The chainsaw thread...

Electric chainsaws have come along way. The electric motors have a lot of torque for their size. I have never used one outside of a behind the shop demo but I could see them for firewood work. the balance and feel in my hands seemed pretty different from gas saw and would take some getting use to. One interesting thing I learned from a sales rep is that chaps don't work against electric saws because of the torque and direct drive. Nothing to clog up.

I worked for a guy with an electric spliter. I thought it was silly at first but once it got cold and windy you could run it in small heated pole barn or garage without choking on exhaust. Split pretty well too.

My friend uses a battery powered stihl saw when he's climbing and doing work in the trees. He seems to like it enough. He uses it to reduce his exposure to the exhaust. He's had toxicity issues from exhaust from a career working in trees.

My thought process is simple. I kill gas engines. I have a magic touch. My yard is small and perfectly within reach of a 150' extension cord. I have trees. And they need trimming occasionally plus we get blowdowns. So removing the gas engine from the equation seems like a simple answer as part of the issue is that I need the saw infrequently. However, the price tag on the bigger electric Stihl saws made me forget to breath for a few moments. I have a .017 which is a nice size for most of what I do. However, it didn't work when I needed it last weekend. My neighbor thinks the symptoms fit the description for a shot clutch. So more money. Also, the job called for a slightly bigger saw than the .017. Sure I could stick a longer bar on it. But that really isn't the answer. Normally I would think that I would replace the .017 with a similar sized electric and get a gas one for the bigger stuff. However, I really only need a saw a few times a year and when I do it is usually the smaller one. I have a bad habit of "using things hard and putting them away wet".

I have 3 Stihl 240s (almost identical to the current 241) that my crew and I use for trail work. Despite long hours, and lots of abuse, they just keep on working, year after year. I've tried several cheaper and lighter models, but in comparison they're toys, which inevitably break. I like the idea of a battery powered saw, or a much lighter saw, but until they produce something to professional specifications, I'll keep lugging around a 240.

And to be clear, I am not considering battery powered. We kill rechargeable batteries in this house. I am only thinking about corded models.

Why do I have an .017 in the first place? I inherited it from my Dad. His [larger] saw got stolen and by then he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's. He wanted something light as a replacement.

Bought a new chain yesterday. Cut thru this with it today 🙁Attachment 176213

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Originally Posted by steepconcrete

Bought a new chain yesterday. Cut thru this with it today ��Attachment 176213

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Great opportunity to work on your chain sharpening skills.:biggrin
I once cut half way through a marble size rock buried in a burning stump before I realized something wasn't quite right. That chain was f'd.
What saw did you buy?

I just have a old husky rancher I got new 15 or so years ago. It went thru a ATV mishap and the bar got ruined. On impulse at the chainsaw store I figured I may as well put a new chain on the brand new bar...

To make matters worse I double cut thru the barn nail? as this was in a mid 30 inch oak and I only have a 20 inch bar.

https://indianapolis.craigslist.org/grd/5431429557.html

Check out this 661. It kinda give me a choner.

That's too pretty to use.

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Originally Posted by Hotshot76

https://indianapolis.craigslist.org/grd/5431429557.html

Check out this 661. It kinda give me a choner.

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Yeah, but it's kind of hard to picture that tossed in the back of the pickup with the old gas and oil cans and a half-cord.

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Originally Posted by Meadow Skipper

Yeah, but it's kind of hard to picture that tossed in the back of the pickup with the old gas and oil cans and a half-cord.

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No shit. That's something you take as your date to the Oscars.

WTF? Is that real carbon fiber? I mean, no, right?

No it is just a faux finish. Here is a link to a dip example.
https://youtu.be/iP7BKHU4WUc
A nice saw, cheap cosmetic dressing aside. Not sure if it is worth the asking price.

Gotcha. That's what I figured. But at that price I figured it was possible. But it just didn't make sense from a why would he do it standpoint.

The paint job is kinda cool. But a bored and ported 661...damn! $1600 for a 661 is a little over the top though. Homeboy does seem to know his saws if he is after something even bigger. I am not sure what he would do with a bigger saw in the midwest. I know there are some big hardwoods there but that turf is not exactly coastal trees.

bump

pg&e will be taking down several (possibly up to 10) pines on my property that have died. some are pretty big, e.g. 29" dbh. they took down one large pine last year and bucked the trunk into 12' lengths. they say they will do similar this year. with this potential opportunity, i'm considering buying an alaskan mill to mill boards. i have no experience with them and no experience with the lumber/milling process, but from my noob and slightly distant perspective, it sounds like a cool and fun project. i know some folks near me that use alaskan mills and generally enjoy the process and outcome.... any solicited advise or informative internet-based information?

that said, i also feel the urge of getting a new saw (it must be the spring). my 20" bar stihl MS270 has a coil problem that apparently (per internet forum searches) will be consistently problematic for the model. to make sure this was the problem with my, i baselined some of the saw (i bought it used at a pawn shop), and the problem persisted - it stalls randomly when idling. so i'm looking for recommendations from the folks here (i'll also inquire with others that i know) for new saw(s). uses: thinning of young (~30 years old) trees on property, mild tree-removal work on other friends' properties (currently have a work/trade going on with a bunch of standing dead madrone), firewood stuff, (potentially) milling. i like living in the woods and heating with wood and will likely do it for a long time (rest of life). i'm 40. i'm a little biased in the sense that my tire guy, who is a woodsman and motorhead above most else told me his opinion that if you're going to heat with wood and gather your own firewood for decades (like him - he's almost 70), you should eventually look into getting professional-level saws.... my family and i do not swim in cash.

cheers

Do you have a kidney or an extra child you could sell to finance the saw purchase?

You could listen to the old fart OR you could buy/burnout 2 or 3 homeowner saws for the price of a pro saw, a pro saw is probably a good idea if you want to use it on a mill, money aside you will still have to experiance those saws that suck while you are burning them out

Seem like the right place to post this --

Anyone here have a chainsaw-on-a-pole? I have some dead lower branches on pine trees at my house that I'd like to trim off, and doing it by hand with a pruning saw-on-a-pole takes way too long. There's roughly 50 full-grown jeffrey and ponderosa pines on my property.

This Harbor Freight one seems to have good reviews, despite being from HF:
http://www.harborfreight.com/7-amp-e...saw-68862.html

I've never owned a chainsaw, or even used one.

Thanks for the advise so far. if i were to consider a pro-level stihl, what size?

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Originally Posted by El Chupacabra

Seem like the right place to post this --

Anyone here have a chainsaw-on-a-pole? I have some dead lower branches on pine trees at my house that I'd like to trim off, and doing it by hand with a pruning saw-on-a-pole takes way too long. There's roughly 50 full-grown jeffrey and ponderosa pines on my property.

This Harbor Freight one seems to have good reviews, despite being from HF:
http://www.harborfreight.com/7-amp-e...saw-68862.html

I've never owned a chainsaw, or even used one.

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i rented the chainsaw on a poll. all 3 equipment rental shops where i live have them, i'm sure yours do too.

my local saw shop strongly advised against buying one. they stated that the homeowner version were very poor quality (they sell homeowner thru pro model saws) and they won't carry them and the pro models are pricey and need to be used with some relative frequency to function correctly. they basically carry them for the pro-level user or a customer who is persistent.

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Originally Posted by bodywhomper

Thanks for the advise so far. if i were to consider a pro-level stihl, what size?


i rented the chainsaw on a poll. all 3 equipment rental shops where i live have them, i'm sure yours do to.

my local saw shop strongly advised against buying one. they stated that the homeowner version were very poor quality (they sell homeowner thru pro model saws) and they won't carry them and the pro models are pricey and need to be used with some relative frequency to function correctly. they basically carry them for the pro-level user or a customer who is persistent.

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I upgraded from the 310 to the 460 about 5 years ago and have never once wished I hadn't. It weighs one pound more than the 310 and produces nearly double the horsepower.

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Originally Posted by El Chupacabra

Seem like the right place to post this --

Anyone here have a chainsaw-on-a-pole? I have some dead lower branches on pine trees at my house that I'd like to trim off, and doing it by hand with a pruning saw-on-a-pole takes way too long. There's roughly 50 full-grown jeffrey and ponderosa pines on my property.

This Harbor Freight one seems to have good reviews, despite being from HF:
http://www.harborfreight.com/7-amp-e...saw-68862.html

I've never owned a chainsaw, or even used one.

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I've got a cheapo electric on a pole, works ok

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Originally Posted by stfu&gbtw

I upgraded from the 310 to the 460 about 5 years ago and have never once wished I hadn't. It weighs one pound more than the 310 and produces nearly double the horsepower.

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I would rather run a 361 all day than a 460 if it got the job done. 1 pound matters when you run a saw all day. Especially thinning. Just walking down a log cutting rounds it probably doesn't matter as you aren't bearing the weight of the saw. If you are just running it a few hours here and there the weight doesn't to get to you, but it really matters after multiple tanks.

That said, if you are serious about chainsaw milling you will need the horsepower of a 460 or larger. Husqavarna 372 had the best power to weight last time I looked into this.

Realistically a 660 for milling.

You also should do some research on milling specific chain. IE full comp. , optimal raker angles, etc.

You can alwasy use more HP so go at least mid sized pro so Sthil 361 or Husky 359 why fuck around

and if you are going to put it in a mill big as you can afford

Another more TGR way to do this would be to get the saw you are having trouble with worked on by a pro and buy a high HP milling and bucking saw.

Then you have a quiver appropriate for the job.

thanks. i've seen a little about using a specific chain for milling that seemed to pivot around efficiency due to raker angles and such.

i appreciate the input about saws. weight matters for me. i'm not a big guy and i'm doing more than just bucking logs.

i'm considering the quiver approach, over time. i will likely speak to a friend that is a pro (and older) about the saw. i haven't seen him in a little while, but my understanding (based on internet research) is that the problem is an inherent design flaw - coil burnout....

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Originally Posted by char_

I would rather run a 361 all day than a 460 if it got the job done. 1 pound matters when you run a saw all day. Especially thinning. Just walking down a log cutting rounds it probably doesn't matter as you aren't bearing the weight of the saw. If you are just running it a few hours here and there the weight doesn't to get to you, but it really matters after multiple tanks.

That said, if you are serious about chainsaw milling you will need the horsepower of a 460 or larger. Husqavarna 372 had the best power to weight last time I looked into this.

Realistically a 660 for milling.

You also should do some research on milling specific chain. IE full comp. , optimal raker angles, etc.

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Honestly, I'd rather use my leatherman tool if it got the job done...


I borrowed a friend's 361 for a couple of days before I bought the 460. I don't find the 1 lb makes a difference. Have spent whole days side-hilling with it, and it certainly sucked... But a whole day side-hilling empty handed sucks too. I wouldn't take that saw for clearing brush, but for felling and limbing 18“ diameter trees at 11k', the 460 has been great.

I just came to see if mtngrl had chimed in on chainsaws and which one to stay away from.

If you're serious about milling, go for nothing less than a 5-6 cube 6-8 hp saw----- Stihl 660, Husky 385, 390 or 395. To mill 28" wood requires a 36' mill and bar. Full chisel square ground chain is best, short of a special ripping chain. Milling is hard on a saw, so use a slightly lower mix ratio 36-40-1, max, and good synthetic mix such as Stihl Ultra. Make sure the saw is oiling adequately and don't let it overheat---it won't if the chain is kept sharp. Here, we're milling some big birch with a 42" Alaskan paired with my fully woods ported Husqvarna 3120, which is putting out close to 13 horsepower....Twin huge front firing exhaust ports were about to knock me out, hence the mask.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCJTTYW3QDY

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Originally Posted by bodywhomper

bump

pg&e will be taking down several (possibly up to 10) pines on my property that have died. some are pretty big, e.g. 29" dbh. they took down one large pine last year and bucked the trunk into 12' lengths. they say they will do similar this year. with this potential opportunity, i'm considering buying an alaskan mill to mill boards. i have no experience with them and no experience with the lumber/milling process, but from my noob and slightly distant perspective, it sounds like a cool and fun project. i know some folks near me that use alaskan mills and generally enjoy the process and outcome.... any solicited advise or informative internet-based information?

that said, i also feel the urge of getting a new saw (it must be the spring). my 20" bar stihl MS270 has a coil problem that apparently (per internet forum searches) will be consistently problematic for the model. to make sure this was the problem with my, i baselined some of the saw (i bought it used at a pawn shop), and the problem persisted - it stalls randomly when idling. so i'm looking for recommendations from the folks here (i'll also inquire with others that i know) for new saw(s). uses: thinning of young (~30 years old) trees on property, mild tree-removal work on other friends' properties (currently have a work/trade going on with a bunch of standing dead madrone), firewood stuff, (potentially) milling. i like living in the woods and heating with wood and will likely do it for a long time (rest of life). i'm 40. i'm a little biased in the sense that my tire guy, who is a woodsman and motorhead above most else told me his opinion that if you're going to heat with wood and gather your own firewood for decades (like him - he's almost 70), you should eventually look into getting professional-level saws.... my family and i do not swim in cash.

cheers

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I know this will cause some to brand me as a heretic, however, why not get someone else to mill the wood? Folks near you? Pay or barter? Gas, grass or ass? Seriously. To do it up right it seems like one needs equipment that is really only suited to the specific task. So you have to figure out what your real goal is. And if the trees are being cut down because they are dead, how useful is the timber going to be?

And if the trees are being cut down because they are dead, how useful is the timber going to be?

Possibly good point. Pine is a soft wood, but depending on what killed the trees and how long dead, the wood might be fine. That will be easy to determine once the trees are on the ground.

I agree with the idea of having someone else do the milling, if someone with an Alaskan can be found. Or, if the wood were good and ponderosa, say, a hi quality pine, there might be someone willing to do the milling in trade for half the lumber....perhaps someone with a larger mill and a truck to pick the wood up--or a Lucas mill, which can be transported to the site.

^^^this is the sort of groupthink that I was searching for. I just recently met somebody with a some sort of mill in their property to be used for their clandestine off the grid projects. And I believe some of the adjacent small farmers (and developing friends) may have some kind of mill. I wish pg&e would buck them in longer lengths because the logs would be more marketable for me, but I think they do the 10-12' length thing for that exact reason.

All the trees are ponderosa pine and recent bark beetle death or are in the process of dying from some sort of bark scale. The bark scale thing came up in the past two months and is rapidly killing two or three trees (if they are not already dead).

You can't sell it or move it without a permit from the state. Mills aren't taking it. Buying a small mill isn't really worth it. I've had 20 dropped by PG&E with 8 more marked and 6 more I want to drop. I'm going to borrow a small mill for the pondo and cedar so I can make a few items.

RB knows what he's talking about.

Listen to how hard that big saw is working on the birch. Hell, he had to borrow that mill. Not worth it to me to buy the proper saw and mill for ~30 trees.

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Originally Posted by bodywhomper

I wish pg&e would buck them in longer lengths because the logs would be more marketable for me, but I think they do the 10-12' length thing for that exact reason.

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I was wondering about that. 16' is the more normal log length.

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Originally Posted by ~mikey b

You can't sell it or move it without a permit from the state. Mills aren't taking it.

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per the nevada county fire safe council, the timber permitting has changed for small private property owners to address the pine deaths and increased fire hazards; the exemptions have increased.... supposedly, the idea that they are starting to push (outside of the PG&E thing) is that a property owner comes up with zero $$ spent buy hiring pros to remove the pines, truck them off for milling, and having them commercially sold with that fancy pine "stain". i have only heard this verbally described by the ED of the org and not seen in writing. also, i can't imagine how it'll work out economically if the market for that sort of pine becomes flooded because lots and lots of small private property owners start doing this....

You can't give it away around here.

There is simply too much.

The small guys have too much and the big mill won't buy. I'm told folks are trucking it to Sac.

I'm going to use some for firewood, some for benches and have my buddy carve me a couple creatures.

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Originally Posted by ~mikey b

I'm going to use some for firewood, some for benches and have my buddy carve me a couple creatures.

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Hippie.