Moose McAlpine

It wouldn't be an internet forum without a pissing match!

Exactly, personal preference. I'm sure lots of other people see no need for a 320bhp bi-turbo diesel estate but mine works for me. Saws are no different. I'm the opposite with saws. Huskys are just right for me. Much prefer their design and ergonomics. I like the combined choke/off switch that you push down with your thumb to kill, not push up like Stihl. (But will say the old style kill switches are a bit crap.) Better air filtration, more solid build quality. Don't like Stihl's "panel gap" in their design, crap pre-filtration but they have the edge in most saws having inboard clutches. Find many Stihls have a really jerky starter feel but that might be just me? 7 work saws and 1 display saw. I can not be trusted with money.

Never claimed to be a specialist, said i didn't see a need for it if it's between that and a 661 but need to do large felling. (36" bar territory.) Yes, i think it's Stihl's novelty saw. First saw with fuel injection, very complicated and has mixed reliability and is terrible on fuel by all accounts. It's almost 661 money, 462 size and weight but 0.8bhp more powerful. You have one and love it, fair enough. It's not for me but i never said it's not for anyone else. (When i bought my first saw i was actually looking at either the 500i and the 572XP. Lots of reading and watching reviews etc, ultimately chose the 572 on price, design, build quality and ergonomics and it turned out to be the right decision for me.)

As you said, big step between a 661 and 881. Even a 661 gets heavy fast. I bought my 3120 for milling but so far have only used it for ringing up and cutting stumps low. Weighs a ton, kills your arms, not as fun to use as i thought it would be. It just seems to bridge the 70-90cc gap, where it's not particularly "needed"*. Like anything there's a market for it and a use for it. If you've got the budget you can buy every saw in every cc range if you want to. I'm not minimal on having saws, i have 7. Just don't (personally) see that much need for a 500i if you're going to have a 661 which has more capability for another £10. (Yes, if you're not buying say a 461 then a 500i would fill that gap.) *to me, anyway, my saws jump from 70cc to 90cc with nothing in between. (No, I'm not quite a full-time user, i've been working in arb since Feb and looking to get trained/qualified in the new year, but i frequently use saws at work as a groundie.)

I don't really see the point in a 500i if you have a 661. It's the same price for 10cc less. I just think it's a bit of a novelty saw. I'd personally go 261, 462, 661, 881 to cover all bases.

How long does it take you to change a bar and chain? 😕 It's not rocket surgery.

Well you know the performance of the 550 and 572, no doubt the 90cc will be an animal.

We have a Woodland at work and it's a nice piece of kit. Not run it myself yet but it cuts with a nice finish.

My uncle is a designer, among everything from trains to pens to parking meters he also designed a bookshelf: "Leading product designer Ken Grange points at a bookcase. 'I designed this in the shape of a man,' he says. 'When I die, all my wife has to do is chuck out the books and put me in instead. That's real design for recycling."

I'm sure it'll at least have Autotune, not fussed about fuel injection. All reports of the 500i are that it drinks like a fish. Very much looking forward to this "592XP" even though a used 390XP arrived for me today.

🦄

And a partridge in a pear tree...!

Oh yeah, rolling in cash. Sharpen a chain? Chuck it in the bin and bang a new one on.. (Sent via my PA while i lay on a sun lounger on a white sandy beach sipping piña coladas)

Take 5 chains and rock all 5, you're screwed. And the cost of chains adds up fast, it would be nice to have a bunch of spares for each bar but that's a fair bit of money.

That's what do if needed. If there's no gullet i first give in down and backwards pressure to open up the gullet and start shaping the hook, then the up and backwards pressure to perfect the hook and top plate cutting edge. The guys i work with can't file a chain worth a damn. 😕 You can't beat the sharpness of a properly hand-filed chain. A brand new chain that's been done with a grinder isn't quite as good as once it's been filed properly.

Marco!

You're just over the water from Sam. Maybe you should let her come do a few days with you so she can see for herself? 😉

Oh, i thought it would've been an improvement, new saw and all.

When the office called for recovery of "the van" they forgot to mention that pertinent detail of it towing a chipper. Not all recovery trucks has tow bars. Spec/underlifts can have a towbar attachment, but not all do. At the AA all our tilt and slide trucks had them, but not the beavertails. (This was a twin-deck tilt and slide with an underlift.)

As a friend once said.. "Some people pursue a life quite different, only to find out it's not really what they wanted after all.. And some people are ****************ing hardcore." (He is the latter, giving up a well-paid plant mechanic job to go home to Texas to start up doing on-site machinery repairs in the oilfield.) As Sam said, we don't know her. If it's something she wants to do i would only offer her encouragement and good luck. She needs to do and see it for herself, and i'm sure she'll deal with whatever the outcome is. I gave up an "easy" 50k a year job on the AA to pursue a life as a tree surgeon in France. Covid has put a significant dent in those plans but i'll get there one day. It's better to go and find out for yourself rather than spend the rest of your life wondering what could've been. If it doesn't work out we pick up and move on. Sam has more interest, enthusiasm and willingness to learn than guys i work with, in their early 20s who are working as tree surgeons, getting trained. She has the drive and determination, best of luck to her. She'll see the industry in time and can make her own judgement on whether it's right for her. (As much as i enjoy the work and being outdoors, when it rains i want to be a welder, working inside in the dry.) It is, moreso as i worked as a mechanic for 13 years, the last 3 at the AA doing breakdowns. We could've been towed back to the yard, i could've got my van and trailer, loaded up the work van, taken it home and banged a clutch in it by 5pm. Oh well! You'll get there, stay positive and determined. Someone will see the potential in you as a tree surgeon and realise the asset you can be. 💪🏻

I will trade you all of my bad days! (You can have today to start with, it was boring.) 😛

Yep, stood around outside for 5 hours waiting. The two other guys stood around outside with the chipper by J26 for hours too. Ridiculous. Beautiful little fox! 😍

4+ hours later they tell me they have the wrong clutch and flywheel and it won't be ready today. Hitched a lift home, got to go back tomorrow and collect it when done. Should've had it recovered home and done it myself.

Wishful thinking. Recovery truck turned up, no tow bar. Our office have told us to dump the chipper on the road and leave the other two guys to guard it until i get back. (After new clutch is fitted.) Couldn't make it up. 😂

Apparently we're getting recovered to Mr Clutch so they can bang a new one in while we wait. Productive day.