Seat time versus Chainsaw time

   / Seat time versus Chainsaw time #1  

newbury

Super Star Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2009
Messages
13,525
Location
From Vt, in Va, retiring to MS
Tractor
Kubota's - B7610, M4700
How many of us VALUE seat time? And I mean getting out there and running the tractor to do a job that may need to be done, but we are relatively happy piddling around with the tractor. But not as a paying job.
and
How many of us VALUE chainsaw time? Here I mean getting out and running the saws to do a job, but we enjoy the power of the saw as we make big pieces into little pieces.
and
Which would you rather do?

I like to do both. Today was a great day , I played with the tractor for about two hours and used my 660 to fell a few small trees. I think two hours of seat time is better than 2 hours of saw time.

Luckily when SWMBO sees me doing these things she seems to think I'm "working". When she sees the small jobs I do and compares it to the rates someone else would charge to do the same thing she's EXTREMELY agreeable with my tool purchases.
 
   / Seat time versus Chainsaw time #2  
To me, chainsaw time will always feel like a chore, just don't enjoy it. :cool:
 
   / Seat time versus Chainsaw time #3  
Interesting post......

I would rather run a chainsaw then sit on a tractor gaining seat time! I love running a chainsaw, and cannot get enough of it. Now, if I was making a living at it that might be a different story, but being that its only for getting firewood that's very enjoyable to me. Most people think I'm nuts, and the really great thing about it is when I am out with the saw NOBODY comes to bother me because they think I might ask them for help. Little do they know I would never ask for help because I enjoy being alone and not bothered. I guess the jokes on them!!

Craig
 
   / Seat time versus Chainsaw time #4  
For me they usually go hand in hand. Meaning we use the tractor alot while cutting wood.

But If I had to pick, I'd opt for 2 hours of saw time anyday if that is all that you are talking about. The problem is that 2 hours of saw time turns into half a day more of clearing brush, stacking, hauling, and splitting the wood. Those make the chainsaw OVERALL less enoyable. But ONLY running the saw, That Is what I like:D
 
   / Seat time versus Chainsaw time #5  
I love seat time. But I love saw time. The nice thing is I usually get both at the same time since my tractor is my wood gathering machine it my saw's partiner in crime.

Which do I like more??? It depends.... I actually think I enjoy burying the blade of my saw in a big log and watching chips fly better than operating the tractor most of the time. But then nothing is more satisfying that knocking over dead trees or pulling ones that are hung up with the tractor and watching them crash to the ground.

I did not used to love cutting so much. I had a medium size saw with chain that was not very agressive. Cutting was nothing to get excited about and it took a while to cut anything big.

Then I got a Dolmar 7900 with an Oregan LPX and it was a whole different beast. Now with the HD filter kit and an LGX chain it tears through wood like... well like a 7900 with an HD filter kit and an LGX chain :laughing:

I once was cutting some 4 foot maple. I really enjoyed tearing through that. Down one side than the other, makeing 18" rounds that weighed near 1000 pounds!

Here's my saw... it's partiner in crime is holding the log :thumbsup:

YouTube - Dolmar 7900 with HD filter kit (faster than stock)

newbury - you have a 660. No wonder you like to cut! Nothing like cutting big stuff with a real saw. I've never tried a 660 but would like to get my hands on one!
 
   / Seat time versus Chainsaw time #6  
newbury - you have a 660. No wonder you like to cut! Nothing like cutting big stuff with a real saw. I've never tried a 660 but would like to get my hands on one!

Unless you are cutting logs over 24" in diameter ALL the time, you will find yoursel reaching a lot more for the 7900.

While there is a noticable difference in power, it is very slight in average firewood (at least average to me) like in the 16" and 18" range. But the added weight IS very noticable.

I have had a few 066's, one of which I sold to a good friend. We will still "race" on ocassion. And an unmodified 066/660 will NOT blow away the 7900 like you would expect it to. I can actually beat the 066 on ocassion. I actually just did last week. He had a brand new chain. Stihl full chisel. Mine was about 1/2 warn but freshly sharpened (and I run rakers lower than a "new" chain). He couldn't beat the 7900, until we took about 4 file strokes off each raker tooth. Then he was about 1 second quicker in the 18" cherry we were messing with.
 
   / Seat time versus Chainsaw time
  • Thread Starter
#7  
newbury - you have a 660. No wonder you like to cut! Nothing like cutting big stuff with a real saw. I've never tried a 660 but would like to get my hands on one!
I USED to have one 660, now I've two, both have been muffler modded. One also has a factory dual port muffler, the other was muf modded and woods ported by Brad Snelling, so they are both roaring beasts. For bars I've got 24", 28", 32", 42" and I'm trying to justify a 72" double ender. I like to mill lumber. And I've just started one of my sons on the road to milling.
 

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   / Seat time versus Chainsaw time #8  
I enjoy both. The chainsaw time and the tractor time to clean up the spoils.
A good sharp chain is important, and the tractor to do the job is also important.

My Stihl MS361 with 20" bar, and Deere 4300 with forks on the loader and iMatch with tongs on the 3 ph. Makes me happy.
 
   / Seat time versus Chainsaw time #9  
I cut some of my firewood on my neighbor's land and a lot of the trees are in areas where it will hang up. I mean there is no way to take the tree down but to hang it up. I make sure to do the minimum damage while cutting on his land so I don't just clear a path for the tree to hit the ground. I usually choose which trees he cares about less and drop onto them. Then comes the real work of getting it down to the ground and then delimbing and pile up the brush. The log often comes out in 4-5 pieces but I only cut down the tree that he marked. Sometimes he marks trees for me that are 50-60 ft off the road so I pull the pieces to the woods road with a rope. The actual chainsaw running time is rather short in a whole day's work.

Getting firewood includes tractor time as well. That is my early Winter exercise and I love it.
 
   / Seat time versus Chainsaw time #10  
I enjoy both about the same. I miss my log home I recently sold in MO. I cut all my wood from my own land. It seemed like a chore at times, but now I own mostly pasture here in Indiana and would love to go cut some trees.
 
 
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