OB Approved Chain Saws

[Lunch Box]

A word on Stihl saws: You may have to mortgage your kids to get one, but you get what you pay for. I have a Poulan with a 21" bar and it works well enough for what I do with it. My neighbor has an identical-appearing Stihl and it cuts circles around mine. My .02

 

[MuckSavage]

1983 vintage Stihl 034 that still starts on the 3rd pull! Recently added an MS270. Both are phenomenal in my book

 

[Nickzero]

It is imperative to know how to properly opperate a chain saw before using. I have seen too many stupid injuries in person and online through lack of knowledge or negligence. There is much more than meets the eye when first learning how to opperate a chain saw.

When on long trips or out in the dense forrest, I like to being my chain saw in case I must clear a common route or path. I agree with always bringing an extra sharp chain and tool. You wont be milling the forrest so you probably wont be needing any extra fuel for it. Make sure it is filled up and ready for the trails before heading out and assure it is in the proper working condition. These are great tools for making quick work of a downed tree or brush clearing to clean up our trails. Great write up! Very handy on our list.

 

[Defender 90 Keith]

It is imperative to know how to properly opperate a chain saw before using. I have seen too many stupid injuries in person and online through lack of knowledge or negligence. There is much more than meets the eye when first learning how to opperate a chain saw.

When on long trips or out in the dense forrest, I like to being my chain saw in case I must clear a common route or path. I agree with always bringing an extra sharp chain and tool. You wont be milling the forrest so you probably wont be needing any extra fuel for it. Make sure it is filled up and ready for the trails before heading out and assure it is in the proper working condition. These are great tools for making quick work of a downed tree or brush clearing to clean up our trails. Great write up! Very handy on our list.

Just a quickie to tag onto your comment, training alone doesn't guarantee safety. From experience (not my own), one of the biggest causes of injury is complacency.

 

[Lunch Box]

I agree with always bringing an extra sharp chain and tool. You wont be milling the forrest so you probably wont be needing any extra fuel for it. Make sure it is filled up and ready for the trails before heading out and assure it is in the proper working condition.

This comment reminds me of when I had a boat. Hours spent waiting in line at a crowded boat ramp waiting on someone trying to launch a boat that hadn't touched it in the last 6 months or year, pulled it out of storage, and had no idea why it wouldn't fire up and run on command. I always brought mine out of storage, parked it in the driveway, hooked it up to water, and ran it for awhile to clear the cobwebs out before heading for the water.

 

[GHCOE]

Remember Reciprocating Saws take up less room and are safer to use. With a pruning blade they can take care of most trail blockage. They can even remove above head blockage safer and easier than a chain saw. Run a corded unit with a inverter or purchase a battery operated unit for trail use.

 

[Nickzero]

Just a quickie to tag onto your comment, training alone doesn't guarantee safety. From experience (not my own), one of the biggest causes of injury is complacency.

Very true! It doesn't matter how talented and experienced you are with a chainsaw, once the operator becomes complacent with its use over the span of time they start to loose the basic principles of safety. Once the operator looses sight of how dangerous the tool could potentially be, is when they are bound to get bit.

 

[Retinens803]

Remember Reciprocating Saws take up less room and are safer to use. With a pruning blade they can take care of most trail blockage. They can even remove above head blockage safer and easier than a chain saw. Run a corded unit with a inverter or purchase a battery operated unit for trail use.

My friend was dumb and laid his reciprocating down to clean up the freshly cut brush and stepped on the blade and laid his foot wide open. It wasn’t running either. He was wearing flip flops like a ding bat.

 

[GHCOE]

My friend was dumb and laid his reciprocating down to clean up the freshly cut brush and stepped on the blade and laid his foot wide open. It wasn’t running either. He was wearing flip flops like a ding bat.

Power tools and flip flops.....? Just asking for trouble there....!

 

[Retinens803]

I remind him once a month

 

[Defender 90 Keith]

Power tools and flip flops.....? Just asking for trouble there....!

It's a recognised alternative way of cutting your toenails.

 

[Troy Carle]

Question: where # how do you usualy carry CS, and special rack mount? on front runner roof?
mine is a Echo 370, does the work pretty good, not to heavy, and easy to manipulate.
thx

I've been wrestling with this idea as well. I think short term I'll build a 2x4 saw mount for the bed of my truck like all the cool guy loggers have. Also thinking to build a little scabbard to attach to my front bumper for quick access. We have had a lot of fires in the woods near here recently and have trees down everywhere. Often we won't get 50' before need to get out and clear another tree!

 

[DieselRado]

This is a great thread guys, thanks for all the helpful info.

 

[Backwoods Adventure]

Been using chainsaws professionally for over 20 years . From climbing saws { t200, o20 ] To Big saws [ 3120 husky o90 stihl. I'm here to help with any problem anyone has.

 

[Otis Porsche]

We decided on a Stihl MSA 200 C-BQ with 14" bar and Lithium-Ion battery.
Had a fair sized tree blow down this winter. Battery life worked well as after cutting, then stacking & clean-up got quite a lot of work done on a charge.
As the bar is very easy to remove w/o tools looking to store the bar separately to prevent damage. Also want to get a container for the motor to contain it and the chain oil.

 

[IronPercheron]

Interesting to see how far this thread has come.

It was a noble venture of basic knowledge back then, just gave it my best effort right out of the gate. Look at it now! WOW!

It appears we have plenty of knowledge gathered here, keep it coming, especially if you are a professional arborist, or saw tech!

I do apologize for my sabbatical, I found a hobby that consumed me. Turns out I am nuts about Fly Fishing... whooda thunk it?

As for my rig saw?
8 year old CS-450 Echo is still ... still going strong. Full time ranch saw, part time hurricane saw, and full time go to truck saw.
Original plug, air filter, and coil pack. It starts in 3 pulls religiously, and though i have it set up on a 16" bar i know i can
step up to 18" any time I want to. It's a real gem of a saw, and I have zero hesitation about its reliability.
None. I still keep a plug, coil pack, and carburetor in the box in a crown royal bag though... all brands break eventually... and its
always when you need them!

New saws?
I bought an Echo CS-600p for milling lumber, it sports a 28" Oregon power match bar and ripping chain. I call it "Miss Piggy" because I am like Kermit... just along for the ride.

Future saws?
I am really checking out the Milwaukee M18 FUEL batter powered saw for our 4runner instead of draggin that CS-450 around.
All of my shop tools are M18 fuel... so I have a surplus of batteries and such... But I like my Makita stuff too!!!!
We will see.

Keep it up folks! Happy trails!

 

[IronPercheron]

View attachment 55591

No shame in a small saw, I absolutely love my 201T! That being said it will be hard for me to ever get rid of my 461.

FYI, the 461 is getting phased out this year to the 462 which has an electronic carb adjustment. Late this year, early next year will introduce the ms500i which will be the first stihl fuel injected saw that has more power than a 461 but is significantly lighter. At $1900 it isn’t cheap but I will be inline for one for sure.

An MS-461 is on the bucket list for me. I like my echo's, huskies, and stihls. Any of those three and my money is ready.
I want the works on that 461 too! double dogs, bash plate, glove/mitten pull handle, wrap around bar... oh yeah man... that's a saw!
The huskies dress up mean too... 372xp? 572xp? I am not at all familiar with their nomenclature. but you can get them rigged up good.

 

[Otis Porsche]

Expanding on why we selected Stihl MSA 200 C-BQ with 14" bar and Lithium-Ion battery.
Our rig is a diesel - did not want to carry petrol just for the saw.
Living in the Northwest with a large timber industry asked around for favorite brands. While many mentioned Stihl topped the others from those in the industry. This battery model was also mentioned as a 'clean-up' saw used. If professionals who do this daily picked it - good enough for us as a trail saw. Note we are getting an inverter to recharge it and run other things. If a trail needs more clean-up than we can do we will just find another way.
.For build info - Meet Otis - Rennlist - Porsche Discussion Forums
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[Anak]

That is too cool.

Diesel Porsche overlanding rig!

Where is your build thread?

And is there any aftermarket support for that at all?

 

[Otis Porsche]

That is too cool. Diesel Porsche overlanding rig! Where is your build thread?
And is there any aftermarket support for that at all?

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Had a Miti Montero, now this. Have done several BDR routes, SW Vancouver Island, Big Bend, Magruder Corridor & Lolo Hwy - etc
Also do off-road endurance rally like the ALCAN 5000 Rally - 5500 miles in winter going north of the Arctic Circle to Coldfoot. Only got down to -36F. ALCAN video at link below. Doing the winter ALCAN rally again in 2020 which will take in Tuktoyaktuk and return to Coldfoot.
First trip this year will be to the Steens Mountain Wilderness. Also, this will be our 6th year at the NWOLR in Plain.
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Build info - magazine articles and video at link -- most everything is custom.

Meet Otis - Rennlist - Porsche Discussion Forums

Cayenne 955-957 2003-2010 - Meet Otis - Would like to thank Randy Wells and PCAs Panorama for the wonderful 11 page article on our Cayenne 'Otis' in the December issue. A lot of folks have helped us on our journey building our overlanding Cayenne. We have also done rally events like the ALCAN...

rennlist.com

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