Bigger, better, faster...

[mickeyman]

So I've been cutting up firewood for the past few years for me, the family, friends (it's amazing how popular you get these days when people hear you can get them firewood)... been using an Echo CS4400 for that (yeah, laugh), cutting a mix of red oak and beech mostly. Typical trunk is 16" - 20", but only because I've left the bigger ones for 'other people'. But the 30"+ ones fill up a trailer much quicker, so now I want, nah need , a bigger saw to handle them.

So off to the close-by Echo dealer for a quote on a CS8001... ahum, they want € 1029,- for one with 24" bar (yes, saws are that expensive here in Europe). Which got me thinking: € 30,- more buys me a Stihl MS460 (1kg lighter, .75hp more), € 30,- less gets me a Husky 372xp (1.5kg less, about the same hp). If only the Echo were € 150,- to € 200,- cheaper, I would never have looked at the 'big brands', but I'll be going Stihl or Husky now Both have reputable dealers not too far away (the Echo dealer is hard to beat at 3 km from my place).

Anyway, after what must be the longest 'what saw to buy intro' ever: here's my dilemma: I've been considering the MS460, 372xp and 385xp. On paper, I guess it's 372xp < MS460 < 385xp, which reflects also in their prices. I want a saw with enough grunt to pull 24"/28" b&c through oak, which I guess all three will do. I'm leaning towards the 372xp, but... well what would you guys get?

 

[oldsaw]

You could probably get by with a 28" on a 372 or a 460 in big oak if you use a skip chain. If you are going to do it often, that's 660/395 territory. I run a 20" on my 372 and it's a fun saw to run. Ditto the 24" on my 066. You are on the right path. Get two bars with it, a 20-24" and a 28-32" with a couple of loops of skip chain.

Mark

 

[TreeBot]

Since the least expensive of those three saws will do what you need without breaking a sweat, I think I would have to agree with the direction you are leaning.

I had never used a 372 until recently when Wayne (ropensaddle) let me try his. It is an incredibly well balanced and ergonomic screaming machine!

I wouldn't want to carry around a bar >25" for firewood though, unless I was wafering 5' trunks. I would start with a 372 and 20" bar. You can always increase bar size if you start running into 30"+++ stuff.

 

[mountainlake]

I like my Echo's but the CS8000 just doesn't have it. I'd go for the 372 or 460 which ever cost less. I own a 385 which cuts good but is HEAVY. Steve

 

[Frank Boyer]

My Stihl 460 does a nice job in 30"+ oak with a 28" bar. The 460 is a good solid saw.

 

[hornett22]

right here.

http://cgi.ebay.com/HUSQVARNA-372XP...ryZ79666QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[huskydave]

WOW $550 for a 372 with a 20" b&c that is an awesome deal! I paid a lot more money for mine last year. I don't think you could get that low of a price for a Stihl. The 372 and 440 460 are close in power I think the 460 gets the nod for most torque the 372 is smoothest more topend power and the 440 is somewhere in between. I have not run a 441 yet so im not sure about that model but at $550 for the husky that would seal the deal for me.

 

[mountainlake]

He lives in Belgium. Steve

 

[mickeyman]

He lives in Belgium. Steve

Indeed I do Chainsaw prices are quite a bit higher here . Walk into a store here with $550 (€375) and you go home with no more than a Husky 137 or Stihl MS210.

The 372xp w/ 24" bar is €999 ($1460). The MS460 w/ 24" is €1059 ($1550), though there is currently a 10% discount on all pro Stihls, so the MS460 can be had for $1394. Don't know what the Husky dealer is willing to negotiate yet.

 

[TreeBot]

WOW $550 for a 372 with a 20" b&c that is an awesome deal!

No kidding!

 

[mickeyman]

I like my Echo's but the CS8000 just doesn't have it.

Well I like my CS4400 a lot, too. Nice saw which handles what I currently process fairly well, but cutting > 20" red oak you need a lot of patience with it That's why I was looking at a bigger saw: there's plenty of wood to be had in the 20" - 30" range here (with the occasional 30"+), but the Echo simply doesn't have the power to pull that off in any reasonable time (if at all). I'll keep the Echo for the smaller work, though.

 

[drmiller100]

dolmar 7900.

i use two of them for cutting wood. get a long bar, skip tooth, and your back will thank you, and you will cut a LOT of wood in a BIG hurry.

 

[Haywire Haywood]

dolmar 7900.

Not one of the saws he was asking about.

Does Bailey's ship overseas? I know they do business in S America.

Ian

 

[SawTroll]

As much as I like the 372xp, I would skip it if most cutting will be in oak with a 28" bar - and I would like to avoid the 385/390 because of the weight.

The MS460 is basically a quite old design, and somewhat lacking in the anti-vibe department - so I would want to try one before I bought it.

The best option probably is the Dolmar 7900, and it should be availiable in Belgium.

Where is Roland when you need him????:biggrinbounce2:

 

[rxe]

IMO an 046/460 with an 18" bar is the best firewood saw ever made. It'll pull a 25" easily in hardwood if you need to handle big stuff.

Does Bailey's ship overseas? I know they do business in S America.

Yes they do, but it costs.....

 

[peter399]

Humm.. tricky one. Could you specify a bit more what you will be doing? Will you only use it for firewood or will you also use it to take down some trees, limbing etc?

If you will only use it to cut firewood from trunks already on the ground I would get a big saw 80cc+, or the PS7900 maybe. The weight really isn’t an issue when cutting firewood from above. The saw will be in the wood most of the time. I used a 3120 a whole day for firewood and it was ok under those conditions. A 372 is an incredible machine but if you only intend to cut firewood from big oak trunks, get something bigger. The cc advantage of 460 is too small to worry about. Besides the 372 is superior in all other aspects.

 

[belgian]

Indeed I do Chainsaw prices are quite a bit higher here . Walk into a store here with $550 (€375) and you go home with no more than a Husky 137 or Stihl MS210.

The 372xp w/ 24" bar is €999 ($1460). The MS460 w/ 24" is €1059 ($1550), though there is currently a 10% discount on all pro Stihls, so the MS460 can be had for $1394. Don't know what the Husky dealer is willing to negotiate yet.

Hey Mickeyman,

welcome to AS from another belgian ! Where are you located in Belgium ?.
I am not far from Tongeren myself.

 

[mickeyman]

Humm.. tricky one. Could you specify a bit more what you will be doing? Will you only use it for firewood or will you also use it to take down some trees, limbing etc?

Where I currently get most of my wood, it works like this: trees have been dropped, and most of the time (but not always) also limbed + bucked up into 2.4m (8 feet) logs. Sometimes limbing + bucking remains to be done (depends a bit on the mood of the guy dropping them, I guess ).

I've dropped the occasional smaller tree (around 8"-isch if you can call that a tree) myself; just enough of it to know that I want to eventually start dropping all my wood on my own (more fun, and cheaper), but also that I'm a long way yet from being able to safely drop anything in the size-range that I currently cut for firewood.

If you will only use it to cut firewood from trunks already on the ground I would get a big saw 80cc+, or the PS7900 maybe. The weight really isn’t an issue when cutting firewood from above. The saw will be in the wood most of the time. I used a 3120 a whole day for firewood and it was ok under those conditions. A 372 is an incredible machine but if you only intend to cut firewood from big oak trunks, get something bigger. The cc advantage of 460 is too small to worry about. Besides the 372 is superior in all other aspects.

A read more than a few recommendations / praise for the Dolmars here. Problem is that there's not a Dolmar dealer in sight here. Realistically is't either Stihl or Husky (two reputable dealers not to far away).

 

[mickeyman]

So I went into the Husky dealer yesterday after work. He didn't have a 385xp, but did have the 372xp and a 395xp. Held both. I liked the weight and general 'feel' of the 372xp a lot, but the 395xp... wow, I mean wow what a machine! But ok, the 395xp is way above budget, and I think a bit too much machine for me to handle safely at present (it's more than twice the power and almost twice the weight of the little 44cc Echo I currently have) :-( The dealer said that a 372xp with 20" or 24" bar would be fine for 20"-30" wood, but then he wants to sell a saw of course He did mention the 390xp would be about the same price as the 385xp, but he didn't have one on display.

I'll drop by the Stihl dealer tomorrow or so to check out the MS460.

 

[peter399]

Sounds good. Well, I think I will chime in on what your dealer says.
If you have a 44cc Echo now, the 372 will be a huuuuuuuuuge upgrade and will cut the 20-30" trunks without problems. A bigger saw will do it faster, no doubt about that, but maybe that is not your biggest concern? It's also heavier and you will be more tired at the end of the day. If you want to go bigger, the 390 is interesting instead of the 385. It is newer, has 88cc and weights only 0,3 lbs more. The 395 is like you said, a bit overkill