Chainsaw Speed Cutting Races.

[Ada Shaker]

I have been organizing, sponsoring and running chainsaw competitions for our local February winter festival for over 15 years now.
I built a portable stage / parade float with generators, P.A. system and log stands built in.
I have over $2000 in prize money plus 3 Husqvarna saws up for grabs for the men's and women's speed cutting races with a carving competition alongside. This is my yearly advertising budget for my tree service company.

Here's a sample of my 4 hour competition. It was a cold day and these 2 Husqvarna 550XPs were having issues with the -30 below C weather at the start of the men's and women's races. I'll be installing their pre-heater winter kits this year.
At the start of the video you'll notice my camera man can't spell "competition". :D
I'm on the microphone.

http://youtu.be/vx_fF0Ofa9U


Here's one more with the carvers and men/women speed cutter winners.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jLeXCclO6E&feature=yout

Hi Holmen.
Just noticed you said that the two huskys 550 xp were having issues in the cold -30 -40 degree temps, on the day and you were looking at putting winter kits on. Was just wondering if you were experiecing similar issues with the more mechanical type saws (the less modern ones that dont have so much electrinics in them)?.
The reason I ask it because electronic devices don't usually fair too well in extreem cold or hot temperatures. It's just the nature of the beast. Military grade devices fair somewhat better in varying extreem temps but their designed for that and there are trade-offs in doing so. Generally, comercial grade devices operate well between 0 and 50 degrees C . Military grade quite a bit lower and higher. Putting on the winter kits in my opinion will work well once the saws are warmed up, but it's getting them warmed up first. I think you have a great opportunity to see what works best under the extreem cold conditions in which you live in. Those little electronic boards in the chainsaw really should be brought up to a nice operating temperature prior to starting, you'll probably find they'll start really well once the above freezing temps. Thermal electric blanket? Heated box? Exhaust from truck heating up a chamber? You know your enviroment better than I do and what you have at your disposal. You could even try starting the saws at different temps and see what works best. The winter kits would hopefully keep the saws warm while in operation, but put down for to long the bords will get cold again quickly. I dunno, maybe a stage warming box to help keep them in temp. Just trying to help if your having cold starting issues in extreeme cold conditions. Just food for thought, and good luck, I think your doing great job and a wonderfull thing putting in back to the community.

[HolmenTree]

Thanks for your input Ada Shaker, as the video shows the first man up with his 550XP having issues .
The saw wasn't in full warmup mode yet as it hadn't made its first cut in the log yet and of course the winter kits weren't installed. That was February 2013
Here's pics from race day February 2014 were we had a 40 below windchill cutting 10"x14" spruce I milled with the 395XP. The 550'with the kits installed and each with 5 minutes of warmup at WOT.
These saws are available with heated carbs and handles, something I'll look into the future.

  

 

[Ada Shaker]

Just realised the trailer converts into the stage. Love the idea, was wondering why someone would have such a trailer to carry wood. Do you collect many light poles going around street corners with that thing??????.

On a different note, if you don't mind my asking, with the cold weather up there, how difficult is it to get those modern chainsaw huskys 550xp i think they were, started in those freezing conditions from cold???. Just asking because iv'e been doing a little bit of research regarding discrete electronic devices and currently there are more grades available than there used to be. My cookbooks are over 20 years old and i don't delve in them much any more. basically the categories are now Domestic Grade/Commercial Grade, Industrial Grade, Automotive Grade, Military & Aero-space Grade. So these modern chainsaw may be a little more robust than i had initially anticipated. Depending at what cold temperatures these chainsaws start well at, may be an indicator what grade electronic components they carry??? It'll be interesting to find out.

[HolmenTree]

These 550XP's start very easy even at freezing temps well below -60 Celsius.
Of any gasoline powered hand tools manufactured today I can't  think of anything more durable and reliable as a chainsaw.
So we don't have to ramble on about military  grade, aerospace grade.........chainsaws are what they are, backed up with close to 100 years of product research and development behind them ;)

[Ada Shaker]

These 550XP's start very easy even at freezing temps well below -60 Celsius.
Of any gasoline powered hand tools manufactured today I can't  think of anything more durable and reliable as a chainsaw.
So we don't have to ramble on about military  grade, aerospace grade.........chainsaws are what they are, backed up with close to 100 years of product research and development behind them ;)

Thanx Holmen 8)

[HolmenTree]

As it shows it was a bright sunny day but the strong north wind was producing a chilly -55 F. below windchill.


 

I got my temperatures backwards, darn metric conversion.
Wind chill was -55 Celsius  or -67 F. Below.   

You think running those Husqvarna 550XP's in this cold is remarkable, trying ice fishing in it and catching fish!
Here's  a pic and little story about our winter festival ice fishing contest, which was held the same time as my chainsaw contest.
It was held down on the Saskatchewan River just behind my stage, it warmed up a little as the author reported -52° below Celcius (-62° below F.)  ......

--Photos MUST be in the Forestry Forum gallery!!!!!--/phots/n_madsen/16441178510

[HolmenTree]

Ok to add to my last post

If all else fails, take a photo of the content on the laptop screen :D



  

 

[HolmenTree]

I thought I should bump this old thread for Spike 60 about how well these 550XP saws handle -50 to -67 below F.

My competition is a go again for this February's Northern Manitoba Trappers Festival Logger Sports.
We have a new Husqvarna dealer who is taking over sponsorship.
Using the same 550XP's since February 2013.

[DelawhereJoe]

Just for fun you should run your 261 against  your 550 to see who cuts best on those cold days in that nice clean log beam.

[HolmenTree]

Just for fun you should run your 261 against  your 550 to see who cuts best on those cold days in that nice clean log beam.

You just gave me an idea Joe thanks. :D
Yes after the competition I'll keep my timekeepers on hand and I'll run my MS261 and 550Xp in the left over log.

My Husqvarna sponsor may not like to see the 261 win though Hahaha.
I'll make sure the audience are all gone and I'll get it out on a YouTube video.