Longer bar for Stihl M261 - relative novice.

[WinterDeere]

I like that 064…..nice saw

They were great saws, probably one of the best Stihl ever made up to that time, but it's an antique. I haven't bothered to compare it horsepower per pound to anything made today, but I have to imagine your 500i surpases it in almost every way.

xyz123 probably has the bore/stroke of all these things memorized, and can tell us exactly how they stack up.

I'll run this thing until it needs a major repair, but will be fine with upgrading to something modern when it does, if only to get a big saw with a compression relief valve!

Would like it even better with a lightweight bar

Yeah, it is seriously nose-heavy with that 36" bar shown in the photo. It's even nose-heavy with the 28" bar I run 99% of the time.

Lightweight bars were not nearly as common back in 2011/2013, when I bought the two bars I presently run on that saw, and the few that were out there seemed to be really weak in comparison to those available today. I'll probably never wear out and replace the 36" bar, I just don't run that bar enough to ever wear it out, but I will probably have a chance to replace the 28" soon enough.

 

[xyz123]

@WinterDeere long stroke in your 064 will shine over the short stroke 500i IMHO.

 

[xyz123]

@WinterDeere they even listed 36-42" on them back in the old ad.

 

[WinterDeere]

Thanks for the trip down memory lane, I haven't seen that manual in awhile! I remember the thing that was so damn cool about the 064, back when I first bought it, is that this relatively large saw pulls 13,000 rpm.

I was coming up from 9000 - 11,000 rpm Super EZ Auto's and 510EVL's, at the time. Those were great torquey little saws, for their respective ages and sizes, but miles short of 85cc pumping away at 13,000 rpm. I also had an 084 at that time, bought second-hand just weeks before, but that was also set up for much lower chain speed.

One friend from East Germany, who was living here at the time, said "that saw has more displacement than my first three motorcycles!" lol...

 

[Hay Dude]

Just committed to buying a used Stihl 661C with 36” bar.

 

[Skeans1]

One thing I've never failed to comprehend and that is, why people must buy a saw with a bar that is longer than the largest tree they plan on cutting down. Longest bar I run is 20". If the tree in question had a diameter bigger then 20", I split the cut. Not to say I don't own larger bars because I do, I just don't use them. My Stihl 090G carries a 4 1/2 foot bar and my 075 Stihl carries a 36" bar. Both are insanely heavy (saw and powerhead) and not at all comfortable to use. Bought them a long time ago when I owned and operated a tree removal business and they were only used for bucking trees on the ground, prior to hauling the logs away. They both sit on a shelf in the shop, devoid of fuel and oil, collecting dust today. I might sell them someday as they are both worth some serious jack.

99% of the time I use my Echo Top Handle Arborist saw and it has a 14" bar on it and it serves my needs just fine. It's light, easy to start and easy on fuel and it didn't break my wallet to buy either. Dropped some large trees with it in the past as well. It's my 'go to' saw because it's easy to operate. I do use my 520 Echo Timber bear as well as my 028 but I prefer the top handle over all of them. the 520 and the 28 both have 20" roller nose bars with greaseable noses.

Bigger is better may apply to some things but it don't apply to chainsaws, least in my opinion.

I can give you a good reason for a longer bar then the job requires ever spent time on boards? How about time on steep ground? Put down a single log that if you mess it up you lose your full weeks wages?

 

[Windblown]

Just committed to buying a used Stihl 661C with 36” bar.

View attachment 3613792

That combo will get some work done for sure.

 

[5030]

Just committed to buying a used Stihl 661C with 36” bar.

View attachment 3613792

Looks pretty well flogged to me. As a rule, gas saws don't live a easy life and unlike some on here, I don't buy used saws, Usually buying a used (and flogged saw) is buying someone else's problems.

In fact I rarely buy used anything.

 

[Windblown]

Looks pretty well flogged to me. As a rule, gas saws don't live a easy life and unlike some on here, I don't buy used saws, Usually buying a used (and flogged saw) is buying someone else's problems.

In fact I rarely buy used anything.

Somehow that doesnt come as a surprise that you dont nor that you make a point of it, lol.

There are some things I won't buy used but pro level saws are generally a solid deal. They're dead simple to rebuild.

 

[5030]

Somehow that doesnt come as a surprise that you dont nor that you make a point of it, lol.

There are some things I won't buy used but pro level saws are generally a solid deal. They're dead simple to rebuild.

And they are usually flogged because professional arborists use them and hard. I deal with a number of professional arborists, I grind their chipper knives and I can tell you from visual experience, they all run the bags out of their saws and sell them or trade them in when they are about done, or close to it.

I have no desire to buy and then rebuild a used flogged saw, never have, never will.