rock and a hard place which stihl

[deye223]

gday all which stihl saw 261 or 362. the wood to be cut is up to 15" dry HARD AUSSI WOOD which means dust i like the look of the 261 air filter system, the 362 on the other hand looks dodgy as. power is not a problem as i have got a ms 460 for the bigger stuff and my 260 is a bit low on grunt and filtration is not good enough, and no to huskys as i have 13 bars for stihl saw's

 

[indiansprings]

I can't speak for aussie wood, the hardest thing I have to compare is seasoned hedge which is as hard as wood pecker lips, I can tell you I have bought two 261's for my commercial firewood operation, I have plenty of 60 and 70cc saws, but imho the 261 is a tough, commercial grade saw, the air filteration is the best of any saw on the market today. I believe MCW, a aussie also commented none of the aussie sawdust made it past the filter on the 261. They have plently of power for the size material you describe, I sold my 346xpne after buying the first 261, the 261 has plently of torque a wide useful powerband, not just all on the top screamer like the 346. I run mine with a 18" .325 set up and it handles it buried in oak just fine. The 362 obviously has more power, a really good saw, but I don't think you could go wrong with a 261, you'll be happy with the power and the air filters are top notch. Being pleated and round like an automotive filter they have much more surface area than a normal saw filter. The ease of twist on twist off creates a seal nothing can get by, I'd go with the 261.

 

[lone wolf]

gday all which stihl saw 261 or 362. the wood to be cut is up to 15" dry HARD AUSSI WOOD which means dust i like the look of the 261 air filter system, the 362 on the other hand looks dodgy as. power is not a problem as i have got a ms 460 for the bigger stuff and my 260 is a bit low on grunt and filtration is not good enough, and no to huskys as i have 13 bars for stihl saw's

More power the better on dry hard wood what about a 440 Stihl?

 

[chainsaw kid]

I can't speak for aussie wood, the hardest thing I have to compare is seasoned hedge which is as hard as wood pecker lips, I can tell you I have bought two 261's for my commercial firewood operation, I have plenty of 60 and 70cc saws, but imho the 261 is a tough, commercial grade saw, the air filteration is the best of any saw on the market today. I believe MCW, a aussie also commented none of the aussie sawdust made it past the filter on the 261. They have plently of power for the size material you describe, I sold my 346xpne after buying the first 261, the 261 has plently of torque a wide useful powerband, not just all on the top screamer like the 346. I run mine with a 18" .325 set up and it handles it buried in oak just fine. The 362 obviously has more power, a really good saw, but I don't think you could go wrong with a 261, you'll be happy with the power and the air filters are top notch. Being pleated and round like an automotive filter they have much more surface area than a normal saw filter. The ease of twist on twist off creates a seal nothing can get by, I'd go with the 261.

I have to try one of these 261's, they sound nice.

Kevin

 

[fidiro]

Is there a big difference between a 260 and a 261? If not I would go 362. Unless you plan on selling the 260 to get a 261.

Have never used either to know anything about them. I'm getting my 361 ready to cut a couple cords worth and will be my first time taking it out that long so can't comment on the 362 which is probably the same in specs.

You say you have a 460, I think that will do pretty much anything the 260 can't.

 

[deye223]

More power the better on dry hard wood what about a 440 Stihl?

got a 460 need a lighter saw because of health probs :msp_thumbup:

 

[z71mike]

More power the better on dry hard wood what about a 440 Stihl?

Wolf, it looks like the OP has a 460 already, so he should be OK in the 70+cc arena.

I would do the 261 if you're going to have a 2-saw plan (with the 460). The 362 is close enough in weight to the 460 that you probably won't use the 362 often at all. Use the 261 for the small stuff and the 460 for anything bigger. The 362 is 3 pounds heavier than the 261, and only about 1.5 lbs lighter than the 460.......according to StihlUSA.com

 

[deye223]

Wolf, it looks like the OP has a 460 already, so he should be OK in the 70+cc arena.

I would do the 261 if you're going to have a 2-saw plan (with the 460). The 362 is close enough in weight to the 460 that you probably won't use the 362 often at all. Use the 261 for the small stuff and the 460 for anything bigger. The 362 is 3 pounds heavier than the 261, and only about 1.5 lbs lighter than the 460.......according to StihlUSA.com

the main consideration is dust filtration, so power is secondary

 

[z71mike]

the main consideration is dust filtration, so power is secondary

Use a bow saw and a painter's mask :smile2:

 

[deye223]

Use a bow saw and a painter's mask :smile2:

just watch the young bloke do it HAHA

 

[lone wolf]

the main consideration is dust filtration, so power is secondary

Well if for health reasons get the lighter of the two then.MS 200 T is good and light but wont be happy with 15 logs . If limbing is involved you may want the MS200T.
I don think there is a big difference between the 261 and the 260.

 

[lone wolf]

the main consideration is dust filtration, so power is secondary

That points to a
husky 346 from what you are saying.You cant have everything but I think the 346 is light quick and huskys are supposed to collect less dust than Stihls on the filters .You can maybe get the Stihl bars to adapt on to the Husky I think I did that a ways back?

 

[SawTroll]

That points to a
husky 346 from what you are saying.You cant have everything but I think the 346 is light quick and huskys are supposed to collect less dust than Stihls on the filters .You can maybe get the Stihl bars to adapt on to the Husky I think I did that a ways back?

Stihl 3003 bars can be used (with an adaptor) on the "large Husky" mount, but not on the "small Husky" of the 346xp.

 

[indiansprings]

Daylight and dark difference between a 260 and a 261, trust me I had both, and although the 346 has a good filteration system, it isn't in the same league as the 261, if you haven't looked at how it's set up you simply don't get it, basically Stihl took Huskies design and improved it greatly. I have not seen a saw on the market that even comes close to the filter set up on the 261, it's the chits, they knocked it out of the park on the filteration. In stock form a 261 will eat a 026/260 alive. My efco 156 was rated at 4.1 hp and it was a dead heat between the 261 and it time after time, I no longer own the 156 either.
They'll eat a stock 290 all day long, and run right with a 311. You need to run one to really tell the difference, after about 15-20 tanks they get broke in and what I like most is the same kind of spool up of the 346, mine came out of the box at 14,300. It just has balls, the saw will get down and pull, not just a screamer, torque all the way thru the cut. No issue with burying an 18" bar with a sharp chain, just rips.
,

 

[lone wolf]

Daylight and dark difference between a 260 and a 261, trust me I had both, and although the 346 has a good filteration system, it isn't in the same league as the 261, if you haven't looked at how it's set up you simply don't get it, basically Stihl took Huskies design and improved it greatly. I have not seen a saw on the market that even comes close to the filter set up on the 261, it's the chits, they knocked it out of the park on the filteration. In stock form a 261 will eat a 026/260 alive. My efco 156 was rated at 4.1 hp and it was a dead heat between the 261 and it time after time, I no longer own the 156 either.
They'll eat a stock 290 all day long, and run right with a 311. You need to run one to really tell the difference, after about 15-20 tanks they get broke in and what I like most is the same kind of spool up of the 346, mine came out of the box at 14,300. It just has balls, the saw will get down and pull, not just a screamer, torque all the way thru the cut. No issue with burying an 18" bar with a sharp chain, just rips.
,

speed wise the 346 and the 261 cutting say 20 inch Oak logs for firewood what is the difference time or percentage wise?In other words how much faster will the Stihl buck bigger wood than the Husky?

 

[deye223]

Daylight and dark difference between a 260 and a 261, trust me I had both, and although the 346 has a good filteration system, it isn't in the same league as the 261, if you haven't looked at how it's set up you simply don't get it, basically Stihl took Huskies design and improved it greatly. I have not seen a saw on the market that even comes close to the filter set up on the 261, it's the chits, they knocked it out of the park on the filteration. In stock form a 261 will eat a 026/260 alive. My efco 156 was rated at 4.1 hp and it was a dead heat between the 261 and it time after time, I no longer own the 156 either.
They'll eat a stock 290 all day long, and run right with a 311. You need to run one to really tell the difference, after about 15-20 tanks they get broke in and what I like most is the same kind of spool up of the 346, mine came out of the box at 14,300. It just has balls, the saw will get down and pull, not just a screamer, torque all the way thru the cut. No issue with burying an 18" bar with a sharp chain, just rips.
,

with answers like this i'm leaning to the ms261

 

[indiansprings]

To be perfectly honest I haven't run a stop watch on it, I can't tell you in exact terms otherwise I would be misleading you, I can tell you that the four guys working for me basically stopped using the 346 after we got the first 261, they all told me they would much rather have another 261, the 346 is an excellent saw, if I were just limbing, cutting stuff 10" and down, doing overhead work I might give it the edge, but for what we're doing, cutting up oak tops and cull logs, the 261's wider power band fits OUR specific needs better. To just throw a random number out based on feel I think the stock 261 vs the stock 346 in 20" hardwoods would be 10%, maybe more as you can lean on the 261 much harder. My crew hated the outboard clutch, hated the micro screw chain adjustment on the 346. I do one thing for sure, after trading,buying and selling saws, if you keep a Stihl in nice shape you'll always get 80-85% back out of a saw after a years use, it sure wasn't that way with the 346xp. Demographics in our area prolly played a big part of that and prolly isn't a good yard stick to go buy. The 346xpne was the best 50cc saw I'd ever ran until the 261 came out. The 346xp clearly outclassed the 026/260 pro's, but that changed, some will say the 261 is too heavy, 9 oz heavier, sit them side by side, take the covers off, weight the chain cover, look at the build quality, not hard to see why they weigh 9 oz more. They are built just as solid and rugged as the rest of Stihl''s pro saw line up, they didn't comprise anything for a few ounces.

 

[lone wolf]

So a little more torque for bucking but the Husky is more agile for limbing.Ten percent faster on big stuff you say .If a cut takes ten seconds with the 346 the Stihl will cut it in 9 sec?

 

[young]

261.

 

[stihlrookie]

Between your two choices I would go with the 261. I have a 362, bought it mainly for its advanced dust filtration which I am not that impressed with. I cut a softish hardwood primarily, seasoned and very dry, makes alot of dust. The 362 does okay filtering, better than my 361 did for sure but if I had it to do again, 261.