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MS291 or MS311 for firewood

Started by buxtonfarmer, October 03, 2017, 08:41:40 AM

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buxtonfarmer

is it worth the extra on the MS311 or would the MS291 be fine for  trees 12-18 inches in diameter used for firewood (Red Gum mainly) or better to get the MS311.

Other thought is Ms291 upgrade to Carlton chain? and also buy granberg sharpener with the same cost of the MS311.

HuntTilDusk

id go with the with the MS311 or even better a 391,  I wouldn't worry about upgrading a chain if youre just cutting firewood, stihl chains are great as long as you take care of them
"There are some who can live without wild things and some who cannot."
― Aldo Leopold

ButchC

I have no experience with Red Gum but in our hardwoods a 291 will handle all your needs for firewood. One thing I have learned in years of hosting wood cutting days for charity is few people run sharp chains.   You are smart in your quest to learn how to sharpen chains and have good equipment to accomplish it. Stihl chain is a bit harder than Carton or Oregon, any of them work great when maintained none are worth spit when not. Important is the cutter type, chisel cuts fastest but dulls quickest in dirty wood. Semi chisel will cut longer in abrasive conditions.
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.

buxtonfarmer

ok the MS291 is about $250 AUD cheaper here i think it was. so if that would work would be great, will be used maybe twice a month if that.

thanks for the compliment on sharpening, I have a knife fetish also and love sharpening those so it was a given for me hahahaha.

I was looking at a semi chisel to last longer as I think it will still be fine for the amount Ill use it.

Ianab

For that price difference, get the 291.  They are basically the same saw, just with a different piston / cylinder to give you 55 cc with the 291, vs 59cc with the ms311.

So naturally the 311 has slightly more power, but it's not a "day vs night" difference.  How well you can sharpen the chain makes a bigger difference.

Both are decent enough "part time" saws for farmers or firewood cutters. I've been lopping up some Sheoak for firewood with my ms310 lately. It's similar sort of hardness to Red Gum, but it handles the smaller stuff just fine. The bigger bits I've got an 80cc Dolmar, that naturally handles it better.  The 310 will gnaw through a 20" log OK as long as you take your time and let it cut, or bigger if you walk around the other side. But if you are blocking up big logs like that all day, then you really want a bigger saw.
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

Ada Shaker

311, Bigger pitch chain, will spit out the red gum chips better so long as your not cutting Malle Reds. 311 3/8 pitch, 291 .325 pitch. That little bit extra grunt wont go astray either.
I sharpen my chain with a file with good results. There are guides that can be used with files that will bring the chain back sharp evenly as well as the rakers to a uniform level. I even do this on site when cutting, nothing better than an evenly well sharpened chain.
If it hangs to the left, your likely to be a Husqvarna man.
If it hangs to the right, your likely to be a Stihl man.
Anything else is an uncomfortable compromise.
                             AND
Walking with one foot on either side of a barbed wire fence can become extremely uncomfortable at times.

Wallys World

I have a 311 that cuts great allthough it took me some adjusting going from a 056 to the 311. Lots of weight difference and power, 056 is stronger (more cc's). I also use a 251 for smaller trees and the 440 for larger. The 056 has a 28" bar on it now.
Wood-Mizer LT28G25, Wood-Mizer EG10 Edger, Wallenstein Timber Talon log loader trailer, Wallenstein GX640 wood splitter, Wallenstein WP835 Fire Wood Processor, Kubota BX 22 TLB, JD 445, JD Gator, Home made arch, Stihl 024 Super, MS251, MS311, MS440 Magnum & MS660.

stevekw

 I have a 311 with 20" bar. I run the Stihl rapid super chain on it and am very happy with how it cuts. I cut black locust, red elm, oak, cherry all sorts of downed trees. If you keep it out of the dirt the RS chain will stay sharp fairly well. Ive cut 3 truck loads of wood with it before needing to sharpen it. But ive hit the nose in the ground before and it went dull quick. Im sure the smaller saw would also do well for you, plus the 2 lbs less weight might be nice after a few hours. I personally would run only Stihl chains, but I know guys who run Oregon and love them too. A sharp chain and knowing how to run a saw makes all the difference.

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