Bar sizes for Stihl stable of saws

[Jkebxjunke]

Ok.. I done did it... I bought a MS 660... its coming with a 32" bar...

I have a MS441 with a 20" bar... and a ms250 with both 16" and 18".

Now what bar and even chain suggestions would you make?
I am thinking of adding a MS 361 to my herd.

I had a friend give me a 36" bar and chain.. for a couple bucks...

I was thinking maybe of adding a 25" or a 28" bar to the stable.

the wood I am cutting is anything from a little pine.. very little... maple, oak, gum, wild cherry, mostly hardwoods.

I am open to suggestions o wise gurus of the saw chips:greenchainsaw: .

 

[Nailsbeats]

No Treeco, you got it all wrong, I would go with a 25" it'll fit right in the middle, lol.

Seriously though, I have a 25" (24") and a 32" for my 660. I've though a lot about the 361, but my 440's do everything better. Plus, I already have a 357 and don't want to find out that it will smoke a 361, for Stihl's sake. I just don't use that size saw for much more than brushing, a little in the tree maybe, but have been going from the 200t to the 440 lately.

In summary, add the 25" bar and get a 361, since you carry that beast of a 441, you will probably notice a good margin. 440= 361 need not apply.

 

[Jkebxjunke]

the MS 250 was my main saw... until I found this site... It now has been relegated to cutting smaller wood and liming I think the 441 for liming would be over kill and probably be heavy after awhile...

As for the Dolmar... I have heard good things about them.. to tell the truth I never herd of them till I found this site... I looked for a dealer... and there might be one about 45 min away and in that same range about 10 Stihl dealers... I am a bit concerned about dealer support.

what would you suggest for liming If I sold the 250?

 

[johnzski]

I agree with nails

a 361 and a 440/441 are too close in size to justify both.get something older and cooler like an 041 super

 

[computeruser]

Assuming your 250 works well, I think you've got all the bases covered. No real need to add a 60cc saw to the mix, so far as I can see. If you did, though, I'd ditch the 250 for a 361/16".

As for bars, you've got that covered already, too. It becomes a PITA to have bars and loops in 4" increments. I've been happy with 13/14, 16, 20, and 28, on the regular saws, and then 25, 33, 42 on the big Stihls. I'd be content to pare that down even further, frankly, particularly on the big Stihls, as they only ever come out when the 42" is needed.

 

[Jkebxjunke]

Oh My 250 runs well... i have no complaints with it... and since it took the rakers down a bit ( lust a little off the top) it cuts like never before.

but I was thinking of the 25" bar and if I am not mistaken it will fit both the 441 and 660.
The reason for adding more saws and bigger saws.. I am getting an OWB and will be cutting probably 3x the wood I used to. and I am a one man show.. at least till my son gets old enough to hustle logs... as for log handling I have a S160 bobcat with grapple so moving them is not a problem.

now for chains... what is the difference between semi-chisel and full chisel? And would it be worth adding a skip chain to the bigger bars?
the 441 had a skip on the 20" bar ( why I am not sure) and has no problem what so ever running it.
sorry for all the newbie type questions... but how else do we learn?

 

[Nailsbeats]

Semi and Full Skip have less cutters, this will cause less drag in the cut and allow your engine to stay in the R's easier with bigger bars. I would go with skip tooth after 25", less to sharpen on those hogs.

 

[windthrown]

I run a 25 inch bar on my 361 most of the time, and it is my favorite bar. I have 16, 18, 20 and 25 inch size bars for it (and the 290). I would run a 25 on the 441. I use mostly full comp. Semi and full skip are good for clearing chips, but they tend to get dull faster with fewer cutters. I have skip and full comp chains, and all I use is full comp unless I am cutting noodles with the grain. I also use mostly RM chain, semi-chisel. It stays sharper longer in crappy conditions, which is mainly what I cut (slash, salvage, tree felling, firewood cutting and limbing). For keeping revs up, I swap rims with different numbers of pins to adjust torque and revs to bar length.

As for getting a 361, I would go for it. I was in a similar boat last year and I needed a larger saw for felling larger trees. I got a 440 and a 460 but they were too vibration prone for me, so I sold the 440 and returned the 460. I narrowed it down to getting a 441 for the smooooooth running feel. But alas, we got deevorced and I moved off the property, and I no longer need that size saw. I use the 361 all the time though. Similar class and size are one thing on paper, but usability in that range is a big factor in saw selection. The 361 will feel light and nimble after using the 441, and the 441 will have that added power when needed. They are a good combination pair of saws. The 361 will also not be around much longer, and gone after 2010. 441 type strato saws are the saws of the future for Stihl.

 

[046]

everyone is a bit different... area also determines size of bar used.

in tulsa we've got loads of hardwoods... so my 046 mostly wears a Stihl 25in bar. west coast folks think nothing of using a 32in bar with a 460.

looks like you'll need a 25in bar to round out your quiver. pick one 3/8 bar groove size and stick to it. that way..... easier, if you decide to go bulk chain.

 

[Jkebxjunke]

most of the trees I cut... will be in the 20"-24" range at the base.(maybe a few bigger).. but as you get up in the tree it gets smaller ... once below 16" I was thinking of using the 361 for bucking .. it would save me in the fatigue factor.. than wielding the 441 or 660 all day. I figured rather than trying to over tax the 250 even though it has proven to be a capable saw.. I don't want to kill it prematurely by hacking up 28" trunks (I have done a couple of times but the saw was up to the task.
when you spoke of rims... would it be a good idea to get a couple and just try them and see or since I am not cutting professionally just go with what I have.

 

[lectrocrew]

Congrats on the new saw!
My new 660 came with a 32" 3/8 .050 bar and rsc chain. I haven't had a need for that much bar but will probably use it when I cut the trunk of this tree that got blown over by tropical storm Fay that came through here a few weeks ago.
I bought a 25" 3/8 .050 ES bar and rsc chains to replace the 32" and so far I've cleaned up my farm and 2 others with mainly my 660 cutting a couple of pines but mainly hardwoods {live oak mainly). The 25" is working out just fine for all around use. I ran an 8 tooth sprocket in most of the pine but prefer the 7 tooth in hardwood with this saw. It just doesn't seem to have the torque to pull the 25" rsc in hardwood with the 8 tooth. Maybe that will change when it gets broken in a little better.

 

[Boogieman142]

well, on my 660 i have a 42" that it sometimes wears when i am cutting the big stuff, otherwise it uses a 20. the 42" doesn't even use a skip chain either.

 

[Peacock]

most of the trees I cut... will be in the 20"-24" range at the base.(maybe a few bigger).. but as you get up in the tree it gets smaller ... once below 16" I was thinking of using the 361 for bucking .. it would save me in the fatigue factor.. than wielding the 441 or 660 all day.

I agree to an extent. As you use the saws more you get stronger. I rarely even reach for my 280 or 009 anymore. The bigger saws are almost always faster. I recently cut and limbed a BIG red oak blowdown and used the 660 with a 36" and 20" bar for bucking and limbing. Never even ran the other saws. You get used to the weight pretty quick.

 

[Jkebxjunke]

Congrats on the new saw!
My new 660 came with a 32" 3/8 .050 bar and rsc chain. I haven't had a need for that much bar but will probably use it when I cut the trunk of this tree that got blown over by tropical storm Fay that came through here a few weeks ago.
I bought a 25" 3/8 .050 ES bar and rsc chains to replace the 32" and so far I've cleaned up my farm and 2 others with mainly my 660 cutting a couple of pines but mainly hardwoods {live oak mainly). The 25" is working out just fine for all around use. I ran an 8 tooth sprocket in most of the pine but prefer the 7 tooth in hardwood with this saw. It just doesn't seem to have the torque to pull the 25" rsc in hardwood with the 8 tooth. Maybe that will change when it gets broken in a little better.

now thats a hoss of a tree... just shows the power of the storms.

 

[scootr]

Sell the 250, buy a used 260 and an 034 Super or 360. You will be money ahead, and have 4 pro saws, all bars will interchange.

 

[SawTroll]

the MS 250 was my main saw... until I found this site... It now has been relegated to cutting smaller wood and liming I think the 441 for liming would be over kill and probably be heavy after awhile...

As for the Dolmar... I have heard good things about them.. to tell the truth I never herd of them till I found this site... I looked for a dealer... and there might be one about 45 min away and in that same range about 10 Stihl dealers... I am a bit concerned about dealer support.

what would you suggest for liming If I sold the 250?

Get rid of that POS 250, and get a NE346xp.....

 

[Trigger-Time]

Sell the 250, buy a used 260 and an 034 Super or 360. You will be money ahead, and have 4 pro saws, all bars will interchange.

:agree2: Mostly.

Sell/Trade the 250 for new MS260