Old saw or new?

[Brushwacker]

I would stay 60cc or bigger. Make sure you like the feel of the saw in your hands. and feel comfortable with the weight. Check the reputation of the model saw before you buy if you don't already know it. I feel confident with most model stihls as far as older saws reliability factor.

 

[ross01]

Thanks for all the great ideas everyone. My budget is around 150-200, I could probably go to 300-400 if the wife didn't find out. Maybe I could convince her that chainsaw can reproduse if left unatended, just like my guns have. I was thinking of getting an older saw that would do the job until I could get a newer saw, but maybe I will just keep working with my p50 and save up for a nice used 044 or 046.

I found a P52 and P65 on E-bay but they will probably go for way to much. I figured if I started on a 24 inch bar would be pretty good for learning to fell some smaller trees and still be big enough to block up the big trees that my friends fell.

RB in VA I live in a little town called Howe in southeastern Idaho, quite a ways from Lewiston.

I am still pretty nervous felling trees, in fact it scares the crap out of me. I have a new respect for you guys that do that kind of stuff for a living. After my first trip to get some firewood I decided that I could become a professional blocker without too much trouble , but I guess I better learn how to fell trees as well. Might as well learn now while I have someone to help me.

Once again thanks for all the help and advise, I am glad I found this site. Lots of good knowledge here.

 

[Diesel JD]

You're scaring me a little now. When I started cutting I started with a 30cc Homelit, then moved up to a 32cc McCulloch, then a 44 and another 40cc Stihl. I know run an Ms390, which has 64cc. I think if I had started cutting with this saw I would be missing appendages by now...but if you can handle the 82cc pioneer, no doubt you can handle a similar Stihl or Husky/Jonsred/Dolmar. If you want to learn more advanced timber falling techniques, I'd recommend getting Professional Timber Falling by D. Douglas Dent, or better yet, cutting with an experienced logger. The good thing is that you are apparently cutting away from a lot of targets(houses cars etc, esp. powerlines:jawdrop: ) so that will help your learning how to fell trees safer and easier. Lastly, no one has mentioned it, but full skip saw chain will help you be able to pull these longer bars you want to use and you should have no problem with square chisel skip in firs and pine/spruce. Most any pro saw with 4.5-5.5 cubes will pull a 28" bar everyday and a 32" bar when you need it...maybe more....Lakeside says a 460 will pull a 36 under these conditions...and I believe he knows what he's talking about.

 

[minkota1]

Hmm... I guess I didn't read that part of this post... The saws I have recommended are all big powerful Pro saws. Be careful fallin' those trees. These bigger saws with longer bars are unbalanced and the potential for kickback is very high. When fallin' BIG timber, you really need to know what you are doin'. A small mistake could be fatal. Hell even a small mistake on small trees can be fatal.

I'm not going to go into the ins-and-outs of fallin' trees on this thread... if you do a "search" for it on this board there will be enough reading to keep you busy for a while.

Good luck... and be careful!

Gary

GAS is 100% correct, learning on big wood is real dangerous Be Careful and get some training from someone with experience:greenchainsaw:
Be Safe Friend!

 

[ross01]

Thanks for the help guys. I am going to buy the book that someone recommeded and will be careful. I have been going after only the trees that look like they will fall the easiest. I try to look at them and make sure they aren't going to hit another tree. My dad has told me alot of stories of bad things that happen when you are felling trees. Thanks for the info and concern, jake.