Best saw build under $1000 for firewood cutting saw enthusiast?

[jaberjaws]

Hey, Looking to invest in an 80 CC class saw, got a self imposed $1000 budget, want to be able to noodle, and blaze threw firewood like hot butter.

I've been lugging a timber bear not really worried about weight as much as a nice design and reliablity.

Been tossing between the Makita 7900 and the echo 800S, Makita is a little lighter, but a little more coin once you add the bar and chain.

I'm not really worried about warranty or service, given up on mfg's honoring warranties.

I can turn my own wrenches, not afraid of simply mods or a build, just want something cool and fun in the end, that will cut like a mofo.

Everything has pros and cons,biggest pros for me are reliability, easy of starting, speed of cutting.

 

[gary courtney]

Hey, Looking to invest in an 80 CC class saw, got a self imposed $1000 budget, want to be able to noodle, and blaze threw firewood like hot butter.

I've been lugging a timber bear not really worried about weight as much as a nice design and reliablity.

Been tossing between the Makita 7900 and the echo 800S, Makita is a little lighter, but a little more coin once you add the bar and chain.

I'm not really worried about warranty or service, given up on mfg's honoring warranties.

I can turn my own wrenches, not afraid of simply mods or a build, just want something cool and fun in the end, that will cut like a mofo.

Everything has pros and cons,biggest pros for me are reliability, easy of starting, speed of cutting.

Dealer support and location would be in my deciding factors,with that in mind I really like my Stihl 661 m-tronic . next choice though only 77cc's would be a 461

 

[jaberjaws]

line 4 i'm not worried about haven't had good luck with warranties would rather buy a nice design

I've heard so many bad things about Stihl's (about them not being as good as they use to be) i'm a little afraid of the brand but will put it on the list

 

[jaberjaws]

it looks like both the stihl's are a little over budget, the 461 looks nice though

 

[computeruser]

7900 is a great saw. I bought my first one for under $600 out the door with bar and chain, but that was back when they had red tops and starter-side decomps. Still, fifteen years later it is still running strong and is a great saw...for when in need that much saw. Anymore, most of my cutting is with a ported 346xpg.

I really enjoyed the 066 Redlight I had for a while, it was a great firewood saw. I’d gladly take one of those again if I had bigger hardwood to block up.

 

[ammoaddict]

Another vote for Dolmar/Makita. I have a Dolmar 6100. I like it.

Sent from my moto g(7) power using Tapatalk

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

line 4 i'm not worried about haven't had good luck with warranties would rather buy a nice design

I've heard so many bad things about Stihl's (about them not being as good as they use to be) i'm a little afraid of the brand but will put it on the list

Now while it is no lie- the first generation 661 CM's were not good, went through a recall and were retro fitted with the replacement parts that made them much better- the old saying is, you are only as good as your last bad job- as that is the one people will talk about.
That episode did Stihl some very real damage for a short while, pro loggers here were wanting to throw those saws in rivers and find 660 replacements so they could take a tool to work that would work as long and as hard as they did!
But that is all in the past now, the new 661 is not only more reliable and up to wearing the Stihl badge- it is also quite a bit stronger.

Any of the major brand pro saws in the CC range and budget you lust for are good saws- perhaps designed as felling saws, not firewood bucking saws- but they are all good, be they orange, grey & orange, red or blue!
The best one will be the one you prefer and has close dealer support.
Or, just find a Husqvarna 288 and send it to someone for some work, so that you basically have a "new" saw and never look back!

 

[Yotaismygame]

7900 sounds great but so does a 460. Both ported of course.

 

[mogulmasher]

I got my ms461 with 25" bar OTD for $999.99....thats under $1k.

That'd be my first choice if you can find one. Next for me would be Makita 7910 then Husky 572.

 

[Ryan'smilling]

Bailey's was selling 7910s recently for $711. Not sure if they still are. If so though, you could get one ported and still be under a grand. Personally I wouldn't consider an 80cc echo. Weighs what a 90cc should, but cuts like a torquey 70cc.

I would definitely consider a 365, 372xp, 572xp, or 390xp. If you could get a 390xp for a grand, that'd probably be the most saw for the money.

 

[hseII]

395xpw.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Ryan'smilling]

Actually, I just remembered, you can get a 395xp without a bar and chain for right about $1040 shipped last time I checked. Not much around that will cut faster than one of them.

 

[TheDarkLordChinChin]

How much does the 385xp normally sell for? I hear great things about it.
Also, the 064 was a legendary saw.

 

[DaddyFlip]

Get one of Dan's 390XPs (2 left) for $825 shipped in the Tradin' Post. Another hundred and change you can have a Tsumara 24 inch bar and H47 chain. Spend the rest on oil n gas.

 

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

Actually, I just remembered, you can get a 395xp without a bar and chain for right about $1040 shipped last time I checked. Not much around that will cut faster than one of them.

anything will cut faster than that saw!!



hopefully someone will get a giggle from my post.. I’m easily amused.

 

[motorhead99999]

if you can turn wrenches and not worried about warranty why not buy a non running ms660 or 066 and rebuild it. Probably have a better saw for half your budget

 

[toolmaker]

May I ask why you want 80cc for firewood?
To me, that's a lotta saw for firewood............
My MS460 is a handful of saw for firewood and it noodles like a champ.

 

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

if you can turn wrenches and not worried about warranty why not buy a non running ms660 or 066 and rebuild it. Probably have a better saw for half your budget

so long as you aren’t in the vicinity of Perth Western Australia, otherwise I totally disagree because I’m looking for one and don’t want you to snatch a good one before me

 

[motorhead99999]

so long as you aren’t in the vicinity of Perth Western Australia, otherwise I totally disagree because I’m looking for one and don’t want you to snatch a good one before me

Iv got contacts all over the place

Just kidding. I gotta start selling the ones that I have redone.

 

[Lionsfan]

Get one of Dan's 390XPs (2 left) for $825 shipped in the Tradin' Post. Another hundred and change you can have a Tsumara 24 inch bar and H47 chain. Spend the rest on oil n gas.

I'd just get the Husqvarna bar and buy a few 30 packs of Busch with the savings.