New to wood cutting - How to maintain a chainsaw

Hey guys I am new to cutting and this forum. I recently purchased a wood stove century cw2900 and a chainsaw Stihl 029. I am wondering if you guys could give me some advice on how to properly maintain my chainsaw while out cutting wood. IE: chain tightness, chain lubrication, best cutting practices, pretty much anything you would teach your son about wood cutting. Thanks guys!

 

Welcome to the site. The link has some good info to get you started. The Stihl Manual that came with your same (if you got it new), has some good points. This site has tons of info though, enjoy.

http://www.oregonproducts.com/pro/pdf/maintenance_manual/ms_manual.pdf

 

Hey Allen, welcome aboard.
Is the stove installed?
Lots of better teachers on chainsaws here than me, so I'm sure they'll be along soon.
Generally speaking, where in Cali are you? Hopefully, the wood you get your hands on will be dry enough to burn well this winter.

 

This guy jumps around a lot but includes at least a first look at maintenance.


This set is quite useful for a quick overview of chainsaw use.

 

Keep your saw clean. Take a couple minutes to blow it down with compressed air after each use.

Clean the air filter after every couple tanks. Just remove it and give it a light tap on a tree or something. Gentle compressed air from the inside out every so often is a good habit too.

As for tightness I was always taught "no sag no drag". You should be able to pull the chain down in the center of the bar and fit a dime between the bar rail and the strap.

Most important thing to a saw is learning how to keep it sharp and know when it gets dull. A dull saw is dangerous...just like a dull knife. When you get "dust" intend of "chips: that's the first sign of a dull chain.

Plenty of good reading on how to sharpen a chain here.

 

Never use the tip of your bar until you know and understand kick back, never let your tip hot anything. Always have both hands on the saw.
If you do not know what or when you will be using the saw again drain all the gas and start the saw until it dies and all fuel is out of the carb.
Try and use only e free gas. Use good 2 stroke oil. Full synthetic like stihls ultra, dolmar full synthetic , red armor, there are many others but I would stay away from outboard oil or just some generic gas station brand for anything 2 stroke oil.
Learn how to sharpen your chain.
See if you can find someone near you that cuts firewood that you could tag along with. You are welcome to come help me cut firewood and I will teach you everything I know. (Should take about 10 min) lol

 

Keep your left thumb wrapped under the handle...so if it kicks back your hand won't slip. If you wrap your thumb over the top it could slip off in a kickback sitiation.

I would watch a video of kickback...then when you know what it is make it happen when you are good and ready for it....so you know what it feels like and don't freak out when it happens for real.

Keep your left arm straight and elbow locked when cutting....as much as you can.

Keep your feet clear. Always have a clear escape rout when falling a tree. . ..and use the chain break when walking with a running saw.

 

Welcome
Lots of good advise above.

Watch the chip size the saw throws out when the chain is sharp & feel how the saw pulls into the cut.
When the chips start to get small & the saw don't pull a hard into the cut sharpen the chain.

Watch the bottom of the bar & chain, if you see the chain drooping away from the bar, tighten the chain.

Above all, keep your head in the game when running the saw :
good solid, square to the cut footing,
watch for pinch points,
2 hands on the saw.
Apply the brake when walking & moving around with a running saw.
Should use almost all the oil with a full tank of gas.
Remove the chain & bar clean & inspect it at the end of the day (check/clean the oil port on the bar)

 

Remember that a new chain stretches faster than an old one and check the tension frequently especially after you put on a new chain. I had been running a chain for a while and got complacent with checking tension- I checked it, but just at the beginning of the tank and ran it without worry. Put on a new chain, tightened it a few times in a small number of cuts and went back to my old ways. It got loose and threw the chain. Into my crotch.

Which leads to point 2: all the protective gear, all the time.

 

Also if you are going to be felling trees don't be afraid to takesome photos and ask advice some situations can be alot more dangerous than they look. Holow trees, leaners, branches. A lot to keep a lookout for so please ask.
Being out in the timber can be a very fun and relaxing time don't get rushed and enjoy the timber.
Just an FYI I will look at a tree at least 4 different times before I drop it just to make sure I am not over looking things. I also clear alot of the under growth in the process of planning. However I am doing more than just firewood collection I am trying to make sure that the property will have a revenue source for my grandchildren.

 

Lots of good advice above ! Fresh fuel ( use a stabilizer ) ,clean saw ,sharp ,correctly tensioned chain (try to carry a spare ) . Use a decent 2 cycle oil (made for air cooled engines ,not tcw3 ) at 50-1 minimum . PPE is highly recommended .( eye ,ear ,foot and leg protection ) Learn to file chain .
Most of all respect the saw ,but don't be afraid of it ,and enjoy the experience .
Welcome to FHC !!

 

Also a second small saw can be very useful. Something in the 40cc range is great for smaller stuff, less fatiguing, and great if you pick a bar you have a second saw to cut it out.
Here is a video of how I check to see if a tree is hollow.

 

If your walking around with the saw running its a good idea to set the chain brake, or turn off the saw. Never know when a stumble might bump the throttle wile you are falling into the saw.....

 

But a maintenance tip, keep it clean and run fresh fuel. If your fuel go's 2 months, dump it in your car and get new. Your car and your saw will love it. Use quality 2 stroke oil and keep bar oil in it, any bar oil is better than none. The fuel lines will eat chit in 3-4 years with our wonderful ethanol so when you can get it to start but not run that should be your first thought...

And last but not least, KEEP SHARP CHAINS. If you don't want to learn to sharpen buy a few spares and find a good shop to clean them up.

 

I can't add too much to what's already been mentioned, except that your saw requires tuning for different altitudes and conditions. I'm assuming you got it used? Learn what the factory settings are, and you're probably safe setting them there until you know what to listen for. But you should learn how to tune it too.

Splurge on a brand new chain so you know what that's like, and get something to sharpen both chains when it's time. It doesn't hurt to have a backup in case you hit some metal, or get the saw pinched.

I wouldn't go felling trees right away, but there's a book called "To Fell a Tree", by Jeff Jepson, which I thoroughly enjoyed when I was first starting out gathering my own wood. It covers all the basics, including chainsaw maintenance, proper techniques for cutting wood, and felling trees in many situations. There's great advice to be found in "The Wood Pile" forum on this site as well.

Welcome to the club!

 

Wow thank you all for your awesome advice! I will watch all the videos you guys have shared! My first learning experience with this saw was that I shouldn't have bought it used, engine was blown up, so that's a bummer but what can I do, its mine, so I found a brand new 49mm motor that I am going to put in it, so that's exciting! My father in law has an almond orchard that has a bunch of trees that need to be taken down, so that should more than supply me with wood to store for next year, as of this year I have yet to find to much dry wood to burn. We did install the wood stove about a week ago, it runs pretty great but we are still trying to figure out the best most efficient way to use it. I bought a brand new spare chain for the saw. I see harbor freight sales an electric chain saw blade sharpener, has anyone had any luck with this?

 

Sounds like a female chain, not enough attention and wham Glad you are safe

 

This is just my opinion ,so no offense to anyone that likes them ,but , save your money for a better grinder . You can get a much better grinder for around $100-150 (TSC ,RuralKing ) . In the meantime ,get the Stihl sharpening kit ,and the Stihl FG1 file guide . Learning to hand file is not difficult ,and it comes in handy in the field .

 

For a lot less money than a grinder you could buy this style hand filing tool. Using this style you could have a very sharp chain in 5 or 10 minutes.
2 in 1 Filing Guide & Saw Chain Sharpener