which chain size/type shall I get with my new stihl 361 ?

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Me Wanna 361

Well, not being a 361 owner, but being a bona fide CAD man, I wood say throw a 20" yellow RSC on that bi#$& and see if it doesn't CLAMFBOH (uhhh... good saw, cuts REALLY well) and BE SURE TO POST SUM VIDS
 
20" bar on a 60cc saw, already 2" too long from the perfect 18" bar there, for cutting through big logs I'm talking about with the bar buried full, 18" bar cuts better in that situation, with 20" bar it's 70cc stuff preferably
 
20" bar on a 60cc saw, already 2" too long from the perfect 18" bar there, for cutting through big logs I'm talking about with the bar buried full, 18" bar cuts better in that situation, with 20" bar it's 70cc stuff preferably

Fits with my opinion. :)
 
Too short. I bury my 20 and even my 24/25 inch bars on the 361 in wood. No problem. Even in white oak. Better with a longer bar, one cut from one side. 18 is too short for me on a lot of trees here.

West coast long bars are better!!! :greenchainsaw:
 
Too short. I bury my 20 and even my 24/25 inch bars on the 361 in wood. No problem. Even in white oak. Better with a longer bar, one cut from one side. 18 is too short for me on a lot of trees here.

West coast long bars are better!!! :greenchainsaw:


LOL - you need a larger saw.......:cheers:
 
Sounds good to me, though I'd leave the 7-pin sprocket alone regardless of bar length. And whoever was suggesting a 9-pin, which I presume was to be used with .325" pitch chain, it's been tried and 7-pin 3/8" is faster and keeps the chain on the bar better.


9-pin .325 is one of the options mentioned in the manual, in addition to 7- and 8-pin 3/8 - but I feel no need to try it.........:)
 
LOL - you need a larger saw.......:cheers:

Not really. I had a 440 and a 460. Too much vibe. And I can bog them down almost as easy at the 361. Really, a 24/25 inch bar on a 361 does just fine to topple some big trees around here. I should snap more photos, but there is never enough time to go get the camera, or light to get a good shot. I dropped some nice fat firs here yesterday. Dropped a 40 inch maple last week too. Wedges, limbing, bucking and splitting take up far more time than face and back cuts.

If anything, I need a better light weight limbing saw. I always use the smallest saw I can get away with, and I have found that works better for me. If I was going to stay here, I would get a 7900. I may still do that, as I have another 20 acres of trees that I may cut down on another property. Though I am tempted to sell it as a stand and let a logging company do all the work, and pay the taxes, do the bucking and trucking. 20 truckloads is a tad more than I can manage myself. I will still have to do a lot of cleanup, and slash salvaging for firewood though. ...and maybe that ding dang Dolly PS-420 will be available by then... ...or maybe I will just go ahead and get a 5100s...
 
Something that bothered me a little for a while is that for some reason I am inconsistent with my sharpening semi chisel. Some sort of voodoo going on.

When I run semi-chisel I am mostly running Carlton as that is what I bought a reel of (.063 full skip). Almost never does it cut as well after I sharpen it as it did when new off the reel. Someday I need to really sit down and study what I'm doing wrong, but I don't use semi-chisel very often.

With regular chisel and square chain my results are fine, but something is wrong with my concept in sharpening (usually grinding on a 510) semi chisel. I think I may be putting more hook on it than it comes with. When I look at it when new there is almost no forward slope to the cutter, and it looks like it would not cut well. But typically the factory grind works better than when I'm done with it. That defintely is not true for me with other chain types, as they cut much better after I sharpen them as they should.

Sort of embarrasing, really. I don't even know why I air this dirty secret....
 
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If mostly for limbing, the NE346xp or 2153 is a better choise, imo......:rockn: :rockn:

I will probably never own a Husky.

I like German designed saws. I am getting by with my 025 and 210 with a 3/8 LP B&C on them. MUCH better than .325 on them.

Now, when it comes to women, that is a different matter. I much prefer Swede and Norse women to German and/or Bavarian women. Though I have found that Swedish women do not like it much that my family is from Norway. Some sort of cultural thing. The last woman that I almost married? Her family was from Norway. I am a sucker for blue eyed Skandinavian brunettes. Melt...
 
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9-pin .325 is one of the options mentioned in the manual, in addition to 7- and 8-pin 3/8 - but I feel no need to try it.........:)

I thought that the 9 pin .325 would be an interesting experiment BUT (found out after the fact) the 9 pin does not work with the CQ (quick stop handle) not enough room to mount the bar with out bar surgery!!!!

The .325 stuff was from my 290.
 
I thought that the 9 pin .325 would be an interesting experiment BUT (found out after the fact) the 9 pin does not work with the CQ (quick stop handle) not enough room to mount the bar with out bar surgery!!!!

The .325 stuff was from my 290.

I know that West Texas have run .325 x 9 a lot on 361s without any trouble - but I think his saws aren't CQs........:)

If .325 x 9 doesn't work, I suspect 3/8 x 8 won't either, as they (the rims) are very close in diameter.
 
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Troll,
That would be a major bummer, as I really want to see what the muffler mod does with the 8 pin 18". I guess I'll just have to risk a few dollars and see if it fits - better yet, I'll take the 361 with me to the dealer. I'll get back to you guys when I know.

When I brought it in to the dealer after my Lakerized muffler, all their jaws dropped and they all went outside to try it on the test log. What a hoot!!!
 
Troll,
That would be a major bummer, as I really want to see what the muffler mod does with the 8 pin 18". I guess I'll just have to risk a few dollars and see if it fits - better yet, I'll take the 361 with me to the dealer. I'll get back to you guys when I know.

When I brought it in to the dealer after my Lakerized muffler, all their jaws dropped and they all went outside to try it on the test log. What a hoot!!!

I think you need to get rid of that CQ thing, and the QCA it you have it.......
 
I think you need to get rid of that CQ thing, and the QCA it you have it.......

Don't know what the QCA is unless its a Scandinavian joke. Regarding the quick stop handle-when my wife gave it to me- I was ready to trade down to the standard 361, but my wife and dealer prevailed for safety reasons. After 2 years of flawless operation (both the saw and handle brake) I actually like it. It is unobtrusive and works well. I actually wouldn't mind it on all my saws except for the added cost and additional complexity when it comes time for service. In reality, I'm sure it will be on most new saws soon - thank you government for regulating my safety and my mufflers.
 
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Troll

Troll,
You funny guy, quick chain adjust - please!!!!!!!! LMAO Now I know why I didn't know what it was; that is not part of my saw vocabulary.
 
Getting back on topic....

I've got two 361s; run 1 with a 20 inch bar and the other with the 18 inch bar. I find myself picking and and using the one with the 18 inch bar more often than the other. I like the balance.
 
I dunno about shorter bars on the 361. I dropped a nice size white oak snag today for firewood. Maybe 20 inches in diameter. I used the 24 inch bar to cut the face and back cuts. Over she went. Then I noticed that the chain was getting semi-dull, so rather than sharpen it, I got the new 3/8 16 inch bar and RM chain (same as on the 24 inch) and put it on to buck up the oak.

All I can say is that the 16 inch bar is pretty dissappointing on the 361. Same revs, a lot less length to work with, and about the same torque and cutting speed as the 20 inch. Fewer cutters means a faster dull chain too. The 16 inch bar is more at home on the 290, which is what I bought it for. The 24 will go back on the 361 tomorrow. No more messing with a 16 inch bar on that thing. Or even the 18.

I just do not know wht you guys see in the short bars on these saws. Seems like a waste of a 361's power to go with that short a length, even in hardwood. Hell, I have a 16 inch bar on the 025 and that thing does great, even in oak. I love the 3/8 LP picco. Far better than the .325. Cuts faster and straighter, and less weight. Even in oak, it ripped it right up. Great for limbing too.

Longer bars are better... west coast or otherwise.
 

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