I've inherited a chainsaw :)

I repaired a computer belonging to a friend and I don't charge friends for my time...(although in these hard times I'm seriously considering it !!!) I only charge them for any parts I might have to change.... Anyway she felt bad not paying anything and after I asked her if she knew anybody who had a chainsaw to chop up the fallen tree next to our decking she mentioned she had three chainsaws but one needed a bit of TLC and if I wanted I could have it.....

Now it's always useful to have a chainsaw there is no quicker way to chop up a large amount of wood, or to dispose of a body efficiently...... but I've always been very wary of them, they are after all a quickly rotating razor sharp barbed wire fence .... but way sharper and would do considerable damage to any body part which came into contact with the teeth...... so maintaining them is very important and vital if you don't want to end up like the bloke in the picture above....

Anyway after giving it the once over and finding it impossible to start I resorted to a liberal spraying of "Damp Start" that I've found will start a anything providing there is either a weak spark or enough compression.... after a few attempts it did start but stopped as soon as the "Damp Start" had run out.... so I consulted the "Oracle" of all things mechanical .... my Dad...

"Not a problem.... you'll find two screws on the side of the chainsaw .....just screw both screws in one should be labelled "Fast" the other "Slow" ... start the chainsaw and undo the "Slow" screw until it ticks over nicely......then rev the chainsaw and then turn the "Fast" screw until it starts screaming at full revs.... then adjust the tick over until the chain stops running when the clutch disengages.....then stop the chainsaw (obviously) and adjust the chain tension ......job done !!

so after about 10 minutes I had a perfectly running chainsaw :)

I sharpened it (correctly) and it cuts wood like it's dropping through butter now ......