chainsaw for cutting holes

[redruff]

When you use a chainsaw to cut your hole how do you keep the oil off the water. Do you have dedicated saw without oil?

[Higgins]

When you use a chainsaw to cut your hole how do you keep the oil off the water. Do you have dedicated saw without oil?

I don't use my chainsaw any more because the hand saw works just fine but when I used to I just ran it without bar oil.

[wally-eye]

Best tip as said before is drain the oil first....but the BIGGEST tip is let your buddy saw the hole while you stand back 20 foot staying away from all the water flying thru the air....

[hillmann]

If you do get oil in the hole shovel snow, nice flufy snow is best, into the hole. Let it soak up the oil and then shovel it out. You may have to do it several times to get it all out. also throw the snow on the ice around the hole as well otherwise the oil that is on the ice will get washed into the hole.  I have found that if the ice is less than a foot it is easyer, almost as fast and I wind up much dryer to cut the hole with and auger and chissel.  I drill 7 holes about an inch apart and then clean it out with the chissel.

[BrianV]

I've heard of guys using veggie oil as well in dedicated 'Ice saws'. Might be something to consider.

[hillmann]

I've heard of guys using veggie oil as well in dedicated 'Ice saws'. Might be something to consider.

Even with vegetable oil you would get the rainbow affect that you get with any oil on top of water.

[SPARKYICE]

they make a material called "sorbants" that will absorb oils and not water. they are used by industry and spill clean-up crews. ever notice the big socks floating on the water around oil spills? same stuff. you can get them in the form like a big roll of paper towels.
kind of pricey one 16"x18"  pad costs a bit over a buck.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#oil-absorbent-pads/=5l6e3c

if you know someone who works in a factory, they might be able to fit a couple in their lunch bucket for you.

[michianafisherman]

they make a material called "sorbants" that will absorb oils and not water. they are used by industry and spill clean-up crews. ever notice the big socks floating on the water around oil spills? same stuff. you can get them in the form like a big roll of paper towels.
kind of pricey one 16"x18"  pad costs a bit over a buck.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#oil-absorbent-pads/=5l6e3c

if you know someone who works in a factory, they might be able to fit a couple in their lunch bucket for you.

You should say" Have them ask for them at work, Maybe they will give you some or give you a deal"

Please don't tell someone to sneak them out in a lunch box! That is stealing!

Thanks

[SPARKYICE]

i mearly suggested they would fit in a lunchbox. i made no allusuion as to how they might get in there.
i'm not a lawyer, but i watch one on tv 

[Higgins]

i mearly suggested they would fit in a lunchbox. i made no allusuion as to how they might get in there.
i'm not a lawyer, but i watch one on tv  

I hear ya sparky........things get misplaced  

[stephensonswille]

Just taking some product home to do some further research

[PikeSticker]

The company should honor those employees whose concern for the environment includes keeping the lake waters clear of hydrocarbons. HA. In the oil field we call them "diapers" for the absorbent pads. There are two types, one that will soak up water and glycol as well as oil and the other only soaks up hydrocarbons.  That second type are the ones I use. I just toss one pad on the water after I've skimmed all the slush and let it float around while I set up the house. It collects all the floating oil and can be used over and over many times. And I've found that oil on the side of the hole that eventually floats up gets trapped in the skim ice the next day and is removed when I clear the hole again. I've got a chain saw dedicated to only ice cutting and it doesn't use any oil but my friends do use their wood cutting saws for making hole so that's where the diapers come in handy.

[53andout]

I have a hand ice saw made for cutting spearing holes. It cuts really fast, doesn't weigh much (10lbs ish) and it dosen't leave any oil residue. Not sure I would want to use it to cut 36" ice but less than 18" it rocks.

[Whatpole]

Hand saw all the way, no matter the thickness.

[kasilofchrisn]

Hand saw all the way, no matter the thickness.

Works for me I drill two corners and hand saw the rest. Way less mess. No frozen saw to thaw later.
Mine folds in half and works great. Amazing how fast you can cut with the ice saw. It is not like cutting wood by hand it goes much quicker.

[spearchucker]

I used to use veggie oil, but it ends up looking like Vaseline when it gets cold and probably doesn't do anything anyway. I have never seen vegetable oil leave a rainbow on the water if you keep your saw in a warm vehicle it works great. Keeps your chain from freezing to the bar as bad as with no oil.

I just pour out the oil and rinse the resevoir out with brake cleaner several times. I also like to pull the clutch cover off and give the whole saw a good cleaning with a brush and air blower to get rid of the saw dust soaked in oil before cutting ice.

I take my chain and grind all of the rakers completely off it it cuts a lot faster. I run a Husqvarna 372XP with a 36" bar for the ice. I've found that if you cut using the top of the bar most of the slush and water spray just shoots back down onto the ice instead of flyin 10 feet in the air. I always strap on my cutting chaps befor cutting with the chain saw anyway so what little mist I do generate usually comes off when the chaps come off.

I also rev the saw a bit after I'm finished cutting to fling most of the water off the chain and bar to keep it from freezing up too bad. Usually if it does happen to freeze after doing this you can push the chain on the ice to free it.

I do use my folding hand saw whan the ice is less that a foot thick, but I get too lazy after that and fire up the chain saw.

[fl18guy]

I have a few vintage ice saws.  You know the ones with a 4ft steel blade and a small wooden handle. Has anyone ever used one of these to cut the ice. I live in NY and as far as i can tell these saws were used to harvest ice out of the mohawk river and other local lakes. Always thought about trying to use it , but im no Bodybuilder.  Tight lines and  FISH ON

[redruff]

I have one of those too, they are still a pain in thick ice..but they do the job.
Anybody use one of these...I picked one up off Craig's list but haven't had a chance to use it

[PikeSticker]

I have one of those too, they are still a pain in thick ice..but they do the job.
Anybody use one of these...I picked one up off Craig's list but haven't had a chance to use it?

They cut through ice like a hot knife through butter!!  And although I still use my chain saw at times for cutting my holes, once I got that Fish's Ice Saw I've found myself opting for using the power auger and then trimming off all the points of the side wall with the ice saw. They are really great for re-opening your froze over hole in a permanent shanty too. No ice chips, slush, splashes or mess. Just a nice clean sheet of ice to pitch out the door.

As far as using on virgin ice, I don't mind zipping through 12 inches of ice with the saw although I cheat and auger a starting hole (since I need the auger for my tip ups anyway). But beyond that thickness I'll opt for the auger or chain saw doing the heavy work and use the hand saw for trimming up.  The "down side" for that saw is the metal is very soft with little temper and those saws are easily bent so use them with caution and let the weight of the saw do the cutting. They have a lot of uses and many trappers find them indispensable for making beaver sets and gently re-opening their sets to check them.  You'll be pleased with the purchase.

[redruff]

Thanks great tips!
I got it for $70 off Craig's..it's used but doesn't appear to be bent.

[Predatorhunter]

I use my Husky 375, and i usually cut my hole a day or so before i am even going to think about sitting, and i leave my covers partway up, so the oil that is in the water, will freeze and can be scooped out with the ice on top of the hole. it is a real easy way, and i have found it to get all the oil out

[gooseblaster49707]

the oil is drained from the tank and any old sawdust and oil is wiped from around the blade, bar and chain.   score the ice away from the shack location for a few seconds to get the grease off the roller nose.     
.
cut the hole and remove the ice chunks, shavings and slush from the hole and from around where the shanty will sit.
.
add a couple of drops of dawn dishwashing liquid to the hole.
.
slide the shack over the hole. block and bank.
.
clean the hole again of slush and snow that fell in from moving the shack.
.
add a drop or two of dawn again if needed.
.
refill the oil tank and grease the roller nose before cutting wood.    if you are going to leave the saw sit a few days after cutting ice, get some sort of lube back on the chain and roller nose. if not, you'll have a rusty mess.