Need advice on a larger chainsaw for an older guy.

[fishdrivel]

Not picking sides. Just sharing some info from Stihl...
Enjoy!

As we know, you would not use a steel chain to cut cement. Or would you?

 

[MossRoad]

As we know, you would not use a steel chain to cut cement. Or would you?

Our property is mostly sand. We have approximately 10,000 honey locust trees. When you cut them, sparks fly. They are full of sand and grit. I can get just about 1 tank of gas out of one chain. I think I'd like to try a carbide tipped chain and see how it goes.

 

[John_Mc]

Our property is mostly sand. We have approximately 10,000 honey locust trees. When you cut them, sparks fly. They are full of sand and grit. I can get just about 1 tank of gas out of one chain. I think I'd like to try a carbide tipped chain and see how it goes.

There is no doubt that carbide tipped chains have their place. Your situation may well be one of them. However, they are certainly not faster than a properly sharpened steel chain under typical wood cutting conditions.

A professionally sharpened steel chain will outcut carbide or even new factory chains.

Agree in concept, but "professional" leaves a lot of room for interpretation. I've seen a lot of chain sharpened by someone "in the business" (either as a logger or in the sharpening business) that is really not up to snuff: either it doesn't cut very well, or it cuts incredibly well but just does not hold up (there is more to sharpening a chain than just making it aggressive). Likewise, an amateur can learn to meet or beat "out of the box" sharpness with just a little bit of time and guidance.

 

[N80]

Exactly. If Mark put a new steel chain on his saw he’d be blown away with the performance.

One thing you can say about this thread is that a lot of folks seem to be sure about other folk's experience.

Me: My chain is sharp.

Someone else: Probably not.

 

[MossRoad]

One thing you can say about this thread is that a lot of folks seem to be sure about other folk's experience.

Me: My chain is sharp.

Someone else: Probably not.

You sure??

 

[4570Man]

Not picking sides. Just sharing some info from Stihl...
Enjoy!

What does that really prove? Yes it took it better but it’s still too destroyed for any more firewood cutting.

 

[ernemats]

I think we are getting a little of the original post question of what chainsaw is best for an older guy

 

[JDZ735M]

OK I've been through most of the 200+ posts in this thread and I'm over 65, have a Farm Boss and do my own sharpening with the Stihl jig. I hope @N80 gets a saw he feels comfortable with and does what he needs it to do. For me, I will probably go with the Stihl 261. My question is does anyone want to weigh in on the benefit of using a Timberline chain sharpener?

TimberLine Saw Sharpener

Provides you with professional sharpening results on your saw chain and keeps your saws cutting at peak performance! Every tooth is sharpened evenly with the carbide cutter fitted on a hand crank, so you get identical height, length and angle on each tooth for top cutting results. An adjustable...

www.forestry-suppliers.com

 

[4570Man]

OK I've been through most of the 200+ posts in this thread and I'm over 65, have a Farm Boss and do my own sharpening with the Stihl jig. I hope @N80 gets a saw he feels comfortable with and does what he needs it to do. For me, I will probably go with the Stihl 261. My question is does anyone want to weigh in on the benefit of using a Timberline chain sharpener?

TimberLine Saw Sharpener

Provides you with professional sharpening results on your saw chain and keeps your saws cutting at peak performance! Every tooth is sharpened evenly with the carbide cutter fitted on a hand crank, so you get identical height, length and angle on each tooth for top cutting results. An adjustable...

www.forestry-suppliers.com

I have one. It’s not my preferred method because of it’s speed of use but it did work well.

 

[Oz_Kioti]

I used the Timberline for a while, but found I couldn't get the grinding burr to consistently rest on the bottom of the chain. After a few sharpens, the undercut of the cutting tooth disappeared (Angle X), and came closer to a right angle over time.

So I've gone back to using a file with the original file holder, and flat file with the depth gauge, which came with the Stihl 026 all those years ago.

That said, the Timberline is a clever bit of design for maintaining the teeth at the same length, so it's still in the tool kit.

 

[John_Mc]

I used the Timberline for a while, but found I couldn't get the grinding burr to consistently rest on the bottom of the chain. After a few sharpens, the undercut of the cutting tooth disappeared (Angle X), and came closer to a right angle over time.

View attachment 723976

So I've gone back to using a file with the original file holder, and flat file with the depth gauge, which came with the Stihl 026 all those years ago.

That said, the Timberline is a clever bit of design for maintaining the teeth at the same length, so it's still in the tool kit.

That's interesting. I've only used a Timberline sharpener once, and it did an excellent job. It was just too time consuming for me.

BTW, it is not necessary to maintain the teeth at the same length if yu use a progressive depth gauge tool to set the gauge height, since it customizes the depth gauge height to it's individual associated tooth. The Stihl and the Oregon depth gauge tools as well as the Stihl 2-in-1 sharpening tool (which is actually a rebadged Pferd Chainsharp CSX) also do not use a progressive depth gauge method, so need to keep all the teeth the same length for best performance.

 

[fishdrivel]

That's interesting. I've only used a Timberline sharpener once, and it did an excellent job. It was just too time consuming for me.

BTW, it is not necessary to maintain the teeth at the same length if yu use a progressive depth gauge tool to set the gauge height, since it customizes the depth gauge height to it's individual associated tooth. The Stihl and the Oregon depth gauge tools as well as the Stihl 2-in-1 sharpening tool (which is actually a rebadged Pferd Chainsharp CSX) also do not use a progressive depth gauge method, so need to keep all the teeth the same length for best performance.

After cutting down the Great Sahara Forest, I have found that you are correct. Not every cutter has to be the same length.
I have also found that any deviation from all the teeth being the same will take you further from optimum performance.
There are some chains that while there is a lot of tooth left, it is better to start fresh and keep things as even as possible in your future sharpening habits.

 

[John_Mc]

After cutting down the Great Sahara Forest, I have found that you are correct. Not every cutter has to be the same length.
I have also found that any deviation from all the teeth being the same will take you further from optimum performance.
There are some chains that while there is a lot of tooth left, it is better to start fresh and keep things as even as possible in your future sharpening habits.

Deviation from all teeth being the same length will certainly adversely affect performance if you are NOT using a progessive tool to set the depth gauge height.

That's the point of using the progressive depth gauge tool: You can have teeth of varying length without sacrificing performance. I've posted detailed descriptions of why this is in a couple of threads here on TBN. The short version is: A progressive depth gauge tool customizes each depth gauge to it's associated tooth, regardless of the length of that tooth. When this is done correctly, each tooth takes the ame sized "bite" out of the log, regardless of varying tooth lengths.

The "non-progressive" type of tool (basically the same as using a straightedge set across multiple teeth with a feeler gauge to measure down to the depth gauge) averages a line between two or more teeth - the depth gauge height is referenced off that line, rather than just the associated tooth. Since the teeth are sloped back, if one tooth is longer than the other, it will throw off the height of the depth gauge in relation to it's associated tooth. This results in some teeth taking bigger botes out of the log than others.

 

[N80]

Update from OP: So far have decided not to get bigger saw. Son-in-law handling big saw stuff for now.

I did order a full chisel chain for the MS 271. Have not put it on yet. I will soon. I have a large-ish white oak down and will need to do some bucking and large limb removal.

 

[MossRoad]

Update from OP: So far have decided not to get bigger saw. Son-in-law handling big saw stuff for now.

I did order a full chisel chain for the MS 271. Have not put it on yet. I will soon. I have a large-ish white oak down and will need to do some bucking and large limb removal.

Why get a new saw when you have young labor?

I remember being 'invited' by my wife to help my father in-law and her uncle do firewood when I was in my late 20s. They were in their 60s. It took me many decades to figure out how old dudes in their 60s drinking copious amounts of beer can outwork a young man in his 20s. Many decades.

 

[JDZ735M]

Might be money better spent buying the young guy a new saw.

 

[dodge man]

22 pages and you’re not getting a new saw? That’s a letdown. I guess half those pages were asking if you tried sharpening your chain though.

 

[N80]

22 pages and you’re not getting a new saw? That’s a letdown. I guess half those pages were asking if you tried sharpening your chain though.

I know.

I tried all the logical gymnastics that I could to justify a bigger saw but in the end being a lazy Scottish tightwad prevailed.

But, one of these days I’ll sharpen the chain on the MS 271. Maybe that will help.

 

[JDZ735M]

I know.

I tried all the logical gymnastics that I could to justify a bigger saw but in the end being a lazy Scottish tightwad prevailed.

But, one of these days I’ll sharpen the chain on the MS 271. Maybe that will help.

As long as you are happy, have it your way.

 

[Randy Gann]

Not exactly on subject, but getting the younger family member to handle the big saw sounds smart to me. When my 2 boys were in there teens I taught them to split wood using a maul, sledge hammer and wedges. Wood was and still is our primary heat. All the wood was split by hand. When they grew up and moved out, I finally purchased a hydraulic splitter. They asked why didn’t I get one when they were younger. Told them I did not need one then since I had 2 splitters already.