Hello, world! + new saw...

[L.R.]

Hi all!

I have been following this forum for a short while and learned a lot already. Just want to share this moment with you all: the second saw. I have a feeling that's when it all starts to go downhill (or is it the fourth?) I got my first saw only a few weeks ago, a Stihl MS180c that I have really come to love. We have a few acres of forest in the family, so owning a saw isn't superfluous for me, I was at my dads right after i got it and felled my first trees, two small cherry trees, and without smashing any of the cars. Learned how to do it on youtube, no joke. Also dad gave me some pointers.

Turns out my dad has a saw, too, he said it was "brand new", which I interpreted as "never used", but figured it could still easily be 10 or more years old. He couldn't even remember the brand. So today my sister brought it home for me, I thought the logical choice for him would have been a 50 or 60cc husky. It proved, however, to be a Jonsered 2149 turbo, so not to far off on my guess. It's on my kitchen table right now, and I'm getting to know it a bit. Found a manual for it online, and will start her up in an hour or so, hopefully.

My dad says he could never get the saw running, and every time he brought it back to the shop they just sprayed it with some starting gas and it coughed into life. When he got back home, it wouldnt start again.

I have worked on cars and bikes in the past, still do, and I'm confident I can get the saw running, but are Jonsereds on the whole pretty hard to get going? I've heard ogf the obligatory seven pulls for Huskies.

Looking at the bar, chainbrake and such, the saw really looks brand new. No idea how old it is though, the 2100 series started like 14 or 15 years ago, right? There is what looks like factory grease still in the saw. My aim for today is to clean it off a little, fresh fluids and try to start it. We'll see how that goes.

Im no real cutter, just a "happy amateur", as we say in sweden. I'll never work professionally, but will fell a few trees for firewood here and there. I'm already pestering my friends for opportunities to practice.

Knowing myself around machines, by this time next week I'll probably be on my third saw and have started modifying mufflers, changing carbs and porting. There is a saw dealer two blocks away from where i live. I can just see really clearly where this is going...

/LR

 

[pioneerguy600]

Well then, welcome to the site. Sounds like you are well on your way to CAD. Have fun with your new toys but remember they are out to get you, saw safe.
Pioneerguy600

 

[BuddhaKat]

Hi LR,

Welcome to the AS Forums. I'm sure you'll find lots of info and people here to help you with your saws, cutting and any other sawdust creating endeavors. They're a great bunch of folks here.

I'm not sure what's wrong with your saw. Most likely fuel. The older saws didn't handle ethanol well and had problems when they started adding it to the gas. I'd look for gummed up/clogged up fuel lines and perhaps seals gone bad in the carb. But I'm not a saw mechanic, so don't take my word for it.

Either way, glad to read your first post and look forward to hearing about the recovery of your saw and seeing pictures of your work with it.

Cheers,
BuddhaKat

 

[caotropheus]

First of all, either you post pictures of your saws, or it never happened !

I suggest you repair your 2149, use it for a couple of tanks and only then decide on your next and hopefully 70 CC + saw.

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Woodcutteranon]

Welcome...

Hey, can you lend me your saw?

 

[L.R.]

Well, that was quick...

Checked the plug, carb and oil pump - it all looks brand new. This saw isn't even broken in yet. It is missing the felling dog, though. Or is that not standard issue? After wiping it down, I checked the bar oil (half full) and put some new gas in it. Followed the startup procedure in the manual, and it started right up! No problems at all.

The saw revs nicely, doesn't vibrate too badly, no excess smoke. The only thing is, I think i need to adjust the chain oiler, there seems to be way too much oil on the chain. Unfortunately I didn't have a log handy, so I haven't actually cut anything with it yet. Looking forward to it, though.

Thank you, all for your welcoming words. Chainsaws do scare me, really scare me, but that is perhaps the best way to approach them? I think I may have had CAD since I saw TCM part 2 in like 1989. (Anyone have an old Husky 61 rancher without a chain brake?) I was already thinking of what might be a good pro saw, and was leaning towards the ms260c. Im tall and thin as a rail, so I don't think I could handle a saw that weighs more than 10 or 11 pounds, 70cc plus might be a stretch. The largest tree I will conceivably ever fell would be something like a 30" pine or fir. There is a 13" jonsered bar on the 2149 (which is really heavy, by the way), it does feel kind of small. The philosophy here in sweden is to have as short a bar as possible, though, but like I said, I'm no professional. Anyone know how long a bar this saw could handle within reason?

Lets see if I can get some pics going here, although I suspect most of you know what one looks like. I realize, however that makes absolutely no difference. Just so you know it really happened:

/L.R.

P.S. @WCAnon: what could the JRed do that your 346 xp couldn't? I'll make sure to bring it with me the next time I'm in Ohio, fair enough?

 

[PineFever]

Weclome to AS and good luck with your new saws!

 

[7sleeper]

...The largest tree I will conceivably ever fell would be something like a 30" pine or fir. There is a 13" jonsered bar on the 2149 (which is really heavy, by the way), it does feel kind of small. The philosophy here in sweden is to have as short a bar as possible, though, but like I said, I'm no professional. Anyone know how long a bar this saw could handle within reason?

/L.R.

P.S. @WCAnon: what could the JRed do that your 346 xp couldn't? I'll make sure to bring it with me the next time I'm in Ohio, fair enough?

Welcome to AS!

I would consider a slight upgrade to 15 inch if your intention is really to takle your max size trees. The max size bar should be about 20 inch with a nice sharp chain.
Good instructions for a novice would be on the Stihl hp and the rules are univesal for all saws.
http://stihldealer.net/videolibrary/#realvid

Greetings from Austria,

7

 

[pjwoolw]

Welcome aboard!

 

[Anthony_Va.]

I good, no great pro saw is an ms361 stihl. Has 4.5hp and only weighs around 12-13lbs without the bar. It will do anything that you ask of it. Im dying to own one. Would be a happy medium for me between my 260 and 660. I have CAD also, so you're not alone. Before you buy a 260, look at the 361 or 362. Alot more saw for just around 100 more bux.

 

[L.R.]

I am partial to Stihl saws. Compared to a Husky or Jred they just feel more ergonomic and thus easier to handle. Its a different design philosophy. Stihls also seem to have slightly more power from the same cubes, often in a lighter saw. Of course, this is just on paper. I think the Jred 2149 feels kinda heavy at 11 lb, so I've not really looked at the ms361/362 but did consider the ms280. I think I'd be dissapointed in another homeowner type saw, though. Having said that, Stihls do, in my opinion feel lighter than other saws on account of their good balance and ergonomics, so 13 lbs might not be so bad. Like I've said before, im not a professional so it's not like I'll be carrying it around a lot.

I've looked at some Huskies too, and I like them OK, but everyone knows red ones go faster...

Both numbers and feel point towards the ms260, though. I like the quick chain adjuster. Bar size will be limited, of course. But then I already have a brand-new Jred which has the same cubes, so do I really need it? I'll have to go down to the dealer next week and look again. Its not like I'm in a hurry to decide, but I do want a bigger Stihl. Perhaps I'll get one of each, used? Still plenty of room left in the Land Rover... I should make a list...

 

[bowtechmadman]

Congrats on getting your 2149 running. I hope you know your spouting some fightin words about the stihls haveing a better power to weight ratio than Husky/Jred. I've got a 262xp (stock) that Stihl 362 or 1 can't compete with.

 

[L.R.]

I was more concerned when I wrote "red ones are faster" actually. I haven't relly done my homework on Huskies, but will probably own one some day. My Stihl-o-philia is purely emotional - my first saw was a Stihl, what can I say? Hope to get out in the woods this summer so I'll have a better idea of what I'm talking about.

Thanks for taking the time to give your input, everyone. My friends are all sick of hearing about saws all the time.

 

[logging22]

Welcome to AS.

 

[caotropheus]

Chainsaws do scare me, really scare me, but that is perhaps the best way to approach them?

Indeed you're right, you should be scared of chainsaws! It is worth to buy Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) and is no shame to use it. Gloves, chaps, helmet with face screen and ear muffs, steel toe boots are a must ...If you look around in the forum, all the sharks use PPE.

Im tall and thin as a rail, so I don't think I could handle a saw that weighs more than 10 or 11 pounds, 70cc plus might be a stretch.

And I'm short and thin "as a rail", but with practice you will be able to handle any saw! well, almost any saw! As you gain skill operating chainsaws, you will see they will become easier to use. If even little girls can operate 90 + CC saws, why wouldn't you ?!

Thanks for taking the time to give your input, everyone. My friends are all sick of hearing about saws all the time.

But we're not ! :greenchainsaw:

 

[L.R.]

I've actually got a helmet, gloves, eye and ear protection and steel toes already, only missing safety pants. I'm not ashamed to admit I wear my seatbelt, too. I've read the safetymanuals, had the saws apart some so I understand how they work and how they might fail. Im learning about felling trees. My dad knows his stuff, but doesn't get out in the woods much anymore, so he can help me out as well. Two of my friends are cutters. I feel I'm as prepared as I could ever hope to be without having really any experience worth talking about.

I thing 11 pounds of Jred will teach both me and my body what we can handle in the near future. Possibly it is more than I think. I still remember seing a 090 with a 20+" bar in real life for the first time.

 

[Mastermind]

Welcome to Arborist Site, I would suggest you use the two saws you have until you become truly comfortable with them. Then if the need arises find a 60 - 70 cc saw with a dealer that services what they sell.

 

[caotropheus]

Im learning about felling trees. My dad knows his stuff, but doesn't get out in the woods much anymore, so he can help me out as well. Two of my friends are cutters. I feel I'm as prepared as I could ever hope to be without having really any experience worth talking about.

First of all, learn by experience, and learn from your father and more experienced friends. Second, learn and study tree felling videos on youtube, specially the videos with "tree felling gone wrong" type. Learn how to use wedges and how to make a hinge to properly fell a tree. With small trees, make mistakes on purpose so you can see what is "tree felling gone wrong". Just choose small trees so you do not injure yourself, your friends or destroy your equipment. I learned a lot in the past felling trees making mistakes on purpose.

 

[L.R.]

Thank you both for your thoughts. Making mistakes on purpose in order to learn does seem like good advice, although so far I've mostly been trying to avoid them. I've had two friends offer me opportunities. One is a 14" thuja with a really bad lean and right next to a house, and the other is a dead oak tree, size unknown (haven't actually seen that tree). Both really difficult and dangerous trees to fell, but also opportunities to learn with some help. Ideally, I'll be able to have two or three experienced cutters with me if I'm going to attemt either of them. None of the trees are in any hurry to come down, though, so there's plenty of time to prepare.

 

[caotropheus]

Both really difficult and dangerous trees to fell, but also opportunities to learn with some help. Ideally, I'll be able to have two or three experienced cutters with me if I'm going to attemt either of them. None of the trees are in any hurry to come down, though, so there's plenty of time to prepare.

When in doubt tie the tree to a tractor or truck with a steel cable or a thick enough rope and ask someone to drive the vehicle while you cut the tree. Use a rope at least twice the length of the tree.