firewood saw chains

[Wood Doctor]

...The only time I have wrecked a bar is when I accidentally ran over my old oregon bar with the tractor and pinched the metal around the nose causing the sprocket to eventually freeze up.

You can probably save that bar if it's only the tip that is damaged. A new Oregon sprocket tip kit with the rivet costs about $10 to $12 these days. Check out ebay. Drill out the rivet with a 19/64" or 5/16" drill bit (<8 mm). Remove the old tip and replace it with the new tip and flatten the new rivet with a ball peen hammer. Done.

 

[Chris-PA]

The term "pro saw" has a different definition to everyone, and is mainly just marketing/advertising/branding. I have no saws that would be considered "pro" by most of the AS members. My house is warm anyway.

I much prefer semi chisel for cutting firewood, and lo pro for the saws small enough to run it.

 

[Wolfcsm]

It takes very little wood to heat one house. To supply twenty or thirty homes and several shops and greenhouses with firewood is an advanced production tier which requires compatible equipment. Pro saws are subjected to heavy usage in a commercial scenario and are made to be overhauled repeatably. If you are a farmer or work in a factory or office we cut more stems by noon every day than you cut in six weeks. Our saws must withstand 10x the pressure and heat cycles.

Ok, that sounds like a proper need for "pro" saws. I fully agree that you need professional equipment.

But, the homeowner that cuts 10 cord or less of wood each year and does not want to spend the additional money that a "pro" saw costs can cut his firewood with any of the "non pro" saws offered by Stihl, Husky, Echo or any of the other brands.

Some, who might be considered "saw snobs" think and pass around that only "pro" saws can cut wood. According to them, there is no possible use for a "non pro" saw. Even though there are far more Stihl 290s and Husky 455s sold than probably any other saw. Their sales numbers just may total more than all of the "pro saws" combined.

Having been bit by the "pro saw" bug I really like work working with the two "pro saws" I have, but I go more to the Stihl 310 and Husky 455 formost of the cutting I do.

Hal

 

[svk]

Ok, that sounds like a proper need for "pro" saws. I fully agree that you need professional equipment.

But, the homeowner that cuts 10 cord or less of wood each year and does not want to spend the additional money that a "pro" saw costs can cut his firewood with any of the "non pro" saws offered by Stihl, Husky, Echo or any of the other brands.

Some, who might be considered "saw snobs" think and pass around that only "pro" saws can cut wood. According to them, there is no possible use for a "non pro" saw. Even though there are far more Stihl 290s and Husky 455s sold than probably any other saw. Their sales numbers just may total more than all of the "pro saws" combined.

Having been bit by the "pro saw" bug I really like work working with the two "pro saws" I have, but I go more to the Stihl 310 and Husky 455 formost of the cutting I do.

Hal

Well put.

I'd venture to guess that more homeowner saws meet their end from sitting around over time (hoses and gaskets deteriorate, moisture does it's work on metal parts, etc) than ever fail due to overuse.

There's a few over on the chainsaw forum that are always chirping about how homeowner Huskys and Stihls wont hold up. Hold up to what??? Everyday hard use by a tree service? Probably not. But more than enough to provide a decade or more reliable cutting from a home wood burner. You buy a $300-450 saw and it lasts 10 years so you've spent $30-45 a year on a saw. That's not much in my opinion.

 

[Chris-PA]

Well put.

I'd venture to guess that more homeowner saws meet their end from sitting around over time (hoses and gaskets deteriorate, moisture does it's work on metal parts, etc) than ever fail due to overuse.

There's a few over on the chainsaw forum that are always chirping about how homeowner Huskys and Stihls wont hold up. Hold up to what??? Everyday hard use by a tree service? Probably not. But more than enough to provide a decade or more reliable cutting from a home wood burner. You buy a $300-450 saw and it lasts 10 years so you've spent $30-45 a year on a saw. That's not much in my opinion.

I've been watching to see reports of what actually breaks on homeowner saws - other than bad fuel lines, mucked up carbs, scored cylinders, etc. So far, I don't see much. You would hope that a saw with a mag case could take more abuse, and I certainly expect it can, but I rarely read of someone breaking a plastic case anyway. Plastic case Stihls get melted regularly, but that is due to a poor design decision, combined with poor instructions and a lack of understanding on the operator's part. Even pro saws have plenty of plastic parts, most homeowner saws have engines made of the same materials, and there are plenty of mag cases that get broken.

If I were cutting wood for 20 to 30 homes the cost of the saw would be irrelevant and I'd get the most durable I could. But in the real world "value" is a term people are becoming reacquainted with, after many years of focusing on the term "quality", which is a touchy-feely marketing term that has no actual definition and cannot be quantified.

 

[benp]

When in my local Laughs & Migraines Fleet store, the local Husky and Jonsered dealer, I've nudged a few people finger banging the 562xp towards the 555.

I just start **** chatting, find out their purpose....firewood, and inform them that the 555 is a very comparable saw for $100 less. Whether or not they fent, no idea, but there are always less 555's than 562's.

Speaking of this place, I attempted to order a new bar for the 394 today. I walked to the parts counter and asked them was it possible to order me a Tilton Manufacturing Total Super Bar 36" length, 3/8 pitch, .063 gauge. I got the cartoon eyeball blink blink from 6 eyes. Thtat's where the headache part comes in.

Pro saw vs consumer for personal firewood.....pffft. Whatever gets the job done for that individual and they are happy with it....that's what matters.

 

[svk]

When in my local Laughs & Migraines Fleet store, the local Husky and Jonsered dealer, I've nudged a few people finger banging the 562xp towards the 555.

I just start **** chatting, find out their purpose....firewood, and inform them that the 555 is a very comparable saw for $100 less. Whether or not they fent, no idea, but there are always less 555's than 562's.

Speaking of this place, I attempted to order a new bar for the 394 today. I walked to the parts counter and asked them was it possible to order me a Tilton Manufacturing Total Super Bar 36" length, 3/8 pitch, .063 gauge. I got the cartoon eyeball blink blink from 6 eyes. Thtat's where the headache part comes in.

Pro saw vs consumer for personal firewood.....pffft. Whatever gets the job done for that individual and they are happy with it....that's what matters.

Same company different location. I asked for an Oregon 72 chain in semi chisel. He hands me a 73 in safety version. Tells me they are exact chain except the depth gauges on the safety chain is the "new and improved" (hence the 73). Yeah I don't think so.

 

[svk]

@benp I'd order that big bar online. They have respectable prices on saws due to the volume of sales they do but parts are msrp.

 

[benp]

Same company different location. I asked for an Oregon 72 chain in semi chisel. He hands me a 73 in safety version. Tells me they are exact chain except the depth gauges on the safety chain is the "new and improved" (hence the 73). Yeah I don't think so.

LOL. Yep. That is the only reason why I don't crap talk them to their faces as to having no clue what they are talking about.

They have a nice little stash of Oregon LGX 84 DL, 3/8, .058 for CHEAP. Of course, I am the only one that molests that stash.

I have a bar from Weedeaterman on standby if Huey and Louey dont call back.

 

[svk]

I can't imagine many of their customers have a saw manly enough to run an 84

 

[svk]

When I bought my 450 I called and asked for price on a 550xp by phone. They quoted me the price from the 450. Broke a land speed record getting there only to find out the girl didn't know what she was talking about. Walked out with the 450 and it was a good little saw for what I needed to do.

 

[stihlman27]

Just bought 2 stihl full chisel loops from eBay for $42 shipped not bad I don't think

 

[benp]

I can't imagine many of their customers have a saw manly enough to run an 84

LOL. When my stuff goes to my Dolmar guy.....mine are the only chain's/saw/parts without tags on them.

The mom says, "No need, no one else brings anything else that big in, we know who it belongs to."

They put up a new nail in the touched up chain section for me. It's kinda funny how a 84DL dwarfs a 66 let alone a 105 hanging there. I think they get a kick out of the 394 and 7900's being there. As they are out front and center for morning coffee conversation with the locals..

 

[sunfish]

Just bought 2 stihl full chisel loops from eBay for $42 shipped not bad I don't think

Depends on the length...

 

[sunfish]

When I bought my 450 I called and asked for price on a 550xp by phone. They quoted me the price from the 450. Broke a land speed record getting there only to find out the girl didn't know what she was talking about. Walked out with the 450 and it was a good little saw for what I needed to do.

Should of got a 545, basically same saw as the XP model.

 

[stihlman27]

Depends on the length...

20" bar

 

[sunfish]

20" bar

$20+tax for that chain here at my dealer, so you did good.

 

[Chris-PA]

I too am glad so many in the real world have come to their senses.

Lol - they haven't, they've come to the limit of their credit.

 

[stihlman27]

$20+tax for that chain here at my dealer, so you did good.

Thanks next on my list is for my 391 25" bar 2 loops full chisel full skip $47 shipped

 

[svk]

Should of got a 545, basically same saw as the XP model.

.05 HP more than a 450 but costs significantly more due to "pro" components. I didn't use saws enough for wear and tear to become and issue and would rather throw extra $ at extra power.