Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[svk]

This big guy took down a few smaller trees with it across my trail. I'll tackle that another day.


One of three balsams in my yard that are now down or broke off halfway up. This one would have fallen on the cabin if ma nature had taken it 180 degrees from where it fell.

 

[Cowboy254]

View attachment 609202 is this what happens when you leave a 32 cc ms180 and a 67 cc 038 AVS too close together? I seem to have a project for the winter.

I knew you'd give in eventually .

 

[LondonNeil]

Indeed. I seem to have more cc than you!

You only need a little saw to change that, and you do need a little saw.

 

[Cowboy254]

Indeed. I seem to have more cc than you!

You only need a little saw to change that, and you do need a little saw.

Not so! I also have three saws, the little 59cc MS310, the 76cc MS460 and the 91cc Limby. I just haven't used the 310 for 7 years. I have no use for a sub-70cc saw. Might as well tidy it up and sell it.

 

[LondonNeil]

Ooo, you kept that quiet! Or was I not paying attention? Either way, Keep it. Use it, you'll love it in time.

 

[Cowboy254]

Aha, you have forgotten this conversation...

Yeah, I get all that. But...

You know, I was at the footy last week with a mate of mine and we had a coupla beers. It was a good game, 70,000 people in attendance, and in the end my team won in a thriller. After the second beer, he said to me, "You know, that second beer went down better than the first" And I said, "Yeah, you're right! So it stands to reason....." . I can't actually remember the end of the game, but those extra beers definitely went down better as they went.

Let's be honest. You have a tiny saw. Sure, it's a Stihl which makes it awesome. But still tiny. You need a bigger saw. It stands to reason.

I started out with a 50 odd cc saw - the landowner MS310 Farmboss. Started off liking it, but liked it less over time. It was ok, not great. Didn't necessarily want to start. Couldn't pull a 20 inch bar happily in aussie hardwood. Air filter was stupid. Anti-vibe next to non-existent. Eventually I told Cowgirl I was going to buy some new tyres for the Subaru and went and bought the 460 workhorse as well.

View attachment 585979

70-something cc's, way better anti-vibe, easier to start despite being a bigger saw, happy to bash through aussie hardwood. But then I thought ... "Well, if 70cc is that much better than 50cc, it stands to reason that a 90cc ..." . And the Subaru needed some new tyres again anyway.

View attachment 585980

Let's face facts. Your wife likes being warm. The heater you've installed looks great. But it doesn't heat itself, it needs fuel. As it happens, the fuel it needs does grow on trees. But since you can't insert a whole tree in the heater, it needs to be cut to size. Cute and lovable as your MS180 is, it can't handle the big stuff. Besides, your wife wants you to be happy. And, it has been scientifically proven beyond all doubt that your wife will be absolutely happy for you to have a bigger saw as long as she doesn't know you bought it.

You know you need it. It stands to reason.

Hey, I think the Subaru needs some new tyres again too...

I don't reckon I'll ever use the 310 to any serious extent again. I figure that when I'm too old and lame to swing Limby, you can put me to bed with a shovel.

 

[farmer steve]

Aha, you have forgotten this conversation...



I don't reckon I'll ever use the 310 to any serious extent again. I figure that when I'm too old and lame to swing Limby, you can put me to bed with a shovel.

ya better keep it . ya never know when you'll vacation in @dancan's spruceland and limby will be to big.

 

[KiwiBro]

The 310 was my first 'real' saw so it won't ever be sold. We've been through thick and thin and both of us are still cutting, just. New P&C after I straight gassed it. But, silver linings and all, the scored but still working and needed 310 was so gutless at the time, before repair, it forced me to learn to file correctly and understand chains and changed the way I cut from then on. So that wee 310 taught me so much I'm actually grateful for my own idiocy in cooking it. There is nothing like being forced to use a neutered saw to expose how sloppy we have become and how much we have used power to mask our inefficiencies or ignorance. I recommend it to anyone.

Can't lean heavy on it in gum, especially if dry gum, when wearing a 20" bar but it does just fine with a sharp chain in such wood if gentle to no pressure. Key is a sharp chain, a beautifully set up chain that self feeds, clears chips well and is swapped out or filed the moment it dulls. Not at the next refill or break or end of the day or after the next few rounds to finish bucking this tree, etc. There are only two types of chain - very sharp or too blunt to cut with. But such a mantra takes many extra chains or constant file touch ups, which is a PITA at times.

In pine, the 310 wears up to a 24" bar no probs. In gum, 20" and no leaning on it if wood is dry and that's fine too. The same 20" bar is far more fun on the 7900, but it then gets differently set-up chains with my 'angry bastard' grind. That's not a grind I'd use on the 310 chains. It wouldn't stand up on it.

Another use for the 310 is when I finally get a CS winch. I reckon Cowboy could slab some of the trees he finds and winch the slabs onto and off a trailer, and by the time they are dry he'd have the woodworking skills and gear to rip into them, making all sorts of in/outdoor slab furniture...just sowing the seed . There are times I could use a winch when don't have tractor (with my uniforest skidding winch) on the job. Also, would make a fine haul-back winch when harvesting trees/logs off hillsides. The trouble I see with it is I'll put the ute into more dodgy situations because there's a winch to help get me out of them. Sometimes, that won't end well.

 

[dancan]

I'll have y'all know that the scrounged up chainsaw list goes kinda sumthin like this
Real Ryobi little saw
CS330t
241
026x4
034x2 sold 1
036x2
361x3
046x2 gave away
066
2161
2171wh
394
2100 sold
262 gave away
CS72
CS56 gave away
621 Jred
670 Jredx2 gave away
That I remember off the top of my head but I know there are others
So , don't worry , I can take care of the biggest spruce y'all can find lol

Neil , each file size has it's own guide .

 

[JustJeff]

Only about a pound difference between a 310 and a 460 but about 2 hp. I wouldn’t bother switching out either. If you’re man enough to swing a 460 to limb with, I’m sure not going to argue with ya! I can limb with mine.....for a bit. Then I remember the story about the young bull and the old bull standing on the hill..... that’s when my lighter saws come out.

 

[Jeffkrib]

I’m man enough to limb with my 7900 but when I do it with the 550xp it’s soooo nice.
Sounds like poor old cowboy may have reached the end of the road when it comes to the CAD department.
I myself like the thought of a ported ms261, a light weight top handle for pruning around the yard and maybe something bigger than the 7900.
First I think I need to save up for a rural property (weekender) the only problem is anything within 3hrs drive of Sydney is $1 million plus.

 

[dancan]

Ouch .

 

[dancan]

BTW , I didn't go back to get the smaller saw on this tree

 

[JustJeff]

BTW , I didn't go back to get the smaller saw on this tree

Don’t believe him guys, dancan has been known to “resticker” saws!!!!

 

[muddstopper]

All this talk about saws, I did acquire a 346xp today. Well sort of, No p/c or carbs or clutch, or coils or flywheel, or handles. It was a freebee so I took it. Son has a 346 with a hole in the case that was patched with jbweld. It will be a future project.

 

[turnkey4099]

The 310 was my first 'real' saw so it won't ever be sold. We've been through thick and thin and both of us are still cutting, just. New P&C after I straight gassed it. But, silver linings and all, the scored but still working and needed 310 was so gutless at the time, before repair, it forced me to learn to file correctly and understand chains and changed the way I cut from then on. So that wee 310 taught me so much I'm actually grateful for my own idiocy in cooking it. There is nothing like being forced to use a neutered saw to expose how sloppy we have become and how much we have used power to mask our inefficiencies or ignorance. I recommend it to anyone.

Can't lean heavy on it in gum, especially if dry gum, when wearing a 20" bar but it does just fine with a sharp chain in such wood if gentle to no pressure. Key is a sharp chain, a beautifully set up chain that self feeds, clears chips well and is swapped out or filed the moment it dulls. Not at the next refill or break or end of the day or after the next few rounds to finish bucking this tree, etc. There are only two types of chain - very sharp or too blunt to cut with. But such a mantra takes many extra chains or constant file touch ups, which is a PITA at times.

In pine, the 310 wears up to a 24" bar no probs. In gum, 20" and no leaning on it if wood is dry and that's fine too. The same 20" bar is far more fun on the 7900, but it then gets differently set-up chains with my 'angry bastard' grind. That's not a grind I'd use on the 310 chains. It wouldn't stand up on it.

Another use for the 310 is when I finally get a CS winch. I reckon Cowboy could slab some of the trees he finds and winch the slabs onto and off a trailer, and by the time they are dry he'd have the woodworking skills and gear to rip into them, making all sorts of in/outdoor slab furniture...just sowing the seed . There are times I could use a winch when don't have tractor (with my uniforest skidding winch) on the job. Also, would make a fine haul-back winch when harvesting trees/logs off hillsides. The trouble I see with it is I'll put the ute into more dodgy situations because there's a winch to help get me out of them. Sometimes, that won't end well.

I bought the 310 rightr after it came out. It ate 10+ cord/yr for at least 10 years as my main saw with up to 24" bar in both hard and soft woods (locust and willow mainly), Then came the 361. The 361 and 310 were then the main saws, 310/20" and 361/25 or 28". MOst recent is the 441 usually with a 32" but often with down to a 20" for noodling. 310 still goes with me as a 'in case". It is old, tired and more than a bit weak now but still reliable. Had to switch to it today as I couldn't wake up the 361 (flooded again).

My time behind a saw is beginning to look shaky. Right arm is sore as a boil and I can't crank a saw with it due to the pain. Learning to crank left handed. That solves the starting problem but I can't lift much with the right arm and that does cut into the joy of 'wooding'.

 

[LondonNeil]

Neil , each file size has it's own guide .

Wow, someone picked my question out from all the banter!
Thanks Dan. That's a shame, it looks very easy to swap files, but it is what I expected, the guide bars are fixed to work for a specific file size. Right, I'll need both sizes.

I'm not sure what I'll do with the 660. I'll build it which is a bit of fun primarily, I'll run it a few times and grin, a lot. I'll put it on the shelf as I don't have much need for it, and I'll think about keeping it or selling it then. It could end up a shelf queen very easily.

 

[KiwiBro]

BTW , I didn't go back to get the smaller saw on this tree

That's got Zogger written all over it. Would only need a few like that to justify a pull-through delimber.

 

[LondonNeil]

Almost quicker and easier to delimb with a billhook, a little smaller and it would.

 

[farmer steve]

Don’t believe him guys, dancan has been known to “resticker” saws!!!!