Repair Chainsaw's-Where/how did you learn? Tips for others

[CR888]

Yah, but I don't exactly have the extra $$ to make costly mistakes (as in anything over $20)

+1 on weedy's advice. I did not want to to major operations on high dollar equiptment that I relied on and and did not want to 'practice' on them. I was always dropping off green waste at my local tip and would often see trimmers/saws left to one side that people were throwing out. I would bring them home and fix them. I bought a basic Wiha 10pce chainsaw tool set, case splitter, compression gauge, threebond, roll of starter rope & a few meters of tygon fuel line in various sizes. Those tools alone helped me bring back to life many saws, trimmers etc. Now I have a heap of more specific saw tools but what I still use most is out of a $60 Wiha chainsaw kit. Practice on things that don't matter untill you get the confidence and knowledge to do what you want. Even now what may take someone like Randy one hour, takes me three but I ain't in a rush and it don't put food on my table.

 

[angelo c]

+1 on weedy's advice. I did not want to to major operations on high dollar equiptment that I relied on and and did not want to 'practice' on them. I was always dropping off green waste at my local tip and would often see trimmers/saws left to one side that people were throwing out. I would bring them home and fix them. I bought a basic Wiha 10pce chainsaw tool set, case splitter, compression gauge, threebond, roll of starter rope & a few meters of tygon fuel line in various sizes. Those tools alone helped me bring back to life many saws, trimmers etc. Now I have a heap of more specific saw tools but what I still use most is out of a $60 Wiha chainsaw kit. Practice on things that don't matter untill you get the confidence and knowledge to do what you want. Even now what may take someone like Randy one hour, takes me three but I ain't in a rush and it don't put food on my table.

Randy is so much faster then most of us because he has 4 hands and no feet. I don't think all the hair helps though...( Scott K too as well- )

 

[weedkilla]

Randy is so much faster then most of us because he has 4 hands and no feet. I don't think all the hair helps though...( Scott K too as well- )

I thought it was the wasabi peas.
I know cigarettes and Whisky don't help, but I keep trying.

 

[angelo c]

I thought it was the wasabi peas.
I know cigarettes and Whisky don't help, but I keep trying.

The wasabi just keeps him "propelled"....(poor John)

 

[Motorhead]

If you have a passion for working on them you'll find your way,Folks that have the passion are very willing to share the knowledge.The only difficulty for me is trying not to own to many of them at one time.

 

[Gritz]

Basically like the title said, who taught you how to fix them, where did you learn? Or suggestions for those who know nothing, and would like to know more.

I actually took a small engine repair course from Penn Foster. It wasn't a very advanced course. Very basic. Where I actually start learning was when I bought a bunch of mowers and weedeaters from a guy off craigslist for $100. I started messing around with them, getting parts from the local shop. I eventually stumbled my way into a part time job at the local shop I was buying parts at. That's when I really became a competent and confident 2-stroke mechanic. I just kind of showed up and started working on stuff. Nobody there liked to work on the 2-stroke stuff, so I started there. I eventually caught them up completely on all their 2-stroke equipment and fell in love in the process. Since then, I've worked at three other shops. I've learned a little more each place and added experience as I've gone. If I had to start from scratch, I'd ask a local shop if I could come clean their shop and help assemble new equipment for free if necessary. I actually didn't get paid at the last shop I worked at until a month after I started. The one shop I literally got paid in parts. I never received one dollar for my time. Just be persistent and be willing to change directions when you have to. Hope this helps and didn't bore you too much, lol.

 

[Terry Hennessy]

Basically like the title said, who taught you how to fix them, where did you learn? Or suggestions for those who know nothing, and would like to know more.

Simple FACT is that (not paying) the minimum shop fee will, in many/ most cases, pay for any special tool/ tools you need, buying on an "as-needed" basis, and often the parts. Additionally, repair in your shop is often 10x faster than

 

[angelo c]

Simple FACT is that (not paying) the minimum shop fee will, in many/ most cases, pay for any special tool/ tools you need, buying on an "as-needed" basis, and often the parts. Additionally, repair in your shop is often 10x faster than

Good point about the "specialty tooling"
I like to see HOW the tool works then either you can "cheat" or "recreate" the tooling to make it faster/workable. thinking through HOW a tool functions often helps me dissect how the repair needs to proceed.

 

[angelo c]

I actually took a small engine repair course from Penn Foster. It wasn't a very advanced course. Very basic. Where I actually start learning was when I bought a bunch of mowers and weedeaters from a guy off craigslist for $100. I started messing around with them, getting parts from the local shop. I eventually stumbled my way into a part time job at the local shop I was buying parts at. That's when I really became a competent and confident 2-stroke mechanic. I just kind of showed up and started working on stuff. Nobody there liked to work on the 2-stroke stuff, so I started there. I eventually caught them up completely on all their 2-stroke equipment and fell in love in the process. Since then, I've worked at three other shops. I've learned a little more each place and added experience as I've gone. If I had to start from scratch, I'd ask a local shop if I could come clean their shop and help assemble new equipment for free if necessary. I actually didn't get paid at the last shop I worked at until a month after I started. The one shop I literally got paid in parts. I never received one dollar for my time. Just be persistent and be willing to change directions when you have to. Hope this helps and didn't bore you too much, lol.

that right there is something to be proud of.
bottom line...if you WANT something...you will figure it out...with effort and perseverance. Money is rarely the main issue. Its just an easy place to lay some blame.

 

[Tor R]

Good point about the "specialty tooling"
I like to see HOW the tool works then either you can "cheat" or "recreate" the tooling to make it faster/workable. thinking through HOW a tool functions often helps me dissect how the repair needs to proceed.

I agree with you.
Taking time and plan what tool is needed is important.
There is always friends who can make easy tools, Example tools for correct setting for the seals, bearings etc

 

[ft. churchill]

I learned on the various sites, but I was already a mec-kanic not an accu-demic.

 

[TJ the Chainsaw Mechanic]

Learned alot of stuff from my boss and learned alot from research.

 

[Al Smith]

Good question,don't actually know .I guess I just always tinkered with stuff since I was a little boy .My father used to say I was born with a wrench in one hand and a set of micrometers in the other .My mother says it wasn't so .