a beginner in need of some advice

[John Mc]

And remember in the shop they are without gas and oil, so they will be heavier when ready to cut. Good luck and happy saw shopping!   

And what feels like nothing much while holding it for a few minutes in the shop will likely feel a bit different after a long day of cutting - especially if you are not doing this sort of thing regularly. A pound difference in weight may not seem like much, but you'll notice it after a day's work.

[LeeB]

The only things I will add is if you are new to chainsaws, get in some time with someone that knows how to safely use one. The other point was somewhat mentioned by others. Where will you get your wood? If it is your own trees then once again I recommend getting some help from an experienced feller before tackling it on your own. Felling trees is dangerous for even the most experienced out there. Start slowly and work your way up. Lastly, be aware that saw buying can become addictive.  :D

[joe_indi]

Hi WET BEHINDTHE EARS,
If I were you, I would pick up one of the last of Stihl's over engineered all round saws of the 90s that is  fortunately still available, the MS290.
Simple in design, plenty of mid range power, ideal in firewood. And it can take a lot of punishment because though it is about 56cc, the crankshaft rides on bearings that are the same size as the ones in the MS660.
Okay, it has a short block engine, but since your requirement is purely work around the house, it is more than adequate with a 16 or 18" bar and chain.
And any time you feel you need an upgrade, just replace the cylinder and piston with those from a MS390 and you get a 65cc saw.
Joe

[WET BEHINDTHE EARS]

First I will prob be cutting up all the dead fall thats around my family land, and then I will start to fell later on... Maybe next year or sooner just depending if I run outta dead fall to cut. I have a friend that used to work for asplundh tree service, but now he does tree work on the side so I may get wood delivered from him as a last resort. I know what you're thinking why didn't I ask him for advice... well to put it nicely, he's not the sharpest tool in the shed and def not the safest either. what is a peavey??

[John Mc]

A peavey is a tool for rolling logs. Handy if you are cutting one up that's on the ground: you cut partway through, roll the log, then cut the rest of the way through from the other side. This lets you keep your chain out of the dirt (if you haven't already, you'll soon learn that hitting the dirt or a rock while cutting instantly dulls your chain). There are lots of other uses for a peavey - in some instances it can be helpful in freeing a hung tree, it's handy to jockey a log around an obstruction if you are trying to drag it out of the woods to where you can cut it up.

Some of the best ones are made by Logrite, a forum sponsor. Just click on their logo on the left and have a look around.  Beware of the cheap ones sold by northern toolhttps://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=position"> Note:Please read the Forestry Forum's postion on this company: the hooks do not grab very well, and I had the tip of the hook break off when rolling an 8" hemlock (I'd only used the thing about a dozen times).

[bandmiller2]

The guys have pretty much covered it with a thick coat of knowledge. A saw is only as good as its chain, learn how to file and take the bar and chain off the saw for cleaning every couple of fileings. Keep the air cleaner clean, blow off the saw often, and check for loose screws. Don't force the saw if it doesn't cut well its dull. You will never catch up to the saw, don't get too tired, that's when accidents happen. After a little break in, use the best synthetic oil you can find I'am not going to start the oil thing do what your "good" dealer says. Frank C.

[j_h_s`]

Welcome to the world of chainsaws and milling.

As someone else stated, Stihl v Husq is like Ford vs Chevy..although, it's been my experience the Stihls seem to have a little more power than Husqvarnas...particularly the larger saws (e.g. Stihl 090 vs Husqvarna 3120 XP).

I have owned McCulloughs, Poulans, Partner (Husq knock-off), and Husqvarnas.  Currently I own five saws and a Wood Mizer band mill...my largest saw is the Husqvarna 3120 XP with a six foot bar and Granberg 6 foot Alaska mill.

Personally, I think you might consider getting a saw that's designed for a 24" bar.  If you want to run a smaller bar on that saw, that works....but it's not optimal to try and put a larger bar on a smaller saw.

[John Mc]

A bit off the topic, but you mentioned getting an OWB to cut down on your heat bill. The BEST way to cut down on your heat bill is to seal up your house. Start with cutting down on sources of air infiltration (air leaking in). Consider adding insulation, particularly in the attic.

Lots of folks go to replacement windows, but often sealing up other sources of heat loss is more cost effective (unless you have really leaky windows). Often the biggest loss around windows is not the window itself, but how well it was installed. If you've got a window that seems particularly cold, it might be worth pulling the trim from around it and seeing if the gaps around the window frame have been foamed in or otherwise insulated. Use the minimal expanding foam if you do this, and don't go hog wild filling the space - you don't want to overfill and start pushing the frame onto the side of the window, making it hard to open or close.

I mention this because properly sealing and insulating your house can have a dramatic effect on how much fuel you use, enough so that it may effect the size of the boiler you need.  Wood generally does not combust as efficiently when you are burning a slow, smoldering fire - wood likes to burn full out. If you greatly over size your unit (either because you purchased too big, or because you got what you needed at the time, then later sealed up & insulated your house), it will not burn as efficiently.

[ladylake]

  Check on other forums, I don't think you will find anyone that doesn't like the Echo Cs590 for $400.  Steve

[sandsawmill14]

The only things I will add is if you are new to chainsaws, get in some time with someone that knows how to safely use one. The other point was somewhat mentioned by others. Where will you get your wood? If it is your own trees then once again I recommend getting some help from an experienced feller before tackling it on your own. Felling trees is dangerous for even the most experienced out there. Start slowly and work your way up. Lastly, be aware that saw buying can become addictive.  :D

PAY CLOSE ATTN TO LeeBs ADVICE !!!      in the last three years there have been 3 fellers with broken legs,2 with crushed faces (both happened trimming/topping after trees were on the ground) 2 killed felling one of which happened within 2 miles of our mill a pine top broke out and got him so ALWAYS look up before you start. All of this happened in a 25 mile radius of our mill and all had over 10yrs experience in the woods.  Remember hard hats last longer than hard heads!! :laugh:

Far as the saws go the only thing i can add that hasnt been mentioned is you need two saws or at least two bars/chains so you can get the saw out when you get pinched. I keep three saws  038,441 mag, 064 stihl with bars from 20"-32". For the record the husky dealer is why i run stihl. The sawmill im contracted to has a 395 husky and it is a beast!!!

[WET BEHINDTHE EARS]

Thanks everyone for all the help. You guys have been great!! I have a better idea of what I want and what I need now.  John MC one of the very first things I'm gonna be doing is adding insulation to the attic, and replacing a couple windows. Most of the windows in the home are newer anderson windows and from what I'm told by my grandfather they're pretty decent windows. Some in the house are older and need replaced but it's not a high priority at this moment as winter is almost over and there are other projects to tackle with this home, but I def appreciate the advice. Once again thanks to everyone who took the time to help me out. It is greatly appreciated.  smiley_clapping smiley_clapping

[John Mc]

Sounds as though you've got a pretty good plan. It's still worth walking around the house and feeling for drafts, then seeing if you can plug up those drafts. Air infiltration is a major source of home heating inefficiency (though in some older homes, those leaks can actually be helpful, since the home may not have the greatest ventilation system to begin with).

One of the things we have around here are companies that will do an energy efficiency audit. We had one done on our home when it was built. It was kind of interesting to see. They did a "blower door test" where they stuck a frame with a fan in our open front door and sealed it up, than ran the fan to suck air out of the house, creating negative pressure. They measured the air flow or pressure differential (I forget which) to see how tight the house was. The other thing we did was walk around inside - you could hear and feel where the leaks were. Thankfully, just about all of my leaks were there intentionally (the drain in the basement, the intake for the heat recovery ventilation system, the drier vent, etc.)

The idea of the audit is that they'll give you a ranking on recommendations: which things to tackle first. It's been quite a while, but I think the state had some funding to help pay for the testing at the time, and some places have funding to help pay for the improvements.

[HolmenTree]

Up here in chilly Manitoba you can actually see heat escaping from the outside of a house with the visible steam.
Some companies also take photos with  infrared cameras to do thermal imaging of heat loss on houses exterior.

[WET BEHINDTHE EARS]

Yeah John Mc I am plannning on walking around and filling in gaps around pipes in the basement and window seals. I have a can of foam that I've seen great reviews about called "great stuff" like you mentioned earlier most of the reviews said to be generous with the foam as a little goes a long way. I think they have seperate cans for windows/doors and big gaps. As for ventilation I have a whole house exhaust fan which I personally have never seen before, but my grandpa told me they use them a lot in southern states. Let me tell ya... I opened up the window and turned that thing on and ohhh boyyyy does it work I've never see anything like it. I was wondering about an energy audit on the home but haven't found the time to look into yet. Was it expensive? 

[LeeB]

Check with your power company. Some of them will do it for free.

[VT_Forestry]

First off, welcome!  There has been a whole pile of good advice already but I'll go ahead and throw in my 2 cents.  As far as PPE is concerned, I really like the Labonville chaps - you can get a full-wrap version that goes completely around your lower leg, I like these when walking through thick stuff with regular chaps, keeps from getting sticks and junk jammed in the back of your legs.  The Stihl saws you are looking at are both great saws - I own a 361 (my go-to firewood saw FYI)and run 362s at work - awesome saw with good power and reasonably lightweight.  I ran a 260PRO for awhile, and I loved it.  Super light weight and had really good power even with an 18" bar.  One thing I will say that I'm not a fan of on the Stihl saws is the Quickstop chainbrake (designated by the "Q" in the 261 C-MQ).  It's an additional chainbrake located on the handle - the idea being that if you let go of the handle for some reason, the brake will immediately engage.  It was designed for another level of safety - what it does in the real world (and granted, this is strictly my opinion) is make a great saw incredibly cumbersome.  At work, we have a 362 with the Quickstop feature on it - I won't run it.  I feel that the extra pressure needed to hold down the brake on the handle fatigues me just a little bit quicker - you let up just a hair and that brake is kicking on.  Plus, it's a pain to sharpen the chain since you have to depress that handle brake to advance the chain forward.  Again, this is just my opinion of that one feature - everything else about either of those saws is awesome.  Good luck with whatever saw you go with, have fun and be safe!

[John Mc]

Another thing to keep in mind when shopping for chaps: most manufacturers do not measure them like pants. The sizing is not based on your inseam. They are measured from your belt line to the top of your foot (i.e. where the laces are on a pair of sneakers).

Labonville makes some great chaps. I find their 10-ply competition chaps overkill: they're a bit too bulky and hot for me. The regular 6 ply chaps are more comfortable (and therefore more likely to get worn). While less protection than the competition chaps, they are the equal of the "pro" chaps sold by most other manufacturers.

Others also make a decent full wrap chap: I have the Husqvarna full wraps, which fit and work well for me. I also have a pair of chainsaw pants (summer weight model) which I prefer in some conditions.

I stay away from the "apron" chaps which do not wrap all the way around your calf - they offer only 180˚ of coverage, and can "spin" on your leg when hit by a chain, exposing your leg.  I can see where they might be preferable in hotter climates, however, since they are a good bit cooler to work in. Sometimes you've got to balance the protection from chaps with the dangers associated with heat-stroke or dehydration - you brain gets slow, and makes stupid decisions under these conditions, possibly creating more of a danger than the less full coverage of apron chaps.

[Southside]

I always wear full wrap chaps even in the dead of summer,   not worth the risk in my opinion.

[SawTroll]

Either a 562xp or a 555 with an 18" bar is a good starting point for finding out what you really need - and they will be useful whatever you find out! 

[vinc5d]

I bought my first "real" saw last fall its a Echo cs 590 18" bar, I used and even (abused) it a little. very good running saw, saved over 300$ on a similar size husky I was looking at. I have ran between 15-20 tanks through it so far runs great lots of power an all around good saw, I haven't found one bad review or anything about it! it would be a good starter saw Cheap and reliable plus its a "pro" saw! just my 2 cents most the other gents explained the safety side of things, I use pro pants i don't like chaps much, a hard hat is good to have to! within only 2 years I have had a few close calls   

[WET BEHINDTHE EARS]

Vinc5d after looking around a bit I think that Echo cs590 is a really good buy. Like you said about the reviews I've also went through pages and pages of different web sites and 99% of the reviews are 5 stars for that saw. If I can get a great pro saw at that price point I'm def gonna jump on that. Thanks for your help guys 

[John Mc]

Make sure you've got a GOOD, full-service dealer for whatever brand you choose to go with.  One reason I haven't tried a Dolmar saw yet is that we have no good dealers anywhere near me. They're reportedly good saws, and I probably won't need the dealer much if I take care of the saw properly, but I want to know I've got that resource available if I need it.

[ladylake]

 I've learned how to fix saws myself as GOOD dealers are hard to find and no good ones around here in any business . We did have a good honest GM dealer but GM closed them down a left the larger crooked one.  Steve

[lumberjack48]

I ran a lot of Huskys and Jonsereds over my 30 yrs logging, once i went to Sthl i never looked back. I ran 16 inch bars on all my saws, quicker filing, not as cumbersome in the brush. I had a longer bar under the seat of the pickup if i had a 40 inch tree.
Go with the Echo and get a carlton file-o-plate to keep the angle and hight of the cutters right and to keep the rakers the right hight.

Best of luck with your new home

[HolmenTree]

X2 Like Lumberjack 48 said, the File O Plate is a great invention and works pretty slick.