New Husqvarna 345

[hubbard]

Thank you all for being such a good source of information for me. After 2 weeks of going on forums, visiting and talking to local dealers, and finally visiting a dealer and handling various saws, I picked up a Husky 345 from a local business with a good reputation in the community as a quick and fair priced person to do maintanance and repairs.

My head was stuffed with technical knowledge and opinion until, after handling various stihl and husqvarna saws, I pointed to the Husqvarna 345 and said that is the one. I was frankly growing weary of the process and realized my current needs only consist of homeowner and firewood duties of softwood trees less than 15" in diameter. I've also come to realize that if my wood cutting chores increase, an appropriate saw to fit the task is the way to go because no serious chainsaw user can stop at just one saw.

Again, thanks to all for sharing your extensive experience and knowledge.

 

[SawTroll]

Congrats!!

The 345 sounds like a good choise for what you plan to do.

Hopefully you got it with a 16" bar, not a longer one.........opcorn:

 

[oldsaw]

Not a bad little saw at all. Looked at one once for a "knockaround", but didn't get it.

Get yourself some PPE (chaps, eye, and ear protection) and go cut some wood. Post pictures, ask questions, and feel free to hang around when you are bored.

Mark

 

[hubbard]

Congrats!!

The 345 sounds like a good choise for what you plan to do.

Hopefully you got it with a 16" bar, not a longer one.........opcorn:

Yes, I got it with the 16" bar based on arboristsite.com recommendations. My dealer said the 18" bar was common and the 16" rare, but I held my ground.

 

[Former Saw Builder]

Yes, I got it with the 16" bar based on arboristsite.com recommendations. My dealer said the 18" bar was common and the 16" rare, but I held my ground.

Great bang for the buck....

 

[THALL10326]

Yes, I got it with the 16" bar based on arboristsite.com recommendations. My dealer said the 18" bar was common and the 16" rare, but I held my ground.

Sounds like you got the saw you wanted and got back up should anything ever go wrong with it, smart man, you did good. All you got to do now is keep your fuel mix fresh and your chains sharp then its having fun in the woods, good job!!

 

[NYH1]

hubbard, congrats on your new saw. Buying from a local dealer that can service your saw and has parts in stock is the best way to go in most cases. Good luck!

 

[Jim Mesthene]

See, deciding on a saw was easy.
Now you have to decide on what kind of chaps, helmet or goggles, gloves, boots, first aid, oil, oil mix, bar oil, sharpening device, gas container, oil container, saw case, spark plug, spare chains, break-in procedure, warm-up procedure,and cleaning solvent to use and you're all set.

 

[hubbard]

See, deciding on a saw was easy.
Now you have to decide on what kind of chaps, helmet or goggles, gloves, boots, first aid, oil, oil mix, bar oil, sharpening device, gas container, oil container, saw case, spark plug, spare chains, break-in procedure, warm-up procedure,and cleaning solvent to use and you're all set.

Dude, I live in southern California. Can't I just wear shorts and flip-flops.
(I am totally kidding)

I work in an environment where safety equipment is stressed to the point of days off if we are caught without it. I am certainly an advocate of being safe as I have a household of dependents counting on my income.

 

[Bowtie]

Good Post, Hubbard, have fun with that new saw, let us know how it runs. Safety is an important part of what we do!

 

[GeyikBaba]

Husky 345 - Why 16" not 18"

In one of the earlier posts in this thread, the comment was made regarding the Hu 345

Hopefully you got it with a 16" bar, not a longer one.......

I cut firewood and the occasional tree and am thinking about the 345. Why is a 16" bar preferable to the 18" bar?

Thanks
Mike Thomas

 

[Hard Knocks]

In one of the earlier posts in this thread, the comment was made regarding the Hu 345

Hopefully you got it with a 16" bar, not a longer one.......

I cut firewood and the occasional tree and am thinking about the 345. Why is a 16" bar preferable to the 18" bar?

Thanks
Mike Thomas

The 18" bar is perfectly fine for the 345. We set up all of our 345's with 18" bars because they are well balanced and perform fine. I have a 345 with an 18" bar of my own that I use at the cottage and am perfectly satisfied with the performance. We will gladly swap out the 18" for a 16" if the customer wishes, but most like the 18".

 

[NYH1]

I prefer a 16" b&c on a saw the size of the 345. To me they balance better and will probably fast a tad faster because it takes less power to pull a shorter chain. I bought my Stihl 021 with a 16" b&c and last year I switched to a 14" b&c and it cuts noticeably faster. The down side is I lost two inches of reach by going shorter. Try to handle the saw with both length b&c's and see which one feels better to you. That's the most important thing!

 

[nikocker]

I think the 18" is OK . . .sorta like a mother-in-law - - maybe welcome but not really necessary!

The 345 will perform better and with more authority when hooked to a 16" bar and you still have the option to cut some fairly big diameters.

Al

 

[SawTroll]

It is mostly about balance, not much point in getting a small nimble saw, and then put a long bar on it, and mess up some of the good points of a small saw vs. a larger one.

Performance and accelleration will also suffer, but only marginally, unless the cuts are close to full bar size.

 

[taplinhill]

In one of the earlier posts in this thread, the comment was made regarding the Hu 345

Hopefully you got it with a 16" bar, not a longer one.......

I cut firewood and the occasional tree and am thinking about the 345. Why is a 16" bar preferable to the 18" bar?

A lot depends on what you are cutting and if it is your only saw. I wouldn't put an 18" on my 2145 (345 in Jonsered) because I usually cut hardwood, and have bigger saws that are better suited for the 18".

Its probably just me, but I can't stand it when I set a saw on the bench and tips forward and rests on the nose.

 

[GeyikBaba]

16 vs 18 in

Many thanks for the replies - I'll check both out at local dealer. Moving up from thrashed Poulan Pro 18, so it will have to be better.

Mike

 

[NYH1]

Many thanks for the replies - I'll check both out at local dealer. Moving up from thrashed Poulan Pro 18, so it will have to be better.

Mike

I wouldn't only check both out at your local dealer, I'd buy from them as well. Just my $.02! Good luck!

 

[SawTroll]

I wouldn't only check both out at your local dealer, I'd buy from them as well. Just my $.02! Good luck!

Yep! :biggrinbounce2: