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As long as I have experts here on this thread, I am at the fish or cut bait moment on purchasing a saw for a chainsaw mill. I want to be able to power a 48” mill rarely and a 36” mill more often, but a total of 100 feet or so of cutting a year. If I can narrow a log enough for my bandsaw mill (HM126) I don’t need to do everything with a chainsaw. Mostly I see the fun of getting through large stuff here and there. Not as any business, just hobby. That said, Stihl has a $1610 price on the 500i and a $1560 price on the 661. Would you pick one over the other or neither? Thanks in advance.
 

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As long as I have experts here on this thread, I am at the fish or cut bait moment on purchasing a saw for a chainsaw mill. I want to be able to power a 48” mill rarely and a 36” mill more often, but a total of 100 feet or so of cutting a year. If I can narrow a log enough for my bandsaw mill (HM126) I don’t need to do everything with a chainsaw. Mostly I see the fun of getting through large stuff here and there. Not as any business, just hobby. That said, Stihl has a $1610 price on the 500i and a $1560 price on the 661. Would you pick one over the other or neither? Thanks in advance.

You'll get a better response posting your own thread in the chainsaw or the milling forum, rather than tacking on to an existing thread.

That said, 661 no doubt. 500i is a hot rod, you want a heavy truck.
 
As long as I have experts here on this thread, I am at the fish or cut bait moment on purchasing a saw for a chainsaw mill. I want to be able to power a 48” mill rarely and a 36” mill more often, but a total of 100 feet or so of cutting a year. If I can narrow a log enough for my bandsaw mill (HM126) I don’t need to do everything with a chainsaw. Mostly I see the fun of getting through large stuff here and there. Not as any business, just hobby. That said, Stihl has a $1610 price on the 500i and a $1560 price on the 661. Would you pick one over the other or neither? Thanks in advance.
661, no question
 
I’m not brand biased. I actually own a 462, two 500s, and 661. If I wanted a saw for a mill I would buy a 395
That and over 28” wood is all my clone 395 gets used for. Love the power it has but it’ll wear me out in a hurry if it’s not inside a mill. Makes my 590 Echo feel like nothing weight wise
 
It definitely had oil.

The piston might clean up as a spare :p
New pts ordered...

Gas in the tank...looks like Ultra...View attachment 1149371
View attachment 1149351
That’s the gas that’s in the tank, not necessarily the gas that last ran through the injector. It’s been my experience on warranty claims that people always dump out the straight gas and put in fresh mixed 50:1 when they know they made a mistake
 
That’s the gas that’s in the tank, not necessarily the gas that last ran through the injector. It’s been my experience on warranty claims that people always dump out the straight gas and put in fresh mixed 50:1 when they know they made a mistake
Yea, I’m having the owner try to see if he can get a confession from his crew, :p
maybe the guy who quit back then?

but, definitely oil in the crankcase and scrounging the stuck rings.
 
Yea, I’m having the owner try to see if he can get a confession from his crew, :p
maybe the guy who quit back then?

but, definitely oil in the crankcase and scrounging the stuck rings.
Don’t know how long it was pumped, primed, pulled on or ran after it quit but you might pump the primer bulb and see what comes out or investigate inside the fuel pump. I’m not trying to say it was straight gas. But it would be nice to know one way or the other.
 
Don’t know how long it was pumped, primed, pulled on or ran after it quit but you might pump the primer bulb and see what comes out or investigate inside the fuel pump. I’m not trying to say it was straight gas. But it would be nice to know one way or the other.
$130 in parts. I’ll just get it fixed and back to the crew.
he’s going to start using 40:1. Any idea if that Ultra will work at that ratio and not screw up saws? I’ve never used it so have no idea. Been using Red Armor for years, recommended by one of the saw builders I’ve used.
 
$130 in parts. I’ll just get it fixed and back to the crew.
he’s going to start using 40:1. Any idea if that Ultra will work at that ratio and not screw up saws? I’ve never used it so have no idea. Been using Red Armor for years, recommended by one of the saw builders I’ve used.
Red armor works well. Stick with that for your own stuff if you don’t mind buying it.
As to whether ultra will work for him or not at 40:1 depends on his fuel and their habits. I have seen some engines that are really clean that were on ultra and some that are very dirty. Best way is to look at it after 10 gallons of fuel and see
 

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