not sure I am an expert in either but I know enough in both to be reasonably useful.

The reason to sharpen the cutters " backwards " is that you don't pull as big of a burr on the edge. That burr will fold over and break off and if unlucky, the next tooth is going to catch it and get dull. but even after it breaks off, the cutting edge is going to be thicker than a cutter that has been sharpened towards the tooth and not away from it.
You don't sharpen knives by drawing the blade over a stone. You push it and that is the same exact reason.

That is also why the more expensive Oregon chain grinder has a switch on it that lets it run in both directions. So you can run the wheel towards the cutter while grinding.

I'll throw another thought into the equation. I for one like to run a larger saw. My go to is my Stihl 661 somewhat tunes up. Depending on what I am doing, it either wears a 24" or a 36" bar. The longer bar is mainly for bucking as I don't like to work bent over. The short bar is for felling and limbing. Some say that is a way to heavy saw for what I do with it. But that thing will cut a cord of fire wood in half the time that your average 50 + cc saw will. So the folks with the smaller saws are still bent over and cutting by the time I am on my second beer. Now if I had to swing a saw for 8 hours a day and got paid by the hour, I would pick something smaller and lighter as well. Here I pick out a tree, fell it then cut it up for lumber and firewood. The quicker I can work that tree down, the quicker I can get on with other things .... like posting Bs on here for example.

Knowing you ya worked the cyl too.
First one those I ran about 30 yrs ago was at a mill bucking ends and flares.
It was 72cc and I about crapped myself lol.

You guys can come over and race anytime.

The other thing so you don't have to bend over as much is use an extension saw for limbing once the tree is down.

Poulan Wild Thing is the best by far.

I do almost the exact opposite with my 2166 when I am felling if I have a tree wider then the 24 inch bar I will put my longer bar on so that I don't have to do as much cutting from both sides.

I figure long bar for felling , shorter bar for bucking because even a 44 in log can be bucked by a 24 inch bar

I stand and hook the bar over the log so that it is near vertical , and let-her rip and it is almost entirely cut by the weight of the saw this cuts the track for the bar to follow and my rounds stay 16 inches instead of wandering I will go through and make a bunch of these cuts about 3/4 of the way through so I never get the bar in the dirt.

then with a bunch or rounds 3/4 cut through might be a couple three tanks of gas in by this point and on the same chain still because no dirt I will either cut though and roll the log over with the cant hook or tractor
or if that isn't an option , if do hit dirt and dull the chain I have almost all the wood cut through going fast or I can even finish up with the 2255 the kerf is the same

18 inch chains are about 20 dollars
24 inch chains are about 25
32 inch chains are about 35

and 18 inch chains sharpen a lot faster if I am going to play in the dirt

however in 20 more years I might be right there with you standing with the long bar not worrying about using up my 70 dollar chains (figuring inflation)

Does it come in one of those cool reusable blister packs ??

a friend bought one , we found we could over heat it in less than a tank of gas so he took it back and got a poulan pro well we didn't have to stop cutting as often but it had issue also so he took it back and they couldn't seem to get the oiler to work , they eventually did and found it was a clogged vent

but by that point he had a Husky and was happy with that.

Yup I ported it and emptied the muffle of all things that did not need to be in there to make it breathe out easier. This one has 91cc and I love it. Whenever I pick up a smaller saw, I think there is something wrong with it because they cut so slow.
I have not picked up the 380 clone in over a year and the little husky I only use for trail maintenance when I have to walk a lot and cut overhead. For everything else from felling to milling with the alaska frame, its all done with the 661
I thinned out a bunch of saplings the other day and slapped the 36" bar on it for that as well. The missus used the weed whacker with a circular saw blade on it to help.

Yes for larger trees i put the 36" bar on it as well so I can just cut from one side if possible, lazy guy that I am.
I do use the light weight bars from Tsumura 36" and Sugihara24" and found that it makes a heck of a difference regarding balance and handling of the saw.

pete I buy the chain on spools and make my own loops. So I am not sure what a 18 - 24 or 36" loop costs. I just get another spool when I run out

Just got a call from the dealer. My 545 Husky had low compression so they pulled the head. Engine was basically toast. They said only two things could have caused it, not enough lubrication or improper air. I know it wasnt the oil so it had to be the air. He said the carb was leaking a bit of fuel but because of the electronics they cant do a dunk test. My question was could the cold mess up the electric fuel/air mixture. He said he didnt know.....anyway warranty is going to cover the repairs.

Another friend had similar problems with the same saw in the cold. Back to Stihls for me.

Im pretty sure you just toss it in the trash after a couple cuts if you gever get it to run.

In some of those cases, the chain has a longer life expectancy than the saw itself.

Was that a dealer???

The 545 is notorious for stuck ring and loss of compression. I believe that is an issue because of tuning. You don't see it on the 550 that is set up for logging, the 545 is tuned for making blocks. Those carbs are effected by cold and hot they self adjust (autotune). This guy is a total knuckle head. All he has to do is plug it into the computer and it will tell him everything about that saw. It will throw a code for why the engine is bad (code 14 if my memory serves me is a air leak that wrecks the motor was more common in the 562).

I've literally rebuilt or worked on thousands of small carbs and I can't think of one autotune or Mtronic that had to be dunked to check for leaks. If anything leaks it's the electonic meter valve and it floods the motor (and throws a code for too much fuel).




The new computerized saws are some of the best saws ever made. There is a bit of a learning curve on the starting procedure. Many people don't understand just how smart these saws really are. I can run my MS400 in any weather and never think about adjusting the carb ever. The biggest hang up people have is starting them after several months of non use. Imagine you finish cutting your firewood in december at 30 degrees and put the saw away. Now it's july and a storm has left a tree for you to clean up. That saw is still programed to be running at 30 degrees not 90, and it takes it a minute to readjust to that. They also have built in factory resets that you can learn to do by reading the owners manual.

Yes the new Poulans are crap today, but back in the day when Poulan was an American company, Poulan made some (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) fine saws. I still have some older Poulans that will cut with any modern Stihl or Husky.

Youll wear your arm out 'poulan' on one of those...:)

Yes that was the dealer. Good to know that about the 545. I will get rid of it. Im not sure I agree with you about the new saws though. I use a chainsaw almost daily and used to log professionally and Ive never had an issue with the old standard carb saws in any weather.

I was on the fence with the electronic tuning carbs at frost as well. having ran this 661 now for 3 years, I don't think I'll get one with a normal carb again. Start it, let it run for a little while to warm up and start cutting. never so much as a hiccup ... It does not matter if I use it up here or take it down to the coast with me, cold or hot weather. It never misses a beat. When i wear this one out, I'll get the same again and tune it the same way. The big dolmar I had way back when. I had to have a screw driver in my shirt pocket to tweak the thing depending on the phase of the mood, humidity and temperature ... When the thing was in tune it was a beast. when not it was a nightmare. This one on the other hand always seems to be in a good mood

I have one auto tune saw.
I jumpered it to the truck computer and it threw a knuckle head code.
If I buy another it might be the husky 550.

I do wish I could read the codes,
but I was that kid that tore lawn mowers apart for fun.

It sounds like these computerized chainsaws may suit my needs fairly well. Because I run a chainsaw year around. When I am not making firewood, I prune trees and cut brush.