Stihl MS 261 w/ 20” a “do all”?

Me?

Definitely no complaints. I just need to use it more.

 

We have a 261 w/ 20" bar at work...it seems to work just fine to me...I like it.

 

OP.
But yes, you too. 550 is heavier, but it runs better also

 

I have both saws, the truth is either one would be fine for a one saw plan.
Sounds like you want the 400 since you've already got a good 50cc saw.....

My 400 came with a 20 inch bar, and I like it that way fine, but I recently got a 24" bar for it and it's happy with that length too.

I have a 20" bar on the 261, and would never put a 16" bar on it...way to much bending in half.....it cuts just fine with a 20 inch.
Just because a saw has a 20" bar don't mean it's always in a full 20" log, and I'm not convinced that the extra 4" of bar /chain length in sub 20" wood slows the saw down enough for me to want to further destroy my irreplaceable back, in an effort to not put undue strain on my replaceable saw....if my saw dies in the line of duty, making me a living I'll buy a new one.

I run chainsaws a lot more than the average firewood guy, so the extra bending over for hours a day several days a week most of the year is a serious issue for me......I'm not in a cookie cutter race, so having the fastest saw in the world comes after comfort and the ability to work longer between chiropractor visits.
My 2 cents.....

 

I would def keep the 462 over the 362 (ported) or the 400. All three are great but the 462 takes it to another level for large oaks, which I seem to deal with often.

 

I suppose it depends a bit on how you file, but putting a 20" bar on a 50cc saw to bury in a big oak as bogged and overheated for me in the past. I'd much rather have something at least 60cc for cutting 18"+ hardwoods.

20" bar, 60cc powerhead works well:

 

Ok, now my question moves on to chains...if I go with a MS 400 with a 20" and 25" bar, full house on the 20" and skip chain on the 25"?

 

It can run full house.

 

So maybe it was your 400 I saw at Kevins in September.

 

No, Chud’s was awhile back. The one you saw belonged to a guy in TC

 

Ahh.

 

gaberelli if you rarely cut over 20” I’d just go with the 261 with 20” bar. I’ve had my 18” buried many times and it doesn’t slow down. If you’r looking at getting into some bigger wood on a regular basis then I’d go with a 462 for the extra power.

when I got my 261 I was convinced I was going to get a 400. Then I got both in my hands and the 261 was noticeable lighter and more ergonomic.

and by the way the auto tune is nice!

 

Skip chain isn't needed until about 32" and up. It's mainly for giving wood chip a place to be while the chain is traveling through that big log, so it doesn't get clogged.

Chain Sequence Explained

Full comp will always be faster.

"Standard" in the pic is known as full comp. Full house looks like this:


It isn't very common.

 

Thanks for the correction, yes, full comp is what I meant to say then. Standard chain. I thought that if a 400 was at its limit with a 25" standard chain, a skip chain of some sort would allow it to tackle the large stuff with less strain.

 

I only run skip on the rare instance i use the 36" bar. I have a loop of shorter skip that came with a saw i bought. I ran standard chain on a 28" bar on my 361 (59cc) once. Handled it fine. Bigger saw was in the shop at the time.

 

Full skip on short bars you have significantly less cutters doing the same work many more would have done (with full compliment). Works them harder, they dull quicker. Some people think it's great cause they have less teeth to sharpen but they are sharpening more often in the end. My .02, don't use skip in an effort to keep the rpm's up on a saw. When you adjust depth gauges/rakers on that full comp, don't lower them so much that the saw easily bogs down.

 

Thanks for the link explaining the differences Wood Wolverine.
I’m just now getting past the green or yellow chain knowledge.
Lenny


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I would be another vote for either the 462 or the 362 especially if you can find them with the old school carb.

 

It isn’t that the saw can’t handle say a 28” bar power wise. I mean they come out of the box with more stock power than the 044 after all. The problem is the oiler and to a lesser extent the av springs. It just doesn’t have the output to oil a long bar. Sure you can upgrade the oiler, but at that point you might just as well pick up a saw built to handle a longer bar.