Gloom, despair and agony on me...

Hey gang! Help me figure out this saw issue. My Stihl MS180c is running good....choke it...it idles great and when I place it on my cut target it won't bite...it's not aggressive and it takes 20 seconds to go through a dead 8" round! The chips look ok. I thought my chain was on backwards....switched it around... no that was stupid but had to check. Dull? I just had the chain sharpened....so I took it to the "guy" at the shop. He resharpened the chain. Fiddered around and said my engine was going loose from the plastic housing...I said why would that affect the cutting...it might vibrate ( which it doesn't). So I tried it in front of the" young man" and he said looks like my chain oil wasn't coating the chain. Well I recognize oil when I see it and the chain was glistening...he said it should throw enough to be seen on the log. He said he'd keep it and look at it...$30. to look. I said I'd take her home and investigate myself and ask the "community"....so community lay it on me....

 

I’d start by checking the raker depth. Lay a straight edge from the point of a tooth to another. What’s the gap from the raker to the straight edge?

 

Ahhhh....here ya go

 

That chain needs help, sorry to say. The teeth on the top of the bar are leaning back, and one on the bottom appears to be leaning forward. I circled the problematic teeth in red, and the one "okay" looking one in green. It also looks like there are some broken teeth...
Sharp chain on any saw is paramount.

 

I agree. Good spotting. Now I need an explanation as to why this chain came back from the shop sharpened like this. I just put this resharpened chain on and it's not old....first time being sharpened.

 

This is why i try to do everything myself anymore if possible. Or figure i different way to do it.

Your original post makes me question the guy when all he did was come up with excuses. Good on you for being smart enough to not fall for that.

It sounds like he would've fixed everything else besides his misharpened chain and you would've had a big bill. Maybe he would've figured out it was his chain sharpening after "fixing" everything else. Then you'd have paid for him to learn he wasn't perfect.

My point being is...... learn to do it yourself or find a competent small engine shop.

 

I recommend a Stihl 2 in 1 sharpening tool.

 

Yeah... that's not going to cut well at all.

 

To piggyback off what Jeffrey Svoboda said, check out this pinned thread on chain sharpening:
Chain sharpening tutorial.
There's a gold mine of information in there. Get yourself a few good 5/32" round files (for this particular low profile picco chain)and have a go at it. That chain is so trashed that you couldn't make it any worse anyway

 

Now for the rest of the story...couple years ago my Pittsburgh summer neighbors bought an identical Stihl to do occasional yard work. They called me over asking me to explain how to start it and the proper mix for gas/oil. I sensed hesitation. She was a sweet clean new model...mine being 15 years old but still good for me. Well I came home from that "shop" the other day and thought....wonder what they did with that nice saw? They are great neighbors...we look out for each other...I said I'd give them $200 if they wanted to sell it and get something they could handle...try are retired...guess what my new ( never used) Xmas gift to me is?

 

My buddy brought his ms250 over today. Chain was absolutely useless as it was. I used my 2 in 1 on it and this is the result in hard seasoned maple.

 

Cool deal. I like those small saws.

 

Congrats on the new saw...welcome back scavenger!

 

I was tickled to death that she said ok. And finally...can anyone finish the song that I started with this thread title?

 

I can finish it

 

The stage is yours...

 

Heck. I’ll bite

Gloom, despair and agony on me.
Deep, Dark Depression,
excessive misery.
If it weren't for bad luck, I'd
have no luck at all.
Gloom, despair and agony on me.


Loading up the Lopi
Mike in Okla

 

I hope when eatonpcat wakes up tomorrow he's not mad at drinkinpcat for committing him to a sharpening session

 

HEE HAW hee hee, hee hee, hee haw