Stihl ms-660 vs ms-880

[stonebroke]

About time for a processor.

Stonebroke

[Dave Shepard]

Are they face cords, or full cords?

[stonebroke]

Even 700 face cords is a lot of firewood.

Stonebroke

[7845Robert]

Are they face cords, or full cords?

they are full

[Mark K]

Is it possible to cut 10 full cords a day? Thats alot of wood.

[beenthere]

Reading the OP post, he has not mentioned 700 cords of firewood.
Just felling 700 cords of ponderosa pine. 

I have about 700 cords of wood to cut this summer and was thinking of getting a ms-880.

[stonebroke]

OP said he would still use the 660 to limb and fell so that would leave me to believe that he wants to buck with the 880.

Stonebroke

[7845Robert]

OP said he would still use the 660 to limb and fell so that would leave me to believe that he wants to buck with the 880.

Stonebroke

yes i am planning to buck this wood in rounds for firewood, actually we handle a lot of this wood by hand and i was thinking of ripping large timber in half, that would be rounds larger than 25". at least we wouldn't be breaking are backs loading wood splitters. thanks

[Cut4fun]

OP said he would still use the 660 to limb and fell so that would leave me to believe that he wants to buck with the 880.

Stonebroke

yes i am planning to buck this wood in rounds for firewood, actually we handle a lot of this wood by hand and i was thinking of ripping large timber in half, that would be rounds larger than 25". at least we wouldn't be breaking are backs loading wood splitters. thanks

Thats what I use the 084's for RIPPING  8). Quartering up the big stuff to smaller pieces for the firewood guys.

[stonebroke]

for 700  cords you could probably justify a firewood processor. Lots less work.

Stonebroke

[footer]

for 700  cords you could probably justify a firewood processor. Lots less work.

Stonebroke

Im starting to convince myself that i can justify building one and i only use between 5 and 10 cords a year  :D
Either that, or spend some of the money making my house more energy efficient :

[7845Robert]

for 700  cords you could probably justify a firewood processor. Lots less work.

Stonebroke

I'm trying not to get this post off course, but by the time you drag a wood processor into the sight, skid logs bigger than 6" (with some ten thousand dollar) skidder over to a seventy thousand dallor wood processor that they claim will cut and split 7 cords an hour, I can do just as good with a saw and sharp chain. We don't skid logs, I chop them into pieces right where they fall, load then and I bet you that faster than a wood processor, "skidding logs take time and machinery, and wood processors take both", thanks everyone for posting.... Rob :P

[mtngun]

the exhaust exit on the muffler needes to be 75% the size of the exhaust exit on the cylinder. pull the limiter caps on the carb and tune the saw with a tach to 13500-14000. without a tach tune it til it four strokes or burbles.

Factory spec is 12,500 - 13,000 rpm.   Some saws like to run faster, depending on this or that.     I'd recommend using a tach in any case, unless the OP already has a well calibrated ear.   

You can just open up the existing muffler hole rather than buying the dual port.

7845Robert, it would help if you would edit your profile to show your location.    What I'm getting at is, what is your elevation ?

All saws lose power at altitude.   The 660 is especially affected by altitude because it usually comes from the factory with a tame compression ratio and excessive exhaust duration.     The result is a narrow power band that's short on mid-range grunt.    I can understand why a 660 would be bogging in 36" ponderosa pine if it were at several thousand feet elevation, with the restrictive factory muffler, and perhaps a poorly tuned carb.

But I don't think an 880 is the answer, unless you are built like superman.     Focus on getting the 660 running better.   Try the improved muffler and tach tune first.   

If that's doesn't do the job, consider having a 660 woods ported, with a pop-up piston to raise compression.    It'll cost you several hundred to have the work done, but like you say, this is a business for you and time is money.

Keep us posted.

[beenthere]

7845Robert
Sure would like to see some pics of your operation.

[beenthere]

..................
7845Robert, it would help if you would edit your profile to show your location.   ..................

Yes mtngun, it would help   ;) ;)   ;D

[mtngun]

 :D   OK, my location has been updated.  ;D

8)

[stonebroke]

for 700  cords you could probably justify a firewood processor. Lots less work.

Stonebroke

I’m trying not to get this post off course, but by the time you drag a wood processor into the sight, skid logs bigger than 6” (with some ten thousand dollar) skidder over to a seventy thousand dallor wood processor that they claim will cut and split 7 cords an hour, I can do just as good with a saw and sharp chain. We don’t skid logs, I chop them into pieces right where they fall, load then and I bet you that faster than a wood processor, “skidding logs take time and machinery, and wood processors take both”, thanks everyone for posting…. Rob :P

You must still be young and energetic!!!!

Stonebroke

[7845Robert]

hi everyone, i have updated my profile, 9,000ft. to 10,500ft.

[beenthere]

 :D :D
Still kidding around, huh?   : :

[7845Robert]

..................
7845Robert, it would help if you would edit your profile to show your location.   ..................

Yes mtngun, it would help   ;) ;)   ;D

i updated my pro, i'm cutting at 10,000 feet sometimes higher and sometimes lower at about 8,500 or so.... i should have posted that in my opening, sorry... Rob

[Cut4fun]

You dont need a pop piston in a 066. Mine has been doing fine in big wood and small wood cuttings for years.

Even at the GTG's it was the 066 being chased at the top. Still running a stock oem piston with no lightening of piston or extra window opening.  Becareful of your builders, some charge $300 for added pop up pistons and their saws dont perform any better.

The builder has to know how to do more then just high compression with a pop up, it's all about the porting IMHO.

Buyers beware ask in PM's about builders. There is guys doing porting else where as sponsors that is just taking your $$$ for half the work. If it is all you have ever run you wouldnt know the difference, but when you show up to a GTG and see the real stuff. You soon be asking why.

Case in point guy shows up to Jan GTG with 2 saws from a very hyped up builder with pop up pistons a NE346 and 390. The 346 was one of the worst 346 i have ever ran woods ported. The 390 felt like a strong STOCK muffler modded saw IMHO. Both saws were 6 months old and SOLD after the GTG when owner seen how they compared to other woods ported saws.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21GX7mLg_gA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkvHZY_uwBg

[windthrown]

Cutting at 10,000 feet is going to rob power for sure. Even at 6,000 feet you have 80% of the oxygen compared to sea level, and at 10,000 feet you have only 70%. Less oxygen, less power. So at your cutting altitudes, your 660 is like running a 440 at sea level (at best). Unlike humans, your saw cannot adapt to the higher altitude. A muffler mod would help greatly though. You need to get more oxygen into that thing.

[footer]

Cutting at 10,000 feet is going to rob power for sure. Even at 6,000 feet you have 80% of the oxygen compared to sea level, and at 10,000 feet you have only 70%. Less oxygen, less power. So at your cutting altitudes, your 660 is like running a 440 at sea level (at best). Unlike humans, your saw cannot adapt to the higher altitude. A muffler mod would help greatly though. You need to get more oxygen into that thing.

How about a Turbo? ;D

[7845Robert]

Cutting at 10,000 feet is going to rob power for sure. Even at 6,000 feet you have 80% of the oxygen compared to sea level, and at 10,000 feet you have only 70%. Less oxygen, less power. So at your cutting altitudes, your 660 is like running a 440 at sea level (at best). Unlike humans, your saw cannot adapt to the higher altitude. A muffler mod would help greatly though. You need to get more oxygen into that thing.

How about a Turbo? ;D

Now you're talking, i could just imagine after about three seconds or so it would start to wind up and that would be very cool, though heavier. instead of magnum or pro it would read Turbo Chain!!! :D

[Firewoodking]

According to the stihl catalog, the max recomended bar size on a ms660 is 36" but do you guys ever run bigger bars that that?