Stihl MS881 who has one

[leeha]

So how does it handle compared to an 880 ?

I haven't had time to do a comparison to a MS880 or 084, I have an 088 but it's ported so
that one is out. I mostly bought it cuz i wanted all of the 1124 series saws. The 881 does
run strong even not broke in. I've only made a few cuts with it with the 42 inch bar. Pulls
it really well in a hard piece of oak.

 

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

It’s a very nice saw, didn’t seem much wider than the bubbly 661’s. I really like this direction Stihl are going in.

Slim and ergonomic. They went through a phase of bubbly saws beforehand like the 661 362 261 etc which I hate. Before that they were lovely and compact in the 90’s.

Stihl looks to be going slim now which is excellent. Nice feel in the hand, it’s delightful.

 

[r black]

there is one for sale local here in utah ..has pics next to a 3120xp and is selling the the ms 881...not sure what that means ?.................add below.......seems sold by a colored gentlemen ........

Like new condition. Less than 2 months old.

Comes with 36" bar 2 new chains and bar cover.

3/4 wrap handle.

Text for more info.

$1,975.00

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

After 3 years I finally bit the bullet.

 

[spuldup]

After 3 years I finally bit the bullet.

But... Did you get a free set of shades and a hat?

 

[rogue60]

But... Did you get a free set of shades and a hat?

Down here they give ya a "free" 4L bottle of Ultra it works ok as bar oil.

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

But... Did you get a free set of shades and a hat?

Well, not exactly. The dealer doesn't stock anything above a 500i because it's Urban Wisconsin; I just happened to go to STIHL National Timbersports Championships at Germanfest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin both Saturday and Sunday and, well, you know how that goes...

So I walk into the dealer for oil/grease/parts resupply and they have an 881 sitting on the shelf; short of it is they had a special order for a customer and through a computer screw-up accidentally bought 2. (Sales manager lost the order and ordered a second, so two showed up.) They wanted to get it off the books and me, having recently gone to STIHL Timbersports (and looked at the display saws both days but left with two shirts)... uh, bought it.

They did cut me a huge deal on it, and doubled the saw warranty due to having bought STIHL Ultra oil. After the sale was done and we were talking they handed me a carb adjustment screwdriver, hex wrench, two squenches (Torx and flat-blade), chain file, two STIHL hats, dealership hat, and a STIHL counter mat.

 

[spuldup]

Well all those extras are worth more than the stihl glasses. They always get run over by the tractor anyway.

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

After 3 years it's packed up in the truck and headed to the woods for a gentle break-in and maybe cutting some chair seats/backs from a large maple that's been aging a while. Got another old Granberg Jig off eBay just for this one, that's a pretty large file...

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

What gasil ratio should I run for bucking oak & maple? Owner's Manual says 50:1.

In my older saws I run high-octane (ethanol free if the gov't lets me) at 10 less, (STIHL Ultra doesn't carbon up) so:
40:1 in the 50:1 engines,
30:1 in the 40:1 engines, etc.

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

The new 881 does not like running rich (at least not in 100°F = 38°C weather); the other saw I brought along for clearing brush/small trees ran fine on the same fuel, 40:1 mix.

The 881 did like fresh-from-the-pump 91 octane ethanol-free 50:1 mix with STIHL Ultra and leaned out to the stop
(H range: 3/4 turn, factory setting: 1/4 turn in, ran well at: 3/4 turn in = full lean).

OMG this saw pulls hard; just put it on the wood and let it eat, it is fastest with the dogs pulled out of the wood so it feeds straight down (no additional pressure needed). 13 seconds / 8900 RPM on the pictured cut, 17 seconds / 8800 RPM on the previous cut (sawing through the fork), though it was and still is breaking in and keeps getting faster. 7T sprocket .404 pitch .063 gauge full-comp (full-house no-skip) STIHL full-chisel round-filed 0.030" raker on a 41" ES (Super E) bar, 1mm bar-to-chain under-bar gap, E-plus-a-little on the oiler.

It is a chip-maker in hard wood leaving a trail of thick sawdust on otherwise pristine ground.

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

A few others running 881s (safety sixteenth):

 

[Long Bar 60]

I'd be really curious to run an 881 in a comparison to an 084, which I have, but not curious enough to buy an 881. I don't run the 84 much any more as we just don't have jobs with consistently big timber these days but I do know that it pulls a 60" bar just fine. Kind of water under the bridge I suppose just like when the 84 took the place of the 090. Lots of talk in the evening around the campfire back then. Aaaah... "the good old days".

 

[ZinTrees]

been running one for about a year now, great saw but super heavy and drinks gas, I converted mine to run 3/8" 0.050 chain on a 20" bar as an every day work saw

runs a normal rim sprocket (same exact one that comes stock on a 500i)
starts easy, minus the stupid amount of compression, good luck if you are hot and tired (which you probably are if you have to get a 120cc saw out)
in reality, if I was going to run the recommended 42" bar, i would buy a 661 or a 395XP long before an 881, I got this to eventually put a 6ft bar on, the 42" is just too dang short for a lot of stuff im doing (sometimes double cutting limb wood on red oaks)

I should mention, this is the ONLY saw I run my own mix fuel in, just because it burns about 2 gallons per hour, seriously burns more fuel than my chipper does!

might get a west coast barkbox and 3pt dogs for it eventually

 

[Mad3400]

Finally bit the Bullet!



Mad3400

 

[ZinTrees]

Finally bit the Bullet!

View attachment 1134412

Mad3400

you will hate when you need it, but you will love having it!
my only issue is it does get tiring holding it up for extended periods of time, and keeping the long bar in a straight line, but other than that its a really nice saw to run

 

[Mad3400]

Seems like a beast, but I don't think it'll be too bad and will definitely know pretty quick if my sharpening is Sub-Par while running anything longer than a 41".

Mad3400

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

I just spent a few hours brushing with one... not suggested. Super fast, really exhausting.

I converted mine to run 3/8" 0.050 chain on a 20" bar as an every day work saw.

How? I haven't found a STIHL 3/8 bar in a 3002 mount. I'd like to put a 25" ES bar in 3/8" on.

I've heard of grinding the studs down to fit a 3003 bar...

 

[ZinTrees]

I just spent a few hours brushing with one... not suggested. Super fast, really exhausting.


How? I haven't found a STIHL 3/8 bar in a 3002 mount. I'd like to put a 25" ES bar in 3/8" on.

I've heard of grinding the studs down to fit a 3003 bar...

Milled out the bar, moved the oil and tensioner holes to match also
Thr nice thing about this is the ability to use the bar on a smaller saw too, mine has both oiler an tensioner holes still, it's a loose fit if you don't put spacers in there or an adaptor but it 100% works, I've ran it on my 500i to do some back to back testing


For the sprocket, just ask your dealer for a rim sprocket for a 500, they won't have one "for the 881" in a 3/8, but all the larger stihl saws use the same exact rim

 

[Long Bar 60]

I just spent a few hours brushing with one... not suggested. Super fast, really exhausting.


How? I haven't found a STIHL 3/8 bar in a 3002 mount. I'd like to put a 25" ES bar in 3/8" on.

I've heard of grinding the studs down to fit a 3003 bar...

Stihl part # 3002 000 9731 is a 25" ES bar in .404 x .063. I just changed the nose and the drive sprocket to 3/8" and I got what I wanted. I don't know if that bar is made in .050 (I doubt it) but I run .063 on everything but my mini saw anyway so that set up was perfect.

If you want to impress your friends put a 10 tooth racing sprocket with full comp chisel/chisel set at .040 (or deeper if you have soft wood) on that saw/bar/chain combination and watch the jaws drop. Actually, don't watch the jaws. Watch what your doing. It's scary fast.