i need a new climbing saw????

[kf_tree]

my 020t is history. so its a toss up between a stihl ms200 or a husky 335. i had alot of bad luck with the 335s when they first came out. i went through 5 of them in 2 years, so i swore off them. i got a good 2 years out of my 020t. is a walkerised 335 worth it or should i stick with a ms200? does walker carry the 45cc 335? or will i have to ship them one? so between the 2 which would you guys go with?

 

[rahtreelimbs]

New Climbing Saw???

Rbtree seems to be the resident Walkerized 335 guru. I'm sure he'll read this and post a reply. Rich.

 

[WOLF_RIVER_MIKE]

Husky is supposed to come out with a new climbing saw this fall. A 338xp, I believe.

 

[treeclimber165]

You don't wanna hear my answer. But I'd buy two Echo 3400's for what you will spend on a Husky or Stihl plus modifications. I can get plenty of power out of mine, with about 15-20 minutes on my workbench.
The only time in the last 3 years that my 3400 hasn't started is when a groundie put bar lube in the fuel tank. I could use a new one before it hesitates or takes more than 3 pulls to start.

 

[treeclimber165]

Oh, I keep hearing about those Huskies committing suicide and jumping out of tall trees, usually onto concrete. Was at the morgue(saw shop) last week and saw 2-3 335XP corpses on the pile.
I do wish the Echo's were stronger, but I'm not willing to fork over $500 for a saw that may or may not run today- depending on the Saw Gods. Once I leave the ground, EVERYTHING I have in the tree needs to work perfectly. That's why I've run Echo's for the last 8 years.

 

[Greg]

I run a 335xpt "cali special" 45cc with a 16" bar and like it a lot. It used to bug me how it wouldn't start with 1 pull when warm, until I figured out what I was doing wrong. According to the starting directions for a warm saw pull the choke all the way back, then move it back to center, and then pull. It now magically starts on 1st pull. This little saw is a powerhouse. It eats up the gas but the power is worh it. The stupid little spark plug cover banged against the tree and broke the clip, instead of buying a replacement I just put a drop of Plastidip to hold it in place, works great, and will peel off when I need to replace the plug.
I've never climbed with an Echo, but have used a 3000 on the ground and just was not impressed. Sounds like TC is doing some muffler mods...
Greg

 

[rbtree]

Ken,

Call or email Dennis. He just got done tweaking a 335 Cali, and is very pleased with the results.

I opened up a 3400 muffler as much as possible and it still cut 10-15% slower than a 5 yr old stock 335. Nice saw, but a bit slow. It needs a bigger reed valve to get more performance out of it.

My walkerized 335 is dead on reliable, and smokes any stock 020T. Greffardized will be better for sure, as the porting work Dennis does is more extensive and accurate. he does charge more tho.

I talked to a Husky rep at the ISA show, he said no new saw is on the immediate horizon, besides the Cali for all areas. Perhaps it will be called the 338. So I suggest buying one from Bailey's for $379 and sending it to Dennis. Or Ken Dunn, who has yet to do one, but is near Bailey's. His prices are a bit more, but his work is impeccable.

If you get a 3400, it will not have an adjustable carb, and that will cost extra $. A modified 02T would be the ticket, but pricey. Or a stock one, which does outcut most stock 335's, even tho they rate the same power.

The Husky rep also admitted that most 335 problems are due to EPA regulation BS, and modifying them eliminates them. So i expect mine to be a strong runner for quite a while. By the way, when i broke down my first, after 5 yrs, there was no piston/ cyl scarring!!

 

[Dennis]

Hey all...As RB just said ...I just finished building a 335Cali special for Mike Boyer, who should have it in his hands any day now...if not already...and after mods it seems to really get up and talk....it also starts easier and idles better...they are quite a saw to work on mind you...lots of little things to deal with...but fun cutting with them...the other thing we added to Mikes saw was a manual chain tensioner...so we dont have to run the "Intenz" bar if we dont want to.....email me if interested....

 

[treeclimber165]

Originally posted by Greg

I've never climbed with an Echo, but have used a 3000 on the ground and just was not impressed. Sounds like TC is doing some muffler mods...
Greg

I've never liked the 3000 either, Greg. Haven't touched one in years. I climb with the 3400. I wish people here would quit confusing the two.

 

[rahtreelimbs]

Climbing Saw!!!

I agree with Treeclimber165. Most guys I know climb with Echo's. They use the 3000 with a 12" bar. If I had to do it all over I would opt for an Echo 3000. Rich.

 

[treeclimber165]

So which is it, Rich? Do you agree with me that the 3000 is a POS, or do you like them? PLEASE don't claim that I like the 3000. Are you confused? the 3000 and 3400 are different saws!

 

[rahtreelimbs]

Hey Brian, I agree with you on the Echo brand, NOT that the 3000 and the 3400 are the same. Everyone, Brian climbs with a 3400 not a 3000. That is which it is!!! BTW noboby that I know who runs a 3000 has ever claimed it was a POS. Rich.

 

[Dagger]

Heres a pic to campare em.. I was at a Dealer just last week who has Echo, Solo, Stihl and Husky. When I asked how the 633 was goin over amoung the tree crews, he told me it, and the echo 340 are the 2 best sellers.
They are so close in power ya cant tell a diff he said and his dealer cost is exactly the same. ( I dont know what he is gettin out of em..)
We took 3 outside..the 633,Solo, the 335 Husky, and a 340 Echo and run em.
I could detect no difference in the speed of the echo and the Solo..(no stopwatch however)..but the husky was faster than both..The Solo was by far the smoothest of the 3, and when I set each one down on the drive with the brake locked at idle, the Solo just sat there...The Echo crawled around a bit, ..and we dang near had to chase the husky to catch it!

When we took em back in I noticed a 3000 at 199 bucks...asked what about it and he told me no pro will use it...not enuf juice..

I think the Shindaiwa is just physically too large for most to consider it a handy climber...kinda awkward i think.

Now my brother..who is a Husky Dealer..quit sellin any pro a 335 because of the problems they brought him..the worst of several crank main bearings failing..which is no suprise really when ya consider how light the crank is made and how much power it makes.

 

[tony marks]

alrite ,have it yourway. they just machines anyway. if the 3000 is what u called it . the 3400 is just a bigger one .
truth is one mans trash is anothers treasure. i wouldnt mind owning a 3400 ,but the---. just aint worth the exstra to me,as the 3000 does what i need fine.
that really is all that matters aint it.