clayman
ArboristSite Operative
I 'm a newbie to this site. I found it through a link posted at another web site.
I'm a retired contractor. I have lived on a wooded home site (12 acres) for the last 30 + years. I guess about 2 acres of it is cleared. I burn quite a bit of wood during the winter (partly for heat and partly because I just enjoy a fire. Most of the wood I burn is from dead trees, either dead falls, or found still standing. The drought has killed quite a few red oaks (or water oaks) this year: I can't tell the difference. Some of them are pretty big
So I'm thinking about getting a new, more powerful saw. I think it's going to be a Husqvarna or a Stihl. Right now the saw that has caught my eye is a Husqvarna 346 XP with an 18" bar.
Right now I have a Poulan Super 250A, and a Stihl 015AV, both are 16" saws. The Husky was given to be by my son-in-law (it was given to him by a neighbor who was moving). The Poulan will out-cut the Stihl, but it's not as smooth.
You might be amazed (but probably not) at how many trees I have cut up with that little Poulan over the years. I've cut down (over the last two years alone) and cut up, about 60 pines the pine beetles killed. Some of them were pretty big: but then I don't burn Pine. I gave it away to a guy who does. I don't now know how old the 250A is, but I bought it new. I don't like the new Poulans.
I want a good saw, but I don't want a real heavy saw, which is why I sort of liked the 346 XP, but I thought these guys know their saws, why not ask them).
Any advice will be appreciated.
I'm a retired contractor. I have lived on a wooded home site (12 acres) for the last 30 + years. I guess about 2 acres of it is cleared. I burn quite a bit of wood during the winter (partly for heat and partly because I just enjoy a fire. Most of the wood I burn is from dead trees, either dead falls, or found still standing. The drought has killed quite a few red oaks (or water oaks) this year: I can't tell the difference. Some of them are pretty big
So I'm thinking about getting a new, more powerful saw. I think it's going to be a Husqvarna or a Stihl. Right now the saw that has caught my eye is a Husqvarna 346 XP with an 18" bar.
Right now I have a Poulan Super 250A, and a Stihl 015AV, both are 16" saws. The Husky was given to be by my son-in-law (it was given to him by a neighbor who was moving). The Poulan will out-cut the Stihl, but it's not as smooth.
You might be amazed (but probably not) at how many trees I have cut up with that little Poulan over the years. I've cut down (over the last two years alone) and cut up, about 60 pines the pine beetles killed. Some of them were pretty big: but then I don't burn Pine. I gave it away to a guy who does. I don't now know how old the 250A is, but I bought it new. I don't like the new Poulans.
I want a good saw, but I don't want a real heavy saw, which is why I sort of liked the 346 XP, but I thought these guys know their saws, why not ask them).
Any advice will be appreciated.