Chainsaw information.

[D_Mac 8,593]

I went to purchase a generator from a fellow on craigslist and wound up purchasing a couple other items as well as the generator. One of the items was a Stihl MS 361 chainsaw. All I know about chainsaws is that I heard Stihl makes a good saw. After bringing everything home I wanted to do a little research on chainsaws and it just left me more confused. Trying to compare one saw from another or even one model Stihl saw from a different model Stihl saw. For some reason I just cant seem to tell them apart aside form bar length and engine displacement. I cant seem to follow the power to weight ratio thing. I am thinking this saw is more saw I would ever need. My thinking has always been better too much then too little. Any ones input on chainsaws I would like to listen too. 

[ebinmaine 67,266]

Maine is the most heavily forested state in the nation.

We ARE logging.

Stihl is - hands down - THE chain saw.

There are other great brands but none can compare to the reliability and longevity of Stihl as a whole.

 

Logging chain is NOT better than a modern "anti-kickback" chain. I learned just recently that there are arborists who have switched to anti-kick for trimming and limbing for safety and comfort reasons.

 

Don't get to concerned with the power to weight ratio.

Bigger is better - to a point. For me that point is comfort.

 

General sizing:

(From MY experiences and contacts)

 

Up to 30cc, rare to occasional use.

Emergencies, light trimming,  limbing of felled trees.

12 to 16" bar.

 

30 - 60cc, average homeowners firewood saw range, depending on needs and desires.

16 - 20" bar.

 

65 - 70cc and up, you're pretty much in the commercial saws here.

Most homeowners don't need a saw this big unless it's for 5+ cord firewood/year or maybe you want a powerful large saw on hand for occasional use. Maybe you have big trees around.

 

 

I run 2 saws. I have an Echo cs490. 49cc. 18" bar. 

 

I have a Stihl ms180c and I absolutely love it. 32cc. 16" bar. Lightweight. Decent power. Low vibration. Well balanced. It is my Go-to saw for most things.

 

 

Don't get too hung up on power to weight ratio.

 

Look around your property. If none of your trees are large, have an 18" bar on a 59cc ms361 and learn to run it properly.

Learn the personality and nuances of the saw.

 

WEAR ALL YOUR PPE 

 

Good luck and keep asking questions.

Check out forums called firewood hoarders and arborists site.

 

@WVHillbilly520H you should throw a word or 2 here...

 

 

[WVHillbilly520H 10,373]

IDK if my opinion will be shared but if you got that saw fairly cheap (price you were very comfortable with) then like Eric said above get a 18-20" bar and chain and use it when you need it or trade it for something smaller and better suited to your needs, I have 2 Dolmar saws 1 18" 1 20" bar and then a Poulan Wildthing with a 14" bar does everything I need to do kinda like the horse one for each unique job.

[D_Mac 8,593]

The saw came with a 20 inch bar. Bar looks beat up but it is straight. I thought about changing it to an 18 inch. I dont have a use for it at my property but from time time I need one at my mothers house. Not to take down trees or cut firewood but to clean up branches and limbs that fall from wind or ice. Its my understanding the saw will take 18 - 24 inch bar. It seems to run really well. I havent tried cutting anything with it so I am not sure how sharp the chain is. I dont know of any cleaning or maintenance I should do to it now other then the bar and chain. I got what I think is a great deal on the saw but as I said earlier I dont know anything about them. If the saw wont get a lot of use do you store them with or without gas in the tank? Any recommendations as to what to look for on it before I use it or make any changes to it? I just opened the back and cleaned the air filter off and thats it so far.

[D_Mac 8,593]

Forgot to ask that if I decide to change the bar and chain are there big differences in bars and chains ? Stay with Stihl products?

[ebinmaine 67,266]

Gas storage. Definitely empty.

If you don't already do it, get NON-ETHANOL. Little 2-stroke engines like that are a bunch more susceptible to ethanol damage than even a Kohler garden tractor engine.

 

Their own bar and chains are of great quality. Depending on the dealer you use, you may pay a premium for them.

That said, I would not hesitate a split second to get an Oregon brand bar and chain on there.

 

18 inch bar with anti-kickback chain would be more than adequate for your usage and the 20 that it came with as well.

 

 

Around my place we try to do as many repairs as possible on our own. We'll tackle pretty much anything if we can get some information and the right tools.

Even with that in mind I don't generally tune my own two stroke engines. I have three of them. I have a fantastic Small engine guy that treats me very very well.

 

if it was me and I wanted that saw looked at and tuned up correctly I would absolutely bring it to my favorite small engine shop and spend 50 or $75 because it would be well worth it in the long run.

 

 

 

[D_Mac 8,593]

Well maybe I will take it somewhere to have it checked out and tuned. Its cold up here in NY and I have had no trouble starting it. Fires up after a few pulls. The guy I got it from bought it brand new but as you can see from the photos its had its use. I got the saw, a generac 5000w generator, and a brand new mossberg turkey gun for $300 so I believe I did well. Zero use for the bird gun as I dont hunt but I would have paid the 300 for just the saw and generator. He told me he always used non ethanol gas in both. I always use it on all my small engines plus sta-bil fuel stabilizer. Thanks for the tips and advice. I like to listen to what everyone has to say, especially with things I have no experience with.

[ebinmaine 67,266]

Wow! I would say you did all right. I'm no expert but I think EACH one of those things by itself is worth what you paid for the total of the three.

 

As cold as it's been lately and if that thing is starting and running okay I don't know that I would do much of anything with it.

 

Make sure when you mix your oil you are a little heavy on the oil side if anything.

 

How often to get the chain sharpened depends what you're cutting.

It's important to try to avoid cutting dirt. I can tell you from experience my saws are not fond of that.

 

Normally I'll do a quick touch-up on the blade after every two or three tanks of fuel... Unless I touch dirt.

When I do that I practice all of my expletives and then I go sharpen the saw.

 

[D_Mac 8,593]

Thanks Eric. I am afraid I will just take the chain to a local hardware store that I am pretty sure sharpens them. Amazing how they will saw through hard wood but touch the tip in the dirt and you are done for. Happy with both the saw and generator. Like I said I dont hunt and know less about shotguns then I do about chainsaws. Mossberg 835 1 yr old.

[Pullstart 62,783]

What a deal on that bundle!  Mike and Frank would be proud!  

 

Do yourself a favor and grab a round file style sharpener with a guide.  If you’re unsure how to use it properly, there are plenty of YouTube videos showing you how... but even strokes (usually three full strokes are enough) on every tooth, never pull the file backwards across the chain and always sharpen away from the saw are great starting points.  A file for rakers is a good idea, but most times I break/wear a tooth off and junk the chain before I need to take down the rakers.

 

I have an electric wall/vice mounted sharpener with a stone wheel from Home Depot I believe that is helpful, but not used near as often as a round file.  They will take so much material, it’s not even funny!  The file takes barely any, but keeps the tooth good and sharp right where it needs to be.

[C-85 681]

At my families business we sold about every saw but stihl.

 

We used to tell people why buy a stihl, it says 'steel' on it, but it's made out of aluminum!

 

C-85

[stevasaurus 22,706]

I have one thing to add here.  The longer the blade, the less I have to bend over to reach what I want to saw.  I had an old Homelite that I put a 24" blade on.  Keep the old blade and buy an extra chain for it, and put on the length you want.  Do not be afraid to sharpen your own chains...watch the videos.  Being able to sharpen your own chain keeps you in the field cutting wood.  I suppose that is more then one thing I added.    Love the Mossberg...that is one heck of a deal.

[ebinmaine 67,266]

19 minutes ago, stevasaurus said:

Do not be afraid to sharpen your own chains...watch the videos.  Being able to sharpen your own chain keeps you in the field cutting wood

I'll second that.

 

Over the past couple of years I've put together a little tool box that I take out in the forest with me when Trina and I are out harvesting on our acres.

I'd be happy to share the contents of that if you're interested.

I got the general list from several members here and online other areas.

I've started exclusively using a hand file instead of a Dremel. I find that the hand file puts a better edge with better control and removes less metal like Kevin said above.

[tunahead72 2,403]

@D_Mac I'd recommend a protective case if you didn't get one with the saw.  Stihl's Woodsman case is plenty good enough, and should last for a good long while.  Pay no attention to the prices you see on Amazon and eBay, a local dealer should be able to get you one for about $40.

 

And the Stihl web site stihlusa.com has an owner's manual that you can download if you didn't get one.

 

[D_Mac 8,593]

Yes I want to find a case I wrote down " The Woodsman " . Like I said I would be mostly using it everywhere BUT my house. Be nice to have a case to transport it in. As far as sharpening the chain it looks a little intimidating. Hell I cant even get a good edge on a knife. EB if you want to list what you have in your kit I can see about getting what I need and trying it out. The Mossberg came with a sling and a case. He purchased it a year ago he said. Fired it a few times and decided he didnt like it.  It sure looks brand new but like I mentioned I dont know anything about firearms. I dont know its true value. He told me buying it was totally legal. I didnt need any paperwork because it wasnt a pistol. I mentioned I didnt even like putting it in my truck to drive home. He said its legal to have in the truck as long as it wasnt loaded. He is a big hunter and owns many firearms and I believed what he was telling me. I am not a felon or have a history of mental illness. I had a rifle 35 years ago and I know at that time buying or selling a rifle or shotgun in NY wasnt a big deal. Today I am getting told conflicting stories. Guess I should have looked into before hand. Hell I dont even know if you guys allow the mention of them here on this forum. If not my apologies.

[Pullstart 62,783]

All guns need to be registered to the buyer from an FFL (licensed dealer).  

 

They are not required to be re-registered if sold privately.  Let me restate this in a probably more proper way.  It may be worth checking out in your state, but I don’t believe any long guns need to be re-registered ever again.  

 

It wouldn’t hurt or cost anything to register it at your local police station if you believe that’s the right thing to do.  Drive there with it in the case and unloaded, walk in WITH THE FIREARM STILL IN YOUR VEHICLE and explain to them what you’re there for.  They’ll give you directions how to handle the registration from there.

 

Heck of a deal though!  I have a Mossberg 500 20 gauge with a scope and I bought the Mrs. a Mossberg 500 12 gauge with a rifled barrel and a scope plus a smooth bore iron sights barrel for *****.  The 12 gauge has harvested 3 bucks now in the last two hunting seasons.

[ebinmaine 67,266]

12 minutes ago, D_Mac said:

As far as sharpening the chain it looks a little intimidating. Hell I cant even get a good edge on a knife. EB if you want to list what you have in your kit I can see about getting what I need and trying it out

 

I'd be happy to do that for you.

 

In the interest of full disclosure I can't get a good edge on a knife either. Okay, at best.

 

To sharpen my saws I bought a couple of file holders which you'll see in the pictures later. Those are what made all the difference in the world.

Hold it at the right angle and take your time. I won't say it's Fail-Safe because obviously there's a learning curve to everything... but boy... do they help.

 

[WVHillbilly520H 10,373]

Sorry to have taken so long to get back to this thread... About the blade/chain brand Oregon is absolutely fine as replacement and they (bar/chain combos) can be had on the jungle site for less... I leave fuel in my saws or run them dry either way they'll start right up 6 months or longer between runs (just my experiences here) another way to learn to sharpen a saw chain is just try it on an old chain that you aren't worried about messing it up... Now for the 835 Mossberg that my friend is a very fine Turkey/Coyote  gun (not an ordinary bird gun) the barrel is "overbored" (.835" vs .750 standard bore) and with the right choke tube and shot combo is lethal out to 60-70 yards... And for what you paid for everything you may just want to go buy yourself a lottery ticket too.

[D_Mac 8,593]

Yes I know I did well even if I have to eat the Mossberg. Here in New York State I am finding that they made it difficult to buy or sell firearms. It wasnt this way the last time I owned a rifle. From what I understand is that I have to find a gun shop that would do the required back ground check of the purchaser. I dont believe the previous owner knew that either because I would have had to have one to legally buy it from him. Maybe he did, I dont know. I left a message on his voicemail, we will see if I get a return call. Anyways back to the saw. I watched a video on sharpening chains. I see that I need a round file and a flat file. The video didnt mention the diameter of the round file and didnt mention the cut of either the round or flat file. I believe he was filing the teeth at a 30 degree angle but I think that depends on the chain? Said some chains have a small mark on the tooth to help with the angle?

[ebinmaine 67,266]

5 hours ago, D_Mac said:

Anyways back to the saw. I watched a video on sharpening chains. I see that I need a round file and a flat file. The video didnt mention the diameter of the round file and didnt mention the cut of either the round or flat file. I believe he was filing the teeth at a 30 degree angle but I think that depends on the chain? Said some chains have a small mark on the tooth to help with the angle

 

File size is dictated by chain size.

 

The small engine repair shop can tell you which you need.

 

Most chains are sharpened at 30 or so. Yes.

Also info the same shop will tell you.

 

The mark on the chain teeth is a Max wear mark.

 

There's a LOT of information out there.

Don't let it overload you.

 

 

[WVHillbilly520H 10,373]

7 hours ago, D_Mac said:

Anyways back to the saw. I watched a video on sharpening chains. I see that I need a round file and a flat file. The video didnt mention the diameter of the round file and didnt mention the cut of either the round or flat file. I believe he was filing the teeth at a 30 degree angle but I think that depends on the chain? Said some chains have a small mark on the tooth to help with the angle?

I never use the flat file (that is referred to above @pullstart about the rakers) by the time I get there the chain is usually done for me... Yes there is marks on on the teeth of the of the chain (Oregon) that 1) shows the appropriate angle you should try to follow while filing and 2) like Eric said max wear as the slot gets larger as you file you may also notice that the file cuts the drag links as well as the tooth this is from excessive down pressure on the file it all takes time and practice.

[mmmmmdonuts 274]

Wow. You got a steal of a deal on that. I always have a 2nd chain on hand and usually a 2nd bar. When I am doing a large amount of bucking close to the ground with the chance to kick up dirt I use my more beat up chain. It is amazing how fast dirt will dull a chain so while I try and avoid the dirt there are some cases especially in soft soil or mud where it is hard to avoid.  

[Pullstart 62,783]

Spare bar talk....  If you ever head to the woods to cut a tree down, or to cut up a tree that has fallen, there is a ton of tension in the tree!  If you ever hang up a saw, it’s wise to have a spare bar and chain just for that reason alone.  Simply unbolt the chainsaw from the bar, install the new bar and chain, cut the tree from the other side to release the tension, remove stuck parts.

[D_Mac 8,593]

Well I know I dont have any round files so I will make a trip to Lowes and I will pick up a 7/32 file. I will practice on the chain thats on the saw now. I will always pick up a new chain just in case. As long as I am there I will price out a 18 inch bar and a chain. Called a gun shop today and I was told I didnt do anything wrong in purchasing the Mossberg but in order to resell it legally The buyer needs to find a gun shop that will do the background check. The state says they cant charge more then 10 dollars to do it but since its not worth the time to do it for only 10 bucks most gun shops dont do it. Some of the ones that do will charge and extra 15 bucks and call it a " safety inspection" . The shop I called dosnt bother with any of it unless of course you are buying the firearm from them. So looks like I am going to have to make a few more calls. Option two is sell it as is not registering it in my name since the new owner would have to go through the entire process all over again. Kinda of like jumping titles on a car. Anyways I thank you all for the help and info on the saw. I cant wait till a tree limb comes down at my mothers house to use it !!! While I am at Lowes I will pick up a 2x4 just to test it out. Oh I looked for cases on the internet.... Anyone have one of those nylon bag type case or stay with the hard plastic case?

[ebinmaine 67,266]

10 minutes ago, D_Mac said:

make a trip to Lowes and I will pick up a 7/32 file

Buy a file kit with file guide.

Huge difference in learning to sharpen.

 

 

Sorta like this....