New Guy Here

[ValleyO'Giants]

Just found this site and thought I should register.
Just finished up a ton of research on what saw/local dealer is best for me and my needs.

I Live in the Oregon coast range on 40 acres of Doug fir.
My main source of heat is Firewood.
For the last three years I have suffered with a craftsman 14in saw!
To be fair, it still runs pretty well.

Anyhow, I really didnt want to spend too much $ so I was originally looking at the 200 to 300 dollar range. Money at this time has been my deciding factor.

After all my research I decided that the 200-250 craftsman saws are not what I wanted.
So I started looking at Husky and Stihl.
In my area the Stihl dealers are abundant. In fact there is one 9 miles from my house and I live on the edge of civilization!
So I was leaning toward the ms290. $360.
I got a little more money for christmas then I thought and decided to go one up and get the ms310 for $399.
For me that is alot of money, but I think it was the right choice for me.
I really cannot aford to spend 600 bucks on a pro saw right now.
And I do have access to a buddies built 440 if I really need soemthing that powerful.

So far I have used the saw once.
Any tips on break in?
On how to keep from cutting my nose off from kickback from my new saw that is 4x as powerful as my little craftsman?
I am alot more cautious of kickback because of the power difference, but I dont want to be too cautious, right?

Anyway, cool site.
I look forward to all your comments.
Thanks,
Doug

 

[sawinredneck]

Welcome to AS.

Now RUN!!!!!!!!! Save yourself, loose you're password, smash you're computer!!! Give you're money to someone you can trust!! Run far and run fast!!! It's not too late!!!
Andy

 

[Cut4fun]

So true Red.

 

[Ed in Maine]

Congrat's, the MS310 is a nice saw! I use my brother-in-law's MS290 all the time, until I finally broke down like you did and got a new "real" saw. Not sure on break in, but I remember the manual saying something about not hitting max throttle without being under a load for a couple take fulls of gas? Also, the manual has some really good info on kickback with pics and all. I would recommend a pair of chaps if you don't have a set. I use mine all the time now, they actually make it easer to move through the woods and briars too since they don't fetch up. Welcome,
Ed

 

[Woodsrover]

Red's right. I joined this board not long ago with two saws, now I have five.

Use a quality mix with good gas and a quality bar oil and have at it.

Wecome aboard!

jim

 

[1wildthing]

I use a little extra mix oil during break in. Not sure if it helps, or not but I do it anyway. And try not to hold wide open for extended periods. Basically just baby it a little bit. As far as kickback goes, never cut with the upper 1/2 of the tip, and be carefull when cutting with the top of the bar in the wood. If the top of the bar gets pinched, the saw will come back at you. Otherwise just be careful, have fun, and start saving up for your 660.

 

[ASEMASTER]

Run

welcome aboard, you'll have another bigger saw soon! do buy the ppe. and use it , along with some wedges.

 

[Log Splitter]

I'm new here too, Valley. Lot's of good helpful people on the site that will treat you right.

As far as kickback goes, the brake on your new Stihl is a lot better than anything the old Craftsman had on it. Like some others, I am now a believer in PPE. If you don't already own chaps and a hard hat, pick some up and start wearing them.

You can also pick up some good felling and bucking techniques on this site. I'm a new member, but have been lurking for a long time, and have learned a lot just reading a lot of the posts. Proper technique will keep you safe.

The rest is just common sense. Leave the tree alone if it looks too technical, stop when you get tired, and stay out of the beer box until the saw is put away.

Finally, good luck with the new 310. I owe the guys a report on my new 270 which I plan to to give after I cut firewood this weekend. You do the same with your new saw.

 

[oldsaw]

Doug, it is perfectly possible to hang around here and only have one saw. Take me for example, when I came here, I only had one saw...okay, maybe two...alright, so I'm probably not a good example. But, I've only bought one saw since I first got here...I just made sure it was a big one.

Mark

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

Run that saw like ya stole it. Run it normally in the cut. True, you don't want to floor it wide open throttle out of the cut, but you shouldn't really do that to any saw. Use common sense too. Run it normally, but don't take it out it's first day and bury a 28" bar cutting stumps. Run it normally for firewood use, and you'll be fine. Make sure to stay on top of it's carb tuning as well. Learn how to do that if you don't already.

Kickback? Use the search function on this site, and type in "kickback" or "PPE" or "chaps" and you'll get enough reading to crash your computer.

Welcome to AS.

Jeff

 

[pbtree]

Welcome aboard!

 

[MOA]

I have a MS310 and love it. Is it pro quality? No, but it cuts better than most and I have a good Stihl dealer here. Keep you chain sharp, get a yellow chain, and go cut wood. Take it easy the first few tanks, and dont be shocked if it bogs some. Mine did, but it grew out of it. The chisle chain makes a world of differnce, and make sure to keep pre mix in it, and dont loan it to anybody.

Start saving for your next saw!!!

 

[Freakingstang]

Welcome. Like others have said..Run now.

I had three when I came here...Now, I don't even know how many I really have....honestly.


Take care. The 310 is a decent saw, don't let others tell you any differant

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

That's true, the 310 is a great saw in it's intended role. That whole series of saw (290, 310, 390) is fine in it's niche. Yeah they'll come up short compared to a pro saw, but they're not meant to compete. I had a 310 and it cut firewood for me just fine. Run it as such, and you'll be happy. Run it in timber, you'll be disapointed with it.

 

[grandpatractor]

Welcome aboard
Don't worry, there is still a few of us only one saw guys around
Stay strong,resist the temptation

 

[ValleyO'Giants]

Thanks for all the positive comments everyone.
I look forward to learning more on this site.

I will be jumping into a big firewood project soon, so expect to hear from me!

The Ranch down the hill just clear cut a portion of his property and he has said that I may have the slash piles. (thats what I call em)
He is going to leave them for me to work on at least untill sometime this summer.

Any ideas on how to attack a pile?
Oh and he said no vehicles untill spring when things dry up a bit, so I willl be walking in and out and no jeep to yank out individual logs from the pile.

Thanks again,
Doug

 

[ValleyO'Giants]

Any Ideas on Attacking a Pile like that?

 

[vegaome]

Any Ideas on Attacking a Pile like that?

Howdy ValleyOGiants,

Not sure that I have all the answers but might offer what has worked for me. Them log piles is dangerous stuff, especially if there big enough to squish a man. Do wear your PPE. If you are moving, put your chain break on. Try to orient the logs to a good position for cutting with a come a long or six foot spud bar. Once you have it fairly stable get your saw and work it. Remember as you take rounds off it can change the weight and cause the log to shift, so cut some then take a break and step back and look it over good. Dont have the saw in one hand and try to move a log with the other.

Becareful and if you can take a buddy with you. Good luck.

v/r

Mike

 

[XJWoody]

New guy too... welcome

Howdy ValleyOGiants,

Not sure that I have all the answers but might offer what has worked for me. Them log piles is dangerous stuff, especially if there big enough to squish a man. Do wear your PPE. If you are moving, put your chain break on. Try to orient the logs to a good position for cutting with a come a long or six foot spud bar. Once you have it fairly stable get your saw and work it. Remember as you take rounds off it can change the weight and cause the log to shift, so cut some then take a break and step back and look it over good. Dont have the saw in one hand and try to move a log with the other.

Becareful and if you can take a buddy with you. Good luck.

v/r

Mike

Very good advice from Mike.

Always size up what sort of tension the limbs & saw wood is under before you make your cuts. If the tops are still green, they can hold a bunch of energy when bound up. Lots of opportunity for whippings and pinchings in a pile. PPE for sure...

Lots of sizing up cuts, and lots of shuffling brush/rounds out of the way too...

A sharp bush-axe can be a good tool with a longer reach to hack into a mess, also doubles as a small spade and pry bar.

Free wood burns hot though. Welcome to the site and congrats on the new saw. What sort of Jeep are you gonna yank logs with?

Don

 

[ValleyO'Giants]

I have a 93 Jeep Grand Cherokee.
It has the 5.2 Magnum V8.
Basically a Fuel injected, Roller cam version of the Chrysler 318.
It is a decent wheeler for mild stuff. I bought it because we live at the top of an old logging road.

here is a photo...

The sticker in the rear window (H2 Recovery Team) is a little Joke(It's a Jeep thing), Hope noone with an H2 gets offended.

Anyway, thanks again all for the warm welcome and good advice.
Doug