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looking at a new Stihl fire wood saw
At this stage 16" minimum up to 20" max.
Just a basic firewood saw
have looked a the MS 261 C-M 16" professional saw. will ask if it can run a 18" bar. we have a older one at work and its a nice saw.
I like been able to move rings on to splitter:)
18-20 inch bar is super handy for firewood
A forum member might even have a tidy second hand saw that would suit you
Probably just going to go new at this stage:)
yip it will take 18" with ease.... Ive got one same spec...only single thing I would change is the silly quick tensioner system and go back to old school faceplate with nuts and screw out tensioner I would do so in a heartbeat.
I own a 025 a 026 plus the more modern ms261 they are similar but the slightly bigger 026 sure has the grunt advantage..happily use any and all for most jobs and handle them for hours without issues... placing rear of handle against hip helps to keep arms from getting tired so quickly
@Micky Duck a must is the two nut bar lock
MS400
Its a great saw that punches well above its weight.
How much use are you going to put it to? The 261 is a bloody nice saw, I have the MS260 and MS361 combo currently but have have a range of other Stihls, Husqy's, Makita's, etc etc. If you are a few times a year user and don't mind the open tail bars the MS270 could be a good option as well. One of the issues if you can call it that is the MS260/261 series are one of the few Stihl saws using the heavier duty closed tail bar design with a .325 pitch chain. This makes the bars more expensive and occasionally a bit harder to source than the bigger 3/8 full size forestry bars and the smaller open tail "light duty" saws.
At a practical level, the MS260 I have normally wears a 15" bar/.325 pitch and with that on it (the smallest size and almost impossible to get off the shelf in NZ) it cuts like the finger of god. It's ridiculously quick, and the chain RPM is off the charts. I have 16" and 18" bars for it as well, but it's just such an animal with the 15" on it I just leave it with that. The MS361 on the other hand has bars between 18" and 22" here (I have a 16" but never use it) and while it's noticeably heavier and bulkier it moves a lot of timber and is a very effective tool even at 22" bar length. I'd hesitate to go over 22" with it just for bar oiling. What I'm getting at there, is while the MS261 and similar 50cc saws might be able to run a 20" bar you'll find they will run better with a shorter bar length and will be less likely to feel the chain going a bit dull. Horsepower rules here!
If you are wanting to run 20" bars all the time and are doing a lot of work I'd recommend you seriously consider a 60cc class saw on 3/8 pitch chain, it will just be better (I think the current Stihl equivalent is the MS362? Theres a MS400 in the mix now too). If you're able to run the 16 or 18" bars and only once in a while have a need for the 20" bar the 50cc MS261 will be very suitable as a pro-series saw, and if you are not doing that much work with it the light duty saws in Stihl's line or for that matter the Husqy's will do it as well. If you're going to be maxing the thing out, something like a MS440/460 is an option as a decent second hand - they are bloody good saws especially the 460 size. I'd get another in an instant if I had the need (but the 361 will chop everything I need at the mo). I recently got an adult jigsaw parts box 460 saw, and got offered good money for it once I got it back together. Still regret selling it!
@No.3 it will be used to cut 10 cube of wood a year and cleaning up a few trees around home, do have access to a bigger husqvarna saw at work running a 24" bar.
So saw want be doing a lot of work.
we use a 261 16" bar at work for scrub cutting and a general farm saw its a nice saw, Also run a husqvarna similar size saw 16" bar and its just ok, come with a quick release bar nut thing that crapped out so had to put a nut on it any way.
Sounds like 261 it is then. Will be fine for what you are doing, especially if you have access to the bigger saw. That's the reason I ended up with the 361 - figured it would be a 'do everything' saw but the 260 is just so damn good at what it does that I've not been able to put it down. I've upgraded the oiler in it with an adjustable setup off a crashed saw which is a very good improvement when using the short bar - it was an oilslick maker that would make exxon blush with the automatic fixed flow oiler on it. I might look to rebuild that at some stage but will need everything to do it (slug/jug/carb/starter/exhaust/covers/gaskets plus some screws etc) so it's not on the urgent pile.
If the fire wood logs are that big they get left behind these days :D
I currently have a MS260 pro, MS270 and a MS250.
Had a quick fang on a 261cm, quite a lot to like about.
The 250 has 16 bar and 270 has 18 bar
Thats about right for both of them.
For the 260
I have an older 16 bar for root ball, scrub cutting and a 20 bar for felling pine/ limbing
Went with 20 for reach/ less bending at back. Pulls well enough in 25yo plantation pine with a basic exhaust mod/tune and a good sharp chain (skip).
Adjustable oiler is valuable.
I run 40-42:1 mix ratio.
Cheers Cliff
Yes, I've gone 40:1 for everything too - simply because it's a bit of insurance with a measuring cockup as 50:1 is fairly easy to go out to 60:1 which can kill some cheaper chinese things. 40:1 is only a percent or so higher in oil in the mix, and very slightly higher density and cost for fuel but not really enough to make much of a difference compared to the little bit of extra comfort.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cliff
@No.3 had a look at few saws today but waiting to see what comes up with field day deals next month. Still like the ms261 with the 18" bar:)
look at the
ms261 16" 50.2cc 2.9kw $1585 5.2kg they will change bar to 18" no cost
ms291 18" 55.5cc 2,8kw $1375 5.6kg
ms391 20" 64.1cc 3.3kw $1585 6.2kg
that makes the 291 look pretty darn attractive.....
Quote:
Originally Posted by bigbear
Every so often, Stihl offer free accessories, 50% off on safety gear, 10% off or even 15% off
but the biggest discount online I've seen is on boxing day (20%).
Most discounts do not apply to professional chainsaws e.g. MS500i
Well off track a little but illpost anyhow .I m a chainsaw freak luv older ones aad tinkering with em-2x homelite XL12s one of which i rebuilt and used for some time -bloody awesome with 20"bar. theyre sitting in the restoration bay now-last week looked up a classic c.saw supplier in Nz homlitew =$250.oo per unit. anyhow ive a chinese clone (the shangahi sawdust shagger and a homellite -no2with 18"bar plus a couple owee old echoes for vasectomies brains surgery and shaving mickey duck.!all mine wear .325 chains currently although the old homelite has seen a 404chain sometimes,,bars range fron 12"-20"
anyhow a very good mate a wee while ago approached me with a couple of saws hed been given from a deceased estate cleanup -an old McCulloch and a johnsered 2040.The latter struck an accord with me and It got my 100%TLC plus the tuning finesse of a kind neighbours mate.
Well today it redebuted in dogs and my hands and im happier than a dog with two dicks.It nailed some 18"logs like a great white who hadnt been fed for a month .only problem was when i reinstalled the bar&chain chain was slightly over tightened but that toook 5-10min or so to sort,.
all my collection runeither 50;1 (as does me outboard or 25;1 and they run OK.
GSPFhas a wee stihl and its a grunty wee outfit- "old buggers" on his 3rd chain IIRC. chainsaw work like shooting great exercise and ya only need one uniform irridescent orange PPE. and users dont grunt flex their pecs or show odff werdding tackle.imagine in the gymn "ah fuck Ive struck another bloody stone" ah piece of shit is jammed in the cut!!!!!
PS when are the police opening their chainsaw register -just asking like?????
Yeah, 291 and 261 take the same size chain/bar as specc'd from the factory (.325 chain) where the 391 is the larger 3/8 'low pro' pitch chain. 261 is a 'pro' model - the cylinder is bolted down to the crank case making the saw easily serviceable where the other two are 'clamshell' designs which makes them more expensive to service. The 261 is likely to be the tougher of the three saws, in operation they will all be similar but likely the other two will be a little more finicky with chain tensioning and those bits.Quote:
Originally Posted by Micky Duck
I trialed a couple of pre production 261's back in 2010 I think. They were an impressive little saw at the time, I liked the new air filter system that was a rip off of the after market hi-flow system from the states. The work I do can be hard on chains so .325" isnt optimal but about right for a wee saw like the 261.
I think it would struggle with an 18" bar but it depends wether you are in a hurry or not.
We ran 391's for years, they were the saw we had on the woodchipper to deal with branches to big to feed. If you are looking at a saw in that size I would go for a MS400 instead. If the 391 is a carbed model you can hot it up pretty easily.
Petty Stihl don't do a anti spill fuel/oil combo can:(Quote:
Originally Posted by Snap 4T
Husqy's one is quite good. The pain in the bum with them is having to clean them out once they get full of sawdust and crap - I have no idea how the crap gets in them as I was fastidious when I was using my one but it irked the hell out of me knowing I was putting chip and crap into my saw's oil tank. I use a 5L bar oil bottle now with the pull out soft plastic spout and check it out each time I fill it up until it's got crap in it then get another bottle.
Never seen or used a 400 saw - well outside of a showroom shelf anyway. My preference is the carb models just because I don't have the gear to talk to them. Waiting for someone to bring out a bluetooth dongle and a $10 android app haha.
I am going to buy one . Putting a 16in bar on it. Bought a 2nd hand 250MS. Great little saw. No end of trouble now with my 562. Yet the 540 is an amazing saw. Gotta move with the times.Quote:
Originally Posted by norsk
I've got a MS291, very happy with it for my occasional uses, (mostly firewood) and the odd tree that get too big.
I've gone the other way running a ms180 nice and light for trimming etc and a 500i for ringing.
Ok you saw guys I have a Husqvarna 340 that I'm thinking of sell any idea what it's worth had very little use when I brought it I thought I was getting a lot smaller saw, so I've brought a smaller one.
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You could put a smaller bar on itQuote:
Originally Posted by 25/08 IMP
I could but I've brought a Stihl pruning style saw so no need for it now.Quote:
Originally Posted by 7mmsaum
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How much do you want for it :)
Unsure really would would know better than me not after top dollar just a fair price.Quote:
Originally Posted by 7mmsaum
Make me an offer
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