So.... for starters, I'm no pro. Not even close. I'm just a firewood guy for personal use. I cut maybe 10 cords/year for myself, & family. I'm also a 1 saw guy. I have a 2005 Husky 353. Bought it brand new 10yrs ago. Has been a great saw for me & my needs for the most part.
Even before I found this site..... I was fantasizing about a bigger saw..lol. In particular a 555. Wanted the extra power for obvious reasons, at times just wanted to see/feel the difference a 60cc class saw would make for my situation. Then you find a site like this, read a little & damn..... saw envy....
I usually cut with one other guy. We work together, & usually cut a fair amount of firewood together as we both rely on wood 100% for heat. He's a Stihl guy through & through. He runs a 290 as does the one other guy that cuts with us once in awhile. When sitting around & such, they both dog on my husky, even though it has hung with em for the last few years. Although, I would have to admit, they certainly had the edge.
The one thing that has kept me from getting a bigger saw, well.... besides the price... is I really like the weight of my 353. I've made a few cuts with my buddys 290 & it's noticeably heavier.
Well...... after reading a bunch of threads last winter....... I contacted Mastermind...LOL. Yes. In January, I made an appt. to get my saw done in October. Was tough..... while, MM had my saw, I got multiple requests to go cut with my buddy. I just gave excuses.........well.... of course I didn't want to tell him what I was doing....duh.
So.... I get my saw back a couple weeks ago. I mix up some 40:1 & fire her up........HAHAHAHAHAHAHA..... I started laughing. Well.... lets say giggling .....like a teenager. It sounded like a hot rod. I felt like I did when I put glass packs on my old stepside back in high school. My wife just rolled her eyes....
Put my new improved baby in some wood.......yikes. Talk about chew it up & spit it out...!! I've never cut with any saw that chewed it up like that, it was awesome. Then duty called, & I spent the next week or so busy as hell at work, & no play. Well..... finally the other day......Boom. My buddy & I went to go cut a load of firewood each. I had a **** eating grin on my face the whole time riding out into the woods.
So.... there we are, in the woods, almost a perfect set up. A good size red oak on the ground (roughly 18" diameter) probably have 25-30 ft of it left to block up. Buddy has no clue....yet..... We both fire up our saws, he starts on one end, I start on the other. My hot rod starts chewing up this log like nobodies business. I'm into my 4th cut, he's on his 2nd.... out of the corner of my eye, I see him look over...... keep chewing.....sounds like a drag race...lol. get to the middle, I've made 9-10 blocks, to his 4-5......... complete opposite of what has happened for years..... I can see the look on his face but, he's the type that doesn't pass out compliments, or praise.... more of a....... Hmmmm & head nod.
About half way into splitting these blocks...... out of nowhere he says," You put a new chain on or something..?" LOL.... I said yeah. Figured it was time. He says, "I figured, cause your saw was tearing up that log. I think I need a new chain".......HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA....... Might sound silly to some of youse guys but, I can't possibly tell the story well enough to have ya really feel how funny this was.
The bottom line...... If you, like me, have a saw you really dig....... don't want to spend the cash for a new one...... Mastermind it...! Cause.... DAMN. My little ol 353 runs like a raped ape now. I expected it to run strong..... but, I didn't expect it to be the hot rod it became. Impressive. If I ever can afford that 555, I'll be sending it to MM before I even put oil in it.....lol.
I'm looking forward to cutting another load later this week with my buddy....lol
Mastermind, if you're reading this...... Thanks again man.
Even before I found this site..... I was fantasizing about a bigger saw..lol. In particular a 555. Wanted the extra power for obvious reasons, at times just wanted to see/feel the difference a 60cc class saw would make for my situation. Then you find a site like this, read a little & damn..... saw envy....
I usually cut with one other guy. We work together, & usually cut a fair amount of firewood together as we both rely on wood 100% for heat. He's a Stihl guy through & through. He runs a 290 as does the one other guy that cuts with us once in awhile. When sitting around & such, they both dog on my husky, even though it has hung with em for the last few years. Although, I would have to admit, they certainly had the edge.
The one thing that has kept me from getting a bigger saw, well.... besides the price... is I really like the weight of my 353. I've made a few cuts with my buddys 290 & it's noticeably heavier.
Well...... after reading a bunch of threads last winter....... I contacted Mastermind...LOL. Yes. In January, I made an appt. to get my saw done in October. Was tough..... while, MM had my saw, I got multiple requests to go cut with my buddy. I just gave excuses.........well.... of course I didn't want to tell him what I was doing....duh.
So.... I get my saw back a couple weeks ago. I mix up some 40:1 & fire her up........HAHAHAHAHAHAHA..... I started laughing. Well.... lets say giggling .....like a teenager. It sounded like a hot rod. I felt like I did when I put glass packs on my old stepside back in high school. My wife just rolled her eyes....
Put my new improved baby in some wood.......yikes. Talk about chew it up & spit it out...!! I've never cut with any saw that chewed it up like that, it was awesome. Then duty called, & I spent the next week or so busy as hell at work, & no play. Well..... finally the other day......Boom. My buddy & I went to go cut a load of firewood each. I had a **** eating grin on my face the whole time riding out into the woods.
So.... there we are, in the woods, almost a perfect set up. A good size red oak on the ground (roughly 18" diameter) probably have 25-30 ft of it left to block up. Buddy has no clue....yet..... We both fire up our saws, he starts on one end, I start on the other. My hot rod starts chewing up this log like nobodies business. I'm into my 4th cut, he's on his 2nd.... out of the corner of my eye, I see him look over...... keep chewing.....sounds like a drag race...lol. get to the middle, I've made 9-10 blocks, to his 4-5......... complete opposite of what has happened for years..... I can see the look on his face but, he's the type that doesn't pass out compliments, or praise.... more of a....... Hmmmm & head nod.
About half way into splitting these blocks...... out of nowhere he says," You put a new chain on or something..?" LOL.... I said yeah. Figured it was time. He says, "I figured, cause your saw was tearing up that log. I think I need a new chain".......HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA....... Might sound silly to some of youse guys but, I can't possibly tell the story well enough to have ya really feel how funny this was.
The bottom line...... If you, like me, have a saw you really dig....... don't want to spend the cash for a new one...... Mastermind it...! Cause.... DAMN. My little ol 353 runs like a raped ape now. I expected it to run strong..... but, I didn't expect it to be the hot rod it became. Impressive. If I ever can afford that 555, I'll be sending it to MM before I even put oil in it.....lol.
I'm looking forward to cutting another load later this week with my buddy....lol
Mastermind, if you're reading this...... Thanks again man.
