Help me choose a new saw

[yo2001]

Thank all of you guys for a great information site.

I'm another one of homeowner who now got the bug for a bigger saw. Currently, a proud owner of MS290 with a muffler mod. It surprisingly cuts fairly well. I'm mainly a weekend warrior cutting 2.25 acres of mostly hardwoods. The 290 is fine for all the felling but now I got a bug to start milling few pines that I'm cutting. The pines are 60-70 feet tall and 16-20" wide. I'll be making standard 8' lumbers. I see few choices cheap to more expensive.

1. keep 290 and make a .325" ripping chain at home. (not a really good idea)
2. Keep 290 and covert it to 3/8" b/c (kind of expensive after said and done)
3. Sell 290 and go with 361 or better
4. or bigger

I don't mind the weight so much since it's not an all day long saw but 13lb is about the limit. Dolmar is not my first choice of saw since the dealer is in other side of town. Husky or Stihl dealers are in my side of town. I would like to be able to go from 16" bar to 20+" bar easily. Thanks

 

[GNAR13]

i love my 361, but never milled with it. you can pull a 25" bar on it pretty easy. if you still want a little more power but don't want to really go over 13 lbs., then the husky 372xp seems like it would fill that gap nicely.

 

[SawTroll]

A 660 logosol (with 63pmx) sounds like the right saw for the task........

 

[excess650]

If you think 13# is the limit, maybe you should consider keeping the 290 as a primary saw, and buying a much larger saw for milling and large bucking duties. I bought a used, albeit with new P&C, 066 Magnum for similar use. In my case, buying a rebuilt 066 with new P&C, and new 25" B&C made more sense than spending twice as much for a new 660. At 16.5# just for the powerhead, its heavy, and with the 25" its 22#+, so not a saw that I want to lug around. When you get to big wood, you'll really appreciate the power of a big, powerful saw.

 

[huskystihl]

Don't know d#ck about milling but I know my local dealer sells a lot of ms650's for milling. I would assume weight really isn't an issue and the 650 is a very powerfull saw that runs about 200 less than the 660. I picked one up for the the big stuff and am very impressed with it and to be honest it pulls a 32" just as well as a 066. Last time I was at the dealer he was prepping one for a guy who had just burned out a 310 milling. Hope that helps

 

[mile9socounty]

I'm surprised that the MS361 hasn't been mentioned more already. I will agree with anything but the saw I previously stated. Though a MS460, MS650 or even a MS660 would have the brunt to get the job done. My 2 cents.

 

[dustytools]

If you really want to make short work of milling those pines go with the 650/660 or a 395. They will all buzz right through that 20" pine easily.

 

[yo2001]

So ideally, I should go with two saw then? I guess that's how the collection starts. :greenchainsaw:

So 361 will not cut it when it comes to milling?

 

[huskystihl]

A 361 will probably do it but price wise your only a few hundred off from a saw that will definetaly do it. When I nedded my last saw the 650 was $950 out the door with extra chains and an extra bar, my 361 was 600 plus tax for a 20" and a free chain. I love my 361 so much I wouldn't wanna burn it up on a mill, it's kinda like putting a 4 cylinder in a truck, it will work but not for long.

 

[amaikayu]

new saw

i suggest stihl ms660 or husqvarna 288/372xp, anyway, just
take the money and buy them.Life is too short to waste thinking
about which saw to buy.

Once u got a bigger saw come back to this forum.Most people
in this forum has got minimum 5 chainsaws and they never regret abt the
money spent.Is't it right everybody ?

 

[SawTroll]

I'm surprised that the MS361 hasn't been mentioned more already. I will agree with anything but the saw I previously stated. Though a MS460, MS650 or even a MS660 would have the brunt to get the job done. My 2 cents.

The 361 doesn't fit his milling needs.....:censored:

 

[mile9socounty]

The 361 doesn't fit his milling needs.....:censored:

Thats what I was implying Troll.

 

[b1rdman]

The 361 doesn't fit his milling needs.....:censored:

16" - 20" inch PINE sawtroll. I respectfully disagree.

I'm thinking of picking up a milling saw and I would personally go bigger but that's because I have very diverse needs (big oak, cherry, pine, and tamarack). I own a 361 and to say that it's not up to the task is simply wrong.

Having said that...he should get up in the 80/90 cc range now since it'll happen sooner or later anyway.:greenchainsaw:

 

[SawTroll]

Thats what I was implying Troll.

Yes, I could "see" that - and so ???????

 

[04ultra]

Ms-660

 

[SawTroll]

16" - 20" inch PINE sawtroll. I respectfully disagree.

I'm thinking of picking up a milling saw and I would personally go bigger but that's because I have very diverse needs (big oak, cherry, pine, and tamarack). I own a 361 and to say that it's not up to the task is simply wrong.

Having said that...he should get up in the 80/90 cc range now since it'll happen sooner or later anyway.:greenchainsaw:

Each to his own - I only commented on the expectations, and nine would be bad for a 60cc saw and milling - but it sure can be done.....

 

[huskystihl]

You know how it goes with that, he said he cuts hardwood and wants to mill pine probably wont be long before he mills some hard boards. You can have to much power but can only manufacture so much. I agree with a previous post, you'll probably end up with a big saw might as well do it now. Your 290 will be great with an 80cc + saw, you wont regret it.

 

[madrone]

My 2 cents is that you could probably mill pine with a 361 but that saw would be very short lived. And if you ran a 25" bar, minus the mill, you could only work on maybe 20" diameter at best which might be tight even for your trees.
Sounds like if you want a stihl you're looking at the 044-066 like others b4 me have said. That and a 28" bar.
Maybe you could do it with a ms210? I've got one for cheap. :monkey:

 

[yo2001]

being realistic, I would have $300-$350 for my 290 (if sold) and $500+/- couple hundred to add to the fund. If I can come out overall less than $1000 I'll keep my wife happy. So I guess MS660 would be out of my budget. I've looked at 372xp and 372xpw and it looks like it can handle all the duties.

 

[b1rdman]

being realistic, I would have $300-$350 for my 290 (if sold) and $500+/- couple hundred to add to the fund. If I can come out overall less than $1000 I'll keep my wife happy. So I guess MS660 would be out of my budget. I've looked at 372xp and 372xpw and it looks like it can handle all the duties.

I don't know about $300 + for a used 290. I'm sure you can pull it off but for me it would be hard sleep at night.

Do you have any j-red dealers in the area?