MS462 Review

Well I ain't gettin' one! As much as I would like one I'll give them a couple of years first. I purchased a first addition 661 and my 2 year warranty was almost up before Stihl could get it to run like the saw it is suppose to be. Nope, I'll give them 2 years first.

 

I hear ya ! Better off letting the kinks get worked out on someone else’s dime

 

Ported 461 works well on timber 30” or less ... bigger than 30” then go with 661

 

I've got an un-ported 461 and it does everything I ask of it, but it would be way cool to have it ported, just for the fun of it.

 

Ok stock - whole different animal when ported properly - in fact I’ve got a 461 that’ll eat a stock 661 s lunch ... and dinner !

 

I've got a long driveway that goes through the woods. If a storm dropped a tree across the driveway and my only saw was in the shop, I would miss work. Or I couldn't drive my son to the hospital if he were sick.

My wife bought it...

 

I agree with you bert the turtle, but it could be LodgedTree, had a other tools to fix that, like a dozer.

 

I would just use an axe to chop my way through and save myself a few hundred bucks.

The chances of my saw being busted, while a big storm occurred, while an emergency egress situation was needed; all would be pretty remote. But this is just how I think, probability based on spending money.

 

Wow LodgedTree, are you feeling ok? Not trying to instigate, serious question, especially with your health concerns.
I totally respect your work ethic and morals. In short, grandfather was a dairy farmer and sister and brother in law run a beef farm. IMO small farmer means you have selected a lifestyle that if your lucky earns minimum wage and 60 hour weeks!!

I've read your post where you have options for heating, wood, propane, or Coal. Which ever one is cheapest. I relate.

I also have a quarter-mile driveway that has trees along it. As you are well aware accidents can happen. If a tree is blocking my driveway the chances of me taking an axe to cut out a 2-foot pine tree in an emergency. Are not happening!!

I have more than 1 chainsaw.
I have more than 1 hammer, screwdriver, and snowblower also. Granted many are old, 3 snowblowers, 2 of which are over 40 years old BUT start and run!! If tractor fails to start, drive still needs to be opened for safety.

I am also coming from a mindset of independence, having had 2 60mph storms in last 60 days and an 80 plus mph windstorm in November.

You are/were professional logger, the chances of me pinching a bar in a mess quite high, second one gets first out

 

well said spares are a good thing especially if you happen to run a saw over lol

 

If got a spare neighbors/friends stop by and help too.

 

IDK why anyone serious about cutting firewood would not a spare, especially a logger. If you only have one saw, the downtime is going to cost you money. When I cut firewood, I gas up 2 saws. I run one out of gas, then pick up the other and run it out of gas. When both are out of gas, it is either time to get logs off the pile or split. If you are out in the woods cutting and get your saw pinched and only have one saw what do you do?

 

Fine. I have an MS261 and MS461, both ported as my 2-saw plan, with a ported MS361 for "back-up." I'm good with these 3. All good...

 

Yeah I could have worded that better I suppose Canadian border VT , that is for sure. (I actually was not feeling good yesterday. I should have been on higher doses of medication a long time ago to stop the spread of cancer, but it has a side affect of making a person very aggressive and so I was kept low on it due to aggression. Now that my cancer is spreading I have no choice. I do have to watch myself, and poor Katie and the kids take it on the chin sometimes if I do not watch myself).

The point I was trying to make is, often times people do not think outside the box, but rather replicate what they already do. How do you cut a tree if a chainsaw is broken? Grab another chainsaw is the typical answer. It is understandable, but a person normally does not think about grabbing another tool that cuts wood; one they might already have. For me I would grab an axe. A sharp axe can sever a big tree faster then you think.

Myself, a downed tree would never constitute an emergency. If I had to get to work, I would just call my boss and say a tree is in my way and I would need to chop through it before I could get to work...no big deal. If it was to him, I would not be working for him in the first place. And if my daughter needed to get to an emergency room, I would just call the fire department or ambulance and meet them at the tree and pass her over it. Or call my parents and see if I could use their car on the other side of the tree. This is what I mean by thinking outside the box. We get locked into thinking we must do something a certain way.

Gas for me is not an issue either, but that has more to do with noticing trends.. I seldom run out of fuel because I know with my Kubota Tractor I can cut (3) twitches of wood without running my saw out of fuel, with my bulldozer it was (3), and with my skidder it is (2). So there are work arounds.

But no need for a separate powerhead either, just have a spare bar and chain. Detach the powerhead from the pinched bar, attach the spare bar and chain and cut the pinched bar out. I have done this for years because there is no extra space on a skidder or bulldozer for another chainsaw, and it can be a long hike out of the woods to the landing if I was to keep one in my vehicle as a spare. However it is easy to stash a spare bar and chain on a dozer or skidder. Just what I need...right where I need it.

 

All this really boils down to one thing, I am a minimalist at heart. I am not as bad as Bono of the famed rock band U2 who is such a minimalist that he only has 1 pair of underwear and washing his clothes daily instead of having a wardrobe, but it is just a sort of lifestyle where I get by with less.

Some all it being cheap or frugal, but really it is just thinking outside the box instead of opening up the wallet. I really noticed this when I did woodworking, I had more fun in making things 100% by hand then I did in using machines.

As I got older I tried to be more self-reliant, and considering how much work I do alone; from farming and cutting wood, to building houses, and earthwork; I kind of have to. If I get in a bad spot, I have to be creative sometimes to get out of it. After 44 years of living this way, I could not change if I wanted too.

I do not blame anyone else for doing what they do, but I do like to explain that there are alternatives. For instance the above post; I do not expect to change 94BULLITT from having two chainsaws, and that is completely understandable, but maybe he never considered that a spare bar and chain would allow him to do the same thing? Maybe other lurkers reading this will think, "Jeesh, I never thought of doing that."

But sadly it has taken me 10 paragraphs to explain all this.

 

LodgedTree, still praying for you! When the tornado came through my property 14 years ago. I was trying to get to the house luckily had a chainsaw in the back. All five ways to get to the house we're blocked by trees. I got as close as I could and started opening the road. A friend a couple miles away had old 350 with a plow, yard truck. I knocked on his door to borrow it, his wife came out and drove it for me. I cut the tree and she plowed them off to the side of the road.
I generally don't call police, fire or ambulances, because experience has taught me I can get to them before they can find my house!

It took town over a week to open road I live on

Cherish time with the girls, you can't control cancer, you can control your attitude.. Granted when in pain or on medication it is harder.

 

You put your spare bar and chain on and buck the other out.
But, having a spare saw handy is just a great idea and practice.
An old wore out bar will work for a buck out bar so it's not a big cost outlay. Sometimes you can get your bar out but not the chain. But, as a general rule. When your hung up, your hung up. !!!!!
It's real important to NOT GET MAD and REEF on the handle bars. That's how stuff gets broke ! . just take a few minutes and swap out your bar and chain and carefully make several shallow cuts with the tip. Relieve the pressure on the stuck bar and chain and remove them. Then carefully finish the cut.
Nothin to it.

 

Anyone seen one of these stateside yet?? Swung by my dealer for oil yesterday and asked about it, guy behind the counter said he doesn't know when they'll be getting em...I really don't think he knew what I was talking about though to be honest, kinda had the deer in headlights look...

 

There are a couple kicking around the US. One belongs to a member here. There is a guy on another forum sending them out from Greese.



I've been fortunate to put some run time on one. In short, 60cc weight with 70cc power. Very nice saw! I like it more everytime I run it.

 

Pics ???