Hey guys, Looking for a chain saw (stihl) that is not super heavy duty but not a light weight. It's mainly going to be used for cutting small to average size trees (doug firs, hemlock, cedars etc) when I'm clearing land. Looking at 3-4 foot diameter at times. I'm not 100% familiar with Stihl saws but I know they're good and have heard no complaints. MS 361 saw, how's that model? What's a good bar length? Thanks
Beter off with a husky But if you insist on a sthil then the ms440 or 460 will do what you need. They changed the numbers so ask. But go with a pro saw not a home owners. You will pay more but is well worth it.
I do cutting a few times a year in my business and was looking for the biggest Stihl without getting into the mega priced saws. I got a 390 with 24" bar. This was about 5 years ago, I don't know if they still use the same numbers or not. It's got plenty of power for what I do, I think the biggest I've taken down is a 3' diameter cherry.
If you want to do a little research here is link http://www.forestryforum.com/board/index.php?www;board=9 .
Thanks guys! I'll go with the pro and I'll have to do some more research on the model numbers.
have 2 361 and love them one short bar one long
Steve is right! coopers -- if you aren't planning on using it all the time, Steve is right about the 390, it's a great mid-grade saw that doesn't break the bank -- same body & weight as the 290 and 310, but more power. Buying extra bars & chains will let you maximize your saw's potential, I find that 4"/HP with full complement 3/8" chain is optimal for me if the saw is for felling and bucking -- if you need to go longer, you can go with skip chain so there are fewer cutting teeth in the wood at any point. I find that most folks dump the tip of the bar into the ground if the bar is much over 20" so I'd stay away from only having a 24" bar. Also, with an extra bar & chain, you don't need an extra saw to extract yourself when you invariably pinch... and it'll always happen when you don't have time or help. For the bar you will use the most, have 3 or 4 chains so if a couple are off getting sharpened you aren't hosed... for the spare/longer/rescue bar, 2 chains is enough. If you are thinking about a pair of saws, make sure they share the same bar mount! Stihl's numbering system used to be "0xy" where if "y" was even, it is a pro series... now they unified their entire numbering system so it became "MSxyz" -- it still works out, for the most part, that if "y" is even, it is in the pro series and "z" is the revision level. I like rim sprockets for the pro saws, but for light use, spur sprockets are good enough. On pro saws, I like the wide nose ES bars but any of the bars will work well. If you are comfortable running a saw, get chain without the "comfort" links, it is easier to sharpen and will generally run better. Super chain cuts better in most wood, but is harder to keep sharp and goes downhill quick if you round off a point -- Micro chain doesn't cut quite as well but lasts better, especially if there is dirt on (or in) the logs. Elastostart is nice, but can be added later when you break the pull cord. Tool-less tensioning is annoying, to me, because it is hard to keep clean and doesn't let you flip the bar, easily, when you change chains. As you can tell, I love my Stihls... I fell with an 066 w/ 24" or 32" or a 440 w/24". For light limbing I use older 023/025's w/ 16" bars. Bucking firewood is 036/361 w/16" or 440 w/20" territory. One of these days, some of those 025's will die and I'll move up to 260's so the bar mounts are all common. I also maintain saws and chains for friends, so I play with several more 025/250's, 270, 039, 046 and a couple oldies like an 009 and an 031. Good luck and have a Happy New Year, everyone!
I got a MS 360 (361 replaced it) and its a good saw. If you are gonna be using it alot to drop 3-4 ft trees id buy a MS 460 or even a 066. You cant go wrong with a stihl saw.
I'll 2nd this. If your cutting 3-4 foot stems you'r going to want a bigger saw than a 361
check out www.arboristsite.com they have alot of tree and chainsaw guru's over there. My opinon is this. Get a ms460, they are awesome. I have had the same one for about 10 years now and still havent changed the sparkplug, or anything else. Its on its second 24" bar, nose blew on the old one. I also have a 32" bar that I use as needed. My father has a 20 year old 044 that he uses for firewood, both comercial and personal. He logs his one farm with it, I help sometimes with my 460. So far these are the parts that he has replaced, sparkplug 2x. Pull rope and recoil housing 1x, last year. Tank fuel filter and rubber line 1x, this year. A shock absorber bushing 1x, 8 years ago. As far as I am concerned, a stihl is worth every penny you pay. Yes, the comercial models cost a grand give or take, but they work hard every day and last, even if you dont take the best care of them.
Arborsite is alright if you like alot of crap and egos. But if you want to ask questions and not get belittled go to http://www.forestryforum.com/ good people lots of knowledge and none of the bs.
Thanks guys...a lot of info here. I would rather have a bigger saw and cut little trees then come up against big trees and have to take the time to leave the job and rent a saw. I like the info I've received...especially from BB64!
I wont B.S. ya! I used to cut timber for a living. You cant go wrong with a 066/660 and a 32 inch bar. ( I ran a 32 because Im 6'2" tall and I didnt have to bend over as far when limbing.) It will have plenty of stump power for those larger stems, and when the chain gets a little dull, it still has the power to pull it through the cut. A 046/460 will serve you well and be a little cheaper to buy, as well as a bit lighter to pack around. It has plenty of power for what you need it to do.Jason
+ 1 for forestry forum
another vote for the MS460, great saw, never had any luck with huskies but I know those who swear by them
I'm on my 3rd Stihl. I've owned the 250, a 310 and I just put out some bucks for the pro 441. This saw is well worth the money. I believe that beyond the 441, you have the 460, 660 and 880. My friend has been selling Stihl and Husky for years and says that it is a Ford/Chevy issue. Good luck!
I agree with the 460. I plan on buying one this spring. I have a 029 super and love it but just too small. I wouldn't mind the 660 but they love those things. I just don't know what size bar would be the best.??
ive used a stihl once and it seemed like a nice saw cant remeber what size it was. i own a 266 husky i plan on buying a new 365 or 372 husky soon
Its Worth a Look You should take a look at the Dolmar Saws. I have never ran one but on the Forums some people think they are the best thing going for the price. You can get a new 6400 on ebay for around $475 Shipped. I was going to buy a new 7900 Dolmar last week. I went with a ported Husky 372 that was on sale instead. I was going to modify the Dolmar anyway so I'm going to find a used one instead.
Shindiwia Saws are not Bad Another Tough little saw is a Shindiwia. They are not the lightest or most powerful saw made but they are almost bullet proof. I have a 488 and it hasn't lead a very easy life. It will almost run under water. What do I know:beatsme I'm just a ShinHead
Id look hard at a 390 stihl
I just had a 575XP burn up on me, and a 353 that was close to burning up from the ethanol in the gas. They told me always run high test (which I do) only mix 1 gallon at a time, keep it sealed up tight so no moitsure can get at it, and dont keep it more that 45 days. I guess the ethanol will suck moisture out of the air, then the moisture gets in your can and seperates the ethanol from the gas, the saw gets ahold of the straight ethanol and it burns up your motor. They told me it would cost about $350 +/- to fix the 575. I only paid $400 for it used so I was between a rock and a hard spot. I ended up tradign the both saws and got a MS361 stihl. I really wanted to have a big saw and a small saw but I ended up splitting the difference. At work we have an 046, and a 262 husky, also a couple litttle saws, so I have access to enough saws. I guess the point of this rant is that I went with a 361 stihl. LOL!! Keep your gas new and dry!!!
Stihl is a very good saw. They are pricy, but you get what you pay for. The 361 is a great saw. Had the chance to run two of them last year at an Arboristsite Get Together. I run a 310 and a 660. With the 361 and a 24" bar you can do just about anything you need to, based on your requirements above. A 28 or 32" bar will need to be run more slowly but it will pull the length. Taken care of, a Stihl should last for many years. I see 25 year old 090 Stihls that cost more now than they did new. Hal
nedley, i was always told never to run ethanol in chainsaws. i know it is getting harder to find, but i drive 30mi to a gas station that carries non-ethanol blends. same principals as not using E85 in a non approved vehicle, eats up rubber hoses and gaskets. also has a different burn charateristic. anybody else ever been told this? my fuel mix, a chainsaw mechanic friend told me about: 30CC Amsoil 2stroke synthetic oil/gal 10CC Seafoam/gal 5CC Amsoil fuel stabiliser/gal i know it is more like 100/1 mix, but he claimed (no ill result yet): better lube, cleaner burn and more power since more fuel and less oil.
I think stihls are the way to go ive got a few different ones including a 034, MS170, MS270,009L, 020 (2). They all work great and a few of them are at least 25 years old. Get a stihl they last forever
Stilh ok I guess... I'll stick with my Husqvarna saws personally. They are lighter and cut much faster when going against two saws classed the same (mostly haven't ran all of 'em). If getting a Stihl general rule of thumb is an even numbered saw will generally last longer (pro series ) I've got 7 saws right now (for some reason when a family member dies or quits doing things i wind up being the recipient of stuff sometimes usefull sometimes.. :crying :dizzy :lmao ) 4 are Huskys 2 are stihl and the other one is an old lombard. I use the Huskys more than the others because of the above reasons. I'm very particular and exacting with the maintenance of my stuff and the old lombard saw still runs and cuts with the best (IF you can stand the bleeding loud thing it kills me with hearing protection, plugs and muffs with a muffler on). Ultimately if you like one brand beter than the other just match the saw to your work. Go to your local saw shop (where the pros in your area go) and talk to some of the sales staff and their customers and see what they have to say. You can find an opinion good or bad for every saw. Good luck and send some pictures when you get it. :drinkup
I worked for the USFS for years, operating saw. I liked the 044 & 046, with a 24-28 skip it never seemed to run out of power. & I like to run the rakers down just a little. I ran full comp 24insh on our 44, & it was OK, exept at higher elevation. We kept a 36" skip & used it for felling larger stuff, & the 44 was ok, with the 46 being better. We got a 066, & it had tons of power, but, for the amount of hiking we did, I prefered the 44 or 46, & just slow down the cut a little bit. With that said. We also used Husky 272, 391(2), & a larger 394. All were lighter then the Stihl, but were really poor at high elevation. I prefer 24 or 28 inch bar, as kneeling down all day to limb is not my idea of enjoyable, & I did not have to swap out a longer bar to fell most trees. Also, it seems to be wighed better, as in holding the saw by the handlebar, it would be almost level, making it easy to sight, & set up my 1st & back cuts. As you can tell my exp. is (now) with older saws, but those might be in your budget, as a used 044 should be fairly cheap.
The only Stihl I owned was a used pro model. Even though it was only about a year old, it had seen heavy use cutting pulp and was worn out. I'm sure the Stihls are good if one buys a new pro model; a lot of people like them. From that I went to a Partner, which was a real piece of junk. Then I bought a new Husqvarna. It's about thirty years old now. Although it only averages about 75 or 100 hours a year of use, over thirty years that's a lot of hours. It's taken a few spark plugs, a new pull cord, and quite a few chains over the years. And I ran over it with my pickup once; after a little straightening of the handle, (metal back in those days) one would never know. The engine has never been opened up, and it still runs great with lots of power. Just have to keep that small, long screwdriver handy to adjust the Hi and Lo screws once in a while. Oh yeah, and the Husqvarna may have saved my life once. A dead aspen about 10 inches in diameter fell on a power line (truth be known, I accidentally dropped it on the power line:Banghead). So, thinking that dry wood will not transmit electricity, I started to cut through the leaning tree from underneath, at about four feet from the ground. The bar made it an inch or two into the tree, but I dropped the saw when I felt the electricity go up both arms. Had the saw not had those good anti-vibration rubber mounts, I might not be typing this today. Dry felt pack rubber boots also helped. Apparently, even dry wood conducts 14,000 volts very well. A little while later, the snow melted away from the stump and electricity started arcing from the tree to nearby buck brush.
I have an OLD Stilh Farmboss which is over 30 years old, running it with a 20" bar and 90% of the time worked great for firewood cutting and such. Have cut many trees with a larger dia. as well, just took a bit more time to do it. Finally a few years ago, the FB was in the shop and dad needed a saw NOW and decided to buy a newer one. Went with the MS360. Very very nice saw, cuts faster and has taken care of everything I need for the trees and firewood I cut. When cutting on the river for spring clean up we(firedept) has 2 MS290's and a handful of us usually bring along our own saws if needed. Never been around the Husky's but know a few that have ran them for years and cut tons of firewood and love em. Thats bout the only ones I see around at all, when you have a good Stilh dealer in town its bit easier to go with that. Trbo
Stihl is the what we have been using for quite a while now
I have an old 028AV Super. It has been a good saw. I am mostly trying to post.:notworthy Dean
I have a stihl ms 361 and it's a great saw I have a 18 and 25 in bar for it great all around saw. I around 15 to 20 cords last year with it.
I added a new (to me) saw last week. A MS 880 Magnum with a 48 inch bar. Not really practical for what I do but sure a lot of fun to run that monster. Hal
I have 2 Husky saws, don't remember the model but 1 size down from the biggest one. Both with 32" bars because bending over to limb kills my old back. The Husky dealer was a super guy and would work all night to get a saw running again. Most of the loggers in the area purchased their saws from him because of his service. Big saws are like big dozers, when you open the throttle things begin to happens.
For a good deal, the Stihl 650 is just a bit smaller than a 660 but hundreds less. Yup HUNDREDS!!!!!!!!! Go to a few dealers and look for one with dust on it. He can't move it, ego wins and folks go for the 660. There are 2 reasons to use Hi test gas. Stihl says so. And Stihl says so. I realize this is these are the same reason, but it is Damn important. They are tuned for it and they run great with it. Folks will say it does not matter, if so' their saws are tuned wrong and running less than they could. And Stihl says so. I learned the hard way, boy did that saw wake up.
ms 390 stihl is great saw i have 2 at home and 3 at work
I also agree with stihl as being a great saw, have a 390 and 250. The only thing I do to all my saws is the mufffler mod. Lets the saw run much cooler {=longer life} and gives them a little more hp. The forestry forum has a boat load of info.
I have run nothing but Stihl, weedeaters and chain saws, and would not run anything else
I just bought an MS390 with a 25" bar. I love this saw.A little heavy but not to bad.
Stihl saws have always done well by me, very reliable and pretty tough; that said I've never had any issues with any Husky stuff, the Stihl is just more familiar/comfortable to me. I learned on a Stihl 036 which was passed down to me from my father that I still use regularly. I've also put in quite a few hours behind an 064(pre 066), excellent saw with great power. I picked up a MS-361 a couple years ago, great for smaller jobs, lightweight, very reliable so far, but a bit of a dog in comparison to the bigger saws. Try out a bunch of saws, Stihl, Husky, Johnsered, etc and pick which ever one you like.
Husqvarna 455 Rancher Husky 455 Rancher 24 inch bar with skip tooth chain is our tree killer of choice. We are rescuing a 200 year old farm from the woods and the Husky gets us 15-16 cord of 24 inch wood every year to heat our "well-ventilated" farm house. (hey- no radon worries and continuous fresh air- just can't keep a candle lit for long). It starts every time and is light and powerful enough that I can use it without ending up bent double in pain at the end of the day. I grew up in a logging family that mostly swore by Stihls (except uncle Howie, but he's a whole 'nother story) but the Husky has me convinced. That being said- what you've got beats the one at the store pretty much every time if it's sharp and tuned up.
Same story for me 084's and 088's with 32 inch bars, I parked them and now run only 395XP huskys. I got tired of lugging 88's around plus replacing the rubber bushings all the time. My husky is lighter and only has coil springs, so far know major problem with them.
we use a 044 and a 046 in the landin..044 for bumpin knots and the 046 for buckin. Our timberfaller usese a way hopped up 044. It goes through Doug fir like butter. He also uses a semi skip.
Both my 066 and 880 have beed ported and had some other mods done by Bard Snelling from Ohio, The 066 is running at around 14,100 rpm and the 880 is at 13,000. A good bit more grunt from each. Hal
I have seen a few of Snellings saws and they seem to run good!:drinkup
Brad Posted a video on another site, of my 880 as he was tuning it. http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=141163&page=4 Post #51 Have not even had a chance to see it. Got to the house the week after I started my trek to Iraq. Hal
I used to run huskys and was always having greif with blue and red wires and stop switches, not major just a pain in the arse. Had 4 660s now keep them for a year and only had to do clutch springs and the ocasonal carb kit. Would never go back to the Tupperware saws again!
Starting to hear that the new STIHL saws are less powerful than their predecessors. Here in the US, our EPA is having a very big effect on small 2 stroke engines - and of course that effects saws a lot. Keeping an older saw running and rebuilding it as required may be the way to go. Hal
I just picked up a new 460 yesterday, and talking to the sales guy he mentioned it is still the older design and dosent have all the emissions crap that Stihl is now producing in their consumers level saws. He thinks that will change though in the nearer future. that is a shame IMO
the ms361 is and old saw the new one is ms362 if thats not good for you look at a ms460 mag tom trees
Reports I see on another forum are that the 362 is a dog. Get a 361, if you can. Hal
Yes go with a Stihl 460 32" or 36" bar
Love my BIG Stihls. Too big for the wood here, (kenai peninsula, Ak) but sure fun to run. Have an 090, 076, 075, 051, and my favorite an 056 magnum 2 that was never run until I bought it off Ebay last year. But the saw I use the most around here is the MS 440 with full wrap handle bar and large double dogs. Was looking for a used 046 when I ran into the 440. It will do for now. I'm a believer in the older saws to stay away from the de-tuned, emission hobbled, current production saws. 28" bar is the shortest I use. Don't care for bending over. Used to work on the landing on the Olympic Peninsula, Wa., cuttiing LOTS of cedar. Had to be bucked on both ends to brand them. Many days I burned 5 gallons of saw gas, in addition to unbelling chokers, branding, hooking up truck trailers, fueling equipment, ect. I was hard as a choker knob in those days. Glad I don't have to work like that now.
From my experience i have an 038AV Magnum, Dad bought it in 1983 has been worked constantly since then, the only thing we have replaced was the rubber intake boot. It runs like a charm, and defiantly hasn't lost out in the performance. Look after your Stihl saw and you will have it for life.
have 1 too i have over 40 saws
http://http://tinypic.com/m/ea5aab/1
I worked fighting forest fire with Tom Trees. Are you the one? 1969 Quinault Wa.
My younger brother, ex logger, collects 2 man saws. Has a nice collection. Always looking for more saws and parts. He lives in Toutle Wa. If you have something to sell, shoot me an email. I'll let him know. He also collects rigging, and especially the blocks used on wood spar trees.
I worked fighting forest fire with Tom Trees. no i live on long island ny and arborist for 37 years now
Here is a pic of my 056 Magnum 2. Bought this saw brand new off Ebay last year. They quit making this model in the early 90's. The guy I got it from bought several to soup up and run in Logger Playdays. He got hurt before he had a chance to use this one. I have cut 2 loads of wood with it. I could smell the paint burning off the muffler when I first used it. 94 cc's. What a joy to run. You can still see assembly marks on the parts, and the labels still had the plastic covering them.
361/362 Stihl I have 3 361's and one 362 that I use everyday (nearly) in my tree service & logging jobs. I prefer the 362 only because it has the wrap around handlebars which work well when falling or piecing down trees. You will need to change the dogs on it though, the stock dogs do not bite into the bark of larger trees, it just skids along and does not bite in. They are major JUNK!! Also the air cleaner cover is not nearly as handy, it has three screw type fastners instead of the one center twist knob. The 361 becomes a top notch tree saw if you get the wrap around handlebar kit for them. Also the outside dog off a 460 will bolt right onto the chain case guard. Good saw!! I run a 28 inch bar on our saws, keep the air cleaner clean, the chain sharp and they will cut!!
I have a 390 and a 180 I've had good service from both.
Just sold an 090 to a fellow in Seattle. He is restoring it. Probably take my S-10 also. My favorites to run these days are my MS460 and my pristine 056 Mag II.
MS290 or MS311, i have the 290 and it's a excellent excellent saw!
I have a ms311 i use for firewood but i have been looking for a 660 project to rebuild with a big bore kit. Here is some red elm (slippery elm) i scored the other year. I got 5 cords from them. I had to noodle these to get them on the trailer.
Hi im lookin for a chainsaw i have a choice of a second hand stihl 032av or a stihl 026av for some logging noting to big anyone help me make up my mind or which is best
It would depend on how large of trees you will be working with most of the time. The 026, with a 18 or 20 inch bar would handle most everything below 3 foot in diameter. You will like the 026. A good saw to run. Hal
Saw Size....... A Question I would have is you say nothing to big, how big? Are you falling trees, or just bumping knots? If you are falling trees, it is handier and much safer to use a saw that reaches all the way through the trees you are cutting. You have much more control of the direction of your trees, you make far fewer mistakes when your saw reaches all the way through. The same is true for bucking that tree into logs, the longer bar is the way to go, it is not as handy for bumping knots...... Good luck to you, be safe.......
the 026 is a toy saw good for ground work but the 362 is the better saw
Biggger is better - I agree with that. But at the end of the day running a 260/026 is less hard on the body. For a lot of uses it might be the better saw. I buy into a plan for two (or more) saws. A 60cc saw and an 80 or 90cc ( or 122cc) saw. But I really get tired out running one of the big saws for very long. Hal
i have a 032 do youknow when they quet makeing that size saw
I have found that working with too small of a saw is more work. Give me the larger one every time. If it isn't at least 70 cc's and a 25- 28" bar, I'm not interested in picking it up.
For me, it depends on the size of the wood, and of the job. For a little light brush work, I love an 028 Super. In a three-foot diameter hardwood, as you said, that same saw will work you to death. I'll stick with my MS440. I put that saw to work a bit after Irene. I drove by what appeared to be a recently vacated mobile home in the low country yesterday. On the side, someone had spray-painted the words, "Irene, U won!". Hope all is well up your way, Mister Smoke.
Younger Brother added a new (to him anyway) 038 Super to the stable. Liked his old one so much. Still finds times he needs an 066, or other large saw, but grabs the 038 for most jobs. Has almost the same displacement as the ms 440. I have a ms 440 with the large dogs and full wrap bar. Just picked up a ms 460, like new. Need to find a full wrap for it. Might have to be on the lookout for an 038 now. Things going well up north, Vigilant. PM you soon with details, Brother.
i have had 2 056 mags mybrother inlaw blew one of them up ive had3 032s one was stoleden out of my truck
Here is my MS880 Magnum - right after it was modded just a bit. The operator is the mechanic who did the work. [video]http://youtu.be/kS1uD7L7d7U[/video] Hal
Nice! Brad does some good work. Ed
Sure does. He worked on both an 066 and an 880 for me. Hal
Have a Stihl 390, just bought a 20'' bar and chain for it today. The 18'' bar is only going to be used for light duty work. Just bought a 291 C BE Stihl before christmas, love it, and 1 husqvarna, would have bought a huskie over the stihl, but the stihl got to me.
I love my Sthil 390 chainsaw, i am on my 2nd on, but the first one would still be running if a 40 inch pine didn't drive it 2 feet in to the ground. Just remember run hi test, uses fuel stabilizer at keep fuel fresh, at the end of the day i dump the rest of the can in my truck, and don't lend your saw. That's how mind bit the dust! Now if that person pinches his bar he unbolts the power head, before he cuts out the saw.
We've been running Husky saws for the last 30+ years. Up till the last 10 years or so they had never let us down. Last real good one was a 272. The 372 weren't to bad till a few years ago then we switched to 365's without heated bars or carbs. They've just kept on getting poorer in quality from what we've seen. The addition of epa mandates certainly hasn't helped them any but they've been going down hill somewhat from what we've seen here. Dealer I know has been selling them for as long as I can remember this year is the first year they are strictly stihl. He sold 3 new 365 saws within a couple of days and they all came back for something or another. We bought our first Stihl saw this year. A MS441 arctic so we're going to try it out and see how it goes. Husqvarna never left us completly stranded in the bush but it looked and sounded like it was time to jump ship and try something else. Ryan