My situation

[junker]

Here's my deal. My purpose for needing a chainsaw, which is probably different from most of ya'll, is for use in preparing wood for woodturning. I figure I'll be doing some sawing all year round, so probably won't need to drain all the fluids from the saw, as some have mentioned doing this for the winter.

I've pretty much narrowed my search down to the Husky 350. It seems to meet my all round criteria, price, weight, power, etc.

I found at "pricemadeeasy", the Husky350 with 18" bar and 20" bar within $3 of each other. Most of my stock to be cut will, most likely, already be on the ground when I do the cutting and/or bucking. I anticipate the logs to be cut/bucked, will be 24"and less most of the time, probably 12" to 24" range. Since the 20 inch bar for the Husky350 is only $3.00 more and, I would like to be prepared to cut the larger tree/logs, when the opportunity presents itself, I'm thinking, why not go for the 20 inch bar. After all, I won't be doing this for a living, like a lot of ya'll, and I won't have to be doing this for 8 hours a day, continous cutting. It won't be like lugging the 20" bar over hill and dale, like someone doing this for a living or something like that.

So, considering all this, do ya'll say be prepared for the sometimes large log/tree or go with the 18 inch standard bar, that comes with the 350?

Thanks.

 

[tony marks]

if u are going to use it that regular.
id opt fot the 346xp- 026 or possibly 357xp. i think the choice is somewhat influenced by how much beef u carrying.
i hear mostly good about these for
pro type use. personnaly id pick the 18 inch bar.jus call me shorty.

 

[eyolf]

I think that any bar available for use with that 350 will get the work done...even a 14"...if you are only going to buck 24" and down.

I've got a Jonsered 2149, same power, and I prefer 16" bar. ( i have both 16" and 20") 16" seems like a very good match, while 20" is a heavy load and demands more finesse from the operator. On the other hand, the 20" will be more convenient because it will allow you to cut a few more chunks without stepping around to the other side to finish the cut.

 

[Flyrod]

I bought my first saw about 10 yrs ago for the same reason. I bought a Husqvarna 45 w/16"bar, it was good size for carrying but for sizing up stock it was lacking in power. The logs were to big to put on my bandsaw for rough shaping, so you have to be able to do some ripping. Mounting a big chunk of wood on the lathe, without it being somewhat balanced will scare the cr#p out of you, it's very dangerous. I would get as big a saw as you can afford. No I don't think you need a pro saw, however.

 

[Tony Snyder]

I was wondering what size bucked pieces you were starting with and what final deminsions you are desiring.

How are you going to season your wood without splitting?

I have a cut a shed full of bowl turning blanks. I did the final cuts on my delta bandsaw with riser blocks and 3 tooth 3/4 inch blades. I painted the blanks with wax on the end grain and sealed them up in trash bags. It's been three years and most of them I have not looked at since. Walnut, black cherry and some hard maple.

 

[junker]

I coat the endgrain with Anchorseal to prevent checks and splits.

 

[Dennis]

coating endgrain

this is probably the biggest mistake I see people making...trying to dry lumber or cants without coating the endgrain...I try to paint evry end of every board that I keep from my mill...makes a uge difference and people dont believe it...

 

[Greg Carberry]

Junker,
Looks like the 350 or a 55 rancher would be the right saws for the job.

 

[Jwoods]

Dennis:

Are you a miller too?

 

[user 2993]

I just recently cut up some mulberry logs to process into turning blanks. Mostly 12-16" dia. 24"long. I ripped them in half with my 046(77cc) and I don't know if I would want to do it with anything too much smaller. The bucking is a snap, but the extra horsepower really makes the ripping go easier. Mulberry is fairly easy to cut, too. You might be better off if you can spend a little more $$ on something in the 60+cc range.
Good luck,
George