First post, looking for new saw purchase help.

[Gadjeep]

Just found this site after starting the nerding out portion of my latest purchase.

Looking to get a little bit bigger saw to clear some fallen oaks and buck them into firewood on our place in the mountains. I have a 335xpt that runs great and is a very handy trail saw but is not enough to do the work I'm looking at.

I grew up in logging country (Northeastern Maine) and most everyone ran either XP Husqvarna saws or pro line Stihl 0 models. I'm debating on if I should get a pro saw or if one of the "pro-sumer" lines will satisfy my needs.

So far I'm looking at either 445, 545, 455 or 550xp husky but I've also been steered toward the Stihl 391. I have service centers for both brands fairly close to my house if i needed warranty work done but I'll be doing all of the maintenance and repairs myself so its not a huge concern.

I wish there was a clear matrix showing all of the real differences between the models and brands but mostly all you get is the marketing hype ie." The 123xyz has the patented snap whiz starting system while the 223xyz has the new snappier whiz starting system! " which means very little to me. Its like to know the real, concrete differences in the construction and design of the saw.

Any who, if any of you guys have some experience with saws and especially ether ones i listed I'd love to hear it. Thanks in advance!

 

[JakeG]

It's hard to answer your question without knowing the size trees you'll be working on, how often you'll use it and what you'd like to spend.

The 335xpt is a pretty cool saw imo. I need to add a top handle to my list!

 

[moody]

How big is this oak? If it's not bigger than 25in I'd say check out the 555. Really smooth and impressively strong for the price. The 391 is very heavy for the power. If you have a stihl dealer see if he's got anything around like a Ms 362 that should be enough saw to get you through most tree's you'll come across. It's a nice saw it's not as strong as the 361's but would fit your needs very well. They're very reliable saws.

 

[Guido Salvage]

Your question actually provided the answer. Visit the 2 dealers you mentioned and try out the saws on your list. The saw has to fit you (and your needs), not those of the forum.

 

[HuskStihl]

If what u'r cutting is mostly under 16" I'd say a 445 as I really like mine for small firewood/clearing. If its 20" wood then a ms291 or husky 455/460. 24" then 391 territory. If money's no object, get the 550xp, but you don't need a pro saw. Have fun and stay safe.

 

[nmurph]

How big is the wood? Is it a few large trees with the rest being smaller? Or is it a relatively consistant size? A few odd large trees can be handled by a smaller saw taking your time and keeping the chain sharp. But if it is predominantly of one size, then I would go for the largest saw sized appropriately for that wood. Or do you need a larger saw and a smaller saw? 50cc/70cc is ideal for most situations. A 60cc is a good compromise, but it just that will leave something to be desired in the power and handling department.

 

[Gadjeep]

How big is the wood? Is it a few large trees with the rest being smaller? Or is it a relatively consistant size? A few odd large trees can be handled by a smaller saw taking your time and keeping the chain sharp. But if it is predominantly of one size, then I would go for the largest saw sized appropriately for that wood. Or do you need a larger saw and a smaller saw? 50cc/70cc is ideal for most situations. A 60cc is a good compromise, but it just that will leave something to be desired in the power and handling department.

Thanks for all of your quick replies guys!

Most of the trees are bone dry oaks around 20" or smaller with a few larger here and there. The little XPT runs well but I got it for free, not running and it has had the brake taken off for god knows what reason. I'm slowly piecing together the parts to make it whole and I'll keep it in my FJ60 trail rig for trail maintainance, recovery, camping etc. I want a good, reliable midrange saw to keep at the property for clearing.

 

[mikefunaro]

If I were you I'd give the husky 555 a hard look.

Based on what you're saying you don't really need a 70cc saw or larger.

With something like a 555, 562 or stihl 362 you could reasonably run an 18-20" bar very well in Hardwoods; such bars would enable you to cut about 32-36" wood at maximum.

A 550 or other 50 cc saw could well be adequate but if you're comfortable limbing out the smaller stuff with your 335 then this reduces some of the need for the saw to have really good handling for limbing.

Do yourself a favor though and sort out the brake on your top handled saw.

 

[Gadjeep]

If I were you I'd give the husky 555 a hard look.

Based on what you're saying you don't really need a 70cc saw or larger.

With something like a 555, 562 or stihl 362 you could reasonably run an 18-20" bar very well in Hardwoods; such bars would enable you to cut about 32-36" wood at maximum.

A 550 or other 50 cc saw could well be adequate but if you're comfortable limbing out the smaller stuff with your 335 then this reduces some of the need for the saw to have really good handling for limbing.

Do yourself a favor though and sort out the brake on your top handled saw.

Roger on that brake situation. I found a sidecover with all the goodies and should have it in a week. I grew up using old saws without brakes so I'm very cautious at all times, with all saws for that matter.

What are the major differences between the 555 and the 455 rancher or 460 rancher? It's hard for me to get out and see these saws as I live in an urban area and the stihl and Husky shops cater mostly to landscaping products rather then timber products so their inventory is limited in the saw dept. I hate to buy something from a bigbox but I may have to. Amazon has a good price on the 445 too. I don't suppose any of guys know of a stocking dealer of saws in the Bay Area particularly the Oakland area.

 

[mr.finn]

As others have said I would take a look at the Husky's maybe the 555. If you have a dealer I would visit them and check them out, handle them and see if they fit. If you buy from them you will get the support you need versus buying from a box store.

 

[origionalrebel]

let me just throw in my 0.02 pennies here. if you're going at this as enjoying running a saw and enjoy cuttin wood, then don't buy until you at least try out a pro grade saw. those homeowner saws WILL get the job done, just not as easily or as fast. if you like the feeling of operating a great piece of machinery then get a great piece of machinery.


PS box stores don't sell a great piece of machinery

 

[JakeG]

What are the major differences between the 555 and the 455 rancher or 460 rancher?

I've had a fair amount of time behind the 455 (20") & 460 (24") ranchers. They will do well with the wood you have before you. I took down a 39ish" pecan with my 460 rancher and included some pics in a thread I started. I've since upgraded to the 562xp. Though similar in cc's, there is NO COMPARISON! It has so much more power and agility yet weighs less. There seems to be less than half of the vibrations the 455 & 460's have which is great as my carpal tunnel no longer shows its face.

My local dealer had the 555 (20") on sale for $469 back in December. Had I bought it, I would not have felt the need to upgrade. But honestly, I'm happy with the way it all played out... I love this 562xp :hmm3grin2orange:

In short, the 455 or 460 will easily do what you need. The 555 or 562 will do it faster, smoother and last longer.

 

[autoimage]

+1 jake couldnt say it better...dont get a 455, you can get a great used 346 on here for the same price. i would consider a nice used 372 or 440 from here...you never know where this hobby will take you and you may want cc's later down the road

 

[Gadjeep]

let me just throw in my 0.02 pennies here. if you're going at this as enjoying running a saw and enjoy cuttin wood, then don't buy until you at least try out a pro grade saw. those homeowner saws WILL get the job done, just not as easily or as fast. if you like the feeling of operating a great piece of machinery then get a great piece of machinery.


PS box stores don't sell a great piece of machinery

I hear that. I don't have a ton of dough and I work hard to earn it so I try to buy the best quality tools I can afford. I'm hoping I can get a look at a 346XP or 550Xp somewhere locally but we'll see if that happens. Growing up in rural Maine, I used to drive past 3 saw shops on the way to school every day but now I can't hardly find one!:bang:

 

[magictoad]

I would be looking at either Husky 562xp or the Stihl 362, both pro saws which will run all day long every day, possibly a bit OTT for occasional use but as you have a number of Oak trees 20"ish you are going to be using what ever saw for a longish period.

 

[nmurph]

I hear that. I don't have a ton of dough and I work hard to earn it so I try to buy the best quality tools I can afford. I'm hoping I can get a look at a 346XP or 550Xp somewhere locally but we'll see if that happens. Growing up in rural Maine, I used to drive past 3 saw shops on the way to school every day but now I can't hardly find one!:bang:

346's are getting harder to find since they were replaced by the 550. The performance bw the two is similar with the 550 being a little stronger (rated .05hp stronger) and a little lighter (about 4-5oz). It also gets hooked to a computer for service, something not all dealers have yet.

 

[HuskStihl]

I hear that. I don't have a ton of dough and I work hard to earn it so I try to buy the best quality tools I can afford.

I am probably just the opposite of most of the guys on this form. When my finances are not what I would like them to be, and I need a tool, I buy the least expensive thing that will get the job done. Would I like snap-on tools? Sure, but my stuff is mostly the lowes kobalt tools. Would I rather have Deere/Kubota (i seen no difference in the quality of their current models)? Yup, but my Mahindra was 15K less expensive, and works the land fine. I own one pro saw, but it's because I've got big trees. If I were in your shoes, I'd buy that 445 and never look back. I got mine new for about $270 4 years ago, I beat the #### out of it and all it has needed was oil and gas. Like I said, would a 550xp put a bigger grin on your face? Absolutely, but is it worth twice the money if you don't really need a pro saw?

 

[sunfish]

I'd get a 346xp! :msp_smile:

 

[MGoBlue]

I'd say 346XP as well. My local dealer still had a new on on the shelf last time I was there so you should be able to find one.

 

[Philip Wheelock]

Husky 550xp or 555

I'd think about a Husky 550 or 555 with an 18" bar for a 1-saw plan to handle everything: falling, bucking and limbing. A 20" bar would be better suited to the more powerful 562xp where you're dealing with oak and that length gets cumbersome for limbing IMHO. A top handle saw presents too many risks for anything but climbing but that's just me. The Husky 455 and 460 are heavy for the power and that might be an issue for limbing unless you're a big guy in search of a workout. Same with the Stihl MS 391.

Wouldn't hurt to ask the dealer as well about your application and see what he recommends.