I recently read this forum to get advice on what saw to purchase and felt I should return the favor for the next guy. This is not to say Stihl is the best but more what size is the best. I will use Stihl as the example only because that is what is the most popular in my area.
I have owned a Stihl 026 for the last 10 years and managed to cut all the free firewood with it. The biggest I think I cut was four foot fir with a 20 inch bar. The idea is I could make the saw get the job done and it was unlikely I would ever cut something that large again.
However every couple of years someone would offer that big tree for free. I think I spent all day on some trees that my latest Stihl 441 would of taken in an hour.
So this winters storm got me 10 cords of fir mostly 20 inch size with some 24+ inches. I spent some time cutting with my son and things were going a little slow. I am real busy right now with work so I was thinking maybe a new saw would help (the Tim Allen was coming out also). The 460 is what I though I wanted but was also confused and maybe the 361 was all I needed. After reading this site I settled on the 441.
It is obvious the 441 is going to cut faster but weigh more and one is overkill and one is under powered...The way I was going to judge which saw was the better tool for the job was which saw I choose to use. Same as I never take what a guy who only owns one rifle says it is the best rifle for all game. He has nothing to compare it to. In this case I had two good running saws with new chains. The result is that I preferred to use the 441 95% of the time. Most of the time the 026 got used just for comparison cutting.
Here is how I felt after all 10 cords were cut...
If I had to buy only one saw the 361 with a 20 inch bar would be it.
I would get a 25 inch bar for the 361 for those big trees.
If I had two saws and I do the 441 and the 026 are great.
I think the 441 and 361 would also be great.
I like the 026 with a 20 inch bar but it can only pull 16 inch wood and below.
The 441 can pull all 25 inches with ease. It screams on 20 inch fir.
From what the 441 and 026 do I suspect the 361 would pull a 20 inch bar very well.
Having two saws is much more fun then just one.
The 33RSC3 chain works much better (2x faster) then the 33RMC3 on the 026.
The 026 works great when I need to pack a saw on the horse.
So if I had to do it all over again with the magic of knowing what I do now...
I would buy the 361 with a 20 and 25 inch bar.
I think the 361 would put lots of pressure on the need/want to get a 70cc saw.
Luckily I purchased the 50cc saw 10 years ago because that 441 I just purchased is lots of fun cutting.
I have owned a Stihl 026 for the last 10 years and managed to cut all the free firewood with it. The biggest I think I cut was four foot fir with a 20 inch bar. The idea is I could make the saw get the job done and it was unlikely I would ever cut something that large again.
However every couple of years someone would offer that big tree for free. I think I spent all day on some trees that my latest Stihl 441 would of taken in an hour.
So this winters storm got me 10 cords of fir mostly 20 inch size with some 24+ inches. I spent some time cutting with my son and things were going a little slow. I am real busy right now with work so I was thinking maybe a new saw would help (the Tim Allen was coming out also). The 460 is what I though I wanted but was also confused and maybe the 361 was all I needed. After reading this site I settled on the 441.
It is obvious the 441 is going to cut faster but weigh more and one is overkill and one is under powered...The way I was going to judge which saw was the better tool for the job was which saw I choose to use. Same as I never take what a guy who only owns one rifle says it is the best rifle for all game. He has nothing to compare it to. In this case I had two good running saws with new chains. The result is that I preferred to use the 441 95% of the time. Most of the time the 026 got used just for comparison cutting.
Here is how I felt after all 10 cords were cut...
If I had to buy only one saw the 361 with a 20 inch bar would be it.
I would get a 25 inch bar for the 361 for those big trees.
If I had two saws and I do the 441 and the 026 are great.
I think the 441 and 361 would also be great.
I like the 026 with a 20 inch bar but it can only pull 16 inch wood and below.
The 441 can pull all 25 inches with ease. It screams on 20 inch fir.
From what the 441 and 026 do I suspect the 361 would pull a 20 inch bar very well.
Having two saws is much more fun then just one.
The 33RSC3 chain works much better (2x faster) then the 33RMC3 on the 026.
The 026 works great when I need to pack a saw on the horse.
So if I had to do it all over again with the magic of knowing what I do now...
I would buy the 361 with a 20 and 25 inch bar.
I think the 361 would put lots of pressure on the need/want to get a 70cc saw.
Luckily I purchased the 50cc saw 10 years ago because that 441 I just purchased is lots of fun cutting.