When is a 660 or 395XP size saw needed?

[twistedtree]

How big a tree for bucking or felling do you cut before you reach for one of these larger saws? I'm in the northeast, and deal mostly with mixed hardwoods. I've got a 262XP and am debating a longer bar (24" or maybe 28"), versus a larger saw. Around here a 24" log is pretty big, so that's likely the max for bucking, but then I have the stumps to deal with.

When do you use a larger saw instead of a 440/460 class saw?

 

[Lawn Masters]

I'd say when it reaches the 34+ inch range is when the 395/660 is needed. those are the bars that arent ideal for the 460, so you'd need a bigger engine to pull em. more power is always a good thing in the woods.

 

[twistedtree]

more power is always a good thing in the woods.

I'm sold on more power, it's this darn gravity thing that troubles me.

 

[Wolfcsm]

I have both a 24" and a 36" bar for my 066. Use it a lot for droping trees that are over 24". Also, I use it to cut up rounds that are too heavy for me to get on the splitter. Plus it is just plain fun to cut with that big saw.

Hal

 

[Sylvatica]

The 262XP was a great saw. I still have two running, one 18" one 20".
Don't beat on yours by cutting that hard Vermont sugar bush with a 24" bar.

You would probably appreciate an MS460 with a 25" bar (or 28" if you need it) rather than committing to lugging the MS660 size saw around.

But for big stump cuts on hard maple, the extra cc's are helpful.

 

[twistedtree]

There's a difference between the 262XP and a MS460, but not enough for me to justify having both, and the 262 still works great. If I get something bigger, it needs to be enough bigger to be a distinctly different saw. I thought about getting a 372XP while they are still around, but decided not to for the same reason.

 

[Simonizer]

Doug McDonald cut down a tree last week with a modified 385XP. 3.5 m in diameter 1 m up from base. For the Americans on the board, this is about 36 ft in circumference. It took Doug 1/2 hour and a full tank of gas. He is one of the 100+ fallers using my 385XP's.

 

[JimL]

Anything over 20" i miss using my 066 with 28" everyday.


after using it all the time then going to a 361 is makes ya miss it..

 

[Ryan Willock]

we don't reach for the 66 until the timber is consistantly over 30''. I run a 24'' and a 36'' bar on it. Mostly just use the 36''. I run a 24'' on my 460 and my 372. The 372 is a little under powered with it but it beats bending over to limb. It does pull it just fine in pine and poplar though.