Small saws: A discussion

[bookerdog]

Hmm, maybe I just need to play with a short bar on my 353, or step back to .325 chain on it.

I would say, I'd hate to send the 353 down the road and buy a saw that I don't like... that would be most unfortunate.

:spam:

That might be a good idea. Go down to 20NK and a narrow kerf bar and see how you like it.

 

[excess650]

Hmm, maybe I just need to play with a short bar on my 353, or step back to .325 chain on it.

I would say, I'd hate to send the 353 down the road and buy a saw that I don't like... that would be most unfortunate.

:spam:

If you're running 3/8 chain on the 353, that is part of the problem. I'm not sure the 346xp would be happy pulling 3/8 at altitude.

 

[Dok]

Altitude wipes out some of the saws power. I would imagine you would feel it more in a small saw. Just out of curiosity, what do you need a small saw for at elevation? When I cut at higher elevations the wood is always large and the 440 is the smallest saw I use. There are no hardwoods above about 5000' or so around here.
Dok

 

[harrygrey382]

That will be a Husky 242XP!

What's the long term parts availabilty for the 242 and 254?

 

[IchWarriorMkII]

Altitude wipes out some of the saws power. I would imagine you would feel it more in a small saw. Just out of curiosity, what do you need a small saw for at elevation? When I cut at higher elevations the wood is always large and the 440 is the smallest saw I use. There are no hardwoods above about 5000' or so around here.
Dok

Russian Olive trees, brushy nasty buggers. They have a good trunk usually, but a ton of thorny little saplings that need trimmed out of the way first. Bigger saws, at least in my experience are really jerky when they snag a sapling and a little dangerous. Also when they cut through the saplings, the thorny little ####s they are, my bigger saws tend to fling them about. When I say about, I mean into my face and thats just not cool :censored: lol


There doesn't seem to be a big weight saving in the smaller saws, at least I don't sense it being expressed here. So, a smaller lighter bar might be the best choice.

 

[Taxmantoo]

If I were going to drop ~300 on a 40cc class saw, I think I'd look long and hard at the Dolmar PS-420 and Redmax G3800 before buying a MS-230.

http://arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=88634
http://arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=87439
http://arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=82741

 

[Dok]

Russian Olive trees, brushy nasty buggers. They have a good trunk usually, but a ton of thorny little saplings that need trimmed out of the way first. Bigger saws, at least in my experience are really jerky when they snag a sapling and a little dangerous. Also when they cut through the saplings, the thorny little ####s they are, my bigger saws tend to fling them about. When I say about, I mean into my face and thats just not cool :censored: lol


There doesn't seem to be a big weight saving in the smaller saws, at least I don't sense it being expressed here. So, a smaller lighter bar might be the best choice.

Olive, wow! Would never have guessed! I forget what bar you are running, but a 16" bar on a 50cc saw makes it a lot handier for the limbing out brushy wood like live oak. Should help in that olive, similar branchiness.
Dok

 

[mowoodchopper]

That might be a good idea. Go down to 20NK and a narrow kerf bar and see how you like it.

I wouldnt get rid of the 353, I can see where a smaller saw like a top handle saw would be good for your topping but I think you would miss the 353. If you replaced it with the 346 ok but I use a 50 cc saw more than anything. As far as trying the 325 I think you might like the 325 nk on the 353, I think it really wakes them up and mod the muffler if you havent!

 

[Jtheo]

Ps 420

Dolmar first listed the PS 350 and 420 at 9 lbs. for the power head.

I thought...not bad. So I bought a 350 out of the first batch that came in. Put it on good digital scale, and the power head topped out at 11 lbs. It went back, and I went back to the PS 401.

Later I noticed that Dolmar revised the numbers on the web site.

 

[flxblx]

I'm breaking in a 339XP.

Husqy lists it 2.4 hp with an 8.8 lb. powerhead. I have not weighed it myself.

Replaced the 16" .325nk bar with 13" .325nk.
It comes pretty close to a light saber for my work.

It is not cheap.

 

[excess650]

Dolmar first listed the PS 350 and 420 at 9 lbs. for the power head.

I thought...not bad. So I bought a 350 out of the first batch that came in. Put it on good digital scale, and the power head topped out at 11 lbs. It went back, and I went back to the PS 401.

Later I noticed that Dolmar revised the numbers on the web site.

This is exactly why the PS-350 and PS-420 don't appeal to me. They weigh as much as a Husky 353 or 346xp, and more than a Stihl 026 or MS260. All of these saws make more power.

The PS-401 is a flyweight at 8.8#, or 11# with bar, chain, oil and fuel.

 

[AOD]

Seriously, I think the best thing to try is put a 16" bar with 20NK on your 353 and try that. A lot cheaper than a new saw and it may give that saw a bunch more speed.