just one saw

[njforestfire]

I've never used PPE when running a saw. Well, other than safety glasses and hearing protection. When I first started running saw, I didn't even use ear and eye protection. I guess it's never to late to start though.

I would highly suggest using PPE...It only takes one time to find out why! I had a chain throw once of a 24" bar and caught the drive sprocket and whipped back at my leg, leaving a gash in the chaps - luckily I was wearing them that day. From that day on, even just testing a saw I wear them.

 

[tony marks]

good advice.. expect the best ,be ready for the worst..
i would nmever hand my son or an inexperienced use more saw than hes use to ,than i would hand my pistol to one of my grand kids.jmo

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

It appears, according to the Stihl (here) site, that the 361 has the same bar mount style as the 044/440. OK, it looks like I can buy a 24" bar for the 361. However, according to the Sthile (here), the 361 is only offered with a 16" or 20" bar. Will the 361 effectively pull a 24" bar through the softer stuff? I do like the idea of a lighter saw, but I think I can get the 365 for less money, and it might have a broader powerband.

Thanks again.

Yeah, and the 660 is only offered with a 16-36" bar, and there's another thread on this site talking about how guys have been running 42" without a problem on them. I recently read, again on this site, that the bar mounts are the same on the MS260 through the MS660. (Please correct me if I'm wrong about that.) The 361 will indeed pull a 24" bar, and pull it fine. Mine does it just fine, and does it all day long-in mostly firewood. Like SawTroll said, that's been talked about somewhere else on this site, so do a search on the 361, and you'll find some good stuff. Now, if you're going to be constantly burying the bar and felling trees, then yeah, I'd look at a bigger saw to make the job easier. But if you're out for firewood, with the occasional big felling job or 24" piece of wood it will do fine, especially with a full skip. Look at Madsen's website, they talk about the saw coming with a 20" bar in the Northwest, but that it will pull a 28" well. I think 28" might be a bit much, but it goes to show. It's a good saw, and if you don't think of it as a 460 Mag, and try to tackle everything in front of you, it'll do well with a 20 or 24" bar in our soft wood.

Take care all,
Jeff

 

[woodshop]

$50 bucks difference between a 365 & a 372xp?? I have used both for hundreds of hours and there is no comparison. Just like back in the 80s between a 61 and a 266xp. I have a 371xp and a 372xp with 24 and 28 bars. Difference between them and a 365 is similar to a pickup with a 305 2-barrel and the same truck with a 350 4-barrel. If it doesnt say xp its not a killer saw, in other words a wannabee saw.

...not to argue with you clearance, but among my saws is a Husky 365. Don't know what you mean when you say the 365 is not a "killer saw", but it certainly is more than a "wannabe" saw. Some folks don't have the extra $100 for that 372. My 365 pulls a 28" bar through oak logs plenty dang fast. No not as fast as my 395xp, but then it doesn't weight 25 lbs either. I like my 365, its certainly no "wannabe" saw. For around $520 to your door with a 28"bar, I think its a good deal.

 

[Riddler]

Jeff is right about lots of dealers out here ordering saws the size of a 361 with 24" bars. In fact, without much research in advance, I initially grabbed a MS 390 with a 24" bar off a dealer's shelf but after thinking about it for a few days, I decided to return the thing and purchase a MS361 with a 20" bar. I have a lot of firewood to cut and a number of trees to take down, mostly of the softwood variety. Yes, some of the trees and logs are larger than 18"-20", but a whole heck of a lot are in the 8"-20" range. After thinking about it awhile, I began to question why I should subject myself, not to mention the saw, to the added effort and stress of the longer bar (a 24" bar is definitely heavier and more awkward to swing around than a shorter bar) when so much of my work is going to be with trees and logs under 20". In fact, I would love an 026 Pro for a lot of the work (e.g., limbing and some of the bucking), but two saws were a luxury I could not justify at present. With the 361, at least I can consider installing a 24" bar for those few occasions when I really need it. The rest of the time, I have plenty of saw and bar for 90% of stuff I'll face.

Sounds like you already have a good deal of actual experience cutting at your folks' place, so a 24" bar all the time on a MS361 (or comparable Husky) may really be right for your situation. Bar size aside, I can tell you that I love my 361. A great, all-around, do (just about) anything machine.

 

[rahtreelimbs]

The Husky 365 while not as powerful as the 372 is still a stellar saw! The powerband is a little more forgiving too!


The beauty of the 372 is that at this point in time it can be had at a very good price because of Husky is not making the 372 any longer!

 

[royta]

Thanks for the advice everybody. I do apprecite it.

Despite the fact that the 372 can be purchased for so much less than you used to be able to, it is still $100 more than the 365. It's also not like a jump from $400 to $500 either, it's a jump to almost $600, so that in itself makes it more saw than I really want to have sitting in the garage. Aside from that, I think the 365 is a better saw for me than the 372. It has (should)a more forgiving powerband, and is probably easier on this light weight 155 pound, 5 foot 7 inch body. Unfortunately at this stage of my life, I don't even qualify to be called a weekend warrior. My wife and I do plan on moving back to Oregon in the next couple of years, and part of the requirements of our home will be a wood burning fireplace, and/or a wood stove. A wood stove in the 3 car garage (3rd car area is the work shop) at the very least. So, I guess I'm planning for the future mostly, but also for the occasional uses now.

Thanks again, and if anybody has more opinions/suggestions, I'd certainly love to hear them.

Roy

 

[clearance]

Woodshop,Rahtree, Nj, - you guys are right about the 365 being a good saw. What I mean is that 372 and xp saws in general just have more balls, jam, moxy, giver.. whatever you call it than non xp models. But you guys are right for ryotas needs. Is pretty much the same saw except for the carb and bore size.

 

[royta]

actual difference between 365, 365 Special, and 372XP?

Now that I'm pretty much settled on the 365, I'm wondering what the differences are between the two. Can the Special even be acquired new anymore? Is the difference in the port configuration? I'm wondering if the 365 turned into the 365 Special, and now the Special has been phased out. Any insight?

addition - Regarding the differences between the 372XP and 365. Besides the piston & cylinder, what are the differences between these two saws. I realize the 365 only has a single (inside) bucking dawg. Does the 365 still have the anti-vib springs? Does the 365 have the handy side chain tightening feature? The 365 can take the 372XP air filter and air filter cover, correct? Not that I would spend the money on upgrading, I'm just curious. Anything else?

 

[glens]

Aside from that, I think the 365 is a better saw for me than the 372. It has (should)a more forgiving powerband, and is probably easier on this light weight 155 pound, 5 foot 7 inch body.

You would note no difference between them as far as size/weight unless you had a bigger bar on one of them.&nbsp; In terms of the less-forgiving powerband of the "larger" saw, it has about 8 cc more displacement so it probably has as much actual "grunt", even off of its preferred rev range, as the "smaller" one does <i>within</i> its preferred speed (although that's not based on an actual comparison by me).

In my humble opinion, if you want to have just one saw to do it all and you're not going to pony up for modifications, you could not do better than the MS361 (that <i>is</i> based on personal experience).&nbsp; It is approaching too much weight for very much limbing, and the other two weigh almost two pounds more.

Glen

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

In my humble opinion, if you want to have just one saw to do it all and you're not going to pony up for modifications, you could not do better than the MS361

Amen brother.

 

[SawTroll]

361!

Amen brother.

Ditto!
...........but not if you really need 24" bar!

 

[woodshop]

fish, sawtrol, glens... as the proud owner of both an MS361 AND a 365, I concur that I enjoy using my MS361 more than my 365... its just a great piece of machinery, designed well, powerful, light enough to carry around woods... I inherited an 034super AV, and replaced my 361 with it on my Ripsaw, so now get to use the 361 for what it was designed for, cutting wood. GREAT SAW!!

 

[Meesterbeeg]

I bought my MS361 6 months ago with a 24 inch bar. Absolutely love it. What a work horse. I've put 1200 hours on it since Hurricane Ivan and only had to replace the sprocket once. No problem pulling a 24 inch chain.

I do have a question, though. I pulled out the screen in the muffler. Is there anything else I should do to modify the muffler?

 

[Lobo]

I do have a question, though. I pulled out the screen in the muffler. Is there anything else I should do to modify the muffler?

You will get an extra 1/2 hp out of your saw with a modified muffler and 1 hp + with a full saw modification. Several members here do these mod's for fee.

Here is an example off Walker's web site here in Canada:

http://www.walkerssawshop.com/

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

I do have a question, though. I pulled out the screen in the muffler. Is there anything else I should do to modify the muffler?

Glad to hear we've got somebody in the "The 361 is an awesome saw," club out on the East Coast! And it may not be a big deal, and you probably already know this, but cutting with a saw without a screen is a BIG no-no out here. You get caught doing it in the wrong place, by the wrong person, and it's bad news. That's mostly concerning cutting on public property, or cutting commercially, which I'd guess isn't a huge issue out your way. Just thought I'd mention that as a precautionary reminder, though it probably doesn't effect you like it does us out here on this coast. In that case, never mind! :angel:

Take care all,
Jeff

 

[SawTroll]

......And it may not be a big deal, and you probably already know this, but cutting with a saw without a screen is a BIG no-no out here. You get caught doing it in the wrong place, by the wrong person, and it's bad news........
Take care all,
Jeff

Over here we don't have any muffler screens to worry about - they aren't even offered as an option!

 

[Meesterbeeg]

Glad to hear we've got somebody in the "The 361 is an awesome saw," club out on the East Coast! And it may not be a big deal, and you probably already know this, but cutting with a saw without a screen is a BIG no-no out here. You get caught doing it in the wrong place, by the wrong person, and it's bad news. That's mostly concerning cutting on public property, or cutting commercially, which I'd guess isn't a huge issue out your way. Just thought I'd mention that as a precautionary reminder, though it probably doesn't effect you like it does us out here on this coast. In that case, never mind! :angel:

Take care all,
Jeff

Yeah, I've heard the stories . . . I'll try to stay on this side of the Mississippi River! If you see anyone hugging a tree over here, it's because a gator is below them.

 

[SawTroll]

365 Special etc

Now that I'm pretty much settled on the 365, I'm wondering what the differences are between the two. Can the Special even be acquired new anymore? Is the difference in the port configuration? I'm wondering if the 365 turned into the 365 Special, and now the Special has been phased out. Any insight?

addition - Regarding the differences between the 372XP and 365. Besides the piston & cylinder, what are the differences between these two saws. I realize the 365 only has a single (inside) bucking dawg. Does the 365 still have the anti-vib springs? Does the 365 have the handy side chain tightening feature? The 365 can take the 372XP air filter and air filter cover, correct? Not that I would spend the money on upgrading, I'm just curious. Anything else?

I think that the 365 Special had "closed loop" porting, as the 372xp has. This should indicate that it had a more "aggressive" character than the regular 365.
There is some info on this saw in older treads, try a search "365+Special". It turns up some treads, some useful - some not.

The difference between current 372xp and 365 is at least motor and carburettor.
The weight difference is .3 kg, as opposed to the .1 kg difference stated by Husky.
The 365 has side chain tensioner and spring anti-wibe.
I don't know about the air filter arrangements.

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

Yeah, I've heard the stories . . . I'll try to stay on this side of the Mississippi River! If you see anyone hugging a tree over here, it's because a gator is below them.

It's mostly for fire concerns, and I don't reckon that's much of a problem on your side of the river, which used to be my side as well. But you're always welcome on our side out here.

Take care all,
Jeff