I just bought a new chainsaw - and it's a bit intimidating

[Brad69]

I have many chainsaws my 16 in Echo is a gem it can sit for a year or longer add gas prime starts easy every time!

The monster is a Dolmar/Makita 64cc 4.7 hp it sounds like a small Harley and doesn’t bog in anything I have a 20 in bar on it.

 

[hoosierdaddy1976]

Sorry for the threadjack, but on the topic of chainsaws, does anyone have a source for oddball sized chains? I have a saw with a .404 pitch .058 gauge chain. I'd like to have a backup chain for it, but haven't had much luck. If nothing else, I've seen a couple longer chains on eBay that I could get shortened, but wanted to reach out here. TIA

 

[bocefus78]

Sorry for the threadjack, but on the topic of chainsaws, does anyone have a source for oddball sized chains? I have a saw with a .404 pitch .058 gauge chain. I'd like to have a backup chain for it, but haven't had much luck. If nothing else, I've seen a couple longer chains on eBay that I could get shortened, but wanted to reach out here. TIA

I'll look once I'm at the shop this am. I may have an old roll of this chain. It's 404 I know....but may be .063.

 

[hoosierdaddy1976]

I'll look once I'm at the shop this am. I may have an old roll of this chain. It's 404 I know....but may be .063.

Thanks for checking!

 

[natdscott]

As far as brands go, Petzl would be my 1st choice in PPE, second...a fair ways away, would be Stihl.

As far as saw go, Stihl is in the lead, followed by Husquvarna. Nobody else plays the games I play.

 

[Hop]

Funny thing... while trying to get my old ~2005 Husqvarna started, I tore into the carb. I ended up buying a new one from eBay for $8.77 SHIPPED & it got to me in ~4 days. These were ~$35 from on-line small engine places.

The funny part is while looking under the covers on several brands (from cheap to expensive) on display at the various local big box stores, many of the saws were using nearly the same carb.

 

[bocefus78]

Thanks for checking!

The partial roll of .404 that I have is .063. Sorry. Fwiw, id sell it cheap enough that a bar replacement may be a good investment.

Google frawleys saw shop. He's the goto saw chain guy.


OP: sorry for the hijack but you should also Google frawleys for your chain needs He's the cheapest around.

 

[DeadeyeChrista'sdad]

But at my age, I find that the MS 460 Magnum "beats me up" if I use it for very long, and I have to take more breaks than when using a a smaller saw.

If you're going to do more than just occasional saw work, a small saw is almost a must. As much as the big girls don't like it, most of my time on a saw is with a 170. Even without proper vibration isolation, the weight makes a difference.

 

[natdscott]

If you're going to do more than just occasional saw work, a small saw is almost a must. As much as the big girls don't like it, most of my time on a saw is with a 170. Even without proper vibration isolation, the weight makes a difference.

Yup.

The 250-class saws in 16-18" are the most pleasant.

 

[Buzz Saw]

I had a 25 inch Stihl several years ago, unfortunately someone decided they needed it worse than I did and it disappeared out of my unlocked shed. That thing was a beast. Please be VERY careful, those big saws have their place but for general limbing and working up stove wood a 16 or 18 inch works better and is a lot less tiring. I found I got tired quickly, then it is easy to get lax or make a mistake. Actually since I'm not as young or strong as I used to be they may have done me a favor when the stole mine. We don't burn as much as we used too so I cut less also and never looked to replace it.

 

[DeadeyeChrista'sdad]

The 250-class saws in 16-18" are the most pleasant

True. Those 250s are practically factory race saws. I like 'em.

 

[longbow]

I have the 20 inch one.

Cut it with a spotter, take the first aid kit. Spotters give you someone to talk with for the breaks.

Full safety gear and stay hydrated.

Steel toes, chaps face shield, eye and hearing protection. Always think kick back and preventing pinches.

How good old are you at reading a tree?

 

[Libertarian01]

I have the 20 inch one.

Cut it with a spotter, take the first aid kit. Spotters give you someone to talk with for the breaks.

Full safety gear and stay hydrated.

Steel toes, chaps face shield, eye and hearing protection. Always think kick back and preventing pinches.

How good old are you at reading a tree?

Like I posted above, I've been chainsawing with smaller saws since the early 80's. Not every day mind you, but several times a year. Just none of them with this much size or horsepower.

I can read a tree pretty good. I can drop one damn near where I want, or read where it wants to drop based on leaning, limb weight, etc. I'm not wanting to sound pretentious or brag but I am not a newbie with chainsaws. I have been the go-to guy among my friends for dropping trees in their yards that they did not want.

I AM a newbie with one this big. Before, when the saw would want to push back I am not a small guy. I felt, with good reason, I could control it and make it not do something bad. With thisun' I feel it is a different matter, thus a bit intimidating. When it pushed back a bit once while trying it for the first time it was the first time for me to really feel like this thing could go very fast where I did NOT want it to go. I need to be extra alert and on the ball with this big boy.

We started years ago when my father would drive out in the country to cut up trees that had fallen on my grandfathers property, the very property that I now manage. We would cut trees on the weekend and bring firewood back for our basement fireplace in the winter. We started going out in the late 70's and I started cutting in the early 80's. I've been doing it ever since.

I've had a couple trees come down where I've brought a friend along just to be there in case something went wrong. This has been when it was something like a forked tree that came down and I was going to bring down a good sized chunk of it. Even though I thought I knew which way it would go I always wanted someone around "just in case" as I am all alone and isolated if something went bad. I'm not an idiot most of the time, but when I do something dumb my stupid has built up for awhile so I think the extra pressure is there.

Regards,

Doug

 

[edporch]

If you're going to do more than just occasional saw work, a small saw is almost a must. As much as the big girls don't like it, most of my time on a saw is with a 170. Even without proper vibration isolation, the weight makes a difference.

I have a smaller saw that I use for small jobs, a Stihl MS 201 T C-M.
But I have property with some big trees and I need to be able to deal with them too, and I needed an MS 460 Magnum for them.

 

[judgecrater]

Don't ever think you can not use the chaps. Even for a little cut with a small saw.

 

[maxwelhse]

I'll be the 10 or so "+1" for chaps.

I bought my first saw, which is nothing special, with the intention of using it that coming weekend when a few days later a co-worker showed up with something like 30 stitches in his thigh from a chainsaw accident...

Went home that night and ordered 2 pairs of chaps (one for me, one for my Dad or as a "loner", so if someone is kindly enough to help me cut some trees down that I, or they, hopefully don't accidentally cut their leg off), a couple of good tourniquets and a couple of big packs of quikclot bandages.

Some of the best money I've ever spent, IMO. Spent 3x more on PPE than I did the saw and no regrets.

 

[AlVine]

Thanks for all the input. I will have to invest in some chaps. The idea of this thing getting away from me is not a good one.

I found a nice helmet with hearing protection and face protection on Amazon. It will be purchased soon.

I think the idea before with the smaller chainsaws was that if they kicked back, yes, it was dangerous but controllable. With this thing if it truly kicks back it may well be controllable but it will be much, much harder to control. And it may(?) not be controllable.

Still, the idea of having an larger tree trunk to just cut through with ease will be comforting. The power and bar length on this thing will easily save me time and effort for which I am thankful.

Regards,

Doug

Good for getting a helmet. If the saw kicks back better it hits the brim of your helmet than your face!