Time for a bigger Stihl??

4597 Views 26 Replies 14 Participants Last post by ElWood, Feb 21, 2013

ElWood

Discussion Starter · Feb 15, 2013

Well, I'm getting ready to finally pull the trigger on a clearing job. After putting a beating on my 3320 and grapple, I decided it was time to call in the big boys to finish the job. The plan is to use a dozer and excavator with thumb to finish the job.

Here's my question... Currently I have a Stihl with a 16" bar. I'm going to have trees stacked up everywhere after this job. Do you think I need a bigger saw?? Here are some pics of the trees.

Tree Natural landscape Winter Nature Branch

Tree Natural environment Natural landscape Winter Forest

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ElWood

Discussion Starter · #4 · Feb 15, 2013

Thanks for the comments guys. Your info is very helpful.

I'll be moving to this property as soon as the house is done (probably the fall). There are some trees on the property that are huge oak trees I can't wrap my arms around. I'm leaving those up for now and planning on taking down about 500 by 100 feet of what you see in the picture. The plan is to have the dozer and excavator push these trees over and then stack them up. I'll start cutting and chipping after that. I just got home and snapped a picture of my current saw. It's a MS 250C.

Chainsaw Circular saw Tool Machine Power tool

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ElWood

Discussion Starter · #5 · Feb 15, 2013

Furu said:
Nice looking dog. GSD?

Thank you. He is a GSD who just turned 4. He's a great pal who has taken over the passenger seat in my truck

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ElWood

Discussion Starter · #8 · Feb 15, 2013

Thanks guys. I didn't even consider an 18" bar for mine. That might just do the trick!

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ElWood

Discussion Starter · #9 · Feb 15, 2013

Anybody have a Stihl Farm Boss? Looks like a pretty nice saw. With the 20" bar, it's about $400.

Also, if any GTT members are near southeast Michigan, I'll load you up with all the firewood you can hall at no charge

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ElWood

Discussion Starter · #11 · Feb 15, 2013

Furu said:
If you are going to drop these yourself get a bigger saw. You don't say which Stihl you have but the 16" bar indicates that it is a smaller one. I have and like the 460 and have a 28" bar as well as an 026 running a 20" for smaller stuff. You might be good with the 361/362 but it is hard to tell the exact diameter of the trees. You will rarely regret having a bigger saw unless the weight gets to you.
Nice looking dog. GSD?

Furu,

You think the 362 with 20" bar would be a good choice? It looks like a nice saw. Can it handle the occasional extra large oak?

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ElWood

Discussion Starter · #17 · Feb 17, 2013

RRMCCABE said:
I don't like running any more bar than I need 75% of the time. Just more to maintain and lug around.

I have the same saw as you with the 18" bar. It was ideal for what I am doing.

Sorry if I missed it but what are you doing with the wood. I used a cat loader and pushed it up in a pile and burned most of it and kept some aside for firewood. Are you uprooting the trees ?

That's my plan as well. My buddy is going to use a dozer and excavator with thumb to uproot the trees and push them into a pile. We're going to burn most of the trees and brush but keep the good logs for firewood. I've heard that when you push logs into a pile, you get a lot of dirt in them. Did you have that problem? I was thinking about getting one of Stihl's specialty chains for cutting dirty logs.

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ElWood

Discussion Starter · #22 · Feb 19, 2013

MattF said:
ElWood, I'm up in southern Genesee county, sounds like we may be near the same neighborhood.

My dream saw would be the 362 w/ a 20" bar. I run a 261 with an 18" bar as its the next sweet spot on the power to weight ratio down the Stihl $ scale. The 261 is awesome on the ash trees I deal with and super light but a big oak or beech makes you know its not in the big leagues. Anyway, below is my land clearing project. Behind me are ~6+ acres already hand cleared - in front another 2 or 3 to go... all looking like what you see in the picture. :cray:

View attachment 14965

In an earlier experience where heavy equipment was available and the grades weren't so steep, we cut the trees down and removed the good wood (trunks) by hand and left the stumps and the tops. The excavator cut the stumps out and the dozer piled them and the tops for burning. The trunks were bucked and handled separately. It was more time consuming than a big push with heavy machinery alone but we didn't waste much good wood. No approach w/ heavy machinery (other than my tractor) is a reasonable approach for my current project for a number of reasons...

Good luck with your project and saw purchase!:good2:
Matt

Matt,

We are neighbors! I'm down in Livingston County not far from you. I started clearing some of the area myself with my grapple and brush hog. As I moved forward it started really getting thick and began became too much for my machine. Here are a few before and after pics.

Vegetation Natural landscape Nature reserve Tree Natural environment

Natural landscape Tree Nature Woodland Natural environment

It looks like your property is similar to mine. I thought about hand clearing a little at a time but I think I'm going to have the heavy equipment take a big bite out of the area and then I'll come in after with my tractor and grapple.

I'm leaning toward the 362 saw. I'm also thinking about getting one of the specialty chains and bars for dirty wood. I wonder if these chains and bars make much of a difference.

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ElWood

Discussion Starter · #25 · Feb 20, 2013

MattF said:
Heh..heh... Those pictures looks strangely familiar .:laugh: We normally refer to our lot as having only "upward potential".

The specialty chains, are your refering to the carbide tooth models? They'll work in crud quite a bit longer but the dirt is still hard on your drive sprocket/bar and the dirt will still wear the chain causing it to need tightening frequently. Dirt is baaad news for saws.

My ash trees have flakey bark we strip if the exterior is dirty. A machete or bark stripping tool is normally on the tractor for such instances (poison ivy removal being the most common use). That may be an option as well.

BTW, thats going to be a beatuful piece of land when you can see the lay of it better. :thumbup1gif:

Matt

"Upward Potential". Haha! The specialty chain is the Oilomatic Stihl Picco Duro 3 (PD3). There is also a specialty bar, the Duromatic E. Both are supposed to be good for dirty logs. I asked my dealer about them and he didn't know what I was talking about... Do you have any experience with either of these? I should probably just try to avoid dirt altogether. Maybe I'll power wash the dirty ones before cutting. Haha. I do like the idea of a bark scraper or machete.

I would clear a little at a time but I have a guy with a dozer who is looking for work and gave me a great deal. I'm also putting in a pond this summer that I went to get started on so I'll have to take my chances with the heavy equipment.

He is where the pond is going. I'm clearing where the trees are.

Natural landscape Natural environment Tree Vegetation Prairie

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ElWood

Discussion Starter · #27 · Feb 21, 2013

rrmccabe said:
elwood,

you might consider this saw instead.

View attachment 15036

ha ha ha ha!!!!

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