24" on a 550XP mk2

I think a 20" is best bet for the 550. I ran a 24" on an old 359XP every now and again. Worked pretty well. Screamed with the 18" on it.

How often is 20" not enough for what you want to do with it? If it might fill the gap, maybe 80% of the time, then just lug up the big saw the other 20% and enjoy the lighter saw most of the time. If you think it more like 30% of the time, get a 60-70cc saw.
 
ATH said:
I think a 20" is best bet for the 550. I ran a 24" on an old 359XP every now and again. Worked pretty well. Screamed with the 18" on it.

How often is 20" not enough for what you want to do with it? If it might fill the gap, maybe 80% of the time, then just lug up the big saw the other 20% and enjoy the lighter saw most of the time. If you think it more like 30% of the time, get a 60-70cc saw.
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That is a good point. Ohio and Minnesota are pretty similar in tree sizes, but where he is at things get a bit bigger. I could see where a 24" bar on a light saw would come in pretty handy for chunking down a stem.
I know I am waiting in the wings for a light saber to come along.
 
I think a 24” bar on a ported 550 in soft wood with sharp chain would be fine. Just a little slower than with a shorter bar. You’ll likely wear out av springs faster with the heavier setup on it but those can be replaced easy enough.

As far as the 500 vs 462 deal the 462 is kind of the redhead stepchild in the lineup. I’d skip it and the 362 as well. Run a 400 and a 500 as your bigger in tree saws. That is if you have to stick with Stihl. There are other good options from other brands of course.
 
Yea, the trees are like pyramids here, and I feel the 20" just doesn't get me far enough, relative to what I can get away with using a 16" on the 201. I have started trying to shave of as much weight as possible in every way I can think of. I strip my harness down after each climb and only take what I think I'll need. I don't know if that outfit will even be willing to buy a saw anytime soon, but I am gonna start using what I have, and like better, and see what it's like in practice.
 
Nobody want's to spend money...but how often would you use it? 2-3x per week? That is making things more efficient 2-3 days per week. That's real money. AND it's saving wear and tear on the other equipment that wouldn't be getting used. If you tell me you'll double the life of my $1600 saw in exchange for using an $800 saw you at least have my ear!
 
ATH said:
Nobody want's to spend money...but how often would you use it? 2-3x per week? That is making things more efficient 2-3 days per week. That's real money. AND it's saving wear and tear on the other equipment that wouldn't be getting used. If you tell me you'll double the life of my $1600 saw in exchange for using an $800 saw you at least have my ear!
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Thanks boss. I'll raise that point next time!
 
Barc Buster said:
I think a 24” bar on a ported 550 in soft wood with sharp chain would be fine. Just a little slower than with a shorter bar. You’ll likely wear out av springs faster with the heavier setup on it but those can be replaced easy enough.

As far as the 500 vs 462 deal the 462 is kind of the redhead stepchild in the lineup. I’d skip it and the 362 as well. Run a 400 and a 500 as your bigger in tree saws. That is if you have to stick with Stihl. There are other good options from other brands of course.
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A 462 is a very very good saw.....fuck red head stepchild. He is a bad ass apache bloodline child. I own the non Mtronic, and it is stock with a 25" bar. Eats hardwood going and coming.
 
islandarb said:
A 462 is a very very good saw.....fuck red head stepchild. He is a bad ass apache bloodline child. I own the non Mtronic, and it is stock with a 25" bar. Eats hardwood going and coming.
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It’s cool you like them. I won’t hold it against you;) Having the advantage of running the ported saws that I have I can’t agree with you for my personal taste. Saw preference is always going to be such a subjective thing.

Me I’m always grabbing something bigger or smaller than a 462. My ported 400 will out run a stock 462 and is significantly lighter. It’s also the smoothest saw I’ve ever run. For example, run a Dolmar 7900 ported or stock and it’ll make you forget all about a 462 or a 500i. To each their own I guess.
 
I have a ported 550, I’ve been wanting to put a 24” on it for some time. Just haven’t gotten around to it. I think for the dead pines we spend so much time taking down it would be worth it. I hate switching saws in the tree especially up high. And I hate the 20” bar. Just an awkward length for me.
 
chiselbit said:
I have a ported 550, I’ve been wanting to put a 24” on it for some time. Just haven’t gotten around to it. I think for the dead pines we spend so much time taking down it would be worth it. I hate switching saws in the tree especially up high. And I hate the 20” bar. Just an awkward length for me.
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I know you know exactly what I'm cutting, as we're in the same mountains, so I give some extra weight to your thoughts on this one. It's the switching saws mid stride that gets me too. I'm gonna slow roll it for now, and see if I can convince that crew to get us a mid size saw again. I think that bringing up the notion of extending the life of the 462 is a good and valid one.
 
I'm on my 2nd 550xp, both ported and 20" 3/8. New one is the mark 2. Both flat out own that 20" bar in any type of wood. I imagine they would pull a 24 in softer woods ok.

That being said, I usually go from a 020t with a 16" to a 24" on a 562xp, unless there's lots of 16-20" diameter cuts, I'd rather deal with a few extra pounds than be switching saws more often.

For the size increase you also get real felling dogs and a wrap handle (if you're into that sort of thing), which to me makes for less work setting up felling cuts aloft. Dog it in and let the tree hold the weight...

550 for me is a great crane saw where you need to scramble a bit setting slings, and is awesome on the ground. The MK 2 needs some real dogs though. I had an inner from a 560xp on my old one and it was good but would like to find duals for the newer one. Those westcoast one's are a little too rowdy when hanging on your belt.
 
Matias said:
Yea, the trees are like pyramids here, and I feel the 20" just doesn't get me far enough, relative to what I can get away with using a 16" on the 201. I have started trying to shave of as much weight as possible in every way I can think of. I strip my harness down after each climb and only take what I think I'll need. I don't know if that outfit will even be willing to buy a saw anytime soon, but I am gonna start using what I have, and like better, and see what it's like in practice.
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I used to go from my top handle with a 16", to a 550XP with an 18-20", and then to a 562XP with a 28". Now I am running a 540 MK3 (40cc's) with a 16" and going directly to a 562Xp (60cc's) with a 24". Love this setup. Both saw/bar combos have power and chain speed a gogo, and its one less saw in the rotation.
 
I like how you describe the trees there as pyramids. Pondo often feels like that but also the oaks you guys deal with there are built like a brick house. You take a few smaller diameter pieces of wood and all of a sudden you are in big wood and you are switching saws AGAIN. I personally run a Stihl 241 with an 18” bar when I take the top and for the first while with the wood. Even if it won’t reach all the way through I would rather give my arms a break instead of running a larger saw for as long as I can efficiently get away with it. For years and years the Stihl MS 362 was my go to in tree saw after I needed to bump up sizes and I was really into the wood. Now that I have a 500i with a lightweight 28” bar that is my go to in tree saw. More than enough power and plenty of bar without feeling unwieldy or awkward. Unless I’m dealing with wood over 36” I won’t switch to anything bigger in the tree.
 
Power is one part; EDIT: OILING, (originally mistyped 'pulling') is another part.


Be good at chasing cuts. I small bar stuff all the time. Do I lose more time and energy chasing a bit, or stopping the groundworker from producing, send down a saw, pull another up, and starting work again after (arbitrarily) 60 pulls on a rope to get the saw up to me, after ropes are tidied?

Magic Cuts are Sooo easy to chase.





I have 12", 14", 16" for top- handles, and 20", (24" might be nice) 28", 32", 36" and 42" bars.

My preference is not to use anything bigger than the 28" on an MS461 when I can get away with it. 20" on a 362 or 461 rips.
If I pick up a 400i, I'll consider buying a 24" light bar to add to the stable (normally I have a 20" and 28" on a 461 and modded 460, respectively).

The 460 and 461 rip with an 8 driver sprocket and 20" bar.

Ymmv.
0.02
 
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