Glad to be here. Help with a new (to me) saw

[No Tree Rancher]

Hi everybody, long time reading, just joined up.
Am sure you must tire of this, but us new guys look forward to any help we can get from you old experienced hands. Obviously in need of a saw. Running out of wood for the stove. I'm in western Wyo., cutting 20"24" pine, max, have been leaning towards a used pro saw, or close. Like the theory behind them, better built, lighter with more power, lasts longer, etc. Can't afford new, I might bite on a 555 Husqy if the price was good enough, just missed one for $520. Trying to keep it to $500 or under. But the more I read from you guys, the more difficult it becomes to choose one. I have Stihl and Husqy dealers 50 miles away. Otherwise, e-bay or CL. I've narrowed it down to just a few? Husq. 365 Special, don't need a 70cc x-torq. Husqy 555 as mentioned. Don't want to go too big or too small. Stihl, I'm open minded, and they're both good brands,260, 261, 028 Super, 036 Pro, 361. Leaning towards a 60cc saw, for the one saw plan, before CAD sets in, I can see the wisdom of the 2 saw plan, 50cc and 70cc, but not in the budget. You boys are liking that new 550xp I see. But again, $$$. Sometimes I think maybe a 50cc is all I need, along with advice I've seen on AS. The other guys take the flip side and say get a 440 or 044. Can see that side too, but don't think I need it. Plus, they often look pretty beat on. I passed on a 576 XP for similar reasons, I'm not a lumberjack or make my living cutting wood. If I was in my 20's or 30's a 372 XP would have been bought already. Not anymore. I'm at 6,000 ft here, maybe up to 7K or so to cut, if that makes any diff. Auto-tune? Thanks in advance for any help. NTR

 

[homelitejim]

I am going to side with the 70cc crowd. Put a 20 inch bar on it with a 8 pin rim and enjoy being done cutting by lunch, and dang near the same weight as a 60cc saw. Once I moved up to the 90cc 70cc 2 saw plan my poor ms260 barely gets used, there are times when I walk up to a tree and have to go back and get a bigger saw, if you start out with that bigger saw there will be less walking. Only time I just take the 50cc saw is if I am on my 4 wheeler, of course a 70cc saw will work when needed.

Really though if you keep your chains sharp a good 50cc saw will get the job done if the wood is soft, filled this ford in about an hour.

 

[moody]

If all you're cutting is pine the 555 wouldn't be a bad idea. But I must agree find yourself a good 70cc saw. Keep the chain sharp and you'll be fine with about any tree you come across.

 

[Vibes]

Haven't priced them lately but a 365 Husky, or the 2165 Jonsered is a can't miss saw for the money. Shop hard and you may be able to pick up a NOS 359 Husky in your price range. I know you could find a 2159 Johnsy in that price range.

 

[rmh3481]

Id look for a used clean Echo cs-670, which you should be able to get for under $350. If the engine is in good shape to start this saw should last you quite some time as long as you take care of it. Runs a 24 inch 3/8 bar no problem.

 

[Treedropper]

Id look for a used clean Echo cs-670, which you should be able to get for under $350. If the engine is in good shape to start this saw should last you quite some time as long as you take care of it. Runs a 24 inch 3/8 bar no problem.

:msp_thumbsup: This is the route I took,got an Echo cs-680 powerhead like new for 292.00 and two powermatch 24" bars and three lgx chains for 170.00 planning on 20 cords of fir my first year.

 

[No Tree Rancher]

Thanks guys for your help ! Picked up a Stihl 028 Super this a.m. for about $200 under my max to spend. Hopefully that will go towards the 70cc saw and not repairs ! Hey homelite Jim, is that your 260 on top of the logs in your ford? Can't read the number.

 

[homelitejim]

Thanks guys for your help ! Picked up a Stihl 028 Super this a.m. for about $200 under my max to spend. Hopefully that will go towards the 70cc saw and not repairs ! Hey homelite Jim, is that your 260 on top of the logs in your ford? Can't read the number.

Yes MS260, I use it quite a bit during hunting season because there is no room for bigger saws, I filled my neighbors truck during our lunch break, one nice tall dead red fir and a smaller black pine, I think it took about an hour to overload his ford.