My Chainsaw Gear - Ask Matt #6

This time I share what I have in my chainsaw gear collection. I show my two primary saws, what I keep in my chainsaw box, and my chainsaw mill.
This is the sixth episode of my Ask Matt series where I answer broader topic questions. If you have an idea for a topic for a future episode, please let me know.
Links:
Labonville Chainsaw Chaps: amzn.to/1z0pnmq
Where I get my acccessories (bars, chain, wedges, etc):
www.baileysonline.com/
Panther Mill: pantherpros.com/
Instagram: / mattcremona
Twitter: / mattcremona
Facebook: / mattcremonaww
Email Me: [e-mail]
All About My Workbench: • My Split Top Roubo Woo...
Slabbing White Oak Logs: • Slabbing White Oak Log...

[@francisbarnett]

Your comment about repairing saws is very true, I found a Stihl 280 on a scrap pile and replaced the cylinder, piston and rings and works fine now, plus the learning experience was really enjoyable.

[@mcremona]

Francis Barnett Thank you, Francis! I've done a rebuild too. I was surprised how relatively easy it was. I'm glad I did it because I learned so much.

[@michaelhaddan1965]

Nice rundown. Just got an old Stihl MS290 with same clutch problem yours had; will be more confident to take the rebuild on now. Thanks!

[@toddnaplestileguy]

I love how you share this most helpful info with us all,Thank you for being so selfless

[@mcremona]

+Todd Naples thanks Todd!

[@Robbiethewoodturner]

Really nice set up Matt

[@spitmask]

I love all your videos about milling lumber. I bought a panthermill 2 today. Can't wait! I free hand most of my bowl blanks but this will help getting them perfect and maybe sell some slabs too. Thanks again for your videos

[@mcremona]

Stephen Steffey Awesome! It's a great mill. I'm sure you'll love it and I'm sure you'll love making slabs as well.

[@stevecollins9450]

Well done, Matt! I've had one of those chain saw tools for at least 20 years but had no idea what it was made for until you showed yours.

[@mcremona]

Steve Collins hahaha! Thanks Steve! I'm glad I could help :)

[@ConstructIcon]

I have just about the exact same set up accept I have two echo chainsaws. My mill hasn't got much use but can't wait til the spring to truly break it in! Thanks for sharing.

[@mcremona]

Construct Icon It's going to be a fun spring :)

[@NicholasGomez]

Thanks for the info!! This is on my bucket list this year - chainsaw milling lumber.

[@mcremona]

Nicholas Gomez It's going to be fun :)

[@nordyfamily]

Great stuff, thanks

[@TheShavingWoodWorkshop]

Really nice set up, everything in one location ....just pick it up and go. Great video Matthew.

[@mcremona]

The ShavingWood Workshop Thank you Tommy!

[@damienmckinley8871]

Chainsaw stump vice is handy, for out in the woods.😊

[@simonwhite1380]

Been binging your videos. Great stuff! You should have more subs... Great tips in here. How long have you been doing this? How long did your shop take to amass?

[@sojourn1544]

Really cool box.....I want one!!

[@Ukidlele]

Thanks Matt! I too have many saws and a setup box that is filled very similar to yours. Only difference is my saws are Husqvarna. My next purchase is a mill as I have access to some eucalyptus trees about 28" at the base. Really enjoy the "in the woods" videos.

[@mcremona]

That's awesome! Milling is a lot of fun. You'll love it :) Thank you!

[@whitewolf8758]

Awesome! I picked up a stihl .028 with a 18 inch bar on mispelled auctions for $50 a couple years ago and got a hell of a deal on this saw. Needless to say tbe seller was not happy as no one else was bidding on this super clean saw only because he spelled stihl wrong. I have cut alot of wood with it and its still going strong! Good show matt!

[@mcremona]

Lucky find. Well lucky for you that is :)

[@ZacHiggins]

Really awesome topic Matt, I know nothing about chainsaws so it's really interesting to learn more. Makes me want to buy one and go cut some logs up!

[@mcremona]

Zac Higgins I used to know nothing about chainsaw but then I fell down that hole lol Thanks Zac!

[@Theallis1961]

I enjoyed this video. I cut a lot of wood myself and it was nice to see the kind of equipment you useI would like the see more of your shop especially your dust collector system.

[@mcremona]

David Farris Thank you David! If you haven't seen them already, My Shop Tour: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ooHQZ3-Bl56bbc0 and a video about my dust collection: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qX-rlGlrbseMe68

[@corebin54]

hey matt funny we have the same 2 mains saws I have a 460mag and 026 did you happen to make a video when you rebuilt the 026?

[@15buckeye15]

I use my chainsaws around the property all the time but never dreamed about walking around with a 28" bar on mine. Awesome thought about having extra nuts on hand. I think I'll order a couple just for that reason. Another informative video Matt, keep up the great work. Thanks!

[@mcremona]

Thank you! That big saw with the 28" bar will wear you out quickly :)

[@rickynance2506]

I very much so like watching your videos. I work as a finished carpenter by day and watch you tube videos by night .woodworking is a passion of mine which makes me breathe woodworking or sawdust as the case maybe . we all appreciate your effort making these videos

[@mcremona]

Ricky Nance Thank you so much, Ricky! I really appreciate that!

[@DemasShopforEverything]

Definetly don't want to lose your nuts in the woods, glad u carry a spare just in case 😂

[@mcremona]

***** hahaha!

[@josephfiori9676]

what do you think about echo chainsaws and what made you get a stihl I hear their hard to start?

[@walterrider9600]

thank you

[@dpmeyer4867]

thanks

[@JimCoogan_CoogansWorkshop]

Thanks Matt. I need to take a look at the Panther 2 mill. Every winter we get high winds and trees go down. I would be nice to be able to mill the stuff where it falls. I have one of the Stihl pro saws and love it. There's is a place right near me that make custom chains are they do excellent work. Turns out they are cheaper than going to the saw dealer too.

[@mcremona]

Jim Coogan That would be awesome. You'd love it! I've been thinking about buying spools of chain and making my own loops lately. I just have to get over the start up cost lol Thanks Jim!

[@kayaman169]

I have a feeling that I got you fired up about chainsaws after I tweeted that picture of my 880 with the alaskan mill. No walnuts down here in South Florida though.. You've definitely inspired me to comb craigslist for downed trees again. Thanks for uploading!

[@mcremona]

kayaman169 Oh yes. Very much so. I went out and cut some firewood just so I could run my saws for a bit. An 880 is going to be added to my collection some day :) Craigslist is great for finding trees that are getting cut down. I check daily.

[@MikeMerzke]

Thanks for sharing! I hope to eventually get into harvesting my own lumber.

[@mcremona]

Mike Merzke You'll love it!

[@MikeMerzke]

I'm sure... I just need to start collecting the tools!

[@AdventuresInDIY]

Great overview of your gear! What I got from this is know yourself...know your nuts.

[@mcremona]

hahhhaha! Thanks Chris! ;)

[@keenanhosking659]

Nice tool box

[@anglingarborist3343]

with a 46, and a 26, you can tackle pretty much any tree in america with a little bit of fancy cutting. Good choices.

[@mcremona]

Angling Arborist Thank you! I really like the combo

[@brett3723]

Very nice. I recently acquired a Jonsered 625 and would like to know a little more on sharpening a crosscut chain vs. a ripping chain for a future vid detailing that. Thanks

[@mcremona]

brett3723 Thanks Brett! I'll answer your question on my next shop update. It's a quick question to answer. Thanks!

[@brett3723]

Great I saw the video before I got your response thanks for the info. Also looking forward to the brain pick tonight, can't wait!

[@CatholicWoodworker]

This was very educational! Another ask Matt suggestion: hand saws and sharpening techniques.

[@mcremona]

Thanks Jonathan! That might have to be a bit further in the future since I really only have one handsaw and I haven't had to sharpen it yet :)

[@KSFWG]

Ask Matt suggestion: Different finishes you have experience with and why you use them.

[@mcremona]

KSFWG Thank you! I'll add it to the list

[@jeterrell2]

Great video! Suggestion for another Ask Matt episode: Where to find logs/trees to mill and what species to look for and what species to avoid.

[@mcremona]

Thanks Jordan! That would make a good topic. Probably the best method is having people tweet you about trees that are down :D

[@jeterrell2]

Matthew Cremona LOL Doesn't sound to sustainable!!! ;-)

[@GeorgeSchwab]

Hey Matt! I was wondering if you could do an "Ask Matt" on jigs or tools you've made. I noticed some of the table saw jigs on the shop tour you did a couple days ago.

[@mcremona]

George Schwab Sure thing! I'll add it to the list. Thanks so much for the suggestion :)

[@shaunmilton3533]

Hi Matt, Ive only recently purchased my first Chainsaw, so any input on maintenance and sharpening would be great!

[@mcremona]

***** Hey Shaun! Congrats on the chainsaw purchase! After each use I like to give it a cleaning with compressed air and clean out the air filter. I use mine often so I don't have to worry about draining the gas tank. Depending on how much you use the saw, you might want to change the spark plug and fuel filter each year or so. Do you have a sharpening method you're planning to use?

[@Shaka_Vibe]

Still rules, Husquvarna drools.....hahaha we used to sell Stihl and we would hear that a lot. Here's an ask Matt.... How to properly align a jointer bed?

[@mcremona]

Joseph Muench lol I'll add it to my list. I haven't checked mine since I got it but it was spot on then. As far as I know it hasn't changed... lol

[@thewoodworkingteen]

Can you do one about how you sell your lumber? I would be very interested in that.

[@mcremona]

I'll talk about that on today's shop update. Thanks!

[@crazycatstudios]

dude. you're awesome.

[@mcremona]

thanks Dave!

[@TheMarcball]

thanks Mate !

[@mcremona]

Celmar No problem!

[@icedeathcooksley4741]

have u used you big 42" bar for normal wood cutting like firewood

[@mcremona]

Yes, mostly for trimming large saw logs

[@McGinnsWoodShop]

Nice gear! When you buy a chainsaw with a 20" bar, does that mean the max you should put on it is a 20" bar? I assume it has to do with the HP available... but don't know much about sizing differences when considering the motor. Thanks

[@mcremona]

McGinn's WoodShop Thanks Jason! Couple of things (This depends on saw manufacturer, I just know Stihl) You need to consider the bar mount type. Stihl has 3 types. What I'll call small, regular, and large. That mount is going to limit the size range you can use. My larger saw takes the regular mount and those range from 20"-42". Power is also a factor, but a lot of that has to do with how much of the saw is in contact with the wood. If you want to use a longer bar so you don't have to bend over (so you're not using the full cut width) that's not much of an issue. If you want to use a longer bar because you want to cut bigger stuff, that can be an issue but in that case you could go to a skip tooth chain so it only has half as many teeth contacting the wood. Do you still have that Husky?

[@McGinnsWoodShop]

I sure do!! And it's running like a charm. So if I get a longer bar for it and cut too large of a log, will that wreck the motor or just not cut efficiently? Thanks

[@mcremona]

McGinn's WoodShop It will just bog down and the chain will stop just like if you were to force it to into a cut now. What size saw is it?

[@McGinnsWoodShop]

16", but I'd like to push it to 20" if I could

[@mcremona]

McGinn's WoodShop What size engine is it?

[@ms0099rg]

Matt more milling videos!!

[@mcremona]

Matt Sosnowski Need to find me some more trees :)

[@deckrower]

Hi Matt, old video, and now that you're building the bandsaw mill this question may seem outdated, but I just purchased an 046 from ebay this week, and since this was your go to saw for milling a while back, I thought I'd ask. Was your 046 ported or stock, and what was the time required to mill on average for an 8 foot length, let's say 16 inches? I'm just trying to get an idea of what to expect because I'd like to start milling. Any other tips for servicing a milling saw other than making sure the oil is filled and air filter are clean?

[@mcremona]

The 046 was stock with a dual port exhaust. A cut of that size would take around 6-8 min. No other maintenance is needed specifically but milling is a lot of work for the saw so things that are less routine normally may become more frequent like changing the spark plug or fuel filter for instance.

[@deckrower]

That makes sense. Thanks, I love all your videos.

[@mcremona]

thanks!

[@jonathanmiskimen5319]

Nice video but I'm not completely sure that small saw is a 026

[@RedAjah]

I've been looking for a chainsaw box like the one you have. Anyone know if these are still available from Stihl?

[@mcremona]

Jeremy Graves I haven't seen them for sale. Hopefully someone will know if they can still be purchased

[@johnconklin9039]

Good video Matt. Hope no one else asked this, but what in the world happened to the filter on your dust collector? I know, this was a video on your chainsaws lol.

[@mcremona]

It had a rough time during shipment. The nice thing is it's still functional and I got a discount on it because it got damaged :)

[@Chainsawguy460]

Probably have the wrong tag on that 025. 026 are skinny and they don't use a plastic oil tank

[@tooljunkie555]

I thought the mill wood be more than that.good deal! Who would of thought harbor freight..haha hey w.e. works right? Maybe do a compilation series of small engine repair or taking it apart. (Chainsaws) &how to change bars and chains and sharpen. Or how u set up ur dc to more than 1 machine properly. ;) Theres my ideas for the ask matts..and tht chest made me think of mary poppins bag.lol "matty poppins" maybe ask ur girl to buynu a better sharpener..she gotbya the better jointer.. ;) good video as always very informative and clear. "Til the next episode".. Question: How long dod it takenu to get the hang of cutting down trees?

[@mcremona]

Joe Walters Thanks for the ideas Joe. I have a video on replacing the rear handle on my big saw. Maybe I'll edit that and put it up. It would be fun to do a video on a rebuild. That process is much easier than I thought it would be. lol Matty Poppins! :) It didn't take too long. For my first tree, Jim had me cut down a 24" diameter cherry tree that was already leaning in the direction we wanted it to fall. Out in the woods is a great place to practice since you don't have to worry about accidentally dropping a tree on someones house

[@tooljunkie555]

Matthew Cremona no doubt that would be a cool video I would love to see a chainsaw taken apart and put back together that's all I do all of my learning watch and learn plus I've never done it before my father has the old craftsman chainsaw from the early nineties that I'm pretty sure works he hasn't use that thing and well over a decade and a half so who knows if it still fires up Plus we don't have many wooded areas in the suburbs that I live in but I'm sure if I travel out to my uncles house I could find a whole bunch of trees but I could probably cut down is there a certain way to cut them down or do you just cut it like you would a piece of plywood on a table saw or like a four by four on a miter saw I would love to rough cut my own lumber I think that would be awesome well I hope you do shoot that video or edit that video and upload it till the next episode have a good one bro

[@tooljunkie555]

Matthew Cremona congratulations on getting pregnant! :) dude its the best indescribable feelings. The way I described it was ecstasy *10for a month. Lol do u guys know what ur having or keep it a suprise? Saw brain pick maybe next time hell ask my question. .haha. it asked how oldbu are? & how much for is a slab -each_ Thanks,&once again congratulations to u and your WIFE!:) *sorry didnt know u were married never saw ring b4 the q&a** & I just wear a glove on my lft hand its a pain trying to get the damn thing on and off when I go in shop every other day..

[@rochat]

What would be the key things to look at when purchasing a used chain saw?

[@mcremona]

rochat Probably the way to go safely about it, use it or see it cutting in person. Seeing it run isn't only part of it. The way a saw runs under load is important too. It's also typically a safer bet to go after a higher end saw. Something that is going to cost $500+ new. Those are going to be built much better than the cheap $150-$200 saws.

[@rochat]

Matthew Cremona Good point. Thanks

[@diycentral]

What do you consider a "nicer" sharpener?

[@mcremona]

diycentral Something with a finer wheel and something where you can adjust the tilt of the head. I'd also like to try one of those ones that you clamp to the bar so you don't have to remove the chain. That would be nice for when I'm using my mill so I wouldn't have to take my saw out of my mill and the bar off the saw just to sharpen the chain. It's really annoying.

[@jeffreymetcalf4073]

So you used the 42" bar on your 046 chainsaw to mill?

[@mcremona]

yes

[@jeffreymetcalf4073]

Did you have any issues running that big of a bar on that saw?

[@mcremona]

None. You can see it in use if you check out any of my chainsaw milling videos.

[@jeffreymetcalf4073]

Thanks Matt for the answers. I feel better about running a 36in bar on my ms441.

[@brothyr]

Damaging a simple gas motor is difficult unless you're my dad who thinks a chainsaw can run on 2:1 oil:gas mix and no new (or cleaned) air filter.

[@mcremona]

Adam R I agree but somehow people are breaking these things. I have no idea how someone managed to burn up the clutch so badly on my small saw that it melted the saw body. Luckily these things are really easy to repair.

[@pc7627]

We'll they get the job done

[@mcremona]

***** Yes indeed!

[@scottfoster2487]

That is a 025 not a 026

[@woodturningjohn]

Nice saws, I need to stop watching your video because you make me want to go out and replace my baby chainsaw. Something like that sure would have come in handy when I had to cut all the trees down in my yard a few years ago. Have a good one Matt, and be careful with those nuts in the woods.

[@mcremona]

woodturningjohn lol Thanks John!

[@bobdickweed]

my dad always keeps a spark plug and a can of air ..just in case its needed

[@mcremona]

Eye Toldyoosso I had a spark plug in there at one point but I'm not sure where it ended up. A can of air is a great idea! I'll have to pick one up for my kit. Thanks!

[@bobdickweed]

i will tell my dad ..he is 82 and still uses a chainsaw :_)

[@mcremona]

Eye Toldyoosso That's awesome! I hope to be just as able bodied at that age.

[@joewhitefse]

Matt, have you ever thought about teaching classes?

[@mcremona]

A little bit but not too seriously

[@joewhitefse]

Well as an outside observer, I think you'd be great at it. 6 years of woodworking and I've seen you do some pretty complex joinery. Heck, you could probably make a small fortune just teaching hand cut dovetailing.

[@41odyssey]

definetely not an 026.