60cc’s. Ultimate firewood saw?

[bwalker]

One of the finest saws in my opinion is the MS361, which might be a little bit fancy for firewood duty ?, but non the less ,a wonderful saw to use all day.

Once muffler moded the 361 is a great firewood saw. Before that it's kind of a turd. The onky downside to the 361 is a weak oiler, which is easy to fix and the fact the air filter is garbage.
The 400C smokes it though in every way.

 

[bwalker]

The 362 feels like picking up a fat box compared to a 036/361.

I have owned two 036/360's. I tried to like them, but IMO they are really turds. Saws like the 357xp and MS361 where much better in every way.

 

[djg james]

Once muffler moded the 361 is a great firewood saw. Before that it's kind of a turd. The onky downside to the 361 is a weak oiler, which is easy to fix and the fact the air filter is garbage.
The 400C smokes it though in every way.

Weak oiler? How do you fix it? In my opinion, my 038 could use more oil.

 

[singinwoodwackr]

I'm thinking, and that could be dangerous...

I cut firewood as a secondary source of heat, maybe one or two cords a year. I use an MS271 for this. I have been wondering if a larger saw, maybe in the 60cc range, might be more comfortable and more efficient...

Any thoughts on this? Getting a fifth saw won't be a problem for me.

Of course you need a larger saw...or 2...or 3.
Silly question, sheesh

 

[bwalker]

Weak oiler? How do you fix it? In my opinion, my 038 could use more oil.

461r oiler bolts up.

 

[fields_mj]

I have owned two 036/360's. I tried to like them, but IMO they are really turds. Saws like the 357xp and MS361 where much better in every way.

I've never actually had the chance to run a 361, but both of my 036 saws were tweaked as soon as I got them. Mufflers were opened up, and the clutch drum and bearing were swapped out to for standard a standard spline (same as a 361???) so that I could run a 9 pin .325 rim. If I were running a 25" bar on it, I don't think I'd like it nearly as much and would probably pick up the 026 more often than not. With a 9 pin rim on an 18" bar and running depth gauges at .030" or .035" I absolutely LOVE bucking firewood with an 036.

 

[bwalker]

I've never actually had the chance to run a 361, but both of my 036 saws were tweaked as soon as I got them. Mufflers were opened up, and the clutch drum and bearing were swapped out to for standard a standard spline (same as a 361???) so that I could run a 9 pin .325 rim. If I were running a 25" bar on it, I don't think I'd like it nearly as much and would probably pick up the 026 more often than not. With a 9 pin rim on an 18" bar and running depth gauges at .030" or .035" I absolutely LOVE bucking firewood with an 036.

What sort-of wood are you cutting?
I've never seen a 60cc saw, ported or not running a 8 pin well, much less a 9, but this is with 3/8 chain. I believe the 8 pin .325 is the same size as a 3/8" 7 pin?
Both my 360's were muffler modded as well. Mostly ran 16" bars on them, but occasionally 20". Even with a 16" bar and a 7pin 3/8" chain they still did not cut all that well IMO.

 

[OM617YOTA]

I see people running 20" and even bigger bars on 60cc saws. I have an 18" on my 034S and that is the absolute biggest I'd want to run, even in our west coast softwoods.

Admittedly, I'm using full comp chain, and don't use a guide when adjusting depth gauges. Just a few swipes with a file or even a touch with a flap disc on a grinder. I should measure them sometime and see what my depth gauges are actually at.

 

[Maintenance supervisor]

Once muffler moded the 361 is a great firewood saw. Before that it's kind of a turd. The onky downside to the 361 is a weak oiler, which is easy to fix and the fact the air filter is garbage.
The 400C smokes it though in every way.

The 400 has definitely set a standard. As far a firewood cutting goes though, I don't think it has to be that serious.

 

[Maintenance supervisor]

I see people running 20" and even bigger bars on 60cc saws. I have an 18" on my 034S and that is the absolute biggest I'd want to run, even in our west coast softwoods.

Admittedly, I'm using full comp chain, and don't use a guide when adjusting depth gauges. Just a few swipes with a file or even a touch with a flap disc on a grinder. I should measure them sometime and see what my depth gauges are actually at.

Honestly the raker/depth guage really lets you control alot of your cutting potential. It does pay off to get them close for the type of cutting your doing.

 

[OM617YOTA]

Honestly the raker/depth guage really lets you control alot of your cutting potential. It does pay off to get them close for the type of cutting your doing.

I should try a couple chains where I pay attention, time them in the cut, and see what happens compared to eyeballing it.

I should be clear, I'm not snipping the depth gauges off with a bolt cutter, I tuned them for what the saw likes and how I want it to cut. Not cutting fast enough, take the depth gauges deeper. Too grabby, bogging the saw? Too much, take the tooth down. Didn't take long to get a feel for it, and now I can look at the depth gauges and tell what's "right" at a glance, even though I have no idea what that translates to as far as numbers or measurement.

 

[North by Northwest]

My ported 357 xp is my go to saw in the 60 cc class about to purchase a 6100 next month which I will send to Huskihl once I break it in , which shall be a reed valve ripper once ported . My 11-60 Pioneer is another fine firewood saw in this class & a sentimental favorite . I sold a 359 that was a very nice trouble free firewood saw & under rated at the time .

 

[Evan]

I see people running 20" and even bigger bars on 60cc saws. I have an 18" on my 034S and that is the absolute biggest I'd want to run, even in our west coast softwoods.

Admittedly, I'm using full comp chain, and don't use a guide when adjusting depth gauges. Just a few swipes with a file or even a touch with a flap disc on a grinder. I should measure them sometime and see what my depth gauges are actually at.

You realy need to set rakers to each cutter. A swipe here a swipe there realy isnt doing much. Its like half assing the chain.

For what its worth i played the 60cc game ported stock cut lots of wood with them.
Still cut a fair amount but no longer own a 60cc. Just grew out of them. A pair of 75cc beasts do all the cutting now.

 

[Mad Professor]

I have owned two 036/360's. I tried to like them, but IMO they are really turds. Saws like the 357xp and MS361 where much better in every way.

I'll never sell my 036s. 361 is a turd with the stock muffler

 

[Bill G]

Hear me out here. For a all around firewood saw I’ve been really enjoying the 60cc saws. Recently finished resurrecting a jred 630 I picked up for a little over $100 dollars. It did take some work but I had most of the parts on hand. Went through it with a fine tooth comb, it got everything it needed to bring it up to new saw reliability. It will run a 20 inch bar with 33RS chain in hard or soft wood at a speed that I feel is acceptable factoring in time and fuel consumption. Yes there are times when a bigger saw is needed but for the average firewood man a 60cc saw will do the job and do it well. What say you?

I had some 630's still probably have some. I also have the larger cousins

 

[bwalker]

I'll never sell my 036s. 361 is a turd with the stock muffler

Yes, it very much is. However, the 360 is a turd even with a muffler mod.

 

[bwalker]

My ported 357 xp is my go to saw in the 60 cc class about to purchase a 6100 next month which I will send to Huskihl once I break it in , which shall be a reed valve ripper once ported . My 11-60 Pioneer is another fine firewood saw in this class & a sentimental favorite . I sold a 359 that was a very nice trouble free firewood saw & under rated at the time .

The 359 was also better than the 360. Great saw really, just didn't have quite the same jam as a 357xp.

 

[bwalker]

I see people running 20" and even bigger bars on 60cc saws. I have an 18" on my 034S and that is the absolute biggest I'd want to run, even in our west coast softwoods.

Admittedly, I'm using full comp chain, and don't use a guide when adjusting depth gauges. Just a few swipes with a file or even a touch with a flap disc on a grinder. I should measure them sometime and see what my depth gauges are actually at.

No expiereance with a 034, but I will say a 361, 400C etc will cut very well with a 25" bar in west coast softwood.
As others have mentioned chain is important. With thatbsaidnInrun my depth gauges on the low side on my 400c and it cuts like crazy with a 25" bar and stihl RS chain. I've ran both skip and full comp. Full comp cuts faster with this bar, but I run skip because it still does really well with half the teeth to sharpen.

 

[ballisticdoughnut]

I had some 630's still probably have some. I also have the larger cousins

That 630 is my first Jonsered. I like the choke/high idle arrangement on that saw over the husky’s. Chain brake is a little funky, the flag has quite a bit of slop in it compared to the husky’s of that era. 630 is closed transfer port which I like. It’s basically a red husky 162. I’ve upgraded the carb and muffler, for all intents and purposes it’s now a 630 super.

 

[Mad Professor]

Yes, it very much is. However, the 360 is a turd even with a muffler mod.

EPA got a hold of the 360. The 034S and early 036 were best of that series.