I heard there was some bad storms last week in TN near the cooksville area. One of my friends says he never goes to the basement and he said he ran an hid there.
Saw needed with 24" bar
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I heard there was some bad storms last week in TN near the cooksville area. One of my friends says he never goes to the basement and he said he ran an hid there.
arrow
Super Member
Ok then. Be careful when limbing the crown. If you are prone to not want to spend anymore money on a chainsaw, you can cut up the stem with your 18" bar. First clean up the jagged ends. Make 4 plunge cuts forming a square at the center of the tree with the center of the tree in the middle of the square. This square should be large enough to have the bar reach these cuts so if the tree is 48" wide, this square would have 16" sides. Start at the middle and fan the saw left and right then square off the plunge cut.Your rounds or chunks will be the width of your bar or shorter. Proceed to buck the tree toward these plunge cuts. Make the finish or freeing up cuts as large as you want the pieces you care to deal with. Cut the "cube" off and now you have access to the bottom round which will need to be cut off last as you will not be able to rotate the stem without a piece of equipment. You have effectively eliminated the center of the tree from holding on to the wood because you have cut it with the plunge cut. Repeat this process until you get to the part of the tree narrow enough where your saw will cut through the tree with standard bucking procedures. Do not make cube larger than your bar as you will want to cut this off from one side. Your saw will get the workout of its life as it will be buried most of the time but you could do this and not have to buy any saw if yours holds up. Methodically, the job will soon be finished but you may have wished for a more powerful saw. Good luck and be careful about those chunks you are cutting off as they are quite large.
I know you've cut trees for a long time but please do not get lulled into the fact that this is just another tree to be cut up. Big trees are a whole different animal on every level.
Never stated I did not want to buy another saw for this task. First post was asking for opinions on 2 different Husky models and 1 Stihl that have the needed 24" bars priced in the 500.00-600.00 range. I know the other suggested models would probably do a better job in big wood but the prices of 800.00 or more are just not just reasonable for maybe 4 hours work. The 2 trees that were blown down were 2 of the 3 biggest trees on the farm with 1 large maple in the 3.5-4 foot size left.
The rest of the trees left standing on the farm could easily be handled by the 18" Stihl if the need ever should arise.
Right now I believe the choice will be either the Stihl MS 391 or the Husky 460 Rancher. If it takes an extra hour of saw time to do the job, that will be fine. The several hundred dollars left in my pocket from not purchasing a pro model saw will offset the extra time involved.
I do appreciate the tips and opinions you guys offered to my questions, very helpful info was received.
The rest of the trees left standing on the farm could easily be handled by the 18" Stihl if the need ever should arise.
Right now I believe the choice will be either the Stihl MS 391 or the Husky 460 Rancher. If it takes an extra hour of saw time to do the job, that will be fine. The several hundred dollars left in my pocket from not purchasing a pro model saw will offset the extra time involved.
I do appreciate the tips and opinions you guys offered to my questions, very helpful info was received.
art
Super Member
I sold husky till two years ago and still sell Stihl and for what you have given for options are to small to run a 24" bar well.
I'd look for a used saw to do the large work you have that needs a 24" bar! The money would be the same and the work would be done so much faster!!! A good clean used pro saw would last as long if not longer as a non pro saw being worked with a bar that is to big!
I'd look for a used saw to do the large work you have that needs a 24" bar! The money would be the same and the work would be done so much faster!!! A good clean used pro saw would last as long if not longer as a non pro saw being worked with a bar that is to big!
Chilly807
Elite Member
If it were me, I don't think I'd even buy a bigger saw for the small amount of use it'll get. Are there any "pros" in your area, that do this for a living? It would be worth it to approach one of those guys and ask what they'd charge you to buck up a couple of stems. The rest you can cut yourself if you haven't already.
If they work for somebody else, e.g. a company, most guys will do a little work on the side for cash, especially something like this.
Since you're not going to be doing this much at all, having a new big saw sitting around doesn't make much sense.
Any local rental places with bigger saws? Anything that's 60 cc or bigger will run a 24" bar, but you'll have to go slow since it won't pull the extra teeth very well at a normal cutting pace. We had a 262XP that I'd try it with, but the rakers would need to be pretty high to get some of the load off the saw.
It's too bad you're not close to me, I'd drive 100 miles for a chance to really let the 044 chew on a tree that size
What do you have for machinery to deal with the blocks? There's a better than even chance you'll jam the saw a few times unless the stem is die straight. Something that big is hard to deal with when that happens, it really doesn't want to move without serious encouragement.
edit: I noticed after I posted that you had already looked into getting someone else to cut them, I wasn't sure if you'd exhausted all avenues yet. Might be worth posting a want ad for someone with a bigger saw to cut it for you. I know a few guys from a chainsaw forum that would help you out, but none are in Tennessee.
Sean
If they work for somebody else, e.g. a company, most guys will do a little work on the side for cash, especially something like this.
Since you're not going to be doing this much at all, having a new big saw sitting around doesn't make much sense.
Any local rental places with bigger saws? Anything that's 60 cc or bigger will run a 24" bar, but you'll have to go slow since it won't pull the extra teeth very well at a normal cutting pace. We had a 262XP that I'd try it with, but the rakers would need to be pretty high to get some of the load off the saw.
It's too bad you're not close to me, I'd drive 100 miles for a chance to really let the 044 chew on a tree that size
What do you have for machinery to deal with the blocks? There's a better than even chance you'll jam the saw a few times unless the stem is die straight. Something that big is hard to deal with when that happens, it really doesn't want to move without serious encouragement.
edit: I noticed after I posted that you had already looked into getting someone else to cut them, I wasn't sure if you'd exhausted all avenues yet. Might be worth posting a want ad for someone with a bigger saw to cut it for you. I know a few guys from a chainsaw forum that would help you out, but none are in Tennessee.
Sean
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arrow
Super Member
And is why I said "if". You can keep more money in your pocket by having a look at xyz123's offer and have a much more capable saw for this task in the bargain.
Maybe I need to take a pic of the used saws on the shelves already gone through and waiting and willing.
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arrow
Super Member
Well I was curious of my used saws on shelf. Here is a pic I just took. :licking:
I used to have 2 more shelves full but I been working my way down to manageable numbers. :confused2:
Brings a tear to my eye. This is the way my shed looked before I retired from logging. I didn't work on chainsaws beyond normal upkeep. If I got a couple of years out of a chainsaw before it was wore out, I was happy. They were and I guess are a part of me like my own fingers and toes so you could understand why I needed 20 of them. My wife never could. I logged for over 30 years and the next 25 years were what I call the Great Divide meaning I had to whittle my collection down to five as the wife did not hold to my finger and toe reasoning.
mountainlake
Bronze Member
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I'd get a Makita 6401 or a Echo Cs 680, both around $600 and built a lot better than a Husky 460 or Stihl MS391, more power also. Steve
LD1
Epic Contributor
Dang. I just read through the entire thread thinking all along "no one has mentioned a 6400". Then I got to the VERY LAST post and what a buzz-kill:confused2:
I agree with the earlier posters that said 70cc+ for a 24". BUT there are a few exceptions. And the dolmar/makita 6400/6401 is one of them. I can personally attest that they WILL pull a 24" full chisel with authority when fully burried.
It IS a pro grade saw unlike the 391 and 460, but still should be in the 500-600 price range if you have a dealer in your area.
DOLMAR Power Products check here for the dealer locater
and BTW, it is 4.8HP and 13.6lbs. So it is a little more powerful than the others mentioned. I am not sure if prices went up or not, but last year they could be had from good dealer for in the low $500 range:thumbsup:
mountainlake
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Keep in mind thats the rated power, I'd be willing to bet either a Echo 680 or Makita 6401 will actually cut a lot faster then the 460 or 391. Steve
Yep agreed on the Makita 6401. But they are calling it 6421 now. Think they changed the muffler design.
Bailey's - Makita Model DCS 6421 Chainsaw with 20" Bar & Chain
I would take that saw any day over those 391 and husky 460 for same money.
Plus if you ever wanted to upgrade you can put a 73cc 79cc OEM or afm 84cc topend on a rebuild.
I have no time behind the echo to say anything.
6401 with 7900 topend.
updated covers with pre-filter built in carb cover.
Bailey's - Makita Model DCS 6421 Chainsaw with 20" Bar & Chain
I would take that saw any day over those 391 and husky 460 for same money.
Plus if you ever wanted to upgrade you can put a 73cc 79cc OEM or afm 84cc topend on a rebuild.
I have no time behind the echo to say anything.
6401 with 7900 topend.
updated covers with pre-filter built in carb cover.
Rustyiron
Super Member
All I've ever heard about Makita/Dolmar is good praise. I'm itchin for one but my old Stihls won't die! Had a Makita cut off saw and was impressed with it.
Chilly807
Elite Member
The old Sachs-Dolmar saws we had in this market weren't so good, but that was 20+ years ago, I haven't heard anything but good stuff about the new saws.
Sean
Sean
LD1
Epic Contributor
The old saws were kinda hit and miss. Some were good, others were just average or not so good. Kinda like every brand, some models really shine, others...not so much.
Of the 80's dolmars, the two that shine the brightest IMO are the 116si and 120si.
They will still even cut with todays best saws of similar cc's. And they sounded WAY better too:thumbsup:
I am far from a saw expert and due to advancing age, I would tend to buy a saw by weight rather than the length of the bar. I do use a longer than normal bar and chain on my old saw. I use a skip tooth chain on the longer bar. My 40 yr. old saw will pull the skip tooth chain fine. That set up will cut slower than a full tooth compliment chain, but it will get me through the big chunks. I just change back to the shorter bar and normal chain after I get the big stuff chunked up. Generally need the rest that the bar and chain replacement provides.
There must be a lot of young studs out there with these monster saws, but they too will get old sooner than later.
There must be a lot of young studs out there with these monster saws, but they too will get old sooner than later.
Chilly807
Elite Member
Age might not be as much of a factor.. I really like my smaller saws, the 242 Husky and an 023 Stihl. Both are light enough to use for felling and limbing most trees, the 044 comes out when there's an ugly one to cut or I'm just feeling like using something with more power. It's nasty to limb with for more than about 10 minutes, and you really have to watch what you're doing with the nose of the bar, it kicks HARD. Great felling and bucking saw, not so nimble though.
Stihl has a European ad with a pro "speed limbing" a log with an MS441. I'd like to see him do that for a few hours at a stretch and see how it goes.
Sean
mountainlake
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Got to agree, I'll last maybe a bit more than 10 minutes limbing with my 044(19-3/4# ready to cut) . Most times I use my Echo CS520 (15# ready to cut) or my Echo CS400 (13# ready to cut) both really cut for thier wieght. Steve
om21braz
Veteran Member
I can't speak for the MS391, Husky 460, or the Dolmars - but I'll second others on the Husky 372XP. A 24" bar is no problem for it fully buried. If you can find a nice used one, it would be all most any non-professional would need and be in your price range.
