36" bar Saw

[MoonshinerPSD]

Alright so Im getting fed up with finding saws for sale but then finding out they are worth my drive to go look at em.
Heres what I'm looking for.
A professional saw that can run a 36" bar, but I will probably run either a 24-28" bar.
What saw would allow me to do this?

Also whats the max bar length on a Stihl 038AVS Farm Boss, fella has one for sale at $200, he's only running an 18" on it, wondered how much larger I could go.
Thanks

 

[2000ssm6]

For a 36" most use 90cc, like a MS660/066. For a 24-28" bar, a 460 would be nice, be sure to get the DP cover and retune. A 460 can also run a 32" skip.....

 

[extraspecialman]

a 28" bar would make that 038 cry for momma in hard wood.I had a 038 avs FB ,they cut good and have good power,but 20" would be the longest I would run.Id go with an 046/460 066/660 if I really needed to run a long bar.If your not limited to Stihl,a Jonsered 2083/PP 505 would handle a 30inch bar .They are good saws for the money,if you can find one.

 

[Ryan Willock]

I've run a 36'' bar with full skip on my 046's on occasion in the past when I didn't have my 066 on the job with me and had to make just a few cuts in oak,poplar and pine with no trouble.... Chain has to be SHARP! You won't have the raw power that you do with the 066 or a husky 385 or 395xp. How much LARGE cutting will you be doing???

 

[MoonshinerPSD]

Well as far as cutting goes i'll probably be cutting juniper, cedar, pine, and fir, and alder. But I'd rather just get a big 90cc saw the first time than half to keep upgrading. Most of my cuts will be on trees with over 2ft and under 4ft.
What would be the best price saw to run a 36" bar , and also 28"

 

[2000ssm6]

Most of the big dog 90cc saws are expensive, new 660s and 395s go around $950-1100. I have never run a Dolmar 7900 but I've read they pull a 28" great....

If you could find a used 660/066 or 395 in good shape, that would be easier on the bank account but it won't be new. I keep a 32" on my 660 and it doesn't get used much, may sell it soon.... :jester:

 

[MoonshinerPSD]

i got no problem buying used, in fact its probably the way ill go. Whats a good sized engine for a 28" bar, i saw the ms880 on the stihl website and fell in love, unfourtunatly i dont make enough money cutting trees to afford it, lol

 

[motoroilmccall]

An MS880 is way more than you need... But want on the other hand is different. To run a 28" bar your gonna want around an 80cc saw, bigger if you can afford it. I've run one on my 044 with the DP cover with full comp, you can't lean on it too much, but it'll pull chips nicely. With full skip it'll cut pretty good, just a little slower. An 046 would be a nice choice, or a 372XP would do it. I have a 394XP I'm looking to sell, pm me for more info, its got some huge felling dawgs on it. Its in good shape, looks rough, but starts and runs like a scalded dog. That will pull a 36" bar no problem.

 

[Nitroman]

I agree, you can't go wrong with the 394xp.

 

[BlackCatBone]

If you are going to cut with the 36" more than half the time, I'd go with the 394xp. If the saw will wear a 24" or 28" more of the time, I humbly suggest the 390xp. Quite a bit lighter and more compact than the 394xp, inboard clutch which is awfully nice when handling larger bars, and super smooth in the cut. They supposedly respond to modifications well too, but I've not tampered with mine....yet.

 

[MoonshinerPSD]

well i definitly want at least a 90cc, my old requirement was a 70cc, but why not go bigger, lol, learned a while back that if ya just go big ya wont regret much, lol.
Just curious, but how much do the Stihl MS880 and Husky 3120 sell for?
Oh and what are the saws most professional loggers use? And whats their setup look like, dawgs, bar, chain, etc.
Thanks

 

[motoroilmccall]

What a logger uses is different with each company, and with each area they are using it in, and what time of tree's they'll be working with. One of the most popular anywhere is the MS660, its used everywhere from the PNW to the Midwest to the NE to Canada, just a great saw. For a little bit smaller timber stands, you'll find a lot of guys running 044/440's and 046/460's, or 372XP Huskys, occasionally a 575XP will be mixed in there. For big timber, the 3120XP seems to be a favorite, or even the 394/395's. I've seen guys running 385's or 390's, but not too often, they're kinda like 064's, every once in a while you'll see somebody running one, but I think they get teased about it back at the landing .

Dawgs are usually Pro Safety or custom, and they are BIG . Bars vary with the type of timber, and where you are, here in the NE, the bar is matched to the timber size, with a few inches extra, 25"-32" are most common, but smaller timber will run a 20". Handles also very a little, some feller's like a full or 3/4 wrap (I prefer them, although they ain't cheap), other guys like the standard 1/2 wrap. Chains are almost always Full Comp Square Chisel, it cuts super fast and super smooth, with the bigger bars its square chisel skiptooth. A lot of guys still run Round chisel chain, simply because its much easier to sharpen in the bush. Smack a stump vice in and throw in your bar, and you can sharpen a chain in 5-10 minutes, the same is possible with square cutters, it just takes a lot of practice and a steady hand to get them right. If its dirty timber, like some blow downs in gritty stuff, guys might run hardnose bars with semi-chisel chain, it all depends on what kind of loggin your doing.

BTW, I use my 044 for all the felling I do, if that can't handle it, I don't bother. With a 28" bar I could cut a 54" diameter tree (give 2 inches for the felling dawgs), that's huge. I have run a 32" bar on it on several occasions, but I have to switch to skiptooth for that, and its a lot less fun than the 25" with full comp, the 32" is just for 30" tree's, I don't double cut with it, it just takes too long, and I lose my patience, lol.

 

[hoss]

Parts are a little harder to find now, but a husky 2100 is usually a good deal for a saw that will easily pull a 36" bar. I think mine is a little stronger than my buddies 066mag dp.

 

[abohac]

Alright so Im getting fed up with finding saws for sale but then finding out they are worth my drive to go look at em.
Heres what I'm looking for.
A professional saw that can run a 36" bar, but I will probably run either a 24-28" bar.
What saw would allow me to do this?

Also whats the max bar length on a Stihl 038AVS Farm Boss, fella has one for sale at $200, he's only running an 18" on it, wondered how much larger I could go.
Thanks

I have a 395XPG Husqvarna with a 36 and it handles it just fine. It's going to set you back a little in the finance department though. I wouldn't even consider it unless you cut a fair amount that you can't get through from both sides with a 20"

 

[MoonshinerPSD]

well a favorite motto of mine is "Go Big, or Go Home!", so i think i'll end up with the 390's or the MS660, something with AT least and 85cc but preferably a 90cc motor. Ive given up on the "cheap" saw too, i figure if I want a saw to last me and rip through logs like its no mans business then ill need to shell out the dough.
Now just to figure out if im a husky man or a stihl man, lol
Any other companys out there that make a 90cc saw?

 

[Darkness77]

Mate, I just bought a 660 recently and i'm very happy with it. The power it makes is well spread and I have a grin I can't hide every time I put it in some wood. I'd recomend a Stihl anyday.

 

[WACutter]

Make the Trip up to Centralia and get a 650 or 660

I have a 650 that runs a 32" no sweat. I think that a 36 full skip would be fine, esp since you won't use it much. The 650 is about $250 less than a 660 right now, so if money is tight then go for that.

Someone else mentioned the 390xp, that looks like a nice saw, and feels just like a very slightly bigger 372xp.

See if your local Stihl dealer will make you a great deal on the 650, or ante up for the 660. The only downside is that you can get a nice 70cc saw with a 28" bar that will take care of you most of the time, and be a lot lighter to lug around.

Could you need a two saw plan, say a 372 and a 650/660?

 

[slowp]

I am what is called The :censored: Forester and here's what I see. For bucking and knot bumping on landings, a 440 with a 32 inch bar is used. For falling (Westside Cascades in second growth) a 660 with 32 inch or longer bar is used. I use a 440 with a 28 inch bar and both saws like it. I like it too.

 

[MoonshinerPSD]

Can the 440 be modded to rip a log like the 660? As for the 650 vs the 660, would the difference in a few cc's be worth the price? How much do the 650's usually run?

 

[Outlaw5.0]

If you don't want the weight of the MS660, the MS460 is the best choice with a dual port muffler cover. I also like the Husky 390xp due to weight and power potential.