Best ~ 70cc chainsaw. suggestion please

[snydley]

It is more like the difference between a stock 350 and a race motor. Two saws that are the same cc will not have the same power. Even look at two saws at the Stihl website:
MS310: 59cc, 4.0 hp, wt 13.0 lb

MS361: 59cc, 4.4 hp, wt 12.3 lb

They are both the same cc, but the pro model has an extra 1/2 horse (alot in a small saw) as well as 1/2 lb lighter. These two equate to more power to weight as well as less weight to hold the saw down (if that makes sense).

Now THIS is the kind of info. I was looking for,(now that wasn't so hard, was it folks :cheese: ) Maybe the 361 is just what I need. I'll buy one with an 18" bar and chain and it'll still have enough power to put a 24" bar on it for the big stuff if necessary. Thanks for the info.!

 

[Sealcove]

No attitude here, or were you talking about yours? :lol: If I was asking for advice on safety, or training, then I would welcome it. But I'm not, I'm asking for advice on a new saw.

The point you are missing is that the two things are not exclusive; with saw selection comes a level of education, training, and safety. Nobody is telling you what to do, rather we are offering advice based on experience. It is truly not meant to be condescending, and I would welcome the same advice even though I have lots of training and work professionally with a saw.

Regarding the 361 with an 18" bar, I think it would make a great firewood saw.

 

[snydley]

Bought a saw :ahhh:

Thanks to all of you for all of your help on picking a saw, I bought one on eBay today. A brand new Stihl MS361, here's the URL if anyone's interested.

(broken link removed to http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230250030635&ru=http://search.ebay.com:80/search/search.dll?from=R40&_trksid=m37&satitle=230250030635%09&category0=&fvi=1)

Sorry if I P.Oed anyone on here with anything I said, you guys are a valuable resource and I'd hate to be on any of your $hit lists! ;-)

I think I made a pretty good deal, saved a little off what I'd have paid here.
I'll let you know what I think of it once I use it.
Take care,
Snyde

 

[Sealcove]

The MS361 is a great saw. It should serve you very well.

 

[chad3]

Yup, the 361 is a very good saw. I was using mine today to cut up some 20ish dia oak. Wasn't as fast as some of my others, but if you don't try and muscle the saw through the cut, it'll pull through. Make sure you keep the chain sharp and watch the ground when cutting (see lots of guys running their chains into the ground). Not that I am trying to tell you what/how to cut, but just a reminder.
Glad I could help even a bit.
Chad

 

[loggie]

Its too bad when you give someone advise about a saw from a pro logger 30 years experience another person has to poke fun about your saw serving cold beer,this guy must know it all,probably never even started a big saw.Lets remember the western sawyers are cutting mostly softwood and they mostly use a different saw than we use in the east cutting hardwoods.I think you bought a great saw with the 361 but you will be disappointed in big hardwoods as this saw isn't in the same league as the 460 or 660.I have seen no talk about chains here in this thread,I am running the .325 pitch on my 036 but its small cutters are fragile and dull quickly cutting firewood,but I think the .375 is alot for this saw and if you file the rakers the saw wont pull it well.Today I cut about 6cds of 2 year old locust averaging 2' in diameter with my 066 with the 25" bar using a .375 skiptooth round chisel cutter with the rakers knocked down and had good luck in this wood which is about the hardest you will find next to osage orange.I sharpened one side of the chain on each fuel stop.Wood like this is beyond the 036 in any timely manner which was listed in sthils brochure as a professional pulpwood cutters saw[softwood]by the way.Now I know Ive offended all the minimalist's out there who cut 2' wood with a 12" bar and it is possible,just not practical,[timely manner] A big saw wont cut that much faster than a medium sized saw with the green strap anti kickback chain on it.When I worked for my logger friend the chains he ran were so aggressive that you could cut a 3' oak with his 064 and never use the dogs and never push on the saw,but you better respect a saw like that if you are inexperienced.This is how I run my chains now, it takes years to learn how to file chains like this and safely use them but if you do you will understand why it is much easier to use a big saw than a small one in big wood.good luck with your new saw and remember we can always learn a new trick and I bet in a year you will be looking at that 460 :cheese:

 

[chad3]

Loggie,
Not sure what you are getting at, but a guy who is looking to run a saw will be in for a long day with either of the ones you posted. Is the 361 best in huge wood? Of course not, but it will get through as well as being lots lighter and more nimble in 99% of the wood. I was talking to a guy that I cut with right now and he figured we have taken a total of about 45-50 cord in this spring with most cut with the 361 (on my end).
Not to be talking on the web, but if we both were to cut for 8 hours (talking firewood here) I'll take the 361 and you can use the 66 and lets see how we both fair over the course of the day.
I'm sure you know what I mean.

 

[hornett22]

great choice on the 361! if i did firewood only i wouldn't use more than an ms361 or a 357xp.

 

[Jay H]

I find my 59cc Husky 359 (59cc 3.9hp 12.l lbs (powerhead only)) is fairly adept at the 36"ish hardwood rounds I have been splitting (so far). I'm no expert and I've never tried any other chainsaw or brand than my husky but so far so good. For my needs, it is good enough. I am only bucking rounds for firewood and not even felling trees (I really have none to fell).... I have not experienced problems with the saw kicking back or bogging on the large rounds, except for when my chain was dull then it was obvious and I would stop and work on the chain.

Jay

 

[loggie]

Hey,chad3 what are you cutting for firewood 8"pine?THIS THREAD IS ABOUT WHICH 70CC SAW FOR CUTTING 3' DIAMETER HARDWOOD ON A REGULAR BASIS, ANYTHING SMALLER THAN A 441 WILL TAKE TWICE AS LONG AND BE ALOT HARDER WORK.I have a 36" bar for the 066 and it takes about 20 seconds a slice and that is much easier than sawing both sides with a small saw gnawing away trying to line up your cuts all the way through after 10 min of struggling.I will take the big saw with a few extra pounds and almost twice the horsepower and let the saw do the work,my day will be alot easier than yours.Why do you think I leave my 036 in the truck except for the tops and use the 066 all day in big wood because its harder?Not everyone wants to use a 066 thats why I suggested the 441,but the point I am making is its hard to have too much saw in 3' hardwood.chad3 bring your 361 over to my locust pile and we will both saw for 8hrs on Saturday,me with the 066,I will go fishing on sun but you will have to cut another 6hrs on to match what I cut on sat and we will see who is more tired on Monday morn ;-) ing.

 

[chad3]

No, he actually said that it was up to a 36" oak and I'm guess that they are few and far between. Every saw has its place and for a one saw guy, I don't think the 440/460 would be a very good saw. I wouldn't want to be limbing with a saw like that (so sure, lets cut up a few white oaks that I have from bottom to top for firewood and you can use your 066 with the 36" bar and we'll see how each feels at the end of the day). I've got one in the 60 range, one in the 70 range, one in the 80 range and a 3120 on the mill so I do know what each saw can do.
To each his own. And the right saw for the right job.

 

[Gooserider]

{moderator mode on} First off, I hope we can all mellow out a bit and be more civil to each other - I don't like having to use my moderator hat very often, but this thread is getting a bit heated, so let's cool it down a bit. {/moderator mode}

My cutting is mostly bucking up grapple loads of log-length, with occasional scrounging and a few tree drops thrown in - nearly all hardwoods, mostly red oak, maple, etc. (Similar to the OP's situation)

My first saw was a 36cc Pull-on; with the stock 16" bar and "safety chain" it was a lousy cutter. I applied the 3cc of engine per inch of bar rule; rebarred it with a 12" bar, and switched to full chisel, non-safety chain, and turned it into a little wood eating monster, but it now wasn't big enough to deal happily with a large amount of the wood that came my way, though I could with effort handle about 60% or so.

So I went new-saw hunting, initially was thinking Husky / Stihl, pro-grade. I wanted to be able to run around a 20" bar normally, with the ability to run a bigger bar occasionally as a desirable bonus. Per the above sizing rule, this meant at least a 60cc saw. After asking here and on ArboristSite, I got interested in Dolmar, which appeared to be offering more saw for the $, and also had fewer mixed reviews (there were people w/ bad things to say about H & S, but everybody seemed to agree that Dolmars were good...) After shopping around, I got a really nice price on a Dolmar 7900 w/ 20 and 28" bars, chains, etc. from Amick's - very shortly before Dolmar made the (IMHO stupid) move of keeping Amick's and a few other dealers from shipping saws.

It is one of the best purchases I've ever made! The saw runs fantastic, and goes through logs like a Ginsu knife goes through vegetables in a TV info-mercial.... Mostly I use the 20" bar, but recently I had a neighbor give me some 40+" maple trunks, if I'd cut them up and help move them away - With the 28" bar, it was no problem, and even burying the 28" bar full depth in a log the saw didn't slow down appreciably...

I also use the 7900 (w/ the 20" bar) as a limbing saw when I drop a tree. The Pull-on is a little lighter, and a bit more agile with the short bar, but the difference isn't that great, I don't find it enough to justify swapping saws. In short, if I know that all I'll be cutting is small stuff and brush, I'll grab the Pull-on; but if I'm planning any cutting of wood over 8-10" diameter, I grab the 7900 - it's overkill on that size, but the saw cuts so much better I don't mind the extra weight.

I also find that if I'm cutting wood that is on the ground, the 20" bar saves me from a fair bit of bending over - much easier on the back...

Gooserider

 

[snydley]

{moderator mode on} First off, I hope we can all mellow out a bit and be more civil to each other - I don't like having to use my moderator hat very often, but this thread is getting a bit heated, so let's cool it down a bit. {/moderator mode}

They started it. ;-)

My cutting is mostly bucking up grapple loads of log-length, with occasional scrounging and a few tree drops thrown in - nearly all hardwoods, mostly red oak, maple, etc. (Similar to the OP's situation)

I wish you'd have been around here a couple of weeks ago. It sounds like your situation is alot like mine. I could have used you in my corner. :coolgrin:

My first saw was a 36cc Pull-on; with the stock 16" bar and "safety chain" it was a lousy cutter.

Mine was a 33cc. Craftsman. It got stolen when some punks broke into my tool shed 6 or 7 years ago. 20" bar. Very gutless.
Not knowing any better at the time, I took the insurance money and bought another Craftsman but a 55cc. 18" bar this time. A lot better cutter, but still too small for the bigger stuff. I wanted to buy a Dolmer 7900 too, from what people had to say about them, the price at Amicks and what research I did on them, but I LET the guys on here talk me out of it. I found a nice used one on eBay that was going for $299. at the time, that ended up selling for $471. + $65. S&H;. I ended up buying a brand new Stihl MS361 on there instead. I hope I won't be sorry I didn't go for the bigger saw, and hope the 361 will handle the big stuff when I have some more of that come my way. I figured I'd get a 25" bar and chain for it next time I get some big stuff. My idea was to get a little bit bigger saw than I might need, just in case I got another big tree trunk to cut up. I've been scrounging a lot of wood this Spring, free for the taking, and I don't image that anyone would be too thrilled if I cut up all the "prime cuts" for firewood and left a big carcase of a trunk in their yard because I didn't have a big enough saw or want to bother with cutting it up. Only time will tell at this point.

 

[Gooserider]

Didn't ask who started it, don't really care as multiple people were involved - I just want it to stop...

I've been off line for a bit, had to go out of town for several weeks to deal with my father's memorial service and some estate issues, and will be leaving tomorrow for another week to be a delegate to the Libertarian Party national convention, but will then be back for a good while.

In terms of the saw, I agree that the 361 is a nice unit, and hope that it does well for you. It probably won't handle the big stuff as well as a 7900, but it should be able to do the job. Certainly you will find a big improvement in going from a home-owner grade saw to a pro model, you can feel the difference as soon as you pick one up. I also figure the big trunk peices ARE the "prime cuts" for firewood - many more splits per round. Of course they are a bit of work, but not that bad once you get them started, or if you have a hydraulic.

Gooserider

 

[snydley]

Didn't ask who started it, don't really care as multiple people were involved - I just want it to stop...

It was meant in jest, hence the smiley. When it comes right down to it I don't really even care about the whole thing. There's more to be concerned in life with than crap like that. :cheese:

I've been off line for a bit, had to go out of town for several weeks to deal with my father's memorial service and some estate issues, and will be leaving tomorrow for another week to be a delegate to the Libertarian Party national convention, but will then be back for a good while.

Go Libertarians!! I hope someday that they might be the next viable political party and someday have a shot at the White House. A much better choice than the crap the 2 stinkin' parties have been handing us over the last 20, err 30, err 40 yrs., oh hell for as long as I can remember. :zip:

In terms of the saw, I agree that the 361 is a nice unit, and hope that it does well for you. It probably won't handle the big stuff as well as a 7900, but it should be able to do the job. Certainly you will find a big improvement in going from a home-owner grade saw to a pro model, you can feel the difference as soon as you pick one up. I also figure the big trunk peices ARE the "prime cuts" for firewood - many more splits per round. Of course they are a bit of work, but not that bad once you get them started, or if you have a hydraulic.

I agree about the prime cuts. What I meant was if you were cutting someone's tree down for the wood they wouldn't be very happy if you cut and hauled away all of the easy cutting large limbs and branches, and left the trunk there for them to deal with.

 

[savageactor7]

Hi sidney I have a 16" Stil farm boss and a 20" 272xp Huskey and both are good saws...had both for quite awhile. Either manufacturer will deliver the goods. I started buying Huskey cause there's a dealer close by and if there's a problem he will fix it asap and he has.

I don't want to tell you what to do but I wouldn't buy either saw from a big box store. Service and support from dealer that knows you and has an investment in you can be a big leg up...just say'en. (I am in no way disparaging big box stores or the people that shop there)

 

[Outdoorsman]

[quote author="downeast" date="1210176901"]Get the tool that does what you need to do. If you're up for a macho experience, then it's another matter.
Most cutting by loggers, producers, arborists--the professionals--work with the most efficient tool they need. No macho "muscle car" stuff. -


Small saws are fine if you've lots of time & take pride in getting the absolute most from one. But time does count to most of us more than the cost of a larger saw. It's not a macho thing, it's a time issue.

And where I'm at the pros use larger saws than mine or what you suggest.

Beyond that I've deleted the rest of my original post as I should have read the whole thread first.

 

[Outdoorsman]

A good saw, my father in law has had a 036 for years and it just keeps on cut'n.