How to Extend the Life of a Diamond Saw Blade

Everyone wants to get more out of their equipment. Whether it's properly maintaining your engine, cleaning your power tools correctly, or storing your chainsaw properly, we go to great lengths to make sure our tools are in working order when we need them. Not only will extending the life of your diamond saw blade save you money on expensive replacement blades, but it also reduces extra stress on your engine, extending the overall life of your cut-off saw. Read on for five steps to extending your cut-off saw blades.

1. Use the correct diamond blade for your saw and cutting technique

Many blades are either designed for wet or dry cutting only. Before you start using a particular technique, be sure that your saw blade is designed to be used that way. At HLSProParts.com we carry Ox Diamond Saw Blades, which are designed for both wet and dry cutting.

2. Let the blade cool at regular intervals

It's not a mystery that concrete saw blades get hot. If you want to extend the life of your blade, it's crucial that you don't make continuous cuts with an overheated blade. This is more important for dry cutting than wet cutting. After a few cuts, let the saw run freely so that the blade can cool down and then you can resume the job.

3. Make sure your water supply is operating correctly

If you are wet cutting, make sure your water supply is giving you enough water to prevent excessive friction on your blade, which will cause your blade to wear too quickly by stripping away layers of diamonds before they have been fully used.

4. Let the blade do the work———don't force it

It's important to let your tools do their job. By forcing your saw through whatever material you are cutting, you are putting excessive pressure on the blade and not allowing the diamonds to make the cut. This not only will dull your saw more quickly, but makes your work physically harder. If your saw is cutting slowly, it might be time to sharpen your blade. Which leads us to...

5. Keep your blade sharp

Keeping the blade sharp is critical to extending the life of your blade. Check out our blog on sharpening diamond saw blades for step by step instructions on how to do this. This will make your cuts easier, relieve stress on your engine, and help get your jobs done faster.

Bosch WSR6F Spark Plug Product Feature

One of our most popular products at HLSupply is the Bosch WSR6F Spark plug. This particular spark plug fits many power tools including trimmers, edgers, blowers, chainsaws, and cut off saws from brands including Stihl, Husqvarna, Jonsered, Husky, Echo, and many more. In fact, this is the OEM spark plug for many of these tools and we recommend checking your owner's manual because it's likely you will find the Bosch WSR6F is the suggested spark plug for your power tool.

If your owner's manual doesn't recommend a Bosch WSR6F spark plug, you may still be able to use it. This plug replaces NGK BPM7A, NGK BPMR6A, Champion CJ7Y, and Champion RCJ6Y spark plugs as well, which are the most commonly used spark plugs throughout the major power tool brands.

As such, we have found that the WSR6F works just as well as the spark plugs installed at the factory. Your power tools will run just as they were designed to using one of these spark plugs, which means reliability throughout even the most intense jobs. There are more expensive plugs available, but if your power tool was designed with the WSR6F in mind, and you haven’t made any significant modifications to your engine, this is the only plug you will need.

Replacing your power tools' spark plugs regularly is important to the life and efficiency of your engine and at an affordable price of $2.79 per plug at HLSProParts.com, there's no reason to let a simple spark plug change linger and risk damaging your tools. We are also happy to offer 20% off purchases of 5 or more Bosch WSR6F spark plugs, so you can stock up for the whole year or replenish your entire team's supplies at a great price.

Visit our ignition parts page for everything you need to get your chainsaw, cut off saw, trimmer, blower, or other power tool up and running. Please don't hesitate to get in touch with us by email or through our Facebook page if you have any questions about specific tools. We are always happy to help!

Hyway Cylinder Assemblies, Piston Assemblies & Other Chainsaw Parts

Hyway Brand aftermarket chainsaw parts have been trusted by both novice and professional arborists for years. The company is very responsive to end user feedback, which means an always improving product and some of the best replacement chainsaw parts available on the market. Hyway is also known for quickly developing parts for new saws, and keeping parts for old saws available long after the saw has been manufactured. Waiting weeks or months for an original manufacturer replacement part usually isn't an option, especially for professionals, and with Hyway parts, it also isn't necessary.

Hyway currently has parts available for Stihl, Husqvarna, and Jonsered chainsaws. A few of the models that the brand makes replacement parts for include:

• Stihl: 036, MS360, TS700, TS800, MS440, MS261, MS361
• Husvqvarna: 357, 359, 55, 55 Rancher, 51, 350, 351, 353
• Jonsered: 2156, 2159, 2094, 2095, 2063, 2065, 2071, 2171

In addition to these models, HLS Pro Parts has Hyway replacement parts for many other models, and we are always adding more; browse the most recent selection here.

Hyway Cylinders & Pistons

Hyway is known particularly for their cylinder & piston assemblies. Experienced chainsaw owners know that just because a saw isn't running doesn't mean it's useless, and fortunately brands like Hyway provide parts that can have a busted saw running like new. Made from Nikasil, Hyway cylinders and pistons will last for years no matter how hard you plan on running your saw.

Other Hyway parts carried by HLSProParts.com include:

• Crankshafts
• Starter kits
• Air filters
• Recoil springs
• Anti-Vibration Buffers
• Throttle wire
• Gasket sets
• Muffler covers
• And much more

Visit our Hyway page for our complete selection of aftermarket parts from Hyway. With aftermarket parts of this quality, you won't need to buy expensive OEM parts next time your chainsaw engine needs a rebuild.

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Storing Your Chainsaw for Winter

Storing gas power tools for an extended period of time it's important for making sure your tools are ready to go the following season. If you won't be using your chainsaw over the winter, follow these steps to properly winterize your chainsaw.

Empty the Fuel Tank

There are a couple ways you can empty your fuel tank. Most fuel today has a short shelf like because it contains ethanol. Some high quality, high octane fuels or fuels treated with a treatment such as Star Tron Enzyme Treatment can be stored safely for up to 2 years, but generally speaking, you will want to remove the fuel both for safety reasons and because fuel can thicken over time, doing damage to your carburetor.

Remove the fuel from your tank and add a small amount of high grade, ethanol free fuel, or fuel that has been treated with a fuel stabilizer back into your tank. Start the chainsaw 10 feet from where you were removing and adding fuel, and let it run until the engine stops.

Clean the Saw

What's better than firing up a freshly cleaned chainsaw next season? Cleaning your chainsaw and all its components might not be entirely necessary, but it will ensure that your saw is ready to go next season. At the very least you will want to remove the bar and chain and wipe them down to prevent any rusting or corrosion. You will also want to wipe the bar and chain down with WD-40 or another rust preventing oil. Check out our chainsaw cleaning guide for more tips on getting your saw in top shape.

Store Properly

Storing your saw in a dry place is crucial to keeping all of the components corrosion free. In addition to keeping moisture away from your saw, you don't want any dust or debris building up on your chainsaw throughout storage. If your chainsaw came with a case, store it in the case or find a relatively air tight container to put the saw in that will keep dust out.

If you follow these steps, by the time next season rolls around, your chainsaw will be ready to go!

HLSupply.com supplies quality aftermarket chainsaw parts and supplies for a number of makes and models including Stihl, Husqvarna, Partner, and more.

Cutting Wet Wood with a Chainsaw

Winter is rapidly approaching, and with it, wet conditions. Between autumn rain and eventually winter snow, working with a chainsaw in wet weather is inevitable. Here are a few tips for cutting wet wood with a chainsaw:

• Cutting wood in rain or snow is okay for your saw: If you're nervous about your saw getting wet, don't worry. Gas powered chainsaws are perfectly okay to use in wet weather; the same is true for the log itself. Cutting through wet wood is fine for your chain and bar, though there might be some extra build up from wet saw dust. It's nothing you can't clean off with a rag, though.
• Check your air filter: Speaking of wet build up, your engine's air filter could potentially be subject to wet debris getting caught in it. If the engine feels like it's not running correctly or it's struggling, check the air filter for any debris.
• Be wary of slippery conditions: Obviously when surfaces are wet (or icy), things can get slippery. It's important to make sure you have solid footing when you're working in the rain or snow and make sure you have a solid grip on the saw at all times.
• Use weather appropriate clothing & protective equipment: Wet weather boots and gloves with extra grip will go a long way in avoiding any mishaps. Wearing warm and water resistant clothing will also ensure that you're comfortable and can stay focused on the job.
• Use the correct type of chain for frozen wood: Not all chains serve the same purpose, and for frozen logs you will need one with semi-chisel teeth. These rounded teeth cut at a slightly slower pace, but you won't have to stop and sharpen your chain in the middle of a job because your chain is dull. Check out our blog post on chainsaw teeth for more information on chain types.
• Be wary of debris frozen to the bark: Cutting through dirt and rocks won't go well for your chainsaw chain. Make sure the logs you're cutting don't have a lot of debris frozen to them, particularly on the bottom of the log where you wouldn't see it.

Here are some things to consider before sharpening a chainsaw with a round file.

HLSupply.com provides quality aftermarket chainsaw parts from both new and discontinued chainsaws, and also carries a variety of parts for other power equipment including blowers, concrete saws, and rammers.

5 Best Chainsaw Modifications & Hacks

Gas chainsaws are versatile—considering they are powered by small engines, there are dozens of ways you can modify them by removing the engine and using it for some other application. We searched around the web for the coolest chainsaw modifications we could find and came up with 4 cool hacks from creative tinkerers. Check out our list and let us know in the comments if you have seen any other cool mods!

5. Chainsaw Flashlight

This chainsaw hack that we found on Instructables.com is an alternative to a gas powered generator flashlight. While it might not be the most practical flashlight for nighttime due to how loud chainsaw engines are, it's still a cool mod that you can do at home yourself if you’re handy. Obviously a chainsaw drives a bit more power than is needed to power a light bulb, so this hack takes some significant modifications to a chainsaw engine.

4. Chainsaw Scooter

A chainsaw scooter makes a little bit more sense—with a small engine motor, you can get enough power to get a scooter moving pretty quickly. This particular mod was done using a 27cc chainsaw engine and is powerful enough for an adult to ride. We can’t promise this one is street legal in your town, though.

3. Chainsaw Twin Engine Go Kart

Add another engine, and you have a serious go kart. Again, chainsaw engines are loud, but this modified chainsaw engine go kart looks like it drives and handles almost as well as any other go kart.

2. Chainsaw Bayonett

This is the only modification on the list that actually uses the saw bar and chain. You may have seen this modification in movies and videogames, but firearms accessories company Double Star created a functioning chainsaw bayonet. The modification is intended in case of a zombie apocalypse, of course.

1. Chainsaw Motorcycle

One or two chainsaw engines seems like a reasonable amount to make a modded chainsaw engine vehicle, but how many more can you actually add? Dolmette managed to make a chainsaw motorcycle using 24 of their engines. This makes for an extra-long motorcycle with 170 horsepower and a tedious visit to the gas station.

HLSupply.com provides aftermarket chainsaw parts for leading brands including Stihl, Husqvarna, Partner & more. Visit their store for the complete selection of power tool parts, supplies & accessories.

Fall Yard Maintenance Tips

Even though summer just ended, it's the perfect time to start getting your lawn in shape so it looks better than the last year. Fall brings with it beautiful leaves and cooler temperatures that are perfect for getting some yard work done and repairing blemishes won't look as noticeable against the browning grass and leaves. Here are a few tips for maintaining your lawn in the fall.

Rake the Leaves: This should go without saying, but raking the leaves will ensure that you grass continues to get sunlight throughout the fall. It's especially important to rake them before it rains because fungus could form and kill your grass. Dry leaves are also easy to clean up with a leaf blower.

Mow Your Lawn: Keeping up with mowing your lawn is important during the autumn months because it will continue to grow until it gets very cold. You'll also want to lower the height of your mower so that the grass doesn’t have to supply nutrients to long blades. This will also help prevent any rodents from forming homes underneath the snow in the winter.

Aerate the Soil: Fall is a great time to aerate your lawn since you won't be using it as much over the next few months. It will give your soil more oxygen and help bring new layers of soil up to the surface.

Fertilize: Fertilizing your lawn in the fall will ensure that your grass has proper nutrients throughout the cold winter months when those nutrients are scarce.

Fix Bald Spots: Similar to fertilizing, getting a head start on fixing any blemishes or bald spots in the early fall will get those spots growing now and looking perfect in the spring.

Get Rid of Weeds: Weeds will be sucking up all the nutrients they can to prepare for winter, so giving them a few sprays of weed killer will be most effective in the fall. Pair that with a few months of cold temperatures, and you won't be seeing those weeds the following year.

Winterize Trees & Shrubs: Don't forget your landscaping! Trees and shrubs need some care to prepare for winter as well. Doing a bit of pruning will help your trees look ready in the spring. Limiting their water intake is also a good idea to encourage the leaves to fall off and your plants to get ready for winter.

HLSupply.com carries a wide selection of parts and supplies for power lawn care tools including chainsaws, blowers, and lawn mowers. Visit our store for our complete selection of aftermarket parts.