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Official MS261CM vs 550XP test

Started by HolmenTree, June 06, 2017, 10:46:34 PM

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nitehawk55

Sounds like a good business Willard , not too much overhead and no headaches of dealing with an OPE company trying to push you to up your inventory .
Also hard to please customers with saw issues or is it saws with people issues ?  :D

What lines of chain and bars you planning on selling ?
I AM NOT BRAND LOYAL !

HolmenTree

Thanks nitehawk. Oregon, Stihl and Carlton are what I presently already have in my own inventory. Over the last 25 years I have been hoarding sawchain, bars, sprockets and sprocket noses plus files that I bought from auctions of gone out of business dealers, and dealers about to go out of business.
I also have roughly 300 loops of used chains of every pitch, length and brand to resharpen to sell off too.
Eventually I hope to have a principle sawchain brand as a franchise .

Business will basically revolve on the customer's cutting end of their saws. I'll offer a bar reconditioning service also
I may offer a tuneup service to certain repeat customers.

Making a living with a saw since age 16.

DonT

Are you doing mail order or on-line sales?  I saw the pic of the trailer and the chipper pic. What type of chipper is that? Do you have to plate your chipper? 

HolmenTree

Quote from: DonT on September 03, 2017, 02:55:52 PM
Are you doing mail order or on-line sales?  I saw the pic of the trailer and the chipper pic. What type of chipper is that? Do you have to plate your chipper?
Don I think I'll have enough local business to keep me busy.
My chipper is a Morbark 2060D with a 35 h.p Wisconsin V4 gas engine controlled by a auto feed roller on a 13"×6" infeed. Yes trailer has a commercial license plate.
Fully loaded with chips my homemade unit weighs under 10k lbs so DOT has no concerns.


  

  

 
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

DonT

That's a well thought out unit. I like the ramps for the stump grinder. I believe bandit makes a unit somewhat similar. My chipper is not plated and can be towed behind my 5 ton dump trailer.

HolmenTree

Beautiful sunny day today with a great working temperature of 54F.
So it looks like the 550XP has dodged the hot humid weather as we're now getting into fall.
Not much interesting to report on the 550XP cutting for the last few days.  I have now come to the conclusion the proper procedure to run the 550XP from cold is to let it sit and idle for a few minutes before cutting. It does not share the same quick warm up characteristics of the MS261CM ll.
The 550XP can be frustrating with its fast idle hot starts and cold blooded warming up cycle
But it does perform and handle real nice. It does feel heavier then the MS261CM ll even though they weigh the same. I blame the grip of the 550's thinner diameter top handle makes it feel heavier.
Probably a better all day logging saw than a few trees a day arborist saw.

This is one of 3 jobs I did today with the 550XP.
We had alot of high wind yesterday and this was one result of it.
This rental agency got this tree blown down landing on one of their apartments.
I set a pull rope up into a neighboring tree's crotch with my Bigshot slingshot, throwline and I pulled the tree with my diesel pickup standing it back up.
Trouble was the root ball was completely severed from its lateral roots and I had to shoot up another rope and then pulled it sideways landing it right behind my chipper on the street.

The agency's maintenance men were on hand to haul the rounds away. I chipped the brush into my dump box.
Last pic shows the 550 sitting on a round next to the root ball stump which is laying upside down to show the broken roots.
No need to grind out that stump ;D



  

  

 


 


 
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

HolmenTree

I took this tamarack out today along with its stump.
I left the 550XP in the truck and grabbed the little torque monster MS261CM.
A real pleasure running that little saw. :)


 
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

HolmenTree

Property manager has me back removing hazard trees before one falls on a roof again.
Little 550XP is on its 6th tank and performing nicely now.
Towards the end of the season when both saws are equal in tankfills I'll put the 550 and 261 up against each other with the same bar/chain in some 2 year old dry 10"×10" white spruce.


 
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

HolmenTree

I sure notice the 550 doesn't have the grunt of the little torque monster MS261.
Just a little carelessness on the dogs and the 550's chain stalls easily.
I also noticed that on my OE 372XP-24" too .


 
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

ehp

Holmen, richen the XT up some, their way to lean from the factory . You will see the xt has a lot more torque then, they will drive a 24 inch bar pretty easy

ehp

Been running my new 261 doing a clear cut and cutting oak up to about 35 inches with it , I got the skidder hooked to the oak to pull them away from the building so the 261 works great at that , my 461's are just to fast doing that kind of work , Running a 20 inch 3/8's set up on it and its doing pretty good , I have not had a single problem with restarts or any carb trouble 

HolmenTree

Quote from: ehp on September 19, 2017, 12:21:05 AM
Holmen, richen the XT up some, their way to lean from the factory . You will see the xt has a lot more torque then, they will drive a 24 inch bar pretty easy
Thanks Ed.
My 372XP is a 2006 old edition 372XP. It was my first Husqvarna I ever bought. Since new and 11 years later it's still running strong, I never used it for logging just for a few trees a day arborist tree service work.
When I bury the bar it cuts like crazy but if I keep the saw too close to the tree chips plug up the sprocket cover and seizes the b/c. Then I have to scratch the chain back on forth on the tree to free up the chain.
Quote from: ehp on September 19, 2017, 12:25:56 AM
Been running my new 261 doing a clear cut and cutting oak up to about 35 inches with it , I got the skidder hooked to the oak to pull them away from the building so the 261 works great at that , my 461's are just to fast doing that kind of work , Running a 20 inch 3/8's set up on it and its doing pretty good , I have not had a single problem with restarts or any carb trouble 
That good to hear about your 261. I wish you could take a look at mine when it's parked for the winter....
I saw a video of one 261with a strong woods port ...that saw looked freaky blasting through a 12"×12" like a 100cc saw.
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

ehp

ya the saws with less torque at idle jam up bad, I find the 562 is bad for that as well , you got to keep the chain spinning to clear the bar out before letting it idle , my stock 261 is like that to

PNWRusty

Quote from: ehp on September 19, 2017, 12:36:10 PM
ya the saws with less torque at idle jam up bad, I find the 562 is bad for that as well , you got to keep the chain spinning to clear the bar out before letting it idle , my stock 261 is like that to

My stock 261 pulls with authority right off idle - like magic. It thinks it's part 4-stroke.

Pine Ridge

Used my 550 Xp for a couple hours the last two evenings clearing a log landing on the neighbors property, weather here is in the low 90s, get a good sweat up in a hurry. I really like the 550s, this one runs perfect and cuts fast for 50cc, perfect small saw for what I use it for.
Husqvarna 550xp , 2- 372xp and a 288xp, Chevy 4x4 winch truck

HolmenTree

Good hard rain here today so time to get caught up with errands.
Beautiful sunny day yesterday with temps in the 60'sF.    A customer hired me to take out these 2 poplars, one broke in half in a recent wind storm half ways up right where a woodpecker nest hole was.
12K volt powerlines behind up against them, garage, fence and the top of the whole tree just cleared the house eaves trough. That tree had a heavy side lean so it needed a anchored side guy rope to guide it from falling on the garage.
Stumps  came out also, customer kept the rounds.

550XP running real nice with the 16" semi chisel .325.    I thought about selling it the other day but now concluded it's a perfect partner for the MS261CM.  Always nice to have a spare saw to grab  when you run the other in the dirt.


  

  

 
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

John Mc

Quote from: ehp on September 19, 2017, 12:21:05 AM
Holmen, richen the XT up some, their way to lean from the factory . You will see the xt has a lot more torque then, they will drive a 24 inch bar pretty easy

I wonder if some of these autotune saws might benefit from a little tweak to their program to make them run a bit richer? I've been thinking about a 550XP/555/562XP (which one depends on whether my Jonsered 2152 or my 357XP wears out first, and how rich I'm feeling at the time). Is that adjustment something anyone with the proper tools/software could do, or is the program locked from the factory?

I do like the local Husky dealer (it took me a bit to find out who the good one was when some of the old-timers started closing up their shops). The Stihl dealer is where I bought my tractor. I've found them to be very customer-oriented and capable on tractors, but had no dealings with their service department on chainsaws. They do sell a lot of Stihl saws, and their customers include a lot of pro users, so I may have to add the 261 to my list of saws to consider.
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

CR888

Quote from: HolmenTree on July 30, 2017, 02:03:30 PM
It would be interesting to see what Stihl did to the port numbers and any other changes over the older 261.
I wondered the same when I saw the typeII with the laid back cylinder fin design but unfortunately they are exactly the same port timings as the OE. Thats not so bad, the cylinder is a great design with good torque high rpm & great fuel economy. One way to really bring them to life is to gut the strato intake and advance the timing a few degrees. They become a totally different beast. Though you do loose fuel economy in the process. I know guys from your part of the planet don't like spikes on 50cc saws but here they are useful. The slightly larger MS362 dual spike/roller catcher kit is a direct bolt on accessory for the 261. If you remove the plastic chain guides in the clutch cover you will see the cast hexagonal spots that hold the nuts, you just drill those to holes out. 660 spikes will fit too, but they don't work well and bog things down the 362 kit is perfect. Then you remove the regular chain catcher.

HolmenTree

CR888, thanks for the information good post!
I believe your down under. Are your 261s made in Australia, China, Germany or Brazil?
Here in Canada ours are made in Germany, from what I gather the ones sold in the U.S. are made in Virginia Beach USA.
Different countries have different environmental protection engine designs.
Seeing California for example has been on the witch hunt to ban 2 stroke motors for over 30 years, engine designs have to be altered before they can be imported from other countries.
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

PNWRusty

Quote from: John Mc on September 20, 2017, 11:22:10 AM
The Stihl dealer is where I bought my tractor. I've found them to be very customer-oriented and capable on tractors, but had no dealings with their service department on chainsaws. They do sell a lot of Stihl saws, and their customers include a lot of pro users, so I may have to add the 261 to my list of saws to consider.

The 261 C-M is a great little saw that cuts faster than any stock 50cc saw you've ever used. And it starts and runs like a Swiss watch.

Today I was outside and a neighbor I don't know was attempting to do some sawing. It sounded like a 60-70 cc pro saw but not a Stihl, unless it was modded. It sounded good as it revved up right until it hit that point that you would normally drop it into the wood where it would suddenly die. No lean rpm increase before dying, just suddenly nothing. Idled fine and revved strongly. This went on about 12 or 15 times until he put it away for a while. An hour later he was back at it with the same results.

I think trying to save $200 or so on a saw is false economy if it's not as reliable. Who has time for that. Certainly any saw can develop a problem but some are more reliable than others.

PNWRusty

Quote from: HolmenTree on September 21, 2017, 09:48:01 AM
CR888, thanks for the information good post!
I believe your down under. Are your 261s made in Australia, China, Germany or Brazil?
Here in Canada ours are made in Germany, from what I gather the ones sold in the U.S. are made in Virginia Beach USA.
Different countries have different environmental protection engine designs.
Seeing California for example has been on the witch hunt to ban 2 stroke motors for over 30 years, engine designs have to be altered before they can be imported from other countries.

I wonder why Stihl publishes identical power and rpm specs for German and USA made saws. I think they simply make them in the country that provides the best profit with regard  to taxes and import tariffs. Also, "Made in USA" allows them to sell to people, companies and governments that have that preference or, in many cases, that requirement. Do you know that Canada has different emission requirements than the U.S.? Because with autos, Canada tends to adopt whatever the US requires.

But I am slightly jealous of your German made 261 C-M. I can't help but think it might be assembled more precisely or competently (even though I can't discern anything wrong with mine). 

ButchC

Quote from: PNWRusty on September 22, 2017, 02:08:53 AM

Today I was outside and a neighbor I don't know was attempting to do some sawing. It sounded like a 60-70 cc pro saw but not a Stihl, unless it was modded. It sounded good as it revved up right until it hit that point that you would normally drop it into the wood where it would suddenly die. No lean rpm increase before dying, just suddenly nothing. Idled fine and revved strongly. This went on about 12 or 15 times until he put it away for a while. An hour later he was back at it with the same results.

I think trying to save $200 or so on a saw is false economy if it's not as reliable. Who has time for that. Certainly any saw can develop a problem but some are more reliable than others.

Hmm, seems I am not the only guy who pays close attention whenever there is a saw running near by, LOL.

For the last 10 years we have hosted a rather large gathering of our church to cut firewood. Usually 15-20 saws running.  Bad operating techniques is a source of entertainment (as long as they are not gong to hurt somebody)  but wow, that poor under maintained equipment, stinky old fuel,, dull chains,,,,,  Its fun to see 4-5 guys lined up on a limb cutting away thinking they are producing and then proceed to out cut all of them combined with one properly running saw with sharp cutting equipment.
 
Peterson JP swing mill
Morbark chipper
Shop built firewood processor
Case W11B
Many chainsaws, axes, hatchets,mauls,
Antique tractors and engines, machine shop,wife, dog,,,,,that's about it.

Spike60

Quote from: HolmenTree on September 20, 2017, 10:16:02 AM


550XP running real nice with the 16" semi chisel .325.    I thought about selling it the other day but now concluded it's a perfect partner for the MS261CM.  Always nice to have a spare saw to grab  when you run the other in the dirt.

Glad to hear it's running good and earning it's keep. And back up saws are a must on a job. But you'd be surprised how many independent guys don't have them. We have a lot of one man tree operations around here Willard, and you'd be surprised at how unprofessional some of them are. These guys have a 2-3 saw line up. A top handle and maybe some kind of 50cc-70cc combo. And they aren't exactly new saws; like 17 year old 372's and 51's or 345's. I try to work with these guys, but no backup's and 15 year old saws means it's often a crisis. Sometimes it irritates me that because they won't invest in saws that I have to drop what I'm doing so they can get their job done. Simple repairs are one thing, but you can't always pull a rabbit out of the hat while the guy is standing at the counter.

Sorry to jump off topic here, but you mentioned keeping the saw almost as an after thought, and I can't imagine that you'd be anything but fully equiped on a job.  :)  Even out cutting firewood, I always have a backup or 2. I fire up everything before I leave the house, but with all the older saws in my "little" saw collection, you never know; or you'll break a rope or hit a rock or find a maple tap in a tree. And filing in the field isn't one of my strong points.  :D
Husqvarna-Jonsered
Ashokan Turf and Timber
845-657-6395

HolmenTree

Spike 60, saw shortage is nothing I have a problem with, I actually have to cull my herd :D
I was thinking about buying another MS261C but thought why not keep the 550XP in the fleet and keep this test thread going for a few more years ;D.

Lots of new models being introduced from both camp's...Husky and Stihl and I like to try them out.
Gotta sell off about a dozen older saws  including a brand new 1993 Husqvarna 272XP with only a tank through it . This is the early non decompression valve 272XP.

Making a living with a saw since age 16.

CR888

Quote from: HolmenTree on September 21, 2017, 09:48:01 AM
CR888, thanks for the information good post!
I believe your down under. Are your 261s made in Australia, China, Germany or Brazil?
Here in Canada ours are made in Germany, from what I gather the ones sold in the U.S. are made in Virginia Beach USA.
Different countries have different environmental protection engine designs.
Seeing California for example has been on the witch hunt to ban 2 stroke motors for over 30 years, engine designs have to be altered before they can be imported from other countries.
Willard Aussie delivered MS261's are from Germany which I like. But I have a Virginia Beach 261 as well, same saw as far as I can tell, main difference is the one I bought locally was 1499msrp compared to the one I imported from the US which was $569usd. There are differences on some saws as our emission regs are not yet as harsh as the states...you would like the MS381/382 we can buy off the shelf, bit of an Aussie farmers favourite fat bottomed firewood saw the 038/380 series. We get dual port mufflers on some saws and richer jetting on a few. You have viewed the saw market much longer than I and I too agree right now is very exciting with what's on the horizon & whats on the shelf right nos, a few months ago most of my saws were current models now theyfeel old hat. Pro saws are getting lighter again like the days of the 044/064 days of old where OEMs focussed on power to weight ratios and prided themselves on it. The 572, 462 & ultra new MS500i fuel injected saw in my favourite 80cc class are having me save my pennies. Glad to see you sorted the 550xp sarga out and I say keep it & keep this thread going. They are nice saws when they are doing as they should.

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