I'm stepping up in power...help me decide.

[litefoot]

Greetings from UT,
My first post here so I appreciate the opportunity to pick your brains. My present saw is a Jonsered 2050 (50cc and 3hp). It's been a good saw, but I'm cutting much more firewood than before and I'm tired of babying the 2050 to cut through the big blown down pines. Takes too long. I end up cutting 7' pieces and hauling them home to save time. But then I have to break out the saw again and cut them to wood stove lengths. I'm looking at something in the 4hp range. My most-trusted friend says I should get a Stihl. So I'm looking at 310, 390 or even a 361 (which is what I want, but might not be able to afford). Wadya think? What would you do? Also, will I see a big difference in cut times from 3 to 4 hp? Thank ye all kindly!

 

[rbtree]

Yes, the bigger saws will cut a lot faster.

But I'd highly recommend a 357 Husky over the Stihl's, cheaper than the 361, which is Stihl's first saw to copy the Huskys' quad transfer ports. Or a Husky 359, which is a better saw than either the 031 or 039.

Or save $, and get an Efco 962C, rated more power than the 357 or 361, same weight. www.chainsaws4u.com has the same saw, but in John Deere colors. I dont have one, but others on this site do, and confirm their quality.

 

[Gypo Logger]

My thoughts are that you might keep the Jonyred, open the muffler and concentrate your effects on filing and using the proper chain such as 3/8 chisel. Doing these things may give you a 30% reduction in cutting times and 50% less effort.
Use the search engine on some keywords here and you will come up with a bunch of great info.
This way, you can save $ and have lots of fun too, but should you opt for a new saw, get the 357 or 346.
Glad you found arborsite.
John

 

[tony marks]

i like my 962 also ..aint found nothin wrong with it yet..course she been parked for a good while now..

 

[WoodTick007]

I also have a 2050 and in pine and even hardwoods under 15 inches its great. The key is what gypo stated....keep the chain sharp and it will be all the saw you need.

If you are going to step up. I would say the Stihl 044 or the Husky 372xp. They both cut about the same, but the husky has better vibration isolation along with a better air filtration system. Now many will say that if you have sharp chains your kicking our large chips and not dust/powder and the large chips do not clog up the stihl filter. If maint. is performed dailey when cutting you will not have a problem with either saw.

Tick

 

[litefoot]

OK, so let's say I decide to modify my 2050 a bit. I'm all for saving a buck or two. And it is a very smooth running saw. Where can I find such info? A search here didn't turn up anything.

 

[Crofter]

search under "muffler modifications". Basically check that exhaust outlet and any baffle openings inside muffler provides at least as large a passage as the cylinder exhaust port area. Depending on the degree of restriction with your particular saw, you could see something in the neighbouhood of 25% reduction in cut times. Is your filing capability 100%?.


Frank

 

[glens]

Being the Stihl apologetic that I am I feel the need to address some of what Roger has said.

First thing that comes to mind is that the MS361 is not the first saw in the lineup to have quad transfer ports.  It may be the first one to have a "conventional" vertical-split crankcase, though.  Second and related, the thought that doing so is a copy of Husky's design seems quite a bit speculative.  It suggests Husqvarna was first to use four transfers in a hand-held two-stroke-cycle engine.  That may be true (I don't know) but multiple transfers are not new or recent ideas by any stretch of the imagination.

The weight thing has been rather a pet peeve of mine lately.  The 357XP is no doubt a very good saw, but it does not weigh the same as the MS361 regardless the specs on Elux's websites/catalogs.  All anyone has to do is place them side-by-side and alternately pick them up to see the Husky is a bit heavier.

It seems now the 359 comes with a catalyst muffler, so it becomes less attractive than it was from the power/weight veiwpoint.  The 357XP can be gotten for perhaps a few percent cheaper than the MS361 if it's mail-ordered, but I've never seen one on the shelf that wasn't priced higher.

Back to the thread...

Like John said, do a search using the keywords he used.  "Muffler mod" and "sharpen chain" should inundate you.

The 2050 is not a saw that will abide much modification I should think.  It's got the plastic crankcase which no doubt works well at the power levels it's designed for.  Much beyond opening the muffler would likely shorten the lifespan too much to make it worth the effort/expense.

If you can swing the cost of the MS361 I'd like to see you do it.  I'm under-impressed with Huskies in general.  If one had been my first "quality" saw purchase I'd likely feel differently, but their marketing strategies are a real turn-off to me.  The Efco/JD might be a good, economical purchase, but the JDs I've fondled didn't impress me much; and their website (Roger linked to) makes me downright mad with its apples-to-oranges marketing tactics.

Glen

 

[ccicora]

Sthil produced an 024 or 024 super that had a quad port in it. These saws were as powerful as the early 026's.

Later,
Chris

 

[bwalker]

but multiple transfers are not new or recent ideas by any stretch of the imagination.

Quad loop transfers are a circa 1960 technology.

 

[lostone]

litefoot like they have already pointed out, keeping the chain sharp will make the world of diff. But if you are set on a new saw I have a 036 pro (fairly close to the ms361) and I really like the saw. I have read some articals on here saying that the 361 is smoother running in the top end but I don't know having never touched one. I use mine in pine with a 20" bar and its great (by the way I learned the hard way about the sharp chain issue, what I thought was sharp wasn't) I'm still working on my sharpening abilities and I'm sure I will be for awhile, so its gonna take some chain to learn but at least I'm willing to now. Friend of mine has a husky 41 and you can really tell the diff on his saw with the smaller motor when the chain is starting to get dull compaired to the larger engine of the 036, so now I take alot more time to check my chain to make sure I'm not having my engine work harder when it shouldn't need to. I guess some of the questions I would like to ask is, when you have a new chain on the saw are you happy with the saws cutting ability? and have you inspected the sprocket on the saw is it in good shape? how about the sprocket on the bar tip? are you getting enough oil? how about the bar is it in good shape are the rails in good shape? after sharpening the chain have you been checking the depth gauge? any or all of these from what I have been reading on here will have an impact on the saws cutting. I know its alot of questions maybe you already have checked this but I haven't seen any of this posted yet so I had to ask. Also I guess asking these guys would be better but what about the spark arrester screen could it be clogging up? is this an issue much with saws? Mine doesn't have enough time on it (036) for it to become an issue if it is and the 028 doesn't even have one, but just a wild shot in the dark had a neighbor show me how to clean the one in my weedeater and made a world of diff on it lol.

 

[glens]

Good points throughout that last post!

If either of the sprockets (drive or bar nose) are worn excessively, there will be power lost due to the mis-match of pitch between them and the chain.  Running a new chain on worn sprockets (or the reverse combination) will also accelerate wear on the sprockets and the chain.

If the bar grooves are worn they will not support the chain as effectively as should be done; more loss in cutting efficiency (always check the drivers for burrs after throwing a chain -- they <i>will</i> be there, and they will wear the groove in the bar).

Don't take the "rakers" down too far, either.

Like the Huskys, the MS361 is markedly smoother at idle and while revving out of the cut than the 036.&nbsp; I have not had a 361 in the cut yet, but the few Huskys I've directly compared to the 036 do not feel any smoother than it while cutting.&nbsp; Part of that may be the good-condition chain I typically run.

Glen

 

[treebender]

litefoot,
There are as many opinions as there are pro users. All of the saws these guys will recommend are solid performers. As some of these guys are saying, keeping whatever you are using in top running order is the key. I second Lostones endorsement of the 036/360. The power to weight ratio is great in my opinion. I use Stihl 3/8" RS chain on a 20" bar on mine and it does a fine job in hardwood. I don't know what diameter pine you are bucking, but the 360 is worth a look.

 

[litefoot]

Just a follow-up here for all who are interested in what I decided. I put a new Stihl chain on the Jonny 2050, opened up the muffler, cleaned her up and flipped the bar (I noticed that the rails on one side were uneven making it cut crooked). Well, things are just fine now. I cut 2 cords of pine including bucking some 16-17" rounds. No problems at all through 4 tanks of gas.

My filing/sharpening skills are probably not the best, but a friend of mine with 25 years in the timber business is going to teach me. He even puts an edge on NEW chains because he thinks they should be better from the factory.

Thanks for all the advise. I did look at the Efco/JD saws at the local JD dealer. Pretty interesting, but it sure had a cheap feel to it compared to my Jonsered. But the price sure peaks my interest. I had someone offer a Stihl 044 for $400, but they jerked it away from my reach by raising the price to $500. Oh well, whatever.

Sorry to have rambled on so much about something so simple as a chainsaw purchase. I'd like to be able to run down to the Stihl delaer and plunk down the greenbacks for a 361, but I'm not in a position do that without some serious budget re-thinking.

 

[lostone]

Well litefoot sounds like your happy with the saw you have and as long as it is doing its job that is great, glad to see that it is working out. The Jonsered's are very nice saws from what little I have had the pleasure of running one. I was even considering buying one at the time I bought my stihl. I dont know enough about the jonsered is it a narrow kerf bar? if not that would also help the saw out when you go to get a new bar. I don't have a narrow kerf on my 036 but I can assure you when the time comes to get another bar I will be going that route.

 

[BigSawMan]

Yeah, I have been looking through my baileys catolog, they have an Arbor Pro narrow kerf bar that can be run with some Woodsman Pro 20NK chain. I was looking at it to put it on my 026, would make it cut like "nothin else".

Would it be worth getting a 100' reel of chain, getting a breaker,spiner, sharpening supplies, and bar maintenance supplies like a bar rail closer and a chaser?



Later, Neil

 

[Newfie]

I tried one of those bars from Bailey's, a cheap piece of junk in my opinion. Does not stand up to the abuse that the similar sized oregon bars will take.

 

[Crofter]

The narrow kerf chain is much to puny for an 036 and I think for an 026 also. It is much smaller and more delicate than even standard .325 chain. They cost as much as a full measure chain, but dont have half the life. Ok for 30 or 40 cc saws that need all the help they can get I guess.

Frank

 

[lostone]

Originally posted by Crofter
The narrow kerf chain is much to puny for an 036 and I think for an 026 also. It is much smaller and more delicate than even standard .325 chain. They cost as much as a full measure chain, but dont have half the life. Ok for 30 or 40 cc saws that need all the help they can get I guess.

Frank

Hmm, good to know, I have been reading some of the past posts on here and seen where alot of people where going to them, to get all the power to the cut as they could, I was figuring going from a .063 to a .050 would give just a bit more, I will have to do somemore reading it looks like. Thanks.

 

[sedanman]

Are you confusing guage with kerf?