Top Handle Saws

[Dennis]

Alright...after never having seen one before Mikes 335 Cali Special, never mind using one.....I thought I would do a little looking into them....

I phoned my distributors and found out, in fact, that I am still a Shindaiwa and Solo chainsaw dealer....imagine that....so...I got specs and pricing on all their saws...but what came as a surprise to me...was some of the different pricing...I know alot of you guys have used these saws and can maybe shed some light here...

Shindaiwa 357-16" 365.00 usd 35cc
Solo 633-16" 270.00 usd 36cc
Husky 335XPT-14" 390.00 usd 35cc
Stihl MS200T-16" 420.00 usd 35cc (??)

Now these are suggested list prices...not necessarily what I would sell for....but if anyone has used this Solo....I would be interested to know what they thought of it....

 

[WOLF_RIVER_MIKE]

I was wondering how a modified 335xp Cali Special compares to a modified 346xp. I'm talking about performance, not weight. Dennis, you may be the only one on the list that has experience with both.

 

[Dennis]

Mike....well I dont know that I can do an honest comparison, as the 346's I used(built) were 18-20" not 16" but that being said...I dont believe that the 335Cali will beat the 346...ever...the design of the cylinder on each is completely different...the 346 being the stronger of the two...with its quad loop transfer system...while they both require alot of work...the 346 gains in the fact that the work being done is more..."enhancing" if one gets down to it...its hard to describe...while the 335 made great gains...it was so detuned..that it now comes up and probably will cut close (??) to a 346...its too bad I couldnt have cut with them both in the same log...but time didnt allow...

now having said that...I have to add that I never used a regular 335 before...so I cant compare those two...(335 and 335 cali)

I cant wait to build a dyno....

 

[tony marks]

the echo 3000 fills my needs, an the price is rite.

 

[Dennis]

Tony...how much??? I think they retail here about 215.00 usd...I forgot to put that one on the list as I am not an echo dealer....yet....but would take me about 15 minutes to get set up....

 

[WOLF_RIVER_MIKE]

Dennis, imho, you add more technical info to this list than anybody else. A dyno would be great: for your buisness/customers, absolutely, but for everyone that frequents this forum. Might I add here tat data gathered would be essential to "Stock -n- Chopped Quarterly". I hope you get it......................................Dangitt Doug, get off that pocketbook and help Dennis out with this Dyno. Y'all work out a trade or something.............................................jeeeeeeeeezzzzzz. Sorry guys, Even I can tell I'm getting wierd. Haven't had a drink in a week. Fixing to work on that right now.

 

[treeclimber165]

The Echo 3000 is a Home Depot saw. No power, decent homeowner saw, $199. Not anywhere near comperable to the 3400.
The Echo 3400 is the same frame but a larger motor. Decent power, better with muffler gutting. Extremely reliable, $249 at a dealer. My current one has 3 years hard daily use and hasn't missed a beat.

To use a 3000 and criticize the 3400 is not valid. They are NOT the same.

 

[WOLF_RIVER_MIKE]

Brian, I thought you climbed with your 3120. A 3400? I am depressed

 

[Dennis]

Brian...ok..same price here on the 3400...250.00us....I have never seen either of these saws..or specs on them....but they are on the way....along with the full echo lineup...

 

[treeclimber165]

WRM

You mean this one? Only in a bucket truck! Besides, it wasn't mine.

 

[rahtreelimbs]

Dennis, I saw an Echo 3000 somewhere on the net for $195. BTW, how is Rbtree's shindaiwa 488 coming? Rich.

 

[treeclimber165]

Originally posted by rich hoffman
Dennis, I saw an Echo 3000 somewhere on the net for $195.

WOW! Someone beat Home Depot's price by $4! Then add your $20 shipping on top of it! Please scroll up, Rich.

 

[WOLF_RIVER_MIKE]

nice pic, Brian. Looks like your eyeballin them sights?

 

[rahtreelimbs]

Not to mention the $14 in sales tax I'd have to pay at Home Depot. Rich.

 

[treeclimber165]

Back to the topic:

Dennis,
For the most part, it seems like there are only 3 players for climbing saws.
Stihl 020T: Expensive, powerful, almost impossible to work on (and they seem to need work often).
Husky 335XP: Expensive ($30 less than Stihl), reliability problems, tend to commit suicide more than other brands.
Echo 3400: Cheap, very reliable (one of Echo's best engines), not nearly the power of the above two, lots of plastic.

Seems like there is a void in there, looks like Solo and/or Shindaiwa are trying to fill it. I'd be interested in a stronger saw, but need the reliability I've found in Echo. I'd be interested in climber's feedback on either of these two saws. If I could afford $600 for a climbing saw, I probably wouldn't be climbing any more. So a Grefferdized 335XP is out of reach.

 

[Dagger]

hey Dennis.Heres a pic to campare em.. I was at a Dealer just last week who has Echo, Solo, Stihl and Husky. When I asked how the 633 was goin over amoung the tree crews, he told me it, and the echo 340 are the 2 best sellers.
They are so close in power ya cant tell a diff he said and his dealer cost is exactly the same. ( I dont know what he is gettin out of em..)
We took 3 outside..the 633,Solo, the 335 Husky, and a 340 Echo and run em.
I could detect no difference in the speed of the echo and the Solo..(no stopwatch however)..but the husky was faster than both..The Solo was by far the smoothest of the 3, and when I set each one down on the drive with the brake locked at idle, the Solo just sat there...The Echo crawled around a bit, ..and we dang near had to chase the husky to catch it!

When we took em back in I noticed a 3000 at 199 bucks...asked what about it and he told me no pro will use it...not enuf juice..

I think the Shindaiwa is just physically too large for most to consider it a handy climber...kinda awkward i think.

Now my brother..who is a Husky Dealer..quit sellin any pro a 335 because of the problems they brought him..the worst of several crank main bearings failing..which is no suprise really when ya consider how light the crank is made and how much power it makes.

 

[tony marks]

hey treeclimber. who critisized the 3400.
theyll deal w u an me brother.
the 3000 does fine for me but the exstra cc s bound to help. still i think rite much of my 3000. got mine as a return for 120.
a chritmas return. never had the bar put on.

 

[rahtreelimbs]

Anyone who runs a Stihl 020T, Husky 335 or Echo 3000 or 3400 probably wouldn't care for the Shindaiwa 357. I run the 357 as a backup to my Stihl 020T. At more than nine pounds most would consider it too heavy. As far as performance It's OK. Turns about 11,000 RPM, power is similar to an Echo 3000. Rich.

 

[Keener]

O.K Dennis I'll do you a favour and try out a Solo you have hopped up a bit as my climbing saw.
I currently run MS200 and have test driven the stock 335 and went back to the Stihl.
But as a firm believer in German engineering I would like to try the Solo.
So here's the deal you take the new Solo hop it up and I'll buy at stock price then let all the folks here know what the feed back is on the saw no bs just the facts ma'am.
The topper for the deal is that since you visit the island here now and then you can drop it by my house or even come out on the job for a few hours to see it in use " at elevation" as they say.

 

[Dennis]

Keener....I bet you will!!! lol....actually I talked to the Solo guys this afternoon and they are going to send me a saw to tear down...but I am not allowed to modify it unless I buy it....which I prolly will...hard to take a saw apart and not modify it....You are also running the regular 335..not the Cali Special?? I dont get to the Island much anymore...

As far as the 335 goes...I had lots of problems with it until the ignition timing was dealt with....then it seemed to smarten right up....and it really talked well....Mike Boyer will be able to tell us shortly....

Dagger...I cant comment on any crank problems as I have never sold one...hell...never seen one before Mikes....lol...but I can say...I liked that saw when it was done...granted I never compared it to anything else...(tophandle)

Rich...the 488 is pretty much done...just gotta get the exhaust finished up...and its ready to rock...should be cutting tomorrow I hope...