2 saw plan for hardwood property
- Thread starter dirtysock
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dirtysock
ArboristSite Lurker
Will do. Thank you. I think I will really like this saw for most of my needs. However, we have so many trees to thin on our acreage that I bet I will be getting a 462. The 362 might be a good choice too, but I would rather go up another 20cc for another saw. Felling is just the beginning of the work. The bucking will be the bulk, which is what I used to do with the 250, and it definitely struggled. We put those big oak chunks on our TSC 20 ton log splitter and it handles them, but that gets stressed too.
The 462 is definitely a better choice. Half throttle will starve the engine of oil and it screws up the m-tronic...run it full balls, just don't make any crazy long cuts for the first few tanks.
2 things made to run wide open under load: a boat motor and a chainsaw.
agreb12
Stihl Addicted
I started out using my dads old 024. After college went out and got a 261 thing was a monster compared to the 024. Then went out and got a 660 for milling, good saw much more of a lugger and doesn’t rev near as quick. Just picked up a 462 so my dad could have the 261 and get rid of his tired 024. The 462 is amazing, rips though anything you throw at it. I have a 25” 3/8 .050 on it. Revs so fast and just addicting to run. Here’s some 25” maple I cut up today.
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dirtysock
ArboristSite Lurker
Sounds good. That's what I will do.
dirtysock
ArboristSite Lurker
Sounds good. That's what I will do.
dirtysock
ArboristSite Lurker
No kidding. Got a friend who babies his outboard on the coast and had problems. Dealer told him to open it up.
dirtysock
ArboristSite Lurker
See, now this is the problem. I see posts like this and I know it's just a matter of time before I get the 462. I think it's just fun to have another toy.
You can idle a outboard motor for days on end you can run it at any constant speed you want and never fear of oil starvation.A chain saw is the same. Another example Lawn Boy 2 stroke mowers some had low grass setting which was slow engine speed and high grass which was high rpm some Lawn boys were fixed speeds some had throttle control. for any speed you desiered.
The only time my saws are running flat out is in the cut on bigger wood I cringe when I hear saws screaming wide open for no reason I believe that and lean high speed needles are the biggest contributors of the scored pistons and cylinders we read about so often on here.
I have over 40 working saws and have been cutting for 55 years on 25to1 mix with what ever 2 stroke that was on sale and have never scored a piston.Some of my saws have over 2000 hours on them original pistons and cylinders.
EACH TO THEIR OWN it only my opinion
Kash
The only time my saws are running flat out is in the cut on bigger wood I cringe when I hear saws screaming wide open for no reason I believe that and lean high speed needles are the biggest contributors of the scored pistons and cylinders we read about so often on here.
I have over 40 working saws and have been cutting for 55 years on 25to1 mix with what ever 2 stroke that was on sale and have never scored a piston.Some of my saws have over 2000 hours on them original pistons and cylinders.
EACH TO THEIR OWN it only my opinion
Kash
Vanguard
ArboristSite Lurker
On the West Coast here, we tend to run long bars with larger double dawgs... not just for big wood, but also safety. Most of us also run our oilers wide open on a saw, and it's well known to run two strokes WOT as much as you can, after break-in.
The MS261 is stingy on bar oil even with a wide open oiler, usually half a tank full after one tank of mix. Most will tell you running a 20" is borderline, almost too long for the saw to still cut strong enough.
I bought my MS261 as a package with a 20" Stihl bar with full-comp, full-chisel, Stihl Yellow chains... DISCLAIMER - Originally came with full-comp, semi-chisel, Stihl Green (safety) chain, but took them back to swap after realizing what they gave me when I got home.
After my MS261 woke up, it didn't take me long to realize this saw has more to offer. I proposed to my local dealer in running a longer bar with an increased bar oil solution. I now run a 24" Oregon bar converted from 3/8 to .325 by swapping noses with fs, fc chains. After researching on both our ends, they replaced the oiler 'standard' control bolt with a 'high-flo' control bolt from an MS460, giving an 0.3 flow rate of bar oil per spec... it's noticeable.
My setup is mostly for leaning Alders in mind... borecutting, hitting the trigger on them safely away with the longer bar. It also does well felling Doug Fir less than 24" in diam, bucking logs 8 to 16 feet all day long standing up, not bent over after limbing. Did I mention how light this saw is to pack around all day and how little mix it uses compared to larger saws?
I also run an MS462 with a 28" Stihl light bar that came with it for larger wood. Chains are fs,fc and fc,fc depending. I keep telling myself to pickup a 32" bar with a set of fs,fc chains but haven't been getting into big enough stuff lately.
My MS462 rips on a 28" bar with fs,fc chain, and I can tell a 32" bar with fs,fc chain will have no issues bucking larger Doug Fir. This saw has a full wrap handle, wish my MS261 did.
I used to run an 029 Super with an 044/046. The MS261 and MS462 compliments each other very well like an 029 Super did with an 044/046. A 60cc saw never made sense to me in a two-saw plan... 'goldilocks' is a one-thing for all plan.
A few more words, already TLTR... if you can scrub a chain better than factory, it will let you run the limits on a smaller saw with a longer bar than normal, so long as it can oil. If the oiler can't keep up and unable to modify, clean your kerfs more and run WOT a couple seconds before starting the buck. Maintain bars like a NAZI, no different than cutting only with sharp chain.
I get the reasoning converting from. .325 to 3/8 on the MS261 with a two saw plan to have same chain, files, sprockets etc. I kept mine as .325 since it cuts smooth as butter, not chattering like 3/8 does, when borecutting Alders or when limbing.
Cookie cutting is fun, but it's just drag racing.... it's not like trying to win the BAJA in a Raptor against all the elements, including driver fatigue.
I now run that Stihl Synthetic 50:1 with E0 in everything, but only run Stihl Motomix to run saws dry if not used for awhile. E0 is usually good up to 6 months and E10 up to three months if stored right. I use batches of mix within a week or two, rarely past that.
One more thing, read your instructions on the MS261 and MS462 M-Tronic saws. You'll find how to properly start them and warm them up which is different than non M-Tronic. Also, they have calibration procedures as well, and there is a tab for 'Winter' and 'Summer' mode.
Gratz on your saw and good luck with your journey!
The MS261 is stingy on bar oil even with a wide open oiler, usually half a tank full after one tank of mix. Most will tell you running a 20" is borderline, almost too long for the saw to still cut strong enough.
I bought my MS261 as a package with a 20" Stihl bar with full-comp, full-chisel, Stihl Yellow chains... DISCLAIMER - Originally came with full-comp, semi-chisel, Stihl Green (safety) chain, but took them back to swap after realizing what they gave me when I got home.
After my MS261 woke up, it didn't take me long to realize this saw has more to offer. I proposed to my local dealer in running a longer bar with an increased bar oil solution. I now run a 24" Oregon bar converted from 3/8 to .325 by swapping noses with fs, fc chains. After researching on both our ends, they replaced the oiler 'standard' control bolt with a 'high-flo' control bolt from an MS460, giving an 0.3 flow rate of bar oil per spec... it's noticeable.
My setup is mostly for leaning Alders in mind... borecutting, hitting the trigger on them safely away with the longer bar. It also does well felling Doug Fir less than 24" in diam, bucking logs 8 to 16 feet all day long standing up, not bent over after limbing. Did I mention how light this saw is to pack around all day and how little mix it uses compared to larger saws?
I also run an MS462 with a 28" Stihl light bar that came with it for larger wood. Chains are fs,fc and fc,fc depending. I keep telling myself to pickup a 32" bar with a set of fs,fc chains but haven't been getting into big enough stuff lately.
My MS462 rips on a 28" bar with fs,fc chain, and I can tell a 32" bar with fs,fc chain will have no issues bucking larger Doug Fir. This saw has a full wrap handle, wish my MS261 did.
I used to run an 029 Super with an 044/046. The MS261 and MS462 compliments each other very well like an 029 Super did with an 044/046. A 60cc saw never made sense to me in a two-saw plan... 'goldilocks' is a one-thing for all plan.
A few more words, already TLTR... if you can scrub a chain better than factory, it will let you run the limits on a smaller saw with a longer bar than normal, so long as it can oil. If the oiler can't keep up and unable to modify, clean your kerfs more and run WOT a couple seconds before starting the buck. Maintain bars like a NAZI, no different than cutting only with sharp chain.
I get the reasoning converting from. .325 to 3/8 on the MS261 with a two saw plan to have same chain, files, sprockets etc. I kept mine as .325 since it cuts smooth as butter, not chattering like 3/8 does, when borecutting Alders or when limbing.
Cookie cutting is fun, but it's just drag racing.... it's not like trying to win the BAJA in a Raptor against all the elements, including driver fatigue.
I now run that Stihl Synthetic 50:1 with E0 in everything, but only run Stihl Motomix to run saws dry if not used for awhile. E0 is usually good up to 6 months and E10 up to three months if stored right. I use batches of mix within a week or two, rarely past that.
One more thing, read your instructions on the MS261 and MS462 M-Tronic saws. You'll find how to properly start them and warm them up which is different than non M-Tronic. Also, they have calibration procedures as well, and there is a tab for 'Winter' and 'Summer' mode.
Gratz on your saw and good luck with your journey!
The couple bucks it costs to put the bolt from an ms 461R oil pump in the 261s oil pump is well worth it, I'm not sure on a stock saw.. but on a ported saw the tanks run about on par with each other, I wish I would've done it years ago. It's worth the upgrade.
Hard_Yakka
ArboristSite Member
My 261 is waking up after another afternoon cutting one the hardwood pile(white and black oak, maple, ash and madrone) I've had decked for a couple years. I really like this saw the more and more I use it. Now the 362's are the ones sitting around watching. The green windfall oaks are even easier.
Iffykid
ArboristSite Operative
thnks for the tip on the 461R oil pump bolt good to know should I come across one that does not oil properly.
Vanguard
ArboristSite Lurker
The standard flow ends in 4806 if I remember correctly and specs at 0.8 vs. 1.1 flow rates wich is a significant increase.
dirtysock
ArboristSite Lurker
dirtysock
ArboristSite Lurker
Do y'all think I should open the oil flow screw all the way on my 261? I felt the chain after running it and it was slick with oil. It's still set at factory setting. I have the 18" b/c. Or would you recommend I get the 461R oil bolt?
Vanguard
ArboristSite Lurker
Sometimes what bar oil you run determines output, thick or thin... then account for wood and type of cutting you do, ie. Cutting 12" diam vs. Burying you're bar in 24" diam. Too much oil is better than not enough... the reason I open my oilers up.
Opened up with 20" bar, running tackier oil when I first bought my 261 wasn't enough... but I've cut up to 32" plus wood with it.
Can't go wrong with hi flow control bolt either way, but I'd wait until warranty is up if not necessary for you now.
dirtysock
ArboristSite Lurker
Thanks. I'll check it from time to time after cutting and also pay attention to how much oil is used per tank of fuel. My old 250 was great in that it use a tank of oil for each tank of fuel so I filled them both up at the same time.
