After doing a search on the homepage with no specific results on this subject. I will probably get a verbal lashing for posting this, however here goes. For those members that have 10 – 15 or more chainsaws how do you prepare your saws for storage in the off season. Also how do you decide on which saw to rotate into service. Then there is the subject of keeping the chains in some sort of order by specific saw /bar length. So lets hear it from those members out there with their suggestions
I run them dry if they will sit for more than 4-6 months.. chains can hang from nails on the wall with one nail for each variation. I tend to have my go to, all purpose saw and then fire up the others on an as needed basis depending on what or where I am cutting.
I have 3, non-pro saws. All the same length, same chain. I can be cutting anytime of the year. I'll use one saw until it runs dry. Then grab a different one. Use it until it runs empty, then use my 3rd one. I just keep cycling through. This way, if one saw needs some TLC, I still have dependable saws to use, as needed.
I only have 2 saws, but I have around 10 small engines. I just run them dry. If it's going to be 6-8 months before I pull them out again, I will bring them into the basement. I think some people recommend to put oil on the spark plug too.
A quick count came up w/ 14. I keep pump gas in all of em. Not eth free either. The mix oils I use (Echo RA mostly) have stabilizers that are good for up to 2 years. I do get them out at least once a year and make some cuts and add fresh fuel. Bar size is directly related to cc. 36cc = 16” n/k, stock 50cc = 18”, ported 50cc (X2)= 16”-18”, ported 56.5cc = 20”, ported 65cc = 24”, stock 65cc = 20”, ported 94cc = 28”/42”. All personal preference imo. Edit: my ope that runs straight gas, for storage, get run dry of fuel or get run w/ Stabil. I’ve not had any fuel system related issues, ever.
I cut year round. I have my go to saws and will run the less used ones on occasion just to keep them fresh. I have recently started storing the saws with the bars removed so just a powerhead. Ill grab a bar or two depending on what size wood im cutting. Most bars stored in scabbards with chain. Extra chains in go along tool box. I have 20, 22, 25, 28, & 36" bars for .375. 16 & 20" for .325, 12 &14" for top handle & limbing saws.
I don't do anything either. and my off season could be a year or more. But I did do a seafoam topend treatment on a parts saw I keep. I just took the plug out and sprayed the living snot out of it, put the plug back and put it back on the shelf. No idea how well it's working TBH. Only reason I used what I did was my brother gave me a can of what he had left from doing his jetskis. Otherwise I probably wouldn't have done that.
Great pic! Family GTG outdoors. Whats next on your CAD list? Would it be easier to start the first one and by the time you start the last the first runs out of gas?
Lol, yep! But I don’t run em dry. Tell ya what though, if you can start all these saws @ the same time you’ll have my kudos! I couldn’t (There were still 2 more in the basement). Saved the Poulan and Pioneer for last and I was out of steam. That big ole bugger is a beast to get running. Feels like an old locomotive or something. Choke on, off, on, trigger some fuel for a pull, choke off... you get the idea, lol. Had to come back to those two at the end of the day. Guess I’m getting old? Next? I have too many already! I’d like to thin the herd and the 592 sounds very interesting. But doubtful. I’d like an old skool 288 or a 371(or 372xpg).
I don't have an off season, but I only have five saws so I guess it's not a problem for me. I use them all. I usually take min. of 3 and 4 saws to the woods with me, every time I go, unless they are too dull at the moment. Sometimes I don't even take fuel with me, if I am not going to cut over a couple of hours, I just switch to the next saw when I run out of fuel, or I hit something and dull the chain or throw a chain, it minimizes my down time in the field, and I work on the saws, back at the shop, when I am ready to tackle it. I don't store anything dry, never have, much. I don' use stabilizers either. I just haven't had to, although, I am thinking I better check on one of my Harley's as I have not started it in about 5 or 6 months. It needed a battery last fall and I just never replaced it. I don't ride as much as I used to.
With 25 saws I'm not going to get to really run them all every year. So once a year I get the saws that sit most of the time, and let them idle for a good 15 minutes with Yamalube and Efree in the tank, and let them run dry and empty the oil tank out. This loads them up with a good amount of oil inside, wets all the surfaces and heat cycles them. The saws a use regularly get no special treatment, and I wouldn't let an AT or Mtronic saw idle that long, messes up the fuel settings.
