Need advice on chain saw purchase...

[7sleeper]

get a 60cc pro husky like a 562, like quotdraven is saying. You'll love it! Everytime you go to run it you;ll be like "Man, I am so glad I bought this saw"
There's a noticeable difference between a pro saw and a rancher saw. And it will rip with an 18 inch bar.

First of it isn't that much noticeable, we are talking fractions of a second to very low single digit seconds difference in cutting speed.

Second strangely if you hand a pro the rancher saw he will still be substantially faster than any amature with the pro saw. So in my eyes the saw is only a small part of the equasion. I might add that it has been mentioned that some pros are going back to the 545/555 line compared to the 550/560 line because they donot notice enough productivity increase at the of the day to warrent the substantial price increase.

Further there is obviously here a serious misconseption about pro and farmer class saw. The husqvarna brand has a a 4xx the farmer class and the 5xx is the pro line! Yes I know that in the US the 545 is listed in the farmer class BUT it is a only slightly detuned 550! So you get all the pro build Quality of the 550 with only a very minor power loss. Average users will NEVER notice the difference at the end of the day and typically WON'T notice a difference in a single cut. What they will notice is the higher reving of the 550 which most users falsely equate with a substantially faster cutting saw.

I would have no problems what so ever using one of the middle class saws in the 50 -60 cc range, although I would seriously consider a much better 6100.

7

 

[Deleted member 116684]

I'm not a pro. I just cut a lot of firewood for me and my friends, well, because I enjoy it. I've used stihl and husky "ranch" types of saws and when I first used a pro stihl I noticed it cut smoother and a little quicker. If I noticed a difference then someone else just might as well. I'm not trying to make money at it so if you have a different take because of productivity fine.

 

[foeke]

I think productively does not come from the time cutting, but from the in between time. The lighter saw and shorter bar will process the most wood. And wear out the human component out the least. Especially in the small soft trees I've seen on that pile. That's why a nice 50cc is faster and more fun than a nice 60cc. Yes the 6100 is the better all-round saw. But also think a 5105 is better for OP.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

 

[hearnoevil]

First of it isn't that much noticeable, we are talking fractions of a second to very low single digit seconds difference in cutting speed.

Second strangely if you hand a pro the rancher saw he will still be substantially faster than any amature with the pro saw. So in my eyes the saw is only a small part of the equasion. I might add that it has been mentioned that some pros are going back to the 545/555 line compared to the 550/560 line because they donot notice enough productivity increase at the of the day to warrent the substantial price increase.

Further there is obviously here a serious misconseption about pro and farmer class saw. The husqvarna brand has a a 4xx the farmer class and the 5xx is the pro line! Yes I know that in the US the 545 is listed in the farmer class BUT it is a only slightly detuned 550! So you get all the pro build Quality of the 550 with only a very minor power loss. Average users will NEVER notice the difference at the end of the day and typically WON'T notice a difference in a single cut. What they will notice is the higher reving of the 550 which most users falsely equate with a substantially faster cutting saw.

I would have no problems what so ever using one of the middle class saws in the 50 -60 cc range, although I would seriously consider a much better 6100.

7

thank you !

 

[hearnoevil]

Thanks... I bought the 550 xp for extra 200 I feel i got a better saw. Wow this thing cuts

 

[row.man]

I have a cs590 and cs490 for my two saw plan. With a 20" bar, both cam do the same job, the 490 just takes a little longer.
Currently I'm running a 25" bar on the 590, in some big really tough maple.
the bigger bar is finally making the 590 actually have to work, with the 20" bar I almost couldn't stall the chain.
I have a husky 460, and owned a 455 for a season.
Either of the echo saws is better than those two husky saws.

 

[Deleted member 116684]

Have fun

 

[Wood Doctor]

Husky makes both a pro line and a residential line. The pro line Husky saws are truly excellent equipment. Years ago one of the best husky pro saws ever built was the 357 XP. That's about all the size that you need. Finding one for sale today is almost impossible because their owners keep them forever. The Stihl MS 361 is about the same quality and size, but it's hard to find also unless beaten to death.

 

[Mustang71]

Husky makes both a pro line and a residential line. The pro line Husky saws are truly excellent equipment. Years ago one of the best husky pro saws ever built was the 357 XL. That's about all the size that you need. Finding one for sale today is almost impossible because their owners keep them forever. The Stihl MS 361 is about the same quality and size, but it's hard to find also unless beaten to death.

So not that I think it's silly to own that many saws but which one do you use most? You seem to have every size lol

 

[Wood Doctor]

So not that I think it's silly to own that many saws but which one do you use most? You seem to have every size lol

If I ever had to throw all my saws away and keep one (heaven forbid), the Stihl MS361 would remain in the shop.

However, I'd then back it up with the 026 PRO for smaller work and the 046 Mag for the big logs. Unfortunately, I bought a Husky 353 last summer and that little beast can cut firewood like a bandit, easily staying with my 026 PRO and I imagine today's MS 261 as well. But, these two saws will not stay with the 361 and the 046 outdoes them all (except the 90 cc class) for nearly all the big logs.

I bought the 036 AV to back up the 361 in case she ever dies, but so far she refuses to give up after well over 500 hours of service.

 

[Mustang71]

Somehow I figured the 361 was the winner lol just the usual for stihl owners. My decision will be between the 046 or 038 magnum. I've yet to decide which one I want and I don't have a use for them yet. I think I need a bigger bar for my 290/390 saw it pulls the 20" like no big deal.

 

[sunfish]

Thanks... I bought the 550 xp for extra 200 I feel i got a better saw. Wow this thing cuts

Very good choice!

 

[VW Splitter]

Very good choice!

Yes, Excellent Choice. You will love it.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

Husky makes both a pro line and a residential line. The pro line Husky saws are truly excellent equipment. Years ago one of the best husky pro saws ever built was the 357 XP. That's about all the size that you need. Finding one for sale today is almost impossible because their owners keep them forever.

Not my experience lately... You have to be a mechanic to keep it running.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Not my experience lately... You have to be a mechanic to keep it running.

Can you expand that post? I'm all ears and I'm also a mechanic. What are the mechanical problems with the Husky 357 XP?

 

[Sandhill Crane]

Saw ran very good for six years, 50-60 cord per year, so light duty for a pro saw.
Last year it began to lope. Suck air?
So at the first sign of that, I discovered online that, over time, that was a common problem, and a difficult on to sort out.
I didn't want to run it lean so I had a guy look at it.
He replaced the carb and the troublesome connector and clamp between the carb and cylinder.
He looked at it a second time.
I then took it to another shop and they replaced a brake or clutch bearing??? Not really sure.
Going back to him this Friday...
He is a Husqvarna dealer.

Runs great some days, other days, hard start when warm, no throttle...just dies. If you can get past that, it runs strong in the cut.
I'm guessing fuel problem, plugged breather, something simple...but I don't know. Bad coil???
Just can't count on it to get anything done.

Had some offers to buy it, which makes me think it is something simple they can fix, and flip it.
This is the only Husqvarna I've ever owned.
The shop I bought it from lost the H. dealership.
Ran Stihls since 1982.

 

[hearnoevil]

If i get 6 years out of this saw at 10-20 cords a year I will be happier then a pig in sh!t.
I got 6 years out of my 440, i probably could of got another couple years out of it but i was running it more then what it was intended for, and working it way too hard.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

Hearnoevil: Good luck with it! Nice size saw....

As I posted, the shop I bought mine from, lost the franchise, and the highly praised mechanic left.
Hopefully someone will get it sorted out. It seems to be a well known issue and I just need to find the right person to do it.
It also seems I live in predominantly Stihl territory and will have to travel to get the xp worked on.