Since I’ll be hooking up the wood stove in my shop this summer I figured I’d get a bigger saw to help with the wood gathering. 

 

I’ve got a Stihl MS260 with a 16” bar that’s perfect for camping wood, but I don’t want to strain it with more wood. 

 

I’ve had my eye set on a Stihl MS 361 or 362 for several years as my next saw. I was willing to buy a new 362 since they are a rare fine used. 

 

I’ve got a wood cutting trip coming up in a couple weeks so this was the week I was going to pony up and get a new MS362 with the wrap handle. 

 

This morning I decided to do one last Craigslist check and there it was, less than an hour old.... a MS362 with a wrap handle and a 25” bar and spare chain. I jumped on the deal and bought it! I’m super excited. It appears that it’s only got a couple tanks, at most, thru it. 

 

I also ordered a new carb for my MS260 so I can get a H screw and do a muffler mod on it. 

 

Let the season of the screaming beaver begin! 

Edited May 19, 20186 yr by AH64ID

Good looking wood work sir. I am jealous. I would love doing that for a living. I am a glorified baby sitter. It is a good and rewarding job but I sure would like to have to quit worrying about them and just take on myself for a change.

Thanks, i can do some ok work from time to time, it's more like you said baby sitting now though. i let my guys do most of the work. typing and seeing home owners is a full time job. 

Awesome work! Always wished I was better at wood working! Thanks for sharing.

Interesting that the topic of chainsaws has come up.  I just bought a Stihl MS271 (Farm Boss) with 20" bar two weeks ago.  Stihl has a sale going on and I needed to remove about a dozen 18-20 inch diameter trees on my place.  They were advertising $30 off this model and if you purchased a 6-pack on Stihl brand 2 cycle oil they would double your warranty. 

 

I have an Echo  CS3400 that I have used for years to trim trees and take hunting to cut fire wood and remove downed trees on the road etc.  I have really liked the Echo because it is so compact (handle on top rather than out the back)  Arbor guys use this style when up in the trees because it is easier to handle. 

 

The Echo is too small and would take too much work to remove the trees I want to take down so you can see the reason why I needed a new Stihl, right?

 

The job of felling those trees was pretty short work with the Stihl.  I was impressed with the speed I could chew through those trees. 

Top handles and small saws in general scare the crap out of me. I have had more instances with a small saw coming back and trying to eat me than any of my big saws. 

 

Keep your chains sharp/touched up and they will chew through wood very well. 

I did some cutting over Memorial Day with the new MS362. I fell and bucked up a dead Ponderosa pine that was about 28" at the base. 

 

The MS362 cuts thru it like butter compared to my MS260 with a 16" bar. 

 

I'll be getting out for a few chords soon and can't wait to put some more fuel thru her. 

 

I did swap the carb on my MS260 and mod the muffler, it made a decent difference. 

Strange but true. My old Stihl Chainsaw never got any real maintenance to it other than blowing out the air filter and fresh chains. When I bought my new saw I sent my old saw in to be looked at and taken care of. They changed the spark plug but the electrodes were still good. Good burn color and in good condition. Change the air filter. Then rebuilt the carburetor. The only repair I did to that saw was the throttle handle got damage when it got crushed by a log that rolled. 

 

Now I'm getting set up for wood season. I've already hunted down my firewood and found plenty of Pine. Even found some nice dry Red Fir but I got to hurry to get that. Wood spot is found. Now it time to get firewood permit, fresh saw fuel mixed 50:1 ratio, fresh chains on both saws. Trailer is already empty. Friend is going to do the towing work for me for now till my truck gets repaired. 

Mike couldn't you just go up and cut behind your house? its natnl forest right?

 

You could build a ramp to go up and on the garage roof. The speed from the hill behind would shoot them rounds right out front of the garage.

 

Yes... I'm being silly but nice thought anyhow.

10 hours ago, JAG1 said:

Mike couldn't you just go up and cut behind your house? its natnl forest right?

 

No way to bring it home since the road is a mess. No to mention its already been logged out. In the past I've done that quite a bit I use to take Mom's Chevy S-10 and a little Pullan saw and get anything I could from up there. Now the road is in horrid shape the land owner behind me won't maintain the road. It fairly dangerous now with a ATV.

13 hours ago, Mopar1973Man said:

Strange but true. My old Stihl Chainsaw never got any real maintenance to it other than blowing out the air filter and fresh chains. When I bought my new saw I sent my old saw in to be looked at and taken care of. They changed the spark plug but the electrodes were still good. Good burn color and in good condition. Change the air filter. Then rebuilt the carburetor. The only repair I did to that saw was the throttle handle got damage when it got crushed by a log that rolled. 

Stihl Pro series saws are great, and worth the extra money. Give them good fuel and they are happy for life. 

Edited June 7, 20186 yr by AH64ID

Typically used super unleaded from the local Chevron. Then usually broke out the 2 cycle oil in the back of my truck and mixed some SuperTech at 40 to 50:1 ratio. Rather be slightly oil rich than too lean. That how I killed my very first saw ran too lean in oil and seized the conrod on the crank. 

I'll only use ethanol free. I don't really care if it's regular or super as long as it's ethanol free. 

Not available near me. The closest is McCall, ID and they are high for ethanol free fuel. Now in Payette, ID isn't too bad. 

 

5 hours ago, AH64ID said:

I'll only use ethanol free.

 

Your suppose to use biofuels they are much better for the environment... 

 

Personally, I wish the whole biofuel craze would stop completely and go back to go old fashioned refined crude oil. 

1 minute ago, Mopar1973Man said:

Not available near me. The closest is McCall, ID and they are high for ethanol free fuel. Now in Payette, ID isn't too bad. 

 

 

According to this website, https://www.pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=ID, there are stations in New Meadows and Riggins as well. 

So far I haven't encountered any errors on that site. 

 

Ethanol free is more money, but I only burn 30-40 gallons of it a year. Before I stopped using ethanol gas in my small engines (generators, lawn mower, chainsaws, etc) I was have to tear down and clean a couple carbs a year. Now with ethanol free I haven't had to do that in over 4 years. The extra $30-40 a year is worth it to me for the noticeably reduced maintenance. 

LOL... The list is out of date. Riggins is closed. Never sold ethanol free fuel as far as I know. Then the one in New Meadows I don't trust. Again flaky Mom and pop store. Price is higher than McCall.

Bummer!

 

 

Economy in my area is going downhill. Riggin One Stop closed down about 2 or 3 month ago. Brown Market is the other one in New Meadows, ID getting rather well, ran down looking. Dirt parking lot. Cheap tin sign out front with Ethanol Free fuel which is only the 91 octane which is the highest price. 

 

I've had good connection with the owners of Chevron in Riggins and know their product is clean and pump filters are changed on a standard basis. Still Ethanol fuel but very low amount. 

 

Now Maverik in Friutland, ID last time I looked was like 3.4x a gallon for clear gas. Not bad. Now Maverik I've got some faith in for clear gas fuel but sad part is you have to come all way down here for a fair price.

 

Now be aware of some clear gas and its octane rating too. Like Maverik is 87 octane for clear gas. I've tried it in my 1996 Dodge which failed big time. Way to much pre-ignition issues. Now switch back to 91 octane ethanol no problem. Just a heads up.

All of my small motors are fine running 87 octane, especially since most of the time I'm at elevation. 

Quote

Stihl MS  362

 

 

 Congratulations.... Nice saw

 

 

.