New member, 1st saw, new Stihl is awesome, Just saying Hello and Thanks!

[BloomingtonMike]

Hello everyone. I am Mike from Bloomington IL - just saying thanks for the knowledge and thread topics here in chainsaws. I have been trolling for a week or so now - lots of great experience here.

So I guess I have had two saws so far. A week ago yesterday I bought a MS290 w/ 20" bar. 10% off for fathers day deal (saw was $323) and the case, chain, hat deal for $35. I thought I was happy. The saw I bought was new but it sure did have one heck of a time starting. I was also not liking the weight of the saw much. After a week of frustrated starts and researching here (and the straw was the post about convining a member to upgrade the MS290 and get the MS260 pro) I went back yesterday and gave them more $$ for my current saw - MS260 pro with the 20". Because of this site, I asked to used the Stihl customer satisfaction guarentee when they were wondering what to do with a saw that had been started but had not cut any wood. My dealer (he is actually my John Deere dealer - their shop carries Stihl as well) had never heard of such a thing. I asked him to call Stihl and they helped us out in no time at all. Very good CS.

Now I do not know how I have done so far but it looks like a great saw from everyone's reviews here - lots of trust in this forum already really I guess. This is my only saw so I hope it is not too far either small or large - but a buddy just bought a MS210 with a 16" bar so if I ever needed smaller it is available.

I have 6.05 acres here in Bloomington IL. Not a ton of trees, but some I want to take better care of. Neighbor is old and blind and I help him with the yard because he cannot see most of it - I clean it up before he even knows it is a mess. I have already found that the loader on my Deere 3320 paired with a Stihl chainsaw is a powerful combination!! That same neighbor lost a decent osage orange tree to a storm about 4 weeks ago - I cleaned it up with the friends MS210. We burned 6 loader buckets full of limbs and smaller pieces from the tree and stacked the rest for a weenie roast and some lathe turnings. That day was when I decided my fathers day gift was a chainsaw saw.

I wanted to buy the right saw for me the first time. Stihl cost $$ but I hope this one was worth it. Dealer REALLY wanted me to buy the MS290. In the end the MS260 pro was my choice.

Anyway just saying hello and thanks to the community for their posts.

 

[daemon2525]

Cool!.. I think that you will like the saw. I have used the 29s a lot. The neighbor on one side has ms290, and a freind farther away has a 029.

I chose the ms260. I thought it felt more solid and compact. I have not convinced them yet. They worry about how much I gave for the thing.

They have not used it yet though. I will be interested in their opinion when they do.

 

[04ultra]

Welcome aboard and you made a v-good pick on the ms260 pro ...

 

[vharrison2]

BloomingtonMike, welcome to the site! Your property is beautiful.

 

[West Texas]

You will never regret the decision to dump the 290 and buy the 260 Pro. IMHO the 029/290 etc series are dogs. Yet, you are right, the Stihl dealers all push them on the uninformed public saying its the most popular saw -- because they sell them to naive people IMHO. You will be able to use and maintain that 260 Pro for many many years. Just remember to put oil in the oil tank every time you put fuel in the fuel tank. Clean it after each use. Blow the air filter clean usually with no trouble. Clean it with kerosene or many other cleaners when it gets really dirty. Keep the chain sharpened, and the groove on the bar clean after each use. Don't over tighten the chain and leave it slightly loose after use so it will not be too tight when it cools down. Then if you will take the muffler apart and put some more holes on the inside to let out more of that EPA required noise reduction, it will really cut great. As it is, the muffler exhaust hole is so much smaller than the cylinder exhaust port, that the muffler acts like a "Jake Brake" on an 18 wheeler. Do a search on this forum for many articles on this subject. Finally, enjoy an absolutely great saw.

 

[carvinmark]

Good for you!!!!!! Glad they swapped it out for ya.Enjoy your new saw.

 

[Rspike]

Then if you will take the muffler apart and put some more holes on the inside to let out more of that EPA required noise reduction, it will really cut great. As it is, the muffler exhaust hole is so much smaller than the cylinder exhaust port, that the muffler acts like a "Jake Brake" on an 18 wheeler. .

Jake Brake , New terminology for the chainsaw . Its a keeper .

 

[smithie55]

Good choice for a first time saw, good taste in saws, speaking of good taste, how was that bubba crappie, what a monster, we don't get'em that big out here on the left coast, least wise I haven't seen one that big.
Welcome to the best forum on the internet.

 

[JPP]

great move

 

[BloomingtonMike]

Good choice for a first time saw, good taste in saws, speaking of good taste, how was that bubba crappie, what a monster, we don't get'em that big out here on the left coast, least wise I haven't seen one that big.
Welcome to the best forum on the internet.

So I love the great taste of crappie BUT at 15" she went right back into my pond (where I caught her from). I am hoping she will get even bigger. I also have a 13" crappie in there as well that has a beautiful pattern to the black splotches. I have a bunch of nieces and nephews that love to catch fish in my pond so I put the special ones back in so maybe they can catch them someday. My wife and I are expecting our first child so maybe my kid/s can learn to catch the trophys as well. The real fish fun is the catfish though - nothing in the drink feels like a big cat on the end of the rod.

That all being said I need to have some work done on the pond - loosing a lot of water. I need to get it sorted out - up for suspect is the root systems of some of the big trees in the corner.

Hope to learn a lot about saws, trees, and wood from this site.

 

[JPP]

BloomingtonMike,
If you are new to saws, just be very careful when using them.
Get yourself one of those Stihl helmets with face shield and hearing protection.
The 260 pro is one very easy saw to use.
If you are not that experienced with chainsaws, use the low kickback (green link) chains for a while until you get the hang of using it.
I have been using chainsaws a lot for over 12 years and I still use the low kickback chains just because they are a little more 'forgiving' and I feel more comfortable with them.
Keep doing research on the web (do searches on this website) about safe use of chainsaws. Chainsaws are one of the most dangerous POE tools available. It only takes one mistake that can cost you for a lifetime.
Good choice and have fun with it. My 260 Pro is probably my favorite tool.

 

[BloomingtonMike]

I do not own a Stihl hardhat/shield/hearing protection but I do own a shield I use with my lathe (shopsmith) and I do own hearing protection (28db remington shooting protection) and I also wear eye protection under the shield.

I own a pretty capable hobbiest woodshop as well - Delat cabinet saw and 54" extension table with a 7518 router/table/PRL lift setup in it with two unifences, Jet 14" bandsaw with riser, Dewalt planer, Jet 6" joiner, and a HF/Wynn environmental dust collector in addition to a Shopsmith and about every hand power tool I have seen so eye and ear protection are high on my list of usage. I also have good leather boots and great gloves and a JD tractor to help me out with the large logs.

I want to practice with some logs I already have down to get the feel of this saw.

I also need to learn about chains. What chain is standard on a 20" 260pro? I know I received a green 20" stihl chain when I bought the case for the saw as well. I will get the numbers on them tomorrow. I am also thinking I may want a 16" bar and chain to also use with this saw.

What chain should I use with the 260pro??

 

[CaseyForrest]

Sounds like a good candidate for a BIG saw and a mill!!!

 

[carvinmark]

Sounds like a good candidate for a BIG saw and a mill!!!

That would sure compliment all his other woodworking goodies.Welcome to the site.

 

[Lakeside53]

I also need to learn about chains. What chain is standard on a 20" 260pro? I know I received a green 20" stihl chain when I bought the case for the saw as well. I will get the numbers on them tomorrow. I am also thinking I may want a 16" bar and chain to also use with this saw.

What chain should I use with the 260pro??

"green" chain can mean two things with Stihl: RM2 Semi chisel (not the best but it cuts o.k.) or RSC3 chisel which is actually quite good.

I'd run a full skip 3/8 RSC on a 20 inch 026 if cutting larger softwood, or, full comp if most of my work was smaller wood. In other parts of t he country with hardwoods, .325 might be the choice.

 

[BloomingtonMike]

Sounds like a good candidate for a BIG saw and a mill!!!

Have you seen the DIY bandsaw mills? That may be the way to go on the cheap for the hobbiest.

 

[luckycutter]

Hey. Bloomington is my home town. Looks like you are out in the county though. I got transplanted to oregon a long time ago, but I still have family there. Where did the catfish come from?

Welcome aboard Mike.

 

[BloomingtonMike]

I live just on the south edge of the city - Crestwicke Rd and Funks if you know that.

Catfish are from my pond. Check out the link in my sig. I keep them well fed. Nice and fat and STRONG. They have been brought in over the years from other ponds. Except for the occasional hook and release they have no pressure.

 

[luckycutter]

I live just on the south edge of the city - Crestwicke Rd and Funks if you know that.

Catfish are from my pond. Check out the link in my sig. I keep them well fed. Nice and fat and STRONG. They have been brought in over the years from other ponds. Except for the occasional hook and release they have no pressure.

I have not seen fish that large come from a pond that small unless it was a hatchery. The fish are well fed indeed. My last residence was in the broadmore(sp) area when it was on the edge of town. Just east of veterans parkway across from the origional State farm building. It has since been swallowed up my countless other subdivisions. I used to spend most of my summers at a park on the south side of town where the State Farm employees had. I used to fish in a 1-2 acre pond just south of where the swimming area is/was. I understand the pond was filled up years ago and is now part of a golf course if I remember correctly. I did my bass fishing at moraine veiw state park. (Dawson lake?) That was quite a ride for me on a 10 speed, but the fishing was worth it.

 

[woodshop]

Sounds like a good candidate for a BIG saw and a mill!!!

My thoughts also Casey when I read he has 6+ acres, and neighbors with trees AND is also a woodworker. Bloomington Mike, not sure how deep your pockets are at this time, but hey, if you're a woodworker like myself, it is ONLY A MATTER OF TIME before you start looking at trees as potential custom milled lumber. You have a tractor... you have chainsaws... you have a woodworking shop... you NEED a little chainsaw mill, to complete your circle . Before you can say "flitch" you're back yard will look like a lumber yard, as mine does. WARNING... its VERY addicting.