18" bar on a ms26

[jpbeaver]

what sort of wood are you going to be cutting?

[TreeSpyder]

Again i'm with JPBeaver (in both posts on this thread). But, also, that depends on what you are used to. 026 with 18" sharp in soft, unfrozen wood will perform satisfactorily compaired to a throwaway saw of lesser brand like Wild-Thing with long bar if that is all you are used to.

 

If on the other hand; you favour a 044/440 with a 16" bar for speed and power; you'll be real pissed at your choice of new saw and think of using it as a door wedge, wheel chock or boat anchor; assuming it would be any better for any of those uses:BoomSmilie_anim:...

[madmatt]

Before I could afford my Ms440 Or 660 I only had my 260 I ran an 18" bar on it wthout any major issues as said keep it very sharp and just accept that its going to plod along rather than race through timber like a larger saw would.

 

I managed for a year doing some fairly big logs for firewood but I wasn't working the saw every day, When I could afford something bigger I did.

 

Good Luck

[bill]

thanks alot everyone for the good advise. i think as a temp thing i will get away will it. im only doing the odd day for myself here and there. i wish i hadnt brought the saw now, its the perfect ground saw for snedding but now im climbing i dont really need it as is only got an extra inch then my 200.

 

when going for a bigger saw what stihl would you go for 36,44,46,66?

[Steve Bullman]

460....can't say enough good about the saw. ive used most saws out there and there'll always be a 460 in my line up now.

i run a 25" bar on the 460, anything bigger i jump straight up to the 880. friend has a 660 and thats a great saw too. 460 is a nice saw for use in the tree.....the balance/weight is more comfortable to use from rope and harness than the husky equivelant...for me at least

[jpbeaver]

yeah id go 460 aswell, or husky 372xp (probably changed model numbers now) depends on how much your gonna need a big saw. round my way there is very little you couldnt do with a 25" bar.

[Steve Bullman]

i have inbetween saws, but if im up a tree i always go straight from my ms200t to the 460. my 088 comes out maybe 3-4 times a year!

[bill]

88 up the tree? not fun.

[jpbeaver]

i use my ms660 up a tree quite alot. used my mates 88 in a tree once, not looking forward to the next time.

[Rentachimp]

441's are pretty amazing. They have the same air filter as the 880 so are more turbo-ey, or something.

 

I run a husky 350 18" and it sounds like it is going to explode.

 

Cuts the wood well, though, even against the grain with my Alaskan mill.

 

The 260 is a cracking little saw; first saw I ever used.

 

Don't let people tell you you need a bigger saw regardless. Using a baby saw is a damn site lighter and more comfortable if you're cutting in a ditch or thicket, or even snedding and bucking <30cm timber.

 

Less vibration and less weight to lug around all day make up for the slightly longer trigger time