Which Chainsaw for Forestry

[Baldbloke]

Here's Scott AKA TreeMonkey, using an OE MS462CM in a cant of what appears to be poplar on a 28" bar.

 

 

If you let the saw do the work and keep your chains sharp, I think that 462 could do about anything with a 20-24" bar.

 

 

Retired from felling and thinning and would be absolutely fucked if I had to do a full day in the woods on a tonnage basis.

I only have two regularly go to saws. One of which is the above 365 special Husky. Low tuned, reliable but heavy, and an old 260 which suits my age and a longer working day.

[Baldbloke]

I should add (like many have mentioned) that I too, am a fan of shorter bars. 18” being the longest

[Sawchip]

16 hours ago, spudulike said:

Seeing as I started my business to ease me in to an early retirement and since then have had enough work for close on seven days a week I am not approaching your "big problem" but mu success is a direct reflection on how people round here view the local dealer service.

Time will tell and am not that deluded to not realise the impact the battery powered kit and fuel injected atotune kit will have on non franchised outfits that don't sell new kit.

My post was a "General" comment on the subject Steve without singling you out as any sort of example.

I believe this situation with Stihl and Husq has become more relevant to "Independent" outfits as the equipment that it superseded is moved away from by the tree and forestry industry. I do know some that refuse to get into the "Plug in " saw market and they ether want to keep there existing kit going or they want a alternative. Maybe...that is where the possible future for some will be!  BUT....my " Big Problem" scenario can happen when the customer "Just MUST have" stihl or husq product . OK...so then they buy from the dealer new and depending on if there "Cost adverse" to maintaining or fixing at dealer prices, and or if , they are happy with the dealer service .... If not, the product maybe ends up on the independent outfits bench becoming there head ache depending on... what ...needs attention.

A spread of makes of equipment that is worked on and something new to supply from the  "Non Plug In" equipment range could be where the "independent " industry can function.

Edited December 16, 2018 by Sawchip

[wyk]

On 13/12/2018 at 21:36, outinthewood said:

On the 394 - I've had 2 as well one low and my present one a Hi top, used a couple of 395s and yes I reckon the 394 has the edge on torque and would say I was almost disappointed with the 395 ? I'm going to get this wrong but is it the carb better on the 394 and the cyl better to port on the 395 ? put those together and a good result ! 

 

On the ported saws - I run 562,372,"375" 385,390 and 394 just MM'd 288, 2101s , 576s, 562, 461, 550 , 560 , 346 and no problems on site but then I don't say a whole lot about what I'm using … 

Would that ported 372 be that insane Simonized one we tried a few years back?

[spudulike]

9 hours ago, Sawchip said:

My post was a "General" comment on the subject Steve without singling you out as any sort of example.

I believe this situation with Stihl and Husq has become more relevant to "Independent" outfits as the equipment that it superseded is moved away from by the tree and forestry industry. I do know some that refuse to get into the "Plug in " saw market and they ether want to keep there existing kit going or they want a alternative. Maybe...that is where the possible future for some will be!  BUT....my " Big Problem" scenario can happen when the customer "Just MUST have" stihl or husq product . OK...so then they buy from the dealer new and depending on if there "Cost adverse" to maintaining or fixing at dealer prices, and or if , they are happy with the dealer service .... If not, the product maybe ends up on the independent outfits bench becoming there head ache depending on... what ...needs attention.

A spread of makes of equipment that is worked on and something new to supply from the  "Non Plug In" equipment range could be where the "independent " industry can function.

I didn't take it that way and know the industry is in a state of flux with new technologies coming in to counteract the emission laws and the OEMs getting more and more protective over their industry and is a shame they don't train their people in a better way but guess with many it is learning because they are TOLD to rather than WANTING to.....big difference!

Personally, I will be OK whatever occurs and this latest chapter in my life, doing what I do is an interesting one.

[adw]

You pensioners should out in the potting shed, or pottering around the garden, not playing with this quality low emission machinery, i have this vision of you being a short fat chap working in his "shed" bit like me really! i think your a dying breed Steve.

[Khriss]

21 hours ago, Baldbloke said:

I should add (like many have mentioned) that I too, am a fan of shorter bars. 18” being the longest

...me too- comes from having shorter legs k

[wyk]

On 15/12/2018 at 18:31, MattyF said:

Aye it seems a shame the big two don’t give a shit really who sells and repairs there saws and offers warranty .
My local husky dealer ... I’ve tried to stop using as it was just a joke really but a few weeks back desperate for 15liters of XP oil we go in , they inform us we don’t want that it’s too expensive to run in saws and they didn’t have it any way ... I’m not putting anything else in my 550’s and 560’s so head for the door and there walking out by the door was a 15litre container of XP oil ... begrudgingly I took it back to the counter to be charged full on whack for it... and that is the last time I set foot in there.
Then there is the stihl / husky dealer not far from you spud who could not even change a topend on a 3120.

I started repairing my own saws because, back when I actually had money, I went to the dealer and asked them could they fix such and such on my thingy mubob, and they basically told me it wasn't worth their while or mine. It was something simple, too. I went to the local independent saw shop in Willamina, OR on my way back after some of the other loggers told me where to go(though he did have a Stihl contract and dealt almost solely in Stihl saws), which has a super grumpy owner(or had, it looks like he's closed since). Anyways, I showed him my old 046, he took it, went out back in to the shop, and came back within 2 minutes with it repaired. That guy knew his stuff, and had ported two stroke bikes back in the day. He told me what he did, and how to fix it in the future, and then refused to take money from me. From then on I was only using him for my saw needs. He explained the local dealers sell lawn mowers. So they want their techs to be free to set up new equipment for sale and repair riding lawnmowers - they make hundreds and thousands on those two, so do not want to waste their tech's time repairing saws. Some of them have never had a saw apart.

Edited January 18, 2019 by wyk

[Alycidon]

On 08/12/2018 at 08:38, Rough Hewn said:

The 462 is underpowered for a 70cc saw.
It won't pull a 25" bar, where as a 440 would.
The 500i has a low chain speed in the wood 10krpm.
Yes they are both light, but they run 20" bars.
I run 18" bar on my 261.

Worked with nearly every modern husky and I can honestly say they are slightly faster than a stihl but they are unreliable.
I need a saw which works every time.
As for bar length slowing the speed of cut, it's almost negligible. About 1% slower per extra inch.

 I use a 462 with a 25 inch bar,  pulls it fine in my book.    Pulls a 20 better but so it should.

 

Agree with Husky unreliable comments,  I have a 560XP which has not been anywhere near as reliable as previous Husky saws.

 

A

[Rough Hewn]

 I use a 462 with a 25 inch bar,  pulls it fine in my book.    Pulls a 20 better but so it should.
 
Agree with Husky unreliable comments,  I have a 560XP which has not been anywhere near as reliable as previous Husky saws.
 
A

To be fair I've only cut 3 discos with one, on a 20"bar.
It was lightweight and fast,
I was wrongly informed that it would only take a 20" bar.
If I hadn't bought a 461 I'd probably get a 462.

The husky 346(I think) was a really reliable saw.(sometimes the only husky which worked[emoji12]).
560xp, hmmmm...
Get a yellow sticker for it(see spud)
[emoji848][emoji57][emoji106][emoji106][emoji106]