Every year, around the second week of September, the phone starts ringing. Someone has pulled the saw out of the shed for the first time since spring, given the starter cord a dozen pulls, and got nothing. Or worse, it started fine and then cut like it was chewing rather than slicing.
Firewood season in Edmonton runs from about now until the ground freezes hard. If you are planning to put up a few cords before winter, twenty minutes spent on the saw this week will save you a frustrating Saturday next month.
Here is what we would check, in the order we would check it.
A dull chain is the single most common reason a saw feels underpowered. People assume the engine is tired when the cutting edge is simply worn.
The test is straightforward. Make a cut in a clean log and look at what comes off. A sharp chain throws chips, small square pieces of wood you could pick up between your fingers. A dull chain produces fine sawdust, almost like powder. If you are seeing dust, stop cutting. You are not just working harder than you need to, you are putting heat into the bar and the powerhead.
Other signs worth knowing:
We sharpen chains here in the shop, and we do it on a machine rather than by hand, which means every cutter comes off at the same angle and the same length. Bring the saw in or just the chain, whichever is easier. Most are done same day.
If you have been sharpening it yourself for a few seasons and it never quite comes back, the chain may simply be finished. There is a wear line marked on the cutters, and once you reach it the chain is done regardless of how well you sharpen it.
Turn the bar over and look at the rails, the two edges the chain rides on. They should be square and even. If one rail is worn lower than the other, or the edges have burred over, that is what is making the saw cut crooked, not the chain.
Check the groove is clear too. Sawdust and old bar oil pack into it over a season and stop oil reaching the chain. A flat screwdriver or a bar groove cleaner will clear it out in a minute.
While you are there, flip the bar. Running it the same way up for its whole life wears one rail far faster than the other, and flipping it each season roughly doubles how long it lasts.
Stale fuel is the reason most saws will not start in the autumn.
Gasoline starts breaking down after about thirty days. In a two stroke saw that has sat since April, the fuel in the tank and the carburettor has been degrading for months. It gums up jets, it clogs filters, and in a small engine that is enough to stop it running entirely.
If the saw has been sitting with fuel in it:
Ethanol makes this worse, because it attracts moisture and separates over time. Premixed fuel costs more per litre but it stores for years rather than weeks, and for a saw you use in bursts it often works out cheaper than replacing a carburettor.
If yours is already gummed up, that is a carburettor clean rather than a rebuild in most cases. We handle repairs for all makes in our own workshop, whether or not you bought the saw from us.
Three quick ones.
The air filter should be clean enough to see light through. A blocked filter makes the saw run rich, which means it bogs down under load and fouls the plug. Most lift out without tools.
The spark plug should be a light tan colour at the tip. Black and sooty means it has been running rich. Wet means fuel is not burning. Either way a new plug costs a few dollars and takes two minutes.
The chain brake is the one people skip, and it is the one that matters most. Push the guard forward and confirm the chain locks solidly. Then pull it back and confirm the chain runs freely. If it feels vague or sticky, bring the saw in. A chain brake that does not engage properly is not a maintenance issue, it is a safety issue.
Sometimes it genuinely is not. If you are looking at a new carburettor, a new bar, a new chain and a clutch on a saw that owes you nothing, the money is better spent elsewhere.
For firewood, most Edmonton homeowners are well served by something in the middle of the homeowner and semi pro range. The STIHL MS 271 Farm Boss is the one we sell most of for exactly this job. The MS 250 handles a few cords a year comfortably. If you are cutting larger diameter wood or working through a lot of it, the MS 291 or MS 391 have the power to keep going.
If you are running a saw hard and want more out of it, ask us about Bakerization. It is a performance modification we developed here, and it makes a saw smoother, more powerful and cooler running. We warranty Bakerized STIHL and Husqvarna saws to the same standard as the manufacturers cover their stock machines.
Most chainsaw injuries happen to people cutting firewood on their own property, not to professionals.
Wear chaps. Wear eye and ear protection. Wear boots. Keep both hands on the saw. Do not cut above shoulder height. And be careful with wood under tension, because a log that is bearing weight will move when you cut it, and it will move faster than you can.
We carry protective equipment from Petzl and Sherrill Tree, and we are happy to talk you through what you actually need rather than selling you everything on the shelf.
If you are not sure whether the saw is worth fixing, bring it in and we will tell you honestly. We have been doing this in Edmonton since the 1960s, and we sold our first STIHL chainsaw in December 1959.
Timberland Supply Inc. 11010 Mayfield Rd NW, Edmonton, AB T5P 4B6 780-452-1863 sales@timberlandsupply.ca
Monday to Friday 8.00am to 5.00pm, Saturday 9.00am to 2.00pm. Closed Sunday.
Found a better price somewhere else? Come and see us in store and we will beat it.
Autumn arrives quickly in Edmonton. One week the yard is fine, the next there is a layer of poplar and birch across the lawn, the driveway and the gutters, and it needs shifting before the first snow packs it down.
The trouble is that "leaf blower" covers everything from a light handheld unit to a commercial machine that will move wet leaves and gravel. Buy too small and you will spend your Saturday fighting it. Buy too big and you have paid for power you will never use.
Here is how we help customers work it out at the counter.
This is the single most useful question, and it settles most of the decision on its own.
Small city lot, up to a quarter acre. A handheld blower is almost certainly the right tool. Light, easy to store, and more than capable of clearing a lawn, a driveway and a patio. Anything larger is money spent on power you will not use.
Quarter acre to an acre. This is the middle ground and where most Edmonton homeowners sit. A more powerful handheld will manage it, but if you have mature trees, a long driveway or you find yourself clearing more than once a week in October, a backpack model will save you real time and shoulder ache.
An acre or more, acreage properties, or commercial work. A backpack blower is the sensible choice. The weight sits on your back and hips rather than your arm, which changes everything once you are past twenty minutes of continuous use. Run times are longer and the air volume is in a different class.
Ten years ago this was an easy answer. It is not any more.
Battery has come a long way. It starts instantly, weighs less, produces no fumes and is quiet enough that you can clear a yard early on a Sunday without a neighbour appearing at the fence. For a typical city lot, a modern battery blower will do everything you need and do it more pleasantly.
The considerations are run time and cold. A battery gives you a fixed window before it needs charging, so for larger properties you are looking at a second battery. Lithium batteries also lose capacity in the cold, which matters in Edmonton if you intend to use the machine into late autumn. Keep the battery indoors until you are ready to work.
Gas still wins on sustained power and continuous running. If you are clearing an acreage, working through wet leaves, or you need to run for an hour without stopping, gas remains the practical answer. Refuelling takes a minute, and there is no cold weather penalty.
A useful way to decide: if you would finish the job in under half an hour, battery is likely the better experience. If you would not, gas is likely the better tool.
Every blower is advertised with two figures, and most people focus on the wrong one.
MPH is air speed. It tells you how hard the air hits. High speed is what lifts wet, matted leaves off grass, or shifts material stuck to a driveway.
CFM is air volume. It tells you how much air is moving. Volume is what actually pushes a pile across a lawn and keeps it moving.
Speed without volume gives you a machine that lifts a leaf and drops it again. Volume without speed struggles with anything damp. You want a sensible balance of both, and between two similar machines, the one with the higher CFM will usually clear a yard faster.
For most Edmonton yards, wet leaves are the real test. We get enough autumn rain and early snow that leaves are rarely bone dry when you get to them, and that is where underpowered machines disappoint people.
A blower that feels fine in the shop feels different after forty minutes.
Handheld units are typically light enough that this is not an issue for short jobs. Once you pass about half an hour of continuous use, the difference between a handheld and a backpack becomes very obvious. The backpack harness spreads the load across your back and hips instead of hanging it off one arm.
If you are unsure, come and hold both. It takes two minutes and it tells you more than any spec sheet.
Noise matters more in a city neighbourhood than people admit until they own the machine.
Battery units are considerably quieter. Gas units are not, and if your clearing tends to happen early morning or in the evening, that is worth weighing. Whichever you choose, wear hearing protection. Prolonged exposure to a gas blower will damage your hearing, and it is the sort of damage you do not notice until it is permanent.
Worth knowing before you buy: if you also need a trimmer, a pole pruner or an edger, a combination system may make more sense than buying separate machines.
A KombiSystem or Yard Boss uses one powerhead with interchangeable attachments, including a blower. You buy the engine once and add tools as you need them. It costs less overall than four separate machines and takes up considerably less space in a garage.
Not the right answer for everyone, but a lot of customers wish they had known before buying their third separate tool.
If we had to give one answer for a typical Edmonton homeowner with a city lot and a couple of mature trees: a battery handheld blower, with a spare battery if you have more than a quarter acre.
For acreages, properties with heavy tree cover, or anyone clearing professionally: a gas backpack blower, without much hesitation.
For everyone in between, come in and try both. That is genuinely the fastest way to decide, and it costs nothing.
Whatever you buy, a few minutes of maintenance makes a real difference:
If something does go wrong, we repair outdoor power equipment of all makes in our own workshop, whether or not you bought it from us.
We have been selling and servicing outdoor power equipment in Edmonton since the 1960s, and we would rather sell you the right machine once than the wrong machine twice.
Browse our full range of handheld blowers, battery blowers and backpack blowers, or come in and try them.
Timberland Supply Inc. 11010 Mayfield Rd NW, Edmonton, AB T5P 4B6 780-452-1863 sales@timberlandsupply.ca
Monday to Friday 8.00am to 5.00pm, Saturday 9.00am to 2.00pm. Closed Sunday.
Found a better price somewhere else? Come and see us in store and we will beat it.
When you're shopping for outdoor power equipment, finding the right product is important, but getting the best value matters too. At Timberland Supply Inc., we believe you shouldn't have to choose between expert service and a competitive price.
That's why we'll beat any competitor's advertised price on qualifying products. Whether you're searching for a chainsaw in Edmonton, a new lawn mower, backpack blowers, hedge trimmers, or professional grade equipment from STIHL, Husqvarna, and Echo, our team is committed to helping you get the best deal possible.
Price is important, but it's only part of what we offer.
Timberland Supply has been serving Edmonton, Western Canada, and the world since the 1960s and remains a family run business, with a reputation for exceptional customer service and product knowledge. We also widely recognized as one of the oldest and largest STIHL, Husqvarna, and Echo dealers.
When you shop with us, you're not simply purchasing equipment, you're getting access to knowledgeable staff, expert advice, and ongoing support from a team that understands outdoor power equipment inside and out.
Whether you're a homeowner cutting firewood or a professional arborist who relies on equipment every day, choosing the right chainsaw can make a significant difference.
Timberland Supply carries a wide selection of chainsaws, including homeowner, semi-professional, and professional-grade models from leading manufacturers. Customers looking for STIHL Edmonton dealers or Husqvarna Edmonton retailers can browse a large selection of equipment backed by expert guidance from our non-commissioned sales team.
If you've found a better advertised price elsewhere, bring it to us. We'll show you how we can deliver even more value.
At Timberland Supply, customers regularly shop for:
Our inventory includes products for homeowners, landscapers, contractors, forestry professionals, and tree care specialists.
Many customers begin their search online looking for terms such as "STIHL dealers," "Husqvarna Edmonton," or even specific models such as the STIHL MS170.
While pricing can vary depending on promotions and availability, Timberland Supply is committed to delivering outstanding value. If you find a lower advertised price from a competitor, talk to our team before making your purchase. Our goal is to help you get the right equipment at the best possible price.
Timberland Supply also offers professional repair services and chain sharpening for customers throughout Edmonton and surrounding areas. Whether you're searching for chainsaw repair in Edmonton or looking for chainsaw sharpening near me, our experienced technicians can help keep your equipment operating at peak performance.
The company backs repairs with a 30-day repair guarantee and provides service from experienced mechanics who work on outdoor power equipment every day.
Customers continue to choose Timberland Supply because of:
Whether you're shopping for a lawn mower in Edmonton, upgrading to professional backpack blowers, replacing a hedge trimmer, or investing in a new chainsaw, our team is ready to help you find the right equipment at the right price.
If you've found a competitor advertising a lower price, don't buy before speaking with us.
Visit Timberland Supply in Edmonton and let our knowledgeable team help you save money while getting the service and support you deserve. We'll beat any competitor's advertised price and help you choose equipment that works as hard as you do.
Join us at Timberland Supply Co. on May 2 in Edmonton for our highly anticipated Echo One Day Sale, featuring exclusive savings on premium power equipment in Edmonton. Whether you’re upgrading your tools or looking for expert advice, this one-day event is your chance to save on top brands and experience equipment in action.
If you’ve been searching for a chainsaw in Edmonton, a reliable lawn mower, professional-grade hedge trimmers or backpack blowers, this event brings everything together in one place. We’ll have price reductions across the store, making it the perfect time to invest in high performance outdoor power equipment.
Representatives from Echo Canada and STIHL Canada will be in store at Timberland Supply with product displays and demonstrations. You’ll be able to test a variety of equipment, including:
This is a great opportunity to speak directly with product experts at a trusted Echo and STIHL Edmonton dealer to find the right equipment for your needs.
In addition to exclusive Echo promotions, we’re offering price reductions throughout the store on a wide range of equipment and accessories. Customers can also take advantage of:
Whether you’re a homeowner or contractor, you’ll find unbeatable value on power equipment in Edmonton for one day only.
Timberland Supply is more than just a retailer. We’re your local experts for chainsaw repair in Edmonton and chainsaw sharpening near you. Our team is here to help you maintain your equipment and keep it running at peak performance. Check out our how-to guide for changing your chainsaw chain.
As a trusted Husqvarna dealer in Edmonton and STIHL dealer near you, we provide professional backed by expert service and honest advice.
This special one-day event happens on May 2 at Timberland Supply in Edmonton. Deals are only available while supplies last. Visit Timberland Supply Co. to demo equipment, meet brand representatives, and take advantage of exclusive savings.
If your chainsaw isn’t cutting efficiently, it might be time to replace the chain.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to change a chainsaw chain safely, using the same process demonstrated by professionals.
Whether you're maintaining equipment at home or servicing your power equipment, this step-by-step guide will help you keep your saw performing at its best.
Read the instructions and watch the video below.
You should replace your chain if:
If you're frequently searching for chainsaw sharpening near me, it may be more cost effective to install a new chain.
In order to change your chainsaw chain, you'll need a scrench wrench (also known as a bar wrench), a replacement chain (correct size) and protective, anti-cut gloves.
For best results, use original manufacturer parts from a trusted STIHL dealer or Husqvarna dealer, like Timberland Supply in Edmonton.
A properly tensioned chain:
If unsure, visit a STIHL dealer near you, or a power tool professional offering chainsaw repair.
To extend the life of your equipment:
For expert servicing, trust local power equipment Edmonton specialists like Timberland Supply.
You should get help if:
If you find yourself searching for chainsaw repair in Edmonton or chainsaw sharpening near me, contact our store today!
Learning how to change a chainsaw chain is a simple but critical skill. It improves cutting performance, safety, and extends the life of your equipment.
For Edmonton users, combining DIY maintenance with support from a trusted STIHL dealer or Husqvarna dealer ensures the best results.
