AndrewS

They can tow 1800kg (braked). I currently have a 2.0XT (turbo version) and it's a great car. It's my seventh Subaru and all have been a pleasure, but I particularly like the Forester. I generally drive with a fairly light foot, but without trying too hard can achieve 30mpg and up to around 34mpg on a run - notably better than the three naturally aspirated 2.0 manual Legacys I've owned. Subaru has two common four wheel drive systems: The majority, if not all naturally aspirated (non-turbo) petrol models, whether auto or manual only have a centre differential whereas all petrol turbo cars have a centre diff and a limited slip rear diff - both are effective, but the latter is considerably better in extreme conditions. By extreme, I mean 18" of snow lying on the driveway and side streets outside Aberdeen during the last couple of winters... A few inches of snow, or moderate mud wouldn't be enough to trouble either 4 x 4 system. Do not be tempted to lash up an improvised 2wd system though, aside from invalidating your insurance, it would be a great way to kill the diff and although Subarus are tough as old boots and extremely reliable, they are damned expensive when they do go wrong - far more so than any short-term fuel saving you might see. Besides, the beauty of 4wd is not just in snow and mud, but even something as mundane as pulling onto a wet roundabout ;-) Great cars; very underrated IMHO.

Afternoon all, Just wondered what bars people favoured. I've had good experience with Stihl ES for felling, limbing and milling; what else is out there?! Cheers, Andrew

Good work James! How do you find it compared to the 361? Loads more power and torque presumably, but how heavy/user-friendly? Guessing you plan to buy a longer bar at some point too? Would appreciate your feedback, I having the same thoughts... Cheers, Andrew

Ben, I would replace them with new bolts - I think that will cure it. You're absolutely right, the bolts do need to be tight to pre-stress them so that they don't vibrate loose, but I wouldn't re-use them. They are almost certainly failing through fatigue - they are highly loaded when installed, they are then subject to millions of vibration cycles which will cause any small defect through the section of the bolt to grow into a crack. When you then remove the bolts and refit them, the preload will cause these "micro cracks" to grow rapidly as a result of two factors: 1. the pre-stress in the bolt is effectively higher because the cross section of the bolt taking the load is reduced (the area bearing the crack will obviously carry none of the load, leaving the full load to be carried by the surrounding, sound metal), and 2: because the cracks have extremely sharp edges. The rate of propagation increases almost exponentially because as the crack grows, the load-carrying section reduces and the stress rises until a critical point is reached when the stress exceeds the yield strength of the bolt and it fractures. This is why you never re-use cylinder head bolts for example. Hope that helps? Look up "low cycle fatigue" for a better explanation ;-) Cheers, Andrew

Is that an MS660 James? Dogs, tank caps and handle don't look like the std 361 affairs..?

Hi Ben, Assuming they're genuine spares, or of known origin and not far-eastern plasticine, I would guess that they may be too tight. It they're starting to yield at room temperature, thermal expansion of the exhaust as it heats up may be enough to stress them to the point of failure. Best, Andrew

The spec of the US MS362 appears to be the same as the UK model - 4.6bhp. Point taken on dominance of softwood vs hard wood; it still seems rather odd though. Perhaps a shorter warranty in the US?!

Evening all, Can anyone explain to me why Stihl in the UK are more conservative with bar length recommendations than Stihl USA, i.e. MS 362 max recommended bar in the UK is 20", whereas the USA website recommends up to 25"? Thanks in advance and apologies if it's been covered elsewhere, I didn't manage to find it... Cheers, Andrew

Thanks Monkeyboy; noted! I'll give some more consideration to my upgrade plans this week/weekend. Cheers, Andrew

Hi Rob - pics should be with you; disc posted at the weekend. Cheers, Andrew

I may be able to help Dermot... I have a 2008(IIRC) model that was only sold new this year. It was demo'd by the National Trust for a few months and I then bought it ex-demo from the original supplying Stihl dealer. I have used it with an Alaskan Small Log Mill to good effect (see pics of the saw on the Alaskan forum) and, as you will see, it is in excellent condition. I've really enjoyed the milling I've done to date and am contemplating stepping up to either a 460 or 660 which would render the 361 superfluous because I also have a 260 for firewood, etc. The saw runs perfectly, has had very little use and has been well cared for. PM me if you're interested and I'll give some thought to fast-tracking my upgrade plan..! Best regards, Andrew

Great info guys; many thanks. I had been looking at Tirfors, but not cheap... Cant hooks and cable pullers will cover most bases. Cheers, Andrew

Afternoon folks, I'm fast developing an interest in portable chainsaw milling and am currently limited by log weight (read... my own strength...)! I live in a residential area and generally collect stock with a trailer. Mechanical handling, i.e. tractor/loader is out of the question, but I would be interested to know what manual handling aids are out there to make life easier and, ultimately, increase my current capacity. Thanks in anticipation, Andrew

Thanks for the feedback chaps! The mantel will be installed just as soon as the chimney breast is constructed - mere detail... Photos to follow! Rob - No probs forwarding the pics; I'll send you the high res versions offline; I've probably got some other shots of the Mill without the construction debris and Portaloo in the background ;-) Cheers, Andrew

Having cut my teeth on some windblown wild cherry, the Alaskan Small Log Mill has been pressed into service to produce a mantelpiece from an oak taken down in the grounds of nearby Crathes Castle (Aberdeenshire)! The result has far exceeded my expectation: I spent considerable time ensuring the rails were square and aligned (variously using carpenter's square, spirit level, winding sticks, shims, etc) and gave the chain a quick once over, but the cuts were clean and the mantel square to within 1 degree! I roughed it out a few weeks ago and then neatened it up this weekend, cutting it to length and rebating the underside for a piece of fire-retardent plasterboard to shield it from direct heat impingement and (hopefully!) to encourage uniform shrinkage. Photos of the finished article to follow in due course! With a sharp chain, the MS361 copes admirably with anything up to a full bar-length cut. It may be too slow for those with a commerical focus, but for a part-time hobbyist like me, it's a great combination. Not least because off the mill the saw is versatile enough to be used for general felling and cross-cutting. Happy milling! Andrew

Hi James, Very interested to read your feedback. I was in exactly your position (Stihl MS361) a few months back, but opted for the Small Log Mill instead to maximise the cut. With a 20" bar, I can just eek out 18.5" with the Mill post clamp hard up against the oil tank. Out of interest, what sort of cut can you achieve with the Alaskan? My first impressions of the Small Log Mill have been very good (photos to follow!). In fact, it all but paid for itself in a single hour when cutting up an oak log for use as a mantel piece! Downsides: Occasional lack of parrallelism due to my over-eager support of the power head - user induced error that you probably wouldn't get with the Alaskan, given that the bar is supported at both ends. Some degree of "gouging" or blade drift, for want of a better term, towards the end of the cut, whether wedged or not. Not a big problem, it either means cutting off the last 5-6", or dressing it out of the finished board, i.e. planing off more than you might otherwise need to. Positives:Totally outweigh the negatives! Hugely satisfying to use. With care in setup (vital), you can achieve very impressive results, in terms of surface finish and squareness (if cutting a cant/beam). I was chuffed to bits with the mantel - I spent a good while setting up my improvised guide rails, but the end result was square to well within 1 degree; no exaggeration. Chain sharpness and profile are also key to success (thank-you Rob!!). I have no regrets having bought Rob's 12V chain grinder plus guide assy; it has transformed the sharpening process. The chain now cuts faster, smoother and lasts longer between sharpening - primarily because all the teeth are the same length and of exactly the same profile so they all cut and wear evenly. All of that said, if I were starting out again, I would choose a bigger power head (min MS460, most likely MS660) with either a 25", or 30" bar and an Alaskan Mill; it's just too addictive! Best, Andrew

Afternoon folks! Another daft laddie question.. (plenty more where this came from...)! ;-) Having recently bought a Small Log Mill from uber-helpful Rob D, I'm itching to use it but have been hampered by the unseasonably cr@p weather. Looking at the forecast, there may be a window of opportunity this weekend but the logs are stored outside and are saturated after more than a week of heavy rain. Can they be milled in this condition? What are the potential pitfalls? Cheers, AndrewS

Thanks for the feedback chaps, much appreciated! Reading between the lines, I'm probably asking too much of the little 361, albeit a 20" solid ripping bar with a Small Log Mill may be a reasonable short-term option. Cheers, Andrew

Evening all! I'm new here but have found the forum to be a fantastic source of info thus far. That said, I haven't yet found a definitive answer to this question: I'm just about to make the transition from firewood gatherer to some simple furniture making. I've got an MS 260 with 15" bar for firewood and an MS 361 currently fitted with an 18" bar. If I want to make up to an 18-20" rip cut with a portable mill, would I be better with a Small Log Mill, or a 24", or even 30" Alaskan Mill? Happy to keep the 361 dog-less to gain an inch if necessary... I fully expect to get hooked, but won't have funds for a while to go the whole hog to MS 660/880 and large Alaskan Mill... Sadly! My main priority is not speed, but accuracy - does the Small Mill produce noticeably more chatter, or allow more bar deviation than the A'kan Mills? Cheers, Andrew