Deciding between 2 new chainsaws -gimme your opinion

I want a “big” saw.... don’t matter what brand. 32” bar something like that....

 

I'm far from an expert, but I think the Farm Boss name may have jumped around to different models, but I believe the 271 still carries the name at this time.

 

The 261 is just it's "little brother" same engine technology -just a bit less CC and weight.
I used it again today. I think it does run longer on a tank of gas than my old (gone) 310. At least it seems to. Every time I use it -I like it more. It helps , I am sure that I am "tuning up the chain" every time I take it out with the new Stihl sharpening guide/tool, that cost me a whopping 35 bucks.

 

Keepeing up with the touch ups makes life easier. "Sharpening" is just 2 strokes. Before it was maybe 4 or 5 at least. Always seemed to be really dull before I'd get around to sharpening (file guides, depth guages).

I find that I must put different amount of pressure on one side of the chain when sharpening. After 2 or 3 sharpens I uise a vernier caliper to check the cutter length. If one side/direction ends up longer than the other your cuts will not stay straight down. The tooth cutting point ends up lower on one tooth compared to another cutting on the opposite side (behind and ahead of it). Throws things off somehow.

For bore cutting you need a sharp chain, filed to the chain specs on the box or else there's a lot of chatter/bounce.

 

That is where the new Stihl Chain sharpening guide is so handy --it does the depth guides at the same time as the sharpening. This thiing works on all brands of chains and saws not just Stihls. I could not find a single bad review for this tool -except one guy was griping that it needed a vice to work-- hell, just get a cheap stump vice if you don't have one at home. It has three replaceable files contained within it.
Two round for the cutter links and a square one for the depth guides.

 

Love my 261!!

 

Wish were lived closer!! I feel left out with the husky!

 

Brother joes and I having fun the other weekend. I’m on the left

 

I actually remember "trying" to use a crosscut saw like that with my 2 older brothers at my Grandpa's cabin on the Osage river when I was around 9 or 10 Yrs. old. Needless to say I was not good at all. If on the other hand, there were two people that could handle the saw, they could go through a solid oak log rather quick. Years later I inherited a old 2 man crosscut from my FIL and I sold it for about $75 bucks. I think it was destined to be a wall decoration, although it was in great shape.

In the pic, these guys were trying out the saw, as I think you can tell the chunk was cut previously with a chain saw. to their credit they are about half way through the log. This is a "team-sport"! the "team" consisting of two. It takes timing and coordination of pulls, and maybe a slight? bit of pushes?

 

Yes this saw was taken down from grandpa’s collection... for a quick laugh really all it was used for.... could only imagine it being the only way of doing things back in the day!!

 

Can you imagine how much faster America would have been colonized if our ancestors had chain saws to build their cabins?

 

I’m always memorized by the film called “alone in the wilderness” all I can say is WOW... totally amazed what people could do back then with what they had and got by just fine by doing what they had to... that wasent all that long ago... taken in by perspective “1968” almost time to watch this film again

 

For 25 years in Vermont we heated exclusively with wood, burning 7 - 8 cords a year between an air tight All-Nighter and a 19th century kitchen relic. My brother, a forestry school graduate, told me I needed a 60cc saw, so I bought a Stihl 036, which served me well for 20 some odd years, until I made the mistake of loaning it to a friend who was in a jam. I wound up replacing it with a Stihl MS-261, which has proved to be an excellent saw, even with the smaller displacement. It starts better than the cold-blooded 036, and the vibration damping seems improved. I find you do have to be a little more mindful about pinching the bar with the .325 chain, but the saw still produces. I had planned to run a newish 16” bar with some 3/8” chain I had lying around, and Stihl says you can, but two dealers recommended against it, so I don’t. Some work in progress:

 

What a project you got there! What happens to the cut logs?

 

Well, after it sits in the round for a while, we drag out a Timberwolf splitter with a 4-way wedge. Excellent machine BTW, much better than those combo horizontal/vertical units which are far slower since you can’t use a 4-way. Then it gets moved and stacked in the woodshed next to the house. I have long believed that the person who said “heating with wood keeps you warm three times” never heated with wood.

 

Good you got it down to a science... brother joe and I use the slow type splitter and a 4 way on that depending on size of log being split.... it does what we need it to do and gives us time for a beverage or 2 in between!! ;-) I’m starting to itch to burn wood. Have a chimney that used to burn wood... I have not had anyone look at the condition since Iv moved in 4 yrs ago. More of a mood setting type wood burning moment

 

Heating with wood is a lot of heavy, dirty, repetitive work, but there is satisfaction at the end of the day looking at a tangible accomplishment, plus a full woodshed provides some peace of mind. And nothing warms you up like a hot wood stove...and a little bourbon at days end.

 

Amen to that! And passing out knowing you put a full days of work in

 

Is your 261 the "CM" (M-tronic) model or the basic 261? I decided on the 261CM after hearing that Stihl had recalled a bunch of the early ones. I figured if a company has enough sense to admit they screwed up on the first try would get it right the next time. both models of the 261 weigh the same. I also like the compression release on the 261's (I think they both have it?)

 

I did not get the CM model. Don’t think I was aware of it at the time, and not sure if the dealer carried it. I bought the MS-261 under some duress. When I got my 036 back it wasn’t running right, so I took it in to the shop, only to learn it had a scored cylinder. So I bought a new Stihl 60cc saw, don’t remember the model but it was a “homeowner” model. Took it home and went to swap out the stock 20” bar for a 16” that I already had. After getting the cover off I didn’t like what I saw, spur sprocket, clamshell case, so I took it back without even starting it, and traded it for the 261, which I am very happy with.

Thirty years ago, when I first needed a saw and had never used one before, I asked my forester brother what to get - Stihl, Husky, or Jonsereds. He said they’re all good, pick one based on the dealer that will give you good service. Two chainsaws, two string trimmers, a hedge trimmer, and a cut-off saw later, all Stihls, I guess I’m sold on the brand.