Not another MS261 thread...

[MCW]

I find this with most new saws to some extent. On piece of the puzzle is the fact every saw is tune at the factory for the area they are being shipped. The fuel and possibly elevation is different here, but yes most new saws I've ran are set too lean from the factory do to the EPA.

Now get to work and make some chips.

Just about to head out with the 3120 and 42" bar so will make bulk chips and get some vid for the "Today's Job" thread
May even get the 261 into some of the smaller stuff for some mini chips

I'm not sure if the Aussie delivered 261's will be richer and less dolphin friendly but you can't assume anything nowadays.

 

[MCW]

Just thought I'd do a quick update on the 261. Public holiday here in South Australia so am out hacking away at that big Tassie Blue Gum I had a local tree crew drop for a customer of mine.
All I will say is this...

The more I use this thing the more impressed I'm becoming. It is having absolutely no problem pulling a 20" bar with 3/8" semi chisel buried in this very tough wood. It's also very frugal on fuel as well. I've run 4 tanks through it where at a guess the 5100-S would have used 6 tanks. I'll get some piccys and video up later on but at this stage even a 2nd 261 is on the cards when yesterday I'd never have even thought of a 2nd 50cc saw from a business perspective. This saw does not perform like a 50cc saw with this bar and chain setup, in fact I'd say it's getting close to a 65cc saw with this bar and chain combo, no joke!

Anyway, back to it
Great saw, runs like a champ, and the filter is also doing a pretty impressive job to boot.

 

[porsche965]

Great to hear such positive reviews from real world experiences. I'll have to agree also with my 261, the RM 3/8ths is the ticket. Tried the .325 and it is more work on the operator. The RM pulls you into the wood. A light hand to guide is all that's needed. They do sip fuel.

 

[bcorradi]

How is the sideways balance?

 

[indiansprings]

bcorradi, I just about blew coke all over the key board. ROFL, lmao

You hit the nail on the head, the next line is it a 50cc saw shouldn't have all that power.:msp_wink: With the size of bars they use over there, he'd need to set it up with a 14" 404 or 10" 1/2 pitch chain.

 

[Andyshine77]

Just thought I'd do a quick update on the 261. Public holiday here in South Australia so am out hacking away at that big Tassie Blue Gum I had a local tree crew drop for a customer of mine.
All I will say is this...

The more I use this thing the more impressed I'm becoming. It is having absolutely no problem pulling a 20" bar with 3/8" semi chisel buried in this very tough wood. It's also very frugal on fuel as well. I've run 4 tanks through it where at a guess the 5100-S would have used 6 tanks. I'll get some piccys and video up later on but at this stage even a 2nd 261 is on the cards when yesterday I'd never have even thought of a 2nd 50cc saw from a business perspective. This saw does not perform like a 50cc saw with this bar and chain setup, in fact I'd say it's getting close to a 65cc saw with this bar and chain combo, no joke!

Anyway, back to it
Great saw, runs like a champ, and the filter is also doing a pretty impressive job to boot.

The filter was the thing that impresses me the most about the 361, I'm glad to hear it's working well in your environment.

 

[MCW]

How is the sideways balance?

Shocking. I weigh nearly 260lbs and no way can I hold it sideways. Too much strain on my arms.

With the size of bars they use over there, he'd need to set it up with a 14" 404 or 10" 1/2 pitch chain.

Unfortunately I am having trouble finding a small spline 8 pin .404" rim...

The filter was the thing that impresses me the most about the 361, I'm glad to hear it's working well in your environment.

It's awesome Andy. Today just proved how much better than the 5100-S it is and I'm one of the world's biggest Dolmar fans as you know. The 5100-S still has that snappy "wow" factor with it's throttle response but in the real world torque counts and the 261 has it in spades. In fact I have trouble believing this thing is 50cc.

Post again soon, doing some vids up of it running the 20" buried - brace yourself

A bit grubby after about 3 hours of cutting...

Tracy loves it. Unlike the 5100-S that she hated starting but loved running (no decomp and 200psi compression) this thing is easy to start. She made some good noodles too...

The scene. Took 4 tonne of this stuff out of here today and hardly made a dent. This wood is solid and heavy. The main trunk alone would be 3-4 tonne at least. I had the 660 and 32" bar plus the 3120 and 42" bar on board but enjoyed running this 261 that much I left the bigger lumps of wood for later...

Video uploading to Spewtube as we speak...

 

[MCW]

After two failed upload attempts to Youtube at 1080P High Definition I dropped the video to 720P as it was taking too long to upload. Last night was the final straw as it locked up 17 minutes away from being completed
Anyway, finally got a video up of it buried in some very hard dead Tassie Blue Gum with a 20" bar and 3/8" semi chisel chain. This chain even had the rakers dropped a tad as it was previously on my 390XPG.
Some of you guys may look at the vid and say it was struggling but I can assure you it wasn't. I was leaning on it "a bit" but certainly not working it too hard. Despite it sounding like it's working hard it was doing it quite easily. If you listen closely you can hear how hard the wood is by the way the chain is sounding as it's cutting. This gear is like bowling pins when you tap two pieces together. Not one of Australia's hardest woods but getting up there.


<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/fXG38RL7lno" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Oh, and when I take the filter off and it catches on the throttle linkage that's cause I'd reinstalled the linkage back the front Fixed now...

I also used it again last night for 1 1/2 hours on the same wood and once again it didn't miss a beat. It's a very nice saw to use. 4th pull everytime when cold and starts first pull for quite some time after it was last turned off. You can also get a LOT of stuff cut before it finally remembers it has to run out of fuel...

 

[Andyshine77]

Looking good!! and the saws not running too bad either.:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[struggle]

Today almost right out of the box.

[video=youtube;veFlV0s8-w8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veFlV0s8-w8[/video]

 

[porsche965]

Matt, now that's what I like to see in running a chainsaw, buried in Aussie hardwood, and for long cuts. That tests the ba!!s of a saw. Good video. They are quite an improvement over the 260s. I'm on approx. 25 tanks with mine or so, stock, and run it very hard to try and find a weakness in it. None so far. He!!, it don't even breathe hard after a relentless tank of fuel with no break. I'm impressed so far for 50cc. Oh, and the Strato engine burns extremely clean, and fuel efficient. 13,800 is my WOT for now.

 

[porsche965]

Struggle,
Your new MS261 seems to idle a bit different than when mine was new and does now. Maybe the L screw needs a tweek? Not sure which way but Stihl strato tends to respond best to a leaner L screw than past models. Thanks for the video, you will really like your saw once you pass 15 tanks or so. And clip the H screw, they tend to run lean, more torque/power there with more fuel, IMO.

 

[struggle]

Struggle,
Your new MS261 seems to idle a bit different than when mine was new and does now. Maybe the L screw needs a tweek? Not sure which way but Stihl strato tends to respond best to a leaner L screw than past models. Thanks for the video, you will really like your saw once you pass 15 tanks or so. And clip the H screw, they tend to run lean, more torque/power there with more fuel, IMO.

I would really like to see a picture by picture on the trimming the screw on this one. Is there anything out there on it yet?

I have a tach so I can check that out on the adjustment. The dealer I bought this from is quite grumpy so I am concerned of kikking warranty, but if I can trim the adjuster in such a was they will not know beyond then adjusting themselves I would do it.

The saw has less than a 1/10th of a tank of fuel run time. I havenot been albe to go out to cut yet. Really muddy here now:msp_unsure:

 

[Steelz]

MCW That Tassie Blue Gum looks close to the Sweet Gum I'm cutting here in North Carolina. I'm using my 18" MS250. Thanks for the vid on your MS261.

 

[Stihlman441]

Nice stuff there Matt and ya i know that hard wood chain sound,good to see the boss working ya wont to encourage that.
My other half tells everyone that the 260 is hers.:msp_smile:

 

[Rudolf73]

MCW That Tassie Blue Gum looks close to the Sweet Gum I'm cutting here in North Carolina. I'm using my 18" MS250. Thanks for the vid on your MS261.

What is your rainfall in NC because the density of wood relates to the the region it is grown in. For instance, where MCW (Matt) lives the rainfall is around 10 inches from memory and the gum there is some of the hardest I have cut. I have also tried a 250 on similar wood and the poor saw was having a tough time.

 

[Steelz]

I would have too ask my cousin on that for rain fall. He does live in Greenville. The MS 250 CBE is one tuff little saw.

 

[stihl waters]

I've been watching this thread closely as I've been debating on getting a 261 and from what I've seen i'm very impressed. Should be a great compliment to my 440 & 361. The older I get the more I start looking at weight, and most of what I've been cutting lately that 261 is all I need. Tks guys, nothing like seeing the real thing from real people.

 

[struggle]

I've been watching this thread closely as I've been debating on getting a 261 and from what I've seen i'm very impressed. Should be a great compliment to my 440 & 361. The older I get the more I start looking at weight, and most of what I've been cutting lately that 261 is all I need. Tks guys, nothing like seeing the real thing from real people.

I am taking the approch of a three saw plan
MS460
MS261
015L
I figure with this I can get at just about anything I want done tree wise around my area:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[MCW]

Looking good!! and the saws not running too bad either.:hmm3grin2orange:

Why thanks Andy. I've been taking care of myself lately

Matt, now that's what I like to see in running a chainsaw, buried in Aussie hardwood, and for long cuts. That tests the ba!!s of a saw. Good video. They are quite an improvement over the 260s. I'm on approx. 25 tanks with mine or so, stock, and run it very hard to try and find a weakness in it. None so far. He!!, it don't even breathe hard after a relentless tank of fuel with no break. I'm impressed so far for 50cc. Oh, and the Strato engine burns extremely clean, and fuel efficient. 13,800 is my WOT for now.

Yeah they do get a workout in this wood that's for sure. To put this 261 into perspective on JUST how good it is my modified 390XP with 28" bar and 3/8" semi chisel cut only slightly faster in this timber with just 8" more bar buried.

MCW That Tassie Blue Gum looks close to the Sweet Gum I'm cutting here in North Carolina. I'm using my 18" MS250. Thanks for the vid on your MS261.

Yeah most of the pale wooded gums look the same when dead but hardness varies a lot.

Nice stuff there Matt and ya i know that hard wood chain sound,good to see the boss working ya wont to encourage that.
My other half tells everyone that the 260 is hers.:msp_smile:

Heh heh. I hear ya Andrew. Tracy would have kicked my arse for wanting to sell "her" 5100-S a few weeks back but after using the 261 she doesn't seem to care anymore

What is your rainfall in NC because the density of wood relates to the the region it is grown in. For instance, where MCW (Matt) lives the rainfall is around 10 inches from memory and the gum there is some of the hardest I have cut. I have also tried a 250 on similar wood and the poor saw was having a tough time.

That is definately true Rudy. Tasmanian Blue Gum that I've cut in Tasmania where their rainfall is about 36" is a lot softer than this gear, despite being exactly the same species. There are 45 year old Blue Gums on my mate's place in Tassie that are near 180' tall already. This tree was only about 75' tall and probably close to 60 years old or older. I'm not joking that this wood's density would be close to 1000kg/m3 or the same weight as water. I'll have to check it and get back for interest's sake. Back out there again after work tonight.

I've been watching this thread closely as I've been debating on getting a 261 and from what I've seen i'm very impressed. Should be a great compliment to my 440 & 361. The older I get the more I start looking at weight, and most of what I've been cutting lately that 261 is all I need. Tks guys, nothing like seeing the real thing from real people.

They are a great saw mate and from my perspective I see no need for another saw in my arsenal to fill any gaps between my 79cc Dolmars and the 200T. The torque of these 261's covers a bigger cc range than I'd have ever thought. By the way, this is coming from a Husky and Dolmar fan too
Now two of my most impressive saws are made by Stihl, the MS261 and my 200T
I still love my Huskys and Dolmars though!