I really like it. Never bought my own before and broke down and went to ACE and picked one up. It’s a little 16" but maybe one day I will get a 20" if I can justify it… I couldn’t make up my mind for like 30 minutes whether to pay double the cash for the 18" to trim down limbs and make firewood… The 16" was lighter so I was thinking it’d be easier getting into my trees to trim them out.
Is there that much practical difference between the 16" and the 18"? Maybe I should have went with the 18".
My Dad was a professional tree remover for 30 plus years, we only used Stihl and Huskys, the biggest difference between small and larger saws is how fast they can cut through a tree. Always have your ears and eyes on when using, be careful of limbs under tension, and don’t use the tip of the saw only use the flat part of the blade top or bottom.
Thanks for the advice. I’m a novice with chainsaws. They’ve always kind of made me Leary of using them due to their power and cutting speed. I like my appendages… So I will take it slow and careful lol
You’re welcome. Buy the tool that lines up the file for sharpening the chain, night and day on a sharp vs. dull chain; I only know because my Dad worked my ass off with a chain saw growing up. LOL
Congrats! I’m foliage green with envy, a Stihl is on my shortlist being a new home owner and all. If I may, here are some books I came across as I researched the topic since I’m no woodsman.
Homeowner’s Complete Guide to the Chainsaw
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1565233565/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=Q0P2SXNDHVMG&coliid=I3S3VUAJALF0D4
The Backyard Lumberjack
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1580176348/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=Q0P2SXNDHVMG&coliid=INDHYNW1RZS4
To Fell a Tree
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0615338798/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=Q0P2SXNDHVMG&coliid=I3QTMC3K206S06
WATCH YOUR DAMN FEET
A pair of chaps are worth the money. Forty years ago, I saw my brother damn near cut his leg off. So I wear chaps.
You can always buy an 18" bar and chain and put it on your saw. It will spin slower but it will still cut. But unless your cutting down trees bigger than 15" you don’t really need bigger. You can also double cut stuff that is bigger than your bar.
As others have said be incredibly careful. Be slow and deliberate in your actions and take a break if you get tired. Avoid using the saw above your shoulders. When starting the saw double check that the chain break is on. Start it either on the ground or with the throttle pinched between your legs aka always have two points of contact on the saw when starting it. Never drop start it. When you finish a cut and are going to move to another put the chain break on. Always wrap your thumb around the grip. Be very aware of where the tip of your bar is at, kickbacks can kill. Even though you don’t have a monster saw it can still inflect massive amounts of damage.
If your not going to use it a lot just take the chain in to the shop and have them sharpen it for you. Sharpening takes time and practice and if your not doing it a lot it’s probably not worth your time. Dull chains will wear you out faster as well.
To qualify my opinion I ran saw for the Forest Service for 4 seasons fighting fire and thinning. The first year I had to take a two day class about safe handling and proper technique and was watched very closely for the first month or so. Every year after we would have a refresher class and qualification test and talk about near misses. I’ve cut some pretty gnarly stuff and seem some really crazy shit being cut. I have also seen a lot of home owners, my dad included, do some really dangerous stuff without even knowing.
You made an excellent choice getting a Stihl. They make one hell of a saw. My dad just passed down my grandpas old Stihl, it says “Made in West Germany” on it. If you have any question fire away.
Sent from my clutch hand while riding a wheelie…
Good advice. One thing I noticed though was after my first season of fire I came home and was cutting at the cabin without chaps and it really changed the way I worked with the saw. The chaps that the Forest Service made me wear gave me a false sense of security and without them I was way more cautious. It made me rethink how I run saw. To be clear I still think chaps are better than no chaps.
Proper ppe would be a good thing to invest in. Leather boots, chaps that go past your boots, safety glasses, gloves, and a hard hat.
Sent from my clutch hand while riding a wheelie…
I’ve had my Stihl Farm Boss since 1996 and its stihl running like it was brand new. Couldn’t resist doing that. Seriously though, they are great saws and if taken care of they will last forever. Keep the chain sharp and well oiled and you will be fine. Definitely watch you feet and as Todd0000 said don’t use the tip of the saw! Mine has a 16" blade and I’ve used it for everything from general limb trimming to cutting down 18"-20" diameter pines and oaks. I have thought about a 18" blade but don’t really see the need with what little I am doing with it.
It depends where you live & how much cutting you plan on doing. I run two Stihls, a 20" for dumping large trees & a 16" for brushing them out. I also have an 18" bar/chains for my large saw but I rarely use it. If you planned on only having one saw, I’d probably would’ve got the 18", JMO. I think that’s a better all around size. Then, depending on the model, you could also get a 20" & 16" bar for it. Personally, I prefer having, at minimum, two saws. If you are only going to have one, I highly recommend getting a 2nd bar & multiple chains.
Good choice, enjoy your Stihl.
Sent via Tapatalk
The difference I saw from the models displayed with those length bars are:
16" usually is on a thinner bar and chain. It is lighter weight and thinner so you really don;t want to move up to 18" on that. Better to double cut (work from both sides if necessary), but a small saw like that will be hard pressed going through 30" wood. OK for occasional, but not for regular use. The 20" models use the “full-size” chains most commonly used.
The smaller saw’s engine will work harder. Generally I would get the largest saw motor that is still handy enough to carry and use for your intended projects. It is much better to run a larger motor more midline than push a small motor to its max all the time.
If this is to just cut the occasional cord of firewood, limb and brush then the 16" is perfect for that. If you plan to cut a lot of wood regularly or work on the larger pieces like 14" and up then the larger saw would be better. Most larger saws are offered with three sizes of bars such as 16" - 20" or 18" - 24". I would get the middle size of bar unless you really need that extra couple of inches. The longer the bar the more friction/drag of chain to bar and loss of cutting speed.
I did Forest Service and logging and never wore chaps. I would were heavy boots. Every second keep in mind the plane of arc the bar can travel up and down. Kepp body parts out of that plane of travel (don’t hang your head over to the far side as a quick kickback could cut your neck). For safety and all day work comfort I rest the chainsaw on my right hip as much as possible. That keeps my legs, torso and arms on my side of the bar’s plane of travel and rests it at my center of gravity. If you think you need chaps then you are letting the saw come into the plane of your body. No, no, no.
Stihl. Nice!
My 044
044quarter by zweitakt250, on Flickr
My McCulloch SP125C. (123cc 
)
SP newbar by zweitakt250, on Flickr
View from up in the tree during a removal. Husqvarna T435 clipped to my harness.
bt4 by zweitakt250, on Flickr
My ported MS660…
I like chainsaws…
The size bar you run has mostly to do with the output of the saw and the species of wood that you are cutting. Typically in hardwood you will want a 16-18" bar on a 50cc saw. A 60cc powerhead will pull an 18-20" bar well. A 70cc production saw will pull 20-25" bars in hardwood, and a 90cc saw will pull a 28-36" bar. In softwood you can pull 2-4 more inches of bar than in hardwood. Keep your chain sharp, I mean razor sharp. The saw will cut easier and wear on the cutting attachment and powerhead will be less. Keep the air filter clean and do not store the saw with ethanol laced gas in it. It is best to drain the tank and idle the carb dry if you can’t find ethanol free gas. Chaps, hearing protection and eye protection are a worthwhile investment. Google chainsaw leg injury pics if you have doubts about this.
Saws are much like guns. They deserve respect, but are extremely rewarding when used well.
I picked up a stihl 180 c-be last year when a pine landed on the house. I like the quick chain adjuster. Nice little saw for light home use. Chaps might not be a bad idea if I decide to take down the other dozen pines. I figured it would be stihl or a husky, I’ve had pretty good luck with stihl.
All I use are Stihl saws. These are the 4 I use daily (well except the 066).
MS361 20", MS460 25" (my main use saw), MS650 36", 066 42". The 066 is an absolute beast of a saw, and frankly it can be downright dangerous. But when you’ve gotta cut some big wood up, you need the power.
Both my 460 and 650 have the ported mufflers and larger jets in them. The 066 is an older model before they thought about emissions nonsense on saws. The 361 is stock and can be pretty handy in tight spaces, but it lacks real power to fell or buck a tree.
AND YOUR FACE!! Don’t lean over and admire your work until the chain stops moving. When it kicks back it will rotate up towards your face which is why they have those chain brakes. If it jerks it out of your hand, hopefully your hand hits the brake the chain stops moving should it continue to rotate back towards you. Had a friend that broke his chain and it flew up in his face… I wasn’t there but it put a ragged slice right up his face.
Just think if the blade were to rotate on the axis of the motor either up or down what it might hit. It’s a wonderful tool but worth learning how to use ahead of time. Those lumberjack guys can do some amazing things with them in those competitions.
It’s worth mentioning that for the whole chainbrake thing to work correctly that your left thumb must be wrapped around the front handlebar. This creates a pivot and prevents the left hand from being jerked off of the handlebar in the event of a kickback.
Thanks for those that posted in this thread.
I have been thinking about getting a chainsaw myself.
Right now I usually use hand tools or borrow my brother’s small Husky chainsaw.
Lot of good information.
In no particular order.
Practice on small stuff first. Learn how to cut up a downed tree before you start dropping 100 year old oaks. As has been pointed out watch out for anything that may be under pressure, at the minimum you’ll get the bar and/or chain stuck.
Don’t cut into the ground, you’ll hit rocks. Though sparks are cool.
Have someone keep an eye on you, from a distance, incase of misadventure.
Ensure spectators stay well back from the saw and out of reach of the tree. Trees can fall in unintended directions. Don’t park your truck within that distance either.
I’ve used spray paint to draw my cut lines on tree trunks. It was especially helpful on trees that exceeded the length of the bar.
Use PPE every time.
I use ammo cans to carry spare chains, tools, oil, etc.
Clear your work space and an escape path in dense vegetation before you begin felling.
Your finished product should not look like the work of a beaver…don’t use the saw like an axe.