Need to replace my Husky 350

[g_man]

I'm not a pro logger but I have a large wood lot and I run a saw almost every day for one reason or another.
I've been running with a Husky 359 for felling and larger firewood and a 350 for smaller work. I have a lot of thinning of sapplings and small poles and small firewood. I liked the way the 350-18" handled and it's lightness but found it a little delicate. After a couple sprockets and several clutch spring sets, a chain break handle, etc, the ring finally melted so I am going to replace it.
My first thought was a 346XP but when I looked at the specs it is not much different from the 359 ( which is not a bad thing ). Then I looked at the 339XP and it seems it would be areally light handy saw.  Would it run it with a 18" bar. Or should I go with the 346XP ?  Opinions please.

[Rocky_J]

The 339 is a top handle arborist saw, isn't it? Completely different type of saw designed for tree climbers.

I'd go with the 346 for your described work. The new ones are choked down with the catalytic muffler and lean carb settings but that's practically every saw these days. They run great and will keep running forever once you unplug the muffler to let the heat out.

[g_man]

The 339 is a top handle arborist saw, isn't it? Completely different type of saw designed for tree climbers.

I don't think so. You could be thinking of the 335/435T. But I might be wrong.

[Cut4fun]

Brian there is a 339 rear handle built off the top handle motor like the 200 rear handle saw is.  


Cover your eyes it's one ugly girl..       http://www.husqvarna.com/us/forest/products/xp-saws/339-xp-/

I would use the 359 for my small saw and move up to a husky 365-372 for my big saw.  Since your going to spend 500  anyways, mise well jump up a few cc.

[Rocky_J]

Hahahahahaaa! Isn't that cute!  :D :D :D

[Al_Smith]

Good grief they get 500 bucks for that toy saw  What is this world coming to .

[John R]

Good grief they get 500 bucks for that toy saw  What is this world coming to .

Beat me to it, no way would I pay $500 for that.

[g_man]

OKaay - I'm getting the message. I cant help being an old guy. But I don't want to be old and foolish so I'll forget the 339XP idea. Thanks. The idea of going to a bigger saw makes lots of sense but I'm not sure I can justify it with the type of work I am able to do with my small tractor and winch. My 359 seems to handle an occasional 24" pine OK. The hardwood is all much smaller.

[Rocky_J]

The 346 will look and feel about the same size as the 350 but there is a huge difference in performance and design. It will look a lot like your 359 under the covers.

[northwoods1]

OKaay - I'm getting the message. I cant help being an old guy. But I don't want to be old and foolish so I'll forget the 339XP idea. Thanks. The idea of going to a bigger saw makes lots of sense but I'm not sure I can justify it with the type of work I am able to do with my small tractor and winch. My 359 seems to handle an occasional 24" pine OK. The hardwood is all much smaller.

Sounds like the 359 is plenty of saw for you as it is for me. I run a 22" bar on both of mine and rarely have to step up to a bigger saw even in large hardwoods. If I where you I would go smaller the 346xp might be a good choice. As I get older I care less about larger CCs' and am mostly interested in lugging around a smaller lighter saw because it makes cutting much more pleasant and that is worth someting . I still have a couple of the older 357 models and they were good small saws still run great. I've run the 346 models don't know how much they get for them these days but it just might be my new smallest saw. I've used them for limbing pine and with the hgiher rpms they really cut. I wouldn't go to small though the saws designed for arborists are made really rinky dink size for the smallest sort of cutting.

[cheyenne]

I run  359's everyday 1 with 20" bar & 1 with 24" bar I like the weight & balance.....For liming & small stuff I go to my 346XP. Yes there pricey.......Check out ebay I've picked great saws at dirt cheap prices...........Cheyenne

[1938farmall]

What about the 353 to replace the 350?  A bit less $ but maybe not the quality of the pro 346xp?  al

[g_man]

The 353 may be a good choice that I hadn't considered before. It looks to be more robust than the 350.  More like my 359. ( which is what I want ) And it is less $ than the 346XP. Thanks I'll look into that. Looks like a hard choice though  :-\

[John Mc]

I own a Jonsered 2152, which is the twin sister saw to the husky 353. I like it a lot (especially since I replaced the catalytic muffler with a non-cat one). It's been very reliable. It's well balanced (I have a 16" bar on it). Better built than the homeowner saws.

I thought I saw where the list price on the 346 XP was not all that different from the 353. If that's the case, I'd take the 346 in a heartbeat. The 346 (at least the current 50cc version of it) did not exist when I bought my 2152.

As happy as I am with the 2152, the only way I'd choose it again over a 346 is if the cost savings were substantial.

John Mc

[SawTroll]

Brian there is a 339 rear handle built off the top handle motor like the 200 rear handle saw is.  


Cover your eyes it's one ugly girl..       http://www.husqvarna.com/us/forest/products/xp-saws/339-xp-/

I would use the 359 for my small saw and move up to a husky 365-372 for my big saw.  Since your going to spend 500  anyways, mise well jump up a few cc.

The 339xp is a very cool and useful saw, but it is not built like a traditional pro saw - hard to work on!   ;)

It is built around a sturdy piece of Mag, that the bottom of a clam-shell is part of, but the outer case is "plastic".