Ideal saw setup for a groundie?

[Big T]

Hi,

 

I have just started working as a self employed sub contract groundie and was wondering what the ideal set up of saws would be in your opinion? I currently have an MS260 with 16"bar. I need to get another saw as I dont want to just rely on the 260 incase I have trouble with it while on a job. I was thinking of getting something like an MS361 so I have the flexability of cutting both small and large diameter wood. Does the following look like a good setup?

 

MS260 with 13" bar (for snedding/delimbing and use next to the chipper)

 

MS361 with 18" bar for the bigger stuff and ringing.

 

I will keep the 16" bar for the 260 so I will have access to 13", 16" and 18".

 

Any thoughts?

 

Anthony.

[treedom]

Hi. Just get spare bar and chains. The saws a beast and should last you a few good years to start. Save your money and keep the 1 saw

[normandylumberjack]

I agree that the 260 is a great saw and will last you a good many years, but feel that a second saw is invaluable.

Self employment is tuff at the best of times, and having a minor fault with a saw can set you back. If you ask too much of the 260 by running bigger bars and ringing up it will need more maintainance, whereby if you have a larger saw to deal with the big stuff its not working so hard- or you either.

It also pays to have a back up. Things go wrong- not always your fault, but you will feel a little silly if you can't finish a job because your saw is misbehaving, and dont have a back up.

A professional image will impress not only the guy you subby to, but in turn his customers. Repeat bussiness and recomendations for him- more work for you!

Go for the 361, or a 441 if you want to be unstopable. You can run smaller bars on them if needed, and keep your 260 for what it was designed for 13 & 15" and good luck with your new bussiness:thumbup:

[Peter]

You don't need all those different length bars and chains.

 

Keep the 260 on the 15 or 16, whatever suits you best, and if or when you need a saw for ringing up get a 441 or 460 with a 20 or 25 inch bar.

[Big T]

Cheers for the replies guys, gives me things to think about! The main reason for wanting a spare is as normandylumberjack says, it would be embarrasing/costly if the one saw I have developed a fault half way through a job! Thanks for your input:)

[redmoosefaction]

046 is a really good combo of weight and power.... but then again that is what I have, 026, 046, and an old 088. Used to have the 044 till it died, then got the 046 and have loved it ever since. I don't have huskies due to my local stockists being Stihl, so can't comment.

 

Good luck1

[Andy Collins]

Being a s/emp groundie is the best excuse ever to collect and hoard as many saws as possible, the wife/girlfriend (or both?) can never say you don't need them. Climbers collect jingly jangley stuff to hang off their harnesses, and pretty coloured lengths of rope, we collect saws, all the saws, all the sizes, with all the bars and chains to go with whatever we need for a job, whatever the size. It's an addiction, if it isn't yet it will be.

[Mozza]

Being a s/emp groundie is the best excuse ever to collect and hoard as many saws as possible, the wife/girlfriend (or both?) can never say you don't need them. Climbers collect jingly jangley stuff to hang off their harnesses, and pretty coloured lengths of rope, we collect saws, all the saws, all the sizes, with all the bars and chains to go with whatever we need for a job, whatever the size. It's an addiction, if it isn't yet it will be.

 

Amen to that Andy :-)

[treedom]

Either that or collect your climbing tickets!

[john k]

I'm in a similar situation, and agree that a second saw is worth having for exactly the reasons that normandylumberjack gave.

 

I've currently got a 346xp with a 15" bar. I'm very happy with it, and it's big enough for most of what I'm doing at the moment (mostly coppice cutting and thinning jobs). I could get something similar for the second saw, but it would seem to make sense to get something a bit bigger for occasional use.

 

What size would be a sensible step up? 60cc, 70cc? 18", 20"?