Bad chainsaw habits

[Tucker943]

If you use spare the one it replace is no good! Should be no need for a pro to haul a saw collection around to do his work.

If you are good on service and take care of it it should be no issues the first 1500hrs.
After that a repair cost + stand time + your time + other costs involved gets pretty high.

You obviously don't rely on residential tree work to make a living.

 

[Magnus]

You obviously don't rely on residential tree work to make a living.

No, I service the saws they run.

 

[Magnus]

I don't see why not, Magnus.
A saw, fueled with alkylate should be the same 6 months after it is set aside and start right up.
At least that has been my experience.

I wasn't necessarily talking about keeping an old worn-out spare in the truck.
Since I'm a firm believer in never carrying a saw that is too big for the job, I have saws of pretty near all sizes.
So having an extra on hand is no big deal.

You are right about the " Drop them off after work and pick them up next morning" deal.
That is the kind of service I expect from a pro shop, and the main reason I run only Stihl.

Even with Alkylate it is hard to get worn out saws going if they sit.
Sometimes things happen anyway regardless of fuel even though it is not so much fuel related.
I had saws here that sit with 2 year old Aspen and still start on 3-4 pulls.

I know some that has many saws to do the job and pick and choose best saw for the work.
That is OK, but most here have one now. The bigger is not replaced.

 

[Tucker943]

A chainbrake lever snapped while dangling from my hip in a tree last year. Bumped the tree just the right way and snapped. Brake was stuck engaged with no lever on it. Should I have repelled down and left for the day? I was foolish enough to call for a different saw. Later in the year, the exhaust gasket blew out on my 562 while cutting in the tree. Maybe I should have kept running it and melted the plastic covers around it? Like a silly goose, I sent it down and called for another saw.

 

[squisher]

Yah. It's bogus. Saying a pro doesn't carry spares is bullshit. I don't run or carry wore out saws. My starting line up and some back ups are modded and run like mad.

I'll toot my own horn. I don't show up anywhere and people wonder if I'm pro or not. Real pros with a small outfit for the most part look after their own saws and hold a inventory. As one gets tired another is coming into its prime. To try to paint this industry with a blanket brush and think that your way is the only way is blindness.

My saws rip. I have lots of them, and I'm never without one. When I run a spare for whatever reason it's not a compromise or runs like a bag of shit or nothing. It's a pro saw sharp as a razor running like a top that's been waiting for a chance to shine.

No spare is no pro. IMO.

 

[cory]

 

[Tucker943]

It kind of goes along with most trades. A good carpenter arrives with more then one screw gun. Most masons have more then one trowel in their bag. For me, each saw has a place in the tree. The saw gets bigger as a travel from the top of the tree to the bottom. I know of an instance of one of my less then honorable competitors making a back cut on a tree being pulled over away from a house, and his saw quit on him. Tha landscaoer that was present and shared the story with me told me it was total chaos and panic as the tree service owner I am referring to only had one saw.

 

[Szajer]

So the last removal I did, I was bucking up the log and after a few hours and my last tank fill, it didn't want to start. So I asked for my employer for his. He looks at me funny and said that he didn't bring it. I said you always should bring it, regardless if I have one or not. He answers with, well you don't like my saws. Yeah, cause they're all broke.

So I'm cleaning up and he heads home, 22 miles away to get his. I pull the plug of mine, give it a few starts —and let it sit awhile longer. After some time I go back and it fires right up. 1/2 hour later he shows up and says, well that was a waste of trip.

I knew it would start up again, but I felt I needed to teach him a lesson in operating his business like a professional. I'm not all high and mighty, not in the slightest, but I do take pride in what I do -and I do it to the best of my abilities. Sometime I'll go into detail how he came into running a tree company....

 

[Tucker943]

If you have to teach your boss, you might want to consider going out on your own or hiring a new boss. Haha

 

[FireFighterZero]

You must have a pretty easygoing boss to tolerate being "taught" a lesson like that.

 

[SouthSoundTree]

It kind of goes along with most trades. A good carpenter arrives with more then one screw gun. Most masons have more then one trowel in their bag. For me, each saw has a place in the tree. The saw gets bigger as a travel from the top of the tree to the bottom. I know of an instance of one of my less then honorable competitors making a back cut on a tree being pulled over away from a house, and his saw quit on him. Tha landscaoer that was present and shared the story with me told me it was total chaos and panic as the tree service owner I am referring to only had one saw.

Put on the brake and move the saw!

 

[Steve Mack]

Saying a pro doesn't carry spares is bullshit.

No spare is no pro. IMO.

You obviously don't rely on residential tree work to make a living.

I do, must be a lot different where magnus lives. I have three 200's I rotate, always have two with me on any job plus a couple of bigger saws. And that 338 I don't like is always in the truck with another bigger saw.


You'd have to be mad to not carry spares anywhere let alone here. [And I look after my saws, they run and cut well]

 

[Fiddler]

Another habit that bugs me bad is watching someone engage the brake with the heel of the right hand. Seen more than one miss the brake handle!

 

[Magnus]

There is not many climbers here. I have two full time climbers that I service regularly. They have no spares. But then they never work alone either. Alway's groundsmen and others around them. I don't get much work of them other than some sales and preventive service...

One climber here don't even have a chainsaw. He do all his work with hand saws and cutters.

Perhaps things are different here as far as climbers are concerned. I only know what the guy's here have.

I have guy's that have 3-4 saws with them in morning. No climbers, but still....
Different sizes on 3 of them and a extra 50cc saw. Not buying much new, but service a lot more.
They are my best customers as their chainsaw account is bigger for a years use.
One of them I like more as he refuse to run Aspen and I make more money on his saws than any other.
The only time I get to play with carbs is the ones not running alkylate or have saws sit for long and stretch membranes...

 

[woodworkingboy]

I did break a starter rope the other day. Within the handle, so really no way to know it was getting frayed, and never thought to check there. That will put you out of business for the day without a backup. Guys having such high confidence in your mechanical ability is a great thing, Magnus.

 

[Magnus]

Changing a rope is a cheep insurance if not before it is changed in 3 month service. Checking it every time it is on bench is natural.
They rarely wear out as they pull thru the center pf hole, not dragging rope to side.

Plugs are changed every time they are on bench. I never put in a used plug in a money maker.

 

[woodworkingboy]

I wire brush my plugs clean as a matter of course, haven't much felt the need to change them so often.

 

[Szajer]

If you have to teach your boss, you might want to consider going out on your own or hiring a new boss. Haha

You must have a pretty easygoing boss to tolerate being "taught" a lesson like that.

Yeah, I better clarify a bit so as to not come across that way. Again, at a later point I will share how he came to the business of arboriculture.

I didn't know- per se that my saw would start back up. But I do have confidence in my things cause of the extreme care I lend to them. I was running the saw hard -and it needed a break after the last tank fill- and became fussy. He should've brought his, case and point. No excuses.
So, instead of us standing there -looking like two dullards, I suggested he run his arse home and get his.

So, don't want to come off as challenging or ignorant to others, which my post probably lead most to believe about me.