Thanks to all for steering me away from the 142...not to say it won't cut a tree but the 340 is more of what I was looking for. When I was shopping around, it was easy to justify the 350 then maybe a 353, or maybe a 359 or 346xp...a few more $$$ here and a few more cc's there, very easy to spend twice as much as you planned...not that anything is wrong with that 
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So I stuck with my original budget to allow for a larger saw later and still have a capable lighter saw. The 16" bar is a perfect match for the saw, an 18 would probably be a better balance but the 16 is pretty much spot-on.
After owning a few Stihl non-saws I came to really like the smooth engines and was definatey considering a saw to compliment the lineup. I was after the 350 but the 340 came around at a price I couldn't resist, so I was hoping the .5 less HP wouldn't disappoint me.
I wish I could have laid into a 12 or 14" oak or the likes to see it's handicap but had an 8" maple and similiar size oak to fell so I couldn't really give any hard-core test result. After all the prep, I gave it 3 pushes on the primer after it filled with fuel and it fired on the 3rd pull, idled perfectly. Carb is pretty much set right out of the box, gave slight rich burble at WOT and revved much quicker than I expected...new saw right .
Everyone rants about the AV of these saws and I was amazed on how well it works...basically non-existant. Like I said, these weren't large trees by no means but the 340 burned right through them like butter. I was after the 350 for the extra power but I was impressed with the 340..much more than I expected. What surprised me the most is how quick it re-started...on the first compression it fired right up, started it about 5 times during the day and on the first pop she started.
When I get into some larger wood I'll update but so far im very impressed, thanks again.
.So I stuck with my original budget to allow for a larger saw later and still have a capable lighter saw. The 16" bar is a perfect match for the saw, an 18 would probably be a better balance but the 16 is pretty much spot-on.
After owning a few Stihl non-saws I came to really like the smooth engines and was definatey considering a saw to compliment the lineup. I was after the 350 but the 340 came around at a price I couldn't resist, so I was hoping the .5 less HP wouldn't disappoint me.
I wish I could have laid into a 12 or 14" oak or the likes to see it's handicap but had an 8" maple and similiar size oak to fell so I couldn't really give any hard-core test result. After all the prep, I gave it 3 pushes on the primer after it filled with fuel and it fired on the 3rd pull, idled perfectly. Carb is pretty much set right out of the box, gave slight rich burble at WOT and revved much quicker than I expected...new saw right
.Everyone rants about the AV of these saws and I was amazed on how well it works...basically non-existant. Like I said, these weren't large trees by no means but the 340 burned right through them like butter. I was after the 350 for the extra power but I was impressed with the 340..much more than I expected. What surprised me the most is how quick it re-started...on the first compression it fired right up, started it about 5 times during the day and on the first pop she started.
When I get into some larger wood I'll update but so far im very impressed, thanks again.
gmcman may be able to resist the CSD, but after thirty-something posts, I believe it's too late.
