what’s the right chain saw for the job?

[kevin j]

I guess that illustrates what I was saying, though, the most measureable difference is in the chisel/chipper, not the safety/non safety.
I had good luck with Oregon safety chisel, especially in green wood. I just moved away from it due to lazy...

I would like to learn to square file chisel, instead of round file. Reduce that hook shape, get more stay sharp time, maybe I'd be back to chisel again.... Someday...

We have small wood, and lots of limbing work on the mess on the ground, so I stay with safety on those saws.
I don't see much up here ever need to bore, so that is no issue to me. Could stick on a non safety chain then, have lots of those too.... Occasionally put one back on for felling

Your 7900 for bucking I would think be awesome with sharp chisel.... and bucking, not so much likely for kickback issues anyway.



k

 

[Gooserider]

The 7900 is wonderful for bucking - just about falls through the logs. However I often find that I end up using it for limbing and small stuff as well - My 36cc Pull-on with the 12" bar is not that much lighter, and while it's a little more manuverable, the difference isn't enough to justify switching saws, so usually I will drop something and then just keep right on working with the Dolmar to get it limbed up and then buck it down once I've got the branches cleared off of it... I find the only time I use the Pull-on is if I know that ALL I'm going to be doing is branches and small stuff for that tank of gas.

It also shows what a difference a big saw makes even when chopping little branches - If I'm using the Pull-on, I have to deliberately let the saw wind up, then cut, which takes a few seconds. With the Dolmar about all you have to do is "burp" the saw and it's done. When I'm cutting up a tree that I've dropped, I do a lot of branch cutting as part of the deal - I'm a cheap SOB, and my normal rule of thumb is that anything bigger than about an inch or two is going in the wood pile, so my standard procedure is to keep working my way out branches trimming the little stuff until I've reached a point where there are more twigs than there is branch, then lop it off and cut it to length working back to the trunk, then going for the next branch... Gives me considerably more wood out of a tree than the guys who run all the branches through a chipper get.

Gooserider

 

[kevin j]

goose, sounds like we do sort of the same type of wood. scrounge for everything.
I can see why the 35 cc Poulan leads you to use the 7900 as a limbing saw.... I have a 35cc Echo top handle tree saw and it is WAY underpowered.
Might as well face it now as well as later and check out the 5100/5000 to add to the tools

I have 50-55cc limbing saws and love the light weight and quick response. Need something bigger and rather than the mystical MS361, I've been looking at jumping right over the 60cc and trying the 7900. Just can't find dealers around here...

back to topic:
Ketoret
-The Sthil video is now avaiable on line, don't have to order the dvd. Big help for you out of country.

-You haven't even gotten saw yet, but see how this works? You will get advice and be quite happy with a nice quality 30-40cc 12 or 14 inch saw. You'll get more confidant, enjoy working with the precision tools, then get a chance at some bigger wood, and start thinking, boy I really need..... Then a fast high rpm limbing 50 cc, then a 70+ one, then maybe some old vintage stuff on garage sales just because they look historically and mechanically interesting.......

Either welcome aboard and enjoy it, or to quote Barney Phyffe (Andy Griffith TV show over here in the 60's-70's) 'NIP IT IN THE BUD'


KCJ

 

[WoodMann]

"Safety Chain" is training wheels for chain saws. - Good for learning on, though it can teach bad habbits - after a couple chains though it is quite reasonable to take the training wheels off, and get chain that will cut properly all the way around the bar... I used to use chipper style safety chain, but now that I've learned how to hand file and used a full chisel chain (on the same saw that I was using the chipper chain on), I'm never going back, wouldn't take a chipper chain as a gift... This is cutting in suburbia, and bucking up yard trees that I get from a tree service, but hand sharpening after every tank - gives a nice break from swinging the saw.

Gooserider

Well Goose- I think I'm past the stage for the need of training wheels. Where can I get a chain that's not 'safe' and politically correct, so to speak.............

 

[Gooserider]

"Safety Chain" is training wheels for chain saws. - Good for learning on, though it can teach bad habbits - after a couple chains though it is quite reasonable to take the training wheels off, and get chain that will cut properly all the way around the bar... I used to use chipper style safety chain, but now that I've learned how to hand file and used a full chisel chain (on the same saw that I was using the chipper chain on), I'm never going back, wouldn't take a chipper chain as a gift... This is cutting in suburbia, and bucking up yard trees that I get from a tree service, but hand sharpening after every tank - gives a nice break from swinging the saw.

Gooserider

Well Goose- I think I'm past the stage for the need of training wheels. Where can I get a chain that's not 'safe' and politically correct, so to speak.............

Pretty much any saw shop that caters to pro's should be able to take care of you, or there are lots of places online that certainly can. Many folks on Arboristsite say good things about Bailey's, I've had good luck with Amick's, and there are plenty of vendors on E-bay, just to mention a couple of sources...

Obviously you need to get the safety gear if you haven't already - pro-grade chain IS more dangerous in theory, not that "safety chain" is all that safe in practice...

The other key thing is to get the appropriate files and holders so that you can file the chain after every tank - full chisel cuts better when sharp, but it dulls faster and needs regular touching up to keep it cutting properly. (lots of threads on how to sharpen if you look for them...)

Gooserider

 

[computeruser]

The 7900 is wonderful for bucking - just about falls through the logs. However I often find that I end up using it for limbing and small stuff as well - My 36cc Pull-on with the 12" bar is not that much lighter, and while it's a little more manuverable, the difference isn't enough to justify switching saws, so usually I will drop something and then just keep right on working with the Dolmar to get it limbed up and then buck it down once I've got the branches cleared off of it... I find the only time I use the Pull-on is if I know that ALL I'm going to be doing is branches and small stuff for that tank of gas.

It also shows what a difference a big saw makes even when chopping little branches - If I'm using the Pull-on, I have to deliberately let the saw wind up, then cut, which takes a few seconds. With the Dolmar about all you have to do is "burp" the saw and it's done. When I'm cutting up a tree that I've dropped, I do a lot of branch cutting as part of the deal - I'm a cheap SOB, and my normal rule of thumb is that anything bigger than about an inch or two is going in the wood pile, so my standard procedure is to keep working my way out branches trimming the little stuff until I've reached a point where there are more twigs than there is branch, then lop it off and cut it to length working back to the trunk, then going for the next branch... Gives me considerably more wood out of a tree than the guys who run all the branches through a chipper get.

Gooserider

Now if you swap the Poulan for a real <40cc saw, you'll be singing a different tune! I remember the slow throttle response of the Homelite 33cc HomeDepotSpecial that a friend of mine has. Supposedly you can transform that saw into something respectable with a bit of muffler work; there's a video on YouTube posted by a guy from AS that shows the before and after with a Homelite...amazing difference!

After rediscovering the joys of my little 238 Husqvarna and its 13" bar a couple months back, I've put quite a few tanks through it in hardwood up to 24". Instantaneous throttle response, factory recommended tuning of 15,000rpm, and a short bar make limbing and smaller firewood tasks a breeze. I haven't fired up the 7900 or ported 154 in a couple months, and these are/were my usual firewood saws for everything larger than 6". With the short 13" bar, I'm not ever sticking my bar into dirt and rocks, and am still getting nice big chips without having so much as touched a file to the current loop of Oregon 95vp on the 238 over the course of 1.5 full cords of firewood, some pruning and yew removal, and two days of having the 238 as the saw that sits by the chipper to cut forks and twisted limbs so they'll feed smoothly. I got similar time between sharpening out of my last loop of WP 20NK chain, too.

This little saw has made me more curious about the under-45cc offerings out there. I don't know if there is a direct analogue to this saw on the market anymore, but I think that the Stihl MS200, Husqvarna 339, or a ported Dolmar 401 would produce similar results. I had only experienced the little 30/34cc Echos (which can do a respectable job if you open the muffler, and even better if ported), but this little 238 is another creature all together and legitimately qualifies as a useful firewood saw.

 

[Gooserider]

Possibly, although I actually find that I LIKE the 20" bar on the 7900 better when the log is on the ground. It lets me cut using the end of the bar with a bit less bending and stooping, and is about the right length that I don't get it into the dirt - I do the cut to about 75% through, or the cut starts to close up (which ever happens first) then roll the log and finish routine. With the 12" bar on the Pull-on I'm bent over most of the time, with the 20" on the 7900 I can stand up straight, which is a lot easier on the back...

Gooserider

 

[FLASHMAN]

1.) what is the largest wood you are likely to encounter?
2.) How MUCH wood do you plan to process?
3.) what TYPE of wood do you plan to process (most likely species)?
4.) How much $$$ are you looking to spend?
5.) Is this going to travel with you most of the time?

These really need to be addressed first before we get into the "this is the best saw of all times" suggestions.

A Stihl 290 with an 18" bar is a fine saw (for example), but if your looking to buck 12" branches, probably not the right choice.

you ask lot of questions....

1. largest wood would likely be 16"
2. quantity - for personal burning, heating. moderate climate. 2200 ft house. watcha think? 3 cords? less?
3. type of wood...eucalyptus, fruit wood, pine, maybe olive,
4. money..everything i saved from my junk bonds i put into hedge funds
5. there's very little wood in my immediate area (we're reforesting here) so any wood i cut i have to travel to get. i don't have a pickup truck (i know, what kinda man doesnt have a pickup truck. do i even belong on this forum?). but i can probably borrow a trailer when needed.

i have found here the stihl 180 and the husky 240, and a makita dcs 34. prices seem to be very high, like $500 for the stihl or husky. bringing backa chain saw from overseas..well, at least there is no problem about matching electrical current, but security might have an issue with it. i'm sure there are larger saws also, but i dont think i really need anything so big. i'm looking for small and light, i think. in reply to a the question if i'm planning on keeping it long...this is my first experience, and we'll see how it goes. but i know better than to start out with a POS, because i'm sure that will lead nowhere.

thx for your help!

ketoret

Sounds to me like you need a pretty simple, relatively small, light saw... For years, up until this year, I used a Poulan Pro PP295 46cc 20" bar saw that I bought at Lowe's for around 200 bucks. I've used it from everything from felling to bucking, and it has done very well for me. I'm sure I've bucked up 20 cord in all, not to mention limbing, brushcutting, and cutting the bottom off the xmas tree before putting it in the stand. All I've ever done to it is cleaned the air filter, cleaned and regapped the spark plug, and changed/sharpened the chains... here ya go:

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=182200-283-PP4620AVX&lpage=none

If you want to go a little bigger than that, just to make sure you have something that has a little more power, and will allow you to attack any wood you'll need to cut, take a look at the Dolmars. My bro in law Woodbutcher just bought the 5100s. Great saw, bigger than the Poulan, 56cc's I think, a little more aggressive bite, and an all around great saw. It's about the equivalent of the Stihl MS310. A little more $$$ $379, but a great saw. Here's a link to his post

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/17779/

 

[WoodMann]

BTW- thanks goose, I just caught up with yer reply. I think I'm just learning the art of filing properly, been thru dremels and all; got a rat tail file with a guide now and the cahin that's there does impressively so I think I'm good to go..............

 

[TMonter]

I'm with CU on this one, I'm finding I use my 346XP with a 16" bar more and more and only pull out the 372 when bucking big logs. The 056 is now relegated to an occasional use to keep it in tune.

That being said if you run into a lot of bigger timber having the big saw available is very nice.

 

[Gooserider]

BTW- thanks goose, I just caught up with yer reply. I think I'm just learning the art of filing properly, been thru dremels and all; got a rat tail file with a guide now and the cahin that's there does impressively so I think I'm good to go..............

Uhmm.... Are you using a file made SPECIFICALLY for saw-chain filing, in the size spec'd for your chain, or something "generic"?

It may just be a terminology thing that has me confused, but to me a "rat-tail" file is usually a tapered file, where the diameter near the handle is larger than the diameter near the tip. A rat-tail is intended for general purpose use, and should NOT be used on a saw chain as it won't put the proper shape edge on the cutters.

A chainsaw file is a specialty item, that has a very fine tooth cut, and is the same diameter for it's entire length. Chainsaw files come in several different diameters, and the right diameter for your chain must be used - the size required for your chain should be listed on the chain package. If you don't have the package the chain came in, then the next best thing is to go by the chain size / pitch, as normally all chains of a given size should use the same diameter file.. (Also note that chainsaw files do wear out, and will need periodic replacing - not sure on the frequency, but I know that I do try to rotate the file in the holder every couple times that I use it so as to bring a fresher cutting surface into play)

At any rate, glad to hear that you are learning how to hand file.

Gooserider

 

[Daniel Rose]

not sure this is the right forum, so I'll leave it to the admin to move if necessary.

i don't know a durned thing about chain saws, what i need, and how to keep it from sawing my head off my neck, for instance. i don't think i'll be sawing down any sequoias out here, probably the biggest stuff we have are eucalyptus. but i do see a need for some kind of sidekick in the car to saw apart nice thick branches by the side of the road, that kind of stuff. Any idears?

I have a 20" Husqvarna 359 saw, I sharpen it regularly and keep it as clean as possible. This I use to cut 6tonne of Australian Eucalyptus Gum very year. I even use it to cut neighbours trees and help my mate who has a 5 acre farm on the outskirts of Sydney. We cut massive 4' logs and go hard cutting all day - we normally get through around 7Tonne in a day.

The saw is about 10 years old and I have given it some real punishing cuts. It delivers every time! It also is alot easier to start than a Stihl saw. It has a chain break (I consider this essential) and I ALWAYS wear gloves and a helmet/visor/ear muff combo for protection. For safety - having the chain sharp and the right tension as well as cutting in way that minimises kickbacks as well the obvious like not cutting above shoulder height and cutting a branch that springs up is the best way to preserve your limbs and your life.

Haven't had an incident to date - that's probably because I keep safe and don't go beyond my limits. No matter how frustrated you may get while cutting - ITS JUST NOT WORTH IT.

 

[thinkxingu]

This should easily win this year's "thread from the grave" award!

 

[Jags]

This should easily win this year's "thread from the grave" award!

Nope - there was a BroB thread a couple of days ago that was started in 2005.

 

[ketoret]

and right on target too! if there were any 4' thick branches just hanging around at the side of the road - but....see it would be really amazing if i could just say, wow, i bought a husky 359 3 years ago and it's GREAT! i did buy a husky 350, which is more in tune with my needs, i think. but thanks for the recommendation, woodsman dan!

 

[CTYank]

not sure this is the right forum, so I'll leave it to the admin to move if necessary.

i don't know a durned thing about chain saws, what i need, and how to keep it from sawing my head off my neck, for instance. i don't think i'll be sawing down any sequoias out here, probably the biggest stuff we have are eucalyptus. but i do see a need for some kind of sidekick in the car to saw apart nice thick branches by the side of the road, that kind of stuff. Any idears?

The first thing you need is to learn how to use a chainsaw safely. It's not like a circ. saw or jigsaw, it can maim or kill you in a millisecond. Some aspects of maintenance are much more critical, including how to keep the bar & chain "happy." You'll want basic PPE also ("personal protective equipment.") Some basic searches will point you to lots of good info, including videos.

Then you can learn how to use a saw productively. Mainly, in your case I'll wager, how to avoid pinching, binding, and abrasives. (Felling wedges are GOOD.)

As to what saw to buy, best advice is to ask around locally, of other users. Parts and service availability may be decisive. Don't go for a low-ball POS, unless you can afford to pull the b&c and toss it. And watch out for counterfeits coming from China.

Some eucalypts have earned a rep as being extremely tough.

 

[WoodMann]

Need more coffee.......