My first impressions of the 346xp

[sawinredneck]

I was looking at the link Cut put up, $484.00 is what I saw. Is that the correct price for that saw?

That is list Tom, and it is worth every penny of the $400 new!!! Screamer is an understatment!!!!
I am not saying it dies under finger pressure, I am saying if you add an ounce or two more than the saw wants, it bogs, you just have to learn the "feel" of what she wants, and not push it anymore than that. Guess I didn't discribe that well enough.
Andy

 

[bwalker]

I see them for 409.00

Alamia has em for 390 shipped to your door. I think I paid $375 less a bar at my dealer for mine last spring

 

[sawinredneck]

I was looking at the link Cut put up, $484.00 is what I saw. Is that the correct price for that saw?

That is list Tom, and it is worth every penny of the $400 new!!! Screamer is an understatment!!!!
I am not saying it dies under finger pressure, I am saying if you add an ounce or two more than the saw wants, it stops, you just have to learn the "feel" of what she wants, and not push it anymore than that. Guess I didn't describe that well enough.
Andy

 

[bwalker]

Does the muffler mod really help that much with the tourqe?

Is yours the etec version. If so a muffl;er mod make s anight and day differance. I gutted the cat and added a hole with screen through the bracket

 

[THALL10326]

That is list Tom, and it is worth every penny of the $400 new!!! Screamer is an understatment!!!!
I am not saying it dies under finger pressure, I am saying if you add an ounce or two more than the saw wants, it stops, you just have to learn the "feel" of what she wants, and not push it anymore than that. Guess I didn't describe that well enough.
Andy

I understand what your saying. A saw that runs that fast has to be allowed to run. 14,700 rpms is impressive. I think the little Dolmar 5100 runs around 14,500 and I thought that was rolling along. These high rpm's from stock saws are amazing......

 

[sawinredneck]

Is yours the etec version. If so a muffl;er mod make s anight and day differance. I gutted the cat and added a hole with screen through the bracket

Black gas cap, not green.

 

[blis]

I will be cutting a lot of White Oak, hedge, and crap wood. I have it set with an 18" bar .325 .050. Does the muffler mod really help that much with the tourqe?
I am not badmouthing the saw, it's fast as fast gets!!! But I understand the peakiness even more now!!!
Andy

If you say 346xp is peaky you should try 242xp, its the mother of all screamers, 15,5k rpms max...

 

[Freakingstang]

Finally had some time to run the 346 today, different is the word that comes to mind. It will cut easily twice as fast as my 350, BUT, you even put a fingers worth of weight more than the saw wants, it's done, everything comes to a stop now!! The 350 is a lot more forgiving when loading or pushing the saw. I will not push this saw on homeowners/firewood cutters any more. Not that it's a bad saw, it just likes to be finnesed and that takes some getting used to.



Andy

That is what I like about he 5100 so well. It carries the same High rpm in the cut and you can lean on it quite a bit more before the R's start to drop. Definately has a torquier powerband. probably more geared for the firewooder than the 346. But the 346 is such a sweet saw...Gotta have both! lol.

I love my modded 346, but it isn't for the strong pushers... lol. It takes a very delicate hand to make it really shine.

 

[musch]

I will be cutting a lot of White Oak, hedge, and crap wood. I have it set with an 18" bar .325 .050. Does the muffler mod really help that much with the tourqe?
I am not badmouthing the saw, it's fast as fast gets!!! But I understand the peakiness even more now!!!
Andy

After putting a 16" bar on mine and opening up the muffler a little, it is MUCH more of a workhorse.

Also, run a few more tanks of gas through it. I remember mine was VERY fast at first, but as far as boggin, it felt like torque continued to increase for a while.
Interesting post.
opcorn:

 

[sawinredneck]

After putting a 16" bar on mine and opening up the muffler a little, it is MUCH more of a workhorse.

Also, run a few more tanks of gas through it. I remember mine was VERY fast at first, but as far as boggin, it felt like torque continued to increase for a while.
Interesting post.
opcorn:

I have heard the 15-16" bar was the way to go with this saw, I can't say it wouldn't help, but not the niche I wanted to fill. As this was a used saw, I have no reall idea as to how broken in it is. I can understand why the original owner parted with it and why, if you are used to leaning on a saw and it keep cutting, it is a lot different than that!!! I want to go and cut some more with it and see if it impoves to my cutting style, i not, I may take Deans advice and ty widening the exaust port for some more tourqe and opening up the muffler.
Again, I am not badmouthing the saw, and am not unhappy with it, it is just arkedly different than what I had anticipated as well as in compaison to the 350. If you pinched the 350 a little in the cut it would still pull, the 346 will not, it just stops, no midrange tourqe at all in this saw.
Andy

 

[SawTroll]

I will be cutting a lot of White Oak, hedge, and crap wood. I have it set with an 18" bar .325 .050. Does the muffler mod really help that much with the tourqe?
I am not badmouthing the saw, it's fast as fast gets!!! But I understand the peakiness even more now!!!
Andy

I believe that it was originally concieved as a limbing saw for pro use and short bars, not as an allround saw.....

I would say that 18" is too much for optimum performance, unless the saw is modded.

 

[blis]

I believe that it was originally concieved as a limbing saw for pro use and short bars, not as an allround saw.....

I would say that 18" is too much for optimum performance, unless the saw is modded.

pffft, 13" suits 346 best :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[manual]

I like the saw,
Why are you digging a basement with a teaspoon ?

 

[Ed*L]

I bought my Dad a 346xp last year. Just as everyone has said, no torque, set the bar on the log & let it ride. Once you get used to it, it's an awesome little saw.
Only complaint I have is the sound of the exhaust. It drives me up the wall, I'll go cut on the other side of the woods to get away from it.
Good hearing protection is a must with it, I think a guy would go deaf in about 5 minutes.

Ed

 

[ciscoguy01]

Yep

Finally had some time to run the 346 today, different is the word that comes to mind. It will cut easily twice as fast as my 350, BUT, you even put a fingers worth of weight more than the saw wants, it's done, everything comes to a stop now!! The 350 is a lot more forgiving when loading or pushing the saw. I will not push this saw on homeowners/firewood cutters any more. Not that it's a bad saw, it just likes to be finnesed and that takes some getting used to.
Here are some pics. I will only imbed one to make it easy on the dialup users.

I did warm it up on some small wood first, this is some 28" cottonwood, I wanted to see "whatllshedo" so I loaded her up, I am not known for being easy on equipment!!!
Andy

Seems like that's what I noticed about all huskies dude. I don't think it's just that one. If you were to say push down with one finger on the handlebar, it'll stop dead in it's tracks. Strange eh? Still, long as you don't put any pressure, they cut like a fiend....

 

[buck futter]

cisco,

I don't know how you set up your carb I would try richening the H side a little 1/16 - 1/8 and make a few test cuts. I find huskys to have some decent torque as a generalization.

Buck

 

[NYH1]

Anyone run a 353 and a 346XP side by side. I've heard (from a few dealers and a few people on this site) that the 353 will cut a little faster in thicker wood (logs like 10 inches and larger) then the 346XP, and the 346XP cuts faster in thinner wood (limbs). Is this true? I'm looking for a small saw for cutting firewood from 6 to 12 inches in diameter. I've looked at a few different saws and keep coming back to the 353, it seemed like just the ticket. Thanks.

 

[Woodsrover]

I just bought a Jonsered 2054 and I notice the same thing about it.

I have an old Jonsered 525 that I turn a 20” bar on and that saw will lug and lug and just keep cutting away. It’s like an old tractor.

With this new 2054 it needs to be spinning at full revs or it’ll just shut down. It cuts like a ????? when it’s cutting but you sure can’t put any more to the saw than it wants. And it’s only turning a 16” bar!!!

These two saws have the same horsepower and displacement but I can’t imagine trying to turn a 20” on the 2054.

Jim

 

[ciscoguy01]

Yep

cisco,

I don't know how you set up your carb I would try richening the H side a little 1/16 - 1/8 and make a few test cuts. I find huskys to have some decent torque as a generalization.

Buck

I actually did that. I wasn't saying by any means that I didn't like huskys, I have a little 266XP that I absolutely love. From the oldest to the newest they tend to not have the deep down torque that I'm used to. But to bring that up again would be beatin' the donkey. Huskys are a great saw, fast, light, very comfortable. I don't think the newer ones are built like the older ones though. Just my opinion though...

 

[blis]

The thing with huskies is that theyre not made to be leaned like other saws with more grunt...

Just let it chew trought wood... Actually, huskies are lighter to saw for long days since you dont need to push it trought wood like stihls...