066 or 395XP ?

[kf_tree]

Re: 395

Originally posted by stihltech
My only experience is the customer that bought a 395 after having about 3 066.
He had it about 3 months, came in, set it on the bench and said,"I don't care what it costs, I am not going back to the woods with that saw".
1 new 660 later, customer and dealer are happy.

the 395 was probably tooo much saw for the guy to handle.....so he decided to go back to the little boy saw

 

[kf_tree]

Originally posted by Frans
I heard that on the 395 there is a screw on the muffler that goes all the way through to the oil tank. In time this vibrates and you get oil all over everything. In addition, with the wrap around handle you have to fiddle with the bar nut using a different tool.
I also heard it can be hard to start.
this is the type of info. I am seeking
Any other real advice or comments?

frans

the screw that may back out is on the muffler bracket. just check it with routine maintanence. a standard saw wrench is all you need for the bar nuts nothing special. as far as hard too start.....thats because these guys think it's a BIG saw and only run it once every 2 months. put a strap on it and climb with that baby. i don't under stand why evey one use's them just to flush a stump.
yea yea i like to shoot my mouth off. i've owned 2 394xp's (i've never run a 395 yet) but the 394 definitly felt stronger than the 066's i've run.

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

i gotta agree with Mike again!

Same builds, tools, bars, chains, parts dealer, etc.make a lot of diffrence in total satisfaction. 66'dang good saw.

 

[kf_tree]

i guess it's important that you get along with your dealer if you run stihl's...........that way you won't feel bad paying him to repair your saws all the time.

 

[Frans]

KF Tree:
I dont think the 394 is being made anymore.
I too heard it is a stronger saw than the 066 AND the 395. But I will buy a new saw so that counts me out of that one.

HEY THANKS ALOT EVERYONE WHO ANSWERED ME!
Posting my question on this site and getting answers was very helpfull thanks again.
Frans
oh buy the way my 0460 (or whatever they are calling it these days) has I suspect an air leak. It cut out when held sideways. Maybe the fuel filter is sticking up wrong? I'll check it out tomorrow...
Frans

 

[kf_tree]

at the end of last summer i picked up a 394xp for a friend....i found a shop that lowered their price's to make room for the 395's.
if you call around a bit you might be able to track down a 394....it's a long shot ,,,but you never know.

 

[Yellowdog]

I like a 372xp for the size and weight. I am not a logger by any stretch of the means but we use this saw to cut some 30" cedar and dead oak without any problems. I am sorta new to big saws and I thought that for the money this saw has performed well.
My company probably would have went with the 385 husky if it was available when we got our 372 but I don't think it was out.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

372 is enough saw for most aborist work, just need the right cahin for the job.

I hate running a big saw in a tree, my arms get tired just hinking about it. Give me a 036 with good full chisle half skip and I can get the job done, fast. On the ground, 372 with a full skip is great with a long bar..

 

[Yellowdog]

I am a big guy and my arms kill me using a 372 but it cuts so fast and makes cutting stumps off big cedar trees a breeze even with only a 24" bar. I just love the power and this saw starts every time though you need some forearms to start it off the ground!

I had a friend that had a 395 with a 36" bar (I think) and he got cut real, real bad while cutting stumps at my place (he made furniture out of the cedar stumps). The 395 was so big and he wasn't! I didn't see the accident but he had booku stitches. He was a strong guy but that much power takes some respect too!

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

More like improper use, any saw can kcik back and cause some hurtin.

Many people who have used saws for a lot either learned wrong or become complacent.

 

[M.D. Vaden]

Last year, I bought a Husky 385XP, and a smaller Stihl.

I'm not absolutely sure, but I'm guessing that the gas and oil caps are much bigger on the larger Stihl saws too, than on the Husky.

I'd venture that the 066 and the 395XP are both great. But I like convenience too. So next time, I'm looking for convenience for refilling, tightening chain, etc..

The Stihl has nice size openings for refilling.

I should have just dished out the extra few hundred and got the 3120. Heavier, but I don't use the big saws much except for dissecting. And a 3120 is nothing like a bag of concrete.