Husky 346XP for "the" firewood saw?

[DougNH]

OP said up to 30", there's no way you're going to see me using my 346XP on something like that, but I do have choices. I love the 346 and used it today, cleaning up tops from trees that I downed with my 390XP.

From Husqvarna website describing the 346:

"New edition with increased power and new design. Ideal professional saw where users demand rapid acceleration, maximum power and maneuverability. Excellent saw for high speed limbing and cross-cutting applications. Also perfect for felling small diameter trees."

SMALL diameter trees!

 

[DougNH]

60cc Better

Further reading from the Husqvarna website regarding the 357XP:

"The Husqvarna 357 XP® is among our latest generation of professional saws. It's the perfect all-around saw for everything from felling, to limbing and to cross-cutting. High power and rapid acceleration in combination with superior ergonomics, low vibration levels and a slim body ensure both effectiveness and less effort. A lightweight, effective and reliable saw for demanding professional applications."

"Perfect all-around saw"

IMO the MS361 is slightly better, but I got the 357 b/c I wanted heated handles.

 

[stipes]

I know Doug,,but he said mostly under 20....

OP said up to 30", there's no way you're going to see me using my 346XP on something like that, but I do have choices. I love the 346 and used it today, cleaning up tops from trees that I downed with my 390XP.

From Husqvarna website describing the 346:

"New edition with increased power and new design. Ideal professional saw where users demand rapid acceleration, maximum power and maneuverability. Excellent saw for high speed limbing and cross-cutting applications. Also perfect for felling small diameter trees."

SMALL diameter trees!

He starts goin over 30 you might wanna loan him your 390!! LOL!!!

 

[Jtheo]

There are guys on here that know a lot more than me, but I have cut a lot of firewood and run a lot of different saws.

I have a 346XP New Edition, and the saw is impressive to say the least.

This saw will limb and buck 18" wood just fine, and the weight won't whip you down either.

Run one of these and will not want to put it down.

You can always add a 365 or 372XP later and have the big stuff covered.

If you hang around here, you will have more than one chain saw anyway.

 

[DougNH]

He starts goin over 30 you might wanna loan him your 390!! LOL!!!

lol @ the idea of a 390XP "loaner saw"

 

[formula_pilot]

Does it have a green fuel cap and say e-tech on the model label?

No green caps on the new saw, no "e-tech" labels anywhere that I could find. It looks like a straight 346XP N.E.

The power company cut down a bunch of oak yesterday, I think the biggest diameters were 22-24". They leave the wood in 8-12 foot logs, open for the taking. My 63 year old father came to help me get the wood.

I made two cuts on a 14" log, and was impressed with the cutting speed, the RPMs are up there on this saw! Of course, this is the 1st pro saw I have ever had a chance to use. I then gave the 346XP to my father to "try", and he made a few cuts, then more and more. I started to load the truck and trailer, and he just kept going. He was cutting stove length logs as fast as I could load. We filled his full size pickup and a heavy dudy 5x8 trailer with the first tank of gas, non stop, with the old man doing all the cutting. We came back and did it two more times. That “little” saw got the job done! My father never took his saw out of the truck. He got to use the new saw and I did all the grunt work! (It was great to spend the time with him)

I admit that in the 16+ inch stuff, more speed would be nice, but I am very happy with the 346. For 90% of the wood I am going to see, this saw will do it.

 

[Billy Jack]

No green caps on the new saw, no "e-tech" labels anywhere that I could find. It looks like a straight 346XP N.E.

The power company cut down a bunch of oak yesterday, I think the biggest diameters were 22-24". They leave the wood in 8-12 foot logs, open for the taking. My 63 year old father came to help me get the wood.

I made two cuts on a 14" log, and was impressed with the cutting speed, the RPMs are up there on this saw! Of course, this is the 1st pro saw I have ever had a chance to use. I then gave the 346XP to my father to "try", and he made a few cuts, then more and more. I started to load the truck and trailer, and he just kept going. He was cutting stove length logs as fast as I could load. We filled his full size pickup and a heavy dudy 5x8 trailer with the first tank of gas, non stop, with the old man doing all the cutting. We came back and did it two more times. That “little” saw got the job done! My father never took his saw out of the truck. He got to use the new saw and I did all the grunt work! (It was great to spend the time with him)

I admit that in the 16+ inch stuff, more speed would be nice, but I am very happy with the 346. For 90% of the wood I am going to see, this saw will do it.

Congrats! The "pro" saws do tend to put a smile on your face the first time you get ahold of a good one. Saving 15-20 seconds on each cut does matter when you are making LOTS of cuts, and that's what the upper models are all about. Selecting the right type of saw, cutter style on the chain, the right bar length, good maintenance, and keeping the chain SHARP, do wonders for making the task for firewood cutting much more enjoyable.

Sounds like you might have just been bitten by the CAD bug. No known cure, but looking for the next saw seems to minimize the symptoms.

Glad you're happy with your purchase. Just wait 'til you have a few tanks through it and it comes into its own.

 

[Chaz1]

Remember, the saw will "come to life" with more tanks of gas through it. You'll see! Try some Stihl RSC chain on it if it still has the factory chain. BIG difference. Now the idea that a 346xp is purely a "limbing " saw is just not true. It is an excellent bucking saw for firewood as well.

 

[barton174]

Glad you like it!

FWIW, my dad's been cutting firewood since ~'85 with his brand new (in ~'85) Echo CS-440 with a safety chain... Probably 3 cords a year... I don't know what used before that...

Mike

 

[blsnelling]

You'll have no trouble at all using that saw for what you bought it for. These vids are of a 346 with no porting, but does have a muffler mod and unlimited coil.

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[formula_pilot]

.325 chain vs 3/8

Brad,

Timing the cuts in the videos, it looks like the .325 18" setup is 4-5 seconds faster in the cuts than the 3/8. Is that a narrow kurf or regular .325?

I can't believe I am even thinking about changing things on a brand new chainsaw, this site is a bad influence!

Thanks

Bill.

 

[BarkBuster20]

should be an awesome all around firewood saw, My old 026 has cut quite a few cords of alder this winter and spring time (a long with felling, and limbing) all around 18 inches. I know if my 026 will tear it up with a 20 inch bar and full comp chain, your husky should do pretty good.

 

[mountainlake]

Just more proof that .325 chain on a stock 50cc saw cuts WAY faster in real wood with a good operator. Steve

 

[formula_pilot]

should be an awesome all around firewood saw, My old 026 has cut quite a few cords of alder this winter and spring time (a long with felling, and limbing) all around 18 inches. I know if my 026 will tear it up with a 20 inch bar and full comp chain, your husky should do pretty good.

I am very please with the 346XP. It has handled everything I have run across this season. When it comes time that I want to buy a "next saw", at this point, it would be a much larger saw to handle the occassional large diameter stuff (70cc +), but the 346XP would be the real runner. It is just a want, not a need.

 

[SawTroll]

......

IMO the MS361 is slightly better, but I got the 357 b/c I wanted heated handles.

My MS361 has heated handles......

 

[SawTroll]

I am very please with the 346XP. It has handled everything I have run across this season. When it comes time that I want to buy a "next saw", at this point, it would be a much larger saw to handle the occassional large diameter stuff (70cc +), but the 346XP would be the real runner. It is just a want, not a need.

That's cool - good plan!

 

[cnice_37]

Recently bought a 346XP (thanks spike!) and she isn't nearly broken in yet. I wanted to baby her at first, but the first couple cords she saw was avg 20" diameter Red Oak. Yikes, a little boggy here and there, but no issues at all.

The week before I borrowed a 455 and 450 since I had ordered the 346 the day before. Running all 3 saws, and comparing 2 broken in saws with new chains to the brand spankin' new 346 its not even close. The 455 felt much heavier and I expected more power for the weight. The 450 was a distant 3rd.

The bad thing is the saw is so quick, the other guys stand around watching me. I almost wanted to let my neighbor run the saw to convince him to buy something respectable - but nahhhh, can't do that yet.

On the Red Oak, I had to noodle a decent amount of stuff I couldn't lift; I was noodling 3' sections at the base of the oak in 1 cut with no signs of stress.

I have run a 16" bar and a 20" bar.

Can't wait until it is broken in. Gotta go order a tach for next fall.

 

[troutfisher]

I ask, because if it does, then it has a cat muffler. If it has a cat muffler, you'll likely be disappointed with the saw. I find them quite anemic. Once you replace the muffler with a non-cat one, and especially if you open it up some more, you'll be very impressed with the saw. It makes a HUGE difference.

Brad is right. stock 346's are really choked up for some reason.

 

[blsnelling]

Brad,

Timing the cuts in the videos, it looks like the .325 18" setup is 4-5 seconds faster in the cuts than the 3/8. Is that a narrow kurf or regular .325?

I can't believe I am even thinking about changing things on a brand new chainsaw, this site is a bad influence!

Thanks

Bill.

It is NOT narrow kerf. NK .325 uses a semi-chisel cutter, and is therefore less efficient than a regular .325 chisel chain. AFAIK, no one makes a NK chisel chain.

 

[SawJunkie]

I'm liking my 346XP so far. Only had it about 2 weeks. It's not fully broke in yet, only have 3 tanks or so through her. I pulled the plug out and looked at it and it is running a bit rich. I didn't make any adjustments yet. The limiters on the carb look like fun to take off. Any particular tricks I should know on removing them?