036 or 026?

[lucky]

I am looking to buy another saw. This saw will wear a 20 inch bar and be mainly used to cut oak logs 10 to 18 inches. I would like as light a saw as possible. The 026 looks nice and light but the 036 has more power. What do you guys think?
Thanks Lucky

 

[Jacob J.]

026( MS-260 ). Have it modified later when you feel more comfortable with it.

 

[tony marks]

i got both and i run 16 on the 026. it is a little dynamo with that chain.
i run 20 on my 036 and its just as good with it. now if i switched ,i could give u more helpful info.
i will say this .. in my tach test the 16 inch held 10500-11000 under a lot of pressure
in a 25 inch cured hardwood log ..
in the same log the 036 did the same
with the 20. and i bore dn onum pretty good. i couldnt have been more satisfied...this said ,,i will say the chains were readied to do their part..
depends how much wt u wanta carry.
i guess.. good luck.

 

[glens]

Which way are you leaning already?

I can't recommend one over the other since I don't have any time on an 026.  I really like my 036 which is outfitted exactly as you mention for my primary saw for somewhat similar purpose.  There are times when cleaning up the refuse to leave it laying nicely on the forest floor that the smaller saw might be more appealing.  If you were dropping trees of that size for use on a Woodmizer or something the 026 would be better but if you're firewooding I'd think not.  It's fun to be out in the woods with a saw, but the time line has to be drawn somewhere.

Probably the 036 is a nice little big saw where the 026 is a nice big little saw.

If a modified 026 cut right with a stock 036 and lasted as long and cost the same your question is answered.

(three more posts will get me to the mystical 666)

Glen

 

[Pacific]

Just buy yourself a 088 and be done with it you will never need to worry about power you will build muscles as you cut wood

In all seriousness I have a feeling a MS260 might be a tad on the small side if you are cutting tough wood. I have a MS260 with a 20" bar but I don't use it for bucking wood I cut soft woods (Fir Hemlock Cedar and Alder).

You may want togo with a MS360 if it will be your only saw and your bucking alot of firewood.

I bought the MS260 for brushing and light falling where I don't want to be lugging around a 46 Magnum with a 28" bar.

I never cut Oak or hardwoods but to give you a idea I wouldn't be cutting 18" diameter Fir or Hemlock on a regular basis with my 260.

 

[ricksvar]

With the hardwood you'll be cutting and the bar size you want to use I would opt for the 036.

I consider a 20" bar a too long for a 026,at least I would'nt run one on my 026 in hardwood.

It's just better,in my opinion,to be a little over powered with whatever saw you're working with than a little under powered.If weight is a critical issue you can reduce it slightly using a 18" bar on the 036.

Rick

 

[buckwheat]

balance

A modified 026 could handle a 20" bar with little problem - I was actually running a 25" on mine for a while after my 044 blew up - but it may not feel properly balanced. I normally run an 18" on mine and I'd say its right at the limit for comfort when lifting it and moving down a log.

So if you're stuck on Stihl, go for the 036.

but off in the distance...just barely able to make it out...a voice in the wilderness starts to chant: dolmar, dolmar, dolmar....

 

[Ryan Willock]

If your going to be bucking firewood in the 16''-18'' range go with the 360 I have one and like it, in fact latley I've been using it every day for the last week for falling and bucking 10''-22'' poplar using a 20'' bar.

 

[BTSchmidt]

I use a MS260 with a 20" bar and RS Chain (no safety bumpers) but I've opened up the muffler to match the exhaust port and am getting an "old style" fully adjustable carb for it. With the stock carb it runs pretty good and I've cut a small forest of white oak and several apple trees with it without any problems. I like the low weight of the saw and with a sharp chain (I sharpen it every tank of gas) it cuts through 20" oak with no problems.

Most poster here say better to go big then small and there is no replacement for displacement, but I like the low weight of my 260 and the power seems fine to me. Maybe I've been eating hamburger and just don't know what a steak tastes like?

Good luck with your decision.

 

[WoodTick007]

I have a feeling that the 026 will work fine for what your discribing. I would run a 16 inch bar and 3/8's chain in a Stihl RS or Oregon 72LG. Keep the chain "sharp" and open up the muffler so the saw breaths better. That saw will run and run and run and run... Very durable saw

 

[treeslayer]

I have both, the 036 is a better choice with a 20" bar.

 

[xander9727]

I would definately go with an 036. With the muffler opened up it pulls a 20" bar very well. I purchased one new and one from Ben Walker and love them. They make very good bucking saws for professional tree work. The 036 is 1.9 lbs heavier than the 026 and when used all day you will notice a difference. I notice a difference between and 044 and an 036 and they are only 1 pound apart. Remember though.....big saws make strong arms. My big question for you is what size is the saw or saws you currently have? If you already have a saw in the 45-50cc range than go with an 036. If you already have a saw in the 60-70cc range go with the 026. I would also consider the 2149 jonsered and 346 husky saws or the 2159 jonsered and 357xp husky. I mostly run stihls but I think jonsered and husky make good saws.

My $.02

 

[lucky]

Right now I have two many saws really. However I am wanting to replace two old heavy McCullochs. I think they weigh 17 lbs dry. These are a 3.4 ci and 3.7 ci saws. Not to trash MC but they are heavy and have no power. Anyway I do have a 394 and a strong 046 for large wood and little limbing saws for the really small stuff. I just want to replace the heavy yellow things. An 044 sounds nice. not as heavy as the pm610 and should really rip with a 20 inch bar. Lucky

 

[MasterBlaster]

I guess I'm nuts. Other than my climbing saw, the only other saws I would want would be a 46 for bucking, and a 66 for throwing/ALAPing.

All those 20 to 30 something Sthils just don't cut it.

HA! Cut it!

 

[Pacific]

Like I meantioned before since I have got my MS260 the use of the 046 Mag is less its more cumbersome doing light work. With the 20" bar on the 260 sure makes it nice you don't have to bend over so much when limbing or doing light bucking.

A sharp chain is key and keeping a eye on the chip size if you start to see smaller chips time to sharpen the chain. I see so many people forcing a saw with a dull chain burning the bar also putting undue stress on the saw.

You never let a chain get to the point where it is going to take excessive filing to get it cutting good. I never let the chain on either saw get to the point where it takes more than 3 file strokes to get the tooth sharp.

It is funny to watch inexperienced people cutting firewood you watch them rock the chain but they keep trying to cut wood but the chain has a rock knick.

The other thing people don't get is don't cut through wood that has a bit of sand or dirt on the surface of the wood it kills the chain.

The last thing that really makes me laugh is when people tell me they carry extra sharp chains and change the dull one for a sharp one

 

[Lumberjack]

Originally posted by Pacific
The last thing that really makes me laugh is when people tell me they carry extra sharp chains and change the dull one for a sharp one

That is what I do. I hope to get my sharpining skills up during christmas.

Carl

 

[MasterBlaster]

Originally posted by Lumberjack
That is what I do. I hope to get my sharpining skills up during christmas.

Carl

During Christmas?

Dude, those skills takes years to develop correctly.

I would start by sharpening the dull chains as I needed to.

The years will roll by quick enough!

 

[Pacific]

It takes practice and more practice and a few screwed up chains the key is have somebody show you the proper way of sharpening the first time then go from there.

You need to practice doing it free hand using a Oregon file guide those things that clamp to the bar have their place in the garbage can.

Working on a work bench with a bench vise makes sharpening easier when you clamp the bar in the vise which holds things firm while you sharpen.

 

[WoodTick007]

10-18 inch wood / 20 inch bar

Upon giving this topic further consideration.

1.) To cut 10-18inch wood it is not required to run a 20 inch bar. The Poulan School of Thought is: " The bigger The Bar the Better it Cuts". This is not True! I have worked with many cutters and most, if not all, used the shortest bar that will get the job done. There are two reasons for this. The first is that the less cutters the less cutters to sharpen and the second is keep as much bar in the wood as possible. Let say you are cutting not 10 - 18 inch tree but actually 8-16 in trees. I say this because most people think things are larger than they acutally measure. With a 20 inch bar in 8-10 inch wood you are cutting with as much as 250 percent more bar than required. This in the minds of many is not safe. The 12 inches of bar not in the wood can easily strike an object on the ground, another log that is a foot from the one your cutting, cause severe kickback and injure the operator

2.) If you really want to run a 20 inch bar for serious wood fiber removal. Then I would suggest an 044 / 046 stihl or an 372xp Husqvarna or any saw in the 70cc class and not something in a 48cc class.

 

[lucky]

no poulan thought here

I have saws with big bars as I occasionally cut oaks 4 feet in diameter. However the 026 vs. 036 question was asked because I need a good intermediate saw to cut 10 to 18 inch logs. For logs or limbing smaller than 10 inches i will reach for an old super ez(ok, ok flame me i probably deserve it) or a husky 335. If I run into wood say over 20 inches I'll probably grab the 046 or larger. However I need a saw to replace the heavy old MC wearing a 20 inch bar that I have used in the past to cut wood anywhere from 10 to 18 inches. If you measure a 20 inch bar when correctly installed on a saw, the actual cutting length will be less than 20 inches. Lucky