What Chainsaw do you run?

For you builders. If you ever drill an inlet for fuel too big, you can always utilize a welch plug if you have a mill/drill press.

In my case, an old WG methanol carb for testing the 3120FP big bore gas machine.

TW CHAINSAW CANTINA TRICK ‘o the WEEK

 

Have been running a Stihl MS250 for the last few years.

Picking up a decent shape used MS261C tomorrow. Kind of excited to run through it and juice it up a little. Should be a good project.

The weight of the 2 Saws is pretty close. But, on paper, the 261C power should blow the doors off the 250.

 

The last few days of work I've been falling about a mile long strip of dieing elm trees. This was one of the bigger ones. Some were just a pumpkin shell, thank God for the excavator.

 

Just found this thread. Stihl MS462 C-EM w/ 28" bar and a WCS "bark box" replacement muffler and WCS foam air filter. I'm not sure if these mods really add power to the saw, but it does feel like they let the saw accelerate to top speed 15-20% faster from idle, and it certainly sounds bad ass. Double ear protection required.

I'm probably on the blade a total of 50-100 cutting hours per year, mostly harvesting live small-diameter hardwoods ~8 to 15" DBH x 20'-40' tall for firewood. Largest tree felled so far was a ~100 ft doug fir, ~32" DBH.

I run the Stihl yellow full-skip chain on any/all saws I can get it for. Haven't yet tried going off the Stihl reservation to find less-expensive chains that still perform well & last long.

Also have Stihl MS201 (rear / wrap handle,) and the MSA220 battery-electric saw. The latter is great for limbing & working early mornings in quiet neighborhoods. I'm not a climber (so far,) but would like to equip & learn basic climbing so I have the option to ascend & do occasional limb removals or trimming.

 

Well... she's a little project for sure. But, it was a good price, seems to have good bones, runs on the first pull, and sounds good.

It's a Stihl... can't really be much wrong that can't be fixed. And the upgrades I'm planning will more that take care of some of those things.

 

Stihl = Tacoma of chainsaws

 

Fo Sho!

 

Well... it's already started
LMAO!

The saw was missing one of the engine cover screws. (checked, nothing damaged, just missing the screw). And the brake was also missing a screw as well. (also seems to be no damage).

The guy I bought this from said he had 7 other Saws, 4 of them being MS261s probably a matter of scavenging parts.

Ordered both of the screws along with an aluminum tank guard/skid.




Then... I went to Westcoast Saw website, and ordered their saw kit.





I'll head to the Stihl dealer here in town tomorrow and pick up a bar and chain.

I think I'm going to go with a Light 04 18 inch bar.


And the recommended chain.





Unless there's a better option I'm unaware of.

 

Welp...

Ended up having to order the bar and chain. Hoping it'll be here before next weekend. I know there's a big assed tree laying across one of the spur roads I plan on exploring next weekend. Forest Service can't get their truck down that road. The tree has been laying across it fo 2 years now... time to make it go away.

 

261 is a great little saw









I have the standard carb version

Occasionally I do enjoy splitting with the X27

Oak & cherry

 

I have a 16" light bar on my 261, its so much fun to use with plenty of power and light for all day use.

 

Some great eye candy.

Marcel Vincent aka MVP (RIP) on the left, Cliff Helsel on the right respectively.

 

It’s going to be absolutely great weather and times. Come one come all. Lakeshore, CA. Huntington Lake Loggers Jamboree this Sunday, Elevation 7,000’+

 

I haven’t show wood yet, so here it is!

I had to lean waaay back for this one.

 

Mini-necro'ing an old post here --

Bought all three of my Stihls brand new -- MS462 C-EM, MS201, and an electric MSA220 -- in 2020. Within the first 20-25 hours of run time they all started leaking bar oil as matter of course. I keep them on a cardboard "diaper" whether in storage or in transit in back of my truck.

I've read elsewhere that the leakage is a side-effect of the basic design, which I think is a sealed oil reservoir connected to an unsealed/open small-diameter channel that leads up to the oiling port by the bar. I read a theory that heat up/cool down expansion/contraction dynamics, as well as atmospheric pressure differences due to altitude change (I change altitude by ~1500' elev. routinely) contribute to this.

I use normal-weight Stihl or Husq. brand bar oil in the smaller saws, and Stihl Platinum (thicker oil) in the big one.

Am I missing some point of basic maintenance that is causing this consistent bar oil leakage?

 

No... you're not missing anything.

Chainsaws (that are actually used in the field) leak bar oil... no matter what fairy tale someone trys to tell you.

 

Making some progress on the used (minor rehab) 261C.

Replaced the missing top cover screw, and brake pivot screw. (they worked perfect, the holes weren't damaged)

Installed the muffler port, and air cleaner (foam oil is on order). Installed the inner felling dog and put the chain roller on the outer dog. (waiting to install the outer felling dog till the West Coast Saw clutch cover gets here)

And installed the aluminum bottom skid.



Also replaced the spark plug. Old one was in decent shape, but could use a replacement.

While the plug was out, and while the muffler was off, I inspected what I could inside. Definately no sign of anything terrible going on in there.

So... still waiting on the clutch cover, bar and chain. And I also ordered the two bottom muffler bolts. I noticed they were missing when I removed the muffler. I used a bolt from another location on the saw and verified those threads are good.

Kind of disappointed in Stihl. Ordered the bar and chain a week ago now... still no update... and I'm an impatient bastard when I'm waiting for parts

 

Ended up not being able to get the 04 Light Bar. Ends up I'll have to convert to 3/8 to get the 04 Light bar for this saw.

Ended up getting a more aggressive (Rapid Super) chain.

We'll see how it goes, for now. I'm sure I'll look in to other bar/chain combos.


But she's together. And she runs like a raped ape!

 

Locked and loaded for Huntington Lake Loggers Jubilee 2023.

Man, the pipe TNT sports (nearest) was my first expansion pipe ever. It’s ugly, the stinger fell off twice, just decided to weld it as is in place and I’ll tell ya, it flows/tuned so well, I can’t find myself wanting to build a nicer looking one.

If you want to escape the heat this Sunday, Hunting Lake, CA is one of the places to be

 

Stihl...but....I prefer the metal carbs, not the current plastic ones. If I were to buy again, I might go with a big cc Echo. Had nothing but problems with my husky's. Sold em all. Hard to start