SeanKroll
Treehouser
steel should be harder than aluminum, right?
Homemade gear
- Thread starter climbing.jo
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Marc-Antoine
TreeHouser
Yes, but not harder than aluminum oxide. It covers every bit of aluminum, even the "bare" aluminum (not anodized) has a thin layer of it. Aluminum is a reactive metal and is very quickly attacked by oxygen, about seconds. Thin and brittle, but almost always still there. And as a matter of hardness, a big use of aluminum oxide is in the abrasive's industry. Steel doesn't stand a chance.
But perhaps it could be barely noticeable at the scale of our "sharpening" though.
But perhaps it could be barely noticeable at the scale of our "sharpening" though.
treebilly
Student of the Jedi. OH-7106A
The saw is really only in the scabbard for a short time so rust won’t be an issue. Aluminum is softer than steel but it will dull your chain over time
https://www.treestuff.com/safetree-ultimate-chainsaw-scabbard-1/
I love these. My first one is three years old and it flies 50 hours a week. Needs replaced soon though. Also I didn’t pay that at the tcia show, which is in Pittsburg this November. They don’t dull a chain like the fiberglass does and are very durable.
If you like yours, use it. I’d line it with something though
https://www.treestuff.com/safetree-ultimate-chainsaw-scabbard-1/
I love these. My first one is three years old and it flies 50 hours a week. Needs replaced soon though. Also I didn’t pay that at the tcia show, which is in Pittsburg this November. They don’t dull a chain like the fiberglass does and are very durable.
If you like yours, use it. I’d line it with something though
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
That's a good one - one of the best!
flushcut
TreeHouser
Lining is on the list.
CurSedVoyce
California Hillbilly
You could go buy a nylon cutting board or two and make your lining from that.
MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
Long story short...
Fabricating a complete saw scabbard might seem cool, but in the long run, it's just best to throw down the bucks and be done with it, like Treebilly.
Fabricating a complete saw scabbard might seem cool, but in the long run, it's just best to throw down the bucks and be done with it, like Treebilly.
CurSedVoyce
California Hillbilly
Because, making it, is like having an 11.
https://youtu.be/4xgx4k83zzc
https://youtu.be/4xgx4k83zzc
flushcut
TreeHouser
That's right! We'll see how long it lasts.
treebilly
Student of the Jedi. OH-7106A
If you have the tools and time to do it yourself it’s worth it. Plus it’s good practice.
My old Vermeer chipper had a nylon piece that was used to position the feed control bar. I noticed it was starting to wear and decided I wasn’t paying for a new one and just use an old cutting board. Problem was I didn’t have an old one. After waiting for it to be old, I wore the chipper part out to the fullest. Finally bought a new cutting board. Cut the old one to fit and rabbitted the slots. For a year I dealt with the chipper working improperly to save money. After fixing it, I got curious and called Vermeer with a part #. I screwed around over a 12 dollar part. That’s really when I started thinking about things.
I still have a problem with trying to get the most use out of everything though. Yesterday my rope bag for my 1/2” line tore again. I said I’ll have to stitch it up again for about the tenth time. I got home and said fug it. The bag is 7 years old. Spend $50 and buy a new one
My old Vermeer chipper had a nylon piece that was used to position the feed control bar. I noticed it was starting to wear and decided I wasn’t paying for a new one and just use an old cutting board. Problem was I didn’t have an old one. After waiting for it to be old, I wore the chipper part out to the fullest. Finally bought a new cutting board. Cut the old one to fit and rabbitted the slots. For a year I dealt with the chipper working improperly to save money. After fixing it, I got curious and called Vermeer with a part #. I screwed around over a 12 dollar part. That’s really when I started thinking about things.
I still have a problem with trying to get the most use out of everything though. Yesterday my rope bag for my 1/2” line tore again. I said I’ll have to stitch it up again for about the tenth time. I got home and said fug it. The bag is 7 years old. Spend $50 and buy a new one
I get satisfaction out of making something from nothing. It's only partly about money. Every penny I save on something not fun can go towards something that is. More interestingly, I like taking something destined for the landfill, and making it useful. I make a lot of my supplies scavenging stuff from jobsites, and my gear has been patched with bits and pieces I've accumulated over time. Order of preference is make it myself - buy used - buy new. Power tools are an exception. I /can/ do mechanical work, but I'm not that good at it, and I don't enjoy it. It's worth it to me(fun money) to buy my saws and stuff new. If it doesn't work, it can go back to the shop, and if it stops working, I have a pretty good idea what the issue is, since I was the only one operating it.
That is me too, exactly. I have to be careful about not being penny wise and pound foolish. One tiny example: I have a double to triple lifetime supply of rags for use with all things, yet I always am thinking to get the most use out of each rag. Smh
That is a beauty AL saw scabbard.
I have a nice scabbard in daily use since approximately '96, it is fiberglass, the areas in contact with chain and dogs wore out pretty quickly. Over time, all of it, except the upper part which hooks onto rim of the basket has been replaced with easy to repair/relatively long-lasting wood, and the collar that contacts the dogs is made of a piece of tough plastic that I found washed up on the beach. It's all bolted together. I only have to repair it every 2-3 years or so
Some things are better to build yourself, some things are better to make. While making a saw scabbard is 10 times cheaper in this case, i have a feeling that was not the final project that Rajan was planning in aluminum, so it was more of a practice job so the learning he did there will save even more down the road. The beauty of building something yourself is that usually you get to decide if it's gonna be a cheaper end product or better than you can buy deal. Usually I'm building stuff for cheaper, but when i want to i can build wayyyyyyyyyy better than i could ever buy. Fixing up older equipment is about the same thing too, it can be cheaper or better than you can buy new.
flushcut
TreeHouser
No not the only project in aluminum I have in mind but I needed the practice and needed a scabbard and spending $100 or $300 is ridiculous IMO. All I know is the ho-made one works as it should and have not noticed any dulling of the chain. I will line it but haven't source the plastic yet. I like building things and it gives me a chance to play with other tools than a chainsaw.
SeanKroll
Treehouser
Dollar Store cutting boards are possibly as cheap as you can get.
CurSedVoyce
California Hillbilly
Yup. Or like a restaurant supply store. Might as well get enough to make some stacking plates to support wedges tipping trees over.
flushcut
TreeHouser
I am going to hit up GoodWill then Dollar Store. I really wish we had a restaurant supply house near by the closest is in Milwaukee about an hour away.
flushcut
TreeHouser
Well, now that I have 100 hours of fly time with the scabbard I have not noticed any obvious dulling of the chain. There are a few revisions I would like to do on the scabbard 2.0 but I'll wait until this burns up, might be a while. I have not gotten around to lining it with something but there is some wear on the aluminum mostly nicks, scratches, and some superficial burs but nothing of concern.
flushcut
TreeHouser
flushcut
TreeHouser
Cringe, it's a spoolgun. I wish I had AC tig. Multimatic 200
flushcut
TreeHouser
I'm still trying to be consistent with it some of those welds really need a grinder to make them look good.
On a side note, How do you keep a carbide burr from loading up with aluminum? WD40?
On a side note, How do you keep a carbide burr from loading up with aluminum? WD40?
Good question.... usually chalk is used for files. What are you using a burr bit for? If you are just smoothing out welds i would get a high quality stainless wire wheel, stringer brush style. The ones that have the wires twisted tightly in sections, designed for cleaning pipe and other deep grooves. Then you literally just bear down a bit, and it will cut like a grinder. Use stainless so contamination isn't an issue causing rust down the road. If you really need a rotary style tool, i would use a rasp for wood, bigger cuts with less loading. Sanding pads after also ok, but get cheap ones to change out all the time.
