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

[NSEric]

Buy a clone saw with a 24 or 28 inch bar like a g372 or g444 or neotec 872.
They're perfect for guys who only need a big saw once and a while.

I'm gonna pick one up just to have a big saw and I want to port it, I dont need one at all.

I dont like long bars on 50cc saws, they feel front heavy and dont oil enough for them.

 

[Captain Bruce]

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

I really enjoy this Forum. Your questions are valid, common, and easily answered. NONE of any of the chainsaws you own will run anything longer. Therefore, you want a 25" Chainsaw recommendation ANY 360 model Stihl. That set-up, on those engines, is right within the engineered machines wheelhouse.

As to HD rental sales, I deal with my local store. Whenever something is tagged, for auction, I get a call....the store is 3 Mi. away. Everything they offer has been rode hard, and put away wet..........I buy the saws for a 2-bits on the dollar, and re-condition them. I won't, of course, speak for America, but rental equip't isn't taken out of service, to sell, for a profit. The people tasked with servicing, and repairing, are clueless. Its worn out junk.

Any woodsman running a chainsaw with a 25" set-up, is holding $500 in his hands.

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

I really enjoy this Forum. Your questions are valid, common, and easily answered. NONE of any of the chainsaws you own will run anything longer. Therefore, you want a 25" Chainsaw recommendation ANY 360 model Stihl. That set-up, on those engines, is right within the engineered machines wheelhouse.

As to HD rental sales, I deal with my local store. Whenever something is tagged, for auction, I get a call....the store is 3 Mi. away. Everything they offer has been rode hard, and put away wet..........I buy the saws for a 2-bits on the dollar, and re-condition them. I won't, of course, speak for America, but rental equip't isn't taken out of service, to sell, for a profit. The people tasked with servicing, and repairing, are clueless. Its worn out junk.

Any woodsman running a chainsaw with a 25" set-up, is holding $500 in his hands.

And just to clarify for us foreign folk that don't use Pirate currency- 2 bits is a quarter eh? As in 25 cents?

 

[Del_]

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?

I think a MS261CM with a 20 inch bar and RS 3/8 pitch regular chain and .050 gauge bar would work out well. 72 drive links.

You can always come at a log from both sides and a 20 inch bar will easily do 30 inches. Get a couple of plastic wedges, some files and maybe a file guide and you are good to go.

 

[hkstwn7]

I'm 73 and I use a Husky 562 with a 24 inch bar ,it makes short work of hardwoods up to 36 inches. Not heavy.

 

[thomasinvancouver]

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

I would be confident in a 50cc with a 25” .325 bar with skip or full comp chain. It would make for bending over less due to that little bit of extra reach and could be occasionally used to cut bigger pieces of wood. If you’re using that combo to always cut bigger wood you’re going to wear it out and should get something bigger, probably skip a 60cc and get a 70cc.

My 60cc has a 28” 3/8 bar with skip and full comp. No problems.

 

[Evan]

I would say most paper cuts are weak people in general. Many get out of breath walking from the car to the office chair, have to catch theyre breath before getting coffee and a donut. .

If this is you yes your weak.

Not all paper cuts fall into this category.

 

[esshup]

I have an Echo CS 340, Dolmar 5100 and a 7900. The 5100 wears an 18" bar and the 7900 wears the 24" bar most of the time but I do have a reduced weight 32" bar for it. The difference in how they cut is pretty substantial. I've had the Echo for 20+ years, the 5100 for about 10 and the 7900 for about 14 . The Echo and 7900 were purchased new. A customer of mine has 4 different sized Stihl saws, from the 200T to one that has a 24" bar. All were worked on by Mastermind (they have been ported). Every one of those saws act like they are the next size up from what they are.

I am just as tall as you are, and while the 7900 will tire me out after 4-5 hours of running, the speed at what it cuts is amazing.

I agree with what one person said, see if you can find someone that you know that has a bigger saw, make sure the chain is sharp and borrow it. But in all honesty, I'd look at getting the 5100 ported and slap a slightly bigger bar on it, or grab one of the 6421's and send it out to have it ported and gone through. It will last you the rest of your life.

If Mastermind worked on that 7900 it would be a beast for sure. But for someone that "occasionally" needs a bigger saw it's more of a "want" than a "need". I have both the 5100 and the 7900 set up to take the same chain size too, so I can make my own chains and not have to have 3 different sizes of spools here.

 

[Kodiak Kid]

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?

If all your cutting is "12 to 18" and rarely anything over. I definitely wouldn't slap a 20" on your 261. Nor would I run any other chain than full compliment. Personally, I'd run and I do run AKB .325. On my 260. Regardless of bar length! With a 16" bar that saw will have some sack just bare bones stock and won't even really need dawgs.
Slap a 20" inch on it and you'll be disappointed it will be weak and sluggish. Unless you've ever run a shorter bar on it to compare it to a longer bar. You won't really see the difference. You'd be amazed at the power gains you'll get on a 50cc from simply stepping down in bar length and chain pitch vs stepping up. A two stroke engine is designed to deliver its best performance in the upper half of its power band and it likes to stay there!

Here. Check it out. This is what Im running on my 260. Although I hardly ever run this little ripper. I really like it for good performance in a small package.

 

[sawfarmer]

A 70 cc saw with a 28" bar is my go to for what your doing.

 

[Evan]

Only dual chains need dogs and my 026 loves eating balsa wood to. That thing sounds badass.

Theres a few bar lengths that shouldn't be on the market.
16 20 24 25

Leavs you with 18 28 32 to choose from makes life much simpler.

 

[Lionsfan]

Only dual chains need dogs and my 026 loves eating balsa wood to. That thing sounds badass.

Theres a few bar lengths that shouldn't be on the market.
16 20 24 25

Leavs you with 18 28 32 to choose from makes life much simpler.

Why's that? If I could only have one bar for everything I do it would be a 20".

 

[Evan]

If truly one saw for everything ? If there is such a thing.
28" bolted to something with enough power to run it.

 

[Kodiak Kid]

Why's that? If I could only have one bar for everything I do it would be a 20".

Not me! 62" on every saw that's ever been made! All day lonnnnnnnnnnnng!

 

[Kodiak Kid]

Only dual chains need dogs and my 026 loves eating balsa wood to. That thing sounds badass.

Theres a few bar lengths that shouldn't be on the market.
16 20 24 25

Leavs you with 18 28 32 to choose from makes life much simpler.

Oh you don't like dead spruce cured hard by forest burn? Now I know its not oak, but if you like. I can post a vid of it melting through green spruce even faster if that's your flavor? You should see what it'll do with a 20 24 or 25!

 

[Sierra_rider]

I'm a fan of 20" bars on 50cc saws, although mine (mk1 550) is ported, so power isn't an issue. It'd cut faster with the .325, but it's happy running loop of 3/8 full comp chisel.

My most commonly used bar size is 28"...it's what I run most of time on my 70cc saws, as well as my 400. My 500i runs a 32", and finally the 066 runs a 36" almost all the time. I do have some 25" bars, but they get used for testing out saws I build, I don't really do much work with them. I'm running lightweight bars mostly. I won't talk about my large mount bars for my large saw.

My climbing saws run 16" bars, but they're cheating...both ported and it's only picco chain of course.

25cc of fury:

 

[Kodiak Kid]

I'm a fan of 20" bars on 50cc saws, although mine (mk1 550) is ported, so power isn't an issue. It'd cut faster with the .325, but it's happy running loop of 3/8 full comp chisel.

My most commonly used bar size is 28"...it's what I run most of time on my 70cc saws, as well as my 400. My 500i runs a 32", and finally the 066 runs a 36" almost all the time. I do have some 25" bars, but they get used for testing out saws I build, I don't really do much work with them. I'm running lightweight bars mostly. I won't talk about my large mount bars for my large saw.

My climbing saws run 16" bars, but they're cheating...both ported and it's only picco chain of course.

25cc of fury:

Sounds t*ts! Very nice Sierra!
Roger on the 20" and 50cc
20"+50cc = no performance or production!


Ive got a stock 170 that's all ba**s but it wasn't enough!
I've often thought about porting my 260 but it STHIL wouldn't be enough.
Then I remembered I had a 360, so I then I thought about porting it, but it STIHL wouldn't be enough!
Then I remembered I had a 046 that needs rebuilding. Figured I'd get it ported while I was at it. However, it STIHL wouldn't be enough!
Then I bought a pro modified stock 661 but couldn't handle it!
So now, I'm back to a ms170 and let me tell you! Its all ba**s!!!

Cut safe, stay sharp, and be aware!

 

[huskihl]

Roger on the 20" and 50cc
20"+50cc = no performance or production!

Not certain about that. Ported 50cc can be as fast as stock 70cc

 

[Lionsfan]

Not certain about that. Ported 50cc can be as fast as stock 70cc

Pipe down Mister, if you ain't cuttin' punky dead Sitka Spruce the size of a washin' machine, you don't know squat.

 

[huskihl]

Pipe down Mister, if you ain't cuttin' punky dead Sitka Spruce the size of a washin' machine, you don't know squat.

Guilty