Bought some accessories

[Flatbedford]

I sold my 029 over the weekend. Now that I have the 036, I couldn't see any reason to keep it around any more. It was not different enough from the 036 and once I went to a pro saw, well, those who have know... I still think that the 029/MS290 is an excellent, and capable firewood saw, it just became surplus for me.
I had some cash in my pocket so I stopped at my local Stihl dealer on the way home from work yesterday and picked up a spare 20" Stihl RSC chain and a 25" bar and RSC chain. I know that the 25" is on the edge of the 036's capabilities, but it will be fine for me on the rare occasions that I need it. As I told the dealer, I used my 029 with 20" bar for 15 years and was fine with that "overweight and underpowered" saw running it at the edge of its capabilities. You will never know you need a bigger, faster, more expensive saw than you have until you use one once.

I think it looks pretty cool with the big bar too!

I now have 16", 20", and 25" bars for this saw. Not sure if I'll ever put the 16" on it, but that's what I bought it with.

 

[smokinj]

Awesome Love the es bars!

 

[Kenster]

I run a 16 inch bar on my MS390 and love it. I haven't (yet) run into anything too big for the 16 inch to handle it - hitting from both sides. And it tears through all the oak I cut. I did recently buy a couple of RSC chains that I've not tried yet.

What is the ES bar and what makes it special?

 

[Flatbedford]

I have always run a 20" bar. Had one on my 029 for 15 years and bought one for this 036 too. I have been working on a monster Red Oak for a while now and it is just too darn big to easily cut with the 20" It is on a slight hill and climbing over it to work from the other side is tricky. I think the bigger bar will make it easier ans quicker for me. Cuts like this suck with only 20"

Here's what I still have to go back for.

 

[Flatbedford]

And did I mention that it looks real cool too?

Can't comment on the bar.

 

[smokinj]

Is that a skip chain?

 

[thewoodlands]

[quote author="Flatbedford" date="1319693989"]I have always run a 20" bar. Had one on my 029 for 15 years and bought one for this 036 too. I have been working on a monster Red Oak for a while now and it is just too darn big to easily cut with the 20" It is on a slight hill and climbing over it to work from the other side is tricky. I think the bigger bar will make it easier ans quicker for me. Cuts like this suck with only 20"


FBF, I can see why you went with the longer bar, nice size tree.


zap

 

[Flatbedford]

I bought a full chisel. My dealer did not have a skip chain. I'll see how it goes. The saw is an animal with a 20", so I'm thinking it may be slow, but not unbearably slow with 25".

 

[smokinj]

I bought a full chisel. My dealer did not have a skip chain. I'll see how it goes. The saw is an animal with a 20", so I'm thinking it may be slow, but not unbearably slow with 25".

Its going to come down to your touch....I always say its just feather the trigger. In this case it will be all about pressure. You can make it work very well. Kinda like fishing at this point just dont horse it. Advice from my uncle fishing on Lake Okeechobee. This will make you a better chain saw Operator. :lol: Will be like my 460 with a 32in. on it. When it gets buried in oak its a very light touch.

 

[Flatbedford]

Same way I ran my 029. Let the tool do the work.

 

[smokinj]

Same way I ran my 036. Let the tool do the work.

Oh that oak, 5 hours on the saw sure feels like you done the work...lol I anti-vibe up as-well.

 

[Flatbedford]

Same way I ran my 036. Let the tool do the work.

Oh that oak, 5 hours on the saw sure feels like you done the work...lol I anti-vibe up as-well.

I meant to say same way I ran my 029. Let the tool do the work.

 

[smokinj]

Same way I ran my 036. Let the tool do the work.

Oh that oak, 5 hours on the saw sure feels like you done the work...lol I anti-vibe up as-well.

I meant to say same way I ran my 029. Let the tool do the work.

I know..lol I done two big oaks now. One was 44 inchs and the other was 55 inchs. Both red and the 44 inch I bought a new 32 inch es bar for that one and the 55 I used the 880. Both days where the hardest days of wood cutting I have ever done. I think the 44 inch was harder with the 460. 880 really was just set it on there and let it eat, but it was a workout.

 

[Flatbedford]

I only cut about 1/3 cord per day on these. That's what fits in the pickup and what seems to be a manageable amount to cut, load, unload, split, load, and stack in a day or to do over two days. I spend a lot of time at work this time of year, so I have to break the work into smaller chunks.

 

[smokinj]

I only cut about 1/3 cord per day on these. That's what fits in the pickup and what seems to be a manageable amount to cut, load, unload, split, load, and stack in a day or to do over two days. I spend a lot of time at work this time of year, so I have to break the work into smaller chunks.

Thats a pretty monster load of oak doing it by yourself! To me even small splits seem very heavy after just an hour.

 

[Flatbedford]

Looks like this in the truck.

 

[smokinj]

Looks like this in the truck.

Yea that's some Big splits, and a good day!

 

[Flatbedford]

I bust 'em into quarters so I can lift them onto the truck and split to stove size when I unload at home.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Steve, I sure wish we had some oaks like that. Nice!