CCTree

Funnily enough, I’m also an ex-teacher… but closer to 40 than I care to admit 😅 Chainsaws and trees are safer than teaching kids these days! They don’t come with weapons in their bags… 🤦🏻‍♀️

It was a Stihl supply issue and they couldn’t get one til well after the course, so usual supplier suggested I went elsewhere. Supplier of the tool was not willing to refund or replace and were pretty useless over the phone. I’ll not be using them again even if hell freezes over. Either way, I’ve got loan of a chainsaw for Tuesday and I’m familiar with dismantling it etc. Yesterday was a better day - hinges more consistent, trees landing on the target stick etc. Thanks for anyone who gave useful suggestions on ways to improve. Just got to not fk it up on the day now… @kram ms 212 would start and run fine, but would refuse to reach full revs inconsistently. It then started cutting out on anything that was a little sturdier to get through, but intermittently. Checked spark plug - all ok, correct colour, fuel, swapped fuel for motomix, took air filter out checked it and intake, checked fuel filter and position etc. Didn’t want to dig any deeper as it’s new. (If it was out of warranty I’d have pulled it apart tbh)

Thank you ☺️ I’ve packed a crayon and a ball. It’s the final day of the course today, so hopefully I can sort getting everything straight. It gives me the weekend to practice. Hoping to identify a couple of nice trees in a flatish spot, rather than on a slop me in a bog for Tuesday 😅 As for the chainsaw, they weren’t available at my usual supplier and they couldn’t get one til after the course. I ordered one from a ground care company down south who then told me I had to use a local dealer for warranty. Usual dealer was pissed I couldn’t wait for them to get one… hence I’m at the back of the queue!

After 3 cancelled courses, I’m finally on one that’s running! Learnt all the maintenance on my shiny new Stihl MS212 on Monday, did crosscut on Tuesday - a little disappointed with the power, started felling on Wednesday and saw died 😭 Declared a warranty issue on Wednesday night, but will take a month to sort. Had to learn a new chainsaw this morning as well as most of the felling stuff 😵‍💫 head is completely spinning, can’t get cuts completely level… though all trees are landing in the right place, the stumps just aren’t pretty or I catch the hinge either the back cut on one side? Any tips? Starting to feel like I’m doomed. Assessment is next Tuesday 😫

Though MS212 is less likely to end in divorce 🤣🤣🤣🤣

The temptation is I’ve seen the 560xp on a very good deal 🤣 in fact, less than 550xp.

So, I have the GTA 26 and an MSA 60 (first gen, not CBE) with a 12" bar for smaller clearance work. These are great for a bulk of the ponty clearing - as you say, you can stick it down and pick it up as needed. I'm keen to get a petrol chainsaw too though - on a 10+ acre site in Cumbria (everything is uphill), it's a pain in the ass to charge batteries or drag half a dozen of them into the woods for a big day out. I'm accidentally (battery) Stihl loyal - I run an RMA 448 battery mower, FSA 135 brushcutter, FSA 60R strimmer, HSA 60, 100 and HLA 86 hedgecutters. I was tempted by CBE, but definitely do not want to be adjusting every 10 seconds - the GTA needs forever micro-adjusting now it's 2 years old. I like the look of the Husqvarna 560xp - and that seems to avoid the single nut issue that has been mentioned with the Stihl. Any draw backs with it?

I’ve booked for cs30/31 in Feb and need a new saw - the basic Husky we use for logs will not cut it, so to speak. I also have a GTA26 and a reasonable collection of Silkys. I’ll be using it for Hazel coppicing, Laurel and Rhody removal, the occasional small tree - I’m a gardener in Cumbria, but we have some small wooded areas and plenty of ponticum. Big stuff is dealt with by other staff members/arb crew, I’m not looking to move onto bigger stuff. I’m looking at MS251 C-BE Any recommendations?