Buy the 562xp or the 365? Christmas bonus burning a hole in my pocket!

[sunfish]

I much prefer the 562, but the 365 will work better milling. That said, the size wood you are milling the 562 would be fine.

 

[Jed1124]

If your going to go with the weight of a 365 might as well get a 372 for a little bit more money....
Otherwise get the 562

 

[MS460WOODCHUCK]

The bigger the saw the better to mill. Out of the 2 the 365 would be best.

 

[Ketchup]

More displacement is better for milling. It means a bigger explosion that can leverage the moving parts of the saw more effectively.

A late model 365 has the exact same p&c as a late model 372 with one exception. The transfers on the 365 are more restricted. What Husky was thinking there is unclear. People frequently remove the transfer covers and improve flow for 372 performance.

But both are stratified X-torq cylinders which are known for overheating under extended run times. The piston is long to accommodate the strato transfers and can result in excess piston skirt wear. That means transfer that smokes the jug pretty fast. If running one of these saws hard, a slightly rich setting may help protect them. Milling runs a saw hard.

The 365/372 model also has an inboard clutch and the oiler pushes fluid behind the wear plate that can get drawn into the clutch housing. A leaking oil tank pickup will also draw into the clutch drum. Oil in the drum causes slipping which tranfers heat into the crank and bearings. Especially in long hard cuts. That's how milling usually kills them.

One thing that hasn't been stated is that the 562 is an auto-tune saw. The 365 has a conventional carb. With a regular carb you can set the carb a bit richer with will help on those long milling cut. There is no way to do that on an auto-tune saw that I know of.

Although an AutoTune cannot be richened, you can run a thicker oil/fuel mix. Running 40:1 or 32:1 is popular. Running a saw fat for long periods has its own problems, so I prefer running thicker mix to a de-tuned saw.

The 562 is a really fantastic saw, but it has the same risks for milling that the 365/72 has and a smaller displacement. It's more likely to break and parts are a fair bit more expensive.

So if you're dead set on buying one of these two models from your dealer and you really plan on milling with it, then get a 365 and open up the transfers after the warranty runs out. Run it on 40:1 NonEthanol and remove the clutch drum, clean and inspect after every milling session. If you're careful it will run a long time.

Personally I see very little value in buying from a dealer. A used 394 could be found cheaper than a new 562 and bring a lot more power to the woods.

 

[Stonesforbrains]

Thank you all for taking the time to provide me with your input and information. I believe I will keep my money in my pocket until I can save a little more and get a larger saw for milling. Thank you Ketchup for taking the time to explain the mechanical issues with milling with either of these saws. I will keep my eye out for a good condition used saw.