Thanks to Arborist's for good chainsaw advice

[warlock1944]

I just want to thank everyone for the excellent advice on the chainsaw forum.

Let me set this up a bit. I live in southern Michigan and have heated with wood for 15 years or so. I live on a farm and have cut 7 to 10 cords (full) per year. Blow downs and anything that I could scrounge up. I have owned several Stihls of various sizes current of which are a 192T and an old 036 from the days when it had .325 pitch chain. Great saw but I longed for a faster saw that did not need an air cleaner cleaning every tank of gas.

Mostly I cut fence row Oak, Hickory, really large trees laboriusly with my 036 and a 20" bar. Decided that this was the year for a new saw so started reading what to get, 441, 046 Stihls 372,385 Huskys, Dolmar 7900 well you get the idea.

Stopped by a dealer today who had Huskys and Jonsereds and looked at 575, 372 and 2171. Came home read a lot and made the rounds getting quotes. Stihl 441 700 out the door with 20 inch bar, Husky 372 750 out the door with 20 inch bar. Stopped back by the Jonsered dealer and offed him 550 out the door 24" and 2 chains. He took it and now I own a 2171 that I just finished doing a little cutting with. What a great saw. I think if the others 372 & 441 cut even in the same neighborhood there is not much to complain about.

So thanks to the folks who said "you cant go wrong with any of those three saws", I thank you and my back thanks you. This is a great site.


now Stihl 192T, 036 and Jonsered 2171

 

[SawTroll]

You got it right, but I prefere the Husky because of the handlebar angle - but not a big deal.

The Stihl is just too much heavier and more bulky.

 

[2000ssm6]

The Stihl is just too much heavier and more bulky.

0.6 lbs, holy shart? Only from you buddy:spam: :spam:

Doesnt the 75cc 372 weigh 14.6lbs or more?

 

[Woodie]

Another satisfied member of the 2171 Society!!!!!

 

[Fish]

shart

We step in a lot of that too here..................

But here in Ky. we call it something else........

 

[Jack_Shaft]

Glad to see that you picked out a good saw for yourself.

Once you get past some people that have obvious brand loyalties you can pick out the best ones fairly easily.

I picked up a Dolmar 7900 on the recommendation of AS and am now working on a classic Stihl 044 project as well.

Lots of knowledge here to be shared.

 

[04ultra]

The Stihl is just too much heavier and more bulky.

That must be why Husky had to redesign there 575................Or shall we say put it on a Diet..




.

 

[hanniedog]

Congrats on th new saw. If you are near Union,Mich there is an farm auction Dec 3, that has a 394xp advertised. If you are interested in a big saw. Sale is by Schrader Realty.

 

[SawTroll]

0.6 lbs, holy shart? Only from you buddy:spam: :spam:

If you want to split hairs, it is closer to a full pound, in reallity - they both weight more than advertised, as do lots of other saws.....

Doesnt the 75cc 372 weigh 14.6lbs or more?

That is with full wrap handles, high air filter etc....

The low air filter is much preferable under normal conditions, it takes a long time to get anywhere like dirty.

 

[Woodie]

Another satisfied member of the 2171 Society!!!!!

Once you get past some people that have obvious brand loyalties ...

What'chew talkin' 'bout, Willis?

 

[huskydave]

wait until she is broken in! I own a 372xp the 2171's cousin and it is the perfect balance of power weight and price and is very reliable. The only problem is I can't seem to put mine down. The air filtration is amazing I cannot believe how clean the airbox stays it is a very well thought out system. Good cutting and stay safe oh and anyone that complains about the weight of a 372/2171 hasn't picked one up!

 

[SawTroll]

That must be why Husky had to redesign there 575................Or shall we say put it on a Diet..




.

Yes, and according to KWF the 575xp and the 441 weights the same, even though the Husky is advertised as heavier.......

 

[Woodie]

That must be why Husky had to redesign there 575................Or shall we say put it on a Diet..

Yes, and according to KWF the 575xp and the 441 weights the same, even though the Husky is advertised as heavier.......

And now it's going to be lighter...isn't that JUST like those engineers at Husqvarna to be one step ahead of the Stilh Boys... :hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[2000ssm6]

And now it's going to be lighter...isn't that JUST like those engineers at Husqvarna to be one step ahead of the Stilh Boys... :hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange:

It only takes them 2 times and may not even be right then

 

[ralphbsz]

+1 on "Thanks for good chainsaw advice"

For years now, I've been mostly cutting with a Stihl 026, with an Echo 3400 for little stuff and limbing. I've borrowed a neighbors Husky 372, and once used another friends Stihl 066. This year, I decided that with sudden-oak-death there are enough big trees to take down that I need a more substantial saw; mostly not for the felling (only one of them really needs the 36" bar), but mostly for bucking them into firewood.

After reading here for weeks, I ordered a Dolmar 7900 (my local dealers are a bit lacking, so I ordered it from one of the usual sponsors), and 28" and 36" bar and chain from Bailey's. For gasoline, the California 91 octane pump gas is so bad that I've recently changed to unleaded non-oxygenated racing gas (C10 from VP).

The 7900 and bar/chain showed up last week, and I went through two tanks bucking with it, both madrone and oak. It is AMAZINGLY fast. With a sharp chain, it is nearly impossible to bog down. I only used the 36" bar for about 1/4 of the work, is it is a bit heavy and unwieldy in steep terrain, but working with the 28" bar is a pleasure.

We unfortunately had to stop work, because the front axle on our truck broke halfway through (U joint shattered and jammed), so for a few days no more trees can be winched out of the forest.

Again, thanks for the assembled wisdom and advice. For an amateur like me, choosing the right chainsaw would be really hard, if I didn't read along here. And to that one has to add finding help on technique, repair and maintenance, just by using the search function.

 

[Woodie]

It only takes them 2 times and may not even be right then

If you have an older brother, I would say that would be the case with your parents, too.

 

[2000ssm6]

you sap sucker

If you have an older brother, I would say that would be the case with your parents, too.

I do have a older bro but he is not into saws He has run a few of mine and his brand would be a easy choice

Are you helping your bro build his 066? Two wrongs don't make a right, nevermind.

 

[PA Plumber]

I'll tell ya SawTroll, I have a mid sized limbing saw and started running the 441 all the time; felling, limbing, firewood cutting. When working with it a couple of times a week, got to where I didn't even notice the weight (Using the little 24" bar).

To be fair, I would say it would take a a few days of running any of the "arguably" best 70 cc saws to really determine if they fit the users wants/needs/comfort zone.

I can appreciate the numbers are a place to start since they are cut and dried, but actual user experience is what ultimately matters.

I still believe the 441 is a great saw. Maybe I am at the right elevation for it to really move wood chips, or maybe it likes how it is tuned for the work I ask it to do. Even had a professional feller (who runs Huskys) tell me he liked the saw and it didn't have a tank of fuel through it at the time.

 

[Woodie]

I still believe the 441 is a great saw. Maybe I am at the right elevation for it to really move wood chips, or maybe it likes how it is tuned for the work I ask it to do.

Or maybe you just have low standards...

 

[SawTroll]

....
I still believe the 441 is a great saw. Maybe I am at the right elevation for it to really move wood chips, or maybe it likes how it is tuned for the work I ask it to do. Even had a professional feller (who runs Huskys) tell me he liked the saw and it didn't have a tank of fuel through it at the time.

LOL - I am sure I would have liked the 441 as well, if I got one, but I went with the classic 372xpg. Weight and looks + that it has a strato engine spoke against the 441.

Edit;

The elevation is not a potensial problem here, most cutting is from 60 to a few hundred feet above sea level, the extreme being about 1000 (been there only once).