TXTreeSurgeon
ArboristSite Operative
I had a lot to consider when it was time for me to buy a new chainsaw. There were so many options and it was hard to know what size saw I would need because I had such a limited experience with saws bigger than 50cc. I run a part-time firewood business with a friend. Last winter we moved 30 cords of wood and we intend to sell much more this time around. The only saw I owned was a 40cc Husqvarna that had been rescued from a hurricane Katrina trash pile in New Orleans... not exactly the greatest firewood saw, but it was all I had. My buddy who sells firewood with me runs a 455 Rancher and he was killing me on productivity. All I can say is that problem is now solved!
This review is for anyone who is looking to by a new saw who may not be sure which saw is right for them or just want a real-world review of the MS362. I have cut about 3 cords of wood so far with it and have run about a gallon of gas through it (pretty good efficiency in my opinion). The saw has a 20" bar with the Stihl RMC chain (full-chisel non-safety). The only change that I have made to the saw from stock is that I removed the spark arrestor. The review and my priorities in a saw are as follows:
Quality
I needed a saw that was reliable, and the 362 has been excellent so far. The saw is solidly built; mostly metal with a hard plastic shell. The adjustable bar oiler is really nice because I can adjust for different cutting conditions, and when you turn that baby all the way up, you ALWAYS have enough oil on the bar and chain. The top cover on the saw is very easy and fast to remove: just a 1/4 turn with of 3 fasteners takes it off and on. I was able to break one of the fasteners... I am not sure how it happened. It just broke in half when I tightened it down. My dealer replaced it under warranty and I have not had any problems with it since. The air filtration system is nice because the prefilter catches most of the crud, then I can just pop the top off and clean it with compressed air in just a minute or two after each use. The Rollomatic ES bar that comes on the saw is almost unbendable. It has been it some pretty rough situations/pinches and it has no damage. The spark arrestor is very simple to remove and replace: just remove a screw on the side of the muffler and slide it out.
Power
After quality/reliability definitely comes power, and this thing is awesome! When I first ran the saw, I was impressed at how quickly it could power through 18" wood. Once I had 7 or 8 tanks of gas through it, that thing just woke up angry one day. Now that the saw is fully broken in, I can only bog the motor if I am cutting dry wood over 16" and dig in really hard. If I just let the saw cut and use moderate pressure with the dogs, it won't bog in wood that is even longer than the bar. The only way to put it is that the 362 is a screamer! This thing really has surprised me (and everyone that has run it) at how much power it has. I could see using a bigger saw if you are regularly cutting wood over 24" in diameter, but I cut up a 30" tree with a little patience. I eventually want to buy a 25" bar for those situations, and I am confident that the 362 will have enough power to turn it.
Weight/Handling
One of the reasons that I originally wanted to by the 260 Pro is that I wanted a saw that was light, manueverable, and that I could cut with all day long. Well, I am glad I went with the 362, because I got the same benefits with more power than the 260 Pro. The saw is easy for me to lift up and down while limbing (I am 6'2" 210lbs). I have cut 5 hours straight with only 5 minute breaks between tanks of fuel and went home with a smile... that was partly because my buddy was loading the logs on the trailer as I cut. :greenchainsaw:
Efficiency
This saw uses very little gas for the amount of wood that you can cut with it. This is mostly due to the fact that it just eats right through the log and goes on to the next cut. I used more gas and WAY more time with my 40cc saw because I couldn't cut as efficiently. If the chain is sharp, this thing will amaze you. And by the way, on the day that I cut 5 hours, I didn't sharpen the chain once and it was still cutting well at the end of the day (I was cutting pretty clean wood and was careful to keep the bar out of the dirt).
In conclusion, if you need a serious saw for regularly cutting wood up to 24", you can't go wrong with the 362. I am sure bigger saws are needed for bigger jobs, but the 362 is hard to beat for firewood. I don't like to wrestle logs that are bigger than 24" anyways, so I usually try to cut smaller trees. I think that the 362 is light enough to be used by almost anyone who has enough experience running a saw. I hope this review helps those who are considering the 362.
This review is for anyone who is looking to by a new saw who may not be sure which saw is right for them or just want a real-world review of the MS362. I have cut about 3 cords of wood so far with it and have run about a gallon of gas through it (pretty good efficiency in my opinion). The saw has a 20" bar with the Stihl RMC chain (full-chisel non-safety). The only change that I have made to the saw from stock is that I removed the spark arrestor. The review and my priorities in a saw are as follows:
Quality
I needed a saw that was reliable, and the 362 has been excellent so far. The saw is solidly built; mostly metal with a hard plastic shell. The adjustable bar oiler is really nice because I can adjust for different cutting conditions, and when you turn that baby all the way up, you ALWAYS have enough oil on the bar and chain. The top cover on the saw is very easy and fast to remove: just a 1/4 turn with of 3 fasteners takes it off and on. I was able to break one of the fasteners... I am not sure how it happened. It just broke in half when I tightened it down. My dealer replaced it under warranty and I have not had any problems with it since. The air filtration system is nice because the prefilter catches most of the crud, then I can just pop the top off and clean it with compressed air in just a minute or two after each use. The Rollomatic ES bar that comes on the saw is almost unbendable. It has been it some pretty rough situations/pinches and it has no damage. The spark arrestor is very simple to remove and replace: just remove a screw on the side of the muffler and slide it out.
Power
After quality/reliability definitely comes power, and this thing is awesome! When I first ran the saw, I was impressed at how quickly it could power through 18" wood. Once I had 7 or 8 tanks of gas through it, that thing just woke up angry one day. Now that the saw is fully broken in, I can only bog the motor if I am cutting dry wood over 16" and dig in really hard. If I just let the saw cut and use moderate pressure with the dogs, it won't bog in wood that is even longer than the bar. The only way to put it is that the 362 is a screamer! This thing really has surprised me (and everyone that has run it) at how much power it has. I could see using a bigger saw if you are regularly cutting wood over 24" in diameter, but I cut up a 30" tree with a little patience. I eventually want to buy a 25" bar for those situations, and I am confident that the 362 will have enough power to turn it.
Weight/Handling
One of the reasons that I originally wanted to by the 260 Pro is that I wanted a saw that was light, manueverable, and that I could cut with all day long. Well, I am glad I went with the 362, because I got the same benefits with more power than the 260 Pro. The saw is easy for me to lift up and down while limbing (I am 6'2" 210lbs). I have cut 5 hours straight with only 5 minute breaks between tanks of fuel and went home with a smile... that was partly because my buddy was loading the logs on the trailer as I cut. :greenchainsaw:
Efficiency
This saw uses very little gas for the amount of wood that you can cut with it. This is mostly due to the fact that it just eats right through the log and goes on to the next cut. I used more gas and WAY more time with my 40cc saw because I couldn't cut as efficiently. If the chain is sharp, this thing will amaze you. And by the way, on the day that I cut 5 hours, I didn't sharpen the chain once and it was still cutting well at the end of the day (I was cutting pretty clean wood and was careful to keep the bar out of the dirt).
In conclusion, if you need a serious saw for regularly cutting wood up to 24", you can't go wrong with the 362. I am sure bigger saws are needed for bigger jobs, but the 362 is hard to beat for firewood. I don't like to wrestle logs that are bigger than 24" anyways, so I usually try to cut smaller trees. I think that the 362 is light enough to be used by almost anyone who has enough experience running a saw. I hope this review helps those who are considering the 362.
