New saw selection

[kenskip1]

Sometime, in the near future I have a plan to purchase a new saw. The last new one I bought was a Stihl 028WB back in 1985. I have been a Stihl man since. However, I have been hearing some good comments about the competion. I am looking for one in the Three cubic inch range. The Husky 350 looks promising however, I do not care for the plastic case. The 455 Rancher appears to be over weight also has a plastic case.. The possible saw would be a 353. I have my 041 with a 20 inch bar and this handles most heavy chores. The 028 is the good all around saw.
Has their been much of a change in saws since  I got my 028?
Will this 353 be able to handle an 18 bar with .325 pitch?
How would a man compair a Husky 55 with the new 353?
 A 365 and above is more saw than I need or plan to spend. I value your opinions, Ken

[Mojo]

Ken, I think the 359 is probably the best husqvarna in the 3 ci range. 3.9 hp is more than enough power to pull an 18 inch bar, the 353 will pull an 18 inch bar, but the 359 is ideal with an 18 inch bar - way more torque. Good luck

[twistedtree]

Check out the 346XP.  It's a pro saw with an alloy case (not plastic), and packs a great punch for it's size and weight.  They are about $395 to $460 depending on where you buy.

[sawguy21]

The newer saws are lighter and faster than your 028 yet very durable. What are you cutting? The 353 is a really nice unit with the 18" bar for softer woods. I especially like the 18" for limbing and bucking. My back is not getting any younger.
If harder woods are your thing, I would go for the 359. It handles 3/8 chain well and has the same power as the MS341. The MS361 has 1/2 hp more with the same weight as the MS341 and is really nice to use. Husky does not have a comparable model.
I really liked the 041 thirty years ago. Good power to weight ratio in their time but they are brutes compared to the new ones

[SawTroll]

Check out the 346XP.  It's a pro saw with an alloy case (not plastic), and packs a great punch for it's size and weight.  They are about $395 to $460 depending on where you buy.

The 353 is exactly the same saw as the 346xp, except for the engine and the precense of a decomp valve on the 353.
The 55 is a much older and inferior design, but still a good saw.

All these saws are at their best with 15-16" bars, although Husky recommends up to 20".
If you want to use 18-20" bars regularly, you better move up to the 60cc class.

[SawTroll]

... If harder woods are your thing, I would go for the 359. It handles 3/8 chain well and has the same power as the MS341. The MS361 has 1/2 hp more with the same weight as the MS341 and is really nice to use. Husky does not have a comparable model. ..

Most people will say that the 357xp compares quite well to the 361, even though the power rating is a bit lower.

[ComputerUser]

The 350 and 353 are both good saws from everything that I have heard.  I think that 18" would be the realistic maximum for that saw with .325 chain; I'd prefer to run a 15"/16" setup if it was my saw.  It sounds like you're looking for a lightweight saw for smaller tasks, so I would save my money and skip the 359 unless you really need the extra 1.5lbs and $130/$70, especially since you already have a bigger saw for big work.  I am of the mind that the 60cc saw is a class of saw that really doesn't make sense for most users in the US/Canada, unless they are a one-saw sort of person - bigger/heavier than a 50cc, not as much oomph as a 70cc+.  Folks over in Norway and such love the 60cc class, though, because so much of their commercial timber is only 15"-20", so a 70cc+ saw isn't necessary.

You may also want to consider a 5100 Dolmar, an excellent saw with 4hp, if you're OK with having a bit less dealer support.  Comparisons between this saw, the Stihl 260Pro and the Husqvarna 346, put this saw a bit ahead of both in hp and torque, and it is only a little bit heavier.  It features the best anti-vibe of any saw I've run, and maintanance/repair is really easy.  You should be able to pick one up for about $360 with a 16" b/c.

[kenskip1]

I would like to tthank those that have made a reply. I trend to drift towards the 353 with a 16 in. bc. The reason that I asked about the 55 is because I bought a used one. I like it! I will be doing light work and nothing really heavy with this saw. However, I want it to cut. That is why I will be getting a 16 in bc.  Thanks Ken

[hydro2]

I have a 353 and cut a pile of wood each year for my outside woodstove. Nice light saw with ample power.

[hydro2]

I have an 18" bar and the saw has plenty of power.  Go for the 18" bar.

[Alta]

I think Id be more inclined to just keep the 028 running, maybe freshen it up with a new piston and cylinder if needed, rather than buy a new saw, that is if its not too beat in general. Just my .02 - I like the 028 for medium duty stuff and it can handle the chores you are planning just fine.  You can also find all the parts you need on Ebay at a fraction of the dealer price. Also I converted my 028 to 3/8 pitch (for about $7.50) & .063 20" bar (spare I had lying around) to run the same chain I run on my 044 for convenience.

[cnl390]

I am a relative novice with chainsaws and felling & limbing & bucking (but I'm picking up the terminology) and the members that have already answered your post have decades more knowledge than I.

But I do have a Husky 353 and can give you my take on the saw.

I find it not too heavy, well balanced and easy to handle.  And the compression release makes it sooo easy to start.

I have been using a 20" bar (although heading the advise of this forum I am installing a 16" bar) with both the Husky Low Vibe chain & Bailey's Woodsman Pro and both work very well.

I have felled , falled, I have cut down cedars up to 14" diameter and the saw went through them like a hot knife though warm butter.  I did learn, the hard way (pinched bar & bent chain), the true  meaning of leaving a hinge and using wedges.

I have also cut oaks to about 8" with the same results.

I know I am not as experienced and don't cut the big stuff like the others here, but I wanted to try and be some help.

[sawguy21]

Yer learnin'  That is how to climb the learning curve. Keep your eyes open and your head up.

[Alta]

thats funny - I had a couple firemen I work with on my property cutting some fire wood. They're great on a roof with a saw but a little green in the woods. So after I drove by and witnessed their initial cut on a 20" oak, I told them that after they got the saw unstuck to please dress the stump so no one would think I cut it like that. It wasnt much later that they were working together to get the saw untstuck, and they did indeed clean up the stump. And they got a nice full load of wood that day.  The learning curve......

[SawTroll]

....... (although heading the advise of this forum I am installing a 16" bar) with both the Husky Low Vibe chain & Bailey's Woodsman Pro and both work very well.
 ......

Are those chain the narrow kerf varieties (95VP/H30 and 20NK)??

If so, do you notice any difference at all between them?