What saw would YOU buy for stumping with a 36" bar?

[blsnelling]

The anti-vibration capacity of the 395 is a light year ahead of the 660. The carburetor is completely vibration-isolated and that helps with longevity.
I sold my 660 and 066 and now I have a 394 and a 395.

I've never worked on a 395, so I'm glad to hear all the positives about it. For some reason, I've never considered it before, and haven't paid a lot of attention to it. Honestly, I don't know what else I'd consider besides a new MS660 of 395XP.

 

[Anthony_Va.]

I would wait for the 661 man. You have enough saws to get you by until it comes out. Should be in the next year or two hopefully.

If you can't wait, buy a new 660. I'd take the 660 over the 395 any day but that JMO. I don't know which one is the better saw for anyone else, but me, I just can't handle one like I can a 660. They feel 30 pounds to me. Very cumbersome saw IMO, and the power difference is pretty much made up with a DP and muff mod.

 

[gsg]

Then let me be more specific. I'm looking for a 90-100cc chainsaw, nothing bigger.

I would say 395 then, had one of them and a few 660's/066's and the 395 is faster and stronger and mine rev'ed quite quick I thought and av is better. But I have never run either ported.

 

[mikefunaro]

I would wait for the 661 man. You have enough saws to get you by until it comes out. Should be in the next year or two hopefully.

If you can't wait, buy a new 660. I'd take the 660 over the 395 any day but that JMO. I don't know which one is the better saw for anyone else, but me, I just can't handle one like I can a 660. They feel 30 pounds to me. Very cumbersome saw IMO, and the power difference is pretty much made up with a DP and muff mod.

Seems like it could be a lot more than the next year or two. That's what we heard about the MS 461 2+ years ago and I still haven't seen anything. The "curfew" for the old saws was nowhere near as strict as it was originally made out to be. With all of the 4-mix equipment Stihl has been selling all over the place, (so much so that they were even able to bring back several loads of 440s), I can't imagine they feel any pressure to get the 661 out any faster. The sales numbers on them have to be tiny compared to the other saws.

What I will say though, is that the rumor was that even the MS 461 had rubber mounts. In my book this is a bad thing. What keeps me away from a lot of the stihl pro saws when I'm shopping used on CL and various outlets is their AV. While I'm not going to get raynauds or whitefinger disease from my limited use, once you start using something like a 576, there is no comparison, and it's tough to go back.

 

[Jacob J.]

The 066/660 are fine saws and there's certainly nothing wrong with them. I bought my first 066 in 1992 and ran it steadily until 1998. I also ran 288s during that time
along with other assorted saws. What finally sold me on the big Huskies is the anti-vibration. When you get old, and you're running saws 6-7 hours a day, 5-6 days a
week, the vibration really starts to kill you. Your hands ache all the time and it affects your energy levels and overall sense of well-being. It affects how well you sleep
at night. You start taking Ibuprofen or Acetaminophen all the time and that becomes a problem for your body. So that's why I run the big Huskies now.

 

[blsnelling]

Anyone have accurate weight differences between the MS660 and 395XP?

 

[blsnelling]

Factory specs are:

MS660 - 16.5#
395XP - 17.4#

 

[StihlyinEly]

I may be selling my 066BB to help a local tree guy out of a pinch. What would you replace it with? It must be greater than 90cc, or don't recommend it. I have that covered already. I'm really wishing the MS661 was available, or there was a modern replacement for the 395XP.

084/088. Grunt rules when stumping. Old school rules among the middle aged.

Then let me be more specific. I'm looking for a 90-100cc chainsaw, nothing bigger.

Then why didn't you say so in your OP?

 

[Anthony_Va.]

Seems like it could be a lot more than the next year or two. That's what we heard about the MS 461 2+ years ago and I still haven't seen anything. The "curfew" for the old saws was nowhere near as strict as it was originally made out to be. With all of the 4-mix equipment Stihl has been selling all over the place, (so much so that they were even able to bring back several loads of 440s), I can't imagine they feel any pressure to get the 661 out any faster. The sales numbers on them have to be tiny compared to the other saws.

What I will say though, is that the rumor was that even the MS 461 had rubber mounts. In my book this is a bad thing. What keeps me away from a lot of the stihl pro saws when I'm shopping used on CL and various outlets is their AV. While I'm not going to get raynauds or whitefinger disease from my limited use, once you start using something like a 576, there is no comparison, and it's tough to go back.

Yea I have been waiting on the 461 myself, but I don't know if it'll ever come out. I have the xpw so I'm really in no rush. If it's going to have rubber AV then I think I'll pass on it too. Surely they arent that dumb, but ya never know I guess. Rubber AV needs to be left in the past where it belongs IMO. But, if the 461 has spring AV and m-tronic then I'm all over it.

The 066/660 are fine saws and there's certainly nothing wrong with them. I bought my first 066 in 1992 and ran it steadily until 1998. I also ran 288s during that time
along with other assorted saws. What finally sold me on the big Huskies is the anti-vibration. When you get old, and you're running saws 6-7 hours a day, 5-6 days a
week, the vibration really starts to kill you. Your hands ache all the time and it affects your energy levels and overall sense of well-being. It affects how well you sleep
at night. You start taking Ibuprofen or Acetaminophen all the time and that becomes a problem for your body. So that's why I run the big Huskies now.

Yea I';m starting to get bad hands already at 32yrs old. It's a combo of running saws most of my working life, plus building fence thats about to do mine in,. I do appreciate the Husky's spring AV and it's the reason why my 372 gets 90% of my work done. I do hope that Stihl will stick with the Spring AV thats been on some of their newer model saws.
The worse part is when the alarm clock rings in the morn and you can't even feel the snooze button with your numb fingers.

 

[blsnelling]

Yea I have been waiting on the 461 myself, but I don't know if it'll ever come out. I have the xpw so I'm really in no rush. If it's going to have rubber AV then I think I'll pass on it too. Surely they arent that dumb, but ya never know I guess. Rubber AV needs to be left in the past where it belongs IMO. But, if the 461 has spring AV and m-tronic then I'm all over it.



Yea I';m starting to get bad hands already at 32yrs old. It's a combo of running saws most of my working life, plus building fence thats about to do mine in,. I do appreciate the Husky's spring AV and it's the reason why my 372 gets 90% of my work done. I do hope that Stihl will stick with the Spring AV thats been on some of their newer model saws.

The MS661 prototypes are out there, but so have been the MS461s for a couple years now. Reports are that the 661 has spring AV and M-Tronic, IIRC. This thread wouldn't even be here if I could get one.

 

[Tzed250]

Buy both.

Mod both.



Keep the best...

 

[Anthony_Va.]

The MS661 prototypes are out there, but so have been the MS461s for a couple years now. Reports are that the 661 has spring AV and M-Tronic, IIRC. This thread wouldn't even be here if I could get one.

My 660 will be headed to a new owner too if what you say about the 661 proves true. Man, I bet that would be a badboy. As long as they keep the good handling and good PTW.

 

[booger1286]

I say 395 , i just think it is laid out better and much better performer in every way except for weight than the 660.

Between my 390 and 395 i never use my 660.

 

[fearofpavement]

Too big, and too heavy, for what I'm looking for. Unless you guys can come up with another suggestion, I'm thinking new M660 for 395XP.

Too big and heavy to cut stumps???

Or do you have another use in mind? It's not like you're going to be swinging over your head.

When someone says "stumping" I am thinking of flush sawing stumps of already felled trees prior to grinding them to save grinding time. Are you referring to something else?

 

[StihlyinEly]

Too big and heavy to cut stumps???

Or do you have another use in mind? It's not like you're going to be swinging over your head.

When someone says "stumping" I am thinking of flush sawing stumps of already felled trees prior to grinding them to save grinding time. Are you referring to something else?

Right on.

 

[blsnelling]

I do have a newish 390XP, but it's getting a 2-piece head and a pipe

 

[StihlyinEly]

I just decided to read through this whole thread instead of just responding to the original post. Since Brad already has the ideal big stumping saw in the 084, there was no point to my comments. Carry on.

 

[blsnelling]

Guess I should have titled this thread differently huh? I'm only considering 90-100cc saws.

 

[StihlyinEly]

Guess I should have titled this thread differently huh? I'm only considering 90-100cc saws.

We're all works in progress.

 

[PEKS]

It looks like you have tested, worked on, used and /or owned most saws..
My experience with other saws is more limited..
I would recommend a 660 w/36" Bar, it works great for me, go with what you know..