Chain Saw Advice

SPIKER · Mar 5, 2006

thankyou snofalls for the reply above:

I wasn't dirercting the post I made regarding sity slickers clear cutting at YOU but in general. what you orriginally proposed seemed to state that you were /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

( As part of my land-clearing activities I need to remove quite a few trees.

Lets estimate ~100 over the next 3 or 4 years.
)
/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

I suggested contacting a forester and someone with land management training yo set up a plan. I also gave info regarding how to safely go about etting done what you wished. around here farms are getting bought up left & right usually by a developer/realtor broken up into small lots and clear cut and virtually laid waste too.
anyhow I'll leave this post to go as it will.

Mark M

daveh1 · Mar 5, 2006

Curly Dave, I've got a 16" Husqvarna that I love. I've never owned a Stihl but I have owned most of the others. I plan on sticking with the Huskys. A 350 Husqvarna would probably do most any thing you want. Also I think the Husky's seem to be easier getting parts or service. Just my .02 worth. Daveh1 Mitsubishi D-2050 and Honda Rancher /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

CurlyDave · Mar 5, 2006

I wasn't dirercting the post I made regarding sity slickers clear cutting at YOU but in general. what you orriginally proposed seemed to state that you were...

Well, I don't know know how you do math in Ohio, but out here, even us city slickers can figure out that 100 trees taken out of 40 acres is 2.5 trees per acre. Even on my poor and rocky soil I have over 100 trees per acre.

around here farms are getting bought up left & right usually by a developer/realtor broken up into small lots and clear cut and virtually laid waste too.

Around here, trees are considered a crop and we know the difference between "sustainable harvest" and clear cutting.

I suggested contacting a forester and someone with land management training yo set up a plan.

Already done. And by someone who has actually seen (and walked) the property and understands local conditions in Josephine County, Oregon. Which happen to be significantly different from those in the next county over. Out here on the left coast, we have what are called "microclimates" where rainfall, soil types and average temperatures will vary dramatically over very short distances.

Just for everyone's information, the plan calls for thinning much of the forest. I didn't include this usage in the chain saw estimate since the forestry consultants seemd to be concerned with maximizing the potential for harvestable timber, even though the land is poorly suited for that.

I may well want to manage the land primarily for visual appeal and wildlife habitat, with harvestable timber a second or third place goal. However, I don't need to worry about cutting a a few dozen scrub oak, madrone, and manzanita (species I don't even think you have in Ohio) in the short term. Over the long term, trees are a slow growing crop, and I have years to design and implement the plan I really want.

I asked for advice on chain saws, and I estimated the useage I expected to give it. This is background information necessary to make a recommendation. It is not an invitation for unwanted, and just plain incorrect, advice on land management, especially when it is plain and obvious that 100 trees over the next few years is not going to come anywhere even close to "clear cutting" -- a concept you still don't seem to grasp, as evidenced in your latest post.

I appreciate your advice on the subject of chain saws. OTOH, when you add in some negative (and at a minimum, uninformed) comments on land and resource management, from the other side of the continent, most folks are not going to appreciate it.

I tell you what, you run your farm the way you want. I'll run mine the way I want.

Cottonhawk · Mar 6, 2006

CurlyDave,
I move out to the country in 2004 and never owned or used a chainsaw when I lived in the city. I now own several chainsaw...a Shindaiwa 488 with 20" bar, an Echo 14" trimming saw, couple of prunners. My newest addition is a Stihl MS361 with 24" bar. I would suggest that you at least check out Shindaiwa and Stihl. They are both wonderful chainsaws. As far as safety goes, I suggest that you use all the safety gears when you operate the saw.

osprey · Mar 6, 2006

When I grab a Stihl, I am in for a frustrating 10 minutes of cranking, fiddling with the choke, feathering the throttle, cussing and promising myself that I will no longer listen to the sales guys at my local farm store talk about the superiority of Stihl. 

A Stihl for the most part starts easy,I would say your Stihl product needs to go to the dealer and have a good tune up.

3RRL · Mar 6, 2006

Hi John,

Great to see you post on this thread. I think we were all waiting for some "expert" advice from you. Hope this writing finds your health doing better.
Best Regards,

billbill1 · Mar 6, 2006

Very well put John!!

RFB · Mar 6, 2006

John,

What is the difference between the "MS 260" and the "MS260 Pro"? On the Stihl comparison page under "Professional Chain Saws" they are both listed:

http://www.stihlusa.com/chainsaws/comparison.html

but I have not been able to determine the difference.

RFB

CT_Tree_Guy · Mar 6, 2006

RFB -

The only differences that I know of for sure are that the 260 Pro has a decompression valve for easier starting, and an adjustable oiler (to regulate how much bar oil is used). Those are both very nice features to have, especially the decompression valve.

There's also a chance that some of the engine internals are different to give the Pro model added longevity, but I do not know that for a fact. I bet if you poked around on arborsitsite.com you might be able to find out more about that.

John