362 cm porting

[Gnar]

I have some new 661s ported and some 462s ported low hour. Have some new ported 500i.

You happen to still have a new ported 500i?

 

[Catfishclark89]

Good porters are like good taxidermists. The good ones are always backed up and some stop taking work after they get so many. To get into my first ported saw I continued to run my stocker and had bought another one to just send to have ported. When I got the ported one back I sold the stocker and got most of my money back out of it (plus what money I had made cutting with it). And it was worth the wait IMO.

 

[Edwad]

You happen to still have a new ported 500i?

Yes

 

[Rich Fife]

Here's my take... those who have been building saws for a while don't move at a fast and/or efficient pace... they're more kicked-back, relaxed and the mindset is, "I'll do a little here, a little there, I've built a large enough window where I can work at a comfortable pace and the saw owner will accept my time frame."
I'm like that now... I work at my pace. Which means, I may not get to it for a couple days. I don't feel rushed or like things need to be expedited.
I used to line up 3 to 5 saws... map each of them out, machine the base and squish on each cylinder one after another and then take a long 2 or 3 days porting them. But, I was new... wanted to learn and see what works and what doesn't... luckily, my logger buddies had 30-40 saws in a parts pile ranging from Husky, Sitlh, Jonsered, homelites, poulans, etc etc... 30cc to 90cc...
Lately (within the last 6 months) I've been playing around with opening the Lowers up as well as the uppers and using inserts to direct/change flow characteristics... Definitely interesting to say the least. Husqvarna cylinders (372s) are much easier to modify for this... simple way to play-along... hog the lowers and upper roofs and angles etc then use clay or play-dough, shape your clay to your desired look and numbers... remove clay etc... I use grease and thin plastic so i can easily remove it... once removed take measurements and then have it 3d-printed...
Maybe on the next 372 build I'll make a video and show the process... the printing takes about 6hrs with the current size tip and lay pattern.

*s-word break Is over. Get to work slackers and for the guys who are dragging their feet building saws htfu.

 

[Ketchup]

I used to really kill myself to turn saws over quickly. The guys I work for need their saws to make a living. But I got behind anyway. Got burned out. Got annoyed I wasn’t working on my own projects. Or spending time with my wife. Or breathing clean air outside instead of choking on aluminum dust. And I messed up several jugs trying to grind when I was tired or in a hurry.
Now the dial is turned way down. If it takes me a month to port one saw, at least I know it’s right. That’s pushed the wait on saws much farther out, but I’m not angry or stressed and the saws are much better. Not as many people call me, but that’s fine.

 

[jacob j.]

Here's my take... those who have been building saws for a while don't move at a fast and/or efficient pace... they're more kicked-back, relaxed and the mindset is, "I'll do a little here, a little there, I've built a large enough window where I can work at a comfortable pace and the saw owner will accept my time frame."
I'm like that now... I work at my pace. Which means, I may not get to it for a couple days. I don't feel rushed or like things need to be expedited.

I don't think any of our guys are like that at all. My experience has been that everyone who works on saws here, whether it be porting or rebuilds, gets after it as best they can. Some people have day jobs and busy lives. Some people have kids and grandkids and all of the above.

 

[Mastermind]

We do about 20 saws a month. Except during hay season.

 

[Rich Fife]

We do about 20 saws a month. Except during hay season.

4 saws a week, That's a Solid pace for a 'one man band'... wait, I see "we".... You got help down there?
Or Is it more like 'Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde' kinda deal???

 

[Rich Fife]

I don't think any of our guys are like that at all. My experience has been that everyone who works on saws here, whether it be porting or rebuilds, gets after it as best they can. Some people have day jobs and busy lives. Some people have kids and grandkids and all of the above.

Yep, we're all busy doing the daily things... but regardless, if someone is porting a saw for someone, I feel it's wrong to sit on a saw for longer than a week... if i have a saw thats giving me fits and I have it longer than a week... I feel like $h!t kinda like a guilty conscious... I dont like that feeling and we all know that it doesn't take much more time than 4 to 6 hrs to machine and port a saw. 6hrs being at a comfortable pace... coffee breaks, music selections, responding to an occasional texts, etc. 4hrs is being comfortable and familiar with the build... minimal if any distractions just focused on the build.

 

[Rich Fife]

I used to really kill myself to turn saws over quickly. The guys I work for need their saws to make a living. But I got behind anyway. Got burned out. Got annoyed I wasn’t working on my own projects. Or spending time with my wife. Or breathing clean air outside instead of choking on aluminum dust. And I messed up several jugs trying to grind when I was tired or in a hurry.
Now the dial is turned way down. If it takes me a month to port one saw, at least I know it’s right. That’s pushed the wait on saws much farther out, but I’m not angry or stressed and the saws are much better. Not as many people call me, but that’s fine.

THIS!!! I get this 100% . I got bored with the run of the mill porting. Even when the saws are they're not where I want them to be... they ALL lack grunt, even the 880s etc. With that said, if a buddy needs or wants a saw ported I'll do it up... Now, I'm more focused on dirt bikes, building my custom saw, back to building race cars and spending time with the family. So much less stress and headaches. Lmao

 

[huskihl]

Yep, we're all busy doing the daily things... but regardless, if someone is porting a saw for someone, I feel it's wrong to sit on a saw for longer than a week... if i have a saw thats gicing me fits and I have it longer than a week... I feel like $h!t kinda like a guilty conscious... I dont like that feeling and we all know that it doesn't take much more time than 4 to 6 hrs to machine and port a saw. 6hrs being at a comfortable pace... coffee breaks, music selections, responding to an occasional texts, etc. 4hrs is being comfortable and familiar with the build... minimal if any distractions just focused on the build.

Not sure about 4-6 hours for a port job. A few models take me 5-6. Most 9. Some 12

 

[Mastermind]

4 saws a week, That's a Solid pace for a 'one man band'... wait, I see "we".... You got help down there?
Or Is it more like 'Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde' kinda deal???

5 a week usually.

My grandson has been helping me in the shop since he got out of high school.

 

[Khntr85]

Here’s a crazy idea….get a spare cylinder and give it a whirl yourself….start slow, you can always take more off….

 

[Rich Fife]

5 a week usually.

My grandson has been helping me in the shop since he got out of high school.

That's awesome! Building memories that last a lifetime!

 

[Mastermind]

That's awesome! Building memories that last a lifetime!

My great grandson Greyson helps sometimes too.

 

[Rich Fife]

Not sure about 4-6 hours for a port job. A few models take me 5-6. Most 9. Some 12

Stihl 440s, 400c, 460s, 660s, 880s... Huskies 268s 372xps/xts 365s, 385, 390, 394, 395s go quick. Some saws don't need much, tighten the squish, slight flow changes and minor duration changes and they run pretty darn well. IMO based off of my a little over 2yrs worth of porting/machining, I can rip out a saw in 4 to 6 hours... (providing I've done them before)... if its a saw I've never touched... I'm studying it, a bit curious and cautious... but, once it go time, its essentially the same as any other saw...
The 2 saws that take me a little bit are the 461s and the 500i/660 hybrids... I'm into those saws for about 6-7hrs... the 461s, I trench the case and match it to the cylinder so extra precaution is needed as i dont split the case.... the 500i/660 hybrids get a bit of machine work... mainly on the piston crown, then opening up the inside for the small end of the rod, clearancing the stuffer sides, (more towards the rear 'corners' of the stuffer)... some saws, depending on the build complexity and saw design call for more time... but, I'm certain y'all have done countless amounts of saws. And With that, you all know what works and what needs to be done to those specific saws/cylinders. So in theory... if you ported the same saw chassis 30 times, the 30th saw should be faster than the 1st time you ported it....and it should faster than the twenty-fifth time you ported that same chassis...
When I first started porting, I used hog a lot of material out of the ports... sbit man, i created A LOT more work than what was necessary. I've found in a lot of cases, less is more... example: when i build the 500i/660 hybrids, I run 106* - 108* on the exhaust. I try to limit the 4 stroking while keeping it in the peak torque range... these saws still hold solid rpms, but you can actually lean on it and flex the *s-word out of it, even with the upgraded suspension...
Some guys cut with grace and allow the saw to do its thing, while other guys like to power cut and push it... the guys I build for, they like to push it so I've strayed away from the high rpms.
Y'all who have been doing it for years know the truth... push comes to shove, you know what works, you know what has to be done, you've honed your skills, you have the tools that make the work easier and faster, the only thing taking time is the motivation to get the saws done faster.

That's my honest take on it.

 

[Rich Fife]

My great grandson Greyson helps sometimes too.

View attachment 408573

Dude, that warms my heart man! Good on you!!!

 

[huskihl]

Stihl 440s, 400c, 460s, 660s, 880s... Huskies 268s 372xps/xts 365s, 385, 390, 394, 395s go quick. Some saws don't need much, tighten the squish, slight flow changes and minor duration changes and they run pretty darn well. IMO based off of my a little over 2yrs worth of porting/machining, I can rip out a saw in 4 to 6 hours... (providing I've done them before)... if its a saw I've never touched... I'm studying it, a bit curious and cautious... but, once it go time, its essentially the same as any other saw...
The 2 saws that take me a little bit are the 461s and the 500i/660 hybrids... I'm into those saws for about 6-7hrs... the 461s, I trench the case and match it to the cylinder so extra precaution is needed as i dont split the case.... the 500i/660 hybrids get a bit of machine work... mainly on the piston crown, then opening up the inside for the small end of the rod, clearancing the stuffer sides, (more towards the rear 'corners' of the stuffer)... some saws, depending on the build complexity and saw design call for more time... but, I'm certain y'all have done countless amounts of saws. And With that, you all know what works and what needs to be done to those specific saws/cylinders. So in theory... if you ported the same saw chassis 30 times, the 30th saw should be faster than the 1st time you ported it....and it should faster than the twenty-fifth time you ported that same chassis...
When I first started porting, I used hog a lot of material out of the ports... sbit man, i created A LOT more work than what was necessary. I've found in a lot of cases, less is more... example: when i build the 500i/660 hybrids, I run 106* - 108* on the exhaust. I try to limit the 4 stroking while keeping it in the peak torque range... these saws still hold solid rpms, but you can actually lean on it and flex the *s-word out of it, even with the upgraded suspension...
Some guys cut with grace and allow the saw to do its thing, while other guys like to power cut and push it... the guys I build for, they like to push it so I've strayed away from the high rpms.
Y'all who have been doing it for years know the truth... push comes to shove, you know what works, you know what has to be done, you've honed your skills, you have the tools that make the work easier and faster, the only thing taking time is the motivation to get the saws done faster.

That's my honest take on it.

There used to be a guy here who would port a saw while you waited. You could almost get into that at that rate

 

[drf256]

Jeez, takes me 2 days to do any saw. Sometimes 3.

I don’t mind machining multiple jugs at once, that’s a time saver for sure. I truly dislike touching the actual ports of multiple jugs at the same time. I know it’s faster, but something about it just irks me.

Glad it’s not my bread and butter. I just enjoy it in the winter when there isn’t much to do.

 

[Khntr85]

How much are these saw porters charging per saw????