Chainsaw advice

[shane]

The Michigan Chain Saw Accident: Man accidentally kills wife with power tool

 

[Soundguy]

I think he's talking as a pinch preventative. IE.. using a wedge decreases the need to retrieve from your truck, and use a bowsaw.

soundguy

Since you brought it up, could you please explain the proper use of a wedge? I do understand the concept, just not sure I'd be using it right.


Wedge

 

[Youare]

If you haven't bought a saw yet check out the Dolmar 5100S. This is a professional 50cc saw that is a little sports car of a saw. I have had one for a year and really like how it performs. The saw should be in the price range you mentioned.

Any safety gear you purchase with be well worth the cost especially chaps.

Randy

 

[GeneD14]

I would go with a either a Husky or Stihl depending on which one you get the best dealer support. Having a local dealer that does service work and stock parts can make life much easier in the future. If you watch these saws on ebay, in good used condition they sometimes sell for more than they did new.
If you plan on using the saw only a few times per year there consumer grade saws are just fine. If you plan on using the saw one a week or more you ought to look at their pro grade saws. It is really worth it.

 

[bhostasa]

We began heating the house with wood exclusively last year. I was using a 42 cc, 16" Husky prior to that. Since I was going to be cutting much more wood (about 12 cords/year) I upgraded to a Stihl MS310.

I believe it's about the same price as the MS290 but with a bit more power (59cc). I've been very happy with both saws. I really don't think you could go wrong with either one or a Poulan as long as you have a dealer that's close.

 

[AndyMA]

Maybe where you are there's only E10 or better.
Up here you have to know where to find it.
E85 is even harder to find.
quote]

So just where do you find it? Some illegal refinery since the feds have mandated that all gas have ethanol.

It sure does ruin boat engines too!!!

Andy

 

[jhwentworth]

The subject of fuel separation in ethanol fuels usually occurs when water get into the fuel. Ethanol absorbs water readily right to the point where it is saturated, then the ethanol/water mixture will separate from the gasoline. Your chainsaw won't run on the ethanol/water mix, and will run badly on the remaining gasoline because the ethanol provides a needed octane boost to the gasoline. A lot of the stories out there about ethanol are simply wrong. Try this: put a cup of mixed ethanol gasoline and 2-stroke oil in a glass jar and seal the cap. Now wait a day. See any change? Now remove the cap and check the fuel after another day. See any change? Ethanol will pull the water vapor right out of the air and looks a bit like skim milk.

Ethanol/gasoline mixes will work very well if you keep the water away from the fuel. Only mix enough fuel to be used in a week or so, and store it in a sealed container.

A far greater risk than ethanol is lending your saw to a neighbor, friend, or, worst of all, to a family member. I can't count the number of borrowed saws I've seen that have been run on straight gas, or a bar oil/gas mixture, or the fuel tank filled with bar oil. The bar oil just causes a temporary problem, the straight gas gets very expensive.

 

[jhwentworth]

Maybe where you are there's only E10 or better.
Up here you have to know where to find it.
E85 is even harder to find.
quote]

So just where do you find it? Some illegal refinery since the feds have mandated that all gas have ethanol.

It sure does ruin boat engines too!!!

Andy

The Feds mandated oxygenated fuel in those areas with a pollution problem. MTBE was used for years until it was determined that it polluted the groundwater, so we went back to ethanol.

Big parts of the US are exempt from the law, but the ethanol fuel is gaining. It's up to the states to decide if the stations have to post a notice that ethanol fuel is being sold, and many states don't require that posting.

I agree that boat engines are worst-case: all that water, and ethanol loves water.

 

[Erik_in_Hoyt]

Kansas is not a high pollution area and does not mandate the use of ethanol. They do mandate posting ethanol content on the pumps at stations that sell it.
I like using E10 in the truck in the winter at least every other tank, as 10% ethanol for a $.03 discount per gallon beats $1.89 for a 12 oz bottle of heet in the tank, and the E10 does as good or better a job of "drying" out the fuel system.

 

[samtmc]

Thanks all for your advice. Last night I finaly made my purchase and ended up spending way over my budget but after using it I think I made the right choice, I bought the ms-361 pro model with the 18" bar and aggresive chain. As I said I used it last night and holly S___ this thing rips! I was cutting 18" oak pretty much as fast as I could push it, it was awsome! the chips look like wood mulch. Again thanks for all of the advice.

 

[jd2305cd]

Yeah got to love a new chain, almost looks like planing shavings.... Good choice, you wont be disappointed with that beast..

 

[Treemonkey1000]

YEEHAW.. Just make sure it is wood that get's cut with that bad boy. Hopefully they tossed in a new chain or two for free. I carry spare chains every time I go out. And I am using saws from my Husky 16" limbing saw that I carry up the tree with me. A Stihl 026 Pro, a Stihl 044 Magnum with 20" bar (like putting a V-8 motor in a Chevy Vega! ) and my big saw a Husky 2100 with a 40" bar...
Next advice besides chaps and that safety stuff is plastic wedges to either drop tree's or if the log is on the ground to keep from pinching the bar.

 

[WilliamBos]

18" bar and aggresive chain. As I said I used it last night and holly S___ this thing rips! .

Congrats!! Glad you are happy Is that chain stihl only?? I am going to have to see if we can get one for our Husky 55 Rancher.

 

[Erik_in_Hoyt]

congrats! that's a good choice - even if more $$ than you had intended. Better to spend $500 today than $350 now and $450 more later...

 

[bhostasa]

Congrats!! Glad you are happy Is that chain stihl only?? I am going to have to see if we can get one for our Husky 55 Rancher.

No. You can get those type (we call them ripper chains) for Husky's too. That's all I buy now. They are awesome!

 

[NewToy]

I was told that the saws without the odd number were the pro variety and the odd number ones were home type use. I know that a 290 is an even number but that odd number in the middle designates the cheaper grade. I have a 290 and a 390 and they are both awesome. I bet the pro type are really super duper saws.
John

 

[GeneD14]

Thanks all for your advice. Last night I finaly made my purchase and ended up spending way over my budget but after using it I think I made the right choice, I bought the ms-361 pro model with the 18" bar and aggresive chain. As I said I used it last night and holly S___ this thing rips! I was cutting 18" oak pretty much as fast as I could push it, it was awsome! the chips look like wood mulch. Again thanks for all of the advice.

You have bought a great saw!!! Congratulations!!!

I have 2 MS361's that I use to cut firewood and they are animals! I also use the aggressive yellow chain and normally 20" bars. I also keep an extra 25" bar for larger logs. The chain speed is faster than the home owner versions and it allows you to cut quite a bit more wood in the same amount of time. When my buddy helps me one man running a saw can cut 12" logs quicker than the other guy can load them on the Mule. It is actually fun running the saw because it feeds through the log so quickly.

 

[GeneD14]

I was told that the saws without the odd number were the pro variety and the odd number ones were home type use. I know that a 290 is an even number but that odd number in the middle designates the cheaper grade. I have a 290 and a 390 and they are both awesome. I bet the pro type are really super duper saws.
John

I was told a while back that with the Stihl brand the Orange handle models are the home owner version and the white handle is the the professional version.

 

[ampsucker]

this ethanol problem really irritates me.

i run all stilh small engines. (blower, weed wacker, hedge trimmer, chainsaw).

everytime i take in the weed wacker or chainsaw for a little work, they tell me it's running lean and needs a carb rebuild or some type of fuel system kit. another 100 bucks later and good for another year or two. i've almost paid for the price of both my weed wacker and saw over again just in fuel system repairs. so far, no cylinder damage. the techs always say it's the ethanol dissolving the rubber seats and components in the carbs.

i belive this is a great profit center for dealers and the reason why it hasn't been fixed yet.

the same tech who i talked to last time said he sees new stihl saws less than six months old that need carb kits. what is up with that?

i understand the possibility of ethanol attracting water and possibly separating out the oil and scarring a cylinder wall.

i DON"T understand why a well respected company like stihl can't build a small engine carb that doesn't get eaten by federally mandated fuel mixes available on the market today. the auto industry fixed this problem 15 years ago. my lawn mower (kohler engine) has run fine on it for over 500 hours.

why can't my stihl small engines keep a carb in them for more than a year or two????

apparantly, this is a problem with other brands as well. but stihl needs to address this and fix it pretty quick if they want to stay on top of the market. there is no excuse for a brand new saw that can't keep a fuel system running on today's fuel.

amp

 

[NewToy]

I was told a while back that with the Stihl brand the Orange handle models are the home owner version and the white handle is the the professional version.

I wonder if he handle thing matches up with the odd/even number thing I heard about? They were showing me some of the differences, bearings I think was one of them. I'm sure it's hard to go wrong with just about any Stihl. I have a blower, weed eater, couple o' saws and one of those little buzzer tillers. All of them work great, would buy all over again. Next thing I'd like is one of the chainsaws on a stick. I think it's like $600, I'll have to come up with a persuasive argument for the Mrs. (CFO around here) on why I have to have three saws.

John