Need advice on a larger chainsaw for an older guy.

[hornett22]

The 346XP NE with a good woods port, reduced squish, Muffler mod and a reduced weight 18 inch bar and sharp chain would still be right up there for a really light, Powerful, Screamer, "firewood" saw.
ah, What do I know- I still like carbs.

I used to like carbs but my auto tunes have been flawless. 550 for three years. 572 for almost two.

Even my beloved 371 sits and collects dust.

 

[Fxfymn413]

I'm putting up wood for next year this week and much to my surprise I have found that the heavier 390 is an easier saw to use all day than my 271. I think it's mostly because the 390 has so much power it shortens the cut time significantly and reduces fatigue because of that.

I'm 71 and well on my way to 72 and the DW and I have cut and split about three cords so far with two more to go. Much of what I have to cut up is 16 to 24 inches across and is all oak.

 

[N80]

Cut down some 18” 80’ pines this weekend with the Farm Boss. Sharp full chisel chain. The full chisel chain is definitely better than the semi chisel chains I am used to.

It does okay but at full bite, as in half way through the tree, it still tends to bog a little. It is not a big deal and still not enough reason to buy a bigger saw.

But, as projects accumulate and call for larger trees I may still consider a larger saw.

Oddly, I feel like this full chisel chain is staying sharp longer than the semi chisel which I understand is not typically the case. Probably several reasons. First, it’s new. Second, almost entirely pine this time. Minimal hardwood. Third, I managed to keep it out of the dirt for several weeks. One brush with the dirt late Saturday made it fall off a bit. Will try my hand at sharpening a full chisel for the first time this coming weekend.

 

[airbiscuit]

After I bought my first chisel chain, I never looked back. They cut faster. Any chain dulls when put in the dirt. I do a lot of trail clearing - cutting stumps off close to the ground and I don't notice a loss of performance any worse than a semi chisel in the dirt.

 

[Fxfymn413]

I have also gone to a full chisel chain which I think is contributing to the faster cuts. My experience is they seem to stay sharper longer than the semi-chisel chains as well.

I am using Oregon chains which are holding up really well and are significantly less expensive then Stihl chains.

I have not tried to sharpen the full chisel with the Oregon electric sharpener yet. Its been a while since I did some chains so I probably need to go watch a couple of YT videos again before I do them this week.

I do keep a couple of "this is the last sharpening you are going to get" chains to use when I'm cutting stumps or other cuts where I'm likely to get into some dirt.

 

[IrishLoader]

I know this has probably already been hashed out but has anyone "stepped down" in chain, bar and sprocket size? I do and it speeds my 036 Pro right up.

 

[ericm979]

Some people who do chainsaw milling using big saws run 3/8 low profile chain. The narrower kerf makes for faster cutting. I'd probably want to keep the same effective sprocket size near as possible (3/8 and .325 are not directly comparable since the pitch is different). Smaller sprocket means slower chain.

 

[N80]

Did some more felling today. (Ice storm a month ago has left a good many topped pines). Saw still bogging some.

I’m not going to rush out and get a bigger saw but at this point it is officially on the wish list.

 

[airbiscuit]

No matter what size, you really need to try a modded saw. I just got a modded 50cc Echo. Very light, and fighting above its weight. Nothing like having a saw that handles like a lighter saw, and performs like a heavier saw. Win - Win.

 

[sd455dan]

I know this has probably already been hashed out but has anyone "stepped down" in chain, bar and sprocket size? I do and it speeds my 036 Pro right up.

I haven't stepped down on chain, but did modify an 8 tooth drive sprocket to fit where the original was a 7 on my husky 350 with the short bar.

With a short 16 inch bar and increased chain speed plus adding a factory "black" unlimited RPM coil It revs higher to.

The saw really does cut Noticeably faster than it did stock. This is also as mentioned earlier a modded saw.


Also like mentioned a couple posts back, running full chisel chains on all my saws as well, after I tried my first one They do seem to cut better/ faster.

ps. just inherited another saw today for free, a little poulan 38cc

No idea if it runs yet. i am going to weigh it against my 50cc Husky's

if it weighs more than them someone else i know is getting a free saw.

 

[FERLING]

Thanks guys. Great advice. Agree with the power-to-weight-to-fatigue ratio. That can be a hard call. I guess I'm looking for the perfect combo there.

It takes two saws to make a perfect combo. With the bigger saw already owned by your co-owner a nice 18 inch bar saw and a 24 inch bar saw. Light weight and mid weight and leave the bigger to your co-owner. By the time you saw up limbs and smaller stuff he will have taken care of the saw logs.
You can always switch off when you have that surge of energy and run the heavy saw for extra exercise.The following will work for 24 inch bar:

Husqvarna Gas Chainsaw, 24in. Bar, 60.3cc, 3/8in. Pitch, Model# 460R | Northern Tool

The 2-cycle Husqvarna Rancher 460 Chainsaw is a heavy-duty workhorse that's perfect for demanding cutting jobs. It'...

www.northerntool.com

Get a Chisel skip chain for the 24" bar and chain.
Will give you more power and faster cut. If you want more power and less weight for limb work buy a 20 inch bar and chain. Run the 20 which gives it more power then switch over to 24 in bigger stuff. Keep old saws as back ups and sawing where nails or rocks may be.
New saw that takes the place of two and weight not so heavy.

 

[kenmbz]

I took my "baby" saw the cs-490 out last night and had 4 medium Ash down and mostly bucked.
They are dead, so the dust and rot plays havoc with the chain and dulls it pretty quick.

For the larger Ash trees, and for speed I get out the CS-620P.
Medium is 12-18" and 60-80', large here is 18-36" and some are about 100' tall.

Pole saw for trimming and the 3 saw combo always seems to work and I don't feel like I need another saw.

I do run the 20" bar, but this little saw is happier with the 18".
I just like the 20" for felling as it is faster to make the face cuts and cleaner to see them.

 

[Jstpssng]

Medium is 12-18" and 60-80',

That's a good sized tree for that saw. I bought my 490 mostly to brush property lines and do a little thinning in the patch cut I had done in 2009. I do leave it on the yard for bucking smaller trees, but prefer my 590 for felling and cutting firewood.

 

[Fxfymn413]

Finished doing next years wood yesterday, putting up three cords for the neighbors. We worked with our neighbors and their three teen-age, early twenties, sons so it goes pretty fast. The neighbor used my 390 and is now sold on the idea of getting a more powerful saw. I will never go back to a smaller HP saw since the 390 makes cutting so easy.

 

[Skeans1]

It takes two saws to make a perfect combo. With the bigger saw already owned by your co-owner a nice 18 inch bar saw and a 24 inch bar saw. Light weight and mid weight and leave the bigger to your co-owner. By the time you saw up limbs and smaller stuff he will have taken care of the saw logs.
You can always switch off when you have that surge of energy and run the heavy saw for extra exercise.The following will work for 24 inch bar:

Husqvarna Gas Chainsaw, 24in. Bar, 60.3cc, 3/8in. Pitch, Model# 460R | Northern Tool

The 2-cycle Husqvarna Rancher 460 Chainsaw is a heavy-duty workhorse that's perfect for demanding cutting jobs. It'...

www.northerntool.com

Get a Chisel skip chain for the 24" bar and chain.
Will give you more power and faster cut. If you want more power and less weight for limb work buy a 20 inch bar and chain. Run the 20 which gives it more power then switch over to 24 in bigger stuff. Keep old saws as back ups and sawing where nails or rocks may be.
New saw that takes the place of two and weight not so heavy.

Why do you need a skip chain on a bar that short? If the saw has the power full comp will be faster and smoother. Myself I don’t start running skip till 60” bars and that’s mainly for chip clearance.

 

[turnkey4099]

I've been running saws since 1953 to present (and still cutting at 87). I run saws from 14" (stihl 193T) to 32" (stihl 363 and 441). I run skip tooth on all saws except the top handle. I can tell no difference in speed of cut on a 20" chain beween full and skip tooth. Skip sharpens faster also - less teeth to do.

Even if skip was slightly slower, I'm in no races so less filing wins.

 

[JDZ735M]

Even if skip was slightly slower, I'm in no races so less filing wins.

Makes perfect sense to me.

 

[airbiscuit]

Skip chains make sense on super long bars. Otherwise my experience has been that they cut slooowly.

 

[two_bit_score]

Skip chains make sense on super long bars.

Could you explain why that is, please?

 

[IrishLoader]

Could you explain why that is, please?

Best guess, less drag/friction from cutting teeth allowing longer bars for tree diameter.