How many saws in a class?

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As we all know, even things that run well to begin with, have a greater chance of needing something the more they sit.
 
Not gonna lie, I love my saws. Half of them a didn't even pay for, or barely paid anything. My biggest investment is time and small parts to get them running well. Originally it was my aforementioned three saw gamut up until I just started coming across others. If I were to get one more saw it'd probably be a Husqvarna, just so folks on here will stop asking ;)

Part of me also wants a 90cc saw, but I'd never really use it as my 461 is about a big a saw as I'll ever need as a homeowner/firewooder.
 
Just debating about shedding some saws.

I have 5 running saws from 38-50 cc. How many does a guy need LOL.

Most of my cutting is from 6-20" and mostly softwood.

A guy really does not need more than 3.

I don't know.

What does the rest of your rotation look like?

To me it makes more sense to go bigger as a backup, that satisfies two potential scenarios with one saw
 
Not gonna lie, I love my saws. Half of them a didn't even pay for, or barely paid anything. My biggest investment is time and small parts to get them running well. Originally it was my aforementioned three saw gamut up until I just started coming across others. If I were to get one more saw it'd probably be a Husqvarna, just so folks on here will stop asking ;)

Part of me also wants a 90cc saw, but I'd never really use it as my 461 is about a big a saw as I'll ever need as a homeowner/firewooder.

My MS460 and the 7910 were all I thought I needed in a larger saw . But then I bought the 395xp with 36" and 24"inch bar . I tend to grab that first anytime I'm cutting . My Husky 350 is my small saw. 20200221_124851.jpg
 
30 cc range.......4
50 cc range.......4
60 cc range.......2
70 cc range.......3
80 cc range.......1
During a cutting season all of them will see usage from dropping trees, limbing, bucking and milling. There's always one or two that are in need of service that will be sitting on the bench or chains that need sharpening or changing. As with all older equipment, you have to stay on top of the maintenance program. I have no newer saws in my collection and I love the ones I have. They are reliable so long as they are maintained. I may cull a few if I could find a reasonably priced 90 cc McCulloch.
 
I am in the saw is a tool camp I have a saw and a backup saw that serves duty on larger wood also I have a 55cc and a 72cc

but I don't want to tell you what you should or should not have.

my son really doesn't cut much so 2 is working for me at this time

there is definitely logic to "you can own your stuff or your stuff can own you"

so there you have it 2-3 saws per person and at least 5 guns per person seems like a good number
 
50 cc I’ve got 4
60 cc I’ve got 4
70 cc I’ve got 1
80 cc I’ve got 1
They all run and I’ve been known to show up and run them all. Quarter tank in this one. Quarter tank in that one. I really like to run a sharp good running saw.


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I have exactly 0 in that range. In fact I have nothing in between 35 and 76.

Straight from top handles to 460/660. It's working fine right now. May change back eventually.

Saws aren't a hobby for me. I run them when I need to get work done and they sit the rest of the time.

I think if saws are your hobby, there's no number that's too high.

Personally at some the point the space and the maintenance would be a bigger burden than benefit. But that's very specific to me. I don't want 100 saws sitting around.
They don't just sit around anymore. I made pretty shelves out of live edge Redwood. Now they snuggle in color coded groups
 
What does the rest of your rotation look like?

To me it makes more sense to go bigger as a backup, that satisfies two potential scenarios with one saw
I used to think the opposite. I went big as the primary, it kept others from grabbing my saw. I liked having multiple Super 1050's with different bars. Did the same with XL 924's and 925's, 16 to 30 inch bar on the same series. But, as I got older, I've worked smaller saws into the rotation. I just picked up an old Echo 280E, and at 29CC's, it's my baby.
 
What does the rest of your rotation look like?

To me it makes more sense to go bigger as a backup, that satisfies two potential scenarios with one saw
For runners I’ve got 4 Huskys and a Poulan in the 38-50 cc class.

Poulan 8500 for the big saw.

Homelite XL-12 and SXL needing minor work that should be in the fleet this spring.

And a 35 cc Johnny that needs a bar and a kill switch to be totally functional.

I’ve really been craving a good running 60 cc saw though. If a 357, 359, or 262 would avail itself around bonus time that would be awesome.
 
Of my 10 running saws, one is at my sons house, and one is at my son in laws house. That leaves me with 8 in my arsenal, 39cc to 94cc.
16" bar T540xp top handle
16" bar 346xp oe
18" bar 346xp ne ported
20" bar 357xp
24" bar 372xp ported
30" bar 385xp
36" bar 395xp
42" bar 395xp
I'm getting older and tend to use the smallest saw to get the job done. The ported saws defiantly see the most action. It can be challenging, but I rotate them all into action enough to keep them running. I scrounge a lot of my firewood and somehow I end up with a lot of big trees, so the bigger bars see quite a bit of use. I try pick up the right length bar for the job, however...... the ported saws do make you grin from ear to ear while you are sawing. :)
 
For runners I’ve got 4 Huskys and a Poulan in the 38-50 cc class.

Poulan 8500 for the big saw.

Homelite XL-12 and SXL needing minor work that should be in the fleet this spring.

And a 35 cc Johnny that needs a bar and a kill switch to be totally functional.

I’ve really been craving a good running 60 cc saw though. If a 357, 359, or 262 would avail itself around bonus time that would be awesome.

I don't think that's excessive to the point of being a nuisance and you clearly prefer that size.

I had quite a few in that size at one point but I always ran the 026 so it didn't make much sense for me.
 
It all depends on what your needs are. I cut split and sell 100 cord a year. I have 3 saws. I have one ms261 with a 20' bar. It's light enough to use where I'm cutting small limbs around the property where I'm lifting the saw shoulder height a lot so I can cut longer without my shoulder getting tired. I don't fell trees but I have a ms 290 with a 20'' bar and will take down a 20'' tree with no problem but I use it for cutting rounds up to 40'' once there on the ground. I also have a ms 362 with a 20'' and a 24'' bar for trees up 24 to 26 '' but again I use it for cutting logs that are already down and I can cut up to 48'' logs.You need at least 2 minim for several reasons. If one goes down and you don't have a part on hand, you can always grab the other saw and keep working. It also helps if you pinch a bar in a log, you have another saw to cut it out. If you have 2 bars and a few chains you can just remove the power head from the stuck bar and put on another bar and cut it out that way.. I do have to rotate them so they don't sit to long because I can get by with one saw as long as it never goes down. Unless your running a tree service for the average person one saw should be enough, for a firewood guy that depends on getting more work done, 2 should be enough. I have 3 because 1 is none 2 is 1 and 3 is 2. One day the oil pump on my 290 stopped working and the coil on my 362 went out at the same time. If I hadn't had a third saw I would have had to stop and go get parts and fix one or both to get back to work. So that third saw kept me working for the rest of the day. Then when I had time I picked up the parts and fixed the other 2 saws.
The average home owner should only need 1 saw. Your not running a business and you don't have to cut that day you have time to fix it cause your work can wait a few days.
Many like to collect saws but you have to run them every now and then to keep them in working order. I had 5 saws but found for me it was just to many saws to keep fresh and ready to run. Even if all my saws stopped working tomorrow I have plenty of wood cut and ready to split that I can stay working till I fix them.
 

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