Author Topic: What saw to purchase? (Read 2807 times)

hydeoutman · « **on:** May 28, 2003, 11:00:10 pm »

Looking for some recommendations on what type of saw to purchase. We will be using it on our 80 acres in the U.P to keep the trails clear, firewood, and maybe to go along with one of those orange mills later on.
For the last dozen years or so we have been using a Poulon Pro 305 with 18"bar. Little light in the power and have not come across anything the 18" couldn't handle.

Rob · « **Reply #1 on:** May 29, 2003, 03:46:58 am »

What size range are you looking for give a little more detail ?? If I were you and I had the money I would buy a Husqvarna 372XP w/ a 20" bar.I you go this route you wont have to buy another saw foe a long time and it will handle just about anything you cut with it,but if you like Stihl I would go with either the MS440,or the MS460 both great saws also but more money..I don't know much about saws for milling except they're usually larger like a 394-395 or 066 or something like that.

Hope this helps
Rob.

hydeoutman · « **Reply #2 on:** May 29, 2003, 02:07:39 pm »

I am leaning towards a Husqvarna or a Stihl and I am not sure of what size would be best. I would like something more powerful than I have now but also don't want to get to heavy.

Be back on Monday

Rob · « **Reply #3 on:** May 29, 2003, 02:57:51 pm »

I personally would go with a 372XP Husky I think they are a very good mid-large size saw..I have run a few but personally own a 385XP here's a link to where I bought my saw..The 372XP is only 13lbs and is 72cc very good prices at this place also..Well let us know what you decide on.

http://www.powermadeeasy.com/husqvarna/chainsaw/pro.htm

Rob.

Kevin · « **Reply #4 on:** May 29, 2003, 08:16:58 pm »

I agree that the 372 is a great saw but depending on what size of sticks you'll be carving it might be overkill.
For dropping trees somewhere between 14 and 24"on a regular basis it would be a good choice.

SawInIt CA · « **Reply #5 on:** May 29, 2003, 09:51:56 pm »

I just let a 50 diameter burl fall off the mill DIRECTLY

on my Stihl 460 and it fired right up (although it did break the air filter housing). I would go with a 440 or 460

woodmills1 · « **Reply #6 on:** May 30, 2003, 10:25:25 am »

was that some kinda test or something?

IndyIan · « **Reply #7 on:** May 30, 2003, 11:28:04 am »

I've got a 372xp and it is a bit heavy for clearing trails and brush but it makes short work of bigger stuff. Check out the weight specs of saws on the websites and take note of how much gas and oil they hold as well as that makes the bigger saws significantly heavier.
There are a couple of sweet spots in the power to weight ratios of the saw line ups from husky and stihl, the 372 is one and I believe the 357 is another for huskies.

I guess if you can cut everything with an 18" bar then the 372 is a bit of overkill for out in the woods but for fire wood the 372 is nice. Cuts through 12" hardwoods don't take long!
Ian

Larry · « **Reply #8 on:** May 30, 2003, 12:04:53 pm »

I run a Husky 350 with a 16" bar and a 272. Got 20, 24, and 32" bars for the 272. Use the 272 with the 24" bar for 95% of my cutting for one reason -- it's easier

. The little extra weight and lots more power make firewood cutting go a lot faster. The 24" bar makes limbing easier and a lot of time I run the saw balanced off my hip so don't have to bend over as much. I like to mill 20" logs on my mill so the 272 makes a perfect felling saw for me also. The only time the 350 gets out of the barn is when I am girdling trees for TSI, in the top of a tree pruning branches, or pinch the bar on the 272

.

johncinquo · « **Reply #9 on:** May 30, 2003, 02:40:57 pm »

if your looking for weight to power ratio, take a look at the Dolmar saws. From what I have compared, they are some of the best. You can find them under dolmar, sachs, or makita names but they are pretty much all the same. You have to either find a good sales/service guy in advance, or be prepaired to fix it yourself in case anything goes wrong cause there is not a bunch of sales force for these. They are out there though. I have the makita version now, and am working out a deal on a bigger dolmar on monday. Have run another one and liked it as well. These are both lighter than the comparable model of stihls I have. I have run them both and in the mid range saws I prefer the dolmars. Cant say how I would like to run a husky. Whatever you settle on, just buy the next size up and you 'll be happy later on!

TJACK · « **Reply #10 on:** May 31, 2003, 08:23:59 am »

I would go with the 357XP. This saw seems to have the best power to weight ratio for what your are looking for. I have a 372XP, 359, 55 Rancher and 025. For limbing or clearing under 14" DBH, I like the 359. The weight is less than the 372 and has more than enough power. I think my next saw will be a 357XP.

TJACK

Rob · « **Reply #11 on:** May 31, 2003, 08:57:49 am »

Yeah I guess your right I have the 357XPG I bought a year ago and use it alot for smaller timber and limbing and it does have a excellent power to weight ratio.It's a mean little saw.

Rob.

Tom · « **Reply #12 on:** May 31, 2003, 11:06:40 am »

Well, my old husky 61 quit running. I could get it to crank but not rev. then it quit cranking. :-/ Took it to the saw shop and got a carburator rebuild and general cleaning up. I saw the 372xp while there and started studying it. Got to have one of those saws. Got my 61 back, took it to the job and it just wouldn't run good. Then it wouldn't Rev. I was in the neighborhood so I took it to the same shop for fixin'. Different mechanic looked at it. filter was off and trash in the carburater. Old mechanic didn't put filter on good when he put the new line on, I guess. Looked at the 372XP again. Man, I gotta have one of them saws. Took the 61 back to the job, pulled the cord and found myself holding onto a real screamin' meemie. It was like a brand new saw. I whizzed through those branches of dead fat lighter like they were balsa and had to buck a couple of 40" pine No problems. That little husky was screamin' through everything. Guess I don't need that 372xp. It's $685 price tag just isn't measuring up to this "paid for" 10-year-old 61 that is running like a Bee-Stung 2 year old mare. I guess we treat chain saws like old folks sometimes.....gettin' rid of them when there's plenty of life left.

jokers · « **Reply #13 on:** May 31, 2003, 11:56:21 am »

Hi Tom, you have a good point about keeping a saw until it truly is time to let it go. I would like to point out that $685 is rather rich for a 372. I can buy them locally( Commercial Cutters Direct) with a half wrap and 24" bar for $549. Prices are similar from Bailey`s and Madsen`s. Just food for thought when the time comes. I can tell you this much, when you do buy a 372 you will wonder what took you so long.

Russ

Larry · « **Reply #14 on:** May 31, 2003, 05:05:25 pm »

Tom,
The fuel filter fell off my Jonsred and the carb filled up with crud. Took 3 trips to the dealer to get it fixed right. I was getting frustrated and each trip I had to walk by a brand new 272XP. I think every trip to the dealer made it a little more attractive for a trade and he hooked me. Best saw I have had and will do about anything. My only regret is I traded in the Jonsred -- neighbor bought it and it is running perfect.

I buy most of my stuff from the local chainsaw shop. Every time I go in I have to walk by the new 385 & 395XP's. Got an old and tired 066 and I am trying to resist the temptation, as I don't really need a bigger saw than my 272.

hydeoutman · « **Reply #15 on:** June 02, 2003, 05:39:06 pm »

Thanks for all the replies.
I think I am leaning towards the 357XP. I am thinking the 372XP would be an excellent saw but just a tad on the large size for what I need.

Thanks again

hills_logging · « **Reply #16 on:** June 14, 2003, 08:49:27 pm »

;seems the XP372 is the choice, but.......any of the name brand (stihl, husky, jsrd.etc...) are great choices, the main difference is the dealer. I used 971 olympics for 4 years. A good dependable saw, but I couln't get my dealer to order parts or do service on it, so how good is it? Find a good dealer and the rest won't be hard!

redpowerd · « **Reply #17 on:** August 30, 2003, 08:59:50 am »

hills, theres a dude up by me that takes care of them olimpiks, evans farm repair.

rebocardo · « **Reply #18 on:** September 05, 2003, 01:00:15 pm »

I bought a Husky 365, it is only my second gas powered saw (have a Poulan 18 inch ), because it was about the biggest saw under $550 that would run a 28 inch bar without much trouble. Except for a minor problem, I like it so far running low kicback chain and it is not too heavy for cutting through bigger trees for three to four hours at a time. It cut through oak like butter compared to the Poulan 2375.

For limbing and cutting smaller stuff I stick to the small Poulan, electric saw, or sawzall. Even with a 20 inch bar it is a tad heavy to use for limbing after a couple of hours.

David_c · « **Reply #19 on:** September 05, 2003, 04:00:51 pm »

i was considerin the 365 but when i talked to my dealer he said he dont sell them because they are just a powerd down version of the 372 actually called it a dog.

Gus · « **Reply #20 on:** September 06, 2003, 10:29:18 am »

When I was sawing all the time there were 3 factors that came into play.
1: weight
2: power
3: dependability

I was usually cutting poplar or spruce for pulp and the occasional oak saw log. I always chose Stihl for the simple reason that it was the first saw I bought and learned how to repair. My Dad ran Jonsered so my stihl imediately caused a family row.

.
Alot of people think bigger is better but the weight was always a big issue for me. After you pack one around in the bush all day, you can tell the difference in weight from just filling them up with gas and oil.
One thing many people forget is; most of the time in the woods is spent limbing trees this is why I never used a real big saw, except while sawing in Montana( whole different can of worms).
Most of the major players in the production saw market sell an intermediate size saw that will handle a 20" inch bar quite well and still be light enough to pack all day. I still have an old 034 Stihl from my logging days. That is the size saw I used always. Big enough to do the job yet light enough to pack around all day. I used a shop saw once, it was an 084, It would throw sawdust 20' on the landing and buck 5 logs at a time a very good landing saw but walking through the brush it was a pig.
So unless your going to be felling and bucking up alot of large hardwood I'd use something in the 3.6 to 3.8 cube saw in any of the more popular production lines. Thats just me.
Good hunting,
Gus

UrbanLogger · « **Reply #21 on:** September 07, 2003, 10:27:32 am »

Hey Hydeoutman,

Listen to these guys when they say 372XP.

Before getting my sawmill all I did was cut firewood. I used a Rancher 55 and loved it. I even felled, bucked and ripped a few logs with it 'til my cousin came to live/work with me.

Of course, he had to have his own saw and it had to be bigger than mine

We got him the 372XP with 20" and 32" bars. He prefers to use the big bar all the time and it does seem to cut faster and stay sharper longer.

We now use the 372XP for all our ripping needs--we've ripped oak and pecan logs up to 54" in diameter.

It's and excellent chainsaw and it's color really goes great with my mill

News:

Author Topic: What saw to purchase? (Read 2807 times)