Picking a new chainsaw?

[weekender21]

Keep us posted whatever you decide. I own an MS180 and MS261 pro saw. Both great but it would be nice to have a big saw for bucking blow downs.


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[Turkish]

I’m not a seasoned sawyer, just somebody who sometimes splurges on things with motors. My 261 is in a separate universe than my dad’s 250.

 

[Telemark]

I’m almost lost a finger last weekend in that kind of splitter. We were finishing up my pile of recreational red pine, and I was grabbing pieces off the splitter so the other guy didn’t have to go the full cycle. That gap between the back of the wedge and the bolt that holds it on the rod got a piece of me.

We don't have OSHA in Norway, but we have regulatory bodies that are probably more extensive, stricter, and farther-reaching than anything in the US. However, the best advice I ever got was from an old hand on a marine fish farm. The best translation I can come up with is:

"Don't put your feet or your hands where you wouldn't put your dick."

This advice is probably the best thing I ever heard when it comes to safety. I worked with a lot of guys who lost fingers or nearly lost fingers or toes on fish farms and boats that got careless with equipment, ropes, cranes etc.

It is now engrained in my mind, and luckily I've never had a problem, despite some close calls.

 

[Catscratch]

"Don't put your feet or your hands where you wouldn't put your dick."

Ya, but can you say the opposite?

I worked with quite a few old machinists who didn't have a ring finger. Sharp tools that spin fast can do a lot real quickly.

 

[SD51555]

We don't have OSHA in Norway, but we have regulatory bodies that are probably more extensive, stricter, and farther-reaching than anything in the US. However, the best advice I ever got was from an old hand on a marine fish farm. The best translation I can come up with is:

"Don't put your feet or your hands where you wouldn't put your dick."

This advice is probably the best thing I ever heard when it comes to safety. I worked with a lot of guys who lost fingers or nearly lost fingers or toes on fish farms and boats that got careless with equipment, ropes, cranes etc.

It is now engrained in my mind, and luckily I've never had a problem, despite some close calls.

i'm surprised there are rod mounted wedges instead of plates. That seems so much more dangerous for the exact thing i was doing.

 

[Telemark]

i'm surprised there are rod mounted wedges instead of plates. That seems so much more dangerous for the exact thing i was doing.

What?

 

[SD51555]

What?

The cylinder end has the cutting edge and it pushes on a stationary plate. Growing up, my uncle built one with a stationary cutting wedge and flat plate on the cylinder rod. Once the wood got past the back of the cutting wedge you could safely grab it and pop it free to save on length of stroke.


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[Telemark]

Gotcha.

The one my in-laws own has nowhere to rest a log, so it basically requires two people. I learned quick not to take risks when other people run the hydraulics, no matter how much I think I can trust them.

 

[fishin coyote]

SD, I started stacking my piles this way a few years ago and knock on wood I haven’t had one fall yet. I’ve tried a bunch of different ways and even 6’ T-posts move and this way I don’t have to work around them building or tearing down the stack. This pile is on 4 plastic pallets. You just have to keep the end rows roughly the same size splits


And to keep with the original topic I run a MS271 and have had nothing but good results with it.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I've cut oak, maple, cherry, birch, and hickory hard firewood for over 40 years. I have 2 Stihl saws, an MS-180c w/16" bar for smaller stuff, and an MS-390 w/ 20" bar for bigger stuff. The MS-390 (newer models are tagged 391) will run a 24" bar too. Several of us in hunting camp have the 390's, and with full chisel chains, they'll cut until you drop. I've cut all day long with my MS-390 on oak trees, and it rips the sh** out of firewood. Sharp chains are key. I use premium gas, Stabil, and marine-grade fuel system cleaner in my fuel mix (at the advice of a friend who owns an outdoor equipment place. Followed package directions on the Stabil & marine grade fuel system cleaner). NO problems. Our sons own Stihl saws, and we all love them.

If you maintain a saw, it'll last for years & years. If I buy another saw - it'll be a Stihl for sure. Not affiliated with Stihl - but a mighty happy customer!

As for stacking wood piles that won't fall over - Fishin Coyote above does what I've always done. You "basket-weave" the ends of the stacks. FC mentioned keeping the thickness of your splits the same on each layer, so you don't get leaning ends. I've never had any of my piles blow out when the ends are basket-woven that way. Just keep the piles as level as possible. I've stacked firewood up to 6' high using basket-woven ends. Give it a shot, SD.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

SD -
When I looked closer at your pics with the wooden pallets, I stacked loads of firewood on wooden pallets using end braces I made from pressure-treated 2x4's. I cut (1) 8 ft. 2x4 into 2 ft. pieces, and screwed two of them together with 3" deck screws. Did the same with the other pair of 2-footers. These will be the bases. I cut 2 other 8 ft. 2x4's in half, making (4) 4 ft. pieces. I screwed (1) 4 ft. piece to the end of the 2 ft. base using 3" deck screws, forming what looks like a letter "L". Then screw the other 4 ft. piece to the first one using 3" deck screws. The doubled 2 ft. pieces are the bases, the 4 ft. pieces are the vertical risers. Then I screwed 6", flat, 90 degree angle metal braces to each side of that wooden end brace for extra strength. Repeat for the other wooden end brace. I slid the 2 ft. bases into the wooden pallets between the top & bottom slats. The weight of the wood piled on top holds the whole assembly tight.

I made several sets of such wooden end braces for a few rows of pallets - 2 sets of braces per 4 ft. pallet on the row ends. For extra stability, you can then screw a 2x4 of sufficient length to span between the vertical risers, using 3" deck screws to fasten the horizontal cross-brace. I never had a collapse when piling wood 4 ft. high. Making individual rows of 4 ft. high stacks will let more air through between the rows - drying the wood quicker & keeping it drier. More air flow = dry wood. I just laid a poly tarp on the very tops of the rows to keep out the bulk of any rain or snow. Used bricks or rocks to keep the tarps in place. This is the process I used for decades with good success ........ FWIW.

 

[SD51555]

SD, I started stacking my piles this way a few years ago and knock on wood I haven’t had one fall yet. I’ve tried a bunch of different ways and even 6’ T-posts move and this way I don’t have to work around them building or tearing down the stack. This pile is on 4 plastic pallets. You just have to keep the end rows roughly the same size splits
View attachment 84500View attachment 84501

And to keep with the original topic I run a MS271 and have had nothing but good results with it.

I've got good access to lots of new clean pallets. I think I'm gonna go lower with the sides and just use more ground space. I could see me stacking the outer row 30" high and then mounding the rest loose in the middle. I will use those stacked corners like you're showing above.