Working on the wood lot

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What pro saw should I get.

  • 660 Stihl Magnum

    Votes: 4 13.8%
  • 352 Husqvarna XP

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 440 Stihl Magnum

    Votes: 14 48.3%
  • 372 Husqvarna XP

    Votes: 11 37.9%

  • Total voters
    29

1969cj-5

ArboristSite Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2012
Messages
81
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16
Location
Missouri
Been working in the Wood Lot. This area was harvested last summer, and I am cleaning up the treetops for firewood. Mostly Red Oak and Hickory. This area will be a 30 acre lake next year so the landowner is letting me harvest all the trees to within three feet above the future waterline. Lots of Red Oak and Hickory to season up for next year. I might sell some of the better Red Oak to help pay for a new Saw. My thrice rebuilt MS 390 died again. Time for a pro saw. Anyway lots of Firewood moved and set up for next year. The Landowner also has a Loader that he lets me use to move wood around. This guy is great, and he loves me because I am getting the area ready for him. Win Win all around. Here are some pics from the last couple of days.





Last picture, the Wife wanted a picture of me in the wood lot... She made me smile and everything. I am still mad about having to smile.
 
I can't help you with your saw decision but I am jealous of the lot and the big toy!
I'm not a huge fan of my little husky but it has never failed to start. The stihl ms310 is much better IMO.
keep woodin'
dave
 
The MS310 is where I started, the first time I rebuilt it I used a 390 Cylinder kit. It has been a 390 since. No luck for me with that saw.
 
What era is a 352 Husky from? What about the 550xp bunch of those kicking around for pretty reasonable money.
 
One of the Amish Guys I know has a 352 Husky. That is what the label says anyway. It is a monster cutting saw.
 
Many different routes you can take. I would say get a larger Stihl like an 036 pro/361 I think it is the sizes or an 044/440 I bought one here from luckydad and it's pretty nice. I can't vouch for husky as I had bad luck and never went back. Probably won't since my Stihl luck has been great.
 
The MS310 is where I started, the first time I rebuilt it I used a 390 Cylinder kit. It has been a 390 since. No luck for me with that saw.

I bought my 310 the first few years it was out. Great saw. It has eaten 8+ cord year every year since, both soft and hard wood (Black Locust). Still my 'go to' saw for general bucking.
Been working in the Wood Lot. This area was harvested last summer, and I am cleaning up the treetops for firewood. Mostly Red Oak and Hickory. This area will be a 30 acre lake next year so the landowner is letting me harvest all the trees to within three feet above the future waterline. Lots of Red Oak and Hickory to season up for next year. I might sell some of the better Red Oak to help pay for a new Saw. My thrice rebuilt MS 390 died again. Time for a pro saw. Anyway lots of Firewood moved and set up for next year. The Landowner also has a Loader that he lets me use to move wood around. This guy is great, and he loves me because I am getting the area ready for him. Win Win all around. Here are some pics from the last couple of days.





Last picture, the Wife wanted a picture of me in the wood lot... She made me smile and everything. I am still mad about having to smile.

I don't see anything in the pictures that would require a bar over 20" For that range a Stihl 361 or 362. My choice would be the 361 if you can find a good used one. I absolutely love mine. Unless you get into wood where you need to go up to a 28" or more bar, there is no point in buying a big saw. The 361 with skip tooth will shine with a 24" bar. I use a 28" on mine for falling/bucking the big stuff (up to 4' here in softwood).

Harry K
 
From the pics I would think more in the 60-70cc class. Stihl 362 m tronic, Husqvarna 562 auto tune, Dolmar 6100, Echo 620p or one size up Stihl 441 m tronic, Husqvarna 372xp, Dolmar 7900. The ¨minor players¨(Dolmar,Echo) cost usually major coin less than the ¨major players¨ in a comparable quality.

7

edit: further I believe that your rebuild was not done correctly. A 390 is actually a good saw that wouldn't have any problem with your needs. There have been a few threads about the need of resealing the new engines.
 
Last edited:
Been working in the Wood Lot. This area was harvested last summer, and I am cleaning up the treetops for firewood. Mostly Red Oak and Hickory. This area will be a 30 acre lake next year so the landowner is letting me harvest all the trees to within three feet above the future waterline. Lots of Red Oak and Hickory to season up for next year. I might sell some of the better Red Oak to help pay for a new Saw. My thrice rebuilt MS 390 died again. Time for a pro saw. Anyway lots of Firewood moved and set up for next year. The Landowner also has a Loader that he lets me use to move wood around. This guy is great, and he loves me because I am getting the area ready for him. Win Win all around. Here are some pics from the last couple of days.





Last picture, the Wife wanted a picture of me in the wood lot... She made me smile and everything. I am still mad about having to smile.
only que?? why cutting the stumps so high??
 
Some decent saws in the tradin-post right now for the size wood I am seeing. I see a 346xp and a dolmar 6400, either one, the dolmar is upgradable to 79 or 84cc later on iffn ya want to.....

And for big stuff (not in pics you have, just sayin', you will run into larger trees now and then), I see a ported 394xp, which is one serious badazz mamajamma.
 
only que?? why cutting the stumps so high??

Bigger stumps make it easier for the equipment to get them outta the ground. Cut the roots with the blade or bucket, then you have some better lever advantage in pushing them out with a higher up bite on the stump.
 
Nice work. Leave some small to medium stuff for structure. That's gonna be good future fishing!

You gotta consider a 660 sized saw overkill cutting tops. I'd recommend even a 50cc pro saw for most of it, but if you've got some bigger stuff as well, 70ccs puts a smile on your face. Find a Dolmar dealer too...
 
From the pics I would think more in the 60-70cc class. Stihl 362 m tronic, Husqvarna 562 auto tune, Dolmar 6100, Echo 620p or one size up Stihl 441 m tronic, Husqvarna 372xp, Dolmar 7900. The ¨minor players¨(Dolmar,Echo) cost usually major coin less than the ¨major players¨ in a comparable quality.

7

edit: further I believe that your rebuild was not done correctly. A 390 is actually a good saw that wouldn't have any problem with your needs. There have been a few threads about the need of resealing the new engines.

I know the pics show small wood, but I routinely run into stuff much bigger. Especially the cull wood I get from the logging company. Bigger saw is needed for a standby. For these trees I am using an MS 250 with a 16" bar.
 
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