Thread: show us your chainsaws

I had to start fresh after a devasting house fire took everything from me last year, @Matt308 ended up with the 500i, I hope it's still going hard if your reading this mate!

Originally Posted by 7mmsaum

One saw is never enough

Stihl 40cc rear handle now then get another Stihl but 70 cc when the trees are larger

Run full chisel chain, with rakers at 20-25 thou

Use a GB Harvester bar if you only want to buy one bar in your lifetime

I reckon he’s after a battery saw


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How's this for a Hot Saw!





(Ravaged MS661c)

Originally Posted by MSL

I reckon he’s after a battery saw


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Yeah, I have enough 95cc saws (in going and not going condition ), so am having a look about at these elec saws for the lighter work. Throwing 8 and a half kgs of saw around to prune some chopsticks has long since lost its gloss

Originally Posted by XR500

So I borrowed a mate's Stihl MSA 220 C to see how it would go pruning and thinning, and I can now see what everyone is talking about regarding these electric saws. Despite needing a solid 40 minutes with the file on the bar and chain, and unblocking the oiler slot and hole, once I had it not sawing in circles it was brilliant.

So...with the National fieldays around the corner, and hopefully some good deals on the day what thoughts do those of you that uses these regularly have, for whats best. Stihl/Husky? Small or large versions? Will most probably use on 5 to 6 year old pines, up to 200 dia, but usually around 100 dia.


TIA

Pick your tool for the job. Battery saw for a few cuts when you just need it done, petrol for a lot of work and match the size and weight of saw to the job. Biggest issue with battery saws is you can never have enough chargers and batteries, and the buggers end up being more hassle and weight and parts for the convenience of not having petrol! For a little job of a few cuts where you won't need three batteries the cordless saws are gold. No petrol and oil loafing, no mixed fuel going stale if you don't use it quickly enough, etc etc. But, the cordless saws use smaller bars and chains which is annoying as you end up with another size of files etc. That's the best thing about petrol, you can run a small bar on the 60cc size saws but 3/8 size chain same as the 70-90cc size range saws. Much less sharpening kit required...

I bought a Stihl battery saw last year. Magic wee saw within its limitations.

Oh, and I now have 3 file sizes in my collection.

Recently had a mate clear fell a BIG banksia tree for me. I currently cannot climb trees/ladders. He cut all limbs from an extension ladder using a MSA 220. Large Husquvarnas and Stihls left unused in the wagon until time came to finally lower the tree.

Most impressed, soon after went and bought a battery saw, regretably not a 220 though but horses for courses.

Haven't needed an extra battery. Matched the saw battery series later on to a Stihl battery weedeater. That is magic as well. Rarely get my 30cc commercial jobby out except to belt heavy stuff with the steel disk fitted.

A comment from @Tentman on his experience may help XR500.

Originally Posted by MSL

I reckon he’s after a battery saw


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Very efficient machines

Chain condition controls performance here, leave raker depth at or shallower than factory to maintain chain speed, chain tension to be slightly looser than normal

Leave the top plate/cutter at 30 deg and Drop your down angle to 50 degrees

This gives a smooth fast cutting chain that’s razor sharp and self feeds, these chains need to keep their speed elevated in the cut

Dress your bar when need be to keep the chain parallel in the guides, run the best bar oil

That's basically good advice for any smaller saw - not just battery jobbies. Keep the chain sharp however you prefer to sharpen them haha and the rakers at spec and they'll cut like little troopers. Also a good comment about the chain tension on the smaller bars - they definitely do not like being as tight as the bigger 3/8 gear.

The biggest disadvantage in my guesstimate from petrol to the battery saws is the little battery jobbies are heavier and the balance is just different. But then if you've used an electric saw the same comment applies - balance is just different to the petrol equivalent. With a good, freshly charged battery the battery saws are bloody good - but if you grab it after a few months and the battery isn't holding it's charge yeesh what a pain in the arse. Again though with petrol you have to be careful with storage life and having to fart about mixing fuel - no free lunches.

Slightly looser chains on small saws makes sense as a lot of them are quite slim top to bottom at the bar tip (tight corner ahead) plus some don't have rollertips.
If you want to see loose chains look at the Youtube guys Is_woko running super loose chains on their 395 and 881. Annoys the hell out of me.

I haven't had any balance troubles except when I pick up and arborists saw. I don't own any like that though.

My battery Stihl is a year old and the battery is used on both the chainsaw and the weedeater (wife's). Have had no issues yet with a stored battery having lost charge (in theory it should happen) but always throw the battery on the charger in prep for work. Sometimes it doesn't even top up. Maybe as it gets older.

Because my chainsaw petrol does sit a while I dose it with STA-BIL. I probably wouldn't bother to do this except I bought the STA-BIL to treat my fuel in my Honda generator. It can sit for months without being run. I always shut the fuel off and run it out but some fuel may remain in the system.

Six months is generally fine with 96 or non-ethanol 98 treated with stabilizer, I normally drain the bowl on engines where you can get to it without having to run them out. Two stroke usually has a stabilizer of some form in the oil, but I normally don't store it and drain the fuel when I'm finished with the tool...

Originally Posted by No.3

Pick your tool for the job. Battery saw for a few cuts when you just need it done, petrol for a lot of work and match the size and weight of saw to the job. Biggest issue with battery saws is you can never have enough chargers and batteries, and the buggers end up being more hassle and weight and parts for the convenience of not having petrol! For a little job of a few cuts where you won't need three batteries the cordless saws are gold. No petrol and oil loafing, no mixed fuel going stale if you don't use it quickly enough, etc etc. But, the cordless saws use smaller bars and chains which is annoying as you end up with another size of files etc. That's the best thing about petrol, you can run a small bar on the 60cc size saws but 3/8 size chain same as the 70-90cc size range saws. Much less sharpening kit required...

Jeez I don't know how I manage to lug around 3 sizes of sharpeners (I use the Sthil ones on everything) much less cope with the mental anguish of inventorying the spare files and chains . . . .

I do run 3 batteries but the only time I've ever gotten to the third battery in the same day was . . . Well never unless I forgot to charge. That's doing rail work, cutting both sides of each post and both ends of 200x75 macro - we do 32 rails a day (I have a special round posts/two square rails style that is popular round here). Tree work is different, but I can fill the 1.6x3.6 cage trailer to its max with one battery on trees like 300mm at the base cherry's etc.

I've been running my Sthil 200 for 5 years now, when I got it the balance of the Husky equivalent was poor, and the Makita worse. I think the latest Husky feels a lot better . . . But I won't run a tool (or rifle haha) that isn't properly balanced and "feels right" in the hand.

You're doing better than me - but batteries do work better if you use the tool, have a short period for the cells in the battery to re-equalise and then use it again. This is the cordless grinder thing, it shuts down and give it 5 mins and you can get another 5-10mins out of it. Start it straight up again and it'll turn straight off again.

My best effort on a cordless saw is using a battery, plugging in the second and then having to grab lunch while I wait for the first to charge. But that is literally continuous cutting only stopping to fill the bar oil and tickle the chain, on Avo prunings piled up ready to go for bucking. In that scenario, a petrol saw is better simply because you can 'recharge' it quicker over the course of the job (although it takes less time to swap a battery). Avo is a little unique in that it's usually soft enough that it doesn't dull chains much at all. I can (or could before I did the ribs) do about 8m3 of avo in half a day bucked, it takes a lot longer on the splitter though. Quicker to put the saw through some bits than split them, knotty crap in the crutches.

Originally Posted by 7mmsaum

Very efficient machines

Chain condition controls performance here, leave raker depth at or shallower than factory to maintain chain speed, chain tension to be slightly looser than normal

Leave the top plate/cutter at 30 deg and Drop your down angle to 50 degrees

This gives a smooth fast cutting chain that’s razor sharp and self feeds, these chains need to keep their speed elevated in the cut

Dress your bar when need be to keep the chain parallel in the guides, run the best bar oil

Attachment 224157

Attachment 224158

The 540XP is very very hard to beat.

Originally Posted by zimmer

.. I bought the STA-BIL to treat my fuel in my Honda generator. It can sit for months without being run. ..

Same. Every 8-12 months, I use that fuel up in the ride-on and replace it in the genny with fresh stuff.

FYI. Stihl runs the usual 15% off special, code OWNERS15
not sure how they know but discount doesn't apply to stuff that I like or want.