What Chainsaw do you run?

Ask any experienced logger, they will tell you the real deal.

 

To expand on this......

The rule of thumb that you were taught is good for small bars, say 16".

When you start getting into bigger bars it takes a lot more tension for the chain to be that tight. Droop is definitely ok when you start talking 20" and up bars.

 

That’s how the local loggers explained it to me. More rotating mass (heavy, long chain) will wear out the tip of the bar if it’s too tight. Shorter bars it doesn’t matter much.

Also forgot to show the mini muffler mod to the 261. Makes it incredibly loud… but fun to use. Small difference in power.


We dropped a ponderosa that just kept making a mess. Only one on my property. Probably 20 Douglas firs and 1 stupid ponderosa that accounts for 90% of the mess.

 

On a bigger bar performance will really suffer if the chain is too tight. A droopy chain is a fast cutting chain.

The muffler on my 261 is modded almost exactly like yours. I sent my 261 to Mastermind in TN and did a mild rebuild and some performance mods on the internals (wizardry). That little saw really rips now, but it still can't keep up to my stock 550XP (timed cuts, same exact Oregon chain). The only thing that I did to the 550 was open up the muffler, that saw is a little monster.

 

This was a sketchy one! Tried pulling it over with the truck at first but it wouldn’t go. Cut a little notch and plunge cut it.

 

Sketchy. Nice job.

 

No holding wood. That’s one that I would push over with the excavator. Lol

 

I agree that is sketchy, but if you are forcing the tree over with ropes and pulleys you can leave a lot of “holding wood” ie not putting your back cut in as far and let the ropes pull the tree over.

 

Yep, I need one of those! I had a tree right behind me that I was going to hide behind if everything went south.

 

I definitely cut out more holding wood than I wanted to but the tree fell perfectly. Luck or skill no one will ever know

 

I have a Bobcat E32 R series. It's the best purchase that I ever made in my entire life.

We have a 25 acre horse ranch, and that thing is invaluable. I also cut about 25 face cord of firewood every year, and boy is that thing handy for that.

 

I have been looking for a used skid steer but everything in the $20k range with tracks is a piece of junk. Between tree work, leveling the property and making a mini dirtbike track it makes sense buying one vs renting.

 

Definitely buy. They hold their value really well. It's an assett.

A couple years ago you could get something used for about $20k, and it would be decent, not anymore. Fortunately I got my mini ex right before COVID turned the world upside down..