The chainsaw thread...

[BCMtnHound]

My 038mag and 044 professional forestry saws are going on 20yrs and still perform great. A bit heavy (>70cc) for your suggested usage, but I love my 24" and 32" bars (less bending over) and wrap handles. The 044 with the arctic kit is so nice when the temp gets below -10C. Used them for brushing and spacing contracts for a couple of seasons without complaint. My wife brought a MS250 to the union; it gets used mostly for pruning as I hate bending over with it for any kind of serious brushing that is too much for the FS40 'wacker.

[Kopi_Red]

MS 250

Is that what you have?

[jackattack]

Don't just run out and buy the Stihl. Echo makes a great product at a better value. You might not get a free hat.

[MagnificentUnicorn]

Don't just run out and buy the Stihl. Echo makes a great product at a better value. You might not get a free hat.

Get an Echo CS 501p. Echo professional saws are every bit as good as Stihls for less money.

[Meadow Skipper]

The local shop sells Stihl saws.

What chainsaw is right for me?

Get a Stihl so you can get parts and service at the local shop. Probably a ms 261 or ms 271 for general farm work. A little less weight, more power, more $$$ for the 261.

[NW_SKIER]

Is that what you have?

Yes. For as little as you will likely use it, it will be plenty of saw.

[Viva]

...044 professional forestry saws

Bought one of these from a retired logger outside of Porterville a couple of years ago. I have no idea why, but the saw is a fucking beast! Replaced the 36" bar with a 30". Still, a lot of saw.

[XXX-er]

Get a Stihl so you can get parts and service at the local shop. Probably a ms 261 or ms 271 for general farm work. A little less weight, more power, more $$$ for the 261.

This^^ if you don't have a local dealer for support I would give the other brands a pass, I went for the 261 cuz its a smallish pro quality saw ... good if you have to hike it

re : the model numbers game I haven't been around it long enough to understand what the numbers mean but I know that just cuz the 271 is 10 more than the 261 means phuck all cuz the 261 is a pro saw and the 271 is a midrange saw so the 261 will have mo power & cost more than the 271 SO you really gotta research the model numbers and google is yer friend

[Powder Ho]

Fell a couple of 3'+ Doug snags in tight spots in a campground today. I love my job.

[Kopi_Red]

Thanks for all the advice on the saws. I was leaning towards picking up a 271 but then I found a lightly used 028 Super that I ended up buying. It's in really good shape so I decided to toss the dice and try it out. So far so good.

[m05003]

the question you asked about your model i did'nt understand completely,would you please elaborate that what you what to ask? find chain saw . com

[Rideski]

I've knocked down several smaller trees and hired out some bigger ones.
Took downsome nasty "tree of heaven" that were probably 40' tall and not spindly but not huge. Paid about $600 a pop.

I've got a 65' American Elm that is healthy and huge. Canopy is about 40' wide. A few years back I had a couple bids at $2000 to remove it to clear way for a garage. Today got a bid from one of the local front runners for $3000-$5000 with the explanation "prices went through the roof" I guess he's going to get a second opinion and then give a written bid. Says bids are only good for 30 days. What's up with all this BS? A tree changes that much in 30 days? Should only get easier as the leaves drop. In case of not building a garage I need a trim, he quoted $1000.
Anyone have some similar projects done and or insider knowledge?
I'm sure pine trees are way different but still lots of applicable similarity.
It is right up next to neighbors house ftr. Trunk Probably 10' away.

[Meadow Skipper]

http://www.husqvarna.com/ca-en/acces...es/505243501//

I find the guide in this^^ link idiot proof

you don't need a guide but you will probably fuck it up without and have the saw cut pulling to one side

So, on XXX-er's recco I went ahead got one of there:


And tried it out this week. It took me a little while to figure out how to use it but I have to say it's a pretty cool little tool, probably easier to use effectively than any other filing guide I've used. I especially like the raker depth gauge. Thanks man.

[XXX-er]

yeah it is not very apparent from literature or internet or any fucking thing how to use that guide BUT just make sure you got the arrows on the guide POINTING FORWARD and make sure you got the right one for your chain, I think the silver one is for a .325 and the blue one is for a 3/8th's chain

I still take that ^^ with me in a pocket but now days instead of fucking around on a stump I sharpen 2 chains at home with the guide in the link below and just swap chains

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Oregon-557849...%257Ciid%253A4

If I get the chain really sharp with this^^ guide I can cut for a day and not need to sharpen, and if need be I got the spare in my vest

[bodywhomper]

The cutters on one of my chains are pretty worn (?) or short (?) -its an old chain that came with the saw - and that guide meadowskipper shows won't work with the chain. The guide works great with the other chains for the saw, though.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using TGR Forums mobile app

[~mikey b]

You people have a lot of issues with chains.

[Meadow Skipper]

Hey now, I just happen to like a sharp chain.

bodywhomper should just toss that worn one.

[~mikey b]

Not you

[XXX-er]

I wonder how many cheap plastic saws have been burnt out by overworking them with a dull chain?

Its way less work running a super sharp chain I wonder how many people have been worn out running a dull saw?

Actualy I don't have any chain issues cuz I pretty much got it dialed

[bodywhomper]

Not you

It goes beyond chains. But that saw was pretty abused in it's previous life

Sent from my SPH-L710 using TGR Forums mobile app

[XXX-er]

If its too fucked so you can't sharpen it just get rid of it, a chain is what 25$?

I am starting to think of them more and more as a consumable

so I sharpen the fuck out of them

[bodywhomper]

I have several chains now for that saw. With that guide, if the cutters are really short, the file rests against the side of the guide and you end up filing the inside of the wall of the guide. It took me a while to figure out what was going on. Just an fyi about the guide and well used/sharpened chains

Sent from my SPH-L710 using TGR Forums mobile app

[XXX-er]

havent had that ^^ happen/can't picture it but the chains I was sharpening were relatively new, is there much tooth left between that black line on the top of the tooth and the cutting edge of the tooth ?

I 've only tossed out one chain that I accidently cut into a root with and fubared it/chipped a tooth but I have been wondering when is it time to thro them out even if you don't fuck them up?

[bodywhomper]

If i remember, I'll grab the chain, file, and guide and check it out. I'll post a pict. That chain can still be sharpened with a grinder.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using TGR Forums mobile app

[Meadow Skipper]

I've only tossed out one chain that I accidently cut into a root with and fubared it/chipped a tooth but I have been wondering when is it time to thro them out even if you don't fuck them up?

Last month I was talking to the keeper of the saws at work and he said he's ready to toss a chain after it hits a rock really hard. His thinking was this: a roll of chain costs $180 (I don't know where he gets it that cheap, but that's what he said. Maybe a 50 ft roll?) and most of the fools that work there don't know how to sharpen a chain well, so they'll spend over an hour sharpening and trying to cut ineffectively with a badly sharpened chain. The math of wages and productivity lost vs. cost of a new chain comes out in favor of the new chain. "That's my philosophy anyway," is how he put it, so he just makes up a few new chains and tosses the ones that are worn down or will take a while to sharpen. Just a little food for thought.