Outdoor Wood Furnace Info
All-Purpose OWF Discussions => Equipment => Topic started by: chadley on January 25, 2012, 05:57:17 PM
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I just picked up my 562xp. They quoted me 680 and they gave me 60 for my saw and took the bar and chain off the new saw so that I could just put my brand new bar(s) I bought Friday on it. That nocked off another 87 dollars. Ended up costing me 571 after tax for a 750 dollar saw. I took it out to their log in the parking lot and its got some power. I can't wait to get it in the woods. I'll let you all know how well it works.
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Very nice saw. My brother in law has one but he grinds the chains on his saw to supposedly cut faster and it scares me to death.
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what do you mean "grinds the chains" He uses a grinder to sharpen them instead of a file? I've seen those "machine" style sharpeners. They're supposed to do a good job...
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He probably takes some off the rakers..... the part that sticks up in front off the cutter tooth that sets the depth of the cut. I do this to all my chains after second sharpening. If you go too far, sometimes the chain will bite too much and you have to get the chain "moving" before you lay it on the log, but you get a feel for how much pressure to put on the cut. My Husky 372xp can throw some chips with an 18" bar :thumbup:
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Yea the rakers........saw feels like it wants to fly out of the log and grabs very quick, feels like it wants to jump or kick back to me......bt it does fling some chips
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i'm new to sharpening my chains. I just bought a file/guide the other day to try my first chain when it goes dull. I've got some chains that have been resharpened a few times to practice on in case I screw them up. How do you file the rakers? Or do you? Or should I just leave those alone and sharpen the cutter teeth?
I can't wait to get out tomorrow and try the new saw out. I made two small cuts at the store before i took it home and at first feel, it didn't seem to cut any better than my 359. I'm sure once I get it in a big log and run it a while I will notice a difference.
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The correct way to file the drags/rakers is to use a guide. After you sharpen the cuter/tooth of the chain you put the drag guide across the cutter and the drag and you file the drag down untill the guide sits down correctly on both the drag and the cutter. Or as most people do is go by eye, thats the way I do it but you can make a chain very unsafe, not cut straight, or make it viberate you and your saw to peices if its not done correctly.
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Let us know how you like the 562 and how it compares to your 359. I have a 359 and like it allot but from what I have read, the new 562 is supposed to really be a powerhouse.
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By the way I almost smashed my 359 a couple weeks ago, I was cutting a dead old Maple, It was really windy and it sat back on me when I was almost done with my back cut and pinched the bar, I started walking up to the shop to get a pry bar, hammer and wedges, got about 50 yards away and felt the ground shake. I was afraid of what I would find as I walked back, luckily the wind must have died down at it fell the right way.
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Yoda,
I loved my 359 and it killed me to see it crushed. However, after picking up the 562, I'm happy I have it. It is a bad mamma jamma. I made two cuts with it at the shop before I left and honestly couldn't tell much of a difference from the 359. I was ready to be disappointed. Then I cut the same 3 ft diamter log that crushed my saw in 45 minutes and had it loaded and pulling out. I have since dulled my 24 in chain and run several tanks of gas through the 562 and it has been AWESOME! This evening I loaded my 3/4 ton ford as heavy as I could twice from 4-6 pm. That was cutting and loading by myself. Some of the logs I loaded were 200+ lbs each. That includes drive time 6 mi each way and unloading.
Simply put, it just cuts so much faster than the 359. There are a few MINIMAL downsides. It runs through the gas a lot faster than the 359 but to me is more efficient b/c it cuts so much faster. Second, when the chain goes dull, its dull. With the 359, I could make some "extra" cuts after the chain started dulling. Now, when the chain starts getting dull, the saw won't pull it very well. I'm goin to put that same chain back on and try on a different log and see what happens. It may have just been the hard white oak I was cutting. I don't know.
Having said all of this, I don't know that I would pay 750 for the saw over the 550 for the 359. There's a big difference but I don't know if there is a 200 dollar difference. Just my opinion. I guess if this saw lasts longer than my 359, it will be worth it. ;D
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How are you dulling chains so fast? I am very picky with mine and can often cut 10-12 loads before I ever touch it with a file.
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Scott,
I had already cut 3 loads of 3 foot diameter logs with the same chain on my 359. I just transferred it to the new saw when I got it. I cut another load of 3 foot diamter logs and a load of average size white oak logs. Cutting 3 ft diamter oak logs does a number on a chain. However, like I mentioned in my previous post, it may have just been the log I was cutting at that time. I am going to put it back on there and try it again. I had switched from cutting big logs (2ft diamter or bigger) to 15 in logs and didn't need a 24 in bar. A lot of different factors came into play on this situation.
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Chadley,
Not sure how big of a load you are cutting but that sounds about right. I cut mostly red oak and get about two chords per sharpening. I like to keep my saw very sharp and the first sign of hesitation, I go back to the file or switch out saws. If you don't let your chain go too dull its a lot easier sharpening. Ill touch mine up too during refueling.
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About the rakers...get yourself a guage. You need to touch them up on occasion, if they are off with a flat file.