Chainsaw selection

[Kernal1984]

Posted this somewhere else bofore i noticed the "CHAINSAW" area:msp_confused:

I'm a member of a Disaster Relief at our church in southern IN and need help selecting a saw that will be for personal cleanup and firewood use as well as disaster relief(clearing down trees and such)

I have it narrowed down to a stihl due to other teams having them would make parts availability on site a plus

Need help deciding between a 261, 362, or a 441. I'm six foot tall and 200lbs and would consider myself experienced in the use of a saw but definitely not an expert. In a disaster scenario i could be running this thing all day for days on end so weight and maneuverability are a factor but please explain the benefits/drawbacks of the bigger saws versus the smaller and anything else you would consider helpful.

thanks ahead of time

 

[Adirondackstihl]

posted this somewhere else bofore i noticed the "chainsaw" area:msp_confused:

I'm a member of a disaster relief at our church in southern in and need help selecting a saw that will be for personal cleanup and firewood use as well as disaster relief(clearing down trees and such)

i have it narrowed down to a stihl due to other teams having them would make parts availability on site a plus

need help deciding between a 261, 362, or a 441. I'm six foot tall and 200lbs and would consider myself experienced in the use of a saw but definitely not an expert. In a disaster scenario i could be running this thing all day for days on end so weight and maneuverability are a factor but please explain the benefits/drawbacks of the bigger saws versus the smaller and anything else you would consider helpful.

Thanks ahead of time

261.......nuff said

 

[z71mike]

It really depends on what your primary job is during the relief effort.

If you're the guy that drops blow-downs? 441
If you're the guy who picks through debris, looking for people, etc? 261
If you don't know what you might be tasked with and you want to be prepared for anything, while not having a saw too heavy to carry all day? 361

 

[Kernal1984]

Typically you get assigned an area and whatever is in the area is what you dealing with.

 

[computeruser]

This is a good question, and a great enterprise. I've always wanted to get involved with something like this, but sadly all the disaster relief groups I've come across are church-sponsored and most require membership within the denomination or even the organizing church itself, so I'm left out. Shame, really, I'd get a lot of satisfaction out of helping out with this sort of stuff. But I digress.

In response to your question, though, I think you're being placed in an awkward spot if, as you suggest, you are being assigned to an area and set off to do whatever needs to be done there. There is no single set of tools that are suitable for all post-disaster cutting tasks. I know I'd want a different setup if my goal was to cut roads open or cut off rootballs than I would want if I were limbing fallen yard trees up for hand-dragging towards a chipper or a brush pile.

Of the saws listed and without knowing what the rest of your crew is slinging, I'd probably suggest you start with a 261. You can do a lot of work with a stout 50cc saw and an understanding of what your saw can and cannot do. And it will be a lot nicer for overhead cutting, compared to a 70+cc saw and a long bar. Get a handful of spare parts, a couple bars of the same length, and some extra chains. Learn how to work on the saw and how to keep your chains in good shape. And see how that setup works for you. If changes are needed, go ahead and make them with the knowledge that you now have a first-rate 50cc saw and gear as a back-up setup.

Out of curiosity, what sort of equipment are other members of the group running? What kind of training/preparation goes on before heading out?

 

[Trailtrimmer]

Out of curiosity, what sort of equipment are other members of the group running? What kind of training/preparation goes on before heading out?

This is a fantastic way to go about it. If the rest of the guys are sporting 70CC+ class saws then a 50CC for quick limbing and fast small work will be perfect. If everyone on the team is running 50CC and less, then having one person in the group with a big boy saw will round things out.

Any of the saws you listed will do fine for a few cords of firewood a year. If you have to go in to a disaster area and deal with blowdowns that are 2' or 3' in diameter, that 440 or 441 with a 25" bar would be awfully handy if the rest of the crew is running smaller hardware.

 

[jus2fat]

If I were in your situation...I'd get a MS261...AND...a MS441.

If I could only afford one..I'd get a MS362.

I really think you should have two saws at your calling at all times..!!

EDIT: You didn't mention what saw(s) you already have..??

J2F

 

[tommyus4]

If you're doing Rescue, adrenaline is the word and anything works. It's organized chaos.

If you're doing Recovery, fatigue and exhaustion become reality. No matter what you use, it will become heavy if you're not in that kind of muscle shape. People tend to trade jobs and whatnot to stay useful. I too am 6'2, 205. Be careful of fatigue. You can't help, if you get hurt.

All the comments above are things that jump out at me. Great stuff. Reread it. Where will you be? What will you do? What CAN you do. Who will you be with? Who else has what? How old are you? I could do way more, way longer even 10 years ago.

I've never done the above with chainsaws. Sawzalls and shovels, though.

No matter what you do, good for you for trying. It's something you will reflect back on and be proud of, forever.

p.s.
You might want to try out a saw or 3. Also, If you need the saw yesterday, it might not be in stock. To answer your question, the 362 is the most versatile. If my life depended on it, it is the saw I own that I would choose. However, my 346 (akin to the 261) is something I could use for a lot longer, while not in proper shape to use a chainsaw all day. As in anyone who is not a pro, would be.

ALSO : Keep an eye on your equipment. Disasters not only bring great people together, they are also a magnet for a few select scum of the earth.

 

[mecreature]

Posted this somewhere else bofore i noticed the "CHAINSAW" area:msp_confused:

I'm a member of a Disaster Relief at our church in southern IN and need help selecting a saw that will be for personal cleanup and firewood use as well as disaster relief(clearing down trees and such)

I have it narrowed down to a stihl due to other teams having them would make parts availability on site a plus

Need help deciding between a 261, 362, or a 441. I'm six foot tall and 200lbs and would consider myself experienced in the use of a saw but definitely not an expert. In a disaster scenario i could be running this thing all day for days on end so weight and maneuverability are a factor but please explain the benefits/drawbacks of the bigger saws versus the smaller and anything else you would consider helpful.

thanks ahead of time

That 362 would work IMO.

My hat is off to you and everyone for your work down there.
That was an evil mess handed to those people.

 

[H 2 H]

My 261 has done everything Ive ask it to do

Ive done some mod's to it

I've run 18" and 20" bars on mine and .325 and 3/8 chain I like the 3/8 better IMO

 

[Kernal1984]

It takes time to get clearance into disaster areas so rescue scenarios would be unlikley.

Unfortunately I can only afford one saw hence the which one question

I'm 28 yrs old and consider myself to be in good shape so it would make sense to me to have a 362 with a couple different bar lengths maybe a 16 and a 20?

The places that have stihl locally just carry the occasional use saws so I'll have to call a bigger dealer and prob make a road trip to handle some

My dad had and old homelite with a 20 inch bar than I ran alot in the past so I'm sure any of the three would feel great compared to it

As for the rest of the group were part of a national organization and I'm not sure what all they are running other than knowing the brand is stihl. It would be a good idea to know what they have although it may just be my group present so I wouldn't count on having smaller or larger saws.

 

[jus2fat]

If you can only afford one saw...Get the MS362..!!

You won't be disappointed..!!

My 036 is only 2 lbs. heavier than my 026 and has 30% more power..!!

J2F

 

[Stihl-Pioneer]

If I was in your situation and it was one saw, I would get a 362 with a 18" b&c and get a 25" b&c to run on it for the occasional larger cuts. The 362 will do fine with a 25" as long as you don't push it, turn the oiler all the way up, and not let it be its main b&c setup.

 

[Hedgerow]

It takes time to get clearance into disaster areas so rescue scenarios would be unlikley.

Unfortunately I can only afford one saw hence the which one question

I'm 28 yrs old and consider myself to be in good shape so it would make sense to me to have a 362 with a couple different bar lengths maybe a 16 and a 20?

The places that have stihl locally just carry the occasional use saws so I'll have to call a bigger dealer and prob make a road trip to handle some

My dad had and old homelite with a 20 inch bar than I ran alot in the past so I'm sure any of the three would feel great compared to it

As for the rest of the group were part of a national organization and I'm not sure what all they are running other than knowing the brand is stihl. It would be a good idea to know what they have although it may just be my group present so I wouldn't count on having smaller or larger saws.

A. If it's the Baptist association, they got every saw you can imagine... So get the 261...It will serve you well... 2-bars(16" and 20") 2-chains for each bar "semi chisel" (lots of dirt and debris)
B. Take the money saved and get a helmet / mesh screen face shield combo and a pair of chaps.
C. Get a tool belt and keep an axe and wedges handy... (remember, where you'll be cutting is messy and has a lot of hazards) Bound bars keep any saw out of commission...
D. Learn how to file a chain without any special tools...

Finally: Thanks for taking the time and making the effort...

 

[Sheldon Cooper]

opcorn:

 

[avalancher]

I just got back from helping out in Kentucky, a long and tiring four days. I carried five saws with me only because I believe in back ups, but almost exclusively I ran my Husky 372 with a 24 inch bar, and the Husky 357 with a 20inch bar. Because I dont run Stihl, I have no idea what to advise as far as that goes. But I will say one thing, a good saw running a 20 inch bar is going to get used far more than anything else.I dragged the 372 on big stuff just because it was faster, and i was clearing roads ahead of the power crews.Time can be a factor when you are the only one blowing out a road.

All in all, I burned probably the majority of 8 gallons of mix in the 357xp, with less than a gallon through the 372. I would lean far more to a saw that had a very high power to weight ratio because the days are long and if you are not used to packing a saw day in and day out a 15lb saw can feel like toting around a Chevy. Hate to admit it,but by Monday I resorted to my little Echo 360T just because my arms were tired and my back was pretty sore after sleeping under my truck for the past three days.

 

[blsnelling]

You're going to find yourself both limbing and bucking big wood. You're going to need a good sized saw. Go with the 441C M-Tronic. If you can afford it, I highly recommend that you also get the MS261. That will really save your back when not needing the big saw. You won't be as fatigued, and will be safer. I don't believe a MS261 will handle everything that you're going to run into.

 

[nmurph]

If you can only afford one saw...Get the MS362..!!

You won't be disappointed..!!

My 036 is only 2 lbs. heavier than my 026 and has 30% more power..!!

J2F

It's actually just over a pound heavier. The 362 is two pounds heavier than an 026.

OP, I would probably go with a 261 if you are set on Stihl. Understand that the only things you are likely to be able to swap around bw saws are bars and chains. Most other items are going to have to come from a shop. And chains may or may not be swappable depeding on pitch and gauge, and some of those swaps could also be done bw Stihl and Husky, though some lengths of Stihl bars take an odd number of drive links.

 

[tallguys]

Unless you're doing a lot of felling, I'd suggest the MS261 as well. Now if you're finding yourself in a lot of big wood, the MS362 would be preferable.

 

[Sheldon Cooper]

I just got back from helping out in Kentucky, a long and tiring four days. I carried five saws with me only because I believe in back ups, but almost exclusively I ran my Husky 372 with a 24 inch bar, and the Husky 357 with a 20inch bar. Because I dont run Stihl, I have no idea what to advise as far as that goes. But I will say one thing, a good saw running a 20 inch bar is going to get used far more than anything else.I dragged the 372 on big stuff just because it was faster, and i was clearing roads ahead of the power crews.Time can be a factor when you are the only one blowing out a road.

All in all, I burned probably the majority of 8 gallons of mix in the 357xp, with less than a gallon through the 372. I would lean far more to a saw that had a very high power to weight ratio because the days are long and if you are not used to packing a saw day in and day out a 15lb saw can feel like toting around a Chevy. Hate to admit it,but by Monday I resorted to my little Echo 360T just because my arms were tired and my back was pretty sore after sleeping under my truck for the past three days.

Wow 8 gallons of gas, that's a ton of cutting. It's nice that you volunteered your time to help out. Was there other guys cutting with you or would you rather just be on your own so you don't have to worry about somebody else getting you hurt?