The chainsaw thread...

[XXX-er]

Got it.
Unless you bring 4 chains.

maybe you wana lay off the dope ?

[Art Shirk]

If you are ready to spend $1000+ for a new one either one will do the job I’m sure.

Be aware that with that power to pull through big logs also comes more power to fuck you up (tip kick back, cutting through things faster than you think, etc). If you don’t have experience already, do some reading or work with someone on how to buck large down trees. You can get yourself into some nasty situations if you aren’t reading the tree right.

Reading bind, offside cut first, wedging, sequence of cuts, boring, etc…

This is a big concern of mine. I’ve done some light duty work around my property with my small husqy - dropped a few trees and bucked em up but nothing major. I’m generally a ask questions later and have a beer kinda guy and things have always worked out for me, but I know this is don’t fuck around territory. Been down some major YouTube holes and will likely have a very experienced buddy help as well.


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[BCMtnHound]

While a healthy respect for any chainsaw is merited, don’t think the danger increase is linear with a larger saw. All the same safety precautions, stance, PPE, etc apply. And a cut from a small saw is just as nasty as one from a larger saw (spoken from experience here, but thankfully from the position as 1st aid attendant).

It is even more telling with felling larger trees. Believe it or not, the stats for faller injuries in BC forestry is greater with smaller trees than larger ones. Big trees have more holding wood, can be easier to wedge, are less affected by a breeze, and their size elicits more unconscious respect. Smaller trees are more influenced by wind, pushed by other trees when they fall, twist easier, holding wood and cuts have less tolerance given the surface area, etc, etc. I’d way rather fall a 1.5m DBH Doug Fir than a bunch of <30cm lodgepole pine.

And buddy system is always advisable.

[~mikey b]

my girl and I 30 years ago trail crewing

[oldnew_guy]

While a healthy respect for any chainsaw is merited, don’t think the danger increase is linear with a larger saw. All the same safety precautions, stance, PPE, etc apply. And a cut from a small saw is just as nasty as one from a larger saw (spoken from experience here, but thankfully from the position as 1st aid attendant).

It is even more telling with felling larger trees. Believe it or not, the stats for faller injuries in BC forestry is greater with smaller trees than larger ones. Big trees have more holding wood, can be easier to wedge, are less affected by a breeze, and their size elicits more unconscious respect. Smaller trees are more influenced by wind, pushed by other trees when they fall, twist easier, holding wood and cuts have less tolerance given the surface are, etc, etc. I’d way rather fall a 1.5m DBH Doug Fir than a bunch of <30cm lodgepole all day long. Also, never doubt that extra power means less fighting with the saw to cut through problem wood while technique with smaller saws tend to deteriorate when you have to work it harder to accomplish the same task.

But yes, running saw alone is not like touring alone. The Buddy system is proven to decrease negative outcomes almost every time.

Good points.

Personally always found the big saw and big bar were less forgiving of mistakes than say a 260 series stihl, often because running a saw that big can be seriously tiring and switching between a short bar to a long bar always had an adjustment period. Also found it was easy to do things like cut right through holding wood because the saw is cutting so much faster, especially when you aren’t pulling a 28-32” bar length of chain through the wood.

Falling was certainly easier in the big stuff often times, but bucking big logs can be tricky if they aren’t just laying on the ground. There can be a lot of weight moving around even if you are just limbing it and not paying attention.

500i looks like a neat saw as well.

[BCMtnHound]

Good points.

Personally always found the big saw and big bar were less forgiving of mistakes than say a 260 series stihl, often because running a saw that big can be seriously tiring and switching between a short bar to a long bar always had an adjustment period. Also found it was easy to do things like cut right through holding wood because the saw is cutting so much faster, especially when you aren’t pulling a 28-32” bar length of chain through the wood.

Falling was certainly easier in the big stuff often times, but bucking big logs can be tricky if they aren’t just laying on the ground. There can be a lot of weight moving around even if you are just limbing it and not paying attention.

500i looks like a neat saw as well.

Fatigue, lack of familiarity, and focus/complacency are the words I catch in your post. All are risk elements when running any saw. And yes, mass and power will certainly compound the consequences, but again, I think the scale is not linear. But we are splitting hairs. Running saw is one of the most hazardous things a person can do, likely just below driving on a NA highway

[XXX-er]

well all the models of a given brand are the same color so the average user has no clue what the purpose was of the saw they are running cuz the model numbers don't really line up to mean anything to the average user unless they look them up and nobody does that

they just say I got a bla-bal-bla and it cuts real good

so unless one knows better how much does the saw cost is the biggest parameter when it comes to buying a saw

IMO buy an industrial grade saw if you plan to do much cutting

and don't get hurt

[kootenayskier]

Good points.

Personally always found the big saw and big bar were less forgiving of mistakes than say a 260 series stihl, often because running a saw that big can be seriously tiring and switching between a short bar to a long bar always had an adjustment period. Also found it was easy to do things like cut right through holding wood because the saw is cutting so much faster, especially when you aren’t pulling a 28-32” bar length of chain through the wood.

Falling was certainly easier in the big stuff often times, but bucking big logs can be tricky if they aren’t just laying on the ground. There can be a lot of weight moving around even if you are just limbing it and not paying attention.

500i looks like a neat saw as well.

I do a lot of falling with my 261s, but the couple of guys I call on for bigger and more complex jobs have both recently upgraded to the 500i. These guys spend their summers as danger tree fallers on wildfires, and apparently most pro fallers around here are doing the same. I got to play with one, and the power to weight ratio and acceleration have to be experienced to be believed. When they come out with a 50cc version, I’ll be buying one.

[Meadow Skipper]

Let’s see if this link works.
https://www.facebook.com/story.php?s...&id=1255713230

[claymond]

I got more love for the 500i, with a caveat. Our shot crew started running them last year and we have fully switched over to them as our primary line cutting saws. They're light and powerful and require very little messing around. Sharpen, clean the air filter, change the fuel filter and spark plug at the end of the season, done. They just sing all the time. They all have 28" bars. We tried one with a 36 and a Barkbox muffler cover as a falling saw, it got through big softwood trees but was pretty slow. We have 661s for big falling saws, they are considerably faster.

The caveat for 500i's: If you're cutting stuff that creates lots of fine particulates, like rotten wood or juniper or especially on fires or burned trees with the bark still on, the stock air filter set up won't keep fine particles out. I think it's partially the o-ring in the middle not sealing tightly, and talking to mechanics partly the newer style filters not being as good. We switched to max flow filters and so far so good. Our 661s came with the same filter but had max flows on from new, and they're great but they also see considerably less use than the 500s.

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[skisurfmirth]

I got more love for the 500i, with a caveat. Our shot crew started running them last year and we have fully switched over to them as our primary line cutting saws. They're light and powerful and require very little messing around. Sharpen, clean the air filter, change the fuel filter and spark plug at the end of the season, done. They just sing all the time. They all have 28" bars. We tried one with a 36 and a Barkbox muffler cover as a falling saw, it got through big softwood trees but was pretty slow. We have 661s for big falling saws, they are considerably faster.

The caveat for 500i's: If you're cutting stuff that creates lots of fine particulates, like rotten wood or juniper or especially on fires or burned trees with the bark still on, the stock air filter set up won't keep fine particles out. I think it's partially the o-ring in the middle not sealing tightly, and talking to mechanics partly the newer style filters not being as good. We switched to max flow filters and so far so good. Our 661s came with the same filter but had max flows on from new, and they're great but they also see considerably less use than the 500s.

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Interesting. Good info and I’ll have to keep that in mind for next fire season for the 500. Didn’t have many fires in my area of work this summer so mostly project cutting/falling and danger tree falling, etc.. I’ve actually been shocked at how little dust gets even to the filter. always used with a 28” but did use a 36” for one standing dead old growth spruce and it worked great.

[XXX-er]

I got more love for the 500i, with a caveat. Our shot crew started running them last year and we have fully switched over to them as our primary line cutting saws. They're light and powerful and require very little messing around. Sharpen, clean the air filter, change the fuel filter and spark plug at the end of the season, done. They just sing all the time. They all have 28" bars. We tried one with a 36 and a Barkbox muffler cover as a falling saw, it got through big softwood trees but was pretty slow. We have 661s for big falling saws, they are considerably faster.

The caveat for 500i's: If you're cutting stuff that creates lots of fine particulates, like rotten wood or juniper or especially on fires or burned trees with the bark still on, the stock air filter set up won't keep fine particles out. I think it's partially the o-ring in the middle not sealing tightly, and talking to mechanics partly the newer style filters not being as good. We switched to max flow filters and so far so good. Our 661s came with the same filter but had max flows on from new, and they're great but they also see considerably less use than the 500s.

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from what i've read cleaning an airfilter is just another maintenance item that most folks ignore

[jackstraw]

This Stihl sharpener makes it pretty damn easy.

[Meadow Skipper]

I’m strangely attracted to this sawyer.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/ClSbjnNDHn5/

[~mikey b]

“strangely”?

dude, she’s fkn hawt

[Meadow Skipper]

She’s one of my favorite Instagram follows these days. Drops some tricky snags.

[bodywhomper]

She digs the fuel injected 500i saw.

Scrolled through her IG page with my 12 yo daughter. Daughter liked.

[~mikey b]

girls need heros like her

[bodywhomper]

The more the better.

[sb]

Saw chicks matter.

[krp8128]

Well I fucked up today.

Trying to fell a heavy leaner, and keep it between several other trees to minimize damage. Face cut looked good, maybe a little off level. Went to bore cut and kept checking, had just enough bar to poke through. Came out way too close to the face cut.

Stuck bar! Made it worse when I broke a wedge off in the cut, mashed up against the chain. Tried to pull the tree back and couldn't get enough. Pulled the powerhead to avoid damage, of course I haven't bought a spare bar yet

Had to bust out the old little Stihl that runs like shit. Tried some carb cleaner and quickly filed the chain, ran like shit and releasing the trigger was not a pretty sight. Tree released slow, twisted and caught the left side of another tree I was trying to drop on the right side of. From there it was a fight with the grapple on a side hill to pull it down.

Is it worth getting a tune up on an ms251? Carb certainly needs some work, pretty sure the clutch is going too. Handle is cracked and needs some work, about once a year it would come apart. Saw has certainly been well used over the past 6 years, it obviously wasn't made to buck 30" oak but that's what it's done.

[~mikey b]

entertaining day

[XXX-er]

so is what you are trying to say that you have 2 saws but the good one is one is stuck in a cut and the 251 runs like shit ?

what are you gogin to do with a 251 that runs shitty ?

[bodywhomper]

My old friend who used to be a tree career guy, often kept an ms 251 on his quiver. He used it once for felling a large black oak on my property, both while in the tree and the final felling cuts. Greater than 30” dbh. Idk what mods he had for the saw. I also don’t know how he ended up with that saw, but it was one that he kept around when he was downsizing heading towards retirement.

[krp8128]

so is what you are trying to say that you have 2 saws but the good one is one is stuck in a cut and the 251 runs like shit ?

what are you gogin to do with a 251 that runs shitty ?

Pretty much. Eventually got it out and didn't break anything or kill myself in the process. Cut about 6 10' sections and bucked the rest for splitting.

Not sure what I was planning to do with the 251, gave up on it last summer as it needs work and I really needed a saw with more power. I figure it's only a $300 saw new, so what's it worth now/after paying to fix it?

Ballpark on clutch and carb work?

Part of me feels like I'll fix it then melt down a piston. Guess maybe tomorrow I should give it a better look over. Saw is kind of handy for hiking or overhead work.