Chainsaw Maintenance

Saturday June 27, 2009
9:30-1:30
Chainsaws are one of our favorite tools because they free you! With a chainsaw you can selectively clear your woods of invasive species, you can mill your own lumber to build a house and then you can cut your own firewood to heat the house! Well we know not everyone is into all of that BUT a chainsaw is a pretty handy tool; the only trick is that it needs some maintenance and like every small engine there are a few key things to maintaining it. Of course you can find lots of how-to manuals for using and maintaining a saw but wouldn't it be great if you could have a couple of hours with somone who REALLY know what he's talking about? Pat Hennin will be offering his chainsaw maintenance and milling workshop, a four hour how-to on getting the MOST out of your chainsaw. In the preparation of the workshop we came up with a few key tips to ensuring that your engine purrs smoothly every time you haul on that pull-cord. And in the meantime here are a few elementary tips.

• mix your fuel carefully
• clean that air filter
• try to find ethonol free fuel (good luck) this alcohol destroys the fuel pump and fuel valves
• always keep your gas tank full between uses otherwise water vapor will get in and clog the carborator
• don'y buy a geen one because you'll never find it in the woods
• buy a chainsaw with a short bar you're less likely to cut off your feet; an 18-in. blade will easily cut a 36 in log
• bring your granberg saw sharpener into the woods with you it is the most pleasant place to sharpen your saw

Pat Hennin started using a chainsaw in earnest in about 1960 when he worked as a lumberjack in Idaho. He had a plot with selected trees for felling in the Targhee National Forest and spent three solid months working those woods. And has practiced tree surgery for 40 years using Mculloch, Homelites and Solo to the new Efco, Jonsered, Husquevarna, Stihl and more. Bring your saw to get very specific instruction.