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[atvalaska]

Bought an Efco165 4 year ago have cut put it through 300 cord so far liked it a lot so i though I might buy a spare went back to the saw shop that sold me this one and no more thanks to big brother EPA i have looked into the stihl might be next  but maybe I will find a leftover some where

   I use to get  Husqvarna/ sthilbut I did not" lifting weights" while out cutting !! >my Shindaiwa 488 got outlawed to......any time I ask for stuff for my 488 the "shop" wants to buy my banned saw !!  http://www.ebay.com/itm/Shindaiwa-488-Chainsaw-/331436891740?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d2b2d9e5c >>>>>  seems they have to much power and run the chain with amore torque..... .gov don't like ...so they banned them!!

[justinb]

I went through this same thought process this past summer.  I already had a smaller saw, and needed a larger one.  I ended up spending more than I wanted, but purchased a Stihl 461 with a 25" bar.  Not a day has gone by where I haven't been happy spending the money.  It cuts wood like a beast!!  It's heavy, but its a huge time saver. 

[juddspaintballs]

Bought an Efco165 4 year ago have cut put it through 300 cord so far liked it a lot so i though I might buy a spare went back to the saw shop that sold me this one and no more thanks to big brother EPA i have looked into the stihl might be next  but maybe I will find a leftover some where

   I use to get  Husqvarna/ sthilbut I did not" lifting weights" while out cutting !! >my Shindaiwa 488 got outlawed to......any time I ask for stuff for my 488 the "shop" wants to buy my banned saw !!  http://www.ebay.com/itm/Shindaiwa-488-Chainsaw-/331436891740?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d2b2d9e5c >>>>>  seems they have to much power and run the chain with amore torque..... .gov don't like ...so they banned them!!

I love those Shindaiwa 488's for a limbing saw.  We've got three of them and I run the snot out of them.  They run at near constant WFO until they run out of gas, then they go again all day long.  You're right, though.  You can't get them anymore.  I forget the comparable Husky XP version, but we've got a couple of those now.  They're just a wee bit faster with just as much torque but cost a bit more too. 

[intensedrive]

I run a Poulan Wild Thing..   People laugh but going strong for third year cutting...

[Jwood]

If you run a wild thing wait until you jump up to any saw with isolators you won't know why you didn't switch to the top 3 brands earlier.

[kommandokenny]

I never saw a yellow marked chain I work for the state dpw and they only use the green ones!

I never even heard of this colour coding , but I'm not in the wood cutting business.
Does this system of grading chains, exist in Canada?
I bought a chain last year and there was nothing on it except, STIHL??

Learn something new on here everyday 

kk

[lindnova]

I would recommend a 60-70cc saw.  They are a little heavier, but will cut so much faster and save you time.  I got by with the 260, but regret not getting a larger saw sooner.  I have a stihl 362 that does quite well for me, but am about ready to get a 460 for bigger wood and a little milling.

[D2082]

I went and picked up the saw today.  Got the 362 with a 20 inch bar.  I went ahead and got the yellow chain on it and an extra one as well.  I didn't get the quick stop or mtronic carb upgrades, just the standard 362.  I'm anxious to get this thing into some wood.   Question, the chain feels a little tight on the bar, what's the rule of thumb of chain tension?  Again, I'm pretty much a chainsaw rookie but have this one and the others I mentioned (Jred CS2150 and Husky 262xp) that were my Dads.  Not sure if I need to keep these others or sale 1 or both of them and get a smaller Stihl saw and maybe a larger 441 or 460?  Give me your all's opinions!  Thanks in advance

[Wood Nutt]

I have 6 saws from little light limbing saws up to a 660 Stihl.  If you are heating with wood, I would say keep at least one of them around for a spare.  If your main one goes down, its always a good plan for a backup!

[dukethebeagle]

from canada and never seen color coded chains!!!
just oregon or windsor or whatever u use

[Trint]

I never saw a yellow marked chain I work for the state dpw and they only use the green ones!

I never even heard of this colour coding , but I'm not in the wood cutting business.
Does this system of grading chains, exist in Canada?
I bought a chain last year and there was nothing on it except, STIHL??

Learn something new on here everyday 

Looks like you don't have the color coding up there, reference these two links from oregons catalog.
http://www.oregonproducts.com/pro/lookups/selguide.aspx?BusId=OCS&SellReg=USA&LangId=ENG  US
http://www.oregonproducts.com/pro/lookups/selguide.aspx?BusId=OCS&SellReg=CAN&LangId=ENG  CAN

Notice how the US one has colored triangles next to the chain description.
Edit tried the link you will have to put a saw in for it to work.


For the OP on chain tension read your book, mine say as long as you can drag the chain by hand with a good glove on its not too tight.
 

[juddspaintballs]

On a 16" bar or so, I like to be able to pull the center up about 3/8" and still be able to spin the chain by hand.  If the chain is new, I tighten it on a good bit more because I know it'll stretch.  For the home saw user, there's no reason to do that because you can stop and adjust it and pay better attention to it getting slack. 

Usually when I fire up the saw, it's WOT until it's out of fuel and I grab another or do a fast refill and keep going.  Throwing a chain really slows me down and I usually toss the saw aside and pick up a backup saw.  We try to take three identically setup saws to a job for each task (3 climbing saws, 3 limbing saws, 3 log saws, and at least 2 pole saws).  It's a great system where you can just throw aside a saw having a problem such as out of fuel, thrown chain, broken parts, not running right, crushed by a tree, etc. until you get to a convenient stopping point or the end of the job and can address the issue without holding up the job or getting frustrated with the saw.

 As a homeowner, I'd keep at least one backup saw for that reason as well because you never know when something is going to not work right on your new saw, but I can guarantee it'll be after the equipment store is closed on a holiday weekend with 12' of snow falling on the ground and you have three trees down across the driveway and you need to get out to buy your pregnant wife a jar of pickles or she's going to rip your nuts off for putting that wretched baby in her belly. 

[D2082]

JUDDSPAINTBALLS  haha great point!   I believe I'll hang on to the other saws I inherited and just figure out how much I use each of them and make that decision next year.  I took a couple pics of the new 362 today and am going to try and attach them here in a minute.   

[Wood Nutt]

if the bureaucrat regulators that dictate this say the green chain is good , yellow chain is bad (can't put it on a saw for the customer after all!) then a red chain must be pure evil    Anyone have any we can buy

[mlappin]

I would recommend a 60-70cc saw.  They are a little heavier, but will cut so much faster and save you time.  I got by with the 260, but regret not getting a larger saw sooner.  I have a stihl 362 that does quite well for me, but am about ready to get a 460 for bigger wood and a little milling.

I have a 362 as well as a 460, love both. Don't really notice the 460 being that heavy for the work it gets done.