The chain should be throwing chips, if you see sawdust, then it's dull.
I hate when that happens.
I am always focused on safety, where is the best spot to drop this tree, etc. and then I notice I am just throwing out sawdust from the cut.
I always wonder, "How long have I been doing that?"
P.S. All of the chains that fit the recommended 18" bar for that little Echo CS-400 are only low profile chains. That is why I am going to try a full chisel chain this spring on a few big trees that need to come down.
Further, cutting with a "too small" saw can be a bit of a safety issue. The only trees where I have had any danger while cutting were ones that had a rotten spot in their core with zero indication from the exterior. With a chain lagging and speeding up, you don't quite know when you start to hit those areas. However, with a chain running normally, but still under a heavy load, you can hear/feel the saw rev when it hits the crap wood. I know exactly how strong my hinges are in good wood for all of my common trees. OTOH, I can still move pretty fast for an old guy with bad knees when the tree starts going over while you still have 4-5" of false hinge! (A few trees have made me contemplate if I need to add "extra underwear" to my chainsaw bag.)
