New Chainsaw tryout

On Saturday, I tried out my new Stihl MS361 chainsaw (18"bar). I wanted to straighten a path through the woods to my pond and needed to clear out a couple dozen trees, most in the 4-6" range with a few Oak at about 8-12".

The saw is pretty hard starting. Anybody else have the same experience with Stihl? Don't know if I'm just not doing it right or what. Way too many pulls for my taste. (Yes, I did read the manual on proper procedure for the saw, but only after it didn't start on the first couple of pulls out of the case. LOL) Once it was running, though, it brought a smile to my face the way it cut through trees. That's probably mostly due to the new Stihl chain, but it never seemed to bog down at all. Big difference from my old saws. I had hesitated to spend the extra money for the 361 over the 310, but I figure it's an investment that I won't be sorry about in 10 yrs (unlike my 401K). [img]/forums/images/icons/frown.gif[/img]

Funny thing happened though. I had been dropping the trees and bucking them exactly where I wanted (along the old open trail) so they wouldn't get hung up in the other treetops and it would be easy to clear the debris. When I came to the last one, the wind came up and caught it just as I completed the felling cut and pulled the saw out and it went the opposite way, hanging on the hinge, the pinched closed felling cut and the top branches of another tree. I looked up to realize my truck was parked about 50 ft away directly in the new line of fall. Uh,oh. Anyway, I ran over and moved the truck with a wary eye above. Rather than try and muscle it over in the right direction, I just nicked the hinge from the notch and dropped it. (Not my preferred way, as there's a lot of stored energy there). The top 15' or so landed where the truck was parked, so I probably would have just had a dented hood and potentially a cracked windshield (not to mention a bruised ego).

Just a reminder to not take anything for granted when felling trees. I plan every cut, looking above and around and make sure I've got good escape routes.

Then on Sunday, heard that my sister's friend's husband fell out of a tree while trimming it on Friday. He was conscious but paralyzed on the ground but died on the way to the hospital.

Lordy, that is a terrible thing to have happen. [img]/forums/images/icons/frown.gif[/img]

I have a backyard tree that needs climbing and some limbs cut off. It's been put off every year for about four years now. [img]/forums/images/icons/confused.gif[/img]

Egon

Egon,
I finally dropped the diseased ash in my backyard last summer after watching it die for about 3 years. I spent most of the summer studying it with a cool drink from the back deck, planning the cut sequence and where I would tie off ropes. Several large limbs hung over the house and a picket fence and wife's beloved flower garden including a beautiful Japanese Maple. (I had already replaced the maple once from a previous tree trimming adventure where a falling limb split it in two, but that's another story.)

Anyway, I didn't feel comfortable running a chainsaw 24 ft in the air leaning out on a ladder propped against a swaying diseased tree, so I used a bowsaw for the topping cuts. I probably would have done it in my younger years but there's a lot of things I used to do that I now consider "dumb" as I get closer to 60. [img]/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif[/img]

Good luck with your trimming.

Ours is in the backyard and overhangs the little pocket piece of lawn where I sit in the shade and contemplate on those hot summer days. [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

I'll be a lot lower and using an electric chain saw plus I'll have a rope tied on with some tension applied. [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Egon [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

After much (obsessive) comparison shopping I bought a new MS361 about a year ago. What a nice saw - I can cut hardwood all day with that thing. But what a pain to get it started! Once it fires over it's only a light pull to restart, but if it's set long enough to cool off I know my shoulder is in for a workout. Still, I gladly accept that shortcoming for the fine service it delivers in every other way.

-Jim

Jim,
I'm glad (??) to hear that I'm not the only one who has trouble starting a "cold" MS361. I agree with you that it's a great saw, once started. I guess the Stihl engineers knew they had an issue and compensated by putting in the decompression valve for starting.

Also glad to hear that an obsessive, comparison shopper (you) also picked the MS361. Kinda validates my choice as well. [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

A Husky fan here; I also have a Shindawa that is one of the best saws I've ever used.

Husky fan here as well although I have a couple 18 inch Mac's too. I have a Husky with 18 inch bar and another with 32 inch bar which has been getting a bit heavier of late, especially when holding it overhead to cut.

Pat