Husky 346XP for "the" firewood saw?

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formula_pilot

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I have been reading the posts at this site for months and have enjoyed every minute of it. Thanks for all the great information.

I am trying to settle on a good “one saw plan”- I burn wood as the primary source of heat and plan on cutting 6-8 cords / year, plus occasionally help family and friends with basic tree removal. Sizes may range from 10-30 inch diameter, but mostly under 20 inch hardwood. Lots of Oak and Maple. I want to buy a quality, powerful saw and run it until it is worn out. On old 30cc homeowner saw will be used to cut the good saw out of any pinches and cut pallets up for the fire pit, but the oiler clogs and the chain gets hot if it gets uses for any real cutting.

Everything I have read says that a 60cc saw is the best for all around firewood cutting, such as the MS361/MS362, and Husky 357XP as the prime candidates. While I think a 12-13lb saw is no problem for bucking, it seems that for all around, including limbing, the extra weight might not be so great to hold high up to get the branches. My Back and shoulders have seen better days, but I know I could handle a 60cc saw if that is what really makes sense.

The question is, can a Husky 346XP do the job of cutting up trees for firewood or is it just good for limbing? It seems that I lighter saw would be a lot easier to do the overall job.

How much longer would it take to buck a 60’ tree with a Husky 346XP vs an MS362? If it is only going to save 3 minutes, I would rather go for the lighter saw. If it is going to bog unless a feather touch is used, then I guess I would have my answer and go with a 60cc.

A local dealer told me that the 346XP lacks the torque for bucking and it is really made for limbing, but many on the posters here think it is a screamer with lots of power. I wish I could try these saws out, but I will have to rely on others experience.

If I could buy an MS361 new, I probably would, as the weight is at the limit I am happy with, but all the dealers around here are sold out, so I am looking at the heavier MS362. The 357XP feels pretty good, but the 346XP is really nice and light.

So, bottom line, is the 346XP good as an overall saw or is 60cc needed?

I will have to wait at least 2 years before I get another saw, so this is a big decision

Thank you for any feedback
 
I just decided today im going to sell my 357xp it is like new only used a few times i need something bigger and i already have a 361 no need for 2 60cc saws so im going to go bigger and get the ms460 if your interested let me know
 
I think 60 would serve you a bit better but I have no doubts that that 346 could handle the duty for 2yrs...make sure it's the New Addition 346.
I would be looking for a good used 262xp or 254xp.
 
the old 45cc 346xp is all I have had for the last 8 years for just what your using it for firewood. It has been great, the only reason I really got a bigger saw just now is I got onto a place that has a bunch of huge oak that it standing dead from a fire that I need some more hp to deal with. There has been times when all I had was the 346 and wished I had more power but then it just takes a little longer. I have been really happy with my 346 for the only firewood saw and if i had to do it again like this I would have bought another 346
 
If all you cut is 16" firewood, then yeah 50cc will work. Will it be as fun vs. using a 60cc? Naw. Do your dealers have both saws you can pick up and hold over your head to get a "feel"?
 
First off, I've never ran a 346xp...

But...

With the wood that you are wanting to cut, I think I would definitely go with the 357xp/359. I've had my Husky 55 as a one saw plan for the past 9 years I guess, and I certainly wouldn't want any less saw than that for what you're wanting to do.

I think the 346 would do fine bucking smaller stuff (< 18") but on the bigger stuff, I'd think that you're really going to be wanting for more power...

Get yourself a 357xp or 359 and be happy. After your first outing with one of these, you'll have forgotten about the extra $'s. Which, I think, is a lot better than coming home wishing you'd spent them in the first place.
 
We do firewood cutting commercially, if 20" is big as your going to cut, most ranging 15/16" the 346xpne will do it for sure, espcially if you are just cutting for yourself. It's a great saw, the best in it's size class that I've ever used.
For me cutting commercially I'd rather have the 361/362, the 361 is the best true firewood saw I've ever run. Race Brothers in Monett, Missouri still has them sitting on the shelf. $609.00
As I'm getting older, two back surgeries, if I were just doing for myself, the 346 would do all I needed it to do. You sure don't need anything bigger like a 372/441/460 over kill on most firewood imho.
 
I agree.

Most guys have more saw than they really need. But that's just part of the fun with chainsaws. I'm looking for a good used 346xp myself. Having 90cc to 40cc saws the one I use most is the MS361. My go to saw, with a couple of different bars for different needs.

Knowing how to sharpen a good chain makes up for some power. Good fuel/mix and carb settings adds more performance. I've ran against larger saws than what I was using and whooped them just because all the elements of my saw was dead nuts on.

My Dad's Husky 44 has seen a tremendous amount of work and it still has great compression, not one repair. Take care of your saw, it'll last you a very long time.
 
+10:agree2: These guys are giving you some great advise. I think the 346 will do you just fine. :cheers: and welcome too:)
Bill
 
MOST folks that cut thier own firewood, farmers and ranchers run a 60cc GP saw and do LOTS of cutting. The thing is, they are running a 15-17lb 60cc saw like the 55 Husky or an older Stihl that makes the same or less power than the 346...some make do with the likes of a 455 husky and don't realize it's heavy, slow, and embarrasing, and do fine.

It will do what you need, just not with PIZAZZ like a heavier 362/361.

Bucking stems isn't much work for the cutter.

Limbing and cutting up the small stuff is WORK, and there's more of it than bucking a nice straight stem.;)

Just my .02

Stay safe!
Dingeryote
 
MOST folks that cut thier own firewood, farmers and ranchers run a 60cc GP saw and do LOTS of cutting. The thing is, they are running a 15-17lb 60cc saw like the 55 Husky or an older Stihl that makes the same or less power than the 346...some make do with the likes of a 455 husky and don't realize it's heavy, slow, and embarrasing, and do fine.

It will do what you need, just not with PIZAZZ like a heavier 362/361.

Bucking stems isn't much work for the cutter.

Limbing and cutting up the small stuff is WORK, and there's more of it than bucking a nice straight stem.;)

Just my .02

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

Wow... my ol' 55 must have been on the 'roids while I wasn't looking... never knew it gained 7cc's and 6lbs.

I like the cc's, but gonna have to trim some of that weight :dizzy: :dizzy: :dizzy: :buttkick: :greenchainsaw:

I don't know about the rest of you guys, but the limbing is a lot easier on me than the bucking, especially if the log is laying on the ground. Sink that 16 incher in to a 30 inch oak and then tell me you didn't wish you had just a bit more saw after you've finally got it bucked. ;) Been there, done that, got the sore back.

I'm sure that the 346 has just a bit more azz than my 55, but after 9 years with a 50cc saw in big firewood, I'm convinced that a 60cc saw is the way to go. For about $40 more, he could have a 359, and be a lot better equipped if he does get into those 30" trees. If he stays with the 20 inchers, then yeah, I think the 346 would be a bowl of cherries.
 
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I find nothing embarassing about my 455 it cuts with and beats most saw in its size class and price. good sharp chain and a muf mod and it's great for firewood. I have cut close to 8 cord with this since I got it 2 months ago. and I find that when I put it down to pick up my splitting mawl my 2 cutting partners always seem to find an excuse to put down there saws to run mine. one has 029 and the other ms310........
 
If you're looking for something to work with as a one-saw plan indefinitely, I would consider the 50cc Echo with its 5 year warranty. My 530 has been great and at less cost than a 346 and a lot less cost than a 260, its value has made me as much of a believer as its quality. Another consideration is that since bucking larger logs for firewood is your plan, that warranty makes even better sense since what you are asking a 50cc saw to do may already be on the edge of its intended capabilities anyway.
 
how strong are you how old are you how fast you want to go?I always favor the 346 amongst all of the saws in my sig because its light and snappy.it don't cut as fast as a 72 cc saw but with the amount of wood you will be doing it don't matter lighter is better when you are holding it simple as that.
 
I use my 346 for my primary firewood saw on wood up to 16-18 inches. Plenty of power and grunt for the job. Beyond that I whip out the 372. That being said, if I were to use just one saw for what you've described, I'd buy a 361/362 or 357xp/359 as a one saw plan. The 359's apparently respond to muff mods very, very well and are built with pro qualities (magnesium case) and are a good buy at around $520-$550.
 
Reliability is KEY for a one-saw man

I don't have a 346, but you mention the difference between 50 and 60 cc saws. I can tell you that my small "pruning" saw is a Husky 51 and the next saw in my line-up is a Sachs Dolmar 116si (60 cc). While the 51 is noticeably lighter, the 116si is much stronger. It has gobs of torque compared to the smaller Husky, yet it is not unduly heavy for limbing and the like. It is built like a tank which I will take over lighter weight anyday.

A good all-around saw is synonymous with compromise. It's my opinion you should consider durability/reliability, cutting power, and weight in exactly that order with durability being first. I think a 346 will be a good choice, but I would also consider older, used saws (in good condition) as candidates as well.

Here's some numbers to consider for some other Husky models (I hope they are accurate):

A 346XP is listed as 3.4 HP with a powerhead weight of 10.6 pounds (.32 HP per pound)

55 = 3.4 HP, 11.4 pounds, but not a XP (.29 HP per pound)
61 (261) = 4.1 HP, 12.8 pounds, but not a XP (.32 HP per pound)
262XP = 4.8 HP, 12.0 pounds (.40 HP per pound)

To me, a good 262XP is a great compromise for power and weight AND it greatly exceeds the 3.5 HP mark I set as a good power level for an all-around saw. Of course, there are other makes (Stihl, Dolmar, Makita, Jonsered, etc.) that have good saws to compare as well, but I tend to prefer Husky orange.

My suggestion is find a RELIABLE saw with 3.5 HP (or more) with a weight that you can handle for every task. The 346XP is awful close to that, and I can't fault the choice.
 
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Hi Pilot,

I'm a happy owner of a 346XP NE with an 18" bar, and all I use it for is cutting firewood. I don't cut a lot: maybe about 4 cords a year. I use firewood for auxiliary heat if it gets really cold, and just because I love to sit by a fire. For firewood I cut down dead trees on my own property, mostly dead oak and ash. But I also cut a lot of pine, not because I want too, but because they die from pine beetles, or blow down. I don't burn that.

Anyway, the trees range from 12" to 30" and the 346 zips through them all with no problem at all as long as it has a sharp chain. When it was new it was easy to bog down, but after about 3 or 4 tanks of gas it stopped doing that. I have not modded the muffler and don't think I need to either. In short I love my saw and have never been sorry a minute I bought it. I'm 71 years old now and I know it will outlast me.

For a firewood cutter, who cuts for his own use, and cuts alone, I don't think the speed of the saw is all that important, because with any decent sharp saw it doesn't take all that long to buck a tree. Still, speed is nice to have. But the really time consuming part of filling your wood shed is in the splitting, hauling, and stacking. During all that time the saw is just happily resting in it's case.
 
I have owned a variety of saws, including the 346XP- my .02 is I would go for a 359.
I LOVE the 346XPNE for a lightweight saw but I hate to see a saw work hard in wood when a bigger saw would do a better job. 359 is not so heavy and the added grunt would mean less stress over long term in 16"+ hardwood.
Maybe think about picking up a cheap Ryobi 10532 type saw for small stuff? Mine has just over 100.00 in it and a 12" bar/chain. Cuts up to 8" limgs like butter and is very light.
2Door
 
I'm probably in the same category as far as wood needs and I just got a MS361. After a few tanks now I'm really loving it alot as it cuts the larger oaks without problems at all and it's not too heavy either. I run an 18" bar which is plenty for 95% of what I do and will do the other 5% with just a little more effort. I have an old 266se husky as my backup saw and will put a 24" bar on it eventually for when I need it. I like having two saws around the same size so they are interchangeable when one gets pinched. Maybe in the future I will add a 50cc saw but it's not a priority. I highly recommend the 361/362 saws but the husky equivalents (pro saws) would be fine choices as well. I would think the 346xp would do everything you need it to do but for a little tiny bit of extra weight there are saws that will do things better. Limbing saws are made for pine trees with lotsa limbs (IMO) where as oaks don't usually have alot to deal with and most time is spent bucking up large trunks.
 
Thank you! I pulled the trigger!

Wow, Thank you for all the excellent replies.

My wife called this morning to tell me the power company is dropping some nice trees today, nearby my house. Early bird gets the wood (lots of people burn on my neighborhood). Suddenly I "needed" a good saw today. The 30cc craftsman was not going to cut it.

It looks like the 60cc looks like the sweet spot for an all around saw. From the posts, it sounds like the 346XP will do the job, but a 60cc saw will do it much better.

That said, I decided to get the 346XP with an 18" bar (after reading all the great posts, I ran to the Power Equipment Store at lunch time) Shiny new saw in the trunk.

What finalized the decision is a shoulder injury that is very slow in recovering. Holding the heavier saws in the shop really put stress on it. The 346XP will just be much easier to handle. I will take the hit on the reduced power for the time being for the lighter weight, and I can use it this afternoon.

Once the shoulder is better, maybe I can start work to convince the wife that a bigger saw is needed in our budget :)
 
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