STIHL IS GREAT! 
When I pick up my chainsaw from repair/service - I didn't have to pay a dollar!
Chainsaw works as new and I didn't have to pay $110.
They did accept on warranty without any hesitation.
Can't say good enough about STIHL.
Now since there is no wind on the horizon there is only BUSH, CHAINSAW AND ME.
Select to expand quotebusterwa said..
Pfu, that nothing. This tree stopped my chainsaw even without any hand.
I needed to use my pole pruner then to free that one.BTW at the background, you have an example of my Lantana infestation problem.Then another example shows that some trees need to be sacrificed to create a fire break. Surprisingly huge amount of trees are hit by lighting everywhere there.
Macro, I think you need to pay to do a chainsaw course, they are very good at cutting off limbs if you you don't treat them with respect.
Why in that photo are you using the top of the bar? There are times it is unavoidable, but not there.
Select to expand quoteWhy in that photo are you using the top of the bar? There are times it is unavoidable, but not there.
So the pull start is on top silly!
Select to expand quoteMacroscien said..
Pfu, that nothing. This tree stopped my chainsaw even without any hand.
if that picture is anything to go by I think air filter should be the least of your problems 
probably explains the hefty fee charged at Stihl (and I personally feel their products and services are overpriced)
Select to expand quotekk said..
Macro, I think you need to pay to do a chainsaw course, they are very good at cutting off limbs if you you don't treat them with respect.
Why in that photo are you using the top of the bar? There are times it is unavoidable, but not there.
Agreed
And Stihl even gives you a free video. Macro please watch it.
Select to expand quotekk said..
Macro, I think you need to pay to do a chainsaw course, they are very good at cutting off limbs if you you don't treat them with respect.
Why in that photo are you using the top of the bar? There are times it is unavoidable, but not there.
A bigger risk is getting hit when the tree doesn't fall as planned. Even a small 50kg tree will do a lot of damage if it falls on your foot from a height of half a metre.
The TAFE courses are good.
If the stump doesn't look like this when you're finished you've been lucky.
Select to expand quoteMacroscien said..busterwa said..
Pfu, that nothing. This tree stopped my chainsaw even without any hand.
I needed to use my pole pruner then to free that one.BTW at the background, you have an example of my Lantana infestation problem.Then another example shows that some trees need to be sacrificed to create a fire break. Surprisingly huge amount of trees are hit by lighting everywhere there.
Anyone else have a chuckle?
Im sure we have all done it
Cut the stump of lower then cut verticle lines towards the ground into it so it stump rots out in winter Saves digging it out.
^^^ There are great chemicals for stump removal.
My favourite one is any chemical in stick form that involves lighting a fuse then running like crazy for 100m or so
I rebuilt a stihl climbing saw out of parts I found in the bin when I did some work at the treeloper. (In truck in between jobs)
The saw had been dropped out of a boomlift and The arborist who had dropped it was too afraid to tell the boss so he had no climbing saw.
Arfter I started the saw and handed it to him he told me he when he did his tafe corse part of it was on matenance they sent him home with a box of parts and told him to put it together. He went to the store and paid $300 he passed.
Select to expand quotew8ingforwind said..
I rebuilt a stihl climbing saw out of parts I found in the bin when I did some work at the treeloper. (In truck in between jobs)
The saw had been dropped out of a boomlift and The arborist who had dropped it was too afraid to tell the boss so he had no climbing saw.
Arfter I started the saw and handed it to him he told me he when he did his tafe corse part of it was on matenance they sent him home with a box of parts and told him to put it together. He went to the store and paid $300 he passed.
Beware of climbing saws. Wouldn't even pick one up. They are balanced to be used one handed. Which is inviting disaster for the free hand. You need a saw balanced like a sail bag.
Select to expand quoteIan K said..w8ingforwind said..
I rebuilt a stihl climbing saw out of parts I found in the bin when I did some work at the treeloper. (In truck in between jobs)
The saw had been dropped out of a boomlift and The arborist who had dropped it was too afraid to tell the boss so he had no climbing saw.
Arfter I started the saw and handed it to him he told me he when he did his tafe corse part of it was on matenance they sent him home with a box of parts and told him to put it together. He went to the store and paid $300 he passed.
Beware of climbing saws. Wouldn't even pick one up. They are balanced to be used one handed. Which is inviting disaster for the free hand. You need a saw balanced like a sail bag.
How true is this. I ran a meat axe (aluminium grinder) across the back of my left hand because my left hand wasn't where it should have been. If it had of been where the right had was, holding the meat axe, there would have been a problem. And if you think I made the name up, just google "Aluminium meat axe". I wasn't the first to perform this circus act and unfortunately won't be the last.
Select to expand quotebusterwa said..
Cut the stump of lower then cut verticle lines towards the ground into it so it stump rots out in winter Saves digging it out.
The main problem is that almost all trees I saw half a year ago - regrow already. Some have aleady branches 3 -4 meter tall and 8 cm diameter.
If cutting vertical lines prevent regrowth? Or I need to use some chemicals to kill stump and roots ?
Select to expand quoteMark _australia said..
^^^ There are great chemicals for stump removal.
My favourite one is any chemical in stick form that involves lighting a fuse then running like crazy for 100m or so
Dr. Nobel's rapidly expanding stump reducer - yep, done a heck of a lot of that around Bindoon, GinGin, Koorda, Williams, Pemberton and a few other districts.
As for the running like crazy bit, why - when there are these handy little devices with 4 wheels and an infernal combustion engine?
I can recommend that @ 100m or so, you might need something solid over and between you and the [soon to be airborne] tree stump.
[either cut your fuse a bit longer - or go really old fashioned and run electric dets with a couple of rolls of fig.8 flex.]
my favourite toy 
Select to expand quoteMacroscien said.. The main problem is that almost all trees I saw half a year ago - regrow already. Some have aleady branches 3 -4 meter tall and 8 cm diameter. If cutting vertical lines prevent regrowth? Or I need to use some chemicals to kill stump and roots ?
Your limbs won't regrow like that have you watched the Stihl DVD yet?
Select to expand quoteMacroscien said..
The main problem is that almost all trees I saw half a year ago - regrow already. Some have aleady branches 3 -4 meter tall and 8 cm diameter.
If cutting vertical lines prevent regrowth? Or I need to use some chemicals to kill stump and roots ?
To kill and rot out stumps, you can use "stump destroyer" [pretty much pure potassium nitrate - an oxidiser]
Last I checked it was still sold in QLD in small quantities labelled as above.
Back in the day, I used to buy 50kg bags of potassium nitrate from David Grays for [iirc] around $40ish, but there are probably legal restrictions on how much you can buy these days.
All you do is drill lots of holes in the stump with an extended spade bit, pour in the powder, dampen it, then cover the stump to let the stuff work for a few months.
The stuff will greatly accelerate the natural rotting process of the stump, usually, after a couple of months the timber has all the strength of cheese and is easy enough to hack out.
Sometimes, depending on the size of the stump you may need to retreat unaffected timber deep inside the remains of the stump.
If [like me] you don't have the patience to wait several months - light up the stump with scrap timber and a little diesel, when the fire settles down a bit, chuck a handful of the powder onto the stump - and watch as the dissolver eats into the stump while sounding like a turbine don't stand too close - as the radiated heat can get pretty fierce.
repeat every so often until your stump is burnt out.
I have used this stuff to burn out stumps which were so recently cut that there was water and sap still oozing out of them.
Well I've tried bunnings for potassim nitrates but they dont sell them in sydeny .
Any suggestions were else I could get it ?
I don't think they sell potassium nitrate stump killer anymore due to its other more interesting uses
Please Macro, go and get some lessons in how to use a saw and its safety equipment. No chainsaws should be sold with out helmet,earmuffs and chainsaw chaps.
To stop the regrowth apply roundup or bleach immediately after cutting.
Select to expand quoteIan K said..w8ingforwind said..
I rebuilt a stihl climbing saw out of parts I found in the bin when I did some work at the treeloper. (In truck in between jobs)
The saw had been dropped out of a boomlift and The arborist who had dropped it was too afraid to tell the boss so he had no climbing saw.
Arfter I started the saw and handed it to him he told me he when he did his tafe corse part of it was on matenance they sent him home with a box of parts and told him to put it together. He went to the store and paid $300 he passed.
Beware of climbing saws. Wouldn't even pick one up. They are balanced to be used one handed. Which is inviting disaster for the free hand. You need a saw balanced like a sail bag.
What if your climbing??
Select to expand quotekato said..
Please Macro, go and get some lessons in how to use a saw and its safety equipment. No chainsaws should be sold with out helmet,earmuffs and chainsaw chaps.
To stop the regrowth apply roundup or bleach immediately after cutting.
Don't worry. I know proper technique to fall the tree with hinges. That is one off unfortunate experiment goes wrong and jam my saw because a strong wind was in the wrong direction.For very small trees there is another technique - for 5- 10 cm diameter - that is not widely recommended but works fine. It is exremaly fast but not as safe as typical hinge.I also bought big mechanical stump removed 16 HP machine- but use only for stumps that need to be removed instantly. Other can be left to rot, just don't want double the work and re-cut already fallen trees. I will try then this Roundup as I bought plenty to kill Lantana.
Select to expand quoteMark _australia said..
I don't think they sell potassium nitrate stump killer anymore due to its other more interesting uses
I am pretty sure potassium nitrate is still manufactured [or decanted into smaller quantities] in Qld, and is available in small quantities from at least one QLD chemical distribution company.
Due to transport regulations it may be hard to find outside of Qld.
Potassium nitrate has several legitimate uses - blueing of steel is one, so may be available in other states.
As long as you comply with your local regulations for the stuff - all is sweet.
There is another easily available chemical for rotting out stumps - bonus being it is rather innocuous / downfall being not quite as effective as the good stuff, but regulations and red tape do not apply.
brain cells are a bit faded at the moment - I need to refer to my old records as I cant remember the name of the stuff 
Select to expand quoteMacroscien said..kato said..
Please Macro, go and get some lessons in how to use a saw and its safety equipment. No chainsaws should be sold with out helmet,earmuffs and chainsaw chaps.
To stop the regrowth apply roundup or bleach immediately after cutting.
Don't worry. I know proper technique to fall the tree with hinges. That is one off unfortunate experiment goes wrong and jam my saw because a strong wind was in the wrong direction.For very small trees there is another technique - for 5- 10 cm diameter - that is not widely recommended but works fine. It is exremaly fast but not as safe as typical hinge.I also bought big mechanical stump removed 16 HP machine- but use only for stumps that need to be removed instantly. Other can be left to rot, just don't want double the work and re-cut already fallen trees. I will try then this Roundup as I bought plenty to kill Lantana.
Good, use a quarter cut on big trees , T cuts on little trees and you'll live a long life
