Me too Mr. Richey! Thanks in advance....
I hear that confession is good for the soul and I suppose it is also about time I did so. I mostly just read and rarely post on AS, but thanks to the collective lot here, I now have a severe case of CAD. When I started reading AS about 6 months ago I had 4 saws, now I have 8.
Now for the confession: I am now a chainsaw cross-dresser. Previously I only had Husky's and a Poulan "Wild Thingy" but decided I should broaden my horizons and get a Stihl. Reading here made the Stihl I had to have the 044 (I do not have cancer, so did not go for the 361. Besides, I like my 357XP, too!). So I went of in search of an 044 or even an MS440, no luck in about 3 months. I figured I would instead buy the OTHER great 70cc saw -- Husky 372XP -- before they too were all gone and impossible to get. New 372XP was in garage still in the box (and hidden from wifey) not more than a week when I find a barely used 044 in Oregon, so I bought it also. I figure I can now claim to have THE best 70cc saw and be heard: 044 if I am talking to a Stihl head or 372 if talking to a Husky guy/Saw Troll wannabe.
I put a 20" Oregon Power Match bar and Oregon 72LGX chain on the 044 and cut firewood a few weeks ago and I am impressed. (Thanks Lakeside for tip on what tach to buy, my "rancho" is at 4300 ft ASL and it was definitely fat there, adjusted to 13,500 and feels/sounds good.)
The bad news is that I have not yet put a bar/chain on the 372 and it is killing me not to be able to run it, stuck here in town while wife recuperates from back surgery. She is progressing nicely so it looks like next weekend will be my first opportunity...unless I get the 36" bar & skip chain here in time for the Solo 681 in which case I will go after a very nice 32" DBH dead juniper that I have my eye on.
You guys are a bad influence on me. Stop! No, just ONE more saw can't hurt....
