New Saw for Christmas! -- MS 441 C-M

[MasterMech]

I'll give them a call tomorrow and see if they have one in stock.
If so I would think that they would exchange it.

-Eric

Just be prepared, they aren't cheap.

 

[Eric106]

Nice pick. A 28" stihl light bar would make a nice compliment to the 20" when a longer bar is needed. It weighs the same as the 20". There's not much difference at all in it and a 24" any way.

It may be worthwhile to try to trade the 24" for the 28" before you use it

+1 on the 28" ES Light for these saws. It's a great compliment to the wide-nose 20" I have as well. The featherweight 28" is my favorite for felling!

Are you guys running full complement chain with the 28" bar, half-skip or full-skip?

-Eric

 

[mdavlee]

Yes. I have full comp snd semi for my 28".

 

[MasterMech]

Are you guys running full complement chain with the 28" bar, half-skip or full-skip?

-Eric

Yes. .

Actually, I don't have any half-skip, but I have both full skip and full comp chisel chains for that bar. 91 drivers.

 

[Eric106]

So which would you recommend? We cut firewood in Pennsylvania so it's predominantly hardwood, some oak but probably more locust, wild cherry, poplar and such.

-Eric

 

[mdavlee]

Yes. .

Actually, I don't have any half-skip, but I have both full skip and full comp chisel chains for that bar. 91 drivers.

Full skip if you want to file quicker.

 

[MasterMech]

So which would you recommend? We cut firewood in Pennsylvania so it's predominantly hardwood, some oak but probably more locust, wild cherry, poplar and such.

-Eric

Full skip if you want to file quicker.

Full comp should cut faster in Oak, but mdavlee has a point about sharpening time. I grind my chains sharp so sharpening time is still pretty quick, even for 28" full comp loops. I carry both types, if the wood is big and I plan on noodling the big 'ins, I'll run the skip loop.

 

[Eric106]

I guess I'll just see what they have for chain if they have the 28" bar.

Even if they don't have the 28" light bar they would probably still take the 25" and chains back since they aren't used and I could find it some place else.

-Eric

 

[Eric106]

I took the 25" bar and chains back this morning. They didn't have the 28" ES Light in stock but I went ahead and got a couple chains for it figuring I could pick the bar up somewhere else. I called all over but no one around here has one.

I'm stationed in Mississippi right now and will be starting the drive back to Pennsylvania for Christmas tomorrow morning so I've been looking up and calling every Stihl dealer along the way to find someone with it in stock. I finally found a place in Tennessee with one on hand so I had them put my name on it and I'll pick it up tomorrow.

Can anyone else say they ever drove over 500 miles to get a chain saw bar? (but honestly, it's on the way...)

-Eric

 

[mdavlee]

Glad you found it. What part of TN you coming through? We could start breaking the saw in on your trip you know.

 

[MasterMech]

My shop thinks I am crazy for ordering a $150 bar.... The price tag is what keeps a lot of shops from stocking these. Unless they have a big pro logging customer base, they are going to be a tough sell to anyone other than a saw enthusiast. 2x the money of a regular ES bar in most cases.

 

[ernurse]

Excellent choice. +1 on the bar. Get a 20 and the es light 28. forget the 25. I know there are more powerful or light saws but I just can't come up with anything I don't like about my 441.

 

[Milkman31]

Pm me your address and I will send you a mediacat disc and you will have all the shop manuals and ipls for a lot of stihl equipment including your 441cm. It is the same software they use at your dealer.

Congrats on the saw!

What would be the price on a disc like that? I would buy one.

 

[ernurse]

My shop thinks I am crazy for ordering a $150 bar.... The price tag is what keeps a lot of shops from stocking these. Unless they have a big pro logging customer base, they are going to be a tough sell to anyone other than a saw enthusiast. 2x the money of a regular ES bar in most cases.

Yeah but weighs a few ounces less than a 20 in pro bar. Worth it to me

 

[Eric106]

Full skip if you want to file quicker.

My brother has a grinder so that's not a concern.

Glad you found it. What part of TN you coming through? We could start breaking the saw in on your trip you know.

I'll be coming up through Chattanooga (which is where I found the bar) headed Northeast. Since it's on the way, I am going to stop in Oliver Springs for the afternoon and night because there is an off-road park near there that a friend and I are thinking about visiting. So unless you're real close by it probably won't work out. From there I'll be headed through Knoxville to I-40W and up I-81N.

My shop thinks I am crazy for ordering a $150 bar.... The price tag is what keeps a lot of shops from stocking these. Unless they have a big pro logging customer base, they are going to be a tough sell to anyone other than a saw enthusiast. 2x the money of a regular ES bar in most cases.

I certainly understand the business decision on stocking something like this. That's a lot of capital to have tied up in a low demand part. I think the price though my local shop was $120 something but even their distributor didn't have one in stock so it would be two to four weeks before they could even get one.

Excellent choice. +1 on the bar. Get a 20 and the es light 28. forget the 25. I know there are more powerful or light saws but I just can't come up with anything I don't like about my 441.

That's the plan, got the saw with the 20" and am getting the 28" ES Light tomorrow. Already have two chains for each bar, a 2 1/2 gal No-Spill can full of premix, a gallon of bar oil and some extra 2-stroke oil ready to go.

Thanks everyone for your input and help.
That's what makes this place so great.

-Eric

 

[mdavlee]

Oliver springs is close to tLandrum. I'm not real far off 81 but probably farther than you want to detour.

 

[Eric106]

I like to get an early start so I'll probably be through Knoxville and then hit I-81 about 4 or 5 a.m. Friday morning which probably wouldn't work out very well. By the way, Google Maps doesn't seem to acknowledge the existence of Landrum, TN so I have no idea where that might be.

-Eric

 

[SAWMIKAZE]

I like to get an early start so I'll probably be through Knoxville and then hit I-81 about 4 or 5 a.m. Friday morning which probably wouldn't work out very well. By the way, Google Maps doesn't seem to acknowledge the existence of Landrum, TN so I have no idea where that might be.

-Eric

Mdavlee was referring to terry landrum who lives down that way..hes a saw builder and sponsor here

 

[1Alpha1]

Congrats on the saw. It will serve you well.

But, I would have bought an orange one................

 

[Stihlman441]

+1 on the 28" ES Light for these saws. It's a great compliment to the wide-nose 20" I have as well. The featherweight 28" is my favorite for felling!

+ 2 on the 28'' ES Light bar.