Help needed piecing it all together....

[weatherby guy]

I recently ran across what I thought was a very good deal on a new Stihl 660 <powerhead only>. I bought the saw and found another 'good deal' on a new 28inch Stihl Bar. I have never owned a new professional class saw before and could use some help with:

1. Quick and Dirty Break In Process
2. What kind of chain should I use (I will be cutting a mix of relatively new timber that has fallen down as well as some wood which I would consider softer/rotten wood).

I am guessing the oil debate (ie which to use) is not much different than discussing politics and/or religion. That said is that any product that I should just flat out avoid?

While I have sharpened plenty of hunting knives I have never touched a chainsaw before. Professional sharpening my best bet?

Finally, the dual port muffler has me intrigued. I am a weekend warrior at best with respect to sawing. Seasonal use (ie hunting camp) and cleaning up whatever falls down on my property. Is the dual port worth considering or would I be hopping up a saw that out of the box is likely overkill for what I will be using it for?

My sincerest thanks

 

[begleytree]

is this a brand new saw? makes a difference on your questions
-Ralph

 

[Wood Hick]

Congrats! You bought on of the best saws there is. I am guessing it is WAY overkill for what you will be cutting, but thats OK, we are all guilty of that! I will advise as if I owned it. Use Stihl oils only. Never buy any of the cheap crap for half price at a discount store. If it did not come with one get a manual and read it over and over. Your saw can be quite dangerous to someone who does not know how to use it, it is probably ALOT bigger than any you have run before. There are alot of chains available, each has unique characteristics. With a 660 in the hands of a newbie, I would find yourself someone experienced who is willing to show you how it works. Full chisel chains are the fastest, but also the most prone to bite you. Get comfortable with your new toy before you head out to the woods with it, and enjoy it!:greenchainsaw:

 

[J.Walker]

660

Hi Guy
Maybe down size the bar length to start with and buzz all you want.
Or if it was a good deal on that equipment, sell it on E-bay and buy a new 361ms with a 20" bar. This maybe a better saw for you.

 

[chainsawjunky]

Asking should I DP the muffler is like asking who wants a beer in a bar. I'm still building my saw so I can't really answer the other questions. Evan

 

[beelsr]

clean wood = chisel
dirty wood = semi-chisel

chisel refers to the shape of the cutter. you'll want _round_ chisel, which is the shape of the file/grinder used to sharpen. avoid square chisel until you know what you're doing because a> it's a b@tch to sharpen and b> one wrong move and you dull the snot out of the chain. 15 years later and i still use round chisel. <shrug>

if you really are new to the game, you'll want a shorter bar - them long bars is dangerous. speaking of which.... chaps, helmet/face/hearing protection, steel-toes boots (at a minimum). Unless you have a zero-deductible emergency room health insurance policy and believe in personal infallibility.

 

[weatherby guy]

Thanks for all of the advice. I have used saws before but definitely not one this large. I am currently looking for Chainsaw Course in Michigan. Additionally, a guy in the group of guys I hunt with owns a tree service. He laughed when I told him what I bought, but offered to take me out with him on a few jobs and point out the right and wrong way to do things. I am guessing he can fill in the gaps relative to breaking in the saw, how to sharpen the chains....etc. Hell I bet I might even trade him for a smaller saw and cash.


Thanks again.

 

[clearance]

if you really are new to the game, you'll want a shorter bar - them long bars is dangerous. speaking of which.... chaps, helmet/face/hearing protection, steel-toes boots (at a minimum). Unless you have a zero-deductible emergency room health insurance policy and believe in personal infallibility.

Good of you to mention the p.p.e. but how do you figure long bars are more dangerous than short bars? I figure the opposite. It used to be here that before chain brakes became mandatory for all saws you could still use those big old saws with no brake as long as the bar was over, I believe, 32". If you are using the saw correctly, which I feel many here do not (by the endless talk of low kickback chain, the reliance on chain brakes, the talk of kickback without understanding it), it shouldn't matter. Stand to one side, don't look down on the chain.

 

[SawTroll]

I agree that long bars aren't a safety risk, if you can handle it, and know where the tip is, if not: :jawdrop: :jawdrop: .......

 

[oldsaw]

Thanks for all of the advice. I have used saws before but definitely not one this large. I am currently looking for Chainsaw Course in Michigan. Additionally, a guy in the group of guys I hunt with owns a tree service. He laughed when I told him what I bought, but offered to take me out with him on a few jobs and point out the right and wrong way to do things. I am guessing he can fill in the gaps relative to breaking in the saw, how to sharpen the chains....etc. Hell I bet I might even trade him for a smaller saw and cash.


Thanks again.

A 660 will get you in the "respect" mode really fast. First time I pulled mine off the mill to buck up some big oaks, the mental "caution" lights were blinking. 36" bar doesn't seem all that big on a mill, but hanging out in front of you on the saw...that's a different thing all together. 80-90% of the time I'm running it with a 24" bar, and with that it is some kind of wood-eating thermonuclear device.

In the real world, you will probably be better off with a smaller saw. I use mine where I would use a smaller saw since I already have it, bought and paid for. I don't use it for a living, so the extra weight isn't a huge issue for me. I'll typically use it to buck up logs for milling, and use a Homie Super XL for limbing and small stuff. If I was looking at some hours, a 361 or 441 would be far more attractive. Since I don't, I just enjoy the power and put up with the weight.

Good luck,

Mark

 

[Pilsnaman]

Thats a nice saw you got there. For break in just follow the Stihl manual, if you didn't get one just go to there web site and look up your saw. On the main page for your particular saw there will be a link to the bottom right for the manual. It is great that your friend will take you out for some lessons but I am worried about his practices. I have seen a lot of "tree guys" who do it for a living not do things right, like stand over the bar and even one hand a saw when cutting on the ground. Just remember to always stand to the side of the bar no matter how strange it may feel, wear some protective equipment like chaps, glasses, and hearing protection, and watch where the tip of the saw is going because it touching something like ground can cause kickback. Good Luck.

 

[TDunk]

The best advice you can get is watching a "pro" use it. Have your buddy who has the tree service take you out and SHOW you the basics. Hands on expierience is the best you can get. A 660 is no toy, it's definetly overkill for what you nead, but nobody here is going to judge you for getting to big of a saw.

 

[beelsr]

Good of you to mention the p.p.e. but how do you figure long bars are more dangerous than short bars? I figure the opposite. It used to be here that before chain brakes became mandatory for all saws you could still use those big old saws with no brake as long as the bar was over, I believe, 32". If you are using the saw correctly, which I feel many here do not (by the endless talk of low kickback chain, the reliance on chain brakes, the talk of kickback without understanding it), it shouldn't matter. Stand to one side, don't look down on the chain.

it's just that he sounded a little newbie (assuming it and just saying it, not insinuating anything by it).

Longer bar is heavier and it's easier to tag something with it (like yourself) when you're not used to the saw and bar. The 66 is heavy enough and a heavier bar just leads to letting the bartip droop, which leads to dropping it in the dirt when bucking, etc...

As for the rest of your post, I do agree - most people don't use a saw correctly all the time. And the whole low-kickback chain thing is silly, IMO. ANSI rules apply to small saws that kickback the least to begin with. Blantant homeowner (there's the word again tricycle trainer wheels protection for their own good when they don't really need it. It's like emissions testing for autos. Diesel are exempt and 20 year old cars are exempt. helloo????? mcfly?????

 

[romeo]

I have found that long bars are more of a hazard to chains than people. Remember what causes kick back most of the time is a short bar in a fat piece of wood.

And my advice for the newbie, learn your big saw. If you get rid of it youuuul bee sooooorrry laaaateeerr. But be careful and be safe, if something seems like a bad idea, then it probably is. As for chain, just run some chipper safty chain at first, when you are comfortable with the saw try some pro chain. It will break its self in in around 10 tanks, just run the cr@p out of it. Its good that you know a pro, let him take you through the jetting of the carb while he's helping you out

Congratulations Weatherby, you just got the .300 mag of chainsaws.:rockn:

 

[weatherby guy]

I have found that long bars are more of a hazard to chains than people. Remember what causes kick back most of the time is a short bar in a fat piece of wood.

And my advice for the newbie, learn your big saw. If you get rid of it youuuul bee sooooorrry laaaateeerr. But be careful and be safe, if something seems like a bad idea, then it probably is. As for chain, just run some chipper safty chain at first, when you are comfortable with the saw try some pro chain. It will break its self in in around 10 tanks, just run the cr@p out of it. Its good that you know a pro, let him take you through the jetting of the carb while he's helping you out

Congratulations Weatherby, you just got the .300 mag of chainsaws.:rockn:

Romeo,
Appreciate your input. I am definitely going to walk before I run with respect to sawing (probably a bad analogy). This site is pretty amazing. I hunt Northern Saskatchewan for 2 weeks every November. One of the tracts I have been hunting for years was recently timbered by the Warehauser. That said I spent a bunch of time (and have in the past) with the loggers who live in the bush. Usually just picking their brain about where they have been seeing the monster bucks.....etc. Sometimes hanging out with them for a day or two after taking an animal (riding around in bulldozers dragging a kind of blade that rips the ground and stumps up). Anyway long story short, after this last winter I came back with the bug to buy a saw. I just received an email from one of the loggers and he, just as my local friend laughed when I told him what I bought. His advice was to be careful because he wasn't keen on the idea of carrying a one legged man into and out of the bush this November.

Seriously, thanks for all of your help. Great bunch of guys on this site.

 

[weatherby guy]

I have found that long bars are more of a hazard to chains than people. Remember what causes kick back most of the time is a short bar in a fat piece of wood.

And my advice for the newbie, learn your big saw. If you get rid of it youuuul bee sooooorrry laaaateeerr. But be careful and be safe, if something seems like a bad idea, then it probably is. As for chain, just run some chipper safty chain at first, when you are comfortable with the saw try some pro chain. It will break its self in in around 10 tanks, just run the cr@p out of it. Its good that you know a pro, let him take you through the jetting of the carb while he's helping you out

Congratulations Weatherby, you just got the .300 mag of chainsaws.:rockn:

Romeo,
Appreciate your input. I am definitely going to walk before I run with respect to sawing (probably a bad analogy). This site is pretty amazing. I hunt Northern Saskatchewan for 2 weeks every November. One of the tracts I have been hunting for years was recently timbered byWarehauser. That said I spent a bunch of time (and have in the past) with the loggers who live in the bush for what seems like months on end. Usually just picking their brain about where they have been seeing the big bucks.....etc. Sometimes hanging out with them for a day or two after taking an animal (riding around in bulldozers dragging a kind of blade that rips the ground and stumps up). Anyway long story short, after this last winter I came back with the bug to buy a saw. I just received an email from one of the loggers and he, just as my local friend laughed when I told him what I bought. His advice was to be careful because he wasn't keen on the idea of carrying a one legged man into and out of the bush this November.

Seriously, thanks for all of your help. Great bunch of guys on this site.

 

[beelsr]

Congratulations Weatherby, you just got the .300 mag of chainsaws.:rockn:

Now, why didn't I think of that line? I've got two of them....

 

[SinglerM]

I agree with Clearance.

Good of you to mention the p.p.e. but how do you figure long bars are more dangerous than short bars? I figure the opposite. It used to be here that before chain brakes became mandatory for all saws you could still use those big old saws with no brake as long as the bar was over, I believe, 32". If you are using the saw correctly, which I feel many here do not (by the endless talk of low kickback chain, the reliance on chain brakes, the talk of kickback without understanding it), it shouldn't matter. Stand to one side, don't look down on the chain.

I started out with a 660 also. I made sure to follow advice like Clearance just gave.
Stand to the side, don't look over the bar. I make sure I'm taking my time when using it, and I'm in a good strong stance and well balanced when using it.
It cuts through big stumps so much faster than my 440, so I tend to use it more.
Be safe, enjoy your new saw.

Mitch