New Stihl Equipment

[Hammermechanicman]

That file is your friend. I charge $7 to sharpen a chain and i think i do a fair job. One dealer near me must give the chains to the dumbest guy in the shop the way they butcher them. I have about a dozen chains that fit both my big saws so when i go out i just swap out dull chains.

 

[cruzenmike]

That file is your friend. I charge $7 to sharpen a chain and i think i do a fair job. One dealer near me must give the chains to the dumbest guy in the shop the way they butcher them. I have about a dozen chains that fit both my big saws so when i go out i just swap out dull chains.

My dealer charges half the length. So on an 18" blade I was paying $9 to have it sharpened. I never really had a problem with the job that they did, but it would always seem to dull quickly. It is surprising that even running the file just one stroke through each tooth can instantly improve the cut quality. Having the Stihl sharpener, I hope to just keep sharpening while the chain is on the bar and reserve my second, new chain for if I end up breaking a chain or if sharpening is no longer improving cut performance.

 

[Hammermechanicman]

Most pro fallers will hit a chain for 2 or three strokes as soon as they feel the chain dulling. Looks like you have it figured out. ??

 

[bertsmobile1]

My dealer charges half the length. So on an 18" blade I was paying $9 to have it sharpened. I never really had a problem with the job that they did, but it would always seem to dull quickly. It is surprising that even running the file just one stroke through each tooth can instantly improve the cut quality. Having the Stihl sharpener, I hope to just keep sharpening while the chain is on the bar and reserve my second, new chain for if I end up breaking a chain or if sharpening is no longer improving cut performance.

Do it like Hammer suggest
Get several chains, sharpen them and store them in an ice cream tub with a good lid, UNDER OIL .
When the blade is dull or the petrol tank needs refilling, whichever comes first flip the bar and drop on a fresh chain
Toss the old chin into the dull ice cream tub , to be washed sharpened and put back into the sharp tub at your leasure .
I use an old billy can with a tight lid 1/2 full of kerrosene for the blunt chains .
That way you not only always have a fresh chain that is fully oiled on hand you also get exceptionally good life out of your guide bars and sprockets.
Hang the chain for 10 minutes befor sharpening and it will be clean & dry which is good for both grinders & files .
Customers chains get a 2 angle cut but my own get a 3 angle cut
It makes a big difference but a PIA to set the grinder for a single chain but worthwhile if I am going to do 6 or more of mine

 

[Darryl G]

After using large backpack blowers, the small ones seem incredibly weak and slow to me. I thought my Husqvarna 580 was awesome until I got my Echo 8010. But for a homeowner the smaller ones will do, I guess, lol. I typically recommend either the Echo 580 or the Husqvarna 150/350 which are pretty similar, the 150 being a slightly cheapened Lowes unit.

I bought the Husqvarna 550XP saw (Not the Mark II) with an 18 inch bar a couple of months ago and I love it! It cuts like crazy and the weight and balance of it is so much better than my 1998 55 Rancher. It doesn't wear me out the way the Rancher does. We had a lot of tree damage from Hurricane Isaias - I'm still working on cleaning up our 34 acres - and I wanted a second midsize saw so I could just grab another when one needed fuel or service. My little 14 inch Husqvarna 136 is good for small jobs but just doesn't have what it takes for serious saw work.

I've got a friend who recently retired from the local Husqvarna dealer and I just drop my saws with him when the chain gets dull now. I don't bother sharpening them or even taking them off. He'll give it a quick cleaning and service, sharpen the chain, grind the depth gauges, file the bar if necessary, clean the air filter, check for loose hardware, check the rpms and look the whole thing over for $20 and get it back to me the same day. It's worth it to me.

 

[cruzenmike]

I've got a friend who recently retired from the local Husqvarna dealer and I just drop my saws with him when the chain gets dull now. I don't bother sharpening them or even taking them off. He'll give it a quick cleaning and service, sharpen the chain, grind the depth gauges, file the bar if necessary, clean the air filter, check for loose hardware, check the rpms and look the whole thing over for $20 and get it back to me the same day. It's worth it to me.

That is a really good deal.

As a non-professional using a chainsaw 5-10 hours a year, I think the Farm Boss will do quite well. Like I said before, I think that my Step Dad has the 350 BT and I am quite certain that my BR 450 moves just as much air, maybe more, but it is nowhere near as comfortable to wear and is a bit louder that the Husqvarna.

 

[Darryl G]

That is a really good deal.

As a non-professional using a chainsaw 5-10 hours a year, I think the Farm Boss will do quite well. Like I said before, I think that my Step Dad has the 350 BT and I am quite certain that my BR 450 moves just as much air, maybe more, but it is nowhere near as comfortable to wear and is a bit louder that the Husqvarna.

I don't disagree. I can justify buying a $600 saw because I'm a landscaper and I have a 34 acres wooded property. It's a tax write-off too. The OP bought quality equipment that should serve him well for many years.