Morning Fella's, I was wondering what insight you guys have on the husqvarna 154se's? I've got a chance to buy a running one at a pretty good price, and was wondering if they were one of huskies better saws, or junk?
Thanks
That was a good saw in it's day, it is getting long in the tooth though. Do you have a Husky dealer or at least a competent saw shop nearby that can help you keep it perking?
That's a oldie! I believe it's the predecessor to the 254. Back in the 90s everyone who cut wood in this region had a 254
Quote from: Maine logger88 on October 21, 2017, 06:49:17 PM
That's a oldie! I believe it's the predecessor to the 254. Back in the 90s everyone who cut wood in this region had a 254
Seems to me the 50cc saws used to be so much more popular. I wonder what the change was?
I have had my 154 from new. Last year I polished the ports and opened up the muffler. Runs real strong. It has not been worked a lot but has been a trouble free saw. Lots of parts around.
Quote from: gman98 on October 21, 2017, 06:59:53 PM
Quote from: Maine logger88 on October 21, 2017, 06:49:17 PM
That's a oldie! I believe it's the predecessor to the 254. Back in the 90s everyone who cut wood in this region had a 254
Seems to me the 50cc saws used to be so much more popular. I wonder what the change was?
They used to cut and hand pile 4' pulpwood, and a lightweight saw would probably have been ideal for that. Hard to make a living cutting small diameter stuff with a chainsaw nowadays. Just a guess.
Bob has a 154, for some reason even snappier than the successor 254. Simple, great power for the size, still can find part although many are NLA from dealers. That 154, 254, 257 family are favorites of mine. I like them better than the heavier lauded 262 that is based on that chassis. The 262 might make a bit more power but the extra weight and plastic isn't worth the gain to me..:)
Quote from: weimedog on October 22, 2017, 11:22:12 AM
Bob has a 154, for some reason even snappier than the successor 254. Simple, great power for the size, still can find part although many are NLA from dealers. That 154, 254, 257 family are favorites of mine. I like them better than the heavier lauded 262 that is based on that chassis. The 262 might make a bit more power but the extra weight and plastic isn't worth the gain to me..:)
What would you consider to be a good price for a running 154se in relatively good shape with a new bar?
Thanks
Quote from: celliott on October 22, 2017, 10:30:46 AM
Quote from: gman98 on October 21, 2017, 06:59:53 PM
Quote from: Maine logger88 on October 21, 2017, 06:49:17 PM
That's a oldie! I believe it's the predecessor to the 254. Back in the 90s everyone who cut wood in this region had a 254
Seems to me the 50cc saws used to be so much more popular. I wonder what the change was?
They used to cut and hand pile 4' pulpwood, and a lightweight saw would probably have been ideal for that. Hard to make a living cutting small diameter stuff with a chainsaw nowadays. Just a guess.
Processors have pretty well taken over the pulpwood industry. But private woodlot owner's can still get onto the bandwagon with chainsaws.
In my younger years in this area of the Boreal forest(I think you guys in Vermont still call it the "northern forest") I missed out on cutting short pulpwood. We cut it treelength with saws and skidders. Road side cut to length Tanguay slashers did the bucking part.
Today I have no more interest in the forestry production sector. Now it's like farming, biggest operator in the neighborhood with the deepest pockets buys million dollar machines and all his operators are put on hourly rate.
I have found better more profitable work in this Northern forest....cottage country lot clearing and residential tree removal.
My 550XP is now confined to a 13" b/c running a loop of Stihl 33Topic Super chain. Perfect for dissecting our vast black and white spruce, balsam fir. :)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21589/20171010_204308.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1507688433)
I am curious why you would run that saw with a short bar. I have never seen a 13" on anything except electrics and small consumer gas saws.
That's not smoke in the photo, that's rain.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21589/20171010_211446.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1507688530)
Quote from: sawguy21 on October 22, 2017, 12:33:15 PM
I am curious why you would run that saw with a short bar. I have never seen a 13" on anything except electrics and small consumer gas saws.
Sawguy21, no offense I understand your narrow mindness where you live on the coast of the Pacific northwest.
But in other parts of the world (Boreal forests of the northern hemisphere) pulpwood cutters have efficiently cut small diameter conifer with 13" b/c.
Even Peter Holmquist who introduced Husqvarna to the PNW used one before he went west from the prairies.
I am not being 'narrow minded' or argumentative, the day I stop learning I'm either dead or not paying attention. I do understand the short bar in the northern boreal forest. It's the choice of power head I am curious about, it seems like overkill.
I can see a short bar like that working fine for thinning pine plantations (to waste) here in NZ. Trees would be under 10" dia, but the terrain is often steep. The less weight you have to carry up and down the hills, the better.
Quote from: sawguy21 on October 22, 2017, 01:40:44 PM
I am not being 'narrow minded' or argumentative, the day I stop learning I'm either dead or not paying attention. I do understand the short bar in the northern boreal forest. It's the choice of power head I am curious about, it seems like overkill.
Roy, thanks for understanding. I'm still learning too :D
The Scandinavians for decades preferred the 13"-14" b/c for logging in their Boreal forest, I think they also call it the Taiga forest.
They ran these bars on the 40cc 240XP, 024 Stihls and 50 cc 026, 346-550XP would be upper limit for maxium production.
550XP is still a very compact lightweight powerhead definitely not overkill for a 13" b/c.
I posted this video many times of the world's greatest chainsaw instructor Soren Eriksson.
Here he's demonstrating the Stihl 034 with a 16" b/c doing the 6 point limbing technique.
I read an article about Soren once saying when he was hired by Stihl back in the early 1980's. He said Stihl told him to leave his 13"-14" bars in Sweden because the Americans might not take you seriously.
So he ran a 16 on his 034 and a 18 on a 064. :D
https://youtu.be/xX9Xj0faq3g
That was interesting
Quote from: celliott on October 22, 2017, 10:30:46 AM
Quote from: gman98 on October 21, 2017, 06:59:53 PM
Quote from: Maine logger88 on October 21, 2017, 06:49:17 PM
That's a oldie! I believe it's the predecessor to the 254. Back in the 90s everyone who cut wood in this region had a 254
Seems to me the 50cc saws used to be so much more popular. I wonder what the change was?
They used to cut and hand pile 4' pulpwood, and a lightweight saw would probably have been ideal for that. Hard to make a living cutting small diameter stuff with a chainsaw nowadays. Just a guess.
That's exactly right! I caught the tail end of the 4' pulping and did quite abit of it for a few years then it got so it paid just as much for tree length so I stopped now there is no market for 4' pulp here. It also seemed when people were doing a lot of 4' the 16" bar was real popular now most everyone I know uses a 18 or 20 on a 60 to 70cc saw
Quote from: Maine logger88 on October 23, 2017, 02:11:33 PM
Quote from: celliott on October 22, 2017, 10:30:46 AM
Quote from: gman98 on October 21, 2017, 06:59:53 PM
Quote from: Maine logger88 on October 21, 2017, 06:49:17 PM
That's a oldie! I believe it's the predecessor to the 254. Back in the 90s everyone who cut wood in this region had a 254
Seems to me the 50cc saws used to be so much more popular. I wonder what the change was?
They used to cut and hand pile 4' pulpwood, and a lightweight saw would probably have been ideal for that. Hard to make a living cutting small diameter stuff with a chainsaw nowadays. Just a guess.
That's exactly right! I caught the tail end of the 4' pulping and did quite abit of it for a few years then it got so it paid just as much for tree length so I stopped now there is no market for 4' pulp here. It also seemed when people were doing a lot of 4' the 16" bar was real popular now most everyone I know uses a 18 or 20 on a 60 to 70cc saw
I have even heard of the smaller saws in tree length. While chopping, I have pondered if a 50cc saw would be a good choice because I lug all my equipment, since I don't have a skidder. Less fuel and a lighter saw over the days time may equal out to be more production in softwood. Within the next couple of weeks we will begin timer harvest at school and I'm going to test out running one of the universities 50cc saws compared to my 562xp and see which is more productive.
It very well could be! It's more of a personal thing anyway what works for you may not work for me and vice versa. I personally feel I get more done with a 372 class saw but that's just me. I know a guy who is retired now but up until a few years ago logged full time and he cut just as much as I do and he used 346xps
Quote from: Maine logger88 on October 23, 2017, 07:48:57 PM
It very well could be! It's more of a personal thing anyway what works for you may not work for me and vice versa. I personally feel I get more done with a 372 class saw but that's just me. I know a guy who is retired now but up until a few years ago logged full time and he cut just as much as I do and he used 346xps
I worked with a guy who ran all 550xp's. He was the least productive of the crew, but I believe that was more due to his work ethic and attitude than saws lol. I'd like to get one to compare to a 562.
my most productive saw is a 385 running an 18'' bar n 8 tooth sprocket its like chopping with a lazer beam ;D o just cant wield it all day. 372 is pretty disappointing power to weight ratio. but my little 562xpg is my go to. kudos to husky on that saw, just enough power to bury an 18 inch bar with full comp in hardwood and handles like a Porsche. i average 1.5 gal fuel consumption a day with that saw and im not junk by the end of the day. i ran (3) 359's before that (all threw wrist pin clips and smoked jugs) and they just didnt quite have the meat in hardwood but fine in saw log sized pine/hw pulp. 'course im only a buck fifty soakin wet might have somethin to do with it too :D
Quote from: Maine logger88 on October 23, 2017, 07:48:57 PM
It very well could be! It's more of a personal thing anyway what works for you may not work for me and vice versa. I personally feel I get more done with a 372 class saw but that's just me. I know a guy who is retired now but up until a few years ago logged full time and he cut just as much as I do and he used 346xps
.
Working in cut and skid on piecework rate in soft wood tree length, requires a saw productive enough to cut the stump near ground level plus be ergonomic and light enough to limb and top all day.
You need low stumps for the skidder operator and those low stumps require power.
562XP -18" would be a good choice but the latest MS362CM ll which is almost a pound lighter would be a even better choice.
But wait a year and get the 73cc MS462 CM which weighs the same as the 562XP and you will have a saw that will break all your production records in soft wood cut and skid.
My best production cut and skid saw was a early 85cc Stihl 064-18"b/c.
No problem wielding it all day feeding 2 skidders but I was in my late 20's and felt no pain :D
You not young and bulletproof either? :D
Interesting twist to the 145se conversation! One of the Loggers I support is also testing the Chinese MS660's I build for fun. As I've gotten older and there is a "pain" factor to every descision, I've adapted the attitude of smaller, lighter, less vibration are things that make my day in the woods with a saw better...562's with 20in light weight bars are the replacement for my 372's. And the saw I'm building for (selfishly) myself is based on a 555 (a 562 with a small mount) based build....lighter yet. Love the 254 series for the same reason...but back to "Matt" the logger. I build saws, he breaks them, I learn how to build a better saw....thats the cycle. He LOVED the "Farmer Jones" hopped up 660 pulling an 8 pin sprocket on his 24" inch Oregon Power Match bars....I took it back because its my fun a games to "tease a famous Husqvarna friend" saw...( I run it with a 8 pin and 20" Total Lite bar) He ( Matt ) was up miffed I wasn't giving that saw back. SO I decided to build him another. With a more sophisticated build, more torque, all that blah blah blah folk who like modded saws pontificate about. Getting to the point. All his saws have 24" bars. He bore cuts everything. Have to understand this fellow might be 5' 6'. Bull Strong. Runs his saws in NY Hardwood 24-7. So eventually I got around to trying to sell him on the 562 concept. He wasn't interested....even a little. Turns out his limbing saw is the 14K No Load Husqvarna 385 I built him a while back...with a 24" bar. And an eight pin sprocket. Message? To those who insist there is a right way...only one right way...nope. Every one has something that works for them. I've learned over the years that first, there are no shortage of smart people. Second while there might be a "established way", there is always a guy like Logger Matt who goes another way, successfully; SO I listen. And learn his ways..try to adjust my builds to help...and appreciate his success. :).
But back to the 154? 254's are awesome. Bob's 154; for some reason seem snappier.
Good post Walter!
This was my niche in 1979 - '80 when I was 21 years old.
After running Jonsereds 621 80 90s for 6 years prior there was a new futuristic saw on the market, a Jonsereds 910E.
It was 87cc and weighed 15 lbs, about a 1/2 lb heavier then todays 372XP. Best power to weight ratio big cube saw ever seen before.
Not until 7 years later was the title broken with the Stihl 064AV.
These were the days before Electrolux swallows up Jonsereds and there was a 100cc 910E in development. But of course as history goes a year later when Electrolux takes over... the 100cc prototype model was a threat to the sales of the company's poplar 99cc Husqvarna 2100...so the Jonsered 100cc was cancelled.
Anyway enough of the history of the saw. My history back then in 1979-80 goes like this with the 910E.
Some of my smallest timber like pictured below of small diameter black spruce that I cut for my skidder operator was put in the landing treelength limbed and topped at 3.5 inches.
These spruce in the pic were actually 35-40 feet after topped at 3.5". Wasn't alot of limbing as there wasn't many limbs when topped at 3.5".
This wood we made good money in because our IWA unionized pay rate went up for the shorter treelength wood to make a cord. Compensated for production lost in longer bigger diameter wood.
I was running the 910E with a 16 inch bar with 73LP chain. Cut the stumps near ground level for ease of the skidder. Just clean thick moss on the ground so chain stayed sharp for a long time. Just needed a light touchup at lunch break.
I would zip through the spruce and before it hit the ground I would throw it into straight laid and butt square bunches along my face of the strip. In this thick wood I could bunch up to 6 trees a bunch.
My skidder operator would be behind me back blading the limbs when I was topping .
Every load I was there to help my partner pull out the mainline and help him choke up right to the last choker.
Then the cycle started all over again.
Our smallest wood was 25-30 ft tree length and we had to hustle, our average scale in this wood in a 40 hour week was 150 cords (30 cords a day) over 500 trees a day.
Best 5 day 40 hour scale was 305 cords in bigger 50-55 ft and over wood piled at the landing.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21589/20171024_112400.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1508864864)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21589/20171024_105451.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1508864949)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21589/20171024_121108.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1508865136)
yeah buddy!!!! i bet a dollar for dollar a MOTIVATED chopper puts down more wood for less coin than a mechanical crew. i really get into the nuts and bolts of being efficient and find a certain satisfaction when your running your equipment at 100% efficiency and you got the right tool for the job. really good posts guys even if we are veering off a little lol. x2 on holmen trees posts at 35 im startin to feel it now :) bottom line: theres something to be said for small sharp saws and a good operator!
That's impressive holmen! I have had some good weeks in the past but I can't touch that especially in those little trees! I'd get over a hundred cord a week every now and then but it's rare and in big wood. Pinesfaller around here the most money you can make per dollar invested is one man 2 saws and a cable skidder. I have recently started to see this getting more mechnised.
Cut and skid in pine,spruce, fir takes a faller and skidder operator working as a team. Like I explained both guys help either out and with experience you can put up alot of wood.
I never logged hardwood but what I can see it would be slower going as limbing would become bucking.
In my logging area our ground is flat, very little slope and with -20 to -30 below F winters with 2 feet of snow really helps in the skidding and limbing department..
Our company had a policy each 2 man crew had to produce 20 cord a day in any size wood. But I had bad feelings for the company how they pushed the transition to mechanical harvesting in the early 1990's. They kept the cut and skid crews in the pulpwood and put the feller bunchers and grapple skidders in the saw log timber.
Then when the cut and skid crews were gone they were crying the bunchers couldn't cut the oversize wood so they brought some of the fallers back. And what a crock that was as the fallers were getting ripped off on their scale then ended up on hourly.
yep thats me or was anyhow, hand faller on a mechanical crew. now im the one guy, three saws and a cable skidder. ;D i do sub out for a tree company that pays me well to run their skidder/chop solo on urban logging jobs % or hourly depending on job. he keeps trying to get me on his tree crew full time, but i need the flexibility. i do miss the company. i do about 1-1.2 mbf or crd/hr with a 540 sized machine.