considering a 661 for general purpose...

[j_d]

Greetings and thanks for the wealth of info I have been reading on the site.  Before I got the w.m. I kept a stihl 192 around the house to cut the small diameter ash that is dying on the property.  It's a great little saw.  However now that I am working the saw mill and doing some very small scale logging I am needing something bigger.  I would like a saw that will handle the largest diameter log I am likely to have to deal with in Ohio.  It would also be nice to be able to rip a log.  It would be convenient to buy two more saws but right now I am limited to the trim saw and buying one more.  I am envisioning being able to handle most anything with a 661 and two bar lengths.  I have borrowed a friends rebuilt 046 and like it but have seen some logs where something bigger would have been nice.  I also used a friends 088 and it was amazingly ridiculous.   ;D  I am pretty much set on stihl as I know the local dealer and like working with them.  This is a significant purchase for me and I would be interested in opinions. 
Thanks,
Josh

[ehp]

One of my friends has a 661 on a sawmill it works pretty well at it , he had a 088 but it was stolen

[mad murdock]

Welcome j_d. Hard to beat the 90cc-class saws. They are bif enough for most anything but not overly big.

[JohnG28]

You didn't mention the size logs you expect to see. If it's over 20-24" you'd probably want all that you can get for ripping hardwoods. Could get away with less but more is better!  ;D You could run a 20" up to a 36" for just trimming logs as long as you don't mind swinging all that saw around. It looks like a hell of a saw, I know I want one!  8)

[j_d]

Thanks for the replies.  I do cut mostly hardwood and can see some pretty big stuff by midwest standards.  This week a friend is helping me rip a 40" oak with his 088.  I don't need to do it all the time but when you need it you need it.  I am just concerned the bigger saw might be overkill because I would also use whatever I get for felling and bucking and anything else the trim saw is too small for. 

[JohnG28]

Yeah, that's the catch 22-its a lot of saw when you don't need it. I have used a 660 for a while and it gets heavy real fast! If it's mainly a falling/bucking saw might be worth looking smaller, the 461 is an improvement of the 460 and would probably be a better saw for that application. You could always look at used saws, that might be able to get you a couple as opposed to just 1. Have you gone to the dealer and tried lugging the 661 around a bit?

[terrifictimbersllc]

It will come down to how much you value buying only one more saw, vs. how much you are willing to carry around the extra weight. You'll also have trouble running a bar over 41" with the 661, from availability in 050 and from the ability to adequately oil a bar longer than this.  But maybe you don't need to.  You probably won't be able to say how you'll feel about the decision until you've used the 661 a while. My guess is if you can still do a fair amount of your work with the little saw, you'll be very happy reaching for the 661 when you really need it.

I went back and forth on this and bought a 660 with a 36" bar.  I carry it from my truck to the portable sawmill. Not around the woods.  It wasn't that heavy of a saw.  I was used to 090AVs.   I was content, but it was stolen.

I went back and forth again, wanting to handle whatever I encounter in portable milling, and now have an 880 with 404 chain and 30 and 59" bars.  I already had a 41" bar from the 090AVs days.  The 880 is heavy but I love getting it out and getting the job done.  Again, I'm not carrying it around the woods, or even very far, just from the truck to the mill, about 50 feet max.

[HolmenTree]

Those big saws like the 090, 880, 3120 are not heavy if used what their designed for, which is cutting large diameter timber.
That big wood supports the weight of the saw ......the operator only has to carry it to the cut and then guide it.

[scully]

Well thanks guys ! Now I want an 88.............

[j_d]

Well, today was interesting and educational.  I got to spend some time running an 880 and a 660.  I had been leaning toward an 880.  I'm glad I spent some time with both. 

I ripped several large oak logs using a 5' bar with the 880 and after swapping to a 48" (I think) bar did some bucking.  I was also able to use the same friends 660 to do some bucking and lighter ripping.  The 880 was a beast and wore me out.  Forget overhead trimming.  I am not a lumber jack and would never want to fight one if they wield a saw like that all day. 

I absolutely loved the 660.  It was noticeably faster cutting and powerful but still manageable for what I would use a medium size saw for.  I could take this saw to the woods to cut firewood off road.  Not so much with the 880.  Also its a little more than half the cost thanks to forum member AdkStihl who has been very helpful with a hook up.  As good as the 660 was the 661 reviews even better and I plan on having a 661 of my own.  Thanks for the replies and help folks.  Now I want to go cut something.

Regards,
Josh

[HolmenTree]

The 661 looks like a top notch saw, even though I never ran one I know Stihl did their homework on this one.
Husqvarna only has  one saw to compete with it, with a design  that is now almost a quarter  of a century  old.
I guess I'll  have to start selling off some of my old saws..........