Small filing tip

[flynhigh]

I use the stihl brand file guide and find them very good

 

[Mick!]

This was a good thread, just shows that it's diffrent strokes for diffrent folks.

I rarely sharpen on site anymore, pick up another saw. Do a much better job at home with a vice, good lighting and my reading glasses.

 

[squisher]

Lol. Me and Willaaaaard. Always mixing it up.

Filing on site is a waste of time IMO. I rarely to never did unless somehow disaster had struck or for some reason there was an opportunity for it. Doubles or triples of climbers and ground saws. Do the maintenance at the shop.

 

[squisher]

Unless you were on hourly for some reason. If that were the sucky case, then saws arrive sharp and leave sharp. But I rarely worked hourly.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I see no problem with filing when I want to where I want to. I can file a small saw in about 7 minutes, bigger saws a bit longer. I sure ain't swapping a chain when all it needs is a 'lil tickling!

 

[cory]

I rarely sharpen on site anymore, pick up another saw. Do a much better job at home with a vice, good lighting and my reading glasses.

+1.

I haven't filed on the job in 10 years I bet.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

As much metal we get in trees, we all take turns filing daily.
Gotta love fences

 

[treebilly]

I can do a quick touch up in less time than I can swap a chain out. Mostly because if I remove the bar I gotta clean and dress it.

 

[squisher]

I didn't mean swap chains. I meant swap saws. I would most certainly file a chain before swapping it, unless it was somehow badly torched.

 

[squisher]

My boomtruck that rolled with two guys had two 200's, two 460's and a 660. Sometimes if I knew it was going to be a battle I'd up it and bring another 66, 46, maybe a 361 or two. orrrr throw the 880 in as well.

You can't have to many saws IMO.

 

[CoreyYLTG]

I didn't mean swap chains. I meant swap saws. I would most certainly file a chain before swapping it, unless it was somehow badly torched.

Swapping saws out is the only way to go. I subbed myself out to another company today just as a climber and I bet I had 6 or more saws on my truck just for me.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Musta been a Boy Scout!

 

[CoreyYLTG]

This is most of what I take when I go sub. Depending on who its for determines whats included in the daily rate and what is for rent. Sometimes for certain customers there is a strict do not touch my stuff policy in effect.

 

[stig]

Swapping saws is only an option for arborists.
Loggers who work miles away from their truck hardly ever bring extra saws out the where they fall.
In fact, I've done most of my " Is it really possible to fall this tree with that short a bar" stunts because I didn't want to hike back the the truck for a larger saw.

 

[Mick!]

Agreed Stig, I had a clearance job for 25 or so decent oaks a few years back.

The sawmill who was buying the trunks off me lent me a faller (as much to ensure I didn't ruin the wood as anything)

I proudly showed him all my saws, ranging from a ms 201 to a 088, he looked at them in a curious and polite fashion, pulled out his Stihl 44 and did everthing with it. Changed bars for the bigger ones, but that was it.

 

[CoreyYLTG]

Access to saws is a very different animal for the loggers thats for sure. I haven't done any logging since probably 2003 or so, but if I remember right a 46 or a 44 is what you got. Then again the trees getting logged here aren't very big.

 

[cory]

Ha, good story, Mick.

Was he as good as your tidbit would suggest?

 

[Mick!]

He was pretty impressive, even my groundy commented on his expertise (and his sharpening!)

Bore cut everything, the wind got to a certain strength and he just refused to fell until I climbed and stripped the trees.

Always shaved the bark off the edges of the gob before the back cut, called them "rabbits ears" said he liked to know what was going on with the holding wood, wasn't interested in the bark.

 

[cory]

Gotta love it

 

[MasterBlaster]

Words of wisdom.

 

[flushcut]

Rarely do I 'sharpen' a damaged chain on site but I'll touch up a less sharp chain on site. I just have to have a nice cutting chain all the time. But that's just me.

 

[Evan Sussman]

Sounds like a solid guy Mick! Good food for thought.

 

[squisher]

Of course no one is swapping saws in the woods or some tough access job.

For for residential work I mostly swapped saws. As with all things treework, no hard and fast rule on that. Of course if it was easier to file than get another saw, then file. If there's 'dead time' for whatever reason while on a site, then file.

No moron is walking a mile to a truck to grab a sharp saw when the existing dulled one could be filed more easily and quicker.

Common sense folks. I always did what was quicker and had enough saws to do so. As in if the truck is right there on a residential site and the crew is going full tilt cutting and processing. I'm not shutting down to file or swap a dulled saw. I'm grabbing another razor and partying on.

 

[squisher]

I prefer to file in the shop with a beer. End of the day thing. Relaxing.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Back In The "Day"

I've had to file the most 'effed up chains OTJ ASAP just because my cheap boss had nothing else available.

Ha. I was just happy to have a new/good file!!!