Bigger firewood saw vs. longer bar & skip chain... Weight driven question

[freeasaburt]

No offense taken at all! And I agree with you completely where it comes to training, professionalism, and experience.
After a little while of succesfull cutting as a beginner, one might start to feel a bit too confident, and there's a danger in that. Indeed, nobody knows all, and there's (in my personal opinion) also no need to come across as such. Take your time, and make it clear there's a reason you do that, if there's other people present. Evaluate the situation, something like that, or more plainly: think before you act. I learn new stuff, in a wide range of importance, almost every day I cut/haul wood, or work on saws, which I've only just started with.

 

[freeasaburt]

And btw, I mentioned I had no accidents or damage when cutting untill now, but that doesn't mean I haven't been close to it, multiple times even. Sweeping branches, a tree that fell on my head (with a useful thing called a helmet in between!), ruined chains, pinched with no backup saw... Sometimes dangerous, usually embarrassing, but basically all avoidable!
Looking forward to the next episodes in the War Wagon chronicles btw ;-) Good stuff!

 

[Kodiak Kid]

And btw, I mentioned I had no accidents or damage when cutting untill now, but that doesn't mean I haven't been close to it, multiple times even. Sweeping branches, a tree that fell on my head (with a useful thing called a helmet in between!), ruined chains, pinched with no backup saw... Sometimes dangerous, usually embarrassing, but basically all avoidable!
Looking forward to the next episodes in the War Wagon chronicles btw ;-) Good stuff!

Roger, and all of it I'm sure was experience gained! Glad to hear you wear a brain bucket and you didn't get hurt! Good on ya!
Often folks post video or pics of a tree they tipped and they aren't wearing any PPE at all. Not even a hard hat. I've posted comments and mentioned that felling timber without a hard hat shows lack of experience and they should probably consider wearing one. One fellow said "I have plenty of experience! I fell over a hundred trees last year". I replied with "I fell over a hundred yesterday. Just say'n"

Even in third world countries. Especially a lot of South American countries. I've seen video of professional Cutters in cut off shorts and sandals. However, most always! They are wearing a hard hat. Why? Because they know what's up!

 

[bwalker]

Wouldn't call it a turd, my 2 026's have been incredibly useful and reliable for years...



But it all depends. It's also a cultural/regional thing, here in Western Europe long bars are far from common, even for professionals. A couple of years ago I watched an arborist put down a pretty huge fir which was standing right next to a friend's house. He's one of the best guys in Belgium, great reputation, loads of equipment as well as training/certificates. He brought one saw, which a company sent him for testing (might have been a Shindaiwa, didn't know the brand back then in any case). He used it for climbing, felling the remaining log, and cutting it up in larger lenghts, for milling. The saw was 'tiny', in the eyes of a lot of people here, guess it was a 50 or maybe 60cc, with a properly (probably perfectly) sharpened chain. The whole process took maybe half an hour, he was at the top of the tree in no time, but the felling was fascinating, at least to me: rather than making one big face cut, as you would with a long bar, he made it by taking out smaller portions, one after the other; he then made a bore cut, burying the bar almost completely, and then 'simply' turned the saw around, in a move that seemed almost gracious to me. Perfectly lined up, tree landed where he planned it to. Oh and the saw didn't have any issues with it at all.



I learned a thing or two that day... 

Wouldn't call it a turd, my 2 026's have been incredibly useful and reliable for years...

But it all depends. It's also a cultural/regional thing, here in Western Europe long bars are far from common, even for professionals. A couple of years ago I watched an arborist put down a pretty huge fir which was standing right next to a friend's house. He's one of the best guys in Belgium, great reputation, loads of equipment as well as training/certificates. He brought one saw, which a company sent him for testing (might have been a Shindaiwa, didn't know the brand back then in any case). He used it for climbing, felling the remaining log, and cutting it up in larger lenghts, for milling. The saw was 'tiny', in the eyes of a lot of people here, guess it was a 50 or maybe 60cc, with a properly (probably perfectly) sharpened chain. The whole process took maybe half an hour, he was at the top of the tree in no time, but the felling was fascinating, at least to me: rather than making one big face cut, as you would with a long bar, he made it by taking out smaller portions, one after the other; he then made a bore cut, burying the bar almost completely, and then 'simply' turned the saw around, in a move that seemed almost gracious to me. Perfectly lined up, tree landed where he planned it to. Oh and the saw didn't have any issues with it at all.

I learned a thing or two that day...

The 260 is a very reliable saw, but I stand buy my comment. Even after you advance the timing, muffler mod add a WT-194 they still won't hand with a OE 346xp. With out the nods mentioned above they are truly terrible. Maybe your European 260's are not saddled with the small.muffler outlet fixed jet carb, etc?

 

[Kodiak Kid]

The 260 is a very reliable saw, but I stand buy my comment. Even after you advance the timing, muffler mod add a WT-194 they still won't hand with a OE 346xp. With out the nods mentioned above they are truly terrible. Maybe your European 260's are not saddled with the small.muffler outlet fixed jet carb, etc?

I have issues with my 260 it doesn't really run good. Never has and Im not going to waste my time modifying a 50cc. I guess its a good thing I hardly ever use the dang thing.

 

[freeasaburt]

I don't have a lot to bring to the table here, in the sense that I've never owned or used a Husqvarna saw (would like to change that) or used a saw with mods. The 'culture' just doesn't exist here, at least as far as I know.
My 1999 026C has been a really reliable and versatile saw though. I like the older Stihls, although except for things like the introduction of the MSxxx naming I don't know what was changed and when, here in Europe or the US. My 1995 064 has a nice open pot, nothing on the inside, but I don't know if it's original. Haven't even looked at the 026C exhaust... Once I get other saws (like my 2001 026, but there's many more projects...) in good running order I'm probably going to give it some bench time.

 

[bwalker]

I have issues with my 260 it doesn't really run good. Never has and Im not going to waste my time modifying a 50cc. I guess its a good thing I hardly ever use the dang thing.

If you do the mods I listed and trim the choke they do run better, but not close to a bone stock 346xp.

 

[freeasaburt]

Roger, and all of it I'm sure was experience gained! Glad to hear you wear a brain bucket and you didn't get hurt! Good on ya!
Often folks post video or pics of a tree they tipped and they aren't wearing any PPE at all. Not even a hard hat. I've posted comments and mentioned that felling timber without a hard hat shows lack of experience and they should probably consider wearing one. One fellow said "I have plenty of experience! I fell over a hundred trees last year". I replied with "I fell over a hundred yesterday. Just say'n"

Even in third world countries. Especially a lot of South American countries. I've seen video of professional Cutters in cut off shorts and sandals. However, most always! They are wearing a hard hat. Why? Because they know what's up!

Like I said, my old man never did the PPE thing, except for his steel toed boots, which he basically always wore when working outside. The first time he cut into his leg, he swore he would buy saw pants. After the second time he cut into his leg, he actually bought them. And I tore the original packaging off after I inherited them... Yup, he kept on cutting with 'normal' work pants or jeans on after the second time. He did fully recover from the injuries, but it could have been quite different! Like the time he cut through 80% of his thumb with a circular saw...
Generally speaking, PPE definitely was not common back then, although there was the occasional use of ear protection.

But in the end, you choose yourself what lessons to learn from whatever kind of situation. Since I got them, I have done 99% of my cutting with those damn hot, clunky saw pants ... Gonna buy some chaps though, for the summer!
I 'forced' myself into the habit of wearing a helmet by getting one with ear protection on it, and leaving my normal 'headphones' at home... True story. Whatever works, right? It's "standard kit" now.

 

[Kodiak Kid]

Like I said, my old man never did the PPE thing, except for his steel toed boots, which he basically always wore when working outside. The first time he cut into his leg, he swore he would buy saw pants. After the second time he cut into his leg, he actually bought them. And I tore the original packaging off after I inherited them... Yup, he kept on cutting with 'normal' work pants or jeans on after the second time. He did fully recover from the injuries, but it could have been quite different! Like the time he cut through 80% of his thumb with a circular saw...
Generally speaking, PPE definitely was not common back then, although there was the occasional use of ear protection.

But in the end, you choose yourself what lessons to learn from whatever kind of situation. Since I got them, I have done 99% of my cutting with those damn hot, clunky saw pants ... Gonna buy some chaps though, for the summer!
I 'forced' myself into the habit of wearing a helmet by getting one with ear protection on it, and leaving my normal 'headphones' at home... True story. Whatever works, right? It's "standard kit" now.

Right on! You ever try ear plugs or do you just like the ear mufflers better?

 

[freeasaburt]

I do like the mufflers better, those little plugs are annoying to fumble with when you are covered in sawdust.
It's pretty simple like this, gonna start the saw? Then the 'brain bucket' (I like that description, haha!) comes on and I have the earpro and face shield on in one go. The face shield is the least important one I guess, but I had the occasional bleeding lip from stuff flying in my direction.

 

[Kodiak Kid]

I do like the mufflers better, those little plugs are annoying to fumble with when you are covered in sawdust.
It's pretty simple like this, gonna start the saw? Then the 'brain bucket' (I like that description, haha!) comes on and I have the earpro and face shield on in one go. The face shield is the least important one I guess, but I had the occasional bleeding lip from stuff flying in my direction.

I used a face shield all the time when I was a youngster bumping knots on the log landings as they were getting ready to be loaded on trucks and hauled down the mountain. Mine was more of a metal mesh screen. When your limbing and bumping off sheared limbs all day. A lot of big splitters and chunks of wood get thrown at you from your power saw. Now days I don't wear eye protection as much as I should. I'm going to work on that better!

 

[Kodiak Kid]

Like I said, my old man never did the PPE thing, except for his steel toed boots, which he basically always wore when working outside. The first time he cut into his leg, he swore he would buy saw pants. After the second time he cut into his leg, he actually bought them. And I tore the original packaging off after I inherited them... Yup, he kept on cutting with 'normal' work pants or jeans on after the second time. He did fully recover from the injuries, but it could have been quite different! Like the time he cut through 80% of his thumb with a circular saw...
Generally speaking, PPE definitely was not common back then, although there was the occasional use of ear protection.

But in the end, you choose yourself what lessons to learn from whatever kind of situation. Since I got them, I have done 99% of my cutting with those damn hot, clunky saw pants ... Gonna buy some chaps though, for the summer!
I 'forced' myself into the habit of wearing a helmet by getting one with ear protection on it, and leaving my normal 'headphones' at home... True story. Whatever works, right? It's "standard kit" now.

PPE can save your life mate! Glad to hear your dad made it out alive. He was one of the lucky ones. There are a lot of lucky ones out there! However, the grave yards a fool for a lot that were not so lucky!

 

[freeasaburt]

I used a face shield all the time when I was a youngster bumping knots on the log landings as they were getting ready to be loaded on trucks and hauled down the mountain. Mine was more of a metal mesh screen. When your limbing and bumping off sheared limbs all day. A lot of big splitters and chunks of wood get thrown at you from your power saw. Now days I don't wear eye protection as much as I should. I'm going to work on that better!

Yeah I have the wire mesh thing too, works well and even though one might expect otherwise, visibility is good.

I never used dedicated goggles, till a couple of years ago as I have my normal glasses (I have very poor eyesight) on all the time, and expected them to be sufficient. However, at some point I was cutting through some old rusty pipes with an angle grinder and apparently the sparks were hot enough to melt into the lenses (they are made of some polymer, or polycarbonate or whatever, not of glass, which makes them more shock resistant, but there's clearly also drawbacks to that material). Those things are not cheap... Lessons learned, again!

 

[Kodiak Kid]

Yeah I have the wire mesh thing too, works well and even though one might expect otherwise, visibility is good.

I never used dedicated goggles, till a couple of years ago as I have my normal glasses (I have very poor eyesight) on all the time, and expected them to be sufficient. However, at some point I was cutting through some old rusty pipes with an angle grinder and apparently the sparks were hot enough to melt into the lenses (they are made of some polymer, or polycarbonate or whatever, not of glass, which makes them more shock resistant, but there's clearly also drawbacks to that material). Those things are not cheap... Lessons learned, again!

Yes the mesh screens are very easy to see through. Visibility is good! I also wear eye glasses and have recently been trying out prescription safety glasses, I buy them on the internet. You should look into it. My last pair was about $100 American.

 

[freeasaburt]

Could be interesting indeed, thanks for the advice. I need strong correction though, -10 or thereabouts... Might not be available.
However, most safety glasses like the ones in this pic fit over my normal glasses, looks a bit goofy but I don't really care.

 

[Seachaser]

I believe one bit is a quarter and a nickel. Maybe a quarter and a dime, but Im not sure.

2 bits = quarter. 8 bits = dollar.