Introducing Oregon Forestry Bars & Chains!

You asked for it, and we answered! We now carry the Oregon line of bar & chain products. Also known as Oregon Forestry, Oregon is one of the most respected leading manufacturers of bars, chains, bar & chain combos, and sprockets. They’ve been in the business since 1947, and since their inception have constantly sought to engineer the best possible cutting methods while reducing kick-back and ensuring safety with their innovative chains and guidebars. In the past several decades, their success has been astromical; their saw chains alone are now used by approximately 90% of the world’s saw chain manufacturers! We are proud to officially become one of their online distributors.

So, What Makes Us So Excited About Oregon Products?

It would be hard to sum up what we like best about this trusted brand in a few sentences, but here are a few reasons their chains alone are stellar choices for your chainsaw:

• The cutting chain can cut through any type of timber and stays extremely durable throughout any weather and cutting conditions. Remember, the state of Oregon is known for many wonderful things, but sunshine is not one of them! From early on, this innovative company had to create a chain that could do its job rain or shine. 

• Although the cutting chain stays sharp for an impressive period of time, it is also easy to re-sharpen. 

• The chains, bars, and sprockets are all designed to be compatible with virtually any model out there. Wondering which one is right for you? Contact our experts for help. 

• Each chain is low-kick. This means it works against the natural reactive force of cutting known as kickback, keeping you safe in the process. If you hunt around for low-kick chains, the first thing you’ll notice is that the drawback to these chains are usually that they’re incredibly difficult to sharpen. The ease of sharpening Oregon chains makes them a stand-out. The lightweight, reversible, and durable guide bars also help with kick-back.

Maximize Your Chainsaw Performance Now!

Just like everything we sell, we do not supply a product unless our experts are 100% convinced that it is the most durable, powerful, and safe item available and will truly maximize your chainsaw’s potential. That’s why we’re very proud to be a distributor for this wonderful company and we invite you to browse our full line of Oregon parts today!

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

Outdoor DIY Projects to Welcome the Spring

Spring is the perfect time to complete those DIY projects you’ve been dreaming about all winter. Whether you’re looking to spruce up your patio, bring your backyard back to life, or complete some projects for the kids, spring projects allow you to both save money and better appreciate your new amenities when completed – not to mention soak in some of that welcome sunshine! To help get you started, we’ve come up with a few fun outdoor project ideas:

Create Stylish Outdoor Seating from Recycled Pallets

Is your patio missing some seating? With just two wooden shipping pallets, some cedar planks, and miscellaneous building items, you can create your very own cheap, yet stylish and comfortable, outdoor bench. You can usually easily find discarded shipping pallets at a local store or warehouse, and any replacement tool parts you need online. When you’re ready to go with your circular saw, screws and nails, follow these DIY instructions and you’re on your way to owning a new, homemade bench!

Build a See-Saw for the Kids

It seems these days, parks are simply not as prevalent as they used to be. Luckily, we’ve found a fairly easy DIY project that can spark some nostalgia in you while giving your kids something to enjoy outdoors. Before you go all out on a playhouse or full backyard playground, start by constructing a backyard seesaw. With just one weekend, some lumber and a few tools, your kids will be see-sawing in no time with a sibling or friend and loving it. Just make sure they’re safe!

Create a Hanging Bar for Outdoor Entertaining

Another DIY project based around shipping pallets, this hanging outdoor bar is sure to delight and help you entertain both family and friends who come to visit. This project requires 8-10 wooden pallets, so start your hunt for discarded pallets before you decide to start building. The finished project is quite heavy (in order for it to be solid enough to hold bottles and glasses), so have someone help you with the final steps of lifting and attaching the bar when it’s complete. After it’s attached, the real fun begins! Load up your outdoor bar with whatever you desire and enjoy!

Build a Potting Bench

Love spending time in the garden? A DIY potting bench will make your time outdoors more efficient and enjoyable than ever! Building a pottery bench takes almost no know-how and can be completed with basic carpentry tools. Whether you want a potting bench with shelves or you’re thinking about a potting bench with wire mesh backing, building your own potting bench allows you to save money and create the perfect-sized bench for your backyard.

Bring Your Lawn Back to Life

Maintaining your own yard can be both rewarding and, with the right plan and tools, even fun! Spring is the ideal time to get back into the habit of regularly caring for you lawn and garden. Whether you need to mow, edge, trim, plant, or all of the above, it’s important to use quality tools. Sharp tools help you work faster and are better for the health of your yard. Remember, just because your equipment is old, it doesn’t necessarily need to be replaced. Buying replacement parts for your lawn equipment allows you to save money and keep working with the same tools for longer.

When working on DIY projects, remember: stay safe, use common sense, and have fun!

Fun, Starter Woodworking Projects for You and Your Kids

Woodworking is a hobby that is great for all ages and skill sets – you don’t have to be a carpenter to be able to create beautiful furnishings and crafts! A lot of projects aren’t as difficult as you might think, and can be made simpler so that even a child could do it (only under your expert supervision, of course). Woodworking with your child is a great opportunity to help them learn a new and valuable skill while bonding every step of the way. Give your child the experience of working with wood with these fun and easy ideas!

Bird house

A summer camp staple, building a bird house is a great woodworking project for beginners everywhere. A traditional birdhouse is easy to build and assemble, since it doesn’t require a lot of pieces. Cut out the proper sizes of the base, roof, walls and entrance hole with a basic band saw before letting your child get started (or just purchase a pre-cut kit). This project is great for kids since it’s simple to put together and usually just requires a hammer and nails. After your child builds the wooden house, he or she can decorate it to hang in a tree. Painting and personalizing is half the fun!

Boxes and Crates

Another fun beginner project for a child is creating crates and boxes. Build anything from a toy chest to the tiniest of boxes that your child can keep their prized possessions in. Boxes are very easy to make, with just six wooden boards needed for the entire structure. Let your child get familiar with tools like measuring tapes, levels and hammers. They’ll enjoy helping you put the box together. Show them how to hinge together the top to allow for an easy open and close. Like the birdhouse, decorating the box will be just as much fun as building it for your child. They’ll love having something in their space that they helped make.

Toy Race Car

One of the most classic woodworking projects is making a wooden car. This craft is a Boy Scouts of America staple with their annual Pine Wood Derby. Start off with a basic rectangular block of wood with at least a 1-3/4” of width. From there, let your child’s imagination run wild by letting him or her sketch their car design on the block. With your help, carefully carve the shape of the design into the block. Remember to drill a small hole so you can add the wheels in later. Let your child sand the car as you go, and then paint the finished product. Continue the fun by elevating a wooden board to make a ramp and hosting a car race at your home!

Tree House

As you and your child work on more wood projects and increase your skill level, you will be able to move on to more challenging projects. If you’re looking for a project that you can work on for longer than a few days, an outdoor tree house would be a great option for those sunny spring days that are either just on the horizon or already here, depending on where you live. A lot of treehouses aren’t as complex to build as they seem – but they do require careful adherence to safety and stability instructions. Let your kids build the platform and do the woodworking that is on the ground. They can also do things like building steps to climb up the tree and work on the interior once you suspend the structure. It’s a project that takes time and dedication, but results in a memory that will last your child a lifetime.

As you help your child with these projects, be sure to take precautions and keep any dangerous or sharp objects out of their reach. Leave the sawing and chainsaw usage to you, please! With the right guidance, your child will be a seasoned woodsmith someday.

How to Stock and Reclean Your Workroom to Prepare for Spring Projects

Organizing your garage workshop prior to the spring is the perfect time to set it up for all the projects you’re planning when the weather gets nice. We’ve got some pro tips to get you started!

First of all, if you have not yet taken the time to install a peg board in your shop, now is the time to do it. Space savers are always essential for a busy workroom, and a peg board is one of the most inexpensive investments you can make. Use large sections that you can attach to the walls to keep large tools easily accessible. You can also make small peg board panels to hold your levels, hand saws and hammers. By nailing a few pieces of trim as guides underneath your workbench countertop, you can slide the panels in and out when you need a small tool.

Clearing the Clutter

Getting objects that occupy floor space out of your way can make your workshop seem larger than its actual size. Using the ceiling and the walls can accomplish this goal well. For example, the ladder, which is usually in the way, can be stored overhead with ceiling brackets. Unless you use the ladder regularly, this is a great way to use your space more wisely.

Overhead space is also a handy place to suspend storage bins for holiday items like decorations and strings of lights. Pick up some large plastic tubs from your home improvement store, and clear some space by moving them only one time. To incorporate wall space for organizing your yard tools, screw two rows of short lengths of two-inch PVC pipe to the wall. Place one row about one foot from the floor and the second row about two feet above it. You can stand your shovels, rakes, hoes and other garden tools there where they can dry.

Lining up Your Drill Bits

Mount two magnetic strips on a length of 1 x 2 board. Then you can let your drill bits and screwdriver bits line up in a row where you can see them. The width of the board, when attached to a flat surface, allows you to pick and replace the ones that you need.

Storing Pipe

With two pieces of latticework suspended from the studs in your workshop, you have slots that are the perfect size for holding your copper or PVC pipe. You can see each length, and you can choose the one you want without moving the pieces that are in your way.

And there you have it! You’ve just provided yourself a large, easy and convenient space for working on whatever project you desire. So rev up your chainsaw and start working!

Winter Damage Control: How to Clean Up After a Heavy Snowfall

If you’re one of our friends on the East Coast or in the Midwest, we do not envy the harsh Winter you've been having this year. While we can all keep our fingers crossed that Spring will show its sunny face any day now, there are certain things you can do to make the snow a little more bearable. Chief among them: snow removal! You may not have control over the weather, but that doesn’t mean you have to put up with cold, soggy feet and pants any time you want to walk out your door or use the driveway. Below are a few snow removal tips so you can keep your walkways, driveways, and home safe and snow-free.

Use the Proper Equipment

Decide what equipment is best for your physical abilities as well as amount of snow and the size and type of your property. A manual shovel may be appropriate if you are healthy and the snowfalls in your area are fairly light; or if you only have a small pathway to clear up. An electric shovel, on the other hand, is a great choice for people with physical limitations and small properties in areas with light snowfalls.

Looking at some heavy-duty cleanup? Snow blowers come in various sizes and power levels based on the amount and heaviness of snow they can remove, and they are by far the best option for large driveways or walkways and heavy snowfall. Also, they’re pretty fun to use. Just make sure you get your earplugs out, and for the love of all that is sane, no 7am snow-blowing!

How to Protect Yourself

Once you have the appropriate equipment, take the proper precautions to protect yourself, your neighbors and your property. If you have any physical limitations, use a snowblower instead of a shovel, or hire someone to clear your snow for you (even if you didn’t have physical limitations, we’d understand if you want to outsource this task to an enterprising young teenager). Other safety tips include:

• Look the part. Wear warm clothes and outerwear along with the proper gloves and boots to get the job done. A pair of thick worker’s gloves will help you stave off blisters, as the repetitive motion of shoveling snow can often create a few. Layer your outfit so that if you get too hot, you can remove a few layers as needed. And finally, wear sunglasses and sunscreen. It may sound a little torturous to slather yourself in that fresh, sunny sunscreen smell and remind yourself of the day at the beach you’re not having, but snow is highly reflective of UV rays; dangerous sunburns can and do happen. Similarly, it it’s sunny out and the snow is particularly reflective, then staring at it for prolonged periods of time can cause serious damage to your eyes. If it helps, grab a margarita and try to pretend you’re on a tropical vacation; if nothing else, your neighbors could use a little comic relief!

• Use the right technique. The proper way to lift snow with a shovel is to bend at your knees and turn without twisting. Do not twist. Do not twist! This can seriously tweak your back.

• Lighten your load. Don't wait until the snow gets too deep or heavy. Shovel several times during the storm or in layers, and don't overload your shovel.

• Inspect your machinery. Make sure your snow blower is in optimal condition, and repair it if necessary. We happen to have a wide array of Tecumseh parts, a leading brand in snow blower engines.

How to Be a Good Neighbor

These points should be fairly intuitive, but they’re worth mentioning. Make sure that as you perform your routine cleanup, you respect your neighbors and their needs by adhering to the following guidelines:

• Obey the rules. If your community has a rule for removing snow within a certain time frame, follow it. Even if they don’t, use your good judgement on this one. We know you need to get out of your driveway, but early morning really isn’t a good time to bust out the snow blower. Plan ahead the evening before if you can; and if there was a fresh snowfall overnight and you absolutely must be at the office at 8am, see if you can make do with a shovel and take care of the rest later. Strategically park your car as close to the edge of the driveway as possible to make getting out easier.

• Keep it to yourself. Never transfer snow from your property to your neighbors' properties, and avoid throwing it into the street or onto the sidewalk. Otherwise you’re likely to start a snow battle, which is only fun in Calvin and Hobbes cartoons. So where should the snow go, you ask? Unfortunately, into the parts of your yard that you’re not using. Don’t worry; you’ll get your yard back eventually.

• Treat icy surfaces safely. Use de-icers that aren't toxic and won't hurt pets' paws. Gravel is a safe way to improve traction without chemicals, and Calcium magnesium acetate is a more environmentally-friendly choice than the popular, inexpensive rock salt. On an unrelated note, while we’re on the topic of pet safety: never, ever leave antifreeze outside. Both cats and dogs are drawn to the sweetness of this incredibly toxic substance. 

Good luck! Spring is just around the corner, and we’ll be ready for it with plenty of fresh blog posts about fun outdoor projects and construction ideas. You’ll be trading in your snow blower for a lawn mower before you know it!

Beat the Winter Blues With these Easy Indoor Projects

If you’re in most parts of the country, you didn’t need a groundhog to tell you this year that Winter is far from over. We’re officially hitting the doldrums of the year, which means people are less enamored with fancy lattes, new sweaters, and fresh snow, and they’re more ready than ever to finally soak up some sun. This can be an especially frustrating time if you spend a lot of time tinkering around outdoors in your garden, yard or driveway, working on projects.

The good news? You don’t have to wait for the good weather to arrive to get back into the DIY spirit! If you’re lucky enough to have a garage that doubles as a workshop, you’re set: just drag out the space heater and rev up the chainsaw. If not, there are some clever ideas out there about how create a makeshift woodshop in your basement or an unused room. Don’t have that luxury either? Move the furniture, lay down some floor covering, and start apologizing to your family members for stealing the dining room. These short indoor projects will be worth it! Below are a few indoor woodworking project ideas to get your creative juices flowing and keep the winter blues at bay.

• Home Improvement Projects – One of the safest bets for a great indoor project is anything home improvement-related. Often these projects, like fixing a door frame or installing more attractive lighting, are so localized that you won’t even need a working space beyond the radius of the actual item you’re working on. It’s also a productive, helpful use of your time – so you’re more likely to receive forgiveness for noisy drilling or hammering. Check out these great home improvement ideas for more inspiration.

• Convert Old Furniture Into New – Get fun and creative by re-purposing some furniture you don’t need anymore. Do you have an old crib your child has grown out of? Turn it into a bench. How about an old wardrobe or dresser? Remove the doors and add some shelves for a contemporary and quirky bookcase. Even unused wood pallets can make the perfect bed frames. Use your own furniture or hit the thrift stores and let your creativity shine. If you get stuck, just type in your item of furniture followed by “upcycled” or “re-purposed” on Pinterest and you’re sure to be met with a wealth of ideas.

• Get Crafty With the Kids – Why save all the fun for yourself? Enjoy some family bonding time and teach your kids crucial skills that will last them a lifetime by showing them how to build their own birdhouse, outdoor planter, or bench. Allow your children to use their skills to complement each other. For example, if one child is more artistic and detail-oriented, allow them to paint the finished product. Again, look to Pinterest for some great beginner’s woodworking projects.

So don’t get down about the weather; get creative! We promise the sun will be out soon. In the meantime, have some fun and then reap the rewards of your work.

A Quick Guide to Choosing Your Small Engine Oil

Just like with your car, whether or not you perform regular maintenance on time can make or (literally) break the performance of your chainsaw, lawnmover, or other small engine-powered equipment. But do the other rules apply as well? Can you use the same type of engine oil and expect a similar performance?

Well, yes and no. The truth is, while the basic mechanisms of engine performance and the impact of a high-quality oil are the same, small engines require their own special 2-stroke oil that contains components designed specifically with throttle and high-revving performance in mind. Below is a run-down of some of our top-selling small engine oils and their specific uses:

Semi-Synthetic 2-Cycle Oil: Semi-synthetic oil, which contains a mixture of synthetic and mineral oil, is usually less expensive than synthetic oil but it works great for ordinary engine use. We have some wonderful options for high-quality semi-synthetic oil, like the Lucas Brand High-Performance 2-Stroke Oil. This versatile, smokeless oil is great for almost any small engine, including those powering leaf blowers, weed eaters, chainsaws, and even snowmobiles.

Synthetic 2-Stroke Oil: If you tend to store your chainsaw or other small engine-powered equipment for long periods of time, choose a synthetic oil, which is less likely to deteriorate over time and cause performance issues. Look to the fuel-stabilization properties of our AMSOIL SABER 2-Stroke Oil, a powerful synthetic that protects the engine during off-season storage. If you’re someone who’s likely to set down the chainsaw for the cold Winter months, this is the oil that will keep you covered when you come out of hibernation!

Other Fuel Additives: In addition to choosing the right oil, there are a number of additions on the market that can help you keep your engine running more powerfully than ever. Look to our Star Tron Enzyme Fuel Treatment, for example, which helps gasoline break down more slowly and evenly, and prevents issues like phase separation and fuel gelling. It’s a little detail that goes a long way.
Remember, as always, if you have any questions, the experts at HLSupply are here to help!