Choosing a saw.. need help!

[AdamG]

Hey guys,
     I have decided on a new saw by next spring- have put a lot of thought and research into what my options are, and want to get some experienced input.
I will be cutting roughly 20-25 bundles of hardwood   slabwood  and  5-6 trees/year.  My boiler door is 23x30-  so unless I come across a tree that is in my way, 25" dia is about the largest I would cut.

    I have looked at Jonsereds, huskies, and stihls- pretty much settled on stihl due to amount of dealer support in my area, and positive feedback from people i know with them . There are 2 husq. Dealers in my area, have only been to one of them, and he did not have any xp models to look at in person.
 
This will be pretty much my 'everything' saw. trying to find a nice balance- not a huge heavy powerhouse that does awesome in the slab jig, but is a bear to lug around in the woods- and visa versa   
    That being sad- I have been Looking hard at the MS362. Original plans were to run a 36" bar for the slab (one cut on a fully loaded jig), 20 or 25 for trees. Original plans for the 36 went to the wayside when I decided I didn't want to put out the extra cash to get into a 441 or bigger. However, when talking to a local dealer- he said I could get away with running a 36 with a full skip. Said I wouldn't be cutting trees with it but It should go through the slab just fine. Opinions?
     
     Also, if I choose to run the 25 as my main bar, will the 362 pull it just fine when buried in a 20-25" hardwood with minimal bogging ? I know it's spec'd at 25 max, just wondering how it performs with one.
As much as I don't want to go any higher price, I also do not want to buy another saw for quite a while. The ideal situation would be to buy another saw because it finally took a crap, not because I realized 2-3 years down the road that I outgrew it and wish I would've gotten something bigger.

Thanks in advance for any and all input!
Adam

[T Welsh]

AdamG, I will not get into the Stihl vs husky vs johnny debate :D
Dealer service has a lot to do with a purchase of a saw, best thing I can tell you is go take a test drive. walk into the dealer and find the manager,ask him if he has time to help you with a purchase and tell him what you have been thinking. ask him to put the bar that you will us the most on the saw and test it out and make a bunch of cuts with it and you will be better informed about the balance and weight of it. as for a MS362?
you are at the top end of the smaller saws and the bottom end of the middle weight saw range. what ever you choose ask to run the next size bigger ;D  and you will see and feel the difference! just a note, a bigger saw will be a lot more stable in the cut because of its weight than a lighter saw. but a lighter saw is easier to handle all day long! But thats is life in general. take a test drive ;) Tim

[stavebuyer]

I have a MS361 with a 25" bar. Keep the chain sharp and it pulls it just fine. Wouldn't want to go any smaller for felling or any larger for limbing. Pretty good choice for an all around saw.

[AdamG]

Oh believe me- I've already thought of the two saw program.. something like a 441/ 460 for felling/bucking and a 261 for limbing. The bank account isn't that big, and I can't really justify getting two saws just for firewood gathering.

However- Let me throw a couple beers down and I'm sure i will justify just about anything.  ;D

[Cut4fun]

I have no stihls left for you to try. But if you want to try the old school stuff in 272xp 72cc with fresh top end rebuild, Jonsered 2171 71cc same as husky 372xp I have on hand too. 362xp small mount bar but can run the 365SP and 372 375 372BB cylinders when updated. Bunch of other stuff to that would make your eyes pop wide open  with a big grin.
Have a friend that could bring  a dolmar 7900. Stock saw that will flat eat any saw in the 70cc to 79cc class.
I'm about hour 50mins from you.

Just so you can think outside of the box.

I like the MS361 034/036 I had and MS660 084 026 etc etc x about 100  :D :D Never cared for the 441 I tried out. Good AV but underpowered I thought. Heck even a 441 woods ported only just about breaks even with a stock 7900 in the cut.

[bill m]

An ms362 will handle a 36 in. bar just fine for cutting slabs. If you are only cutting 5 or 6 trees a year and occasionally running into 25 in. dia. wood why do you want a 25 inch bar? A 20 inch bar on that saw is a good match and a lot lighter than a 25 inch one.

[bill m]

That ms311 will not handle a 36 inch bar like an ms362 will.

[learydeere]

We have an outdoor boiler and cut 25 cord per year for that plus sell firewood and my father runs a stihl 660 with a 24 inch bar and i run a husky 575xp with a 20 inch bar and a 32 for bigger logs and we are both very happy with them and both have plenty of power but everybody has their own opinion

[shelbycharger400]

you could buy 2 or 3 used saws for the price of a new one.  ive used everything from 12 in up to 3 ft bars.
20 inch bar is the most used , althou...i have been shoppin for a machine that will handle a 36.
if your cuttin slabwood... run a 20"

[AdamG]

An ms362 will handle a 36 in. bar just fine for cutting slabs.

That's what I like to hear. Would i be running into oiling problems with that large of bar? I read somewhere guys are upgrading to the 441 oiler for this reason.

If you are only cutting 5 or 6 trees a year and occasionally running into 25 in. dia. wood why do you want a 25 inch bar? A 20 inch bar on that saw is a good match and a lot lighter than a 25 inch one.

I really have no good answer for that one, except i figured it would be easier to cut a tree with a bar of at least the same dia. This is where my inexperience kicks in.  I also double checked this morning, boiler door opening is 21.5" but I still would not be opposed to cutting a little bit bigger and shaving down just enough to fit through the door. I also am planning on the bulk of my trees cut to be in the 20-25" dia. The bigger, the better.

We have an outdoor boiler and cut 25 cord per year for that plus sell firewood and my father runs a stihl 660 with a 24 inch bar and i run a husky 575xp with a 20 inch bar and a 32 for bigger logs and we are both very happy with them and both have plenty of power but everybody has their own opinion

There is a good looking 660 for sale on cl around here for a good price. I felt one when i was at the dealer too. I dunno. While I don't consider myself a wuss, I am also not the hulk. I don't want to out-class myself and get tired of handling the thing halfway through the day.

you could buy 2 or 3 used saws for the price of a new one.

I've been looking. Aside from the 660 I just mentioned, I have not found anything that peeked my interest in my area the last few months. Most are smaller than I would like, and pretty old- and I often worry about what the last guy did- whether he ran the pith out of it or actually took decent care of it

if your cuttin slabwood... run a 20"

Is there a specific reason you say that? The main reason I'd like to run a larger bar is to put a full load in the jig and make one swipe. I run an 18" now, and on a full load i have to cut the front side, then walk around and finish up on the back which is a pain. Loading a half load sucks too, imo.

[Al_Smith]

 :D I could chime in and say buy a 70 cc McCulloch but I'd only be joking .--although I have several myself .

Seriously though if you want a used saw probabley none made for durabilty come better than any of the 038 series Stihl or the 044/Ms 440 .They aren't shiny new though any more .Good reliable saw if you want used .

[JohnG28]

I have a 361, which is pretty close in power to what a 362 would be, plus it has a mild muffler mod.  I have a 24" bar for it, but it wears a 20" most of the time.  I would not really want to go much more than 24" with this size saw, it's just not meant for it, IMO.  If your looking to run a 24" bar all the time I would think you'll be more than happy if you go up around a 70cc saw.  And I don't think you'll get much oil on a 36" bar with a 362 unless you swap to a larger oil pump, it's just not up to it.  Weight wise a 441 or 440 would not be a lot more, and the power would probably be worth it.  JMO, hope it helps.  Happy saw hunting. ;)

[shelbycharger400]

well..

you could buy 2 or 3 used saws for the price of a new one

2 mo ago... craigslist...   i found 3 stihls for 500 range..     one was a factory rebuilt, they were a 038, 040 something and ect .    im still weighting for a buddy to give me a price on a johnsrud 87cc saw that he has or the 70 something cc one. (both were rebuilt by the factory due to the neighbor running straight gas..neighbor payed all the costs )

[Cut4fun]

I know this is way bigger then you are wanting. But I can get a stock stihl 084 with like new top end shipped to my house for you to try out for $6@@ with a 36" bar.  If you need more info let me know and I will email my friend for it to pass on to you.
Just used for bucking right now at lumber yard.

[aquacanis]

 8)Personally I would never run a 36" bar on a 55 cc chain saw.  If you look at what
Sthil "recommends" for your MS362 it is a 20 inch bar.  They recommend that for a  reason.  A 20 inch bar will cut the biggest tree you will ever encounter if you know how to make duel and plunging cuts.  The bigger bars are for the hulks that are
young and strong enough to handle them.  36 is going to need more chain oil as it cuts and is expensive to buy from the get go.  I have dropped four foot diameter pines with a 20 inch bar.  You just gotta study and learn the proper cutting techniques.  Buy a couple plastic wedges and a 4 lb. hammer along with the 20" bar and you can fell most any tree you will ever run into I suspect.

[shelbycharger400]

aquacanis.... i have a 6 to 7 ft dia sugar maple that i want to drop....want to play with a 20 inch bar with that one...lol   at 8 ft up?  it is 5 trees that grew together, at 8 ft they are all 24in dia .

I think i know that what the plan is, its hard to break down a large log with a 20" saw bar.    i have 1/4 a large log with a chain saw with a 20,...pta!

[AdamG]

 After much reading and going back and forth- Came down to the wire whether I was going to get a 460 or 441. Still not sure why I chose 460 other than it just looks badass, and I was tired of reading hrs upon hrs of 441 vs 460 stuff. Either way I think i would've been happy, so I flipped the mental coin.
Got a 36" light bar for cutting in the slabwood jig, and a 25" for falling. the 36 light doesn't feel too bad at all, and just sitting there it isn't nose heavy enough to tip under it's own weight. When I pick it up it does tend to want to dip slightly, but it doesn't bother me too much. yet.
Got the RSC3 chain for both bars. When I get some hrs on the saw and feel more comfortable (have never used a 70cc class) I will probably order full skip chains.
Really anxious to go find somnething to tear up now!



My brother found an awesome deal on a MS362 with 20 and 25" b/c's- so between the two of us, we are good to go for quite a while!



 


 

[JohnG28]

That's a fine looking saw.  I doubt I'd be able to set it on such a table without an fearful though.  :D

[CabinDweller]

I agree, nice saw! My father-in-law has a 460 that I've spent plenty of hours running.

You can't go wrong with a 460 and a 362.