Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

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There’s certainly a place for shiny, fancy, new saws. But last night the McCinderblock was exactly what the doctor ordered.

The big wind storm took down an elm at the new park we are working on several weeks back. The city cleaned it up but left the stump sticking up pretty high.

Cutting the formerly live stump at a 45 degree angle while standing on a muddy slope using a saw with no dogs (I did scrounge one but haven’t put it on yet) was fun but we got it flushed down. Than stump was HEAVY for its size!

I bought the McCinderblock a couple years ago for $40 and have used it for countless dirty stumps and other undesirable jobs to save wear and tear on the good saws. Still running what I believe is the original Vanguard loop of chain that it came with. Knock on wood it always starts up and pulls strong. I did buy a cheap 24” bar for it too but haven’t needed that yet.

CE8C8DFF-ADC0-4136-B023-F6E940115FA0.jpeg1EAD12CD-F5FC-4882-82A5-2E8A12A29906.jpeg
The larger round will make a great chopping block.
4BA0770C-5B34-4791-B802-8E68F24D044D.jpeg
7557A908-E613-4BCD-BB19-BF83F4F77D68.jpeg
 
Looks like here toward Fall the tree guy down the street is going to be hooking me up. Here this week and this weekend I'm going to be getting out the fleet and prepping them for work. Ill have to get the log splitter out and running and repairs and the big saws. I'm going to for sure need my 288 for noodling and I think ill get my 038 out and the 266 maybe a countervibe for the smaller stuff or a pioneer we will see stay tuned for pics and video as I get the stuff out.
 
Two things to keep in mind if/when you test a 500i ...

1) They often get a good deal stronger after break-in

2) As I have previously mentioned, porting them makes a big difference. Some of them don't seem much stronger than 462s before they are ported, but that all changes after porting. I'm pretty sure you won't have any complaints about what bar it will pull if you get one that has been properly ported.

They may be expensive, but you make a living with your saw. As my Dad used to say: "Quality will be remembered long after the price paid is forgotten". I honestly don't remember what I paid for my 044 in Dec 92, but it still runs strong and I'm sure I could sell it for more than I paid for it.
 
So dose my mint 066 with her 36" Sandvik chromium bar! 👍 I've never shown you guys or talked about this saw. She is probably my favorite saw. Pretty much a saw shop shelf princess now. That I like to just have on display. I only run about a 1/4 tank through her a few times a year to keep her a little loosened up and at the ready. 👍

Cut safe, stay sharp, and be aware! View attachment 1007673
Pro safety wrap bar? How do you like it? I wish my 3/4 wrap Stihls had actual full wraps like my 372.

BTW, nice looking saw. The 066 is one of my favorite saws of all time. Good power and exceptionally reliable.
 
Two things to keep in mind if/when you test a 500i ...

1) They often get a good deal stronger after break-in

2) As I have previously mentioned, porting them makes a big difference. Some of them don't seem much stronger than 462s before they are ported, but that all changes after porting. I'm pretty sure you won't have any complaints about what bar it will pull if you get one that has been properly ported.

They may be expensive, but you make a living with your saw. As my Dad used to say: "Quality will be remembered long after the price paid is forgotten". I honestly don't remember what I paid for my 044 in Dec 92, but it still runs strong and I'm sure I could sell it for more than I paid for it.
I still haven't taken mine apart, but it sounds like the 500s have more of an old school Stihl port layout compared to the new strato saws.

I've also heard of some of the 500s having a short piston skirt, which affects intake timing. That may just be a rumor but might explain why some people have had different opinions on them. I've heard some say they felt really similar to the 462, while mine feels closer to a 90cc saw than a 70cc saw.
 
Just got off the phone with the secretary of state. So it seems as if I've been overpaying on the Registration on my pickup for forever. Apparently the fees here in Michigan are calculated based on the original MSRP with three reductions for three years and stays there. I started questioning it when I went to renew it on Tuesday and again like normal it was more expensive than our SUV which was the same MSRP when new. So I called and of course was on hold for forever, but when I finally got someone I found out that the truck was being calculated based on weight and not the MSRP :angry: Which is supposed to be for commercial vehicles and cars and trucks older than 1987. So well over 100 dollars cheaper. I will still have to go in there before next year because I don't recall my other vehicles dropping in price since I've been registering them. There is supposed to be 3 reductions to the fees from the original calculation that is based on the base MSRP. I wonder if its a situation where the squeaky wheel gets the oil, where they do nothing unless you call them out. Either way I'm glad I'm saving money on my tow rig.
 
There’s certainly a place for shiny, fancy, new saws. But last night the McCinderblock was exactly what the doctor ordered.

The big wind storm took down an elm at the new park we are working on several weeks back. The city cleaned it up but left the stump sticking up pretty high.

Cutting the formerly live stump at a 45 degree angle while standing on a muddy slope using a saw with no dogs (I did scrounge one but haven’t put it on yet) was fun but we got it flushed down. Than stump was HEAVY for its size!

I bought the McCinderblock a couple years ago for $40 and have used it for countless dirty stumps and other undesirable jobs to save wear and tear on the good saws. Still running what I believe is the original Vanguard loop of chain that it came with. Knock on wood it always starts up and pulls strong. I did buy a cheap 24” bar for it too but haven’t needed that yet.

View attachment 1007684View attachment 1007683
The larger round will make a great chopping block.
View attachment 1007685
View attachment 1007686
Have a same vintage pm605, actually may be a little newer different brake handle. First saw I ever cut with. Like you said always starts, always cuts. Not a power house lol.
 
Have a same vintage pm605, actually may be a little newer different brake handle. First saw I ever cut with. Like you said always starts, always cuts. Not a power house lol.
This one doesn’t cut fast but has plenty of grunt for pulling a bar through stumps. And that awesome Mac sound.
 
G'day fellers, I stihl haven't finished finding holiday stuff to inflict on you but I've forgotten how to operate the youtube to put up my video bits. Anyway, here is the map of the trip.

Kimberley Pearl South Map 15.7.jpg

There was a tragedy at Leadline Creek however. We went up to a spot for a swim and came across an old camp from the early 1990s when you were still allowed to boat or chopper in stuff to your personal squatter's holiday destination. There was a gas oven, small refrigerator, furniture etc but at least one fire had gone through there and messed it up. The fun police don't let you have a camp up there anymore anyway.

There was also this.

IMG_1157 resized.JPG

I made Cowgirl stop for a moment's silence as we went past. 😢
 
All this 500i talk inspired me to take the 500i out on today's project of cutting dead trees near a road.

It's small compared to some of the stuff that @Kodiak Kid is cutting, but the biggest tree of this morning's project...Doug fir that was about 3' on the stump before I trimmed the bark. The 32" was a bit short on it. Also a deep face on it, as it was perfectly balanced and the top had me not wanting to pound too hard on wedges.

It's still very low hours, but the 500 is really well. Normally fir is really grabby, but the saw was really ripping through it. It helped that the wood was getting a bit soft...saw dust, not too many chips...and that wasn't because my chain was dull lol.20220804_102005.jpg20220804_104012.jpg

Bad ground to work on, the picture was taken at the stump:20220804_104026.jpg
 

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