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Official MS261CM vs 550XP test

Started by HolmenTree, June 06, 2017, 10:46:34 PM

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DelawhereJoe

So from your professional opinion, what is your saw that you would buy and stick with or prefer over the other ?
WD-40, DUCT TAPE, 024, 026, 362c-m, 041, homelite xl, JD 2510

HolmenTree

Making a living with a saw since age 16.

Weekend_Sawyer

 8) 8)
Makes me happy because that's the saw I bought!
8) 8)
Imagine, Me a Tree Farmer.
Jon, Appalachian American Wannabe.

Crusarius

I want that one but owwy. It is pricey.

I was thinking MS250 but then after test driving it I like the 270 better. Not sure I can justify the cost for the 261.

HolmenTree

Quote from: HolmenTree on January 09, 2018, 08:39:32 PM


Oops photo gallery is currently off line.
Will post now before it times out and will post pics later. >:(
Is it just me locked out or is everybodies photo gallery currently off line?
Been over 2 days now and still can't post pics from the gallery.
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

ronwood

Jeff is moving the forum to a new server. I believe  he had to shut down the gallary for the move
Sawing part time mostly urban logs -St. Louis/Warrenton, Mo.
LT40HG25 Woodmizer Sawmill
LX885 New Holland Skidsteer

HolmenTree

Quote from: ronwood on January 11, 2018, 06:10:35 PM
Jeff is moving the forum to a new server. I believe  he had to shut down the gallary for the move
Thanks ronwood.
I last heard there's about a 100K photos on the forestry gallery!
Time for some more room.
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

gspren

Quote from: Crusarius on January 11, 2018, 08:57:48 AM
I want that one but owwy. It is pricey.

I was thinking MS250 but then after test driving it I like the 270 better. Not sure I can justify the cost for the 261.
If you can afford it without harming anything/anyone, get it! You will only feel the money pinch for a month or two but you will enjoy having the saw you want for years.
Stihl 041, 044 & 261, Kubota 400 RTV, Kubota BX 2670, Ferris Zero turn

Crusarius

I need to run one for sure. I do love fuel injection.

HolmenTree

Quote from: Crusarius on January 12, 2018, 09:07:44 AM
I need to run one for sure. I do love fuel injection.
Sorry fuel injection not currently available :D
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

HolmenTree

Now to try out this new photo gallery upgrade.
Quote from: HolmenTree on January 09, 2018, 08:39:32 PM
No videos but take my word for it on my saw test.
But pay attention to my pictures and how I safely felled a side limb  heavy tree with a 90° to lay guy line (side support rope).
I use a 4 ft drywall T square to sight in my 90° degree to lay anchor point by setting one straight edge of the square in the face cut pointing to my anchor point. The other straight edge is pointing to where I want the tree to lay. Luckily I found a stump to anchor to at 90°  but if you can't find one a vehicle etc. works just fine.
No matter how much side lean or side limb heavy the tree is opposite the guy line, the guy line will steer the tree to lay. Of course the swing will break the preset hingewood, but the tree will land exactly 90° to the anchor point.


As my pics show I had 2 spruce to fell and cut up with no cleanup.
The tall spruce on the left in the first pic was badly damaged by lightning and with heavy side limb weight it posed a threat falling on the cottage.

It took my BigShot slingshot to install the anchored guy line side rope. The smaller spruce was in the path of the rope when I was to fell the larger damaged tree, so it had to be felled first.
What appears to be the trees leaning towards the anchor point is just an optical illusion from the angle I took the pictures from. The trees were actually standing verticle.

Second last pic shows the lightening damage.
The last pic shows where the lightening grounded to the green steel fence and the arc burnt a couple patches of paint off.


  

  

  

  

 
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

HolmenTree

Forgot to show the anchor point picture.


 
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

HolmenTree

I believe that tree at the moment the lightening hit it would not be standing, if it wasn't for the steel fence grounding it out.
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

Spike60

How cold was it the day you dropped those trees?  :D  10 degrees here ths morning and I'm debating should I take a quick ride and cut a pick up load of wood. And I've got saws with heated grips. Kind of shaming me into it, so going to fuel up the 2163WH and head out.

Really enjoy the pics of the tree jobs and your descriptions on how you are attacking the problems Willard. Thanks for sharing the details.  :)
Husqvarna-Jonsered
Ashokan Turf and Timber
845-657-6395

HolmenTree

Thanks Spike60. Actually the week before that job temps were in the highs of -40 range(F and C equal at minus40). It only warmed up that day because it was clouded over and periods of snowfall hence the 70% humidity.
I started early in the morning never got anywhere near the afternoon high. So temps was around -20F that morning but humidity was still 70%.

Reason I answered MS261CM hands down of my choice is  for the reason of my work application and how well the261 adjusts itself.
Doing stop and go arborist residential removals the 261 is not frustrating warming up and immediately goes to task making a few cuts.
The 550XP is a saw that performs the best when logging or cutting alot of firewood steady throughout the day "once" it gets warmed up.
I have a feeling the 261 has the latest MTronic technology with very quick adjustment processes.

Making a living with a saw since age 16.

Spike60

"warm up" in those temps is a whole lot different that anything most of us would experience. And obviously shutting off the saw between cuts means a rapid cool down, so any saw must do some warming up on restart Good that Stihl has gotten the 261 and 362 right the second time around. The 362 I understand has significant changes and many of the parts don't interchange with the originals. I don't believe the 261 received extensive changes like that, but I really don't know the Stihls that well.

I agree that all of this new technology should be adjusting for things like temp and that any saw so equipped should respond quicker on restart. They do all have temp sensors in them. But this has me curious now as I want to run one of these saws in the cold and then plug it in and see what the fuel settings are. On a 550 they should be either 75 or 90 on the low setting depending on what carb is in the saw. 7 degrees this morning, going to the teens. Almost T-shirt weather for you. Wind blew down an ash tree at the store on Sat, so maybe I'll get out to play if it's not busy. Will also check on what temp Husky recommends that blue air restrictor be installed. Certainly well above the temps you were cutting in. They obviously want to keep some heat in the saw and I wonder if yours was ever getting warm enough at all in those temps.

This technology is constantly changing though. And I think it's fair to say we are moving from the introductory phase to where this stuff is more fully developed now. Gen 3 auto tune will be arriving later in the year along with some other "enhancements" to both the 550 and 562 families. All kinds of good stuff on the way from both companies. 2018 will be an interesting saw year for sure. 
Husqvarna-Jonsered
Ashokan Turf and Timber
845-657-6395

HolmenTree

Quote from: Spike60 on January 15, 2018, 08:13:17 AM
"warm up" in those temps is a whole lot different that anything most of us would experience. And obviously shutting off the saw between cuts means a rapid cool down, so any saw must do some warming up on restart Good that Stihl has gotten the 261 and 362 right the second time around. The 362 I understand has significant changes and many of the parts don't interchange with the originals. I don't believe the 261 received extensive changes like that, but I really don't know the Stihls that well.

Excellent post Spike60,Thanks.
Yes my information tells me this new MS261CM is a clone of the latest upgraded new MS362CM. Both saws have the design changes originally designed for the new MS462.

But I have proved back in February 2013 how well the 550XP's handle severe cold when I first used them at my competition replacing the 576XP AutoTunes's.
As the start of the video shows very cold conditions (-30 below F windchill) and these two 550's were brand new right out of the box.
Plus I didn't have the winter pre heater kits on them.
I'm the guy on the microphone and helping out the first competitor (my 6' 6" son in law)warm up his 550.
https://youtu.be/vx_fF0Ofa9U

Making a living with a saw since age 16.

HolmenTree

2 years later February 2015 competition morning temps it was -55C ( -67 below F) windchill.
Wind was so strong I had brace the rear wall on the stage.
550's had their winter pre heater kits on and we kept them running the whole afternoon so they didn't cool down. Had to be careful refueling them.


 
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

ehp

I speed tested both 550 against 261 and both were about even in cutting speed running same chain . But you got to run each saw different , 261 has more torque so you shove harder on that saw . Ported the 261 is pretty much in a league of its own

HolmenTree

Ed, I take your word for it about porting the 261. That little saw feels like it has lots of potential just how it cuts new right out of the box. It's got lots of torque alright and really winds out high on top end too.
Speaking of ported saws I would like to see 3 saws in my fleet next season, MS261CM, MS362CM and a MS462CM. All 3 with some porting work on their P/C's would be a pretty awesome combo. ;D
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

HolmenTree

I forgot one saw on my saw trio wish list.
The 80cc MS500i.
Now we have a Quartet.... 8)
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

realzed

A week back I sold my MS290 which was in perfect shape and bought a new MS261C-M when I saw just how light and well balanced it felt.
Once home I peeled it apart some and I now see many of the new features it has compared to my son's old 026 version and it seems there is a lot of good thought going into these saws now - hopefully the M-Tronic will prove to be a continuation in that direction too.
I previously had converted the 290 over to a rim sprocket and 20" bar using the .325 chain to save my back some when cutting firewood - and decided I would get a 20" bar on the new 261 as well.
My dealer swapped in a 20" Rollomatic E (3003 000 7821 - yellow) and couple of 3/8" 33RS .050"(3623 002 0072) chains to go with it..
The sprocket was changed to one marked 3/8 - 7 and assume they know which one is appropriate since they sell a lot of these to the MNR as they are apparently the 'go to' saw for bush and fire crews from what I was told.
Care to pass along if you believe I have here what you consider is the best  chain/bar/sprocket combination for again mainly cutting and bucking firewood logs and downed trees up to 18 or 20" in diameter.. mainly mixed wood and usually 12" or less in diameter?
I'm not too worried about winning any races with cutting speed - just a good reliable and workable combo that cuts well and holds a good edge for reasonably decent periods of fairly average usage.
I have yet to run the saw in wood - but already can see the obvious advantages of the air and filter system over my old 290, and the balance seems perfect as does the general size and weight of the whole package in comparison..
Hope it runs and lasts as good as it looks and even better than the 290 and I'll be happy!
Your thread here is very interesting!
Thanks for your insight and any answers or info you might wish to pass along..
Randy

HolmenTree

Welcome to Forestry Forum Randy.
The 3/8" 33RS chain with 7 T rim sprocket is a great setup  on your new MS261CM.
It will offer longer sharpening life and a little extra durability over the .325 23RS setup.
I'm in the business of getting paid for how long it takes to get my jobs done so the .325  does do that for me.
Any questions about your new saw your very much welcome to share them here.
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

realzed

Thanks for your comments..
Just a couple of quick questions - the manual shows the rim sprocket to be installed with 'cavities' facing outwards from the drum..
Mine was when I got the new saw, the same way I always installed any previously.. the opposite way with the flat side (ID script) facing outwards.. any reason Stihl would even mention this - it doesn't really appear to make any dimensional differences from what I can see - is the there a purpose for Stihl to even mention this specifically?
and:
I intended to add some of the 100LL AV gas I use in my old car (50/50) with Shell 91 along with the Ultra synthetic oil at a fuel/oil ratio between 40 & 50:1, does this mixture sound like a good workable arrangement right from the start of break-in or even one that actually that would make any real difference and worth the trouble?

gspren

  When I first got my 261 part way through the first tank of gas I thought maybe I made a mistake, it just wasn't what I expected, by the third tank I wasn't too concerned and by the fifth tank I was down right happy, it took a few tanks to wake up. I've always run 89 oct, eth free gas 40-1 with stihl full synthetic.
Stihl 041, 044 & 261, Kubota 400 RTV, Kubota BX 2670, Ferris Zero turn

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