How many hours can you get from your saw milling?

[richhiway]

I see a lot of comments about wearing out your chainsaw milling with it. It does not seem all that hard on the saw to me. Of course you are going to put a lot of hours on your saw in a short time but as long as you take care of it and don't overheat it I can't see why it would not last the same amount of hours as if it were used for firewood. Anyone know the answer?

A used 044 on the logosol running strong!

 

[thecfarm]

richhiway,I'm no expect,but when I cut fire wood my saw is not wide open for minutes at a time. I do one cut 10-20 seconds,I don't know,never timed it,than I let off the thottle and move to the next piece. Most times the way I do my firewood it's a little chainsaw work,than maybe a little tractor work to push it in a pile,than back into the woods.

[hamish]

Till the advent of Auto tune and M-Tronic, the only people that actually knew how many hours there chainsaws had were those that added hour meters to them!

Saws are designed to run at max rpm, like all other things that go round, eventually they fail.  Like any chainsaw, its failure is usually attributable to its user.

Milling with a dull chain will kill the saw just like cutting wood with a dull one will.

[Brucer]

When I was chain saw milling, I would tune the saw as close to perfect as I could get. Then I would open up the high speed check just a hair to give a richer mixture. I also made a point to never shut it down right at the end of a cut. I gave it half a minute of idling to let things cool down a little.

The saw will definitely run hotter if you keep it wide open in a cut for several minutes.

I milled a lot of wood with that saw (70cc Jonsereds) and it was still going strong 20 years after I bought it -- until I couldn't get parts anymore.

[Chop Shop]

Im still trying to wear out my 066.   I have a pair of 056magIIs to replace it with.

I think a proper FAT tune and experience in chain cutlery is a must.

A bad homeowner cutting wood can ruin a saw faster than a good guy milling.


Ya dont want to buy a used saw that comes with a chainsaw mill!  Thats the hobby guy that gave up after he almost ruined the saw learning!



I agree tho, two strokes are meant to run wide open if tuned an maintained properly.     Ethenol gas here is the killer.

[richhiway]

I'm with you fellows,I think a good cared for saw will last a long time,engines of all kinds are happy to run.
I have run 1 tube of opti a gallon and have engines over 25 yrs still running strong,I have had a weed wacker for 30 years and never had to touch the carb. I am mixing 2 tubes to a gallon an a half for the milling saw.Still runs clean with no smoke and I figured a little extra lube can't hurt.I also let the saw idle down for a few seconds,I also found you don't have to hold it wide open all the time.

[Joe Hillmann]

I'm with you fellows,I think a good cared for saw will last a long time,engines of all kinds are happy to run.
I have run 1 tube of opti a gallon and have engines over 25 yrs still running strong,I have had a weed wacker for 30 years and never had to touch the carb. I am mixing 2 tubes to a gallon an a half for the milling saw.Still runs clean with no smoke and I figured a little extra lube can't hurt.I also let the saw idle down for a few seconds,I also found you don't have to hold it wide open all the time.

Having too much oil in the gas of a two cycle can cause it to over heat.  Running more oil means the engine is getting less gas and running lean which causes overheating. 

[Billbob]

I'm with you fellows,I think a good cared for saw will last a long time,engines of all kinds are happy to run.

I have a Husqvarna 50 that I purchased in Maine in 1990.  It's my main saw and it's still going strong.  I've used it to clear two building lots, cleared 10 acres for pasture, couple hundred cord of firewood, saw logs, fence posts, ATV trails etc.  All the little chores that comes with living on a horse farm.  The only thing I've done to it in the past 24 years (besides regular maintenance) is replaced the clutch about 10 years ago.  I agree with Richhiway, a little care and the machines should last a long time.

[Hilltop366]

I'm with you fellows,I think a good cared for saw will last a long time,engines of all kinds are happy to run.
I have run 1 tube of opti a gallon and have engines over 25 yrs still running strong,I have had a weed wacker for 30 years and never had to touch the carb. I am mixing 2 tubes to a gallon an a half for the milling saw.Still runs clean with no smoke and I figured a little extra lube can't hurt.I also let the saw idle down for a few seconds,I also found you don't have to hold it wide open all the time.

Having too much oil in the gas of a two cycle can cause it to over heat.  Running more oil means the engine is getting less gas and running lean which causes overheating.

If you don't adjust the carb to match the new fuel/oil mix.