cgraham
ArboristSite Lurker
I recently scored the cylinder of my 10 year old 18" Husky 345 firewood and all-purpose saw, cutting very dense, seasoned, 16" Salt Cedar (tamarack), one of the hardest woods in the U.S.
My fault, the chipper chains (Oregon and Stihl) I used dulled very fast, and I pushed them and overheated the bar, transferring excess heat to the engine (I think). I have a mechanical sharpener now, so no more dull chains!
My shop says the saw (no compression, also needs new bar) is not economical to repair - true? I certainly don't have the skills or inclination to do the work. The saw is otherwise in good shape (new drive sprocket). They won't take it in trade.
I liked the weight, reliability and easy starting (cylinder decompressor) of that Husky (I'm not getting any younger) and would replace it with the similar 445 (11 lb powerhead) without hesitation if it were not for the salt cedar which is great firewood, and the occasional need to quickly clear my bridge of it after flash floods in my creek bottom here in the desert SW.
I really don't think the answer is to get a much more powerful saw: the 345 drove the chipper OK until the chain dulled. But I'd like to get opinions on that view before a purchase. Rather, I think I need a specialized chain that cuts more wood before premature dulling.
Question One: what type of chain (tooth) would be best suited to extreme hardwoods with 18" chain? (The Husky candidates run a .325 chain.) Perhaps a particular tooth profile (chisel, semi chisel?) will cut for longer without sacrificing cutting speed. I think there may be some tooth contours that enhance cutting hardwoods but I have not found details.
The most obvious factor that influences how a tooth holds its edge and how well it cuts, providing it is not allowed to overheat, or the saw to overload, is the quality of the steel or other material. I read that some brands are superior - which? Expensive carbide chains are impractical (sharpening difficulties) and slow.
Some tooth variations such as low profile and skip chains, only dull slower because they cut slower: the net result would seem to be that the same amount of wood is cut more slowly before the chain dulls. I don't see how a narrow kerf makes a difference: a narrower tooth cuts less width at the same depth and so will dull at the same rate. All these mods do is reduce the load on the engine, good for a long bar on logs bigger than I cut. If saw power is not the problem, how will they help?
I ran across this quote "you downset the raker different for hardwood than you do for soft wood". What does that mean and is it useful? I'm guessing it means a shallower cut, in which case it is covered by the above paragraph.
Question Two is whether I am correct that I don't need a more powerful saw. I frequently see the 50cc Husky 386XP recommended here (for $80 more than the 445), but no reason given - nor does Husqvana explain the advantages of the XP series. Well, its a PRO saw - what does that mean? At 50cc it is 32% more powerful than the 445, a big gain, but 8 oz heavier: if the greater hp yields more efficient cutting for me, an acceptable trade off. I'm not convinced engine power is my issue because a sharp chain does not bog, but I'm open to suggestion.
I should mention I am not considering other brands of saw at present due to dealer availability in this area, lack of desired features on comparable Stihls and the fact I have a number of new chains for a Husky.
Thanks for comments, Charlie
My fault, the chipper chains (Oregon and Stihl) I used dulled very fast, and I pushed them and overheated the bar, transferring excess heat to the engine (I think). I have a mechanical sharpener now, so no more dull chains!
My shop says the saw (no compression, also needs new bar) is not economical to repair - true? I certainly don't have the skills or inclination to do the work. The saw is otherwise in good shape (new drive sprocket). They won't take it in trade.
I liked the weight, reliability and easy starting (cylinder decompressor) of that Husky (I'm not getting any younger) and would replace it with the similar 445 (11 lb powerhead) without hesitation if it were not for the salt cedar which is great firewood, and the occasional need to quickly clear my bridge of it after flash floods in my creek bottom here in the desert SW.
I really don't think the answer is to get a much more powerful saw: the 345 drove the chipper OK until the chain dulled. But I'd like to get opinions on that view before a purchase. Rather, I think I need a specialized chain that cuts more wood before premature dulling.
Question One: what type of chain (tooth) would be best suited to extreme hardwoods with 18" chain? (The Husky candidates run a .325 chain.) Perhaps a particular tooth profile (chisel, semi chisel?) will cut for longer without sacrificing cutting speed. I think there may be some tooth contours that enhance cutting hardwoods but I have not found details.
The most obvious factor that influences how a tooth holds its edge and how well it cuts, providing it is not allowed to overheat, or the saw to overload, is the quality of the steel or other material. I read that some brands are superior - which? Expensive carbide chains are impractical (sharpening difficulties) and slow.
Some tooth variations such as low profile and skip chains, only dull slower because they cut slower: the net result would seem to be that the same amount of wood is cut more slowly before the chain dulls. I don't see how a narrow kerf makes a difference: a narrower tooth cuts less width at the same depth and so will dull at the same rate. All these mods do is reduce the load on the engine, good for a long bar on logs bigger than I cut. If saw power is not the problem, how will they help?
I ran across this quote "you downset the raker different for hardwood than you do for soft wood". What does that mean and is it useful? I'm guessing it means a shallower cut, in which case it is covered by the above paragraph.
Question Two is whether I am correct that I don't need a more powerful saw. I frequently see the 50cc Husky 386XP recommended here (for $80 more than the 445), but no reason given - nor does Husqvana explain the advantages of the XP series. Well, its a PRO saw - what does that mean? At 50cc it is 32% more powerful than the 445, a big gain, but 8 oz heavier: if the greater hp yields more efficient cutting for me, an acceptable trade off. I'm not convinced engine power is my issue because a sharp chain does not bog, but I'm open to suggestion.
I should mention I am not considering other brands of saw at present due to dealer availability in this area, lack of desired features on comparable Stihls and the fact I have a number of new chains for a Husky.
Thanks for comments, Charlie
