Burnham
Woods walker
Some of these guys will try to tell you dogs are not worth much...
Tips for keeping long bars level
- Thread starter rangerdanger
- Start date
- Replies 126
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woodworkingboy
TreeHouser
I've walked a big dog and tried to control it without a leash.
gf beranek
Old Schooler
That's what I'm saying.
Al Smith
Mac Daddy
The trend in the early -mid 70's on firewooders were no dogs .But you're talking 20 inch bars on 60 cc saws not big powerfull saws that could drag you right over a log if it got away from you .
Burnham
Woods walker
Matters not the size...every saw needs dogs.
woodworkingboy
TreeHouser
Might be Echo, but some homeowner's saws have these tiny plastic dogs molded into the case. It's like not having dogs. Short on power must be how they can sell those. You can't sharpen them either. 
gf beranek
Old Schooler
I've seen those. Cant imaging them being safe for anything but pruning apple trees and such.
Burnham
Woods walker
Stihl 192 has plastic dogs. For that reason alone, I wouldn't consider one on a dare 
.
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Al Smith
Mac Daddy
I'm serious now .Those Mac 610's and Homelite Xl12's which were the fire wooders didn't have any dogs unless you installed them .
Now I'm with the rest of you I like dogs .Even the kind that wags their tail .
Now I'm with the rest of you I like dogs .Even the kind that wags their tail .
flushcut
TreeHouser
My saws need dawgs wit teef! I even wish the dogs on my top handles were a touch longer.
HolmenTree
Banned
I have Jerry and still do with my 272XP -16" cleanup saw. Back in the day when pulpcutting felling & limbing softwood, dogs would only slow you down. Our Huskys and Jonsereds came with the optional smooth bumpers to assist in smooth limbing on the horizontal stem.
Remember the 6 point limbing technique Stihl video posted here a while back?
pete mctree
Treehouser
We used to remove the dogs when pulp cutting too. Fast cutting agressive saws, with short bars were used
HolmenTree
Banned
The transition from pulpcutting to urban treework has been painless for me with my old school "when men were men - no decomp" 272XP Husky.
Back in the day I ran Jonsered 630's [red Husky 162] But the extra umph in 72cc's with my present 272 sure makes short work of dismantling a big ole tree on the ground for removal.
Hardly ever use my 372XP any more ,only to fell the tree. The 272 is far better balanced and more compact then the 372.
It's got the outboard clutch just like the new "everyone's going crazy over" 550-562XP's.
If I can get as many years out of the 272 as my Stihl 066 gave me I will be 75.
Magnus
TreeHouser
Dogs are in the way when you cut branches. They get stuck and you loose the rythm. Pretty annoying actually.
On bigger felling saws it is just wonderful..
Spikeless dogs is to protect muffler and saw. Will not give better speed or flow in limbing.
On bigger felling saws it is just wonderful..
Spikeless dogs is to protect muffler and saw. Will not give better speed or flow in limbing.
Magnus
TreeHouser
272 is the largest in the 162 family. A good saw that should not be mentioned in the same sentence as the new ones.The transition from pulpcutting to urban treework has been painless for me with my old school "when men were men - no decomp" 272XP Husky.
Back in the day I ran Jonsered 630's [red Husky 162] But the extra umph in 72cc's with my present 272 sure makes short work of dismantling a big ole tree on the ground for removal.
Hardly ever use my 372XP any more ,only to fell the tree. The 272 is far better balanced and more compact then the 372.
It's got the outboard clutch just like the new "everyone's going crazy over" 550-562XP's.
If I can get as many years out of the 272 as my Stihl 066 gave me I will be 75.
That clutch talk is all marketing BS. Better and more user friendly is the inboard clutch.
woodworkingboy
TreeHouser
I'm running the Husky 262xp that I hunted like mad for after Willard said it would put greatness in my hands. It's not so great, but a new ring is still breaking in with the clean cylinder, so hopefully it will improve. It's the first fairly lafge unmodded saw that I have run in a long time, maybe that is why it doesn't seem so special. I've come to the opinion that when talking about good saws, you have to separate into categories of modded and not, two different subjects, really. I do appreciate the recommendation, Willard, i am enjoying using the saw, just not so hot to trot yet as I may have over expected.
Magnus
TreeHouser
262 is biggest in the 154 family, the big brother of 254/257.
It is the biggest limbing saw at the time.
They run real hot and can easily be overloaded. But nice saws in general.
It is the biggest limbing saw at the time.
They run real hot and can easily be overloaded. But nice saws in general.
woodworkingboy
TreeHouser
I noticed that about the heat, Magnus. I was cutting off a big old stump at one job, almost twice the bar length, and I could barely hold onto the thing, it was so hot. I had to take breaks. I figured that if it ever was going to blow, it was then. Survived, though.
What do you mean by "overloaded"?
What do you mean by "overloaded"?
flushcut
TreeHouser
Maybe do a muff mod.
woodworkingboy
TreeHouser
I did already, Rajan, first thing.
flushcut
TreeHouser
I had a 261 that got hot and it started to melt the top cover so I trimmed it back about an inch and a half. It seamed to me that the plastic around the cylinder was to tight and not letting enough air flow around it. I think the 262 and 261 are the same saw aside from a different clutch and cylinder.
woodworkingboy
TreeHouser
Good tip, I'll check that out.
flushcut
TreeHouser
You're welcome!
Regarding the OP, in a residential setting I will usually cut a tree at least 20" off the ground to stay away from the grit etc that is down lower. To match the backcut to the face, I kneel or sit to the side of the face with my eye level at the face level and looking from the side of the face, hold the bar so it matches the face level and start cutting. This is pretty easy and accurate and is good for bars up to 32". I go with the pilot cut method for longer bars.
Al Smith
Mac Daddy
It isn't just the hidden treasures at ground level like rocks .You get some of those fat yard trees you might have 24" of tree and 6 feet of buttress roots .In town sugar maples are terrible about that .Not too tall but with plump stumps .
