I've got a Stihl 026 with an 18" chain. I'm wanting to purchase a larger chainsaw for cutting blanks. I'm at the upper limit with my saw when I cut up some of the logs I've recently acquired for bowl blanks. I recently came across a HUGE maple with heavy ambrosia staining and want to take advantage of the size of this tree. When I look at the specs on larger Stihl saws, most will only accept up to a 20" chain/bar. Any suggestions? Are these specs too conservative? I really like the Stihl saws.
And while we're on the topic, does anybody notice a difference between brands of chains? Is a Stihl chain really worth the difference in price?