# My Stihl MS660... BEAST!!!



## FLASHMAN (Jul 10, 2008)

Finally got a pic... On it in the pic is the 20" Forrester .050 bar and 3/8 chisel chain. For the bigger stuff, I also have a 28" Oregon .063 bar with a nasty full skip chain... 

It's kind of like carrying a small dirt bike around, but it cuts like a damn demon, sounds like something straight out of hell too... 92cc's, and 7 horsepower.... woohoo!!


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## Highbeam (Jul 10, 2008)

Oh my goodness. Don't catch your hootus on those dawgs. I've ridden motorcycles with much less than 92 ccs.


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## Todd (Jul 10, 2008)

WOW! Nice toy.


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## Adios Pantalones (Jul 10, 2008)

That's like 2 homeowner saws.  Pissa.


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## WOODBUTCHER (Jul 10, 2008)

We just chow grapple loads now......with your saw it sounds like the Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
We clog the bandwidth on the splitter we are cutting so fast.



WoodButcher


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## FLASHMAN (Jul 10, 2008)

Highbeam said:
			
		

> Oh my goodness. Don't catch your hootus on those dawgs. I've ridden motorcycles with much less than 92 ccs.



Ha! No doubt... even when I sling it up on my shoulder, I'm careful, cuz those dawgs will stick right in...


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## FLASHMAN (Jul 10, 2008)

WOODBUTCHER said:
			
		

> We just chow grapple loads now......with your saw it sounds like the Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
> We clog the bandwidth on the splitter we are cutting so fast.
> 
> WoodButcher



It's a beautiful thing...


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## Outdoorsman (Jul 11, 2008)

Beast of a saw is for sure!

You must cut some really big trees to need that.

Oaks? 

I hope you've a smaller saw to go with that, unless you're that green colored guy....hulk or valley of the jolly type.


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## woodconvert (Jul 11, 2008)

Very NIIIIICE. I cut with an 046 and love it....that's gotta be heaven.


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## WOODBUTCHER (Jul 11, 2008)

Outdoorsman said:
			
		

> Beast of a saw is for sure!
> 
> You must cut some really big trees to need that.
> 
> ...



Every once and a while I'll set down my 5100s and look over the pile and sure enough....Flashman's turned green and is throwing big chunks of hickory over his shoulder.


WoodButcher


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## FLASHMAN (Jul 11, 2008)

Outdoorsman said:
			
		

> Beast of a saw is for sure!
> 
> You must cut some really big trees to need that.
> 
> ...



We get some pretty big trunks, but my reason for buying such a big saw was more for time. I can cut through 18" Hickory in 7-8 seconds, something that takes 30+ with my Poulan (the smaller saw which is now simply a limbing saw  ) 

We usually get red and white oak, hickory, and small amounts of grey birch (perfect kindling) in our loads. 

I'm not the hulk or anything, and the saw is certianly noticably heavier than my poulan, but it hasn't been counter productively heavy thus far... saves a LOT of time...


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## FLASHMAN (Jul 11, 2008)

woodconvert said:
			
		

> Very NIIIIICE. I cut with an 046 and love it....that's gotta be heaven.



It really is great. Especially when you're used to cutting with a MUCH smaller saw. My 46cc Poulan has done well for me, but this is a whole different sport, nevermind ball game.


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## woodconvert (Jul 11, 2008)

FLASHMAN said:
			
		

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The problem I have and you'll probably get the same way....when you get used to cutting with that saw cutting with ANYTHING smaller will seem like you are watching paint dry. My buddy has a Stihl "farm boss". He loves it and it does what he needs. I ran it once and I had to shut it off to see if the chain was dull. It cut SO SLOW compared to what i'm used to.


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## Rich L (Jul 11, 2008)

FLASHMAN said:
			
		

> Finally got a pic... On it in the pic is the 20" Forrester .050 bar and 3/8 chisel chain. For the bigger stuff, I also have a 28" Oregon .063 bar with a nasty full skip chain...
> 
> It's kind of like carrying a small dirt bike around, but it cuts like a damn demon, sounds like something straight out of hell too... 92cc's, and 7 horsepower.... woohoo!!


 Yo FLASHMAN,I recently purchased the MS460 with a 32" bar it's a monster but what you have there reduces my saw to "Tamed Animal Status".That behemoth can take a 36" bar.How scary is that?


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## FLASHMAN (Jul 11, 2008)

woodconvert said:
			
		

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That was exactly my point on the time saving thing... when I run my Poulan now for limbing or whatever, it's funny because it feels like I'm handling a toy.


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## FLASHMAN (Jul 11, 2008)

Rich L said:
			
		

> FLASHMAN said:
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Don't sell that 460 short... That's a GREAT saw... part of the reason I went with the 660 was because it was the right deal. I was looking at the 440 and 460 really hard too, and had I found a good deal on a 460 first, I would've bought that.


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## computeruser (Jul 11, 2008)

Good saws those 066/660s.  I just sold mine a couple weeks back, as I wasn't using it enough.  A couple thoughts from having had lots of 066 trigger time:

1. If you don't already have the dual-port muffler cover, get it. It's a Stihl OEM part, worth probably .5hp, with only a small increase in noise.

2. You don't need skip on a 28" bar on that saw.  It can pull 28" full-comp chain with an 8-tooth rim quite well.  With rare exception, chip clearance won't be a real issue until you get to 32-36".

3. If you don't already, you should have an 8-tooth rim on for the shorter bar, without question.


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## FLASHMAN (Jul 11, 2008)

computeruser said:
			
		

> Good saws those 066/660s.  I just sold mine a couple weeks back, as I wasn't using it enough.  A couple thoughts from having had lots of 066 trigger time:
> 
> 1. If you don't already have the dual-port muffler cover, get it. It's a Stihl OEM part, worth probably .5hp, with only a small increase in noise..



Got that already... love that sound...



			
				computeruser said:
			
		

> 2. You don't need skip on a 28" bar on that saw.  It can pull 28" full-comp chain with an 8-tooth rim quite well.  With rare exception, chip clearance won't be a real issue until you get to 32-36".
> 
> 3. If you don't already, you should have an 8-tooth rim on for the shorter bar, without question.



Ok, this is really great, maybe you can answer a couple of questions for me... I know I don't need full skip, but that's what came with the saw when I bought it, so I didn't complain... BUT, wouldn't full skip help with discharge when I'm felling? That would really be the only time I have the 28 on it for the most part.

Also, when you say 8 tooth rim, do you mean the drive sprocket? thanks...


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## JustWood (Jul 11, 2008)

We use the 066 mag exclusively as a felling saw. Can't beat em!  Nothing like bore cutting a 30"r and not stalling the  chain.


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## burntime (Jul 11, 2008)

I think my 029 farm boss just wet itself and is hiding behind me :lol:   That is one heck of a piece of equiptment!  You might as well just put a Harley Evo motor to a bar and let er rip


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## computeruser (Jul 12, 2008)

FLASHMAN said:
			
		

> computeruser said:
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Yes, drive sprocket = rim.  As for the chain, I don't think that chip clearance is going to be an issue when felling or bucking with a 28" bar.  The 660 has the power to pull that length in full comp chain and to clear chips, cross-cutting or ripping.  I've cut and bucked hardwood and softwood with my former 066, and was never wanting for power or chip clearance with a 28" bar.  With a 36" and skip, I was fine, too.

The only time I'd be concerned about problems with chip clearance would be with long bars like 42"+; 36" requires awareness and prefers skip, but proper technique with full comp (cut, clear, cut, clear) will produce good results and safe, predictable felling cuts.  With the big bars, chip clearance becomes a problem and a slack chain can permit chips to wedge between the chain and the bar, jamming it up and creating all sorts of annoyance when bucking and potential danger when felling.  I'm talking about full-bar work with a 60" bar in this particular case; I have never had any problems with the 42" setup, even with a slack chain.

28/skip is the right combo for a Stihl 440/441/460 and other 5-6hp saws.  My Dolmar is right on the cusp, and can pull full-comp or skip with a 7t sprocket.  Skip has been great in cottonwood and willow, where the chips are huge and chip clearance matters more.  In hardwood and "tighter" softwood, full-comp gets the most out of the saw.  The norway spruce pictured was felled and blocked with Stihl RSLK (full comp, square ground), and you could lean on the saw a fair bit and still stay in the powerband.  The same combo, with the 066, could have been leaned on really hard without losing revs, and would benefit from lower rakers and/or an 8t sprocket.  The Stihl 076/42" pictures were of willow (felling) and maple (shown blocking), and chip clearance started to be an issue a couple times when blocking through crotches, where the competing grain direction made funny-shaped chips that needed the room that skip provides to be pulled out smoothly.


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## loggie (Jul 12, 2008)

Nice saw,finally some else realizes that its better to cut fast than 3x as long.I have an 066 and a 036 i run the 25" for firewood and 32 and 36" bars for felling with 3/8 skiptooth chains.The saw balances well with the 25" bar I just ordered some chains from Baileys at 11 bucks apiece for 25" loops you cant beat it, good luck with it and use chaps.


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## FLASHMAN (Jul 14, 2008)

computeruser said:
			
		

> Yes, drive sprocket = rim.  As for the chain, I don't think that chip clearance is going to be an issue when felling or bucking with a 28" bar.  The 660 has the power to pull that length in full comp chain and to clear chips, cross-cutting or ripping.  I've cut and bucked hardwood and softwood with my former 066, and was never wanting for power or chip clearance with a 28" bar.  With a 36" and skip, I was fine, too.
> 
> The only time I'd be concerned about problems with chip clearance would be with long bars like 42"+; 36" requires awareness and prefers skip, but proper technique with full comp (cut, clear, cut, clear) will produce good results and safe, predictable felling cuts.  With the big bars, chip clearance becomes a problem and a slack chain can permit chips to wedge between the chain and the bar, jamming it up and creating all sorts of annoyance when bucking and potential danger when felling.  I'm talking about full-bar work with a 60" bar in this particular case; I have never had any problems with the 42" setup, even with a slack chain.
> 
> 28/skip is the right combo for a Stihl 440/441/460 and other 5-6hp saws.  My Dolmar is right on the cusp, and can pull full-comp or skip with a 7t sprocket.  Skip has been great in cottonwood and willow, where the chips are huge and chip clearance matters more.  In hardwood and "tighter" softwood, full-comp gets the most out of the saw.  The norway spruce pictured was felled and blocked with Stihl RSLK (full comp, square ground), and you could lean on the saw a fair bit and still stay in the powerband.  The same combo, with the 066, could have been leaned on really hard without losing revs, and would benefit from lower rakers and/or an 8t sprocket.  The Stihl 076/42" pictures were of willow (felling) and maple (shown blocking), and chip clearance started to be an issue a couple times when blocking through crotches, where the competing grain direction made funny-shaped chips that needed the room that skip provides to be pulled out smoothly.



Great answers... thanks... That's a big help... Now at least if I need to replace my chain for the 28, I can go full w/out worrying about clearing...


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## Wet1 (Jul 21, 2008)

Nice saw!  We have an 880 and love it... although it's heavy so I make the wife use it while I use the 036!  :D


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