08-12-2011, 07:43 AM
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any recomendadation for a chainsaw for icing? ive been asking around and some say that you dont need much hp to cut ice, smaller hp- saw is fine, and can add longer bar on small saw. any recomendations or things to avoid.
stef
My friend Stef shot this question to me as a PM, and I thought I'd throw it out on the forum in hopes of learning a bit more about saws, and helping Stef to get more/better opionions. I did a lot of reasearch before spending $1400+ on my new Huskavarna. I dont think there are any big high end chainsaws ( Stihl, Huskavarna, Johnsarud,) actually manufactured here (in the US, no real surprise there anymore) the smaller Stihls are but their big saws are made in Germany. Both Huski and Johnsarud are made in Huskavarna Sweden. Saws seem to be very regional, it makes sense, what is for sale in your area is what people own. Stihl is probably the most popular brand here where Huskavarna is much more popular with the loggers in the UP.
The last few years I used a McCulloh PM 605 (I seem to recall 3.4 cu. in and the same for HP) with a 28" bar for icing and a 20" bar for cutting wood, it served me well for more the 25 years and still does just fine at both. 28" was the longest bar (8" longer then maximum rated) I could find to fit my McCulloh, and she did ice just fine with the rakers ground, although with the bumper teeth stabbed into the ice (and when your leaning into it) you could tell she was working for a living. The bar was an oregon afterrmarket bar, McCulloh went belly up some years back and has since reopened but without parts for the older saws, but you can still find (most parts) on the internet. I agree Stef you dont need as much HP cutting ice as you do wood, especially hardwood, and I think going above recommended bar length, cutting wood is likely to age the saw. I have ground the rakers (all of 75%) and it seems to cut faster, in ice, but have been cautioned against using a modified chain cutting hardwood, you only need to search chainsaw accidents pics to see what kickback/busted chain can do to your face, YIKES!
I think 28" is a good length for icing, it would of been fine all last winter, least the lakes we jumped, never saw more the 25-26", but ice can get too thick for that where you need to make second cut, after chiseling out the first block and still seeing hard water (you can see an example of that with Nate (taking a break
), and his dog Neo in a hole from the icing challenge, that is going to slow you down) Most saw manufactores specs are for powerhead weight only, no bar or chain, the main clomplaint from those running big powerhead saws (above 6HP or so) is they get real heavy to hold, and I agree, you can tell the Huski at 7.1 HP is only ideling compared to the McCulloh at 3.4 HP cutting the same ice, but if I had to walk across the ice, oh, grab the McCulloh. Although I dont agree with just going with a 36-48" bar either. If you pierce the block all the way thru you bring up a lot of water for both your saw and clutch to deal with, but also the divers to deal with, so I tend to make a cut of about 8-10" at a pass, so the only "wet cut" is the final pass. The longer the bar the more shoulder you have to put into it as you loose your leverage so far from the tip, unless you stab the bumper spikes into the ice and pry with the blade instead, (typically what I do, by the 5th hole of the day), but then your back to piercing the block and all the water mess. We no longer auger corner holes, as it makes for more wet cuts and if your careful to not overcut at the bottom (by bring the blade vertical when your close to the cut from the other sides) of the ice block you dont have much of a line trap issue. We auger and drop a camera to check depth and bottom consistancy, then I just take a tape measure to check ice thickness, and I've marked every 4" on my blade (with a permanent marker) to keep from piercing all the way thru.
I had too many issues with vegatable oil choking up my bar oil pump so I went back to regular chain oil with the volume adjustment cranked all the way back. I went with heated handles/ carb. on my new saw but in cutting holes in less then a min. ohhh, theres NO chance there warming up. I cut a neighbors big elm down this summer and you start to feel the warmth thru reg. leather work gloves after about, say 20 min. so the handles actually warm up about the time you need to take a break anyway.
I think if you could find an older bigger saw in good shape, (like young Joe did) that would be the way to go the new ones are pretty riduculous in price today, and I dont think their built as well. I paid $239 for my McCulloh new, long ago, and as long as you could still get parts she's probably got another 25 years left in her. Dont think 25 years from now I want to carry my Huski, least not too far. Heres a couple pics of the old and new saws.
The icing season isn't too far off if you'd like to try my McCulloh or my Huski your welcome to. Hope this helps! Take care Stef.
any recomendadation for a chainsaw for icing? ive been asking around and some say that you dont need much hp to cut ice, smaller hp- saw is fine, and can add longer bar on small saw. any recomendations or things to avoid.
stef
My friend Stef shot this question to me as a PM, and I thought I'd throw it out on the forum in hopes of learning a bit more about saws, and helping Stef to get more/better opionions. I did a lot of reasearch before spending $1400+ on my new Huskavarna. I dont think there are any big high end chainsaws ( Stihl, Huskavarna, Johnsarud,) actually manufactured here (in the US, no real surprise there anymore) the smaller Stihls are but their big saws are made in Germany. Both Huski and Johnsarud are made in Huskavarna Sweden. Saws seem to be very regional, it makes sense, what is for sale in your area is what people own. Stihl is probably the most popular brand here where Huskavarna is much more popular with the loggers in the UP.
The last few years I used a McCulloh PM 605 (I seem to recall 3.4 cu. in and the same for HP) with a 28" bar for icing and a 20" bar for cutting wood, it served me well for more the 25 years and still does just fine at both. 28" was the longest bar (8" longer then maximum rated) I could find to fit my McCulloh, and she did ice just fine with the rakers ground, although with the bumper teeth stabbed into the ice (and when your leaning into it) you could tell she was working for a living. The bar was an oregon afterrmarket bar, McCulloh went belly up some years back and has since reopened but without parts for the older saws, but you can still find (most parts) on the internet. I agree Stef you dont need as much HP cutting ice as you do wood, especially hardwood, and I think going above recommended bar length, cutting wood is likely to age the saw. I have ground the rakers (all of 75%) and it seems to cut faster, in ice, but have been cautioned against using a modified chain cutting hardwood, you only need to search chainsaw accidents pics to see what kickback/busted chain can do to your face, YIKES!
I think 28" is a good length for icing, it would of been fine all last winter, least the lakes we jumped, never saw more the 25-26", but ice can get too thick for that where you need to make second cut, after chiseling out the first block and still seeing hard water (you can see an example of that with Nate (taking a break
), and his dog Neo in a hole from the icing challenge, that is going to slow you down) Most saw manufactores specs are for powerhead weight only, no bar or chain, the main clomplaint from those running big powerhead saws (above 6HP or so) is they get real heavy to hold, and I agree, you can tell the Huski at 7.1 HP is only ideling compared to the McCulloh at 3.4 HP cutting the same ice, but if I had to walk across the ice, oh, grab the McCulloh. Although I dont agree with just going with a 36-48" bar either. If you pierce the block all the way thru you bring up a lot of water for both your saw and clutch to deal with, but also the divers to deal with, so I tend to make a cut of about 8-10" at a pass, so the only "wet cut" is the final pass. The longer the bar the more shoulder you have to put into it as you loose your leverage so far from the tip, unless you stab the bumper spikes into the ice and pry with the blade instead, (typically what I do, by the 5th hole of the day), but then your back to piercing the block and all the water mess. We no longer auger corner holes, as it makes for more wet cuts and if your careful to not overcut at the bottom (by bring the blade vertical when your close to the cut from the other sides) of the ice block you dont have much of a line trap issue. We auger and drop a camera to check depth and bottom consistancy, then I just take a tape measure to check ice thickness, and I've marked every 4" on my blade (with a permanent marker) to keep from piercing all the way thru.I had too many issues with vegatable oil choking up my bar oil pump so I went back to regular chain oil with the volume adjustment cranked all the way back. I went with heated handles/ carb. on my new saw but in cutting holes in less then a min. ohhh, theres NO chance there warming up. I cut a neighbors big elm down this summer and you start to feel the warmth thru reg. leather work gloves after about, say 20 min. so the handles actually warm up about the time you need to take a break anyway.
I think if you could find an older bigger saw in good shape, (like young Joe did) that would be the way to go the new ones are pretty riduculous in price today, and I dont think their built as well. I paid $239 for my McCulloh new, long ago, and as long as you could still get parts she's probably got another 25 years left in her. Dont think 25 years from now I want to carry my Huski, least not too far. Heres a couple pics of the old and new saws.
The icing season isn't too far off if you'd like to try my McCulloh or my Huski your welcome to. Hope this helps! Take care Stef.