361 vs. whatigot

[peter399]

I suggest to go for a 70cc saw if you want more power. I'm not sure why you would need it though when cutting a couple of cords, but hey, life is short and you only live once! Something special happens when you pass 70cc on a saw .....

So it's narrowed down to 3 choices: 2171, 372 or 7900. Neither of the 575 or the 441 will put a power smile on your face, and the 440 is discontinued. The 460 is still there of course. And whatever you do, skip the hardnose bar.

 

[Fastcast]

Like others have said the 361 will be a nice upgrade in quality, but not much in power. If you want a good jump in power get a 70cc saw like the the Husky 372, Stihl ms441, ms460, or my choice the Dolmar 7900.

A/77 now there's some eye candy!....Sweet pic, love the curlies....Dolmar ought to pay you, to put that one in their catalog......

nmurph, if the 310 is truly all you "need" and it were me, I would just mod the muffler and apply the $600 to something like a Wilson Combat .45 :biggrinbounce2:

JMHO

 

[nmurph]

ok, enough already!!! thanks to everyone, all you guys have done is succeeded in confusing me more.
i do think that i have reached a decision.
to those that have suggested a 70cc...tooooooooo much saw.....heavier and way more money than a 361....if i needed it those would not be issues that would stop me, but i can't see needing that much saw more than once every two or three years........

the 361 is a jump in power, though i get the idea that general concensus is that it is a modest increase, combined with slightly less weight and vibration.
if i were starting from scratch, i would definitely be the choice......

i think i will mod the 310..........i can do it for <$20....if it gets me where i want and i can tolerate the noise, then i have saved a bunch of money.....if not, then it's back to the drawing board......

i have seached muffler mods and read...........here are a few questions........

single or dual pipe???? diameter ????? will the screen that andy (i think) installs on his mod fit the pipe size that i will need for a 310???

 

[Darkness77]

nmurph I was at my local stihl dealer today and I reckon buy a MS660. It was the prettiest saw there.

 

[motoroilmccall]

Single pipe, its only a 310 remember, not an 088. Run the screen, you'll need it to cut in public land, and sooner or later, whether it be camping, or cutting free firewood, you'll be cutting there. I used 5/8" pipe on my old 046, and it worked pretty well. You could do the same, or go to 1/2" pipe if you have it laying around. Looking back on mine I would have drilled the hole, then welded some nuts on the inside of the muffler, and put a flange on the pipe to be able to use that as a clamp to hold your screen. That way if your ever in a pissing match with your buddy, you can pull the screen richen up the carb, and you got a little bit more power, plus you can change the screen much easier when you need to.

 

[SteveH]

What you've already got will do what you described just fine. I know a number of home-use firewood cutters [couple cords a year] who want a larger displacement saw and if you look over their chains, the only time they are good and sharp is right after they've taken them into a shop and had it done. Regular sharpening between uses, which means you are always using a sharp chain, will improve the saw's "performance" and save gas and wear on the machine.

However, nothing wrong with a new 361, they are beautiful saws. I was at a shop here last week that had them marked $605 with a 20" ES rollertip bar. Last time I bought that bar, one yr. ago, it was something like $50 retail in my area....

You will love the 361, or would if you were to buy it, but your present saw will do the job. Make sure you really know how to sharpen and do it afte each day's cutting. Takes me about fifteen minutes by hand to do a Stihl chisel, assuming of course I don't hit anything but wood with the chain and also assuming I've been doing it every day and the chain never really gets too dull.

 

[nmurph]

nmurph I was at my local stihl dealer today and I reckon buy a MS660. It was the prettiest saw there.

i think anything orange and white is purdie.....

 

[nmurph]

What you've already got will do what you described just fine. I know a number of home-use firewood cutters [couple cords a year] who want a larger displacement saw and if you look over their chains, the only time they are good and sharp is right after they've taken them into a shop and had it done. Regular sharpening between uses, which means you are always using a sharp chain, will improve the saw's "performance" and save gas and wear on the machine.

However, nothing wrong with a new 361, they are beautiful saws. I was at a shop here last week that had them marked $605 with a 20" ES rollertip bar. Last time I bought that bar, one yr. ago, it was something like $50 retail in my area....

You will love the 361, or would if you were to buy it, but your present saw will do the job. Make sure you really know how to sharpen and do it afte each day's cutting. Takes me about fifteen minutes by hand to do a Stihl chisel, assuming of course I don't hit anything but wood with the chain and also assuming I've been doing it every day and the chain never really gets too dull.

always keep everything sharp......knives, mower blades, chisles, planes.. my mind is questionable according to my wife.....i carry a spare loop to the woods....change it mid-morning....sharpen both at lunch and change it mid-afternoon.....keep them out of the dirt and off of dirty trees.........the only time i worry about dirt is when i buck......can't help getting them in some dirt.

 

[harrygrey382]

Takes me about fifteen minutes by hand to do a Stihl chisel, assuming of course I don't hit anything but wood with the chain and also assuming I've been doing it every day and the chain never really gets too dull.

um, I'm not being critical, but why so long? If I was sharpening for 15 mins it'd be because there was a nail or two involved... or a rock. Or is that a verylong bar?
On average I sharpen after every tank, or two if the wood's very clean. Firewood cutting this is... Milling varies and felling - well I never JUST fell

 

[nmurph]

should the pipe be 1/2 id??

 

[motoroilmccall]

That would work, personally I'd go 5/8" ID.

 

[tbuggle]

and i thought i upgraded hugely from a 290 to a 346xpNE......

sheesh.

need more money.

 

[SteveH]

Why fifteen min. to sharpen my chain? Well, it could go faster. But I'm moving a little slowly when I come in from the woods, takin' my time, and by the time I get the Granberg on the bar and adjusted like I want it, maybe the total til I'm done, Granberg off and put away, it's mebbe more like ten minutes. I don't time it. It is faster than taking the chain forty miles to Denver, for sure. I just threw the 15 min. thing out there as an example.

 

[COLD_IRON]

Why fifteen min. to sharpen my chain? Well, it could go faster. But I'm moving a little slowly when I come in from the woods, takin' my time, and by the time I get the Granberg on the bar and adjusted like I want it, maybe the total til I'm done, Granberg off and put away, it's mebbe more like ten minutes. I don't time it. It is faster than taking the chain forty miles to Denver, for sure. I just threw the 15 min. thing out there as an example.

Granberg. That explains everything. I just use the file with the guide, takes only a few minutes.

 

[XJWoody]

should the pipe be 1/2 id??

Are you going to muff-mod the existing 310, or get a new 361 & mod it?

The 290-310-390 style muff really doesn't need a 'pipe': Just open up the front and the deflector a bit (or a lot) This way it retains the factory spark screen and will be a lot easier to do.

The 361 Lakerized™ pipe mod allows use of Stihl OEM spark arrestor parts, and for a (ideally) 'factory stock' appearance and utility.

Fot the tube, I used hardware store spacer/bushing stock (approx 16mm OD, 13.5mm ID) I believe Lawson brand is what the local full-service hardware place stocks. This stuff is just rolled flat stock, so it has an unwelded 'seam' that you will have to seal up with weld/braze when you craft it. A 3" piece is enough material for two pipes, and should be around a buck. The Stihl parts to finish it are 4223 141 9000 (fire screen) and 4223 141 6600 (buckle) If you don't need a spark arrestor, then any old outlet can do.

I say again, no need for a 'pipe' style mod on a 290-310-390... On either saw, you'll need to have the fuel mixture richened up after the muffler mod.

 

[nmurph]

i pulled the muffler this evening. it has two small slots to exhale through and a larger area that is depressed. should i just split and gut the muffler and then cut out that depressed area??? is that too much? i bought some pipe. both 3/8 and 1/2" id pipe.

 

[2000ssm6]

XJ hit it pretty good. I took out the "fish gill" area on my 029 and reinstalled the cover to direct the gases to the right. You don't want the gases blowing straight out front. I wish I had a pic to show ya but I know XJ's 029 is opened up, maybe he can post a pic. You could post a pic with the deflector off and I will use paint to show where you need to grind....

 

[nmurph]

did you gut the muffler.......i will try to get some pics in the morning.....

 

[huskystihl]

ok guys, i know the stock answer to the question is that i should buy a 361. here is my particular situation.

i currently have a 310 18bc bone stock. i am farm-red and have pretty good feel for equipment. i have always over-bought so buyer's remorse is something i rarely experience. when i bought the 310 in '02 i got a saw that was more than enough for my needs at the time. however, i bought a house last year and fed the insert with oak from the property. i am a desk jockey by day and i really enjoy getting the in the woods and running a saw. i burn wood bc i can. it helps with managing the property, gives me some time with my brother, teaches my son about the outdoors, gets me out of housework, and makes my wife appreciate me when i am home!!!
most of what i cut is oak that is 12-18in. some is a little larger, but not much and most is smaller. between my brother (rancher 55 and 025) and myself, we cut about 3 cords last year. probably will increase that by a cord or two this year. not a lot by the standard of most around here. the 310 does an adequate job, but i WANT MORE!!!!

here is the question: the way i see it i have two options;
1) muffler mod the 310
2) buy a 361 and e-bay the 310

my hesitation for modding the 310 is the increase in noise. i know, chainsaws are loud- get over it..... i do wear earplugs and earmuffs together. i'm not sure how much the mod would increase the noise.
how much power gain will i get with a mod? will i get to the output of a 361?

forget about that the 361 is easier to work on, thatit has better vibration control (never thought chainsaws weren't supposed to vibrate... i was raised on a Mac Super 66 bow bar), that it might last a little longer (either will outlive me) or that it will have higher resale (would sell it if i bought one), or that it is lighter (6'4" 230lbs, not much fat).
will i be bowled-over by the additional power? would i get the same power with a mod on the 310? how much louder is a modded saw??

i won't take to much coercion to convince me that i need the 361. i just need someone to step-up and offer me an unbiased (that's a laugh) opinion.
my local dealer quoted $575 for a 361 with a 18" hardnose.

I have a 310 and a 361. The average firewood cutter would probably never justify the extra money, there's time's I really can't. If your burning three cords or 10 a year run your 310 till it craps out buy a wood splitter and come back in 5 years and talk about how much wood your 310 has cut. I put the two side by side and at the end of the day can't tell the difference. You have a fine saw.

 

[2000ssm6]

did you gut the muffler.......i will try to get some pics in the morning.....

Naw, never gutted the inside. I do remember wanting to split it and gut it but figured it would be a pita. That was about the same time I got my 440 and sold the 029 later.

Let XJ post or post your pic and we will help you determine how much to take out, I don't see gutting the muff would help any.