Stihl ms 361 bar size and more power

smith2bj · February 03, 2009, 04:02:15 PM

I have just bought the stihl ms 361 and love it. I cut wood for my house to heat with as well as cut lumber for making cabinets to building canoes and bows. I currently have a 20" bar on my saw and know that the biggest size that stihl recomends is a 25" bar. most of my cutting is hard woods like oaks, maples and others. I want to buy a bigger bar for the saw to cut bigger trees and was wondering if the saw would be able to run a 28" bar or if I should just go with a 25" bar? Like I said the bigger tree have been oaks mainly 3'-4' in diamiter. I was also wondering if there is anything that I can do to the saw to give it a little more power?

Maineloggerkid · February 03, 2009, 04:54:47 PM

I think that if you are cutting trees that big, you might want to look at a bigger saw. The saw has enough power to do the job with a 24" bar, but it sounds like you really want to be able to run a longer bar. I can understand that, because I like to have a long bar in big trees ,too. If it were me, I would look at the 460 stihl. You ought to be able a 30" bar on that without too much problem.

I was just drooling over a MS660 with full wrap bars and a 25" bar today. I'm subconsiously trying to find a reason to get this saw.

cheyenne · February 03, 2009, 06:57:43 PM

Maineloggerkid.....Because it will make you happy smiley_bouncing_pinky smiley_blue_bounce

go for it.....Cheyenne

Maineloggerkid · February 03, 2009, 07:24:29 PM

I like the way you think. ;D

cheyenne · February 03, 2009, 07:28:01 PM

Been to the Chocolate Moose yet.....Cheyenne

Maineloggerkid · February 03, 2009, 07:45:39 PM

Not yet, but I will be going by next week. Might have to stop in.

cheyenne · February 03, 2009, 07:52:49 PM

The girls from the home will be waiting for you 8)...Cheyenne

sawmilllawyer · February 04, 2009, 12:05:21 AM

Stihl claims you can run up to a 32" bar on the 460, without problems. Personally if I needed a bar longer than 24" on the 361 I would get a bigger saw. Just my 0.02.

park ranger · February 04, 2009, 02:05:03 AM

I have a 361 with the 20" and it just feels like it wouldn't have the power for any longer bar. I run a couple of saws at work,a 029 and a 044. The 029 has a over long bar (25"?) and it just dogs down and can't cut at the right rpm. I'm happy as a clam at high tide with the 361.

smith2bj · February 04, 2009, 04:39:14 PM

Do you think though more just for falling a tree that the 361 could run the 28" or would you go with the 25" bar. R ???ight know I dont have enough money to spend on getting another saw like that but so thats why I am looking at a big bar?

Tom Sawyer · February 04, 2009, 04:49:36 PM

Falling a tree is the time when I would most want to have enough saw for the job.

Tom

Cut4fun · February 04, 2009, 06:04:47 PM

I know where there is a used 460 that would cost alot less then the new 361 cost you. If interested let me know in a pm and I will get you more info. I have bought 4 saws off this guy and he is a straight shooter.

I tried a 32" 3/8 on the 361 with full skip chain in 23" spruce softwoods once for just to see. Stock 361 oiler wouldn't oil enough, you would have to upgrade the oiler to a 460 oiler parts.

The 361 needs a simple muffler mod (open it up so it can breath) and break in time to see its potential.

smith2bj · February 04, 2009, 08:11:48 PM

i might be its going to depend on the cost right now. i am getting married this june so i dont have alot of free money laying around. plus i just bought the 361 new. what do you have to do with the muffler that i hear people talk about?

Cut4fun · February 05, 2009, 02:28:26 PM

Got a email today. 460 is gone. Sent a pm with other info.

chevytaHOE5674 · February 05, 2009, 07:51:01 PM

I've ran my 25" and 32" bars on my 361 with full skip chain just to see what it was like. In hardwoods the saw doesn't have the grunt to pull those length bars IMO. I leave the 18" or 20" on the 361 because it has the grunt to pull it. It will pull a 25" in softwoods pretty well though.

If your needing to continuously cut 40"+ trees then you need a bigger saw than the 361.

SawTroll · February 21, 2009, 12:37:59 PM

Quote from: sawmilllawyer on February 04, 2009, 12:05:21 AM
Stihl claims you can run up to a 32" bar on the 460, without problems. Personally if I needed a bar longer than 24" on the 361 I would get a bigger saw. Just my 0.02.

Agree, even a 20" bar is 70cc territory, imo!

Surely the 361 can do it, and a 24" with skip chain - but why tax the poore saw with that - balances much better on a 70cc saw as well....... ;)

Al_Smith · February 21, 2009, 12:55:17 PM

It will pull a 28" but it won't be blessed with a lot of power if the whole thing is buried .

A 60 cc saw will pull a 20" just as well as it does a 16" . With Stihl though you run out of ability to oil after the bar length gets too long .

For example my 048"s will pull a 32 with no problem but the oil is lacking . I can pull a 28" on an old Mac PM 610 .It oils just fine but lacks the power to run that long of a bar .