Thread: show us your chainsaws

Originally Posted by andyanimal31

I'm gutted as had my saws stolen just before the 500i came out.
Ended up with a 220c a 362 a 461 and 880m.
I'm so close to just buying one because I can but holding myself back!
I now struggle to be allowed to take the 220 away to work as the Mrs thinks she owns it now.
I had to get my old faithfull 021 going again!

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Not that it really needs it, but if you ever get the chance to have a play with a worked 500i, it’ll blow your mind.
Ported, polished, air filter mod, bark box etc, they are a beast. Not really a thing in this country but in the states, not many timber guys run stock saws.
There’s a guy in NZ now doing the work.

Originally Posted by McNotty

Not that it really needs it, but if you ever get the chance to have a play with a worked 500i, it’ll blow your mind.
Ported, polished, air filter mod, bark box etc, they are a beast. Not really a thing in this country but in the states, not many timber guys run stock saws.
There’s a guy in NZ now doing the work.

There's a young Kiwi forestry guy running a YT channel that did a review on those worked 500i's. Life of a Bushman is his channel

Originally Posted by XR500

There's a young Kiwi forestry guy running a YT channel that did a review on those worked 500i's. Life of a Bushman is his channel

Yea Mattie Harrison, good watch. Just did a worked 661 review a while back as well.

I saw a guy at a demo who had modified a Husqy something into a race saw - looked like a motorbike exhaust hanging off it and made more noise than a turbine engine. Thing dropped through a 2 foot round log at a hell of a rate. I think the chain had been that heaviliy modified it wasn't funny though, the chain along was probably worth more than a stock saw off the showroom floor! It is amazing what people can achieve with modding factory gear - you sort of wonder why the factory doesn't incorporate some of the mods?

Originally Posted by McNotty

Not that it really needs it, but if you ever get the chance to have a play with a worked 500i, it’ll blow your mind.
Ported, polished, air filter mod, bark box etc, they are a beast. Not really a thing in this country but in the states, not many timber guys run stock saws.
There’s a guy in NZ now doing the work.

I have read a fair bit about them on over seas forums.
It's a bit like how I like my rifle cartridges, if you want 3006 performance out of a 308 buy a 3006.
I'm a the same with my saws, if stihl wanted to make them go harder for that Cc I will leave it to them.
I really worry about longevity with any thing that is over speced from after factory.
I suppose it's my grown conservatism from been a young fella that used to want things to go harder and faster.
Eg my hillman hunter with all the fruit on the motor that then threw a leg out of bed when I wound it up to 114mph.
It's taken me 40 yrs to learn moderation!

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I hear you on that one Andy...... there are lots of small motor comparisons,the one that springs to mind is outboards,the 8hp is a down chipped 15hp so nothing it ever going to be over worked,yes its heavy but it wont break.
Im more than happy with the power my saws chuck out now...changing the octane level of the fuel in a small motor make a HUGE difference,be it lawn mower,boat outboard,car oe chainsaw..... the boat motor 6hp 4 stroke,would start better on 91 but went quicker with 98,much quicker according to my GPS. something along lines of 23kmph Vs 27 kmph
now we have a 15hp 2 stroke and it does 40kmph LOL.

Originally Posted by andyanimal31

I have read a fair bit about them on over seas forums.
It's a bit like how I like my rifle cartridges, if you want 3006 performance out of a 308 buy a 3006.
I'm a the same with my saws, if stihl wanted to make them go harder for that Cc I will leave it to them.
I really worry about longevity with any thing that is over speced from after factory.
I suppose it's my grown conservatism from been a young fella that used to want things to go harder and faster.
Eg my hillman hunter with all the fruit on the motor that then threw a leg out of bed when I wound it up to 114mph.
It's taken me 40 yrs to learn moderation!

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Given that a professional saw needs to run hard for 9-10 months, 5 days a week doing 10 hour days before it needs a piston and rings, and be consigned to the role of a back up saw by a hard as nails faller, its easy to see why a saw that can handle that work profile, can have a shit ton more boogie squeezed out of it by a committed small motor guru. Trouble is, can it still hold together for that same work profile? I personally doubt it.

Originally Posted by XR500

Given that a professional saw needs to run hard for 9-10 months, 5 days a week doing 10 hour days before it needs a piston and rings, and be consigned to the role of a back up saw by a hard as nails faller, its easy to see why a saw that can handle that work profile, can have a shit ton more boogie squeezed out of it by a committed small motor guru. Trouble is, can it still hold together for that same work profile? I personally doubt it.

There's contractor that comes into my mates stihl dealership with a hotted up 661.
He dropped it of as needed work the other day.
I will have to find out if it was any thing to do with the mods.
My mate the stihl reckons the 500i is a incredibly reliable saw for the first generation of that model.
Hi praise indeed from him!

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The concrete saw version of that electronic setup didn't and doesn't seem to be the success that the chainsaw has been. My experience of the concrete saw really clouded me against the electronic chainsaw when they first came out and there were a couple that died young for some weird unidentified reason but now they seem a lot more reliable than the earlier gen saws. The concrete versions seemed to die young - possibly the water exposure, I dunno...

Anyone had a play with square ground chain? Finally managed to track down some proper files ($$ will make you cry, but they last a long time). By god does it cut, easily 20% faster than stock round ground chain. Probably not practical for dirty wood but in nice clean stuff it’s a monster.
Watch a lot of YouTube vids from the states and Europe where it’s a pretty common practice, guys doing 2 days felling before a sharpen for anyone worried about longevity. Once you get the knack of the file geometry it’s sweet to touch up in the field.

Stihls Hexa chain that’s come out is similar but not quite a proper square grind, probably to make it easier for Joe Bloggs to sharpen a chain with their custom files.

Highly recommend if you’re looking for something to try and can hand file confidently.

Where’d you source the files? I’m keen to give it a go.


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Where did you find proper files? Have been keeping an eye out but haven't stumbled over any yet... Snap

Two types you can use.

Triangle
https://www.chainsawpartsworld.com/p...r-chisel-file/

Double bevel

https://www.chainsawpartsworld.com/p...le-bevel-file/

Only one triangle left, which is the cheaper option. Plenty double bevel in stock. But bloody pricey. I’d suggest only buying one file, you may realise very quickly it’s just not worth your while haha. I can suggest some good videos to watch as well. Chain needs to be tight when you’re doing it.

Triangle file

https://youtu.be/NMa4bzteJU0

Double bevel

https://youtu.be/gjR1km8LnDU

Also look up Guilty of Treeson square grinding on YouTube. Less technical.

Madsens1 website also has a lot of info

Bucking billy ray does a couple of YouTube clips of square filing as well