Introduction and feedback desired

[John Sayen]

Hello,

I apologize if this is in the wrong section, I took the time to read through them all and this one seemed the most relevant, other than perhaps the forestry and logging section.

I am nearly 40, grew up and remain in a rural wooded area with long winters. Wood stoves and firewood have always been a part of life growing up, and I’ve recently moved to a home with one in my basement.

Growing up my dad always ran the saw and I always picked up wood and split it with a maul. I’ve been around saws my entire life but do not have a lot of experience running them until recently.

With the house move came a very large stack of red oak logs to process for firewood. I started out by buying an MS251, winter chaps, a Stihl helmet and face guard, Oregon gloves, and a stihl combination sharpener. After 7 face cord on the 251 it was clear to me that I purchased the wrong saw and upgraded to the 261. I should have followed the age old buy once cry once but alas here we are. Could not be happier with the 261, after I put 5 tanks of gas through her she really started to open up.

I had no idea the joy that comes with processing firewood for your own home. I did a lot of wood growing up but there is a different feeling when you own the home you’re heating. Much more enjoyable than when it’s your parents and you’re told to do it.

My goal is to become very proficient at cutting wood, and I have a long ways to go.

Here’s the part where I would appreciate feedback.

First, I am not the best at cutting straight when bucking. I have taken my time to properly sharpen and feel mostly proficient at it, but have also ordered a timberline to see if the chains are playing a role or if it’s simple practice. It seems obvious but it’s clearly not, any tips?

I have very little experience felling trees and while I intend to ask my dad to help me learn, I have also been watching every one of the BC faller training standard videos on YouTube, as well as downloaded their PDF manuals. Any recommendations for other materials to ingest? This feels like the scariest part of the whole operation to me.

I have not yet bought any wedges, or axes to drive them and clean the undercut. I started researching this rabbit hole today and got lost in a hurry. Recommendations for what to buy?

My 261C came with a 20” bar which felt long for bucking on the pile, I then picked up a 16” which was great for the pile but I’m tempted to pick up an 18” to see if it just feels right. Any thoughts here? I’ve been running the yellow RM chains.

On splitting wood, do you recommend a maul like I’ve always used, an axe, something else? And which? Right now I’m using a tractor supply maul and it works but I’m sure there are much better out there.

Lastly, am I missing anything like additional recommended PPE or tools?

I’m in this for the long haul and want to learn to be safe, proficient, and skilled at this. We’ve already burned four face cord this year, love the heat, and I’ve been really enjoying the work (processed about 15 face cord so far this year.)

This forum has been a great resource so far and I look forward to talking with you all.

Thank you.

 

[H-Ranch]

Hello,

I apologize if this is in the wrong section, I took the time to read through them all and this one seemed the most relevant, other than perhaps the forestry and logging section.

I am nearly 40, grew up and remain in a rural wooded area with long winters. Wood stoves and firewood have always been a part of life growing up, and I’ve recently moved to a home with one in my basement.

Growing up my dad always ran the saw and I always picked up wood and split it with a maul. I’ve been around saws my entire life but do not have a lot of experience running them until recently.

With the house move came a very large stack of red oak logs to process for firewood. I started out by buying an MS251, winter chaps, a Stihl helmet and face guard, Oregon gloves, and a stihl combination sharpener. After 7 face cord on the 251 it was clear to me that I purchased the wrong saw and upgraded to the 261. I should have followed the age old buy once cry once but alas here we are. Could not be happier with the 261, after I put 5 tanks of gas through her she really started to open up.

I had no idea the joy that comes with processing firewood for your own home. I did a lot of wood growing up but there is a different feeling when you own the home you’re heating. Much more enjoyable than when it’s your parents and you’re told to do it.

My goal is to become very proficient at cutting wood, and I have a long ways to go.

Here’s the part where I would appreciate feedback.

First, I am not the best at cutting straight when bucking. I have taken my time to properly sharpen and feel mostly proficient at it, but have also ordered a timberline to see if the chains are playing a role or if it’s simple practice. It seems obvious but it’s clearly not, any tips?

I have very little experience felling trees and while I intend to ask my dad to help me learn, I have also been watching every one of the BC faller training standard videos on YouTube, as well as downloaded their PDF manuals. Any recommendations for other materials to ingest? This feels like the scariest part of the whole operation to me.

I have not yet bought any wedges, or axes to drive them and clean the undercut. I started researching this rabbit hole today and got lost in a hurry. Recommendations for what to buy?

My 261C came with a 20” bar which felt long for bucking on the pile, I then picked up a 16” which was great for the pile but I’m tempted to pick up an 18” to see if it just feels right. Any thoughts here? I’ve been running the yellow RM chains.

On splitting wood, do you recommend a maul like I’ve always used, an axe, something else? And which? Right now I’m using a tractor supply maul and it works but I’m sure there are much better out there.

Lastly, am I missing anything like additional recommended PPE or tools?

I’m in this for the long haul and want to learn to be safe, proficient, and skilled at this. We’ve already burned four face cord this year, love the heat, and I’ve been really enjoying the work (processed about 15 face cord so far this year.)

This forum has been a great resource so far and I look forward to talking with you all.

Thank you.

Welcome to the firewood forum - you are in exactly the right section. Don't forget to send your membership dues to @unclemoustache .

I am much in the same situation as you. Didn't own a home with wood heat until I was in my 40's, so don't have a lot of saw experience. I'll let the experts guide you there. They will have you believing that you need one or more of every saw so be careful about CAD (chainsaw acquisition disease.) I have a mild case with only 9 saws or so.

I will say that for best results your wood needs to be seasoned. For oak that may be 2 or even 3 years after splitting and stacking. Lots to read about there too, but more wind and sun exposure is good. Smaller splits and covering the top of stacks may help also.

If a new saw/bar is cutting curves then it seems most likely it is the sharpening. My experience with the 2 in 1 sharpener is that they are not consistent for both sides. It seems that the depth gauges are not the same from side to side with either of mine. Inspect the chain closely for differences. I think the safety or reduced kickback chain is far better for casual users such as myself and cutting 10 full cord/year. Any minor increase in cutting time is offset by the safety aspect.

You're right to be scared of felling as dangerous. Maybe scared is the wrong attitude, but at least aware of the risks and not going above your abilities. I'd be happy to never have to fell another tree. Learning and experience will make it easier as you note.

The fiskars splitting ax is tough to beat for cost/performance. I like the weight being easier to swing for a longer period of time. Most red oak is relatively easy to split.

I assume you helmet has it, but ear and eye protection is critical for me. I just don't cut without them.

Oh, and we like pictures. Lots of pictures.

 

[ericm979]

This is an excellent book on tree felling, bucking and everything related: https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guide-Felling-Woodcutting-Methods/dp/0615338798

it's well written, easy to read and well illustrated.

Husqvarna has some good instructional videos on you tube. Also Terry Hale on you tube.

Felling trees can be dangerous. But you can do a lot of it relatively safely if you pay attention. Some things require rigging or climbing or someone more experienced.

Low kickback chain cuts just as well as regular chain except for bore cuts. It'll do them, it's just slow.

 

[abbott295]

Welcome to the forum.

My suggestion on felling trees would be to start with small ones with plenty of room around them; healthy ones so they won't be dropping branches on your head. And even if it looks like a simple, easy, one cut to fell a four inch tree, practice your notches and back cuts all the time and always try to learn from each one.

 

[Ted Jenkins]

John ever one has a different journey to go through to get to be a safe and happy OP. I grew up not close to my parents so I learned the best I could with what I could find. When I was about fifteen I run into a guy that says he will give me $400 to remove all his trees from his property. No thinking needed just go get a saw and cut the trees down. So I did and had to learn pretty fast. I am the kind of person who can watch some one do some thing and then go out a duplicate the process. I did not know how to sharpen tune or any thing, but did not take long to understand how to sharpen and not. How to pinch a bar and not. I knew that a mistake on my part would kill me or have me lose my hand so I spent a great deal of time to think out each step. If you are wise you will listen and watch carefully and make chips fly. Thanks

 

[VW Splitter]

John, welcome to ArboristSite. You will find a fountain of knowledge here.
On cutting straight, aim and get it started straight. If one side of the chain is sharper than the other it can cause it to curve. sharping by hand is tricky if you are better right handed than left, you might be getting it sharper on one side. Also the bar can wear and cause it also. A flat file can fix that. Get the bar in a vise when you sharpen, holding it still is half the battel.
In felling trees there is a lot of good stuff on You tube, some stupid stuff also. Make sure who you are watching is a pro and not Joe homeowner. Although Joe can show you what not to do. I cant stress enough how important the hinge is to make it fall your way. learn how to make a correct hinge and look at each stump to see how you did. Felling is dangerous, know your limits. Don't cut one on "I think I can". Be sure of where it is going. You only get one shot at it. No do overs, or reset buttons in tree felling. Live trees have hinge fiber that bends as the tree falls. With a dead tree the hinge will snap/break just as soon as the tree starts to fall. All you get is that first initial movement in the direction you want it to go. Look up tree barberchair on You tube sometime before it happens to you. Eye opening. Wedges are a must in felling, longer wedges for bigger trees, shorter wedges for smaller trees. On bar size, Rule of thumb, whatever the max size bar the saw is rated for, drop back to one size shorter bar. The saw will run better and be happier there. On splitting, I recommend a hydraulic splitter if you are in it for the long haul. And at least a dozen saws, although it does get hard to use each one enough to keep them all running. All this is rambling is just my opinion, you will find a lot of them here. Good luck and stay warm. You gotta love it to do it. It's a lot of work.

 

[John Sayen]

Thank you all for the help thus far. A wealth of knowledge and knowledgeable opinions at this forum. I can tell it’s going to be a great place to hang out.

 

[ElevatorGuy]

This site is pretty sweet but be ready to open the wallet! CAD is a real struggle.

 

[Socalmisfit]

How’s it going man. I don’t live in a place where I get to fall my own trees, so I have it delivered . U sound like you are on the right track, I watch this dude cottontop3 on YouTube. He’s super informative on falling, bucking, and safety. He has classes and you can watch the videos of his students.

Your ppe sounds good, comfortable boots is what I always look for, with how much lifting and walking on uneven surfaces. On the splitting not sure how much you want to get a day or month or year but there are some crazy splitters out there. I like horizontal with a lift and a movable 4 way wedge. You can do single if you are just splitting for home use no prob. 4 way just smokes the smaller stuff quick. The log lift helps a lot with having the wood stacked up where u can just roll it into the splitter. Also having something on the opposite side of the lift to stop it from rolling off the beam. Same thing on the splitters you can look on YouTube and choose a style u like. Vertical, horizontal, super fast cycle times their nuts. Check out the guilloyine styles also .

Like I said before I don’t fall trees just buck stuff up, but on the saws, the more power the faster it can get through the tree. Throws more chips, and of course is heavier and more dangerous. I’ve used my 455 husky to cut some bug stuff and you can get through some crazy stuff. It just takes so long and is hard on the saw. A lot of the dudes on YouTube use husk 372 or bigger stuff, 70cc not sure what that is in stihl numbers. Having multiple saws is nice but you can do the same with multiple bars just switching them out takes longer. And you can get a pretty long bar on a 70 cc saw if you use a skip chain.

Just my 2 cents, I would definitely watch a lot of YouTube and a lot of internet. You can learn sooooo much from others and the mistakes they have already made. Like I said before it’s pretty much on how much wood you want to process and how fast you want to process it, and how easy you want to make it on yourself.

 

[TimberWolf530]

Welcome to the site John. What part of the UP are you in? My wife is from Munising, so we spend quite a bit of time up there visiting family. You're right, felling is the most dangerous part. Number one rule, no matter how careful you are, always have an escape route, even if that means cutting down several saplings to make one. If things go wrong, drop the damn saw, and use it. As far as splitting, a maul and an axe use different concepts. A maul uses weight to transfer energy, and an axe uses speed. For me, an axe like the X27 works better than a maul. You may like a maul better. Ask someone who has an axe to borrow it. If you like it better, buy one. I would recommend saving your pennies to eventually get a splitter. You will process faster, and as you get older, it will be easier on your body. On Youtube, look up "Guilty of Treeson". This guy has some fantastic videos on felling technique. Especially "World's Best Tree Felling Tutorial". It is 45 minutes of pure gold for someone interested in learning how to fell trees.

 

[johnsayen]

Thab

Welcome to the site John. What part of the UP are you in? My wife is from Munising, so we spend quite a bit of time up there visiting family. You're right, felling is the most dangerous part. Number one rule, no matter how careful you are, always have an escape route, even if that means cutting down several saplings to make one. If things go wrong, drop the damn saw, and use it. As far as splitting, a maul and an axe use different concepts. A maul uses weight to transfer energy, and an axe uses speed. For me, an axe like the X27 works better than a maul. You may like a maul better. Ask someone who has an axe to borrow it. If you like it better, buy one. I would recommend saving your pennies to eventually get a splitter. You will process faster, and as you get older, it will be easier on your body. On Youtube, look up "Guilty of Treeson". This guy has some fantastic videos on felling technique. Especially "World's Best Tree Felling Tutorial". It is 45 minutes of pure gold for someone interested in learning how to fell trees.

Thank you for the response. central UP, couple hundred miles west of there. Good advice on trying an axe, as I grew up using the maul. I watched those videos you recommended and you’re right they are great. Thanks again.

 

[ericm979]

For me, an axe is not nearly as good as a maul. I think it depends on technique and on the wood you're splitting. And then there's wood like Eucalyptus where both the axe and the maul just bounce off. Need a hydraulic splitter for that.

I re-read your list of PPE and you're missing foot protection. You need steel toe boots at a minimum. I like logger boots with the small heels as they are better on slopes than full width heels, and our land is all slope. Winter chaps will get hot in the summer.

It is satisfying to heat the house with wood I cut myself from my land, especially since it's all fallen, diseased or thinned trees which I'd have to find a way to get rid of anyhow.

 

[panolo]

Not a pro by any means but one thing I take to heart when felling is to anticipate and prepare for the worst. Awareness is the key to safety and then even things can go wrong. Learn to use wedges well as they will save your life. Plan the fall path as hangers can be dangerous. Even trees like oak that typically don't barber chair can and will. I've gotten pretty proficient at the plunge cut because I tend to cut a lot of trees with lean, it tends to give you info on the core without blowing out your holding wood, and you can manipulate the fall if your face cut isn't perfectly lined up.

Oak takes some time to season so If you are not a few years ahead consider burning a quicker drying wood like ash until you are ahead. You can waste lots of time and effort by burning wet wood.

Good luck!

 

[rarefish383]

Welcome, John. I skipped most of the reply’s and came to one of my pet peeves. Felling trees. I was fourth generation in the tree business, and was licensed and insured. We were a residential company. There are lots of tips that are more important to loggers. A logger is usually in the woods. If he uses a wedge to tip a tree over and misses his mark by two or three degrees it may mean nothing. If you are in a yard and do that it can be disaster. So, if you are working in the woods, like a logger, what’s it mean to you? Over 50 plus years I’ve seen a dozen or so trees that looked perfectly solid, but when we made the face/notch cut, it was hollow with only a couple inches of wood holding all the way around. That’s not enough for a wedge to work, and there is not enough hinge to guide. My advice is to buy a 120’ tag line, pull rope. You can get one from one of our sponsors. If the center of a tree is hollow or rotten, a tag line still has the leverage to guide it. You can get thin throwing lines to throw through a crotch, then pull your tag line through. Or, just put the tallest ladder agains the tree and tie it off. I’m not giving advice on dropping a tree. It can be dangerous and is best learned in person. One thing I will say, on a dead tree, it’s very common for the top to collapse and fall backwards, landing right where you stand to cut. I have a friend that worked on the spray rig for a major tree company. He thought he new every thing about trees. He called me from Baltimore Shock Trama. He tried to drop a small dead Oak in the woods behind his house. The top collapsed back on him, broke his neck. He had to wear a “Halo” screwed into his skull and shoulder blades till he healed up. Pretty much full recovery. It’s an odds game, you may never run into a hollow tree, and if you do, it may still fall where you want it. But a tag line works better than a wedge, and you are not working on a production schedule.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

Welcome johnsayen.
I would suggest a couple things starting out.
Always carry your phone.
Always carry a clean handkerchief. It may be the first first aide kit you have at hand.
Let someone know your going out to cut/drop trees, you will be running the saw, and for how long.
When cutting use the chaps, always.
When you bought your chaps there is usually a tag that shows the most common injuries and percent of occurrence. Head, throat, arms (presumably from the person falling), thighs, knees, shins and feet.
Pin it up on the wall in the garage where you will frequently see it.
When cutting use the chain brake before moving your feet.
When using the saw, but not cutting, remove your finger from the trigger. If you trip it is often instinct to grip, or clench, with your hands. And you will trap a foot with your body rotating, tor moving forward. You will trip at some point and fall with a running saw, and possibly on the saw.
So practice good habits... all the time.
Sharpening. If a Timberline you mentioned is a ceramic sharpener with a crank, toss it out, or pass it on to Goodwill.
Start with a Stihl 2-1 file system sized for your saw (I tried Husquvarna version and gave it away). $60. or something. Buy extra files for it when you purchase it. Sharpen using a bench vise to hold the bar firm, and where you have good light. Follow the directions. You will be sharpening in twenty minutes. And from then on it will take five minutes to sharpen completely, hitting each tooth three strokes or so, until the point of the tooth is truly a point. Once you see it it is obvious. If one tooth takes six strokes give that one six. At some point you may want to bring them all back the same, but my experience, not necessary every sharpening (if you sharpen often, when it ceases to pull itself into the cut). Use full complete strokes, removing the file for each return stroke.
Also sharpen often, very often. The saw should pull itself down and into the cut with no pressure from you.
Pulling to one side: More often than not, if you sharpen often, it is the bar, as previously said by another.
If you cut with a dull chain it creates a good deal of unnecessary heat. Not good for the temper in the chain and prematurely wears the bar. The bar should not be blue from heat.
Cutting to one side, check your bar. Remove it from the saw and run your fingers on the flat side off the edge. You may feel a burr, possibly on one side and not the other. I use a flat fine mill file like the one in the Stihl 2-1 guide, flat on the flat side of the bar to remove the burr. Do all four possible edges of the bar. with the file flat on the flat side of the bar. Then use a bar dressing guide, I'm guessing $20. or so, and dress the edge of the bar. Then hit the flat side again. Get yourself a very small square, machinist square maybe, to check the bar rails. Also get a bar gauge, as the chains and bars are similar but different. .050 and .058 gauge chain for example. Gauges are plastic and $3.00 or $4.00.
Sharpening: It is not as fussy as some might lead you to believe. After say five or ten sharpening, you may notice you have shorter tooth length on one side vs the other. This is common. When noticeable add a couple strokes to the long side when sharpening. I do not think this causes the cut to curve. Dull chains and leaning on them does, and burrs on the bar. Also, flip your bar from time to time.
Use a tooth brush to clean around the fuel and oil caps before removing.
Keep your mix gas and unleaded gas very separate. I keep 2 1/2 gallon can of recreational fuel on the quad rack. Mix gas and bar oil on the tool trailer with the saw.
If you get tired, recognize it for what it is, put the saw down and move brush out of the way, or do something else. Don't override a gut feeling.
When cutting, keep your body, legs/feet and specifically your head to the side of the bar. Mentally note the tag from your chaps again referencing frequent body cut areas. and frequently reference bar and body relationship. If it's good/if it's bad. If bad, what is better. The neighbors had thirty acres cut. A father son team. Old man drove skidded and the son felling. Couple times a week I'd chat with them at lunch time. One day the son was wearing chaps while having lunch, which was new to see. The day before he spent most of the morning in ER, and the afternoon at home after a huge dose of pain killers shot in his leg. Even the pros get humbled, and he admits he was very lucky, and very sore for better than a week.
I had to teach my wife to stop at a distance and wait for me to see her, verses her walking up and startling me when she comes out to greet me unexpectedly.
Accidents are typically a series of poor smaller choices that add up, to something potentially going wrong. I'll cut a little longer, even though the chain is dull. This cut is a bit of a reach over some already cut rounds (the thought ignored).
When bucking larger stuff, 8" or so, watch the saw kerf above the bar for it to open or close. If it starts to close it is beginning to pinch. Learn to avoid this by observing where the pressure is applied to the wood. If it does begin to pinch, a felling wedge can be placed in the kerf to keep from pinching. This is where you keep your head and body to the side of the bar, as the wedge can, and will at some point, become a potentially hazardous projectile if you touch it with the chain. Done safely it can be used to advantage. Awareness of stresses and avoiding pinching is the safest of course.
Keeping your work area clear just makes sense.
You make your own conditions (most of the time).
And you are in charge of your own safety.
I'm not a professional at anything.
Just some suggestions to weigh as you see fit.
Again, Welcome John to AS, enjoy...and be safe.
As for tools, I recommend SuperSplit for the long haul wood burning homeowner.

 

[johnsayen]

What a bunch of thoughtful replies, thank you sincerely for taking the time.

 

[rarefish383]

Stick around. Once you get used to our off kilter sense of humor, we’re not such a bad bunch.

Sandhill, that was a bunch of good info.

 

[PJ41]

Hello,

I apologize if this is in the wrong section, I took the time to read through them all and this one seemed the most relevant, other than perhaps the forestry and logging section.

I am nearly 40, grew up and remain in a rural wooded area with long winters. Wood stoves and firewood have always been a part of life growing up, and I’ve recently moved to a home with one in my basement.

Growing up my dad always ran the saw and I always picked up wood and split it with a maul. I’ve been around saws my entire life but do not have a lot of experience running them until recently.

With the house move came a very large stack of red oak logs to process for firewood. I started out by buying an MS251, winter chaps, a Stihl helmet and face guard, Oregon gloves, and a stihl combination sharpener. After 7 face cord on the 251 it was clear to me that I purchased the wrong saw and upgraded to the 261. I should have followed the age old buy once cry once but alas here we are. Could not be happier with the 261, after I put 5 tanks of gas through her she really started to open up.

I had no idea the joy that comes with processing firewood for your own home. I did a lot of wood growing up but there is a different feeling when you own the home you’re heating. Much more enjoyable than when it’s your parents and you’re told to do it.

My goal is to become very proficient at cutting wood, and I have a long ways to go.

Here’s the part where I would appreciate feedback.

First, I am not the best at cutting straight when bucking. I have taken my time to properly sharpen and feel mostly proficient at it, but have also ordered a timberline to see if the chains are playing a role or if it’s simple practice. It seems obvious but it’s clearly not, any tips?

I have very little experience felling trees and while I intend to ask my dad to help me learn, I have also been watching every one of the BC faller training standard videos on YouTube, as well as downloaded their PDF manuals. Any recommendations for other materials to ingest? This feels like the scariest part of the whole operation to me.

I have not yet bought any wedges, or axes to drive them and clean the undercut. I started researching this rabbit hole today and got lost in a hurry. Recommendations for what to buy?

My 261C came with a 20” bar which felt long for bucking on the pile, I then picked up a 16” which was great for the pile but I’m tempted to pick up an 18” to see if it just feels right. Any thoughts here? I’ve been running the yellow RM chains.

On splitting wood, do you recommend a maul like I’ve always used, an axe, something else? And which? Right now I’m using a tractor supply maul and it works but I’m sure there are much better out there.

Lastly, am I missing anything like additional recommended PPE or tools?

I’m in this for the long haul and want to learn to be safe, proficient, and skilled at this. We’ve already burned four face cord this year, love the heat, and I’ve been really enjoying the work (processed about 15 face cord so far this year.)

This forum has been a great resource so far and I look forward to talking with you all.

Thank you.

John:
Suggest you get some good safety toed work boots to add to your PPE inventory. Also, when you start felling, make sure the area around your feet is clear and free of trip hazards. Also make sure you know which way you are going to move when the tree starts moving.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

I would add buy several large fire extinguishers and place them about the house, as well as doing random fire drills with a known meeting place.

A barn burnt down this weekend in Hamilton, MI, a small farm town near by. Wood stove, ammunition and a couple small propane tanks. Complete loss. Noted in the paper was the narrow driveway limiting access of the fire trucks, and having to use the neighbors drive for some of the trucks.

I sold my 5500 flatbed this week. It was parked at the end of the driveway, so I pulled the batteries out, the fire extinguisher and triangles out of the cab. The plates and insurance were expired, so the guy that bought it drove it around the drive and wood lot is all. The next day he got insurance on it and picked it up that night, a forty five minute drive home. Fifteen minutes later on the interstate the front brake caught fire, which he put out with the extinguisher, and placed the triangles. His wife in a car behind him. I covered the tow, dropping it at a diesel shop. I also covered the repair, which included four new calipers. Had I not put the fire extinguisher or even the triangle kit back in the cab it could have been a very different story.. He decided he still wanted it. I got a call from him when he finally got it home, and was very happy. It has a 3126 Cat that just purrs. Had the tire caught fire, the whole truck would have burned.

I think we have four extinguishers in the house, and one in the garage, one in the container in the wood lot. Maybe I should get one or two more. One for the pickup for sure.

 

[torch]

Lots of good advice above.

Don't get rid of the first saw. You don't need 9 saws, but you do need at least 2. At some point in the learning process, you will get the bar pinched and then you will need the second saw to cut out the first. Don't Ask Me How I Know This (tm).

As for bar length, a short bar (eg: 16") is much nicer for trimming off the branches after felling. Pros can cut trees bigger than the bar, but I think amateurs are better off with a bar long enough to take it in one pass. So how long a bar you need is a function of how big your trees are, and how big a saw you need is a function of how long your bar is and how hard your trees are.

Personally, my small saw is an 025 (predecessor of your MS251) with a 16" bar. One of my sons has the MS261C-M and while it is more powerful for similar weight, I think a 20" bar is a bit long for that saw in hardwood. I really like it with the 18" bar though. I have an MS361 Pro that works well with a 20" bar, and I think that is the sort of size needed for a 20" bar.

All that said, you don't have to use all 20". Just mind the bit sticking out and don't let it hit the dirt.