Longer bar for Stihl M261 - relative novice.

[stevem5215]

I have an EFCO branded Cub Cadet 5720 which is 57cc's with a 20" bar. It had higher hp than the comparable Stihl at the time and it's quite good with the 20" bar. If I really need larger I now have the G660 Farmer tec one which has bigger. But bigger isn't always better. It's just bigger and more to man handle. IMO a 20" bar is really a good size to use for 90% of all bigger tree cutting. Of course a small 16" limbing saw really has a purpose too though. It's just plain lighter and less strain using for hours.

 

[WinterDeere]

Just for the record, I'd put a 16" bar on an MS-261. My stating that 18" would be ideal for the MS-362 was not meant to imply the same bar would be suitable for the much smaller MS-261, when cutting nose-buried in hardwoods. I was just giving a data point based on a saw I actually own, and saying "smaller than this", for the MS-261.

In the past, Stihl never "recommended" a bar size for a saw, they only listed the maximum bar length the oiler on the saw could handle. Has this changed? In nearly all cases, the maximum bar length the saw could run was longer than you'd want to run in hardwoods, but may be perfectly suitable for those only cutting softwoods. Different woods require different horsepower, for the same bar length.

I know some like to run longer bars for less bending while cutting, but I've never done that myself, it looks less safe to me. I'd rather bend and have the dogs resting against the workpiece, than trying to cut with the tip of the bar from a standing position. And I'd rather run a shorter bar on a bigger motor, and have the thing run like a light saber, than fight with an underpowered saw wearing a too-long bar.

 

[xyz123]

20" to me is 60cc-70cc range. 24" 70 range.

I did set a guy up one time with 50cc saw that wanted to run 20 in hardwoods. I made a loop of full skip for him. When saws are under powered for loads ask, full skip helps.

Both 18" but I like 16"on them.

 

[Cycledude]

Around here 20” bars seem to be what most folks prefer.
I use 18” mostly because that’s what my old saw had, I do sometimes wish I had chosen a 20” bar for the new saw just because of the extra reach, a little less bending over.

 

[5030]

Without getting into the usual pizzing match conerning gas powered saws, I run Echo's as well as older Stihl's. One nice thing about Echo's is thay all have adjustable oilers, easily accessed on the bottom side of the powerhead and are usually less than a comparable Stihl and have a better, longer warranty as well (not that I've ever had any warranty issues with any of mine). I don't ever buy chain loops, I buy bulk chain and make up my own as needed and I don't care at all for the new Stihl lightweight bars, I prefer the Oregon bars or the Japanese bars. I machine grind all my chains as well as my arborist customers chains. Never hand file anything, ever and I always use canned gas, not pump gas and I like the Echo Red Armor 50-1 myself and always Stihl premium bar oil, never motor oil and especially not used motor oil. Have all my saws standardized at 0.050 width (drivers) chain, skip tooth of full comp don't matter and my rule of thumb is, when the heel of a tooth starts building pitch, it's time to install a new sharp loop as dull teeth only eat power and make sawdust.

Don't care for fuel injected saws at all, only carb saws because injected saws are way too complex, sort of like emissions compliant tractors and I like simple.

Finally, I use a battery powered Echo for pruning and limbing. No starting issues, instant on, instant off and they run just fine without the noise of a gas saw.

You may agree or not, but that isn't revelant to me. How I approach chainsaws and what I do and what works for me. It may not for you however, why there is more than one brand of saw and chain and bars as well as fuel and bar lubricant as well as sharpening methods.

 

[dodge man]

I’ve owned a MS 261 for a few years now with a 18” bar. I have to make an effort to bog down cutting big wood. I think Stihl says a 20” bar is the recommended maximum. The oiler is adjustable also so you can turn it up a little.

 

[Hay Dude]

Just for the record, I'd put a 16" bar on an MS-261. My stating that 18" would be ideal for the MS-362 was not meant to imply the same bar would be suitable for the much smaller MS-261, when cutting nose-buried in hardwoods. I was just giving a data point based on a saw I actually own, and saying "smaller than this", for the MS-261.

In the past, Stihl never "recommended" a bar size for a saw, they only listed the maximum bar length the oiler on the saw could handle. Has this changed? In nearly all cases, the maximum bar length the saw could run was longer than you'd want to run in hardwoods, but may be perfectly suitable for those only cutting softwoods. Different woods require different horsepower, for the same bar length.

I know some like to run longer bars for less bending while cutting, but I've never done that myself, it looks less safe to me. I'd rather bend and have the dogs resting against the workpiece, than trying to cut with the tip of the bar from a standing position. And I'd rather run a shorter bar on a bigger motor, and have the thing run like a light saber, than fight with an underpowered saw wearing a too-long bar.

Good point and I would add to that, it depends on what you use a saw for. Monday, we cleared a 500’ gulley of 4”- 10” cherry trees. It was a breeze with the 261C and 20” bar. You could stay back and away from the 1” thorns on the blackberry brush around them
Now if I was at the shop cutting 20” hardwood rounds, I probably would prefer a bigger saw on a 20” bar, or the 261C with a 16-18”.
Either task, I’d still take the longer bar as it’s more versatile. Slower in thick heavy wood? Yep sure is, but are you able to cut a 39” diameter log with a 16” bar? nope.
But you can with a 20” bar……

Back to your point: It depends on how many saws you can own. If I could only afford to own 1 saw, it would be a 50+cc with a 20” bar.
Does just about everything and doesn’t cost too much.

The best is several saws for different tasks, but we all don’t have the $ for that.

I have only 4 saws, so I’m covered for pretty much anything, but can remember when I only had 2 and seemed to get by just fine…

 

[xyz123]

I mean even poulan sells their little plastic saws 46cc with a 20" 325.

Good lord I hope a stihl 261 50cc pro saw could pull it that cost $700.

Heck I ran 36" on a 65cc poulan and 32" on 59cc stihl. Anything can be run.

 

[WinterDeere]

One nice thing about Echo's is thay all have adjustable oilers, easily accessed on the bottom side of the powerhead and are usually less than a comparable Stihl and have a better, longer warranty as well (not that I've ever had any warranty issues with any of mine).

Good post, but just to clarify one point, all Stihl pro saws I've ever owned have adjustable oilers. I've heard that some of their cheaper homeowner and "farm and ranch" series saws lack adjusters oil their oilers, but I've never bought any of those.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

Back when men were MEN!
Actually I didn't know until I looked you can still buy a 2 man saw like that.