Used 084 vs New 661

[jmcquinn]

So I need to finally get a better saw. I have ran my little 251 for milling and its tired (or I am of it).

I had my eye on the new Stihl 661 for it size, reported good vibration control, and some minor other things. However a used (rebuilt with new OEM bearings, seals, piston, and cylinder) Stihl 084 came available.

I plan on a 36 bar with the usual alaskan mill (oiler at the tip). I don't have access to wood 30" or wider; but if i did it would be once in a blue moon that i go over it with a larger bar. All hardwood by the way.

Price of 084 is cheaper but difference isn't huge and not a big deal.

Before anyone says get a Husky, I don't have the best husky support/service where i live.

Suggestions/comments truly appreciated.

 

[Quietfly]

I love my 084, the raw power is just brutal. If you can take care of the older saw, and it is in good condition, i don't seea problem. The only caveat is parts availability. Things are getting harder to find....

 

[scallywag]

If you're going to be running the saw on a mill, buy the 084!
.......And run it on 32:1.

 

[Jimbo209]

084

 

[rarefish383]

I priced out a new 880 a year or so ago. I had the cash in hand. Was waiting for the salesman I work with I got to playing around with a 660, they didn't have the 661's in yet. At the last minute I changed my mind and got the 660 with two bars, saved about $1000, should have gotten the 880. I like the 660, but the big difference I notice over my old 100CC homelite are creature comforts, the 660 has a decomp, easier to start, less noise, less vibe, easy to fill while in cut. In soft wood the higher rpm really mills a lot faster, but in hardwood, no faster than the old saw with 404 chain, Joe.

 

[Gixxerjoe04]

I almost bought the 084 you're talking about from craigslist in Indiana, you got lucky haha.

 

[jmcquinn]

I almost bought the 084 you're talking about from craigslist in Indiana, you got lucky haha.

What do you mean by getting lucky?
What steered you from not getting it?

 

[Yellowbeard]

I love both my 084s but parts can be difficult to get.

 

[Gixxerjoe04]

What do you mean by getting lucky?
What steered you from not getting it?

7 hour round trip was the main reason, and just wanting a new version in the 880 second. If it were in my town/close by I probably would have got it. I have a craigslist app that searches a broad area and saw the saw like 5 minutes after it was posted only to find out it was a good drive.

 

[jmcquinn]

I love both my 084s but parts can be difficult to get.

Do you run .404 0r 3/8 on your 084s?

 

[rarefish383]

I don't know if it's the chain size or the RPM. But, on my old Homelite 1050, 100 CC, with 404 if I hit a nail you could feel the saw jump, and kind of go clunk, clunk, and it would cut the nail in half and keep going, you could hardly tell the difference. When you finished the cut and checked the chain it would have 2 maybe 3 teeth boogered up. It only spun up to about 6,000 RPM. With the 660, if I hit the same size nail, it stops in the cut. It may cut the nail in half, but it hits every tooth, and wipes out the whole chain. I'm assuming it's more chain speed than size. I think the 660 spins up to 10-12,000 RPM. I liked the 404 because it's a little bigger and I could see it better to sharpen. I have switched to 3/8 since I bought the 660, Joe.

 

[Yellowbeard]

I run .404 across the board except on my little 028. I know it costs me in kerf, but I never worry about it breaking too much.

 

[Yellowbeard]

Oh, I also just read Joe's post. I have cut screws and nails in half and finished the cut; the difference was that I didn't even know I had hit them. Similarly I had lost 2-4 teeth (well, seriously dinged) though, in retrospect each time I DID notice a slow down in cutting speed.

 

[BlueRider]

If you're going to be running the saw on a mill, buy the 084!
.......And run it on 32:1.

Why 32:1? I've been running 50:1 with no problems for over 20 years.

 

[rarefish383]

The old saws like my Super 1050 called for 32:1. Some folks say the 32:1 lubes better. For a while I was running every thing on 40:1. A trusted saw mechanic told me it's not so much the ratio, as the formula. The modern 50:1 lubes just as good/better than the old 32:1. Now I run every thing on 50:1, even my older saws that call for 16:1. None have died since I changed, Joe.

 

[BobL]

I run .404 across the board except on my little 028. I know it costs me in kerf, but I never worry about it breaking too much.

The difference in kerf between 3/8 and 404 is less than 10%.

 

[BlueRider]

The old saws like my Super 1050 called for 32:1. Some folks say the 32:1 lubes better. For a while I was running every thing on 40:1. A trusted saw mechanic told me it's not so much the ratio, as the formula. The modern 50:1 lubes just as good/better than the old 32:1. Now I run every thing on 50:1, even my older saws that call for 16:1. None have died since I changed, Joe.

I run an 075 and it too was spec'd to run 32:1..... in 1974, a time when castor bean oil was state of the art for performance 2 strokes. The new synthetic oils are so superior its not a fair comparison.