Bigger firewood saw vs. longer bar & skip chain... Weight driven question

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Beardy

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I have a selection of lighter weight saws;
192T for climbing/pruning, MS170, CS2511P (it's the wife's, honest!), EA4300F, PS5100S and MS261cm. I am 5'7" and after a lifetime of primarily office work I am not enthusiastic about lugging around a heavy saw. However, there are occasions when I want something that will cut 30" and I am tempted to get a another bigger saw (this is of course always the right answer).
So should I `Man up' and get a bigger saw with 25"+ bar, maybe a ex-HD rental Makita 6421 with big jug, or get a longer bar and skip chain for one of the 50cc saws and go more slowly? What are the practical limits on oiling a longer bar? Are there any other issues apart from oiling and maybe saw balance?
cheers
Beardy
 
How much cutting are you doing that would require a bigger saw? What are you cutting and at what elevation? How much time do you have to do this work? And how much are you willing to spend?

All vital questions.

Seems lots of guys are liking the Stihl 400, or 462, both are reasonably light and should do what you are asking. I would try to find a Husky 372, or 365 used, but that is my preference. Dolmar would be ok too if that is you preferred brand.
 
I spend very little real time cutting wood. It's merely opportunistic firewood for heating a relatively modern, insulated home for a few months of the year. I am retired and `have time' and needing cut anything over 12-18" happens rarely. Elevation is less than 2k ft.
How big a bar can an MS261cm or PS5100 reasonably oil and is a long bar and a skip chain the answer for `bigger wood'?

I don't need much of an excuse for a project saw like an ex rental Makita.

As an aside our local HD has gone over to CS590 for larger gas rental saws. I guess this is throughout the US?
 
Beardy said:
I spend very little real time cutting wood. It's merely opportunistic firewood for heating a relatively modern, insulated home for a few months of the year. I am retired and `have time' and needing cut anything over 12-18" happens rarely. Elevation is less than 2k ft.
How big a bar can an MS261cm or PS5100 reasonably oil and is a long bar and a skip chain the answer for `bigger wood'?

I don't need much of an excuse for a project saw like an ex rental Makita.

As an aside our local HD has gone over to CS590 for larger gas rental saws. I guess this is throughout the US?
Click to expand...
I have a 5100 and a 261. To me it seems that the 5100 has a little more low end grunt. I run a 3/8 18” bar on that with no issues. So for <$100, put a 24” bar on yours and try it. If it doesn’t work, worst case you now know to start looking for a bigger saw.

Not sure if you run .325 or 3/8 on yours. Skip might be easier to find in 3/8”.
 
I have found that the weight of the saw isn't nearly as fatiguing as the time I spend doing it. In my opinion, a saw that cuts faster and easier is a lot less tiring to use than one that keeps me bent over an inordinate amount of time.

You might consider finding a chainsaw buddy that will let you use their bigger saw a few times in exchange for some other friendly gesture, like buying the first round, or sharing some firewood opportunities. In my opinion, it's less work for two guys to produce twice as much wood as it is to go it alone. Some folks, however, cannot work with others, so there is the possibility of not getting along too well.

If I was going to cut up a tree, I'd only want two saws: my 201-t and the 460, perhaps my old 044 instead. There is a lot to be said for not bending over to use a saw, and I am quite comfortable with a 24" saw. They make short work out of those 16"+ cuts, and they just rip through a 6" cut in a few moments. The 201-T can outcut most homeowner saws, and is quite light. It's also quite expensive, but has great power for it's tiny frame.
 
Beardy said:
I have a selection of lighter weight saws;
192T for climbing/pruning, MS170, CS2511P (it's the wife's, honest!), EA4300F, PS5100S and MS261cm. I am 5'7" and after a lifetime of primarily office work I am not enthusiastic about lugging around a heavy saw. However, there are occasions when I want something that will cut 30" and I am tempted to get a another bigger saw (this is of course always the right answer).
So should I `Man up' and get a bigger saw with 25"+ bar, maybe a ex-HD rental Makita 6421 with big jug, or get a longer bar and skip chain for one of the 50cc saws and go more slowly? What are the practical limits on oiling a longer bar? Are there any other issues apart from oiling and maybe saw balance?
cheers
Beardy
Click to expand...
Bigger saw means less work. any of the 60cc saws will walk all over yer other saws. Less time carrying the stupid thing means less time carrying the stupid thing lol.
besides let the log hold it whenever possible.
Anyway, you could probably get away with running full comp chain on a 25" bar and 60cc power head.
As for the Dolmar/makita they are good saws, though personally I'd avoid the "big Jug" conversions, unless it had factory parts, but I am paranoid.
Though if you get a chance... find a bid block saw (100cc or better) they are very heavy, but also very fun...
 
Your 261 will do fine with a 20” bar/chain. Either full comp or skip.
I’ve been using more skip chain just because I only have to sharpen half the # of cutters :p
that saw will pull a 24” with skip and oil fine until you have it buried in a 30” log for too long. Easy fix for that is to pull out of the cut every now and then and rev it up until oil freely flows off the chain. Rinse, repeat…
balance will suck with that long a bar, however so cutting might not be all that comfortable.

I would agree with the 60cc suggestions and a 24”. One of the most comfortable saws I’ve used was my old 266xp with a 24. Cut all day, no sore back.
well, that was late ‘80s🤣

pdq is correct, 😀
 
I agree biggest benifit to skip is less time sharping in small wood like your cutting a skip wont be must benifit.

With a skip I find it bogs less in the cut with the full bar in the wood because these less cutters making room for more chips to flow.

My preferd saw for all around small to big wood cutting is a 28" saw color doesnt matter as long its in the 70cc class.

Im also 5'7" have a very nice running 026 well its actually ported and rips with a 18" however I rarely bring it to the the mtn anymore.
Even though im not super tall the little saw makes me bend over lots more.

One of the funnest things is limbing big trees 30" plus is a 28" bar sliding down the tree throttle blipn through limbs like butter.

The tree almost always holds the weight of the saw
 
Bigger saw is always the answer. Go to your nearest dealer and handle a few. My next saw will be a 500i.
 
I would consider getting a 24 inch 91 drive link bar in .325 pitch. I guess Husky small mount for the 5100. Then you could use .325 skip or the narrow kerf .325. The bar will be a heavy solid bar in 0.050 gauge and really thicker than the narrow kerf chain is supposed to be on but I have had good results on my 6100 doing this. The Makita 64xx is really a de bored 80cc saw and I quote "not enthusiastic about lugging around a heavy saw"

And the type of skip chain in .325 as most in general have 2/3 the cutters of full comp.
 
I much appreciate all the thoughts. Much to consider.
cheers
Beardy
 

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