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Bar Length for a Stihl MS 361

Started by WDH, June 23, 2008, 11:46:54 PM

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WDH

I am looking to buy a Stihl MS 361.  The saw will be used for general logging for my Woodmizer LT 15 and for cutting firewood. 

I do fell a lot of trees, and a longer bar would be nice.  However, there is a point of diminishing returns.  My question is what would be the best bar length to use with the MS 361?
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Radar67

Danny, I've had my eye on that saw for over a year now. You gonna cut anything over 40 inches? I decided the 20 inch bar was the best all around bar for my area. I also know it will pull a 24 if it needs to.
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Don K

I can't speak from experience on the Stilh, but I can speak on a 20" bar. That seems to be a good all around length for the South. I have cut several trees of greater dia. but it is not to long for limbing and bucking. If you think you will need a longer bar, buy a 24" to hang on the wall. It takes only a moment to throw on a different bar.

Don
Lucky to own a WM LT40HDD35, blessed to have a wife that encouraged me to buy it.     Now that\'s true love!
Massey Ferguson 1547 FWD with FEL  06 GMC Sierra 2500HD 4X4 Dozer Retriever Husky 359 20\" Bar  Man, life is getting good!

leweee

depends on the size of wood your cutting......how you use the saw & how much hand filing your going to do. ;D

20" is a good all round match for that saw. I don't cut much wood over 32"dia......I'm not opposed to using the saw from either side of the tree or log so a 16" duz me fine. your mileage may vary. :)
just another beaver with a chainsaw &  it's never so bad that it couldn't get worse.

beenthere

20" works great. The saw is balanced with it. Longer and the tip of the bar would set down on the ground.

At least, that's my thought.  :)
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Night Raider

I'm running a 20" on mine, seems to work pretty well, I think a 19" would be just about perfect if such a thing existed, it gets a little nose heavy when the tanks are getting low.  With a 20" bar you can still cut trees over 40" it just takes more time, and it's easier on your back then a shorter bar if you're cutting wood on the ground.
The 361 is an awsome saw I don't have a complaint yet (except it doesn't put it's self to work while I drink coffee and watch).

sawguy21

What the others have said. If you really need a longer bar, consider stepping up to the MS441. Unfortunately, Stihl does not offer a pro model saw in the 60-70cc range. The MS390 does not count. ;D
You could run a 22 or 24 inch bar with skip chain.
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

WDH

I just got back from the Stihl store.  MS 361 with 20" bar with skip chain!  Thanks everyone for the input.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

beenthere

Great. Now, would like to hear how you like the skip chain.  :)
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Lanier_Lurker

What would be the advantage of running skip chain (full skip I take it?) on a bar that short on a saw with that kind of power?

(Maybe I'm about to learn something)  ???

sawguy21

Less filing. ;D Seriously, full comp should be smoother and faster.
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

Southernlogger007

Why would you run a skip tooth on a small bar. :o  At least You want have too many teeth to file. :D

jokers

Quote from: Lanier_Lurker on June 24, 2008, 04:15:21 PM
What would be the advantage of running skip chain (full skip I take it?) on a bar that short on a saw with that kind of power?(Maybe I'm about to learn something)  ???
That kind of power? It looks as if you think the 361 is a powerful saw, it is only middle of the pack in the grand scheme of saws sizes and power.

IMO anything over a 20" bar is overkill on the 361 and I wouldn`t run a 361 if I planned on using most of that 20" on a regular basis.

WDH

Quote from: sawguy21 on June 25, 2008, 12:20:45 AM
Less filing. ;D Seriously, full comp should be smoother and faster.

I cut a big yellow poplar this morning.  The saw does cut a little rough.  The full comp would be better.  I have never tried the skip chain before, so I thought I would try it.  The saw cuts aggressive and less smooth than desirable with this set up.  It will hog some wood though :).
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

OneWithWood

I used to run semi skip on 20" and 25" bars on the MS440 and MS460 saws.  I used that configuration because it was recommended by an instructor for GOL.  Come to find out the instructor cut mostly pulp and rarely a good sized hardwood.  When I saw him again for the last class in the series he had gone back to full comp chains and so had I.

The semi skip was interesting and faster to sharpen but the saws went through the 24-28" oaks and hickories faster and smoother with the full comp.

Cutting through that yellow poplar should have been like a hot knife through butter  :D
One With Wood
LT40HDG25, Woodmizer DH4000 Kiln

jokers

Quote from: OneWithWood on June 25, 2008, 11:40:29 AM
The semi skip was interesting and faster to sharpen but the saws went through the 24-28" oaks and hickories faster and smoother with the full comp.
Ya got that right!

WDH

Well, after felling and bucking the big poplar, I went back out to cut some more this afternoon and the saw will not crank.  One day old, 3/4 tank of gas through it, and now it will not crank.
I removed and dried the plug, followed the instructions in the manual all to no avail.   

I don't need another saw that won't crank.  I have heard the MS 361 was hard to crank, but I hoped that was a breaking-in problem.

This should not be a problem at this stage.  My first Husky 61 ran for 22 years.  Oh well, I am venting a little.  Back to the dealer tomorrow. 
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Lanier_Lurker

I am an amateur, but:

You probably have tried this already - but I had a similar problem with my MS390.

There is something magic about that 3rd position of the switch.  I wrassled for a couple of hours one time with my MS390 - and when I finally thought to try that 3rd switch position it finally fired and took off.

What is that 3rd switch position on a Stihl?

Southernlogger007

I run full skip on my ms440 with a 24'' bar when i'm cutting big yellow pine.But when i'm cutting red or white oak i use full comp chain.It rough to cut limbs with a skip chain. :o

Cut4fun

I had a stock 361 with muffler mod only and it felt at home with a 16" running full comp. I could see a 24" with full skip being used occasionally for soft woods.

I did this for chits of it one day put a 32" with full skip to see how it would pull it in a 23" spruce. It surprised me to say the least, but the oiler cant keep up with that bar length.

Lanier_Lurker

I have a 32" with full skip for my MS390.  Don't use it for anything except bucking really large stuff that is already down and easy to access.  It has come in handy on a few occasions.  I have not noticed a shortage of oil on the bar and chain when using the 32", but now I know to keep an eye on that.  The 32" is definitely for occasional use only.

I almost always use the stock 20" with full comp.  In terms of power the MS390 is comparable to the MS361 - I think...

Mooseherder

Quote from: WDH on June 25, 2008, 08:52:39 PM
Well, after felling and bucking the big poplar, I went back out to cut some more this afternoon and the saw will not crank.  One day old, 3/4 tank of gas through it, and now it will not crank.
I removed and dried the plug, followed the instructions in the manual all to no avail.   

I don't need another saw that won't crank.  I have heard the MS 361 was hard to crank, but I hoped that was a breaking-in problem.

This should not be a problem at this stage.  My first Husky 61 ran for 22 years.  Oh well, I am venting a little.  Back to the dealer tomorrow. 
How did it turn out?
I had the same problem with a ms280 on the second time it was cranked and thought the same thing.  Great another saw that won't start.
Bow Saw was with me and put it on the second position with his foot on the handle and throttle trigger.  It started right up.
Didn't have any problems with it from that point on. 1st pull in the 4th position, then put it in third and it started every time.  When the saw was refueled and warm it always started in the 2nd position.  I burn't a gallon of mix and am happy with the saw but not the Bar.

WDH

I was flooding it in the 4th position.  When it fires on full choke, it is much more subtle than what I am used to with the huskys (so the dealer says), so I just kept on going, flooding the engine to the point that it would not start.  Maybe after I run a few tanks of gas through the saw, it will be less cranky about cranking :).
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Cut4fun

The 361 I had, put on full choke fast idle with trigger pulled. Pull starter till she popped 1-2 times. Then moved up to fast idle one notch up, pulled starter 1-2 times at most, she starts and is running on fast idle with chain turning, blip throttle and she is cutting. Hot start I would either just drop one notch down from off or go to fast idle. Never and problems with any saw if you catch it on the first pop. Good Luck.

rfalk

I just bought a 361 a few months ago and had real problems starting it at first. Make sure your gas is fresh and mixed 50:1....my other two Stihls (026, 076) will run at about any mix with old or new gas, but the 361 seems much more finicky....Also, the dealer told me never pull more than 4-5 times on full choke....go to partial choke after that....I've had better luck since getting new gas and following their recommendation... I'm hoping as I run it more it will start easier. bob
Wood engineer, woodworker, chainsaw miller, bandsaw miller, all around lover of wood.
Stihl 026, 361, 076 AV

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