What saw would YOU get with $800?

[sawinredneck]

Nope! I wouldn't be willing to do that unless I had to. I guess my point is that you can cut some awfully big trees down with a 20" bar and not a whole lot of power. My father and I used to routinely drop some 35"+ hardwood with just a 20incher on his 041.

He is talking 6' trees.

I do firewood, I want to cut it once, that why I run the long bar.

 

[MOA]

The 32 is the biggest I would ever run, I would run a 25" 99% of the time. Will dolmar warrenty there 7900 even thru a sh*ty dealer?

My Stihl dealer rocks, really. they work with me on everything. I told them that I wanted to get a 440 or 460, and they ordered in both just so I can see them. If I never run them agianst anything else I would probley be happy, but I want to get the best bang for my money. I dont like how the husky 385 feels, it just balances funny compared to the 460 and 441. The 575 felt great, but I was told they have little torque, and I lean on my saws a little. The Huske dealer told me to step up to the 385 or get a 372, which my uncle has one the needs rebuilt that I am trying to talk him out of, if he can find it. He switched to Johny red and doesnt cut any more, but he likes to go with me.

 

[Peacock]

Understood, to each his own.:rockn:

 

[stihl 440]

How hard is osage orange compared to black locust? I have never cut it, my stands never have it in them. But for a saw I would reccomend the 440,460,441,660. If husky, the 385, which I want. I would get a 440, put a 20" ES bar on it. That is what I have on mine. I love it has the perfect balance. If need a bigger bar go for a 460 or 660.

 

[Peacock]

Hoe hard is osage orange compared to black locust? I have never cut it, my stands never have it in them. But for a saw I would reccomend the 440,460,441,660. If husky, the 385, which I want. I would get a 440, put a 20" ES bar on it. That is what I have on mine. I love it has the perfect balance. If need a bigger bar go for a 460 or 660.

They are pretty similar. The hedge is a little harder though. Course shagbark hickory will throw sparks at dusk too.

 

[MOA]

I also dont care to much about weight, as I only cut for 3-5 hours at the most and I am a pretty big guy in pretty good shape(My work requires it). I think that a 660 would be over kill, which would probley be just right. I would probley work with the 460/7900/575 while my cousin worked with my 310(he just turned 18 and like to cut with me and his dad is teaching him how to do it right, and I am a overly safe cutter so his dad likes him to work with me) until I get enough saved up to get him a 260 pro or 361. I let him do the limbing while I buck. its a great system.

 

[Frank Boyer]

I have a fairly new 460 with a 28" bar and it cuts very well. It will pull that 28" bar buried in wet or dry Oak.

 

[Indiana John]

If your not cutting BIG WOOD, MS361, extra bar, chains, files
and good PPE and such.

Yep, I'd take a 361 with a 20" bar and two loops of RS, then I'd get a 24" bar and two loops of full-skip to go with it for the occasional bigger stuff. And I'd get some bar and mix oil with whatever was left.

 

[Indiana John]

Sparks!

Course shagbark hickory will throw sparks at dusk too.

We get that a lot around here with Elm! A lot of minerals in it. Dulls chains real quick! :censored: Leaves "clinkers" in your stove too...........

 

[SmokinDodge]

I would look at a used 660 or 385, wher's Oldsaw when you need him!!! Mark, tell these boys about hedge will ya!!!!

I'm not Oldsaw but I can tell you with out a doubt it is the wood chain manufactures LOVE. Red aint kidding about the half a face cord when it's dry, the branches seem to dry faster and harder than the trunk wood making them look almost black. I have put on a NEW stihl chain and had to sharpen it after one tank of fuel cutting dry tops. Best fence post going and real good firewood if you don't mind firecrackers. Real fun tree, I like the thorns the best! :monkey:

Hedge is tough wood, but nothing the 440 can't handle. I have cut big hedge with my old 310 and recently cut a 28'' hedge with an old 041. My new 441 tears it up.

In my experience, a VERY sharp chain will cut hedge like butter. You don't even need much power or chain speed either.

Wow, that is some nice wood. Is that a typical size for your area? I'd love to have some that size around here, make a heck of a lot of fence posts! And before any says I have a fence post thing I just got done priceing $teel T post for 80 acres, ouch!

 

[sawinredneck]

I have a fairly new 460 with a 28" bar and it cuts very well. It will pull that 28" bar buried in wet or dry Oak.

Yep, but add another 4" to that bar and it wont be so happy!

Yep, I'd take a 361 with a 20" bar and two loops of RS, then I'd get a 24" bar and two loops of full-skip to go with it for the occasional bigger stuff. And I'd get some bar and mix oil with whatever was left.

But he wants to pull a 32" bar on occasion, as well as already owning a 310.

I'm not Oldsaw but I can tell you with out a doubt it is the wood chain manufactures LOVE. Red aint kidding about the half a face cord when it's dry, the branches seem to dry faster and harder than the trunk wood making them look almost black. I have put on a NEW stihl chain and had to sharpen it after one tank of fuel cutting dry tops. Best fence post going and real good firewood if you don't mind firecrackers. Real fun tree, I like the thorns the best! :monkey:

Wow, that is some nice wood. Is that a typical size for your area? I'd love to have some that size around here, make a heck of a lot of fence posts! And before any says I have a fence post thing I just got done priceing $teel T post for 80 acres, ouch!

Thanks Dodge!! You think thats big? I have another big one to take down in the near future, 36" stump height! Going to have to climb it, it's surrounded by four Elms the owner wants to keep!! Still want some posts?

 

[SmokinDodge]

Thanks Dodge!! You think thats big? I have another big one to take down in the near future, 36" stump height! Going to have to climb it, it's surrounded by four Elms the owner wants to keep!! Still want some posts?

N E tyme Andy.

It's not huge, just nice wood. I have my eye on one here on the edge of town about 28-30 dbh, I'm drooling as I set here thinking.

Sure I'll take some post, you deliver right? It's gonna take a couple to go all the way around my patch.

36"? Take some pictures of that beauty! And please don't tell me your gonna burn it.

 

[oldsaw]

He is wanting to run a 32" bar on a 440, are you willing to put a 32" bar on you're 441 and burry it in hedge?




The 7900 has more power and weighs less as well as costs less than the 460. My 046 has the BB kit and has been ported, it pulls the 32" bar nicely in hardwood. It will out run a stock 660 though.
I would look at a used 660 or 385, wher's Oldsaw when you need him!!! Mark, tell these boys about hedge will ya!!!!

I think Smokin' handled it quite well. I've never got into one over a foot in diameter, but watched a guy with a 385 w/24" bar work on one about 18-20" diameter once. Saw had it's hands full...it was working. Chain was pretty sharp because he was getting pretty nice chips. It was a log I was going to mill, but it was rotten up the middle.

Mark

 

[Peacock]

Wow, that is some nice wood. Is that a typical size for your area? I'd love to have some that size around here, make a heck of a lot of fence posts! And before any says I have a fence post thing I just got done priceing $teel T post for 80 acres, ouch!

I wouldn't say that it is typical, but they are pretty common at this size or larger. We took 10 cords of hedge from a lot a few years ago. Smallest tree was 30"! All of it went to firewood, for my father. All of it was done with an 041 and 20" bar. With a wood like hedge you NEED a torquier saw rather than a saw like a 361 with a bunch of horsepower. I think an 051 would make a killer hedge stump saw.

 

[alderman]

What I got for $800.00

For my $800 I got a Shindaiwa 360, 2 Shindaiwa 488's, and a Shindaiwa 757.
All used but all running good. Not the most popular saws around but this line up will do anything I need to do with a chain saw. Used Shindaiwa's go for a lot cheaper than the more popular brands.

I put a 24" bar on the 757 for general use. I've used the 32" bar a couple of times and the saw handled it well.

It seems to me that the bigger saws are available used from the average home owner who buys big and then can't handle the bigger saws.

If the truth was being told, the 757 and one of the 488's only had a couple of hours on them when I got them. They looked new when I got them.

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

440....but I've got one, so what the hell....a 441.

 

[Lakeside53]

For $800 I'd buy a great used 066 AND an 044..... and have change for a lot of beer

 

[MOA]

If you now were I can do this let me now soon!!!

 

[SinglerM]

I forget who said it here...But, it's A.S. conventional wisdom.

If you need to run a bar bigger than a 28", just get a Stihl MS660. I followed that advice, and have been very satisfied with the result.
If I were going to spend $800. Then I'd get a MS460 with a 28" bar.
If you need a bigger bar......well...... you know.

I'm sure there's a similar rule of thumb in the Husky world, if that's your flavor.
take care,
Mitch

 

[Lakeside53]

If you now were I can do this let me now soon!!!

I got my realy pretty 2002(3?) 066 for $400 off craigslist... with a bunch of bars, chaps, chains oil etc.. Just have to be in the right place at the right time... and know when to walk away.