The 460 series of stihl saws are legendary, more guys i know keep their 461-2’s and use them more than 500i..i own both and think they each have their place in felling.
I agree with you. I have a 660. It's not about speed. It's more about having torque and not having to scream the hell out of the thing. High chain speeds creates heat and wear. A 660 will happily chug away at half throttle all day.
Johns custom saws here on you tube is a stihl porter. On one of his videos were he was discussing the different models he said the 661 is the least optimized of the stihl line. They left plenty of room for improvement. On the flip side I have heard him say that he would never recommend milling with a ported saw. So maybe they designed the 661 to be more reliable in that application.
I have really enjoyed Johns videos, unfortunately he has not posted in a year. He said he was sick, and I hope he is recovering and will be able to post again. If not, he is greatly missed!
Hi and thanks for sharing - appreciated. 6 mins in. I put the times into a spreadsheet and they form a fairly smooth line - the more powerful saws being progressively quicker ... except for the 500 and 661. This indicates some other variable(s) threw out those results. The 462 result fits the pattern from the 3 smaller saws before it so it seems to be a sweet spot of time and fuel efficiency in such use. After viewing it all Thanks for further testing to try and sort out anomalies and doing a more demanding test on the big saws with comparison to 462. Cheers sincerely d
I love that you put it in a spreadsheet! Please keep watching this video or skip to the poplar log cut. I put a 28" bar and chain on the 462, 500, and 661. The "sweet" spot changed saws!
Hi@@TheIndependentTinker Yeah, kept watching. The 500i performed better in bigger wood than the 462. Liked your discussion about big saw for bigger diameter wood - suit the tool to the task which we can only do best when we know enough. So thanks again for sharing. Cheers sincerely d
462c is okay. But I hate my 500i. In my opinion, and I used to be a big-time Stihl guy, they fell behind Husky when the 441 came out and they have never caught back up. Although I will say the 462c cuts about the same as a 572xp, but is nowhere near as durable. And I have tortured them all for 30 years. Ported and stock..
@TheIndependentTinker Hard starts, no more power than 462c or 572xp but much more weight, lazy and 4-strokish. This one is my second, and they both were the same. My 592xp is way stronger but weighs a tad more. I have 044 mags and 372s that are much stronger, but they are ported, of course. But I have video on here of a couple hundred dollars stock 395 Holzforma whipping up on my first fifteen hundred dollar 500i. I am a little bitter at Stihl, I must say over the path they took when they went to the saws ending in 1, and their ridiculous prices too. I once was a firm Stihl guy. Also, I think all their pro saws are made in South America now, but not 100% sure of that.
I'm glad that there is competition in the chainsaw market. That should cause the manufacturers to make a better product. In my opinion Stihl may be setting themselves up for some great saws in the future, but we will have to wait and see. All my Stihl Pro saws have "Made in Germany" on them, except the 261 which is made in Virginia Beach. Thanks for sharing!
@TheIndependentTinker im not sure what the deal on them being made in Brazil is, but when there was such a shortage of saws during the flu season of 2020, 21 and a good while after, the Stihl dealer I have used for years told me that they were making them in Brazil now, and thats why they couldn't hardly get them, because South America was almost shut completely down. Maybe it was just parts being made there, Idk. There is an abundance of the minerals used to make the crankcase alloy down there. I know that 395 Huskies say made in Brazil now. Another thing that irritated me about Stihl is when they went away from 440, 460, 660, etc. it was because new epa regulations required chainsaw manufacturers to make either their commercial line, or their homeowners line meet all 100% of small engine emissions standards. Husqvarna chose to trash their homeowners line while Stihl trashed the commercial line. I guess to the average joe that matters not, but as a years long daily user of Stihl saws I didn't like that at all. And I know that for a fact, because the Mid Atlantic Stihl safety rep was at the dealer one day when I was there, and he stated that. He didn't like it much either. Bottom line is they are both mega corporations, and we are just a number to them. So we just pick whichever evil we prefer I guess.
Thanks for the info, that is quite a lot you shared with us! I would guess it is the parts being made in Brazil. I've heard that the Husky 395 production has ended, I don't know if that's true. I did wonder if it was EPA and Euro regulations that has made long term users upset. Like most government emissions regulations, the manufacturers have a difficult time meeting them. Eventually they figure out how to meet them and bring back the power and reliability. I'm not condoning government emissions regs, just making a comment on them. With the 500i, I've heard hard starts usually come from not letting the saw idle before shutting it down. I've always let it idle a few seconds before shutting it off, and I've never experienced a hard start with the 500i.
for your question how big tree diameter for wich saw. My opinion is saw CC=maximum bar leinght for full comp chains. Here in europe you cannot buy full skip chain. And here trees are not that big 28inch tree is a big tree in europe. And here people using lets say 500i have maximum 20inch bars felling up to let say 50inch trees at ground level where tree roots are. felling trees cutting at ground level into roots is a whole different game than cutting high stumps or bucking logs, cutting branches or milling so finding optimal saw for your need is a must.
Thank you for that perspective. Do you mean engine CC = maximum bar length in centimeters? That does seem to be a good approximation. I love using the 881 to flush large diameter stumps at ground level. Anytime the grain pattern is not parallel, it is harder to cut through. Hopefully this video series helps a person pick the right saw for their application.
G'day, The MS661 has the most time on it you said and the carby has never been touched. If I were you I'd take it into your Stihl dealer and get them to reset the high jet, as they wear in that goes down, then do another test.
Thanks for the knowledge, that may become another test. With the 28" bar on the poplar log the 661 was just behind the 462, if the trend continues the 661 would be faster than the small saws with a longer bar cutting near full bar length. If I notice the 661 power is falling off I will definitely check into that. This comparison test is teaching me quite a bit. Thanks again!
The bottom line in my opinion are chainsaws are not meant to mill wood….buy a legit wood mill… These saws are for felling and bucking…and they are going to behave entirely different in doing that job than what youve shown here. Alaskan mills are incredibly inefficient and youre burning up your equipment milling a few logs…i would never buy a used milling saw, ever… I run a 661 and 500i on big eastern hardwoods, they cut through like butter, my everyday saw is an old 461. This test also has to do most with 1) brand new chains 2) if not new, were they identically sharpened?
I agree, the best option is to buy a bandsaw sawmill. I can't afford one of those at this time, so I use chainsaws. Chainsaw milling does have a place for some people, which is why the Alaskan sawmill was invented. One doesn't need extremely heavy equipment to move a large log to a sawmill, it can be cut in place on the ground. After making these videos and looking at the results, I wonder if the saws behave differently. Perhaps this is for another series of videos: Does it matter if the saw is bucking or milling, as long as it has the correct chain for the job? Is the length of the bar matched to the correct powerhead and chain more important than the type of sawing being done? Information about the chains and sharpening is in the videos. Thanks for the comments, it may lead to new tests.
The 500i is computer controlled fuel injection. The only M-tronic saws in the test were the 362C and 400C. Interestingly the most fuel efficient saw in this test was carbureted.
They're all carbureted execept for the 500i,,, emphasis on the (i); the M-tronic saws (or Auto-tune from Husky) have a microprocessor that adjust the carburetor without human intervention.
Interesting results, thanks for sharing ! I'm thinking getting a Stihl 400 , will that saw be able to oil a 25' bar sufficiently??? There r a lot of conflicting opinions on UA-cam! Kindly let me know what you think, Gunter
I have a 400 and run a Cannon 24" bar and my brother has a Stihl 25" bar on his 400. Not sure if it's because we run Amsoil Semi-Synthetic bar and chain oil, but our 400s oil a 25" bar and chain just fine. Make sure you turn up the oil feed amount on the bottom of the saw. FYI the Cannon and Stihl bars use the same number drive links on the chain, so they are the same length.
The 460 series of stihl saws are legendary, more guys i know keep their 461-2’s and use them more than 500i..i own both and think they each have their place in felling.
I am very impressed with the 462. I look forward to using it more.
I agree with you. I have a 660. It's not about speed. It's more about having torque and not having to scream the hell out of the thing. High chain speeds creates heat and wear. A 660 will happily chug away at half throttle all day.
You make a good point about higher chain speeds. Thank you for commenting.
Johns custom saws here on you tube is a stihl porter. On one of his videos were he was discussing the different models he said the 661 is the least optimized of the stihl line. They left plenty of room for improvement. On the flip side I have heard him say that he would never recommend milling with a ported saw. So maybe they designed the 661 to be more reliable in that application.
I have really enjoyed Johns videos, unfortunately he has not posted in a year. He said he was sick, and I hope he is recovering and will be able to post again. If not, he is greatly missed!
Hi and thanks for sharing - appreciated.
6 mins in.
I put the times into a spreadsheet and they form a fairly smooth line - the more powerful saws being progressively quicker ... except for the 500 and 661. This indicates some other variable(s) threw out those results.
The 462 result fits the pattern from the 3 smaller saws before it so it seems to be a sweet spot of time and fuel efficiency in such use.
After viewing it all
Thanks for further testing to try and sort out anomalies and doing a more demanding test on the big saws with comparison to 462.
Cheers
sincerely
d
I love that you put it in a spreadsheet! Please keep watching this video or skip to the poplar log cut. I put a 28" bar and chain on the 462, 500, and 661. The "sweet" spot changed saws!
Hi@@TheIndependentTinker
Yeah, kept watching. The 500i performed better in bigger wood than the 462. Liked your discussion about big saw for bigger diameter wood - suit the tool to the task which we can only do best when we know enough. So thanks again for sharing.
Cheers
sincerely
d
Well put! I enjoyed making the videos.
Cheers
462c is okay. But I hate my 500i. In my opinion, and I used to be a big-time Stihl guy, they fell behind Husky when the 441 came out and they have never caught back up. Although I will say the 462c cuts about the same as a 572xp, but is nowhere near as durable. And I have tortured them all for 30 years. Ported and stock..
Glad you're happy with Husky, I'm not trying to convert anyone on saws, just oils. Just curious, what do you hate about the 500i?
@TheIndependentTinker Hard starts, no more power than 462c or 572xp but much more weight, lazy and 4-strokish. This one is my second, and they both were the same. My 592xp is way stronger but weighs a tad more. I have 044 mags and 372s that are much stronger, but they are ported, of course. But I have video on here of a couple hundred dollars stock 395 Holzforma whipping up on my first fifteen hundred dollar 500i. I am a little bitter at Stihl, I must say over the path they took when they went to the saws ending in 1, and their ridiculous prices too. I once was a firm Stihl guy. Also, I think all their pro saws are made in South America now, but not 100% sure of that.
I'm glad that there is competition in the chainsaw market. That should cause the manufacturers to make a better product. In my opinion Stihl may be setting themselves up for some great saws in the future, but we will have to wait and see. All my Stihl Pro saws have "Made in Germany" on them, except the 261 which is made in Virginia Beach. Thanks for sharing!
@TheIndependentTinker im not sure what the deal on them being made in Brazil is, but when there was such a shortage of saws during the flu season of 2020, 21 and a good while after, the Stihl dealer I have used for years told me that they were making them in Brazil now, and thats why they couldn't hardly get them, because South America was almost shut completely down. Maybe it was just parts being made there, Idk. There is an abundance of the minerals used to make the crankcase alloy down there. I know that 395 Huskies say made in Brazil now. Another thing that irritated me about Stihl is when they went away from 440, 460, 660, etc. it was because new epa regulations required chainsaw manufacturers to make either their commercial line, or their homeowners line meet all 100% of small engine emissions standards. Husqvarna chose to trash their homeowners line while Stihl trashed the commercial line. I guess to the average joe that matters not, but as a years long daily user of Stihl saws I didn't like that at all. And I know that for a fact, because the Mid Atlantic Stihl safety rep was at the dealer one day when I was there, and he stated that. He didn't like it much either. Bottom line is they are both mega corporations, and we are just a number to them. So we just pick whichever evil we prefer I guess.
Thanks for the info, that is quite a lot you shared with us! I would guess it is the parts being made in Brazil. I've heard that the Husky 395 production has ended, I don't know if that's true.
I did wonder if it was EPA and Euro regulations that has made long term users upset. Like most government emissions regulations, the manufacturers have a difficult time meeting them. Eventually they figure out how to meet them and bring back the power and reliability. I'm not condoning government emissions regs, just making a comment on them.
With the 500i, I've heard hard starts usually come from not letting the saw idle before shutting it down. I've always let it idle a few seconds before shutting it off, and I've never experienced a hard start with the 500i.
for your question how big tree diameter for wich saw. My opinion is saw CC=maximum bar leinght for full comp chains.
Here in europe you cannot buy full skip chain. And here trees are not that big 28inch tree is a big tree in europe. And here people using lets say 500i have maximum 20inch bars felling up to let say 50inch trees at ground level where tree roots are. felling trees cutting at ground level into roots is a whole different game than cutting high stumps or bucking logs, cutting branches or milling so finding optimal saw for your need is a must.
Thank you for that perspective. Do you mean engine CC = maximum bar length in centimeters? That does seem to be a good approximation. I love using the 881 to flush large diameter stumps at ground level. Anytime the grain pattern is not parallel, it is harder to cut through. Hopefully this video series helps a person pick the right saw for their application.
G'day, The MS661 has the most time on it you said and the carby has never been touched. If I were you I'd take it into your Stihl dealer and get them to reset the high jet, as they wear in that goes down, then do another test.
Thanks for the knowledge, that may become another test. With the 28" bar on the poplar log the 661 was just behind the 462, if the trend continues the 661 would be faster than the small saws with a longer bar cutting near full bar length. If I notice the 661 power is falling off I will definitely check into that. This comparison test is teaching me quite a bit. Thanks again!
No worries IVe set them by ear on the job to get finished then had them set by Stihl and I'm usually about 50/100 rpm out .
The bottom line in my opinion are chainsaws are not meant to mill wood….buy a legit wood mill…
These saws are for felling and bucking…and they are going to behave entirely different in doing that job than what youve shown here.
Alaskan mills are incredibly inefficient and youre burning up your equipment milling a few logs…i would never buy a used milling saw, ever…
I run a 661 and 500i on big eastern hardwoods, they cut through like butter, my everyday saw is an old 461.
This test also has to do most with 1) brand new chains
2) if not new, were they identically sharpened?
I agree, the best option is to buy a bandsaw sawmill. I can't afford one of those at this time, so I use chainsaws. Chainsaw milling does have a place for some people, which is why the Alaskan sawmill was invented. One doesn't need extremely heavy equipment to move a large log to a sawmill, it can be cut in place on the ground.
After making these videos and looking at the results, I wonder if the saws behave differently. Perhaps this is for another series of videos: Does it matter if the saw is bucking or milling, as long as it has the correct chain for the job? Is the length of the bar matched to the correct powerhead and chain more important than the type of sawing being done?
Information about the chains and sharpening is in the videos.
Thanks for the comments, it may lead to new tests.
Were these all carburetor saws or Mtronic? Maybe the 500i mtronics have something to do with it.
The 500i is computer controlled fuel injection. The only M-tronic saws in the test were the 362C and 400C. Interestingly the most fuel efficient saw in this test was carbureted.
They're all carbureted execept for the 500i,,, emphasis on the (i); the M-tronic saws (or Auto-tune from Husky) have a microprocessor that adjust the carburetor without human intervention.
@@zacharybennett3249 obviously I meant mtronic or non-mtronic I just couldn’t think of how to properly say that at the time haha
Interesting results, thanks for sharing ! I'm thinking getting a Stihl 400 , will that saw be able to oil a 25' bar sufficiently??? There r a lot of conflicting opinions on UA-cam!
Kindly let me know what you think, Gunter
My pleasure, thank you for watching!
No way, it will not be able to oil a 25’ bar
I have a 400 and run a Cannon 24" bar and my brother has a Stihl 25" bar on his 400. Not sure if it's because we run Amsoil Semi-Synthetic bar and chain oil, but our 400s oil a 25" bar and chain just fine. Make sure you turn up the oil feed amount on the bottom of the saw. FYI the Cannon and Stihl bars use the same number drive links on the chain, so they are the same length.
I run a 25in bar on my 400 and it works fine. I tried a 28in bar and it will not oil it enough. I run a 28in on my 462 and it works great.
Stihl recommends 16-25" bar on the 400. Obviously, turn the oiler all the way up if you wish to run a 25" bar.