How about chainsaws?

General Lee 01 · April 14, 2002

I don't know why, but I want to talk chainsaws.

And I ain't talkin' about them wussie electric chainsaws niether!

So, what kind of chainsaws do you have. And for guys like me who haven't had the joy of operating a chainsaw, could you please explain to me how easy\difficult it is to operate one?

pacodiablo · April 14, 2002

u r so wierd general. i have some old craftsman chainsaw. i don't use it much, but i have it.

i learned the hard way with this one that gas does not stay good for 8 years

TheScaryGuy · April 14, 2002

general....your really searching here man.....

I've cut down some trees in my yard, couple 60ft'ers. I hate cottonwood trees.... I hate cottonwoods male or female trees period, Really pisses me off when those lil sticky fu*kers get on my truck. Or tires for that matter. I think our chainsaws are skil's. Cutting down big trees isn't any fun anywho.

chevy4x4trucks · April 14, 2002

C'mon general, lets start hitting up some other stuff. I don't have a chainsaw, and my lawn mower's nothing ot brag about. What else ya got?

HillHound · April 14, 2002

Whats wrong with chainsaws? Hey if it burns gas and makes noise you need one. I have three-an 18" Poulan, 14" Stihl and a real old Homelite with a 10" bar. The Homelite is so old it still has a metal cover but it starts right up. :ehh:

General-it's not really much "pleasure" to run one. They're loud, they vibrate bad, throw wood chips all over you and the 2-stroke exhaust stinks and burns your eyes. When I start cutting wood this spring I'll call you and you can saw 'til your hearts content!

MountaineerTom · April 15, 2002

Dad has some kind of big chainsaw, but I can't remember what kind it is. I do know that it's old. We spent MANY hours out in the woods in the spring and summer cutting firewood back in the 80's. What Ron said is pretty much true, from what I can remember. Can't remember much about the details of the chainsaw, but here's some of the results.

Ah, ol' green. :inlove:

'76 3/4 ton with a 350 auto.

Jpshostr · April 15, 2002

Our saw is a 14" Stihl, don't know how old it is, I'm guessing 6 years or so. Mainly use it in the wintertime to cut brush out of fencerows, as well during the rest of the year when storms knock down trees and limbs (why do they ALWAYS fall on a fence?). We also use it for sawing lumber when we aren't near electricity. Whole lot easier to fire up the chainsaw than drag the generator out to wherever.

And Hillhound, I agree with you. I hate running the chainsaw. Loud, dirty, vibratory, work that is just wears a guy out in no time if he doesn't do it for a living.

gandolphxx · April 15, 2002

What a bunch of wimps - what happened to good old fasion double sided axes and wedges - jeeesh

HillHound · April 15, 2002

What a bunch of wimps - what happened to good old fasion double sided axes and wedges - jeeesh

LOL! Gandolph I have a few of those too but I prefer my Dad's Briggs & Stratton powered hydraulic log splitter! It's a little easier on the back!

Little off subject:

Last a fall a guy I work with was splitting wood with a wedge and he nicked it with his sledge and it flew up and hit him in the mouth. Knocked out a few front teeth and required several stitches. He actually had to have pieces of his teeth picked out of his lips. This guy is about 6'3" 280lbs and a former bouncer at one of the local biker hangouts and he said he'd sure as h#ll never been punched that hard by another man . He looked like a special effects actor from that incident from a war movie for about week! :exclaim:

General Lee 01 · April 15, 2002

I'd be interested in seeing Paco's saw.

I'm willing to bet money it has either a gold or chrome chain on it.

HillHound · April 15, 2002

Tom,

BTW-does your dad still have "Old Green"?

MountaineerTom · April 15, 2002

Tom,
BTW-does your dad still have "Old Green"?

No, he doesn't have it any more. The 350 broke a piston several years ago, and he put a 327 in it that a friend gave him. For the last 10-15 years he had it, it was just used to do any rough work that needed to be done, so he didn't mess his '86 Dodge up, and to drive back and forth to work. Getting to the coal mines where he's worked at over the years was pretty rough on it. Some of the body mounts on the cab were rusting out, and I guess he didn't like driving those twisty mountain roads with the cab moving around. He ended up giving the whole truck to the guy who gave him the 327, so he could use for parts. Now he has an '84 GMC that he uses for the same purpose, but it's only a 1/2 ton, but 4x4. The '76 was 2WD.

You can see pics of all three trucks here: Dad's trucks

BTW, the '76 is what I got my license in. Hated to see it go.

sincityZ71 · April 16, 2002

So, does anyone wanna send me one of their chainsaws?? We had 65 mph constant winds with 75 - 85 mph gusts and well the big tree in our backyard didn't make it through the hurricane winds. Got a nice 20+ foot tree laying partly in the yard and on the wall, and a 3 foot hole in the ground. The tree didn't snap, it actually ripped up out of the ground, roots and all. :0 And of course this happens when dad is in Neb. Broke out the old axe to beat some of the branches, but that didn't go so well. Oh well...may have to swipe a chainsaw from work

WEFs99 · April 16, 2002

If your thinking of buying a saw, it all depends on what your going to use it for. A 14"-16" Poo-Lan is cheap ($120-140) and will do small trees, branches and help you build a deck. For bigger stuff, fast cutting and IMHO the toughest and most reliable, you can't beat a Stihl. Not cheap tho.