iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

New EPA restricted saws

Started by celliott, March 03, 2010, 02:33:07 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

celliott

Ok, this is just a hypothetical question, I'm not looking to buy a new saw, just curious as to what you guys think.  Out of all the newer, EPA restricted saws, which ones would you say are the best in their class?  Lets assume you can't get your hands on an older 372xp or ms361 or the like, and arent holding onto older saws (I know alot of you are doing just that).  So, which new saws would you choose? how about a top handle saw, 50cc class, 70cc class and larger.
Chris Elliott

Clark 666C cable skidder
Husqvarna and Jonsered pro saws
265rx clearing saw
Professional maple tubing installer and maple sugaring worker, part time logger

GlenM

What are you going to predominately use the saw for ? felling, bucking, limbing, climbing, ? and how big is the wood you'll be cutting ?

DonT

In the top handle class it is hard to beat the stihl 200T,I like my huskies but will concede the 200 is the best climbing saw on the market.In the bigger 70cc class I love my 372xpg.But just my opinion of course.  DonT

peppone

tanaka 2801: much better than any stihl.
you're invited to visit my forum all about chainsaws:
http://lamotosega.forumattivo.com/forum.htm
saluti
peppone

SwampDonkey

Here we go again. Any idea how many threads answer the same question on this forum? Not that I'm complaining. Actually, don't care. But, when does it end? :D
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

beenthere

Quote from: peppone on March 03, 2010, 04:48:12 PM
tanaka 2801: much better than any stihl.

In your opinion... :)

Each to their own.  ;D
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Mooseherder

If the color is important to you it is definately a buyers Market. :D
They have Green, Yeller, Purple, Blue, Orange and Red Saws available now.
I think you can even get a Craftsman Saw in Black.
You can color coordinate with your Vest and Chaps so you look good while felling. ;D

Rocky_J

Quote from: celliott on March 03, 2010, 02:33:07 PM
... how about a top handle saw, 50cc class, 70cc class and larger.
Stihl 200T
Husky 346xp
Stihl MS460 (or possibly a Dolmar/Makita 7900)

The two best that have disappeared in the last year are the Stihl 361 and the Husky 372.

bill m

Quote from: Mooseherder on March 03, 2010, 06:34:07 PM
If the color is important to you it is definately a buyers Market. :D
They have Green, Yeller, Purple, Blue, Orange and Red Saws available now.
I think you can even get a Craftsman Saw in Black.
You can color coordinate with your Vest and Chaps so you look good while felling. ;D
You forgot camo.
NH tc55da Metavic 4x4 trailer Stihl and Husky saws

Cut4fun

Are we talking, NOT older designs like 200 460 etc.

We talking strato's and cat muffler new saws only to choose from. A lot of older stuff is still being sold.

Rocky_J

I assumed he was asking about saws available for sale today.

I'm stocked up on 372's so I won't need a new strato 70cc saw for a good 6-8 years or more. 3 in service plus one brand new 372 waiting on the shelf. The 200T cannot be long for this world so I plan on buying at least two more this year, and if they are still available next year I might buy a couple more.

DonT

Hmmmmmmm.Do not know many climbers using the tanaka.

Cut4fun

OK then if what we can still buy.

0-40 top handle  200T
3ci 0-50 346xp
4ci 0-65 365 special
5i  0-81 7900
6ci 0-100 660
6+ 100+ 880

celliott

Alright guys, I'm not looking to buy a new saw.  I was curious to what you thought of the newer catalytic muffler and strato saws.  Yes, i know you can still buy the older saws, but the day will come when there is no more on the shelf and the only saws out there are built to the newer EPA regulations.  So, if you were in the market, and HAD to buy a newer regulated saw, which ones would you buy.  Im just trying to start a discussion about these saws because, like it or not, there gonna be around for a while.  I cant see the government putting in place less restrictive emission regulations, only more.
Chris Elliott

Clark 666C cable skidder
Husqvarna and Jonsered pro saws
265rx clearing saw
Professional maple tubing installer and maple sugaring worker, part time logger

boobap

QuoteIf the color is important to you it is definately a buyers Market.
They have Green, Yeller, Purple, Blue, Orange and Red Saws available now.
I think you can even get a Craftsman Saw in Black.
You can color coordinate with your Vest and Chaps so you look good while felling.

...or purple, i painted one for my wife so "she had her own". then she had to paint flowers on it too.  :D

Rocky_J

My saws are too important for me to be experimenting with new, unproven technologies. As far as I'm concerned, there isn't a saw sold today that is usable in stock form. None of the new changes are done with higher performance as the prime goal, and most of the new changes are much harder to undo than the older methods of simply leaning out the carb and restricting the muffler. I'll stock up and stick with the old, proven technology until something better comes along. I figure we're within 5 years of seeing fuel injected chainsaws so that should prove interesting. But I'll let somebody else be the Guinea pig.

Al_Smith

I have no experiance with the strato charged saws nor probabley will I have .

In regards to conventional designs they have killed the preformance by gov mandated regulations . The new MS 660 in my shed I know for a fact I can out gun with several of my saws in the 70 cc size and that just shouldn't be so .

Now if a person had the where with all and the desire you could keep the older model nearly running forever as long as you can find parts to do so .That limits the ownership of same to about 20 percent or less of all saw owners though .

peppone

Quote from: beenthere on March 03, 2010, 05:40:08 PM
Quote from: peppone on March 03, 2010, 04:48:12 PM
tanaka 2801: much better than any stihl.

In your opinion... :)

It's obvious. anyway I'm not a seller, just a user and a repairman and from my point of view tanaka 2801 is the best one hand chainsaw for many reasons: 28,6cc engine it's enough for all the kind of works that are made by a one hand saw, it's 2.9 chilos weight, I have one and I use it a lot since 4 years without any problem, it costs the half than a stihl.
you're invited to visit my forum all about chainsaws:
http://lamotosega.forumattivo.com/forum.htm
saluti
peppone

HolmenTree

Quote from: celliott on March 03, 2010, 09:35:55 PM
Alright guys, I'm not looking to buy a new saw.  I was curious to what you thought of the newer catalytic muffler and strato saws.  Yes, i know you can still buy the older saws, but the day will come when there is no more on the shelf and the only saws out there are built to the newer EPA regulations.  So, if you were in the market, and HAD to buy a newer regulated saw, which ones would you buy.  Im just trying to start a discussion about these saws because, like it or not, there gonna be around for a while.  I cant see the government putting in place less restrictive emission regulations, only more.
I  got three brand new Husqvarna 576 XP AutoTunes. These saws have no adjustment screws on the carb, not even a idle screw. The computer sets and controls how the saw runs in any temperature, altitude etc.
I've been running saws for close to 40 years, was even a tech rep for Stihl once and these are the best running saws right out of the box that I have ever used.
They pull a 32" b/c in 30-36" wood like a much bigger saw.
Comparing the 576 to my 372 I can't tell any difference in weight from holding the 2. The 576s have only burnt a tank of fuel each  and they easily outcut the well broke in 372. 
Willard.
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

windthrown

So from the OP I fugure that we are talking about the: Stihl 211, 362, & 441 type saws. These saws are all 2010 EPA approved, and they are available in the states. The 311 and the 391 are coming out right now, but I have not seen or tried them yet. These newer lines are all more gas efficient and they all have slightly to moderately better A/V. They are all more spendy than the non-EPA compliant saws. None of the newer Stihl saws requires a CAT muffler to pass EPA, as they have a stratified air-injected system so as to not dump unburned fuel into the exhaust. With exception to the 211 I do not like any of the newer saws that I have tried compared to the earlier models. The 441 is noticably smoother than the 440 was, but it was spongey to cut with, and its a bulky saw (as well as about a half pound heavier). The 362 is comparable to the 361 in power and A/V, but its a lot more expensive, and its also 3/4 of a pound heavier, which was noticable to me when I ran it. The 211 is a nice saw for what it is, lighter and smoother than the 210 was, but I have no use for a saw that small. The smallest saw I run now is a 260. 

Husky does not have the strato replacement for the 372xp out yet. I have not run any of the Husky 2010 EPA saws, so I cannot say much about them.
Stihls: 440R, 361, 360, 310, 260, 211, 020T. Husky: 372xt.
I ship Stihl saws down under: message me for details.

celliott

Thats what I was trying to get at windthrown, thanks ;)
Chris Elliott

Clark 666C cable skidder
Husqvarna and Jonsered pro saws
265rx clearing saw
Professional maple tubing installer and maple sugaring worker, part time logger

HolmenTree

The Husqvarna 576XP AutoTune is the strato replacement for the 372XP.
Willard.
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

windthrown

Originally the Husky 576 was intended to be the replacement for the 372, but the 372 has such a following that Husky is currently redesigning the 372 with the 372 X-Torque (strato design) model. That is according to a letter that my Husky dealer showed me from the factory when I bought a 395xpw there. It will supposedly be out sometime in the spring of 2010.

The 576 does not have all the features available in the 372 line, and vice-verse:

http://www.husqvarna.com/us/landowner/products/chainsaws/compare-chainsaws/?nid=172992,166400

Simply put, the 576 does not appease the 372 users, so there will be a new strato model 372.

Stihls: 440R, 361, 360, 310, 260, 211, 020T. Husky: 372xt.
I ship Stihl saws down under: message me for details.

windthrown

Note also here that the new saws from Stihl are not only being redesigned for the EPA laws in the US. They are also being redesigend for the new A/V laws in the EU and UK. That is why the 311 and the 391 were relaesed in Europe before they were released here, and why the 362 was phased in here earlier than in Europe. Smog is a bigger issue here, and A/V is a bigger issue there. The new saws from Stihl are also being redesigned with a different centrigugal air cleaner system, similar to what Husky has. This is in response to all the overblown Husky ads about Stihl having crappy air filters compared to the Husky ones. The ads are a joke, heaping tons of chips on a saw when they are being run. None-the-less, Stihl has changed their air filter covers to a bolted on one that is far more difficult to clean that the older models. They require cleaning less often though (in my case that has never been an issue, even with my old 044).

Its funny, but they have completely removed all the 361 data from the US Stihl web site now. You can still review the older 440 data if you pull up the 441 and type in 440 over the 441. The 361 no longer exists at Stihl USA online and you get an error trying the 440 trick with the 361.
Stihls: 440R, 361, 360, 310, 260, 211, 020T. Husky: 372xt.
I ship Stihl saws down under: message me for details.

peppone

Quote from: HolmenTree on March 06, 2010, 10:56:59 AM
The Husqvarna 576XP AutoTune is the strato replacement for the 372XP.
Willard.
I think 576xp autotune is the replacement of the 575xp: same cc engine and much more. 372 xp is at a lower level...
you're invited to visit my forum all about chainsaws:
http://lamotosega.forumattivo.com/forum.htm
saluti
peppone

Thank You Sponsors!