MS 361 power?

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Hmmm WRW yes I was defiantly pushing my new saw sort of tryin it out maybe I am used to low rpm digging with my old pioneer. I was definanly trying to dog it down to see what it had. This weekend I will try I will give it the reins so to speak with the new chain and see what happens. Timberpig your post has much wise reasoning. I failed to mention my frustration is from me reading on this website about the rave reviews of the 361 then i bought it... And its just not the saw that I thought it was going to be. That is with the safty chain. Like I said when I use it with the other chain and mods I will give a honest report on how this thing performs! But I am afraid Timberpig like you said I will just have to pony up and buy a bigger saw :( Im not just cuttin wood for fun btw im trying to make a liveing in the wintertime here and I wanted to up my performance with a new saw.
 
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If you're cutting firewood for sale, then a bigger saw will definitely make sense. If you don't mind buying a used saw, try looking in the used equipment forum. There is usually something in there, and you usually can get a better deal, on a better saw here than playing russian roulette with an eBay saw. I'm sure someone here has a good used larger saw if you are interested in going larger after trying the 361 a little more.

Sometimes it can be kind of tough to gauge a saw from the comments on here, as people will often speak glowingly of a saw they really like. They may not list its shortcomings as readily. Some on here would also recommend far more saw than what is really needed at the same time. If you decide that you want to go larger, just let us know what size and type of wood you expect to be cutting, and other relevant information and we can easily give you a recommmendation for something that will satisfy your needs a bit better.
 
J- I think TimberPig gives good advice. These newer, lighter, higher revving saws are meant to be used differently. You should allow the saw to pull itself into the wood. You'll need sharp chain for that, but allowed to do that, it'll cut fine for you. Now compared to a 440 or 460, it'll still be short. That's why I own those saws, because the 361 can't do what they do in larger timber. But in the role it's meant to fill, that of a 4.5 hp, 59cc saw, especially opened up, it's superb.

Jeff
 
The one reason for the boging down can be safety RM2 chain, because the safety humpers can give additional friction in the wood, especially if to apply pressure on saw during cutting.
Surely the old slow-rev "monsters" cant be compared with the modern saws in the right way. The first ones were operator "killers" with their weight, vibration, kickback, etc. Modern saws are not so strong "opponents" to the operator, but you can do more work with them :buttkick:
 
so let me clarify, you are cutting for a living with an old pioneer. and only have one saw, your a professional but don't know if chisel, semi-chisel or safety chain is on the saw?

Put full chisel on a 16" bar and check to make sure the rakers are at .025, open up your muffler and run 5-6 tanks through it.

I'd love to see a picture of your new 361, can you post one please?


lucky
 
lol lucky001 I DEFINANLY have never claimed to be a professional. I am here to learn thats why I am posting here. I started cutting firewood when I got my first saw at 16 yrs old. It was a homolite 330. I wore it out cutting cedar trees up for someone I was working for when I bought chains for it I just got what the chainsaw dealer told me. Then I started useing the pioneer and I wanted to increase my time/amount of wood cut! I am cutting alot of dead white and black oak anywhere from 18" to 30" I can post some more proof pictures of my saw if you like :D
 
WRW said:
Just a thought, here. When you cut with the new saw, are you dogging it in? If not, disregard this post.

The newer saws have a relatively narrow power band, especially the smaller saws (less than 70cc, which the 361 definately is). They cut fast, but you can't make 'em cut faster by pushing 'em. Try cutting with the dogs not touching the wood and see if it doesn't self feed a lot faster than if you push it.

Excellent post!!! I complained about the power my 440 had when I first used it. The problem was my technique. Once I learned to let the saw do the work and only to push just the right amount the saw was an absolute screamer. At first I wished I had bought a 460 or a 660, but now I realize I have more saw than I need. Often I dont have big enough wood to fully utilize the 440 and I end up with a fouled plug.

I also recommend that the muffler gets a mod and the carb retuned, dont expect major gains but the longevity of the saw should improve.

I have purchased a 440, and FS 45 and a 192T in the past year and only the 192T was "too lean" from the factory. The 440 seamed just right, the FS45 was way, way too rich. This is counter to most of the comments I have read on this website. Although I agree that most saws will need to be richened up a little, and definately need a muffler mod, treat the saw as an individual.
 
JHeckman said:
I DEFINANLY have never claimed to be a professional.

You didn't?

JHeckman said:
Im not just cuttin wood for fun btw im trying to make a liveing in the wintertime..

I too had the impression you were a professional. Most pro firewood guys will use a 440 or 460. Many even use a 660 for production firewood processing.

Jeff
 
Sorry I missed the other post with the pic all I saw was the pic of the pioneer in this post that looks questionably if it runs.

Thanks jeff you saved me a step. :) :laugh:

Lucky
 
Nope no pro here I cut firewood in the wintertime for money when my main occupation slows down. (horshoeing) Like I said im no pro but I am not just cutting firewood for fun or for home heating im cutting it to sell. I am going to try my saw tommarow with the new chain and see what I think. I might have a saw for sale here real soon for anyone interested. I have the recipt showing that I bought it on Thursday.
 
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What kind of volume of wood do you cut each year? I think I recall you saying that you cut about 10 cord yesterday. That's alot of wood. If you sell those 10 cord at even $100 each you'll be able to buy a 460. That saw would be more on-par with your expectations.

How much would you ask for the 361...should you sell it? Because it sounds like you've almost already made your mind up-

JHeckman said:
I might have a saw for sale here real soon for anyone interested. I have the recipt showing that I bought it on Thursday.

Jeff
 
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Im not sure yet fishhuntcutwood on what ill take for it if I want to sell it. I was planing on trying to get at least 75 or so cords cut this winter. From the way it looks I need a bigger saw. Anyway tommarow I will know more about it.
By the way about the comp valve. I followed the instructions in the manual and couldnt get it to hit at all. It was about 30 degrees outside I put the saw on full choke pushed in the comp release. Pulled on the cord 20+ times it never fired at all. I finally let it set for awhile. Tryed again and didnt work so I pulled the comp release up to the off possition. Then pulled the saw about 6 or 7 times I think and it fired. I put it on half choke pulled 2 times and it started. Anyway am I doing something wrong? I used brand new 91 octane gas mixed 50:1 with Stihl gas mix.
 
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lucky001 said:
Sorry I missed the other post with the pic all I saw was the pic of the pioneer in this post that looks questionably if it runs.

Thanks jeff you saved me a step. :) :laugh:

Lucky


Those pics of the Pioneer aren't his saw, they are an eBay saw that he said looks like his, that he was trying to use to help people relate to which Pioneer he was comparing the 361 to.
 
JHeckman said:
After a bit of research I finally decided to replace my old Pioneer saw , I don't know what model its very old and the paint is all worn off has a push button oiler pump on it . I finally decided on a Still ms 631. Ok well I bought it for a little over 600$. The dealer gave me a free case and extra chain with it. I read the book on it and took the thing out today and tryed to start it. Well I could'nt even get it to fire with the decomp valve on like it says in the book. I finally just just pulled up on the switch to turn the valve off and started it on full comp. It was not very hard to start like that anyway its alot easyer to pull than my pioneer. Anyway so I got it started and cut up around 3 cords of wood with it. I am very disapointed with the power of this thing. I actually got my pioneer out and ripped through a few logs and tryed the 361 side by side and it was a vast difference in speed. My old ars pioneer is way faster on the cut :mad: I can bog the 361 with all ease in fact I often had to go easy on it to keep it from sticking. My old pioneer I cant even get it to bog unless I use all my strength. Whats going on here?? I love the weight of this 361 it its light as a feather compared to my pioneer. And my pioneer turns my arms all numb after a few minutes because of the massive vibration. But I really hate wasteing my time cutting wood useing the stihl when I can go faster with my pioneer. Which kinda pisses me off because I just expected to get more saw for 600$ than what it is right now. My question is when this thing gets broke in will it have a significant amount of added power ? I plan on doing the muffler modification to it and see what happends , will there be a very noticable increase in power? Im starting to wonder if I should have bought a bigger saw because right now this thing feels like a toy to cut wood with. Oh by the way the 361 has a 20 inch bar.
Excuse my verbosity. Weird.
 
Heckman,I never implied knowingly that you did not own the saw.:bang: I also hope that you dont get too upset with the salty among this here site,cause the more you get upset,the more they will feed off it.:buttkick: I think that you should think about a larger saw because the one that you are used to is like a tractor compared to a diesel pickup.Ones got power but little comfort ,the other has comfort and adequate power.All in all,I think a MS 460 is more for you.
 
JHeckman, don't feel bad about your starting experience with the 361, as I and others have had a similar problem. And its not as hard to start with the valve 'off' as one might think. My 361 coughs after a couple of pulls on full choke, and then starts on either run or modified choke after two more pulls. I've been told that the newer Stihl's have this problem of being more difficult to start. My older 026 coughs on the first or second pull on full choke and runs on the next pull in the run position. And once I've run it during the day, I rarely have to use the choke again during that day. Maybe, the good old EPA is messing with things again on the newer saws. Tom :confused:
 
JHeckman said:
I was planing on trying to get at least 75 or so cords cut this winter. From the way it looks I need a bigger saw.

Good Lord J, for 75 cord a year, I'd say that makes you a production firewood cutter, and a 460 or even 660 would be more in line. with your needs. The 361 will do it, but for that kind of volume, you'll need a larger saw to be happy.

As far as the decomp valve, the burp on full choke can be kinda subtle. If you miss it, and keep pulling with full choke, you'll flood the saw.

You might try to just pull it on full choke only two or three times, regardless if you get a burp or not, and then switch to high idle, and pull until it starts. It may take a few extra pulls, but not 20+.

Jeff
 

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