look to buy a new saw????

[Greg_B.]

i am looking for a new saw to cut up to about 12 in. in dia. i currently have the cub cadet 3916. would like to make this a backup saw as i am in the woods every weekend cutting for the norwwood mill. i already have a 372 husky for dropping trees with. would like to keep the weight around 9.5 lbs. close the the cub. i really like the cub but need to get a saw for the long run.  :-/ :-/

[Ianab]

What about a Stihl MS260?
As you have the 372 for anything large you may come up against something light like the 260 should be OK
It's a profesional quality saw thats in the weight / bar size range you are looking at.

Cheers

Ian

[SasquatchMan]

Is there much in the way of parts crossover between a 372 and a smaller husky?  It just would conceivably be handy to have two saws with the same spark plug and same nuts and bolts if one ever ceased to function.  

346xp will be the Husky camp's vote for small saw, I should think.

[jokers]

Spark plugs and bar nuts are about all that crossover between the 372 and 346. The fuel filters are even bigger on the 372.

Russ

[SasquatchMan]

Well, when you lose a bar nut in a pile of dust, you'll be glad to have the "extra" from the small saw!  Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen!  It's a pleasure to be here. :D :D :D

[Erick]

Stihl MS180 1.9 HP 8.6 LBS comes with a 14" bar cuts like a demon and at 199.99 its real hard to beat. If you want a pro grade saw then I would say the Stihl MS260 is the way to go 3.5 HP at 10.6 LBS but be prepared to pay for it. As was said I hear the husky 346 is a heck of a saw and might the way go if you have to have a husky even if its only for the nuts. ;D

[Old_Town]

I have been using an Echo CS-305 for a couple of weeks and I have been very happy with it. It has a 14" bar and it is a good small saw. I paid $111 USD at a pawn shop and I think it had never been run. The CS-346 is the same weight and has a bit more power but cost a lot more. I have been very happy with the Echo products I have owned. As stated above the Husky 345 looks like a top notch saw.

[sawguy21]

I sell Husky, Stihl, and Echo. The Stihl MS170 and 180 are little better than toys. Fine for the first time saw buyer who has no idea what he wants.
The Echo, especially the CS341, can not be beat in the price range. If my old TML croaks, that is my next saw.

[Minnesota_boy]

Hey, Sawguy21, The Stihl MS180 is my primary saw now.  Of course, I'm usually just cutting of a stob the customer left a bit long or cleaning up the ends of the stickers so they are nice and even in the pile, but it will cut off a pretty big log too.  Sure it isn't as fast as my bigger saw in the truck, but I may have the log cut before I could get the other saw out and started.  I might relish the wait for that saw to finish the job as a short break from the other work too.

[Bushwhacker]

Sawguy21  I don't understand why you'd bash saws you sell like Stihl small models. I bought a Stihl 018 about 3 years ago and I was not a" first time buyer". I knew what I wanted it for. It has worked hard and is good for trimming brush out of fences, limbing firewood, cutting cedar posts and stays for fence building and repair. The list could go on but I'll cut it short.The 018 has had normal maintence and has never been in the shop. I replaced the spark plug once. The Echo you refer to may be a good saw but to call the 180 a toy is rediculious. No I do not cut big Mesquite with it- the larger saws do that. another thing, my wife likes to run the 018 and limb out what I cut down.  

[redpowerd]

i like my "used" 018, and i only gave 75 for it. great little saw, dont think id replace it with any echo. ;D

[ehp]

If it was me , i would get the 346, I know more money but well worth it, that little saw is the best small saw I have ever ran and just keeps going,

[woodsjunkie]

All of the saws mentioned hear are proven saws and any one of them would be a good choice.
You might want to take a look at the Redmax 5000.
I have recently bought one and am growing very fond of it they are a bit more money close to the 346. I like it so well I parted way with my 346xp.
Ed once you get your hand on one of the 5000 I think you might change your mind.

[sawguy21]

Apologize to you Stihl fans. I did not realize the 170 and 180 were so popular with seasoned users. The majority of my sales are to first time buyers who are only looking at price and don't know what they or the saw can do. Recently, I moved a customer up to an 009 (with some prodding) based on his intended usage but he kept eying the 170 (price) He sheepishly brought that back in a few days and left with a 290. I have to admit, a lot of framers like the 170/180

[Minnesota_boy]

Sawguy21,
It's always hard to match a new user with the correct saw for their intended use when price comes into the picture.  In past years, that MS180 would have been laughed at by me, but for what I do now, it's perfect, as long as it isn't my only saw.  Sometimes you need something with more power to just get the job done.

[Old_Town]

My local dealer sells Echo, Stihl and Red Max. On saws 40cc and smaller they prefer Echo. On the Bigger saws they tend to push Stihl.

[Bushwhacker]

No big deal,Sawguy 21. I understand what what you're saying and I know there are many that feel all the "Homeowner" saws are junk no matter what brand. I looked at the Echo smaller saws and I feel sure they're good but I just don't like the top handle on any saws. Just my opinion. I realize these small Stihls are not designed to run all day every day and they are not powerhouses but  mine is a valuable part of my saw herd.

[weimedog]

If you like that Cub-Cadet..why not buy another one? Tractor Supply Co. carries them and their parts in a catologe. They are Italian and look pretty nice......cheaper than Husky"s ?maybe. Stilh vs Husky vs Echo? Dealer support is the difference there in my mind. Locally the dealer sells all three but prefers the Husky. So that's what I bought and for a new saw, it was a good choise. If your dealer prefers to work on another brand thats going to be around a while let that be a deciding factor.

[ehp]

I cannot say how a different brand of saw works if I have not ran it, as far as RED MAXX saws goes I know I will have a 621 this coming weekend to play with, but my vote still goes to the 346 then it would be the MS 260 pro

[Avalancher]

I have a Husky 372 and a new Husky 350 and I love the combo. I use primarily the 372 on my sawmill, and the 350 to limb everything before its loaded on the mill. Its lightweight and easy to use, and generally keep a 20" bar on it. It handles just about anything I want. Our house in Mobile Alabama got hit pretty hard by Hurricane Ivan this year, so I have been spending a great deal of time milling wood that came down. A couple of weekends ago I cut up a 38" oak with the 350 with no problem at all cause the 372 was still attached to the sawmill sled and I was to lazy to unbolt it. It was just easier to grab the 350 and go to work. My only complaint about the 350 is that it had a tendency to rattle the muffler bolts loose. I finally got sick of and put some locktight as well as a lock washers and have had no problem.
After the Hurricane, that saw ran every day all day long for weeks, and never a grunt out of it.

[Ga_Boy]

I was on a tree service log job today and my Sthil 028 left me high and dry.  Not bad for the first time in 20 years.  I should have it out of the shop in a day or so compete with a tune up.


I am looking for my second saw.  My 028 has a 18" bar and I have noticed over the past year or so that the power is not there anymore.  Although, it could be that I getting into the bigger stuff now, like 30" plus.  My tractor dealer is also a Sthil dealer and I like my 028, any suggestions for a bigger saw?



Mark