A 260 Pro And.....

[h20addict]

I've had a 260 Pro since 2011, muffler modded about 3 months after purchase, and it has served me very well. It always starts, does what I need it to do, and gets most any job done with a 16" and 18" bar running a .325.

Living on the Gulf Coast of FL, the most recent hurricane season has me itching for a new saw with a bit more power. The clean up in our area, thankfully off the water, was extensive with all the tree damage. While my 260 got the job done, I felt like having more horsepower behind the bar would serve me well.

I'm purely a hobbyist, and live in a residential area, but also have a family farm on 600 acres where most of my cutting takes place for firewood, trail cleanup, etc.

While I've been extensively researching CAD, my alleged 2 saw plan looks like my 260 living with a 16" bar, with the addition of either a 400 or 462 wearing either a 20 or 25inch light bar. That said I've even *GASP* been considering selling the 260 and having the larger "do all" saw as my one and only.

I appreciate and value any and all input.

 

[Mad3400]

No, that would be sacrilegious to get rid of the 260, pretty much making it an orphan to adopt another, instead of giving it a friend...

If you got the dough to splurge, pick out a 462!

If you're not in big wood and want the lightest set up, the 20" Light bar, but a 25" is always nice for the extra reach.


Mad3400

 

[flatsfisher]

I'm also on the florida gulf coast and have had to cut down and process 29 white oaks that died over the last few years. they were all 60-70 feet tall and 8 to 24" diameter near the ground. i did most of them with an 036 with a 20" bar and it went well. since then, I've purchased and repaired a bunch of saws, most older classics but I think the best one for doing actual work is my completely restored 372XP. great power and torque, light weight for it's power and lovely handling.

 

[Jeff Lary]

Great job man that thing sings!

 

[capetrees]

https://www.arboristsite.com/threads/modern-equivalent-to-stihl-044.372343/

 

[h20addict]

I'm hoping to get to a dealer this week and put my hands on both. I feel like the 400c will do all I'll ever need it to do, but the 462 will do everything needed with power in reserve.

 

[Old2stroke]

Don't sell it. You need at least 2 active saws, a small one for small stuff and limbing and a big one when you need a longer bar. Good to have a spare saw to free one that gets pinched or if you only have 6 cuts to go and you run out of gas or the chain gets dull, easy to finish the job with the spare. Chainsaws have a habit of quitting at the worst time, spare saw will save a return trip.

 

[Marley5]

Don't sell it. You need at least 2 active saws, a small one for small stuff and limbing and a big one when you need a longer bar. Good to have a spare saw to free one that gets pinched or if you only have 6 cuts to go and you run out of gas or the chain gets dull, easy to finish the job with the spare. Chainsaws have a habit of quitting at the worst time, spare saw will save a return trip.

Words of wisdom.
Many years ago working 6 days per week, I had to take a vacation day just to cut wood.
Pinched my Remington saw and spent half a day running the road, getting a strap to unpinch the saw.
Today I actually carry 3 saws.

 

[Brushwacker]

I seldom have less then 3 saws when working. 1 is a designated beater for cutting near ground level or anything that adds risk of dulling the chain. I would prefer 3/8 16in for that on the 026 or buy a smaller saw with 12-16 inch 3/8 bar.