Early Xmas present

[D8Chumley]

I don't know if this is the right place to post this but here it is. I managed to talk the CFO into letting me upgrade my "big" saw from the Stihl 290 Farmboss with 20" bar to my new 391 with 20" bar. I got to use it for the first time today since I have been off this week due to the crappy weather. I have to say I was a little apprehensive, and in no way cocky with it. Its almost 1hp more than the 290 but it handles the 20" bar with ease, and this thing just plain rips! Cut a 15" cherry that fell last year and it made very quick work of it. Can't wait to see what it does in some hardwood, the 290 seemed to run out of power cutting some bigger hickory and oak (20+" thru) I got over the summer. Just thought I'd share as I'm super happy tonight, and still have all my digits intact

 

[Stax]

Now that's a Christmas gift!

 

[D8Chumley]

Got an ear-to-ear grin! My wife is pretty ok haha!

 

[Sinngetreu]

I don't know if this is the right place to post this but here it is. I managed to talk the CFO into letting me upgrade my "big" saw from the Stihl 290 Farmboss with 20" bar to my new 391 with 20" bar. I got to use it for the first time today since I have been off this week due to the crappy weather. I have to say I was a little apprehensive, and in no way cocky with it. Its almost 1hp more than the 290 but it handles the 20" bar with ease, and this thing just plain rips! Cut a 15" cherry that fell last year and it made very quick work of it. Can't wait to see what it does in some hardwood, the 290 seemed to run out of power cutting some bigger hickory and oak (20+" thru) I got over the summer. Just thought I'd share as I'm super happy tonight, and still have all my digits intact
View attachment 120392

Sweet Man! I'm working on my very own Christmas gift just like it.
I know how psyched I am about it, so I can only imagine how excited you are! Soak it in son, soak it in!
Great looking saw!

 

[D8Chumley]

There is a slight learning curve with this one. I tried to feather the throttle when starting my cut but it danced around a bit. Had to lay into it wfo or dig the dogs into the tree first. Needless to say I was being really careful

 

[Sinngetreu]

There is a slight learning curve with this one. I tried to feather the throttle when starting my cut but it danced around a bit. Had to lay into it wfo or dig the dogs into the tree first. Needless to say I was being really careful

I'm going to be going from a 36cc to a 60cc. I can only imagine the learning curve with that. Fortunately, I did order chaps that should be arriving tonight.


I did hear someone mention in a demo video that you should be hitting your log at full throttle. I tried that with the 32cc last weekend and it worked good for control getting into it. I'm hoping I heard that correctly otherwise I may be torturing my chains. I think it makes sense though.

 

[D8Chumley]

I have a small confession, yesterday was actually the first time I used it, about 20 minutes. Thats an 18" bar on it, came with it. I wanted a 20" so after I hit a rock in the snow cutting this yesterday

and boogering the chain I had to make a trip to my favorite saw shop today for the 20" bar and 3 new chains lol. You can see the pile of chips where I made the fatal cut. There was at least 6" of air under the log but when I worked 'er thru to the other side, bam! 1" either way I would have missed it. Classic "look before you..." well, cut in this case.

 

[D8Chumley]

That thing really "jumps" at full throttle, I'm not going to lie I was slightly nervous

 

[Sinngetreu]

You mean this isn't the first day you tried it? LIAR
I feel so betrayed.

That sucks that you hit the rock, but it was a pretty good excuse to upgrade. Its almost as though you tried to do that!

 

[D8Chumley]

Haha yeah, I'm sorry. I feel like a noob. But if you can't laugh at yourself, right? The first one I cut yesterday was another fallen cherry about 8ish inches, so does that really count?

 

[Sinngetreu]

That thing really "jumps" at full throttle, I'm not going to lie I was slightly nervous

Yeah, I probably wont go straight to that either.

 

[D8Chumley]

We will chalk it up as a learning experience I suppose

 

[Sinngetreu]

Haha yeah, I'm sorry. I feel like a noob. But if you can't laugh at yourself, right? The first one I cut yesterday was another fallen cherry about 8ish inches, so does that really count?

That's just clearing brush, so I say its just a warm up run. Breaking it in.

 

[Sinngetreu]

I feel like a noob.

I did mention that I was going from a 32cc to a 60cc right? Talk about noob!

 

[D8Chumley]

Yeah, my little saw is a 170. Looks like a 180 is right around 32cc. Be careful!

 

[Sinngetreu]

Yeah, my little saw is a 170. Looks like a 180 is right around 32cc. Be careful!

I'm not gonna lie, its going to be hard not to do the Tim Taylor grunt when I get it going for the first time.

 

[D8Chumley]

I hear that! I am old enough to know what that is, haha!

 

[D8Chumley]

What flavor do you run? I always liked Stihl but have buddies that are Husky guys. We harass each other frequently

 

[Sinngetreu]

What flavor do you run? I always liked Stihl but have buddies that are Husky guys. We harass each other frequently

I'm a Husky guy. Mostly budget based, but I do like the solid orange. I'm on track to get a Husky 555. It was a toss up between the 550xp and the 555 but the added cc's is winning. I have buddys that run Stihls too. Both top notch saws, but its hard to to fling a little crap from time to time. Especially when the Stihls get flooded.

 

[Jags]

Laying the bar on a log and then pulling the trigger can be hard on the clutches, fellas. Get that sucker spinning, then lay into it like you mean it. When you start running the bigger CC saws - always assume that the saw will take every opportunity to kill you. Keep your head and body in the game.

 

[D8Chumley]

Totally agree. I didn't start from a dead stop, moreso half throttle. It danced around and cut about 1" wide until I adjusted. Now bear in mind I only did this 2-3x before I figured it out. Then it was wfo

 

[Fifelaker]

Saws are made to run at either wide open or at idle. And their only goal is to cut off any thing they come in contact with and they don't care if it is wood or flesh.

 

[D8Chumley]

I'm well aware, thanks. Not my first saw, just a little bigger

 

[Beer Belly]

I remember last year when I upgraded from my trusty Craftsman 36cc to the Stihl Farmboss....the first time I layed that thing onto a log, it just about dragged my over....wasn't expecting that....now that I'm used to it, I'd love to go a few steps up, but can't really justify it....yet

 

[MofoG23]

You'll be fine and congrats on the new saw!

I made a similar jump from a Echo CS400 to my MS361....that was a great day in my history of wood burning!