Best saw to buy for firewood?

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If the guy is regularly cutting down 30" trees then yeah, the 261 probably isn't the best choice for a saw. But if it's just an occasional big one then why on Earth buy a bigger heavier saw that you gotta lug around all day? Everyone told me that a 261 would NOT be a good one saw plan but they were terribly WRONG as it handles everything I do perfectly and is so comfortable to use. I'd do it all over again tomorrow.

This is very true, I absolutely agree.
 
This is very true, I absolutely agree.

The most common pro saw around here is a stihl ms260/026.

I've had several over the years, they are a great saw, light weight, good power, easy to start etc. Ive been inside many of them, lots of scored up pistons and overheated clutches on the ones I see..

I made my recommendation looking at this from the mechanic side of the coin..

I spend 1 or 2 nights a week in my shop building and working on saws. I see a lot of overworked 50cc saws here.

The problem with cutting hard wood like oak is if its decent size and you use a 50cc you better have a sharp chain and a light touch.

The longer that little saw is in the cut the hotter the clutch gets and the more chance you have of leaning out the saw and burning it down.

Thats why I reccomended a bigger saw as a 60 or 70cc saw will limb and buck all day long..

A 50cc may not last if you buck larger oak often..

Just my 2 cents based on what I've seen.
 
They way I look at saws is like trucks.

If you once in a while want to tow heavy then a properly equipped 1/2 ton will do the job once in a while..

If you tow heavy regularily then you need a 3/4 ton thats built to tow..

We used to run 1/2 tons in our fleet at work, they needed brakes, front end work and tires all the time..

Got the boss to buy a 3/4 ton for me to prove to him a 3/4 ton will last way longer.

Now we only run 3/4 tons cause they are built for the work we do.

Same with saws, you do big work with a 261 it will do it for awhile but I'd bet the farm it ends up getting hot one day and winds up on a guy like me's bench with a scored piston..

I see it all the time.

As for big bars on little saws i think most who do that run skip akd only cut softwood.

Softwood is a different animal then the oak the OP stated he will be cutting..
 
They way I look at saws is like trucks.

If you once in a while want to tow heavy then a properly equipped 1/2 ton will do the job once in a while..

If you tow heavy regularily then you need a 3/4 ton thats built to tow..

We used to run 1/2 tons in our fleet at work, they needed brakes, front end work and tires all the time..

Got the boss to buy a 3/4 ton for me to prove to him a 3/4 ton will last way longer.

Now we only run 3/4 tons cause they are built for the work we do.

Same with saws, you do big work with a 261 it will do it for awhile but I'd bet the farm it ends up getting hot one day and winds up on a guy like me's bench with a scored piston..

I see it all the time.

As for big bars on little saws i think most who do that run skip akd only cut softwood.

Softwood is a different animal then the oak the OP stated he will be cutting..

We cut hardwoods too the big reason you see us put the length of bars we do is safety on steep ground. As for the chain it’s personal preference I like semi skip but most guys run full comp square chain.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
And the propensity for over-barring saws on here does nothing but exacerbate that.

We cut hardwoods too the big reason you see us put the length of bars we do is safety on steep ground. As for the chain it’s personal preference I like semi skip but most guys run full comp square chain.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Interesting.

I like a long bar to save my back.

I run an 25 on my 044 and my buddy runs 20s on his 70cc saws.

He always says "your bars are too long"

Hes 5'7" and I'm 6'2", were both standing straight up when limbing on the ground.

Also theres a huge difference between the skill and knowledge of a pro vs a weekend worrior. For the record I'm a weekend worrior, i spend more time building saws then cutting.

A pro knows how to use whatever saw is in their hands. A pro can get it done without blowing up a saw.

Homeowners often see "pro" on their 260 and pull out a 25" bar and make 5 min hardwood cuts one after the other.

Thats what I see a lot of here.
 
Sorry I did forget to put in a bunch of stuff since I read through the comments.

I live in Illinois and my house is surrounded by oak trees. I know their hard to cut so I'm looking for a saw in about the $600 range that has the power to cut them all up with no problem. They range from about 20 inches to around 36 in. I know everyone on here likes different name brands of saws I'm open to any help on any name brand but everyone around here owns stihl saws mostly because that's what is sold within the counties. I'm wanting a pro saw bit idk if I can kick myself in the a.. enough to spend the $800 for the 2019 ms 362 cm pro saw with a 25in blade I really want cause it should eat right through the oaks. I was seeing if there was anything just as good that wont pour gas on the wallet. I was thinking around $600 maybe. Higher if need be. I like the ms 261 cm pro saw to because its light but it not in stock anywhere around here. I know there is tons of saws to choose from and I started a conversation that can millions of ways but just wanted to see if could narrow it down to a close top 5 or so for me to research since my deadline is closing in fast.
Did you look at that Jonsered 2166 for sale in saws for sale? That would fill your needs, parts available through Husqvarna dealer, same saw as 365xt or 372xt. 2166 could be turned into a 2172 by removing transfer baffles, easy job to do. Those are a proven workhorse.
 
Most of the guys on here will tell you you need a pro saw to cut wood, and a homeowner saw is a waste of money.
Until you’ve been cutting with a chainsaw for a while, you won’t know what you need and what you can get by with. Sure more money buys you a nicer tool, but if you aren’t cutting regularly or enjoy dicking around with two-stroke power tools it’s kind of a waste.
Save some of your budget for personal protective equipment (PPE), like chaps, a helmet w/ visor, eye protection, hearing protection... and invest in some hand files and learn to sharpen a chain.
 
Way back on page 2 this implies that the decision was made and a purchase was imminent.

way back on page 2...


Thanks again for all tge feedback everyone you all helped me alot. I'm new to this page and have already became addicted to it. I work 7 days a week and need to get a hobby to do in my spare time so cutting fire wood is gonna be it for me. I FINALLY found a store that has the ms 261 C-M in stock. That's the one I've had my heart set on getting but didn't know if it was the best fit for what I need done with the $599.99 price tag. But the 4.0 bhp it puts out at only 10.8 lbs. It's a beast inside a little body. Its Light enough for the wife to use as well so I'm not worrying while I'm at work that she'll struggle to lift it and cut her leg off or something. I was sort of fixed on trying to get a Pro Saw and this is the cheapest one they sell for the newest models of stihl saws. Wallet is gonna throw a fit for a few weeks after I'm done with the case, saw, extra chains, files and guards. But gotta spend some to make some.
 
Way back on page 2 this implies that the decision was made and a purchase was imminent.

way back on page 2...

And since the man is working 7 days a week, I do hope he thoroughly enjoys his new saw. I hope he also enjoys taking the time to shut the thing off and just sit there on a stump listening to the leaves rustle and the birds chirp, cause that's really what it's all about.
 
With all due respect I don't expect diesel performance out of a 2 cycle engine.
Thanks again for all tge feedback everyone you all helped me alot. I'm new to this page and have already became addicted to it. I work 7 days a week and need to get a hobby to do in my spare time so cutting fire wood is gonna be it for me. I FINALLY found a store that has the ms 261 C-M in stock. That's the one I've had my heart set on getting but didn't know if it was the best fit for what I need done with the $599.99 price tag. But the 4.0 bhp it puts out at only 10.8 lbs. It's a beast inside a little body. Its Light enough for the wife to use as well so I'm not worrying while I'm at work that she'll struggle to lift it and cut her leg off or something. I was sort of fixed on trying to get a Pro Saw and this is the cheapest one they sell for the newest models of stihl saws. Wallet is gonna throw a fit for a few weeks after I'm done with the case, saw, extra chains, files and guards. But gotta spend some to make some.

Let us know if you like the saw.
 
My 462c bucked about 25 cord well maybe 18 because I ran my Husky too. It cuts great right up until the chain falls off to dull. It burns fuel like a Hemi. But it makes quick rounds of 36-40” big leaf maple and Douglas fir and then noodles them into sixths respectably. I don’t know what hardwood feels like because we have so little of it here. I’m no pro either, but I can get a cord bucked, loaded into a trailer and 8 miles home at a rate of about 2 hours per cord. Sharp chains and strong saws help with this. I would love to get a 261c someday soon too.
 
Interesting read, and IF 30" trees are in the OP's plan here he needs more saw.....IMHO I'd also add that there is no such thing as a one saw plan. The OP should get two saws, even for "casual" cutting. He needs a pretty decent size saw IF there are really 30" hardwoods in his future, at least 60cc and no less than a 20" bar.

Pissing around with little saws and too much bar on them can be a lesson in humility, unless your time just isn't worth anything. Sooner or later you will pinch the saw in your one saw plan hard enough you'll need another saw and maybe even a log roller to get it out. Probably sooner than later you'll stick the darned thing in the dirt or hit a rock and it will quit cutting, so it's nice to have another saw ready to go so at least you can get some wood cut vs spending most of the afternoon on the tailgate of your truck trying to get the dull chain sharp enough to start cutting wood again.

I take no less than 3 saws to any outing, usually 5-6, cleaned, maintenance done, razor sharp, fueled and ready to go. Even then I've had outings where I went thru all of them till empty or dull and wished I'd taken a few more. Maybe I'm a little more outside-the-box with this stuff than most, but we cut at least 100 cords a year as we have 3 boilers to feed and sell a little extra wood on occasion. I still absolutely LOVE running the saws, and split a good bit of the wood by hand. On HUGE logs I cross-cut them to make them more manageable and easier to split or work to the splitter (pics below). We also use a John Deere tractor with a bucket and dump trailer these days to take some more of the work out of the equation........Cliff

The upper 40' or so of the tree below is in the 30" range and I whipped it with my Echo CS-590, 600 and 620PW. The CS-590 did almost all of the cross-cutting/noodling to get the huge pieces manageable for the splitter. I wouldn't attack a tree of this size with anything less.....
IMG_1177.jpg
 
Interesting read, and IF 30" trees are in the OP's plan here he needs more saw.....IMHO I'd also add that there is no such thing as a one saw plan. The OP should get two saws, even for "casual" cutting. He needs a pretty decent size saw IF there are really 30" hardwoods in his future, at least 60cc and no less than a 20" bar.

Pissing around with little saws and too much bar on them can be a lesson in humility, unless your time just isn't worth anything. Sooner or later you will pinch the saw in your one saw plan hard enough you'll need another saw and maybe even a log roller to get it out. Probably sooner than later you'll stick the darned thing in the dirt or hit a rock and it will quit cutting, so it's nice to have another saw ready to go so at least you can get some wood cut vs spending most of the afternoon on the tailgate of your truck trying to get the dull chain sharp enough to start cutting wood again.

I take no less than 3 saws to any outing, usually 5-6, cleaned, maintenance done, razor sharp, fueled and ready to go. Even then I've had outings where I went thru all of them till empty or dull and wished I'd taken a few more. Maybe I'm a little more outside-the-box with this stuff than most, but we cut at least 100 cords a year as we have 3 boilers to feed and sell a little extra wood on occasion. I still absolutely LOVE running the saws, and split a good bit of the wood by hand. On HUGE logs I cross-cut them to make them more manageable and easier to split or work to the splitter (pics below). We also use a John Deere tractor with a bucket and dump trailer these days to take some more of the work out of the equation........Cliff

The upper 40' or so of the tree below is in the 30" range and I whipped it with my Echo CS-590, 600 and 620PW. The CS-590 did almost all of the cross-cutting/noodling to get the huge pieces manageable for the splitter. I wouldn't attack a tree of this size with anything less.....
View attachment 778992
Yes. This is exactly how it’s done. You are minimizing your movements and maximizing your productivity. You’ve increased your opportunity for premium wood that less prepared cutters must avoid.
 
Yes. This is exactly how it’s done. You are minimizing your movements and maximizing your productivity. You’ve increased your opportunity for premium wood that less prepared cutters must avoid.

Thats how I cut, maxium efficiency and minimum effort.

Having a good assortment of saws is a good way to make sure you can cut whatever is put in front of you.

What bothers me on this site is theres too many guys who think older saws won't cut wood. You have to buy new to make chips. Or you habe ro spend big money to have saw that will cut.

On saturday when we were cutting oak there wasn't a new saw in the lot. One guy we were with runs a 266xp and that thing motors tbrough wood. Its probably 30 years old and still going.. lots of big wood there on saturday, we are the only guys around that can handle big wood like that.

We pulled out a 36" plus log that was 24 feet long from the pile. We had that thing limbed and cut into saw logs in 2 mins. We ised an xpw and my 394. Both old saws that were but or bought for low money..

My 394 is 1994 model, its all origianal and you'd be hard pressed to find a more powerful or useful saw even if you went to the dealer and bought new..

He'll I Just picked up an earlt 70's homelite 922xl super. At 77ish ccs that saw will pull a big bar and cut darn near anything. I paid $60 for it and put $5 worth of fuel lines on it and its now a runner.

My 562 was bought from a firewood outfit, it was blown up, bearings gone and piston scrubbed. I cleaned up the transfer, new bearings, meteor piston and seals and a carb kit. $300 into that project total and I have a current model bad ass saw.

A new 261cm here is like $700 or $750 plus tax

For that kind of money I have my 562, 394 and my 266 or 365 special.

If you're making money with your saws new is the way to go but for firewood hacks like me a fleet of used saws is a very economical way to cut.
 
Thats how I cut, maxium efficiency and minimum effort.

Having a good assortment of saws is a good way to make sure you can cut whatever is put in front of you.

What bothers me on this site is theres too many guys who think older saws won't cut wood. You have to buy new to make chips. Or you habe ro spend big money to have saw that will cut.

On saturday when we were cutting oak there wasn't a new saw in the lot. One guy we were with runs a 266xp and that thing motors tbrough wood. Its probably 30 years old and still going.. lots of big wood there on saturday, we are the only guys around that can handle big wood like that.

We pulled out a 36" plus log that was 24 feet long from the pile. We had that thing limbed and cut into saw logs in 2 mins. We ised an xpw and my 394. Both old saws that were but or bought for low money..

My 394 is 1994 model, its all origianal and you'd be hard pressed to find a more powerful or useful saw even if you went to the dealer and bought new..

He'll I Just picked up an earlt 70's homelite 922xl super. At 77ish ccs that saw will pull a big bar and cut darn near anything. I paid $60 for it and put $5 worth of fuel lines on it and its now a runner.

My 562 was bought from a firewood outfit, it was blown up, bearings gone and piston scrubbed. I cleaned up the transfer, new bearings, meteor piston and seals and a carb kit. $300 into that project total and I have a current model bad ass saw.

A new 261cm here is like $700 or $750 plus tax

For that kind of money I have my 562, 394 and my 266 or 365 special.

If you're making money with your saws new is the way to go but for firewood hacks like me a fleet of used saws is a very economical way to cut.
Strong running, sharp chain, all modern safety features, and a modest assortment of sizes. Brand is totally irrelevant, serviceability is imperative, safety is compulsory.
 
There are many logical reasons why people prefer to buy new over used. It only takes a little reading here to see the abuse some people put their equipment through or the mistakes they've made due to ignorance. Also,many people consider a good tool as a long term investment and plan to maintain it and keep it for many years so they want to start with a new platform so they know the entire maintenance and operation history. I mean it's not a hammer they're buying, it's an mechanical piece of equipment with an engine. Some people maintain their equipment spot on and some severely neglect maintenance. Not to mention, there are some people who are just incapable of fixing things so they buy new in hopes of avoiding problems.

The one thing I see so often here is that many think you need to be so focused on how fast you can cut and what speed you can produce. But there is a very large volume of people here that really doesn't care about this. They enjoy just being out and cutting their own wood and it's not at all about production levels. They want a good saw that will handle what they need done, doesn't need to be done with absolute speed, they don't give two turds if a bigger saw woulda saved them 15 minutes of time, they just care they were able to accomplish what they needed.

It's an every day thing here to read people suggesting to others to buy way beyond their needs.

I'm glad I was able to see through that BS when I made my choice.
 
There are many logical reasons why people prefer to buy new over used. It only takes a little reading here to see the abuse some people put their equipment through or the mistakes they've made due to ignorance. Also,many people consider a good tool as a long term investment and plan to maintain it and keep it for many years so they want to start with a new platform so they know the entire maintenance and operation history. I mean it's not a hammer they're buying, it's an mechanical piece of equipment with an engine. Some people maintain their equipment spot on and some severely neglect maintenance. Not to mention, there are some people who are just incapable of fixing things so they buy new in hopes of avoiding problems.

The one thing I see so often here is that many think you need to be so focused on how fast you can cut and what speed you can produce. But there is a very large volume of people here that really doesn't care about this. They enjoy just being out and cutting their own wood and it's not at all about production levels. They want a good saw that will handle what they need done, doesn't need to be done with absolute speed, they don't give two turds if a bigger saw woulda saved them 15 minutes of time, they just care they were able to accomplish what they needed.

It's an every day thing here to read people suggesting to others to buy way beyond their needs.

I'm glad I was able to see through that BS when I made my choice.
I don’t like that you think saw selection is BS. There are so many to choose from.
 
I don’t like that you think saw selection is BS. There are so many to chose from.

I think having the right saw that feels good in the hands is the best safety decision a person can make. That is a personal choice. Every guy I know likes a different saw.

Lugging around a big saw for the average weekend worrior who may not be in the best shape is probably not a good idea.

Most mistakes are made by a tired person..
 

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