Decisions Stihl 271, 261, or Husky 353 for farm job?

[sunfish]

Yeah this would be on my porch if I didn't already have two 346s'!

http://www.arboristsite.com/tradin-post/240947.htm

 

[moody]

Yeah this would be on my porch if I didn't already have two 346s'!

http://www.arboristsite.com/tradin-post/240947.htm

I want it to! Funds or lack there of is why I don't have it. I've got more 50cc saws than I'll ever need but still haven't filled the wants

 

[Sclongrange]

I'm pretty sure I have a handle on what this person is facing. I live in SE GA, and most of the coastal plains area of the SE has a similar habitat. He is likely cutting a lot of 6-14" water, laurel, and post oak, along with similar sized loblolly and slash pine. I use a ported 50cc saw for just about everything and I could well get by with a stock 50cc. Would I run into trees that could be better handled with a larger saw? Yes, but the OP says an 18" bar has worked for him so there's no reason to pile on the weight of a larger so when it's not needed for the vast majority of what he us is likely to encounter. If he wants two saws, then by all means get a 50/70cc combo. But if someone has been using a 45cc HO saw and just wants to upgrade, and obviously concerned with size and weight, a 50cc pro saw is just the ticket, and a ported 50cc saw is a season ticket.

I agree 100% Neal, and the only thing I will add is to wait until November to start cutting.

 

[nmurph]

I don't do much cutting in the summer and through Thanksgiving. The rut is going hard in November, especially the first couple of weeks.

 

[sunfish]

Another very good option is to get a saw from nmurph.

346xp, 357xp, 359... Can't go wrong!

 

[bryanr2]

id buy the brand spanking new jonsered 2253 (same as 550xp) listed in the classifieds. Never fueled never gassed- still in original box for $475

 

[bryanr2]

:monkey: I didn't realize there was a second page to this thread when I suggested buy the 2253 so............. OP do what every other person recommended on this page and buy the 2253 in the classifieds before someone beats u to it.

 

[bryanr2]

Here's what I like to run cc/bar. All these are ported and I don't swap bars... I swap saws.

2153 50cc- 16'' bar
359's 59cc- 18'' bar
Dolly 120si- 68cc- 20'' bar
Jonsered 2171 75cc 20'' bar
Husq 288 88cc 24'' bar
jonsered 2188 88cc 24'' bar
husq 2100cd 99cc- 28'' bar

I dont like sharpening chains so I use the smallest bar I can get buy with. Most trees around here don't require 36''-42'' bars. I know it is a guy thing to have 3' of bar sticking out the other side of the log but it looks rediculous..... like their compensating for ......:msp_wink:

 

[B Harrison]

I would still like to have a light weight mid 60 cc saw for what hes getting ready to do. Say a 365 or a 362. A 044 or a 372 would be great also if used only for falling and bucking.

Whats going to happen to the timber, logging or burning?
If your dealing with much over 15", you will gain some serious time with a 60 cc saw, that's a lot of trees might even buy a 562 for that deal.

If it must be one that you mentioned the 353 is probably your best saw for the money.

 

[H 2 H]

Down here, clearing 20ac may mean cutting several thousand trees in 90+° temps with humidities near 100%. I had to pack up a event style tent yesterday morning. The temperature was in the low 70's, but I was soaked in a few minutes bc of the humidity.

OP, I would look for a ported 346/353. A 261 is not a bad choice either, but it is not as light and doesn't feel as compact in the hands to most who have used both for extended periods.

View attachment 305887

View attachment 305888

 

[KenJax Tree]

Here's what I like to run cc/bar. All these are ported and I don't swap bars... I swap saws.

2153 50cc- 16'' bar
359's 59cc- 18'' bar
Dolly 120si- 68cc- 20'' bar
Jonsered 2171 75cc 20'' bar
Husq 288 88cc 24'' bar
jonsered 2188 88cc 24'' bar
husq 2100cd 99cc- 28'' bar

I dont like sharpening chains so I use the smallest bar I can get buy with. Most trees around here don't require 36''-42'' bars. I know it is a guy thing to have 3' of bar sticking out the other side of the log but it looks rediculous..... like their compensating for ......:msp_wink:

How many of those have actually touched wood though:msp_biggrin:

 

[AlabamaCatfish]

That's it! You took the words out of my mouth!

I'm pretty sure I have a handle on what this person is facing. I live in SE GA, and most of the coastal plains area of the SE has a similar habitat. He is likely cutting a lot of 6-14" water, laurel, and post oak, along with similar sized loblolly and slash pine. I use a ported 50cc saw for just about everything and I could well get by with a stock 50cc. Would I run into trees that could be better handled with a larger saw? Yes, but the OP says an 18" bar has worked for him so there's no reason to pile on the weight of a larger so when it's not needed for the vast majority of what he us is likely to encounter. If he wants two saws, then by all means get a 50/70cc combo. But if someone has been using a 45cc HO saw and just wants to upgrade, and obviously concerned with size and weight, a 50cc pro saw is just the ticket, and a ported 50cc saw is a season ticket.

 

[AlabamaCatfish]

Thank you to ALL of you who have responded....In a day or two, I'm going to write back, take a pic, and let y'all know exactly what I bought. (BTW - I'm leaning Husky now. Too many good things written in this post/board, that tells me I'll be fine looking at it!) Plus, the Husky dealer is a good sized one, in the area where the farm is located!

 

[KenJax Tree]

Thank you to ALL of you who have responded....In a day or two, I'm going to write back, take a pic, and let y'all know exactly what I bought. (BTW - I'm leaning Husky now. Too many good things written in this post/board, that tells me I'll be fine looking at it!) Plus, the Husky dealer is a good sized one, in the area where the farm is located!

I'd eat that Jonsered 2253 in the classifieds up if i were you its a black and red Husky 550xp and $475 is a steal.

 

[exSW]

Please don't tell that to my old 346xp (45cc) that has fell well over a thousand trees.

I can cultivate 500 acres of field corn with a Farmall Super C( a fine design far superior to it's contemporaries),that doesn't mean I want to.

 

[sunfish]

I can cultivate 500 acres of field corn with a Farmall Super C( a fine design far superior to it's contemporaries),that doesn't mean I want to.

It's all about the size of trees and age of the operator. :msp_wink:

 

[Termite]

It's all about the size of trees and age of the operator. :msp_wink:

Or maybe it's about the size of the operator and the age of the trees?

 

[axlr8]

Well though i did not read this thread all in its entirety.. I wil say this.

I have a 353 Etech (cat muffler and green gas cap.) I replaced the muffler with a NON cat and added an exhaust port to the top under the cover. I removed the carb limiters, and I tell you.. that saw, in stock form, with a NICE flow of gas in and out, is one that will impress.

But the 261 is a beast in itself!

 

[exSW]

It's all about the size of trees and age of the operator. :msp_wink:

That's true,I've been clearing for Ag also.Maybe I'm confused because I'm dealing with eastern hardwoods where I got several fairly large father oaks and maples that didn't grade back in the day and got left and have given birth to generations of all sizes in a given area.I've done the majority(80%) of them with a Dolmar 420.That last 20% a 50cc saw ain't gonna help much.That's why I say 60cc plus.If he has all 7-14" peckerwoods growing like sugar cane I can see the smaller saw.If you have a real good middle 40cc saw like a 346 or a 420(or maybe an 250)I can't even see why you would want a 50cc saw.Just jump straight to a 60cc plus.A farmer wants to get it DONE.So he can go on to digging out the stumps,seeding it to a cover crop and getting it into production.The guy that cuts with me has been averaging burning 18-20 cord a winter and I'm still burying him.Oh yeah,I'm 50.

 

[rburg]

There are a couple of 5300 redmax saws for sale in the auction section. This model is the same as the husky 353.