chainsaws and tips for your camping trip

Introduction

a chainsaw can be a very important tool for a camper, not only for processing firewood (if permitted), but more importantly, to remove fallen trees and branches which may block your vehicle, especially after strong winds
most campers now are electing to go for smaller, much more quiet, electric chain saws which although not having the same capabilities as petrol ones, are able to do most tasks well - as long as your battery is charged
you need special chainsaw lubrication oil for the chain - this is added to the reservoir
you need to adjust the chain tension
you need to sharpen the chain when it becomes blunt using a chainsaw sharpener tool

in general, you cannot collect firewood in National Parks even for camp fires, unless otherwise specified
- fallen trees are important wildlife habitats and are a critical component of the ecology
you are NOT permitted to cut down a standing tree in a forest without a permit
- illegal “logging” should be reported
- when purchasing firewood, avoid purchasing from those who may have obtained it illegally - our forests are important!
many areas have restrictions on firewood collection which are often seasonal although these restrictions generally apply to collection for domestic use and do not appear to apply to campers needing to stay warm
- see https://www.ffm.vic.gov.au/firewood/find-a-firewood-collection-area
- roadside collections for domestic firewood are often banned by councils for “safety” reasons and presumably councils have arrangements for commercial harvesting of such firewood
- it seems most camping groups believe “domestic firewood collections” is a different entity to collecting firewood for your campfire to keep you safe but it is seemingly impossible to find a distinction online (apart from National Parks where generally all firewood collection is banned whether for campfires or domestic purposes)

Electric chainsaws

quiet, compact, less messy and you don't have to struggle pulling on the cord and doing your back in
no fuel flooding issues
18V battery models
- DeWalt 30cm DCM565N-XE
  - costs around $AU300 skin only (no battery or charger) but can often get the battery and charger included at around that price
  - new chains cost ~$A39
  - have a tendency to leak oil from the reservoir but is a great compact unit - buy a third party bag for it with enough room for battery and bottle of oil
- Makita 11.5cm
- Makita 25cm
- 2x 18V batteries = 36V
  - Makita 36V 30cm
  - Makita 36V 35cm
  - Makita 36V 40cm ~$AU800 with 2 batteries and a charger
40V models
- Greenworks 40V 40cm
54-60V battery models
- DeWalt 54V FlexVolt 45cm
- DeWalt 54V FlexVolt 50cm ~$AU600 skin only
- Ego 56V 30cm
- Ego 56V 40cm
- Ego 56V 45cm
- Ego 56V 50cm
- Greenworks 60V 40cm ~$AU600 with battery and charger

How to use a chainsaw safely

ensure there is adequate lubricating oil in the reservoir
ensure the chain is at correct tension
- if it is too loose, you risk derailing your chain which will destroy the chain and risk it whipping around and hitting you with some serious injuries resulting
- if it is too tight, the compressive pressure on the ends of the bar becomes excessive which will wear out the tip of the bar of the sprocket
- usual method to adjust the chain tension (see manufacturer's instructions in case yours is different)
  - loosen the bar nuts slightly so you can tilt the bar up - this is the position you want to adjust the chain tension in and to tighten the bar nuts when finished (as this is the bar position during chain sawing as pressing down on the timber will push it up no matter how tight the bar nuts are)
  - then adjust the chain tension screw or know so that the bottom chain is sitting in the bar groove
  - then tighten the bar nuts with the bar tip maintained tilted upwards
  - see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxgQSPQeYYM
wear protective gear
- eye protection
- gloves
- ear muffs
ensure safe environment
- no kids or pets around
- no distractions
- no snakes
- no electric wires or other wires or rope that may be inadvertently cut
don't use the chainsaw above your head height
ensure your cut will not result on anything falling onto you or others
avoid the blade contacting hard surfaces such as rocks or ground while it is running
- choosing an elevated tree branch is preferable to one lying flat on the ground
- take care when angling the blade that the tip does not hit the ground

How to sharpen a chainsaw chain

wear gloves and eye protection
you will need a file the same size as your chainsaw teeth to ensure you maintain the “hook” of the tooth
you will need a file guide to ensure:
- you file the correct part of the tooth and not too deep or file off the hook
- you file at the correct angle
  - file should be 90deg angle to the bar
  - file should be pointing away from the engine of the chainsaw for each of the left and right sided teeth (ie. “file forwards”)
  - select the correct file guide angle to the tooth
    - it is important that you use the same angle on all the teeth
    - line up the bar with the line on the file guide
files only file in the forward direction - lift file off rather than filing both ways
ensure chain tension is correct so the tooth doesn't move excessively
preferably have something such as a bench vice to hold the bar (and still allow the chain to freely rotate), this allows you to use two hands on the file
keep filing tooth until it looks sharp and repeat for the other side teeth
check the height of the rakers (the knobs that precede each tooth blade) to ensure they are not too high (very little wood gets cut and wood chips are small or even powdery), or too low (too much wood gets cut resulting in jamming)
- the correct height is also determined by whether you are cutting hard wood or soft wood
- check the wood chips, if they are very small, you need to file it down
- use a flat raker file to file these down as needed - only 2 strokes of the file and then re-check the wood chips
- if you file it down too much you will need a new chain
see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GIxowey6IQ

flip the bar every 2-3 sharpenings to ensure an even wear of the bar

Chainsaw cutting logs crooked

potential causes:
- uneven wear of the bar rails (this is the most common cause)
  - if one of the rails is higher than the other, the chain will be angled
  - if the bar won't stand up on a flat level surface then this suggests uneven rail heights
  - repair by grinding the rails (wear leather gloves and eye protection) either with a:
    - grinder that can ensure it is perpendicuar
    - an axe file ensuring file is perpendicular to the bar
    - special bar “dresser”
  - if the top of the bar is more even, then flip the bar
- chain has been sharpened incorrectly
- chain has too much space inside the bar guide allowing excessive sideways floppiness:
  - you may have the wrong size chain driver size fitted for the gauge of your bar which allows the chain to flop to the side a bit
  - guide groove of the bar is worn making it too wide for the chain and allows the chain to flop to the side a bit
    - compare the top vs bottom of the bar for chain sideways wriggle - if bottom is too loose, flip the bar
    - if both sides are too lose, buy a new bar
see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgCZxee2NPA

Table of Contents

chainsaws and tips for your camping trip

Introduction

Electric chainsaws

How to use a chainsaw safely

How to sharpen a chainsaw chain

Chainsaw cutting logs crooked