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I use chainsaws a bit for work, this year we went through 19 gallons of bar oil alone since july. for cutting like you describe I like the MS 261 by Stihl. I swap out the factory sprocket and bar for a 20" .050 72 link 3/8 pitch chain. keeps them all the same for our other saws. they are light, have plenty of power for light work but can still take down a large ponderosa pine. this is using a saw all day every day for most of the summer. there's some super cheap ones on amazon that you can look at, but if you want quality then spend a few more bucks.


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A pro saw is a waste of money if you're not going into the firewood or logging business. I cut 4 cords a year for firewood. My ms290 farm boss lasted through 8 years of that before I sold it to my brother 5 years ago. He's been cutting 15 cords a year with it since and it's still going strong. I sold the farm boss and bought a Husqvarna 445 because that damn 13 lb. beast was killing my back. At 10 lbs. the little Husky 445 has proven plenty powerful and much easier on my arthritic back. After 5 years and approx. 20 cords of assorted oak, cherry, hard maple and ash it's still running and cutting like new.

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I still have like 5 saws now,all Stihl even though the saws I used falling, were Husky's..My favorite by far of the saw's I have now is the Stihl MS-310 for average sized firewood..Large wood makes me go to the 046 and for banging around in my Rhino,the baby 170 get's the nod..That little sucker can cut for a baby saw...A sharp chain is the key to using a chainsaw without much effort.

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Spoil yourself.

Fast forward to the 4:00 minute mark.


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Originally Posted by logcutter
I still have like 5 saws now,all Stihl even though the saws I used falling, were Husky's..My favorite by far of the saw's I have now is the Stihl MS-310 for average sized firewood..Large wood makes me go to the 046 and for banging around in my Rhino,the baby 170 get's the nod..That little sucker can cut for a baby saw...A sharp chain is the key to using a chainsaw without much effort.


Too funny, I have five stihl saws, 025,ms362 I love that damn saw,ms461, It’s a beast, sent it out to Oregon and had a muscle saw build out of it.046 Magnum ll I bought that saw around 1994, a hell of a saw.038 magnum,1985 West German built heavy but a Great runner.

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I’ve been running saws for many years mainly cutting firewood, I’ve had echo,stihl,husky, Jonsered and Dolmar..favorite for many years was a stihl 026 sold it and now use a stihl ms361, I’ve still got a Makita 6401 I use for bigger bucking... all said if I was going to buy a new saw tomorrow it would be a Makita/Dolmar professional model!

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Originally Posted by Blackheart
A pro saw is a waste of money if you're not going into the firewood or logging business. I cut 4 cords a year for firewood. My ms290 farm boss lasted through 8 years of that before I sold it to my brother 5 years ago. He's been cutting 15 cords a year with it since and it's still going strong. I sold the farm boss and bought a Husqvarna 445 because that damn 13 lb. beast was killing my back. At 10 lbs. the little Husky 445 has proven plenty powerful and much easier on my arthritic back. After 5 years and approx. 20 cords of assorted oak, cherry, hard maple and ash it's still running and cutting like new.




Guessing you don't have much pro saw experience.

You wouldn't have to wear out a saw to determine if it's a homeowner model,
longevity is but one advantage.


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Started off buying Stihl and Husky saws for most of my life. Then I bought an Echo 490, then another Echo, and then the Echo battery model. Next one I buy will be a Echo 620. Still own a big Stihl which cuts good but its a bitch to start when cold. So much trouble I usually spray in starting fluid so I don't end up taking a hammer to it. We end up cutting mostly white and red oak up to 24 inches in diameter. The Echos have done such a great job I swore off buying another Stihl. Find a local dealer who is having their annual 20% off sale and give them a call and order what you want.
If the road or trail needs clearing the battery saw is always the first one I pick up. By the time the battery runs out I am ready for a break so we both get recharged at the same time.


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If it can't be cut with a 16" saw, it's probably more than I care to tackle, anyway. I've taken down 6 fair sized trees with my Echo 58V chainsaw. The biggest one had a 23" diameter trunk and was about 35' tall. I don't even think about the fact that it's an electric saw any longer. If it needs cutting, I cut it. I'm usually more focused on how sharp the chain is.

I've been at war against the Bradford Pear trees on my property,...cutting them down,..limbing them out,..and putting anything 3" diameter or smaller through my chipper.

The saw isn't a limitation on what I get done. Typically, I'll do as much as I feel like doing, and when I put the battery on the charger it'll show that it's down half. It takes about 30-40 minutes to bring it back to a full charge again.

I treat it pretty rough. I don't like mowing around stumps, so I'll rake and hoe the dirt away from the stump enough so that I can cut the stump off flush with the ground. I dull a lot of chains from getting them in the dirt. Typically, it's time to sharpen the chain before it's time to charge the battery.

I'm far from rich,...but I could scratch up enough spare money to buy about any gas chain saw out there within reason. But I don't want to mess with 'em. This saw will cut anything I need to cut and it's just too easy to use.

If it dies, I'll buy another one just like it.

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Originally Posted by LovesLevers

If the road or trail needs clearing the battery saw is always the first one I pick up.


Yeah,...they'll spoil ya quick.

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If yourStihl is hard to start, fix it.
Often it will need rings if it's been used a lot.
Not a hard fix.

How is compression?
A quick dirty test on a saws compression is to reach down and try to
pick it up by the starter cord. If you lift it, it has good compression.
If the cord come out slowly, while you lift it? Well...
If the cord come put and don't lift the saw off the ground? Not good.

First, spark plug.
Second, make sure fuel is available to carb.
Third, pull muffler, look at piston for scuffs.
Fourth, if you get here, new rings, or piston.


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I wouldn't be surprised as battery technology continues to improve that in 10 years 25% of saws sold are battery.


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I run a Stihl 036 (20") mostly with 72LGX072G 3/8' .050 72DL Oregon chain. BEST CHAIN I HAVE EVERY RUN!

Husky 55 (16")

and a Stihl 200T (12")

Have others that a bigger, but those are my main tools... we are taking hundreds of trees and making lumber/selling firewood (+/- 50k BF of lumber and 300 cord of firewood from tops and slash).

Very few trees that a 20" bar cannot handle.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...m-poplar-hickory-free-firew#Post14139611


If you are not actively engaging EVERY enemy you encounter... you are allowing another to fight for you... and that is cowardice... plain and simple.



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Originally Posted by LovesLevers
I wouldn't be surprised as battery technology continues to improve that in 10 years 25% of saws sold are battery.


My .043 gauge bar got worn on my Echo 58V saw so I bought a 56 link, .050 gauge 3/8" chain and put it on. It was a little big snug in the bar groove at first but the sprocket ran it just fine. It put a little bit of smoke off the bar from the bar oil for just a couple of seconds, but then it ran itself in. I could have just bought another bar but I wanted to run the heavier gauge chain anyway. The second .050 gauge chain I put on didn't put any smoke off the bar at all. It fits like it's supposed to now.

It's easier to find the .050 gauge chains, also.

You might try that when your bar loosens up.

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UPDATE:

I got a call from the Stihl dealer down close to the farm. My Stihl MS250 is finally in. They'd had a heck of a time keeping stock. I talked to the dealer about what my needs were, and he said the MS250 would be plenty. I'm picking it up on Saturday. I've already got my chaps and headgear. They arrived last week.

Thanks all for the help.


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I had the MS250 out this weekend and did enough firewood in less than an hour to last Deer Camp for the whole season.

Thanks all again for the assistance.
[Linked Image]

Last edited by shaman; 11/04/19.

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OMG!!! It just quit working.....whaddya do?

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Originally Posted by shaman
I had the MS250 out this weekend and did enough firewood in less than an hour to last Deer Camp for the whole season.


Now you're cookin' with gas! Productivity beats plain ol' activity every damned day o' the week.

Congrats!

FC


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I run a Husqvarna 455 Rancher, and have since 2005. I swapped out the 18" bar for a 20", and installed a Oregon Power Mate sprocket system. I'm running Carlton full chisel chains. I cut between three and six cord of hardwood [primarily Cherry, Oak, and Maple] a year, as firewood is my primary heat source. I have never been let down.

Comparatively, my best friend runs a Stihl 20" Farm Boss, the same one you were considering. He also added the Oregon sprocket system, and runs the same chains as I do. Cuts about the same amount of wood as I. He has never been let down.

You couldn't go wrong with either saw. They are a great general purpose, "around the farm" saw.


Last edited by J23; 11/04/19.

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My wife says that with the get-up (especially the chaps) I should try out for the Village People.

I was doing some cutting after I got home Sunday PM. She was out watching me. I let her hold my spud bar. She was quite amazed at how long and hard it was.


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