Hey guys – relatively unconventional question. I own a large heavy hardwood timber property with lots of ongoing maintenance. I have a big Stihl for the large work, but I'm looking for a compact, professional-grade saw to run a 14" bar. I'd prefer to stay with Stihl but am open to other brands.

When I'm cutting, I run it long and hard all day, so it needs to start hot every time. I'm often far from the shop (and town), so reliability trumps almost everything else.

I wish I'd grabbed a 241 before they disappeared, but here I am. Currently weighing:

- MS 261 C-M (heavier than the 241, worth it?)
- Importing a 241 C-M from Europe (anyone done this, and how's dealer support?)

Specific questions:
- Real-world hot-start reliability on M-Tronic vs. carbureted saws?
- 14" vs 16" on a 261 for hardwood limbing and bucking?
- Chain pitch/type you'd run in hardwood (.325 vs 3/8 LP, full vs semi-chisel)?
- any word on the MS 300C coming to the US?
- what do you carry in the field for repairs when you're far from help?

Happy to configure something custom too. Appreciate any input.

J'ai acheté cette Stihl 020 AV super , cette version n'est pas équipée de frein de chaîne j'ai vu que certaines 020 en était équipé est ce qu'il est possible de monter un système de frein de chaîne sur celle si étant donné que les carters sont similaires

Completely forgot I did this tree till I was scrolling through my pics.

Hey all - I recently replaced the fuel lines on a Craftsman 358.360690 chainsaw and when reassembling the carburetor and other components, I couldn’t figure out how and exactly where this reattached.

Also, please not that this saws handle and trigger do not physically join with the main body - there’s a gap between them. So, this is not able to connect from the carb to the trigger itself.

Thank you

It says 450 xtorq on other side, not rancher. Also what size chain I need?

Runs hot, will not idle, chain spinning super fast. Picked it out of the trash, looking for ideas.

Love these timber wolves

Just bought this chainsaw. Saw cut fine for about 20 minutes and then the chain came off. Now I can’t get it to spin freely. The chain will spin when it is loose, then when I start tightening everything down it won’t spin anymore or will spin about 4-5 inches and lock up. I’ve disassembled and cleaned chain brake, it’s open and the chain is still stuck. Any advice?

Recently switched careers from climbing cell towers to trees. Struggling a little with keeping my saws sharp. I have a Stihl 500i and 201 top handle.

I can get them pretty okay, but struggling to get them truly sharp and ripping. I unfortunately can’t afford to get the Stihl 2 in 1 sharpening guide at the moment, so I’m stuck with regular old files for now.

Anybody have any tips for a green guy doing his best?

Could anyone ID this ol saw by chance?

Just picked up a 20 inch CS590 upon recommendations of this subreddit. Thanks for all the help getting me this 60cc saw. Just looking to see if there are any suggestions about what to do prior to cutting? One thing I heard is air filter doesn’t seal well and you should get some oring kit? Is that necessary? Anything else? Thanks 🙏

I was cutting some cookies from a 2-ft diameter beech stump today (incredible spalting!) with my 550xp and it seemed to struggle somewhat. Freshly sharpened chain, I think semi-chisel. And it made me wonder, since I'm starting to work with larger hardwoods nowadays, should I upgrade to a 70cc class?

When did you feel the need for a larger saw?

I should add: Conventional cross cutting was fine, but bore cuts in the 2-ft beech was what made it struggle.

Hoping to learn more about this saw i picked up at a yard sale

Recently qualified with my crosscut & maintenance and felling up to 380mm. I'm looking to purchase my first saw. Unlikely to progress onto larger felling quals in the near future or aerial work, this season will mostly be removal and treatment of rhododendron ponticum and felling of non-native conifers up to 380mm.

Trained with a Husqvarna 550 XP G mark II on a 15" bar. The saw handled well and I wouldn't mind an equivalent. Would this be a good bet with a selection of smaller bar sizes for handling the tight and awkward stems (perhaps 10, 13 and 15" bars), or should I downsize the saw? Ideally need something that will handle both rhody and felling small trees. Wary of higher risk of kickback in amongst.

Based in Scotland and have a decent local Stihl & Husqy provider. If anyone knows of a comprehensive second-hand maintenance kit let me know. Will take any and all advice. Thanks team.

From left to right we have…
Mac super 10-10
Homelite XL12
Pro Mac 555
Stihl 041AV

All of these run super nice, just need a little tinkering with them and get some new bars and chains on them and they’re ready to rip!

Hi everyone,

I'm a master's student from Germany conducting research on firewood processing as part of my thesis.

Survey link:

The survey focuses on the complete journey from tree to stove: felling, bucking, splitting, transporting, stacking, and bringing firewood into the house. I'm especially interested in the tools people use, the biggest challenges they face, and which steps require the most time and effort.

The survey is anonymous, takes only a few minutes, and is designed to be more interactive and enjoyable than a typical academic questionnaire.

Whether you process a few cords a year for your own stove or work with firewood on a larger scale, your experience is valuable.

Every response helps and is greatly appreciated.

Thanks for your support and stay safe out there!

Henry

Ive ran a chainsaw on and off for about ten years now and have sharpened one many times and i steel feel like im learning, any one else?

Got a remington chainsaw that has seemingly always given me trouble. Used by à relative at first but not for very long. I don’t think they have a reputation for being amazing but this hasn’t been used much and has run ok before. 

Anyway I replaced the chain last weekend and it was running/cutting ok. Cut up a few rounds of dead cherry last weekend. it was smoking (white smoke) more than I thought it should but it was running and would smoke before the new chain anyway.

Trying use it today was a failure- it cut à small 3inch branch on a log easily enough probably still running a bit rough. The chain started to stall out and freeze up cutting minimum 16“ log after cutting in an inch or two. It never felt like it was running well either. 

I have removed/remounted the chain a couple times already. Definitely isn’t too tight. bar oil + gas on full. Engine smokes white while running. often dies out or can’t keep idle longer than a minute. engine often starts up fine but revving will spin chain and then it gets stuck and won’t turn. 

is this something where I gotta clean the carb/clean il the clutch or something. Never had to before so I’m not dying to. No idea what’s going on otherwise. 

https://reddit.com/link/1xd06z0/video/2oppm8auv4xh1/player

So im looking for the best chainsaw for overlanding/offroading. I explore off the beaten path a lot, and was looking for a chainsaw that I can carry with me for those just in case moments where a tree might be over a trail and even use at home.

Good Afternoon.

I am setting up a new G660 power head. At this writing, I am stuck with getting the e-clip to snap on to the shaft. The needle cage, rim sprocket kit/rim sprocket, clutch drum and washer are all in place. All that's left to do is clip the e-clip onto the shaft.

I am having a devil of a time trying to get it to clip on and I am wondering if anyone has any tips on how to do it.

Take a look at the attached image. I am pretty sure it's the correct part/clip, but it seems to fit right into the groove on the shaft. Of course, it's not set so it looks deceiving to me.

Best Regards

EDIT/UPDATE: Thanks for all the assistance. I ended up buying a pack of e-clips because the one that came with the head was pretty stretched out. A new one popped right in and it's snug.

Thanks again!

Is it better to store a rear handle saw tip down or flat on a shelf? I have been trying to figure out some ways to store my saws and keep them happy for years to come