Did something dumb today.

[firefighter ontheside]

Today I did some clearing for a parking spot for my flatbed and eventual pallet rack/carport.  After I did what I could with the tractor I got out the chainsaw and cut some small trees and tree limbs.  For the second time I threw the chain off my MS261.  I was cutting some small stuff which I know is more likely to get under the chain, but it seems odd I've done it twice recently.  Chain was tight.  Anyway, the chain catcher now needs to be replaced.  The first time I bent it back, but this time it almost got torn completely off the saw.  I ordered 2 replacements from Amazon.  I was using mostly the top of the bar to try and keep from throwing so much sawdust on myself.


 

[Resonator]

I was using a friends new Stihl saw (similar size, might have been same model) last winter topping a tree and it got pinched. Same thing happened, it threw the chain and did damage, might be a design flaw.

[doc henderson]

I do not have that problem with that saw, more than any other saw.

[Ljohnsaw]

I rushed the install of this center bent last year just before first snow that came early. The center post wouldn't set all the way down. About ¾" gap. I determined it was the upper knee braces were too long which made the mini tie beams frown. So, I set about lifting the bent up so I could knock the mini ties out enough to release the braces. That also meant removing the lower knee braces.


 
That went well. Actually, lifting the middle post helped to release the upper braces. However, I did shear the pin on the upper pulley on my roustabout. It's supposed to when you overload it! It came with a spare. I trimmed off about ¼" of the braces and put them back up. Then a thunderstorm came through and postponed work for 3 hours.

Went back out and put everything back down. Cleaning up, I noticed it was easier to move around, more space...

That's when I saw the two lower knee braces laying on the floor. I forgot to put them back. Got to lift the bent one more time, only didn't stress the roustabout quite so much!

[WV Sawmiller]

 :-[ :-[ :-[ :-[
 
  Boy did I feel dumb! Yesterday I was cutting some dead ash into firewood. It had a combination of soft punk and solid seasoned wood. I was using a 20" bar and chain but the chain was dull and missing a tooth so when I ran through a tank of gas I swapped for a brand new 24" bar and a brand new chain. It still did not cut very well and would bog down completely with a little weight on it. It cut big healthy chips but felt like there was just not enough compression/power for the job even with a new, sharp chain.

  The saw is an EFCO (Italian) brand my local dealer and repair guru sells. I like to buy the equipment from my local dealer who is going to be doing the maintenance, service and repairs. It is about 6 months old and has run good up to this point. I took it to the dealer today and asked him to check the compression. He pulled it and said it felt good so he put it on the bench and pulled the cover off. Once he did that it was very obvious what most if not all the problems were. : The filter was entirely choked with sawdust. I don't know why I did not think of something so obvious which fully explained the symptoms. He blew out the filter and put a new foam pre-filter on it and cranked it and it revved up fine. I took it back to my log pile this afternoon and cut some more and it works fine.

   Never overlook the obvious. :

[TimW]

:-[ :-[ :-[ :-[
 
 Boy did I feel dumb! Yesterday I was cutting some dead ash into firewood. It had a combination of soft punk and solid seasoned wood. I was using a 20" bar and chain but the chain was dull and missing a tooth so when I ran through a tank of gas I swapped for a brand new 24" bar and a brand new chain. It still did not cut very well and would bog down completely with a little weight on it. It cut big healthy chips but felt like there was just not enough compression/power for the job even with a new, sharp chain.

 The saw is an EFCO (Italian) brand my local dealer and repair guru sells. I like to buy the equipment from my local dealer who is going to be doing the maintenance, service and repairs. It is about 6 months old and has run good up to this point. I took it to the dealer today and asked him to check the compression. He pulled it and said it felt good so he put it on the bench and pulled the cover off. Once he did that it was very obvious what most if not all the problems were. : The filter was entirely choked with sawdust. I don't know why I did not think of something so obvious which fully explained the symptoms. He blew out the filter and put a new foam pre-filter on it and cranked it and it revved up fine. I took it back to my log pile this afternoon and cut some more and it works fine.

  Never overlook the obvious. :

I did that once with my lawnmower.  Not the best feeling in the world upon finding out.
                 hugs,  Brandi

[Nebraska]

So Thursday I took a few medium Red Cedars out of a farm grove that were in the way of a  cattle shed project.  The first one had a hollow stem about feet up so. I was nervous about how it would behave even with a good sized payloader helping. So I studied it a bit fueled my saws and got ready. I started cutting   a shallow bite of the opening face, at that point all good. 
Now I must point out that I had an audience consisting of the farmer (a friend I bought my second chainsaw I  ever owned  25 years ago he sold some  firewood back then) his daughter my veterinary technician and her brother in law, piloting the payloader...

So as I start on the back side of the tree, I am watching and listening  because  I figured with the hollow stem the tree's not going to behave real well, and as soon as it moves or makes a noise I'm out of there and the payloader will take it the rest of the way over, and I will trim up to solid wood. 
I had a path cleared to get back out of the way so all should be good.... The tree cracks a bit and I pull the saw out kill it and bolt backwards, then kind of catch my heal and bump the handle of the saw.... Well that finished the loosening process  of the fuel cap i failed to tighten well.  It dumps fuel across my crotch and down my leg. The tree stops moving so the payloader sends it on down  with a little force  and all is well. I look up and my tech and her dad are laughing at me because enough fuel leaked out,  well it sure looked like I p ssd  myself on the first tree.  The other 6 trees went down just fine and pretty much landed where I wanted them to. :

[WV Sawmiller]

   I'm sure glad I never forgot to tighten the fuel cap on my chainsaws. (Now I just wish I could say the same thing about that oil cap. : Did you know it is harder to wash bar oil out of your clothes than gas? ;))

[thecfarm]

WV Sawmiller, I won a Efco on here, 50cc. I worked that saw hard for 7 years? Never had any trouble with it, never even replaced the sprocket on it. The crank broke on it.  :(  But it will still run!! Just the chain don't move.
If there was adealer clsoe to me, I would of bought another. I bought a husky and that thing has been to the saw doctor 3 times in 4 years.

[KenMac]

  I'm sure glad I never forgot to tighten the fuel cap on my chainsaws. (Now I just wish I could say the same thing about that oil cap. : Did you know it is harder to wash bar oil out of your clothes than gas? ;))

Just as an after thought on this: A friend of mine spilled some gasoline in his basement once and wiped up the gas with his shop rags. Being kinda frugal, he washed them in his clothes washer and dried them in the dryer........until it blew up! Be careful with gassy rags.

[barbender]

I think oil caps loosen up from being overfilled, at least for me. You close the cap on that thick fluid and I think it builds a little pressure and backs it out. I've had them dump oil on me when I know darn well I screwed the cap on tight, but had overfilled it. 

[Andries]

That's how I give my boots a semi-regular oiling - keeps 'em supple. 😉

[firefighter ontheside]

I was on a brush fire once and fueled up the leaf blower I was using.  Put it back on my back and went back to work.  Luckily for me the fuel that was spilling out of the tank without its lid did not catch fire when I went back to the fireline.  The blower didn't work for long before it ran out of gas again.

[WV Sawmiller]

   I was on a clean up and organization kick this morning and stacked some of my stock Bluebird nest boxes on an overhead shelf. The boxes are about 2 bf (4- 1"X6" about 12" long) of rough leftover lumber with a 1' square top/cap that slips over the box once installed. I lifted the box about 2 feet then decided to spin it 180 degrees for better stacking. I had turned the box upside down to rest on the top. The nest box slipped out and fell backwards and dropped 2' right on to my gourd. Ouch! Glad I had my ball cap on. Wish I'd had my hard hat instead. :

BTW and before someone else makes the comment - the nest box survived intact. :D

[rusticretreater]

aha!  Bird brained!  8)

[aigheadish]

Years ago I was getting something from the garage when I had a waffle iron fall on my head. I don't know why but I still laugh when I think about it.

[WV Sawmiller]

Aig,

   It has been my experience that things like that are much funnier to watch happening to others than to experience myself. : :D

[trapper]

Last Saturday went to answer my cell phone laying on the kitchen table.   Knocked my jackknife off the table.  It landed on my big toe.  It was open.  Took my wife half a roll of paper towel to stop the bleeding...  Nice clean cut as it uses a scapple blade that is replicable. She is always telling me not to leave it open on the table.

[SawyerTed]

Howard, it is the worst when a bluebird box or other item hits the button on top of a ball cap!   Even an acorn will make a fellow see stars for a while.  

No need to ask how I know, but I KNOW!   :D

[WV Sawmiller]

Ted,

   I trust you completely so now I will not have to try to replicate that scenario and experience. :D

[Hilltop366]

First thing I do with a ball cap is remove the button.

[Don P]

The rain dance worked  8)



 
I was merrily ignoring the signs.
Happily just a rattle can rustoleum job but back to the box store.


I can't complain hearing other folks temperatures but it has been warm. So of course what breaks but the spring on a rollup door on the high tunnel, we've had the airflow problem! The new spring came yesterday... they make them per order the best I can tell. It arrived yesterday so we hit it this morning... and look at what they sent. He nicked it heavily while cutting the wire... and kept going. I'm getting the door up but, Un- believable.



 

[Rhodemont]

I finally purchased a set of pallet forks for the FEL on the tractor. I was home alone for couple days when the mount with skid steer quick connect arrived one day and the forks the next.  Then mount went on no problems.  The forks then had to be attached.  They go on in the center where there is a cut out in the slides for the bottom clamp.  Then they slide out to the position where you want them.  I raised the forks to waist height to adjust the position but had a tough time sliding them likely because of the paint on the slides.  So, I reached in behind one with my right arm and gave it a tug...nothing...did it again and it took off trapping my forearm up against one of the mount vertical stiffeners of the backing frame. It did not hurt much but just could not move. Well, here I stand, could not get my arm out.  Tried to move the fork and get out for 10 or 15 minutes with no success and each time I tried it hurt.  Finally I decided rather than gnaw my arm off I would suck it up , give the fork a hip check, and pull.
Got it out but it did not feel good.

[doc henderson]

It takes new forks a while to wear in.  then after years, mine started popping off with down pressure and tipping, so a welded a 1/4 in rod onto the top bottom, to make a nice slide surface and have it not pop off.

[Magicman]

Be absolutely certain that your forks have a high enough backstop or whatever that it is impossible to roll a log off of the back.