Stick with 2101XP or buy 385 instead?

[Gregford]

Hi all,

I love my 2101 - it's only done light work on a farm cutting down a few oaks from time to time before it came to me. It has amazing compression and runs very well. But I invariably pick up the 288 for most work simply because it's about 2kg lighter and has a chain brake, which I find handy to use while moving through undergrowth from log to log. It keeps up with the 2101 until the log diameter gets a bit larger.

I'm wondering if I should sell the 2101 and move to a newer saw. There's a 385 for about the same price that I'd sell my 2101 for, although it's not local so I have no way of knowing what condition the motor is in. I might get lucky, but then again, I might not.

I only cut wood for myself and a few family members, so I'm not commercial and don't rely on the 2101 to make my living, but I have noticed that parts are harder to come by for the 2101 than they used to be.

I thought that if I liked the 385 more than the 288 (which is a phenomenal saw) it might become my main saw.

Any opinions? Keep or update?

 

[AUSSIE1]

If your not going to do a good woods port on the 385, I'd stick with what you've got.

The 288 should have more grunt than a stock 385.

Otherwise you could have the 385 keeping the 2101 company.

Better yet, have all three.

 

[flushcut]

Get the 385 with some work and keep the other two. CAD is a beautiful thing!

 

[spike60]

If you weren't on the other side of the planet, I'd cut you a sweet trade in deal for the 2101 on a new 390XP.

 

[Gregford]

If your not going to do a good woods port on the 385, I'd stick with what you've got.

The 288 should have more grunt than a stock 385.

Otherwise you could have the 385 keeping the 2101 company.

Better yet, have all three.

I did wonder. My 288 is amazing. My mate's one is nowhere near as powerful. We can't seem to find any difference between them, but his just isn't the same. Perhaps someone has modified mine at some stage, but it's not common in NZ. I removed the spark arrestor but that shouldn't make a huge difference. My mate's one has been reconditioned but he seems to think it has a worn out jug because it doesn't have the really hard hitting exhaust beat at idle and the compression is not up there with mine even after doing rings twice.

I bought a 7900 recently and it didn't keep up with the 288, even though it was running new 3/8 chain and the 288 was running part-used .404. I was quite disappointed with the 7900 over that, but it may well have been the way I had the saw tuned. They seem to need to be tuned in the cut. On paper the 7900 and the 385 have more power than the 288, but paper hp is not always an accurate measure of how well a motor pulls.

The 2101 is awesome in the bigger wood, and it has an amazing throaty bellow when running. Call me childish, but it's part of the attraction.

 

[AUSSIE1]

I did wonder. My 288 is amazing. My mate's one is nowhere near as powerful. We can't seem to find any difference between them, but his just isn't the same. Perhaps someone has modified mine at some stage, but it's not common in NZ. I removed the spark arrestor but that shouldn't make a huge difference. My mate's one has been reconditioned but he seems to think it has a worn out jug because it doesn't have the really hard hitting exhaust beat at idle and the compression is not up there with mine even after doing rings twice.

I bought a 7900 recently and it didn't keep up with the 288, even though it was running new 3/8 chain and the 288 was running part-used .404. I was quite disappointed with the 7900 over that, but it may well have been the way I had the saw tuned. They seem to need to be tuned in the cut. On paper the 7900 and the 385 have more power than the 288, but paper hp is not always an accurate measure of how well a motor pulls.

The 2101 is awesome in the bigger wood, and it has an amazing throaty bellow when running. Call me childish, but it's part of the attraction.

Horsepower isn't always a true measure of a saw. The 288 would have more torque than the stock 385.

I have a ported 385 and they are a different saw ported. I also have a 181 turned into a 288. I love the 385 over the 181/288. lighter, better antivibes etc.

If the 288 and the 2101 are that nice, I'd keep a hold of them.

Get the 385, mod the muffler and pull the base gasket. The 385 is probably running a lot less compression than the 288 also.

 

[Gregford]

Horsepower isn't always a true measure of a saw. The 288 would have more torque than the stock 385.

I have a ported 385 and they are a different saw ported. I also have a 181 turned into a 288. I love the 385 over the 181/288. lighter, better antivibes etc.

If the 288 and the 2101 are that nice, I'd keep a hold of them.

Get the 385, mod the muffler and pull the base gasket. The 385 is probably running a lot less compression than the 288 also.

Hey cheers for that. The 2101 stays. Do you need to shave the top of the piston on a 385 when you pull the base gasket?

 

[nmurph]

i have a 385....not impressed.....too heavy for the power.
i have two 288's...neither is as fast as any of my 7900's.
288 vs 385... i like the 288's. weight is very similar, but the 288's don't feel as bulky and have about the same power. the 385 is smoother.

 

[Gregford]

i have a 385....not impressed.....too heavy for the power.
i have two 288's...neither is as fast as any of my 7900's.
288 vs 385... i like the 288's. weight is very similar, but the 288's don't feel as bulky and have about the same power. the 385 is smoother.

Cheers for that. I'm not sure why the 7900 I had wasn't faster than the 288, but if yours are faster than your 288 then a 7900 in good health and state of tune must truly be something. Unless of course your 288 isn't in good health. My mate's one is a complete disapointment. Perhaps the AIP ring he bought for it isn't as good as an original Husqvarna ring.

I think if I go for a more modern saw I will probably look at a 390 or 394 instead of the 385. It's just a matter of being patient...

 

[peter399]

Yes, look at a 390xp, best saw in the big class imo. Has the best of both the 385 and 395.