe melted other stuff might be diffferent.

It was clearly unsuitable for continuous use. But what sort of duty cycle were you subjecting it to, in sawing up small logs ?

I use a cheapo tesco blender - basically a stick blender with a closed bowl - to grind peanuts for garden wildlife. But I only use it in ten second bursts with 20 second breaks in between as it starts to smell after that. I can easily grind

1kg in a couple of minutes. I've been using the same blender for years now (As is always the case when you buy one or two spares.) With a chainsaw I've never had occasion to use for say more than 30 seconds bursts. On the ground I regularly stop to secure the work, while in a tree I regularly need to change the angle of the cut and reassess how things are going. And its safer off than on.

This would probably be one of the advantages of petrol chainsaws however. No worries about continuous use.

michael adams

...

[tabbypurr]

break even there would need to

Will 1 chain blunt in under a day? I don't remember them being that bad

Most cheap power tools have plastic gears.

NT

[Adrian]

When I was on my chainsaw course last year, the instructor's strong advice was to just give the chain a quick tickle with the file every time you stopped for a break or to refuel.

That way, it's always sharp - so safer - and you never need to give it a big re-sharpen, which is what causes the teeth to go out of shape, shortening the life.

[michael adams]

No you're probably right. Basically I suffer from delusions and I only post on here so as to allow experts such as yourself to put me right.

Not forgetting this shapening expertise of yours, which means chains in your hands probably last months at a time. Even ones made out of cheese.

Well there's my delusions kicking in again. As all the electric chainsaws I've ever come across don't actually have any gears. The wheel which drives the chain is in direct line with the spindle of the motor.

michael adams

...