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Good bucking saw

Started by Local4Fitter, June 25, 2012, 09:42:41 PM

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Local4Fitter

I just bought a wood boiler and need to feed it. I have a homeowner husky 350 that I have been using to fell and buck about 15 cords so far. This saw starts easy but lacks power. Next year I will be buying grapel loads of firewood and want a more powerful pro saw to do my cutting. There are so many saws out there and I really do not know much about them. I currently have an 18" bar on my husky, but think I want a longer bar so I have a bit more reach and less bending. Thanks in advance Doug
1974 John Deere 510, Wood fired pizza oven,2005 Dodge/Cummins,Firearms for all occasions.

beenthere

I prefer the 20" bar for bucking firewood.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

deerslayer

what type of wood and what diameters?

There are dozens of saw models out there that would work well for you. Is the price a major consideration? If it is, there are a number of older but powerful saws available that would still cut a lot of wood. Most of these are heavier than modern saws so your size and strength may play into it. I assume you don't do this 8 hours at a time but cut a little here and there working the piles down to size. Is that a good guess? Without the data, saws that would work well for bucking wood up to a couple feet in diameter would be the following with a 24" bar:
Husky 372xp, Jonsered CS2172, Stihl MS440, 441, 460, Makita 7900.

Dealer support will be an issue unless you do all your own repairs.
Too many chainsaws, not enough wood.
Stihl, Husky, Craftsman, Mac, Homelite, Poulan. Some live here, some just passing through.

lonewolf

Dolmar if u have a good dealer. I've ran them all and imo there the best value for your dollar. I prefer 7900 model
"EARTH FIRST"  WE'LL LOG THE OTHER PLANETS LATER

mad murdock

I would get a pro saw in the 3.3-5.0 cu. in . Range(54-75cc). There are lots of good used pro saws out there.  I did some checking and asking around over the last several months and so far I have been given 2 Mac 10-10As(54 cc) a ProMac700(70.5cc), a Stihl 044 Magnum, and a Stihl 075 (70.7 and 111 cc's respectively).  Now I wouldn't buck with the 075, unless I had a lot of 4' plus dia wood.  I would go for at least a 20" bar on the 55 ish cc saws and 24" on the 70 cc saws.  The pro saws are pretty easy to maintain, parts are plentiful, and not too expensive.
Turbosawmill M6 (now M8) Warrior Ultra liteweight, Granberg Alaskan III, lots of saws-gas powered and human powered :D

Ianab

Really like my Dolmar (Makita) 7900. 79cc and a really good power to weight ratio makes it perform pretty well compared to other saws of the same cost. I run a 28" bar on mine for the bigger softwood we usually cut. Probably better balanced with a 24" bar though.

The pro grade saws from Stihl, Husky and J-Red are all pretty good too.

Dealer support is important, so sometimes it's best to pick the dealer you like, and just buy the brand they are selling.

Ian
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

Al_Smith

It's a question of how much a person wants to spend and what you can find . A saw in the 70 cc range such as 372 Husqvarna,Stihl 038 Mag ,044/440 will weigh just slightly more than a 60 cc saw .It will have a lot more power though.

Certain oldies like the McCulloch 700 and 7-10 have plenty of power .They also have no antivibration system ,are noisey and likely need some work to keep them running .If you can wrench them the are fine .If not and it needs repaired you're pretty much up the creek without a paddle .

mad murdock

Quote from: Al_Smith on June 26, 2012, 06:26:59 AM

Certain oldies like the McCulloch 700 and 7-10 have plenty of power .They also have no antivibration system ,are noisey and likely need some work to keep them running .If you can wrench them the are fine .If not and it needs repaired you're pretty much up the creek without a paddle .
As always great point Al! I guess that I take it for granted that the wrenching craft is one that others are fluent in. I R a mechanic for my day job. I should have prefaced my previous post with "if you can work on yer own saw, used pro saws are a good value".  As far as db level of older vs newer, yeah they do bark more, but I sure like how they work, and as long as I got good ear plugs in, the sound kind of takes a guy back in time.  I was doing some fixing on a wood sided trailer I have last night, custome fitting some boards, I was using the 075, then a 10-10, then finished off with the PM700. Sure is nice to have different sized tools :)
Turbosawmill M6 (now M8) Warrior Ultra liteweight, Granberg Alaskan III, lots of saws-gas powered and human powered :D

Al_Smith

Well all true but a lot of guys get frustrated with McCullochs because few people own them and it's like going into uncharted territory after wrenching Stihls.

On the flip side disecting a removable cylinder Stihl was a challange for me the first one I ever did .Not a big deal now because I've done so many but everybody has their first . ;)

thecfarm

Buy from a good dealer. I run a 372 Husky with just an 18" bar. Less sharping is one plus.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

Al_Smith

It about equals out with a few inchs less bar .

My dear old departed father always ran 16" bars on the old Mac pm 610's and I ran 20" .The old man could out cut me but he had to file more often so it about came out even .

Al_Smith

Now I just thought of something few might consider .Not to shift over to a discussion of McCullochs but as an option for a less expensive alternative .

The old PM 610 -650 were a ruggedly built old timers that had a pretty good anti vibration system. Problem being for 60 cc they weighed more than most 80 cc models .

On the other hand they often flea bay for under a hundred bucks and in good condition .Lot of power for the money .Some doll them all up and supposidely peddle them for upwards of 400 but I kind of question if that really happens .Not everything you read on the internet is truely how it is .

Local4Fitter

Quote from: deerslayer on June 25, 2012, 10:02:55 PM
what type of wood and what diameters?

There are dozens of saw models out there that would work well for you. Is the price a major consideration? If it is, there are a number of older but powerful saws available that would still cut a lot of wood. Most of these are heavier than modern saws so your size and strength may play into it. I assume you don't do this 8 hours at a time but cut a little here and there working the piles down to size. Is that a good guess? Without the data, saws that would work well for bucking wood up to a couple feet in diameter would be the following with a 24" bar:
Husky 372xp, Jonsered CS2172, Stihl MS440, 441, 460, Makita 7900.

Dealer support will be an issue unless you do all your own repairs.
You hit the nail on the head Deerslayer. I will pick away at the pile through the spring and cooler days in the summer. I assume most of what I cut will be red oak. It is plentiful here. Not sure of diameter, but I doubt anything over 2'. I guess I am looking for a saw with good power to weight ratio that will take up to a 24" bar. Thanks for all the info. There is a big fleamarket in my area and I hear there is a guy that sells used saws. Maybe take a look this weekend.
1974 John Deere 510, Wood fired pizza oven,2005 Dodge/Cummins,Firearms for all occasions.

tyb525

I had a Stihl 036 with 20" bar, then got a Stihl 038 Magnum with 20" bar. I also have a 24" for it for falling. With the 20" bar it really cuts, and so far it hasn't gotten too heavy. They can be had pretty affordably, also.
LT10G10, Stihl 038 Magnum, many woodworking tools. Currently a farm service applicator, trying to find time to saw!

saltydog

Personally i run a 390 xp husky.i own 3 372s a 272 385 2171 2156 2186 jonsereds  and a few more.cutting the same wood i get the most done with the bigger 85 to 90 cc saws.i couldnt wait all day for a 50cc saw.even perfectly sharp it cant cut with the big dogs.
Proud to be a self employed logger.just me my Treefarmer forwader Ford f600 truck 2186 Jonsereds 385 and 390 husky and several 372s a couple 2171s one 2156  one stihl 066  Hudson bandmill Farquhar 56"cat powered mill.and five kids one wife.

Al_Smith

Well yeah  Salty if you want to talk big dogs you could mention old classics like the Homelite 2100,Mac 125 or 084 Stihl  but the subject was a firewood saw . FWIW I have all the afore mentioned but I don't use them on firewood stuff .

gspren

  I have only owned about a half dozen saws so not as experienced as some of you but if I had to go down to one saw it would be my 044 with a 20" bar.
Stihl 041, 044 & 261, Kubota 400 RTV, Kubota BX 2670, Ferris Zero turn

AdkStihl

Quote from: gspren on June 27, 2012, 07:46:19 PM
  I have only owned about a half dozen saws so not as experienced as some of you but if I had to go down to one saw it would be my 044 with a 20" bar.

8)
J.Miller Photography

Ward Barnes

 8) I use a Stihl MS 390 for all of my cutting.  Why?  Because it is the saw I own.  (Sure would like to get a Stihl MS 362).
7 year old Stihl MS 390.  New Stihl trim saw MS 250.  Kubota BX 2200 tractor.  2005 F150 4X4.
Dull chains cause accidents.  Accidents cause shorter life spans.
You don't sharpen a chain when it gets dull.  You sharpen a chain to keep it from getting dull.

Al_Smith

An 044 would be a good choice .

windy hill farm

Hey Doug, I had the same situation about 5 years ago when I bought my OWB. I went with the Stihl MS361 with the 18" bar, great saw most trees I cut are less than 2ft dbh. I don't have any red oak to cut on my property, I miss that since I left Ma. about 8 years ago. Kevin
New Holland TN-60DA, Farmi Winch 501,Rhino 9.5ft 3pt backhoe,Sthil 440,361,270, 170 and O26 and several trailers.

Clam77

My newest one is the Stihl MS362 - excellent saw.. haven't had a problem with it yet other than needing slightly re-tuned a lil since it's starting to break in.  Handles a 20" bar with ease and a 28" with moderate use (only needed it a couple times).  Wish I had a 25" for it though for the in-betweens.
Andy

Stihl 009, 028, 038, 041, MS362
Mac 1-40, 3-25

lumberjack48

Quote from: gspren on June 27, 2012, 07:46:19 PM
  I have only owned about a half dozen saws so not as experienced as some of you but if I had to go down to one saw it would be my 044 with a 20" bar.

                                                        8)  Yep
Third generation logger, owner operator, 30 yrs felling experience with pole skidder. I got my neck broke back in 89, left me a quad. The wife kept the job going up to 96.

Full Chisel

Quote from: gspren on June 27, 2012, 07:46:19 PM
  I have only owned about a half dozen saws so not as experienced as some of you but if I had to go down to one saw it would be my 044 with a 20" bar.

*DING* nails it. Good luck finding one.
Jed: Jethro, how's come they ain't no ice in Kali Forni-a?

Jethro: Don't look at me Uncle Jed. I didn't take it.

clww

An 044/440 shows up around here usually each month on the local CL. Prices are usually from $300-$450.
Many Stihl Saws-16"-60"
"Go Ask The Other Master Chief"
18-Wheeler Driver

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