In comparison with battery-powered chainsaws and electric chainsaws, it is harder to store gas chainsaws. That is partly due to the lack of portability and the presence of fuel in the picture. Regardless, every chainsaw needs proper storage on a short basis or a long-time consideration.
The storage consideration basically tackles taking a break over a period of time. During this break, the saw is not being used and is exposed to some detriments. Some chainsaws have manuals that instruct the operator on storage routines, but that doesn’t cancel out the need for vast knowledge for this process.
Technically, there may be a couple of approaches, but from experience, I know of some optimal steps to store your chainsaw over a few months or even over the years. The depth is in the details; I am more concerned about the chainsaw not giving you issues when you are back to using them.
A good part of the storage process is really to avoid dust. That’s majorly what the oil is for. Petroleum jelly or cosmoline are good replacements. For very long-term preservation, make sure drops of oil get applied to both the cylinder and crankshaft. The oil to use must be uniquely formulated for application to chainsaws. Though they can be quite expensive, the benefits supersede the cost.
Steps for preserving the chainsaw are also crucial when you have multiple chainsaws, and some have to stay unused for others due to project requirements or personal preference. The likely issues that may result from poor storage include:
- Card gumming up
- Hard mounts of anti-vibration
- Degradation of rubber
- Rusting of the chain
Let us approach the storage tips from short-term and long-term perspectives.
Tips on How To Store A Chainsaw Safely
The storage tips and sequence for short-term preservation are quite different than that of longer periods. By short-term preservation, I mean a time frame ranging from 1 month to 5 months. The longer consideration for multiple years can be up to 10 years or even more, starting from as low as a year.
Storing Your Chainsaw For A Period Between 1 – 5 Months
Follow these steps for storing the chainsaw for a short period-
1. Testing Your Chainsaw
The first thing we can all admit to is that you most likely don’t want to store a broken chainsaw. So, you can still learn a thing or two from this article. To make sure your chainsaw is properly working well, you can carry out a compression test. I strongly recommend testing the compression before storing your chainsaw; not doing that can be pretty baseless.
Alternatively, you can cross-check other things if you are not able to run a compression test. The piston is a good thing to examine to know the status of your chainsaw. If there is any problem with the chainsaw, I will recommend running the repair before storing the equipment. You can skip the repair if that is not your goal. This might help to prevent further damage over time.
2. Draining The Tank
One factor that contributes to damage or further damage is the presence of fuel over time. First of all, fuel can slowly varnish due to the volatility of gas and some other forms of fuel. That will also gum up the carb.
Also, the presence of fuel can damage the rubber because of ethanol and additives. The degradation of rubber will be aided by the fuel being the only causal factor. Air and sunlight can also be held responsible. Some parts of the anti-vibration can also become hard and rusty over time.
Just turn down the open saw tank and remove fuel through a funnel. If the straightforward approach is quite hectic, a siphon can be used to drain out the fuel. This process shouldn’t be a problem at all.
3. Run The Chainsaw Dry
Getting the chainsaw running till it goes off by itself. While doing that, ensure that the chainsaw is under no load and the speed should be set at a very low RPM. There is no need for high velocity when you are not applying the work to any load. Ensure to wait till the equipment sputters to a halt.
4. Choking The Tool
This is a confirmatory step. When the chainsaw goes off, make sure it is down the last drop. That put the device in an excellent state for storage.
5. Apply Oil
It is now time to apply oil to the chainsaw, but you have to be strategic about it. Get some great saw mix oil that is enough to run the oiling. Apply some drop to the cylinder and pull starting chord a few times like you want to start the engine. That will prevent it from getting gummed up.
That is, it for short-term storage, enough to preserve the chainsaw for some months. This sequential batch of tips should get your chainsaw intact for up to 5 months.
Storing Your Chainsaw For Medium To Long Term (Up To 10 Years)
A Quick Tip: Using A Premix
If you want to store your chainsaw for a year or more, this is actually a quick and efficient method. Apply StaBil into the premix and then get it running through the carb. It is as simple as that.
6. Start The Saw
Get the saw running. There is no mystical motivation behind this. The process is to get the chainsaw warm.
7. Use Fogging Oil
To spray the fogging oil, you need to get the air filter removed at first. That may be a bit technical. You need to learn how to remove air filters first. That won’t really be something hard to learn. You can even learn how to do that online.
Ensure to have a can ready. Fogging oil can be similar to a can of aerosol in look. When spraying, you have to press gently. Pressing too hard will bring the engine to a halt.
At first, spray with less intensity to have the engine smoking heavily but still running. Wait for no more than 40 seconds, then blast the fogging spray heavily till the engine stops running.
8. Drain The Fuel And Disassemble
The disassembling part, does that sound a bit complex? Well, it is not. Firstly, drain off the fuel by turning down the tank or using a siphon. Then you have to disassemble the card to clean it and make sure every trace of fuel has disappeared.
9. Getting A Kit That Is Complete And Applying Oil
You can always purchase complete kits for your carbs and get all metal parts oiled up. Oil should be applied to the gasket, too, just around the gas cap.
10. Replace Parts
Things like fuel lines, spark plugs, air filters, and primers should be replaced.
11. Extra Tip: Applying Oil To Fuel Tanks That Are Made Of Steel
This has proven helpful, apply oil drops to the steel tank and shake it up. That will help to preserve the tank body.
Caution: When dealing with this, make sure you are well aware of what you are doing. Doing things wrong can damage your machine. Act on your own risk. The Tooly won't be responsible for any damage.
Conclusion
A stored saw needs to be maintained too. Avoid exposure of preserved chainsaw to sunlight or moist in an attempt to prevent rusting. Don’t put your chainsaw on a concrete floor. Concrete floors get damp easily and can lead to rust and damage.
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