Just tested out a Stihl MS 361

[ex-Engineer Wannabe]

I just bought an MS 361 with a 20" bar from our nearest Stihl Elite Dealer.  This coming winter, I'll begin using the saw -- as much as possible -- to clear heavily-timbered land for a timber frame home and an out-building.  For the most part, the trees are conifers that will be used for as many beams and other building materials as they will render.  By our standards, some of the trees we'll be felling are massive...up to roughly 36" DIB, with a few that are even larger.   

The milling will NOT be done by the saw I just purchased.  Instead, the saw will be used to do as much limbing and smaller buck cuts as I can get away with.  The actual felling and bucking of the larger trees will be done with a larger saw (still researching this saw). 

I may have made a mistake by giving a bit too much credence to my wife's offer to help out with the large amount of limbing to come, which, of course, sounds pretty welcome when one considers the size of the job at hand.  So...I brought her along with me when I went to see the dealer so she could be involved in the process.  To make a long story short, I think she may have gotten a bit too "involved" for our own good.  To clarify, after she handled a few of the models I had researched, she even had me convinced that most of them were "too heavy" for a long day's work.  I guess I should've known after she practically ran over to the arborist's model and exclaimed about how great it would be.

Anyway, I put the saw through its paces by dropping a couple of large limbs off a massive old oak that had died the winter before last, and then by cutting those limbs into firewood logs.  The largest cross-cuts I made during this "trial run" were roughly 13 to 14" DIB, which seemed to tax the saw more than I expected.  The weight of the saw didn't seem to be a problem in the end, so I'm wondering if I'm expecting a bit too much.  Perhaps it was simply the hardness of the wood that seemed to bog the saw?  In the end, I'm also wondering if I shouldn't have gone up a little in displacement?

The manual that came with the saw also explained that the saw should spit/spray a bit of oil off of the chain during operation.  Although the chain did appear to be lubricated before I actually started cutting, I didn't really notice the spraying that Stihl noted.  If this is the way the chain lubrication system should normally perform, I may have a problem.  Is there an adjustment to increase the flow of oil dispensed to the bar?

Any thoughts/recommendations are much appreciated,
Bill
PS - The saw starts and runs just fine, so it's not my intention to bash the saw in any way. 

[Tony_T]

I'm not sure about the MS 361 but have run a similar 036 for quite a while.  Using a 20 in bar and SHARP RS stihl chain it handles hardwoods up to the length of the bar pretty well.  There is an adjustment for the oiler, I keep mine pretty much cranked full open. 

I don't think you'll have a problem if you will be limbing mostly softwoods. 

[sawguy21]

I check the oiler at each startup by running the saw at half throttle over a clean stump or sawdust pile. There should be a thin dark streak showing indicating oil coming off the chain. Keep the chain sharp and properly adjusted and let the saw do the work, that dead oak is hard and will take time. There is an recessed oiler adjustment screw on the underside of the saw which is explained in the manual. This is a nicely balanced saw with the 20" bar, more power= more weight.

[beenthere]

I guess I should've known after she practically ran over to the arborist's model and exclaimed about how great it would be.

The MS361 is the arborist's model  ???

I have the MS361, and it cuts through white oak 16" diam like butter, with a sharp chain. Probably slower if I would have touched the dirt in the bark or the ground  : .  Great saw. I don't consider it an arborists model that I'd want to haul around in the tree tops, but I may be missing something here.

There is oil spray if you hold the saw bar near a log and wait a bit. Not as much oil as my old 041, but enough to keep the chain oiled.

[ex-Engineer Wannabe]

The arborist model I referred to is the cute little saw my wife liked, Beenthere.  I believe Stihl designates this saw as the MS 192 T.  Anyway, it was so "cute" that I practically had to drag her away from that part of the store, and toward the 650s, 440s, 361s and 260 Pros.   :D

Although it might get a bowline tied to it, and subsequetly get pulled up into a tree that requires topping someday, I don't consider the MS 361 to be an arborist's saw by any stretch.  ;)

Sorry for the confusion,
Bill   

[ehp]

The 361 is a very fine saw and I know I would have no trouble falling with one, I have said it before and I will say it again, the muffler on that saw is killing it  the saw cannot breathe at all with that muffler so use it and break it in and have someone do a muffler mod on it , you willnot believe how much more power the saw will have

[Ianab]

A 361 with 20" bar should be fine with softwoods, I'm gueesing that Oak was pretty dry and hard, loaded up the saw a bit. You can still cut it, you just have to take it easy and keep the revs up. The saw should loosen up and have a bit more power after it's run in as well. See if it's better after 10 tanks of gas.
Turn the oiler adjustment right up, the Stihls seem pretty stingey on the bar oil, and they dont throw gobs of it off the end of the bar like older saws did. Just make sure that 2/3 of the oil tank is getting used for each tank of gas and it will be fine. If you run it 1/2 throttle and point the bar at a stump you will see a mist of oil being thrown after a few seconds, and visually check the chain has some oil on it.

And if you were to spend a day limbing with a 650, I'm sure you will appreciate your wifes advice about the medium sized saw  ;)

BTW, no reason you cant take down 36" trees with the 361, just takes a couple more cuts ;) I had to get a bigger saw for the trees over that size tho 

Cheers

Ian

[logger]

The 361 should be fine for softwoods that size but if they where oaks it would still cut it fine, but I would go with a 440. 8)

[Woodhog]

To see if my saws are oiling I just pull the chain away from the bar near the middle, you will see the oil trying to stick to the underside of the chain and the groove in the bar...also as someone else mentioned I like to see almost all the oil gone when one tank of gas is used up...

Good luck with the 361  I am going to try one of those for my next saw purchase.

[Raphael]

The MS361 is a nice saw for all around use, it's what I'd buy if I were to have only one saw.

  Oak gets very hard when standing dead for over a year and the bark is rather abrasive.  I just milled a red oak girdled by beaver in the summer of 2004 and it took 2 chains (one 24" slightly dull to start with & one 16") to square up a 13.5x16" cant and remove the first plank.  Once I got through to the wetter wood one 20" chain produced the 5x7 joist I was looking for and an abundance of random boards.  I suspect find your 361 has plenty of power when working in green oak.

Dry oak and hickory make me miss having a manual oiler.

Stihl has definately gotten a bit stingy with the oiling to my mind (EPA?) but they claim their design requires less oil and when I lift the chain as Woodhog suggests there's always oil in there where is counts.

[Pullinchips]

When i bought my 390 i took it back to the dealer b/c i was concerened with the lack of oil just a small mist of the ent od the bar after a few seconds on the ground (pavement). Also when filling it the oil was not as low as the gas after  a tank of gas as my uncles 026 was.  Yes i knew it was an adjustable oiler but the manual saws best oil consumption is in the emaitic position with stils emaitic chain so i left it. I called stihl and talked to a tec guy on the phone and i told him about how much oil was left in the tank and that after the saw idled for a minute it would not throw globs of oil off like the older saws did he said he knows that and its because of stricter EPA regs that don't allow all that oil spin off.  I guess that is where there new ematic rollomatic chain and bars came from.  So i preceeded to take it to the dealer the next day or to and the saw mechanic cranked it up and said it was oiling fine but agreed they do not put much oil out so just to run the oiler wide open regardless of the bar and chain size.  I did this and was satisfied with the oil consumption.  Oil is cheap and its only like and once or two more per tank you might be using.

-nate

[rahtreelimbs]

In stock form the 361 is choked at the muffler. I have an EHP modded 361 and another on the way. For those that like 044 power in a lighter smoother package this is a good example of one!!!

[ex-Engineer Wannabe]

Thanks to all.  The consensus seems to be that the MS 361 has a good displacement for the sawing I described in the original post.  In addition, it would seem like a very good idea to turn the oiler up to max.

I must also admit at being intrigued by the words on the muffler.  After I've broken the saw in completely, I'll start looking into the muffler modification mentioned above.

Have a great evening,
Bill 

[derhntr]

Bill,

I would not be afraid to fell or buck up the trees in the size your talking about. Your 361 will pull a 25 inch bar. Yes it is bar heavy and the saw likes the 20 inch bar better. But bars are a lot cheaper than an bigger saw.

I only have about 5 hours or so on my new 361 all with fellin and bucking EWP up to 45 inches.  I use my 036 pro with a 18 bar for 20 inch and smaller and for limbing it will make a man out of you by the end of the day ;)

Good luck will your new saw

Brian

[fishhuntcutwood]

Well it looks like your concerns with the saw have been put to bed, but allow me to reiterate if I may.  The 361 is a supberb saw.  Remember to allow it to remain in it's comfortable rev range.  It's a faster revving saw, so don't lean on it like you would an 056.  Let it cut on it's own.   Keep the chain sharp as well.  A dull chain will make a saw bog and look like a dog more than anything else.  No reason to not have the oil all the way up.  My 361 doesn't spew oil like alot of other saws, but rev it a bit up against a backdrop for a few seconds, and it'll oil for ya.  Open the muffler, and you're good to go.  I don't have the first complaint about this saw.  I use mine in small to medium timber without any problems.

And it makes a fine arborist saw!  I've climbed with mine several times. 

Jeff

[Ed]

Don't be in a hurry to judge the saw until it's fully broken in.
My 046 was a "dog" for the first 4 or 5 tanks of fuel. I almost took it back!
When it finially loosened up it was unreal.  8)  8)

Ed

[ex-Engineer Wannabe]

Thanks for the words, Jeff & Ed! 

Judging by that "inventory" of yours, Jeff, I have no doubt that you've been there and back again.  I'd love to read some words regarding your larger saws as well.  In particular, your MS 660.  This is the saw I've got in the back of my mind for felling the larger trees I mentioned in the original post.

I'm pleased to hear from an 046 guy as well, Ed.  What kind of felling are you doing up in MI?  Is the 046 a great saw for your larger jobs?  I'd love to read some details from you too.  ;D

Have a great one,
Bill

[Ed]

Bill,
Most of my woodcutting is done for myself & family. Mainly firewood, while keeping any good saw logs I find to have milled for my own use.
The 046 is used for felling & bucking "medium" sized trees. I only run a 20" bar on it, which does not work the saw very hard.
Once the trees get a to big for the 046, the 084 comes out. I run 24", 36" & 60" bars on that. The 084 doesn't see tons of run time but it's nice to have available. The 084 is also used for ripping blocks into manageable pieces.
As soon as the wheat comes off our fields, I'll start cutting, I've got about 10 dead elm marked. Theres 2 or 3 that will produce some saw logs. I also have a huge red oak that has to come down (50% dead), its about 50" at the base & should be pretty fun to drop. The trunk is only 10' tall so the whole tree will go into firewood.

Ed

[fishhuntcutwood]

I'd love to read some words regarding your larger saws as well.  In particular, your MS 660.  This is the saw I've got in the back of my mind for felling the larger trees I mentioned in the original post.

I run a 28" on my 440, a 32" on my 460, and a 36" on my 660.  I'll carry and use each saw according to what I'm cutting.  You won't see me with a 24" on my 660.  Not that you couldn't do that, but if I'm in something that small, I've got a 361 or 440 that'd work.  The 660 is a fine saw in every way.  Get the dual port cover for it if you end up getting one.  It takes the saw back up to around 8 hp like it should be.  Each of my larger saws fills it's own niche, and I see them as each entirely differnt machines.

[Frickman]

The MS 361 is an excellent saw. It is especially nice for occasional, part/time users as letting go of the rear handle will engage the chain brake. In my area it is very popular with maintenance and grounds crews where a saw may have a number of different users.

I use MS 460's on a daily basis, equipped with twenty inch bars and full-skip, square tooth chain. Rarely do I find a tree they will not cut. I keep a twenty four inch bar and chain on hand for when it is needed. The MS 460 is in my opinion the best designed, easiest to run, most versatile all around saw ever built for felling, limbing, and bucking eastern hardwood timber. I've run 660's, 051's, 075's, etc., and I have to be in some consistently big timber to use anything other than a 460. It may not be the best choice for giant trees out west, but for most of the timber I cut it is the best choice. And just think, Stihl is probably working right now on an even better model. 

I was told by a Stihl rep/engineer years ago when the e-matic deal came out that over the expected lifetime of a professional saw the savings in bar and chain oil would pay for the saw. I have my saws adjusted to the e-matic setting and they use alot less oil with no noticable decrease in bar life.

[fishhuntcutwood]

The MS 361 is an excellent saw. It is especially nice for occasional, part/time users as letting go of the rear handle will engage the chain brake.

That's the 361"C" model.  ;)

It may not be the best choice for giant trees out west, but for most of the timber I cut it is the best choice.

Nah, it's a fine saw out here.  We do run them with larger bars then in the Eeast, 28"-32" being the most common.  But you see alot of 440's, and 460's.

I have my saws adjusted to the e-matic setting and they use alot less oil with no noticable decrease in bar life.

Am I reading that as you have your oilers set at less than maximum?  If so, why is that?   ???  Why not run them maxed, other than using oil?  I've never been able to run mine any less than maxed, I've even got a high output kit for my 660 that I have to install.  You can never have too much oil.

Jeff

[Frickman]

fishhuntcutwood,

That's right, I have them set at the e-matic mark on the adjustment screw. I use alot less oil now, not alot is slinging off the end being wasted. It helps with my image to the public too. Most timber I work is in very sensitive or highly visible places, and even a small amount of oil thrown off the bar is sometimes noticed. I have had to update most of my trucks and equipment so I'm not leaking oil everywhere.

[metalspinner]

Hello All.  This is my first post on the "chainsaw" Board.  Go easy on me.  I, too, am a newby with the chainsaw info. ;D

Nola,
Did that saw come with the green safety chain?  That may be a factor on the slowness of cut as well.

I am interested in the muffler mod for my 361 as well.  Who should I look for for that sort of work?

[fishhuntcutwood]

I am interested in the muffler mod for my 361 as well.  Who should I look for for that sort of work?

Several options- Walker's, EHP, Dean and WHS, and last but certainly not least, Rich Hoffman.

Or you can do it yourself...very easily done via a couple of different methods.

Jeff

[rahtreelimbs]

Hello All.  This is my first post on the "chainsaw" Board.  Go easy on me.  I, too, am a newby with the chainsaw info. ;D

Nola,
Did that saw come with the green safety chain?  That may be a factor on the slowness of cut as well.

I am interested in the muffler mod for my 361 as well.  Who should I look for for that sort of work?

Like Fish said I (Rich) or any of the mentioned persons could do it!

It isn't that hard!!!