pick one saw for one year of firewood cutting

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One saw-all season for firewood. Choose wisely.

  • 85cc+ I'm a production guy--don't need no sissy saw.

    Votes: 12 5.3%
  • 65-80cc, I can tote a big one--or mo' power! grunt grunt!

    Votes: 90 40.0%
  • 50-60cc, Nothing fancy, just makin' chips. what's all the fuss?

    Votes: 90 40.0%
  • 50-90cc-ported, can't be simple about anything.

    Votes: 23 10.2%
  • 50-90cc-race rig, love the smell of nitro in the morning (but hate banging my hat on the pipe)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Wild Thang-yeah, I said it.

    Votes: 4 1.8%
  • Blue Homelite, Antique Iron rules!

    Votes: 6 2.7%

  • Total voters
    225
bytehoven

bytehoven

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There is, Time for a woods port!

Ah, but what is the risk?

I see everyone talking about making mods to their saws, but never see much in the way of cost/benefit regarding the long term reliability of modified saws.

I just picked up a spare muffler for the 361 and may do some tinkering, but I would stihl like to know the risks.
 
wood4heat

wood4heat

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Ah, but what is the risk?

I see everyone talking about making mods to their saws, but never see much in the way of cost/benefit regarding the long term reliability of modified saws.

I just picked up a spare muffler for the 361 and may do some tinkering, but I would stihl like to know the risks.

As long as it's jetted correctly and you're not trying to turn 20,000 rpm the risks are minimal to non existent.
 
Rounder

Rounder

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assume your normal operation whether it's for yourself or full-bore commercial and pick the saw class you could live with best for a season.

oh, and there are no wrong answers...just another thread where we can argue saws.

Hot rodded 361, at least in the softwoods around here - Sam
 
sachsmo

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I like em both, but if I could only have one, guess it would be the orange one.



<a href="http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2033813830104137097kYqjfe"><img src="http://inlinethumb02.webshots.com/24001/2033813830104137097S600x600Q85.jpg" alt="DSC00869"></a>
 
jra1100

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There isn't really a choice that fits the saw that I would take. I would choose the Makita 6400 if I could only have one. However since we are all AS members we know that ONE saw is not an option. I think my second choice would be my 029 super, growing to really like that saw. One of the 920's always makes the ride, just in case there is some big stuff to cut, and the SP125 goes if there is some big stuff for sure to cut. One saw!!!! He must have been drinking when he came up with that for this site. JR
 
J.Gordon

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Ah, but what is the risk?

I see everyone talking about making mods to their saws, but never see much in the way of cost/benefit regarding the long term reliability of modified saws.

I just picked up a spare muffler for the 361 and may do some tinkering, but I would stihl like to know the risks.

As far as I'm concerned the only risk is the permanent grin on your face. Brad or most others should be able to tell you how much a woods ported saw should cut as opposed to a stock saw. My 7900 EHP is still going strong and it's paid for itself already.
When I can afford it, my 5100 will be ported also! It's hard to explain what the difference is until you run a ported saw vs a stock saw. But the smile on your face is worth the experience.
 
Last edited:
WadePatton

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One saw!!!! He must have been drinking when he came up with that for this site. JR

one saw for a limited time only!!! a full firewood cutting season. i'd never ask anyone to twist their minds into pretzels trying to choose one saw for any purpose forever.

and yes thank you sir, i'll have another.:givebeer:

and for you :cheers:

80% of folks say 50-80cc's is the ticket.

more antique swingers than wild thang slingers.

big wood, big volume--yup, plenty of those folks too.

racey--no, ported--a big yes!

the racers: hell, i thought _somebuddy_ was heating his place with 9x9 basswood cut into 1" cookies...:greenchainsaw::greenchainsaw::greenchainsaw:


i'm still so green that my 7900/20" is still impressive and i've not even put the 8-pin on yet. i don't burn a huge amount of firewood, so can certainly manage to sling that setup exclusively for one single season of firewooding.

the 116si (60cc) is probably more than i really need. but i don't have enough time behind it to be sure.
 
WadePatton

WadePatton

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As far as I'm concerned the only risk is the permanent grin on your face. Brad or most others should be able to tell you how much wood a modded saw should cut as opposed to a stock saw. my 7900 EHP is still going strong and it's paid for itself already.
When I can afford it, my 5100 will be ported also! It's hard to explain what the difference is until you run a ported saw vs a stock saw. But the smile on your face is worth the experience.

oh yeah, i'll be doing some of that too. have a "retired" racer giving guidance. let them puppy breathe!

but other irons in the fire to tend to for a while.
 
J.W Younger

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I want to say my ms460 but I have no back-up wood heat only for the last 21 years and of the approx 200 cord I've cut in that time over half of it was with an 026.I ani't getting any younger so it would prob be the 5100 because of the weight difference.Prob sell both and get a 361 or 359 if one saw had to suffice.
 
rms61moparman

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There is nothing that I want to screw with for firewood that I can't cut with a 5100 and 20" bar.
If it is too big for that combo, it is too big for my old, decrepit azz to be wrestling into a truck and onto a splitter.


Mike
 
jd548esco72

jd548esco72

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i would probably go for one of my 044s first.

the 575 shindaiwa seems up to the firewood cutting pretty well though.

my brother has a 357xp that also is a kick-butt firewood getter.

there are some good saws in various sizes that will cut the firewood good.

it is just what you want to how big a wood R you a cutting kind of thing.:greenchainsaw:
 
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