I'm still running .325 with my 261cm. She revs too high for my liking with the stock chain in 20", so I tend to file the rakers a bit more. The larger diameter 3/8 sprocket will spin the chain at a higher RPM. I'm tempted to switch over... especially if I open up the muffler and port it. I cut mostly SPF
@@japoquet will do. You got me thinkin, I'm gonna try a .325 8 pin on this softwood, that'd probably mellow the saw out nicely without over filing the rakers
@@harryharry3193 I've put some miles on the stock setup and all I've changed is I sized up the file. The saw runs great bone stock. Mind you, I haven't been cutting 20 something inch logs since I originally posted
I was just about to tryout my 20" 3/8" bar on my ms261cm. I wonder what a 8 pin rim sprocket would do on the 20" bar. Good stuff man really enjoyed the video!
I was cutting some large ash last night and the 7 pin 3/8" 20" bar setup was working well until the wood diameter got into the 8-10" range. I like the reach of the longer bar, but I don't think the 261 is powerful enough for large diameter. I sharpen using the 2 in 1 and the rakers are set a little aggressively for hard woods. The 500i was ripping through the 24" ash though! If you try the 8pr lmk how it works!
Really you want to know what an 8 pin 3/8 sprocket would do on a stihl ms261 with a 20 inch bar . Simple the 261 50cc saw would never pull that unless you are cutting twigs or branches and as soon as you went into say something around 15inch or bigger in diameter the saw would just bog straight down as it doesn't have the torque. Even a 60cc saw would struggle unless you are talking about 3/8 pico you know the small size chain then it may be ok .
If that saw is too weak to pull 3/8 chain i' m not gonna buy one. I think the Saw needs to be tuned richer in under full load. That burns more fuel, makes more power and runs cooler.
I tried changing to 3/8 on my 261 and realized it was a waste of time. If I'm going to use a small saw. I just stick with my good old MS310 way better saw and more power.
I think you're probably right. I switched the saw back to the .325 for a while and now just switched it back to 3/8. I like the 3/8 chain for limbing, but when cutting larger diameter I understand what you mean about being a little too much work for the 261. I'm going to try setting the rakers higher and see if it still takes chips, but cuts easier. For the big stuff I use my big saw 500i. Thanks for your feedback
@@japoquet yeah, if you have a 500i as a second saw put the heavy lifting on that. Different saws, different uses. My other saw is a 462, that gets used for bigger work. I really wanted to grab a 500i, but they were unavailable when I picked up the 462 a few years ago.
My new Stihl 261 Non-Mtronic with 20” bar cuts at about 10.5-11.5K in the wood. I have a tach/hour meter on it. I run 32:1 mix. Runs great!
I'm still running .325 with my 261cm. She revs too high for my liking with the stock chain in 20", so I tend to file the rakers a bit more. The larger diameter 3/8 sprocket will spin the chain at a higher RPM. I'm tempted to switch over... especially if I open up the muffler and port it. I cut mostly SPF
I agree with you. Thanks for the feedback and sharing. LMK how the muffler mod and porting turn out.
@@japoquet will do. You got me thinkin, I'm gonna try a .325 8 pin on this softwood, that'd probably mellow the saw out nicely without over filing the rakers
@@harryharry3193 I've put some miles on the stock setup and all I've changed is I sized up the file. The saw runs great bone stock. Mind you, I haven't been cutting 20 something inch logs since I originally posted
@@harryharry3193 I told you, 'stock setup'
I was just about to tryout my 20" 3/8" bar on my ms261cm. I wonder what a 8 pin rim sprocket would do on the 20" bar. Good stuff man really enjoyed the video!
I was cutting some large ash last night and the 7 pin 3/8" 20" bar setup was working well until the wood diameter got into the 8-10" range. I like the reach of the longer bar, but I don't think the 261 is powerful enough for large diameter. I sharpen using the 2 in 1 and the rakers are set a little aggressively for hard woods. The 500i was ripping through the 24" ash though! If you try the 8pr lmk how it works!
Really you want to know what an 8 pin 3/8 sprocket would do on a stihl ms261 with a 20 inch bar . Simple the 261 50cc saw would never pull that unless you are cutting twigs or branches and as soon as you went into say something around 15inch or bigger in diameter the saw would just bog straight down as it doesn't have the torque. Even a 60cc saw would struggle unless you are talking about 3/8 pico you know the small size chain then it may be ok .
I’m a big fan of that Stihl sharpener
Agreed. It does a really nice job.
If that saw is too weak to pull 3/8 chain i' m not gonna buy one. I think the Saw needs to be tuned richer in under full load. That burns more fuel, makes more power and runs cooler.
If you still have that log, I would like to see the 500 make a cut.
That'll be a test for the next big tree that gets cut down!
I tried changing to 3/8 on my 261 and realized it was a waste of time. If I'm going to use a small saw. I just stick with my good old MS310 way better saw and more power.
.325 is the way to go on the 261. It’s not designed to pull 3/8, it will pull it but you’re going to shorten the life of your saw.
I think you're probably right. I switched the saw back to the .325 for a while and now just switched it back to 3/8. I like the 3/8 chain for limbing, but when cutting larger diameter I understand what you mean about being a little too much work for the 261. I'm going to try setting the rakers higher and see if it still takes chips, but cuts easier. For the big stuff I use my big saw 500i. Thanks for your feedback
@@japoquet yeah, if you have a 500i as a second saw put the heavy lifting on that. Different saws, different uses. My other saw is a 462, that gets used for bigger work.
I really wanted to grab a 500i, but they were unavailable when I picked up the 462 a few years ago.
@@lailer1975 that 462 is a great saw too. I had a 461 before I got the 500.