Gentlemen ( I use the term lightly!), Getting ready to buy a new Stihl 660 to cut some 4-6 ft trees for my small firewood business. Plan to do a home muffler mod or send out to MasterMind for a light mod as soon as I get it. What bar length do you all recommend- 25" or 36"? I really could use the extra length bar, but don't want a bogging saw. From what I have seen with my 028 & MS310- as long as its been muffler modded, extra bar length is not an issue. They will run as strong or stronger with the longer bars as the short ones after the mod. Opinions?... Thanks, Scott
Buying new MS660 What bar to get?
- Thread starter S Tebo
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This has to be some kind of joke. But ok, my advice is buy some PPE and get both hands on the saw.
What's the point of having a " professional " forum if someone asks a legitimate question about a $1,200. Professional saw set up and gets a dumb ass response like yours?
Did you read the introduction to the forum?
"This Forum is for experienced tree climbers. Ask beginner or new to the business questions in the Arborist 101 Forum. Visit our forum sponsor#here."
Figured you were trolling. So my answer would by it depends on how big a tree I'm blockin down. Up to 30 inches or so, I'd rather they sent me up a 25. If I'm blocking out a spar thats over 30 inches, I'll put up with that damn 36 hanging off my saddle.
A 660 pulls a 36 just fine, but I prefer the balance with a 25.
"This Forum is for experienced tree climbers. Ask beginner or new to the business questions in the Arborist 101 Forum. Visit our forum sponsor#here."
Figured you were trolling. So my answer would by it depends on how big a tree I'm blockin down. Up to 30 inches or so, I'd rather they sent me up a 25. If I'm blocking out a spar thats over 30 inches, I'll put up with that damn 36 hanging off my saddle.
A 660 pulls a 36 just fine, but I prefer the balance with a 25.
And my original advice still stands
Thanks for the honest advise. I've been cutting trees on a farm since I was 8 and I'm now 43. Doesn't make much sense to ask beginners a question about a saw set up that they are never going to buy much less any combo that they have run. I don't climb for a living (never heard of that being a requirement to be a serious/professional wood business owner) I just cut 20-30 cords a year (standing trees from the ground) to sell for extra income for the family. The whole point is to share advise among each other from lesions learned the hard way. I did not want to waste $250. on a bar & chain set up it its not a good one- hence ask people in the industry who have probably tried/used it already. Don't be so high and mighty on your pedestal-
So post in the chainsaw or firewood forum, and they'll give you the same advice on ppe. I've been known to cut without ppe, but I sure aint goin to post a pic of it in this forum, or my brothhers will bust me, and rightfully so. The pro's that trained me never let me slide, for a reason. Good luck with your 660 still my favorite climbing saw, cause when they send it up to me it means I'm usually almost done.
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timberland ts
ArboristSite Operative
32" still plenty of power cut any thing you need. Word of advise dont post something here unless you can take some chop busting.
Muffler Bearing
"Support Our Troops"
I run a 25" on my 660 90% of the time, with a 36" for last cuts if needed.
I wood buy both a 25 & 36".
However if I was limited to just one than it wood be either a 28" or 32".
Which county in MD are you in ? I'm in Talbot.
I wood buy both a 25 & 36".
However if I was limited to just one than it wood be either a 28" or 32".
Which county in MD are you in ? I'm in Talbot.
4x4American
Got Sawdust?
my 066 usually wears a 36" bar, sometimes 32"... but then again I have other saws for other bar lengths, 461 wears 28" sometimes 32", 045 wears 28", 041 wears 16 inch, 362 wears 20", 346 wears 18", etc etc. So when I have the 066 out it's cause I need the 36" bar. When I bought my 066 it came with a 25" bar, and when I bought my 362 it came with 25" bar, funny thing is both 25" bars sit on the shelf. I ran the 25" on the 362 for a long while til I switched it to a 20" it pulls a 20" much better. If I need something that the 20" cant handle I use a 70cc class saw with a 28" bar and I feel that's the way to go. Something bout a 70cc saw with a 28" bar, they just work so well together. 461 handles the 32" bar pretty good too, and the 461 is stock.
Thank you for the reply & advise, also I sent you a PM. Scott
This is exactly the kind of feedback & advise I was looking for- thank you for the info!
Be safe, Scott
mitch95100
Saw Nut
View attachment 288624
Just curoius as to why a certain member said to put both hands on the saw??
IMHO- He has both hands on the saw...
Just curoius as to why a certain member said to put both hands on the saw??
IMHO- He has both hands on the saw...
If you haven't bought the 660 yet I would advise you get the R model because it has a better oiler for the 36" bar. If you need the high output oiler on a standard 660, lakeside53 did a nice tutorial on the mod. A longer bar can cut shorter wood, a shorter bar can not cut longer wood. I would get a 36 and a 24/25". Most firewooders I know don't go for 4' diameter trees, too hard to process.
Thanks for the advise- really appreciate it! Agree with you 100% on the size of the wood- pain in the ass to work with- I even had to fabricate a special platform table for my splitter just to be able to rotate the wood, even when sliced down to 12-14" thick pieces. But where I live there are noting but big old 3-6 ft oak & hickory trees that have blown down and or died of infestation and neighbors with decent acreage have been offering them for free. Hard to turn down free money so to speak. Thanks, again, Scott
Get both. Don't limit yourself.
B Harrison
ArboristSite Guru
Probably wouldn't hurt to buy 2 of them and keep the 25" on one for blocking regular wood under 36" and then you can get the 36" bar out when you have a bigger tree to block up.
If i am cutting a lot of wood I will use a 346 for everything, it cuts big wood a little slower, but I can cut longer on a tank and work longer before I have to stop and stretch.
660 is a big heavy saw, I wouldn't want to have one out at all if 461 would work, and for 4' firewood a 461 will do it just right with a 28" bar.
If i am cutting a lot of wood I will use a 346 for everything, it cuts big wood a little slower, but I can cut longer on a tank and work longer before I have to stop and stretch.
660 is a big heavy saw, I wouldn't want to have one out at all if 461 would work, and for 4' firewood a 461 will do it just right with a 28" bar.
TreeAce
Addicted to ArboristSite
When I bought my 660 I grabbed a 25 n a 32 inch for it. I planned on keeping the 25 on it most of the time. Hasn't worked out that way though. I just keep the 32 on it all the time now. I also have a 460 with a 25 inch and that's a great saw/bar combo. I think a 32 fits a 660 just right. But I am doing residential tree service not so much with firewood in mind. Although I do cut an awful lot of wood into "firewood length" lol. I agree with a past post about not getting crazy with the bar length because who wants to deal with those large rounds with the splitting.
bigbluram
master of destruction
My 660 wears a 36 all the time unless I really need a good smile then ill go to a 20 and 8 or 9 pin rim ! I usually run the 25 on my 038 mag, its dead nuts reliable and plenty fast for most tasks. If I were you I'd get the 660 r with a 36... Add a 25 or 28 later if you want...
4x4American
Got Sawdust?
Hey glad I could help! I would highly recommend getting the R model 660 if you haven't committed to a half wrap 660 yet. One day I will own one, but for now the 066 is doing me well, my plan is to get a Weber customs full wrap for it and send it to mastermind and while he's in her private parts ticklin them I'm gonna see if he'll put me on a HO oiler. But anyways yea the R model is only like $40 more I think, maybe $60 but well worth the extra money. My 461 is an R model and even though I went through hell and back with the Stihl dealer and distributor to get it here after a months wait I am very happy I waited. (used to be couldn't get an R model on the east coast I guess, I seen some signs in different shops after I bought my 461r announcing that you can now buy R model Stihl's on the east coast). The R model means you get: Large felling dogs (they act like a kickstand for the bar too, on flat, even ground, your 36" bar will not be able to roll forward and hit the ground, on the regular 660s the dogs are made for nose diving. Also the felling dogs are perfect for holding the saw in wood. my favorite thing is to rev up the saw and kinda slam it down into a tree and the chain will shoot it forward and the felling dogs will grab and hold your saw there forever until you pull it out.) ok next- HO bar oiler (oils way better), large clutch cover and oversized mud flap deal thing (great for firewooding because if you noodle logs in half the noodles dont clog up in there as easily i've noticed with the larger clutch cover), 3/4 wrap handle (I dont know why half wraps are even an option, once you get a 3/4 or full wrap you wont wanna go back), and I think that's all.
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