New 346 xp ne kicks butt

[jmcg]

Dan is 'TreeWorks' in Amherst, NH. Lives across the road from me and has his log yard and firewood cutting and splitting lot there.
Dan runs both Stihls and Huskies and when I told him that I had my choice down to the 260 and 346, he said, "get that Husky".
He's a good guy who in the course of my residential building and remodeling have sent him a good bit of business. He is going to help me with some large pines close to the house, that I am not capable of doing. They need to be topped and limbed pro style.

btw--he liked the idea of me giving him a couple of days in return for some learning.

Who is Dan?

 

[SawTroll]

Dan is 'TreeWorks' in Amherst, NH. Lives across the road from me and has his log yard and firewood cutting and splitting lot there.
Dan runs both Stihls and Huskies and when I told him that I had my choice down to the 260 and 346, he said, "get that Husky".
He's a good guy who in the course of my residential building and remodeling have sent him a good bit of business. He is going to help me with some large pines close to the house, that I am not capable of doing. They need to be topped and limbed pro style.

btw--he liked the idea of me giving him a couple of days in return for some learning.

OK, I thought he might be another one.

 

[RNeurath]

More important is that they rev up really fast - and that is exactly what they do (if adjusted properly)!


The PS-5100S revs higher, but revs up much slower + ime the NE346xp is marginally faster in the cut as well + the 346 is lighter and handles much better (most important difference).

The 346xp is well worth 100+USD more than the 5100, IMO - but they both are very good saws.

If your NE346xp is marginally faster in the cut than your PS-5100S in anything over 12 inches I'd say your Dolmar ain't running right. Ron

 

[blsnelling]

If your NE346xp is marginally faster in the cut than your PS-5100S in anything over 12 inches I'd say your Dolmar ain't running right. Ron

I'd say the NE 346XP is simply faster:greenchainsaw:

 

[andrew346]

RUN!!! RUN AWAY NOW!!! You keep hanging around here, you're going to end up with more saws than you ever thought possible.

The clear indication that you're now hooked was when you said, "My first real good saw and it just makes the work near fun." Indeed, that's the deal around here. You start using good saws and cutting wood turns into entertainment and saws become a hobby.

@JMCG This is TRUE!!! i started off with just the one saw.. a brand new 346xp ne just like you.. loved it, found this site,joined it. pretty soon i was trawling ebay at least once daily for saw related things. Next thing i know that one saw was joined by 3 others. But if i could keep only one of them it would definitely be the 346.

You asked about which mix oil? oils have been covered a lot in this forum i think!! Personally ive been using the XP oil from husqvarna. I dont know how much it costs over there in the US.. and whether or not there are other cheaper oils of similar quality available but i just feel happier putting a proven good oil into whats just about the 3rd or 4th most expensive item ive ever bought!!
regards
Andrew

 

[Country1]

Congrats on the new saw!
Sounds like you got just what you were after. I call that, money well spent!
Wish all purchases could be that way....

 

[RNeurath]

I'd say the NE 346XP is simply faster:greenchainsaw:

I agree the Ne 346XP is lighter and "handles better in the woods"lol how many times have you heard that,and has quicker throttle response.
But with a 20" full chisel 3/8 b/c buried in hard wood its going to fall behind the 5100.Sure you might want a bigger saw for that application.I'm just saying for what it worth the 5100 has a little more torque.Ron

 

[woodshed]

20" buried in hardwood would be my 372XP. The 346XP would be watching from a shade spot over by the truck. Good luck bucking that sucker with a 5100S!

Scott

 

[SawTroll]

If your NE346xp is marginally faster in the cut than your PS-5100S in anything over 12 inches I'd say your Dolmar ain't running right. Ron

I posted about that "testing" a few days ago - the wood was 8" birch, somewhat seasoned.

The cutting was done with the same bar and chain (21LP) on both saws, and both 7- and 8-pin .325 rims. The Husky was a tad faster with both options.
The saws were well warmed up cutting other logs before each cutting session.
Both saws were a tad faster with 7- than with 8-pin.

As I said in the original "report", the differences all were too small to matter for any practical purpose. I expected the Dolmar to be fastest, but it just wasn't.......

Btw, the Husky was tacked at 13720rpm max, and the Dolmar at 14300, before the "testing" started. Neither is fully run in.

 

[SawTroll]

I agree the Ne 346XP is lighter and "handles better in the woods"lol how many times have you heard that,and has quicker throttle response.
But with a 20" full chisel 3/8 b/c buried in hard wood its going to fall behind the 5100.Sure you might want a bigger saw for that application.I'm just saying for what it worth the 5100 has a little more torque.Ron

What's the point of using a 50cc saw for that? :greenchainsaw:

20" buried in hardwood would be my 372XP. The 346XP would be watching from a shade spot over by the truck. ...

Scott

:agree2:

 

[RNeurath]

What's the point of using a 50cc saw for that? :greenchainsaw:




:agree2:

To test its internal fortitude(torque)As I mentioned a 50 cc certainly wouldn't be my saw of choice but if it's all you got at the moment it will get the job done.Just saying in that situation a 5100 will get it done with less fuss than a 346NE
I'm not saying the 5100 is a better saw.Lord knows I don't want a Fatwa issued with my name on it.I just think it has a little more torque.That's all
Do you disagree?Ron

 

[SawTroll]

To test its internal fortitude(torque)As I mentioned a 50 cc certainly wouldn't be my saw of choice but if it's all you got at the moment it will get the job done.Just saying in that situation a 5100 will get it done with less fuss than a 346NE
I'm not saying the 5100 is a better saw.Lord knows I don't want a Fatwa issued with my name on it.I just think it has a little more torque.That's all
Do you disagree?Ron

Who knows, really?

-and what part of the powerband are you thinking of? - torque way down (at low rpms) are of little interest, unless you use a too small saw for the job.

 

[RNeurath]

The point where the saw is too small for the job comes a inch or two sooner with the 346.At least that's been my experience.Maybe the 346NE I had a chance to use wasn't running at it's peak although it sounded good.Ron

 

[SawTroll]

The point where the saw is too small for the job comes a inch or two sooner with the 346.At least that's been my experience.Maybe the 346NE I had a chance to use wasn't running at it's peak although it sounded good.Ron

Mute point for me - I don't want anything longer than 16" on a 50cc anyway, for balance.

 

[jmcg]

Andrew--I just got back from a visit to the dealer. They sell Stihl and Husky and they have all recently switched over all tools to Stihl's full synthetic.
I went ahead and purchased some of that. I suspect its a good enough oil to run in my Husky.
Cooling down with a Smithwick's---jmcg

@JMCG This is TRUE!!! i started off with just the one saw.. a brand new 346xp ne just like you.. loved it, found this site,joined it. pretty soon i was trawling ebay at least once daily for saw related things. Next thing i know that one saw was joined by 3 others. But if i could keep only one of them it would definitely be the 346.

You asked about which mix oil? oils have been covered a lot in this forum i think!! Personally ive been using the XP oil from husqvarna. I dont know how much it costs over there in the US.. and whether or not there are other cheaper oils of similar quality available but i just feel happier putting a proven good oil into whats just about the 3rd or 4th most expensive item ive ever bought!!
regards
Andrew

 

[jmcg]

I don't know, Troll and I hate to differ with your experience, but I've got 18" on my 346 and she is beautifully balanced and a joy to wield.

"Lemme see, laddy. Ah yes there be chips flyin'"

Mute point for me - I don't want anything longer than 16" on a 50cc anyway, for balance.

 

[SawTroll]

I don't know, Troll and I hate to differ with your experience, but I've got 18" on my 346 and she is beautifully balanced and a joy to wield.

"Lemme see, laddy. Ah yes there be chips flyin'"

LOL - no problem, opinions on "perfect balance" can vary a lot, as it is with guns....

 

[jmcg]

Troll--ya just went and did it. You touched on my other passion.
A fine classic American SxS and a 346xp ne.
I just realized the sense of it. The saw makes for better game (upland bird) habitat in which to carry that SxS.
Don't get me goin'.

LOL - no problem, opinions on "perfect balance" can vary a lot, as it is with guns....

 

[SawTroll]

Troll--ya just went and did it. You touched on my other passion.
A fine classic American SxS and a 346xp ne.
I just realized the sense of it. The saw makes for better game (upland bird) habitat in which to carry that SxS.
Don't get me goin'.

When I still hunted grouse etc, I preferred S/S shotguns, but they are German Sauer/Merkels, not US ones.....

I have had several O/U, and still have a Merkel O/U, but I like the handling of the S/S ones better!

 

[jmcg]

I still have one O/U and it be a Winchester 101 in 20g.
I've handled a couple of real nice prussian guns, but have never owned one.
Its only been recent years that I've discovered the beauty and balance of a SxS. I seem to wingshoot better with them and they carry so fine.

When I still hunted grouse etc, I preferred S/S shotguns, but they are German Sauer/Merkels, not US ones.....

I have had several O/U, and still have a Merkel O/U, but I like the handling of the S/S ones better!