rover67
Rising Sun Member
whoa that thing is cool!
Chain Saws
- Thread starter Inukshuk
- Start date
DouglasVB
Rising Sun Member
Something cottonwood is good for is making artificial beaver dams and other sorts of structures in streams to improve fish habitat, etc. etc.
X2. I made this decision and am very happy with the 261. Mines the cm but it’s close enough. I’ve fallen a couple 20+ inch diameter fir with it. It was slow, but it did it.
After the second one I broke down and got a 460, which is awesome but much heavier.
Totally agree. If Makita offered their saw back when I bought my Stihl battery saw I would have saved a ton using batteries I already had.
I've been looking at this DeWalt ever since I saw Corbet cut up a bunch of wood at camp with his electric chainsaw. How hard was it to change out the bar and chain? I'm guessing this is straightforward?
CoMtnGoat
Rock Stacker
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2022
- Messages
- 28
Two knobs... Super simple
12" bar is plenty for camp use and most trail work. @Hulk my little Stihl has a 12" bar. (Maybe a 14, I’d have to go out and check)
I've found that placing the max load on the battery saw is the sure way to kill the battery quick. Pinching the chain is the worst. Keeping it running at max RPM is best to get the longest life out of one battery charge.
I've found that placing the max load on the battery saw is the sure way to kill the battery quick. Pinching the chain is the worst. Keeping it running at max RPM is best to get the longest life out of one battery charge.
SteveH
Hard Core 4+
I did a side-by-side cutting comparison this weekend with my 20 year old Husq. 55 (with a new Chinese carb) and my new Stihl 261. I dropped a 60' beetle kill Ponderosa on my property and sliced it all up for firewood. My brother and I traded saws back and forth and had a good discussion.
Engine-wise, the Stihl revs like a dirt bike (aggressively and quickly) and likes to be operated at high RPM. When it bogs in a log, it bogs badly and recovers slowly. The Husq. is more forgiving and seems to have better torque at lower RPMs when bogged. The Stihl cut faster through the logs, but has a new chain. It weighs a bit less, and is slimmer. Both are fun and effective for non-professional use.
A buddy owned 2 Stihl 261s and said that his would vapor lock when shut off hot. When I restarted my Stihl hot yesterday, it took 4 pulls - the Husq. always restarts hot with one pull. We'll see how that plays out when the weather is hotter. I will be pretty irritated if the Stihl vapor locks, because that's what crappy old McCullough saws did/do. Time will tell.
Conclusion - I like the Stihl, but it doesn't raise the bar, vs. my old Husqvarna. I also see why this 55 Rancher has a bit of a cult following among chainsaw nuts. I will keep them both and continue the flogging for now. Having 2 good chainsaws is a good problem to have.
Engine-wise, the Stihl revs like a dirt bike (aggressively and quickly) and likes to be operated at high RPM. When it bogs in a log, it bogs badly and recovers slowly. The Husq. is more forgiving and seems to have better torque at lower RPMs when bogged. The Stihl cut faster through the logs, but has a new chain. It weighs a bit less, and is slimmer. Both are fun and effective for non-professional use.
A buddy owned 2 Stihl 261s and said that his would vapor lock when shut off hot. When I restarted my Stihl hot yesterday, it took 4 pulls - the Husq. always restarts hot with one pull. We'll see how that plays out when the weather is hotter. I will be pretty irritated if the Stihl vapor locks, because that's what crappy old McCullough saws did/do. Time will tell.
Conclusion - I like the Stihl, but it doesn't raise the bar, vs. my old Husqvarna. I also see why this 55 Rancher has a bit of a cult following among chainsaw nuts. I will keep them both and continue the flogging for now. Having 2 good chainsaws is a good problem to have.
My MS290 does not like to be restarted hot if left in the sun. I’m assuming it’s vapor locking. If I set it down in the shade I don’t have any issue. Not sure on the 462, I’m now trained to leave them in the shade.
rover67
Rising Sun Member
Well bummer you aren't that impressed with the 261!
I like Corbet never set the saws down in the sun and use ethanol free gas of course. They seem to do OK. I will say my MS211 can get nearly impossible to start when hot and if left in the sun with pump gas. My MS290 was hard to start in the same scenario but it'd work. I have also learned to use ethanol free gas and always set them in the shade.
A saw that won't start can be very frustrating.
I like Corbet never set the saws down in the sun and use ethanol free gas of course. They seem to do OK. I will say my MS211 can get nearly impossible to start when hot and if left in the sun with pump gas. My MS290 was hard to start in the same scenario but it'd work. I have also learned to use ethanol free gas and always set them in the shade.
A saw that won't start can be very frustrating.
This is different from my experience. My 261cm starts with a short pull once warm. I guess maybe could be vapor lock. What are you running for fuel?
The 261cm definitely like to rev. Making sure the rakers aren’t too far down is key with that saw. The hook on the tooth is important too.
SteveH
Hard Core 4+
I'm running whatever the Stihl dealer put in there for fuel when I bought it. I will mix up some non-Ethanol fuel with genuine Stihl oil for the next go-round.
Weird I’d expect their fuel to be g2g. Is it a carb or electronic saw? I’m not a saw mechanic per se, but Im pretty sure it shouldn’t have any issues with hot starting.
SteveH
Hard Core 4+
Carb.-equipped - not EFI or the electronic self-tuning carb.
Personally I’d bring it to the dealer if it’s brand new.
Over on arboristsite they’ve got a healthy thread going for this, granted for the mtronic. Sounds like maybe something in the carb screen or gas tank vent. If you get it hot, then let it heat soak with the gas cap open will it start up?
Stihl 261 C-M Intermittent Hot Start Issue
So 3 weeks ago I sold most of my saws and bought a new 261 C-M. The day I bought it, I headed straight to the woods and put it to work. By the end of the day I was so frustrated and disappointed. Here's the deal: 1) First start of the day (cold) it fires up with one or two pulls. Runs great...
www.arboristsite.com
I only use the Stihl Motomix (pre-mix, non-ethanol, high octane fuel). Once I switched to it, I ceased having hot or cold starting problems--ever. In fact my saws get a bit of a clean and air filter cleanings and that's it now. I don't even know where my tiny tools to adjust the carbs are.
The MS500i is the hardest to start, but that mostly has to do with the need to pump/prime the fuel from the tank up to the engine the first time every day. It takes a lot more pumping that I expect, but once it has run for the day, it starts in a third of a pull.
The Motomix is way more expensive, but the fact that I don't have issues with my saws anymore says a great deal. Even the shaved head MS660 starts pretty easy on the Motomix, and I've never felt that it was detonating, even with the high compression.
Dan
The MS500i is the hardest to start, but that mostly has to do with the need to pump/prime the fuel from the tank up to the engine the first time every day. It takes a lot more pumping that I expect, but once it has run for the day, it starts in a third of a pull.
The Motomix is way more expensive, but the fact that I don't have issues with my saws anymore says a great deal. Even the shaved head MS660 starts pretty easy on the Motomix, and I've never felt that it was detonating, even with the high compression.
Dan
MDH33
Hard Core 4+
At work we switched to husqvarna premix. They buy it in 55 gallon drums. I have 2 husqvarna K970 quickie saws and a smaller 545 chainsaw and they're pretty happy running the premix, and we run those saws hard. Our shop is seeing fewer trashed saws from noobs not mixing fuel correctly too. I think the extra cost of the premix is offset by fewer replacement saws.
Thats so odd. we used a number of Stihl 026, 036 and 044 saws for work in the mid 2000's. Would toss in a bed of a truck in the summer sun, run them for hours at high altitude and I never once had a problem with starting one with either 1 pull if really warm or 2 pulls if it hadn't been run in a bit (using choke to turn over once). That was all on standard pump gas which I think got ethanol right around then. Sucks they are temperamental now. Or maybe ethanol has increased dramatically since mid/late 2000's.
LARGEONE
Rising Sun Member
How do you get rid of the stumps? What’s your process?