Which to sell: Husky 359 or Stihl MS361

[sachsmo]

Money is the object eh? Sell the 361, You will get $450-$550 from it and would do good to get $300 from the 359. Spend $40 bucks on a non-cat muff for it and you will be bucks ahead. My 359 has a big ole straight pipe comin' out the front (non cat) and will eat any stock 361 for lunch!

 

[2000ssm6]

The 361 will fetch more $$$. I'd sell the 359...

 

[SawTroll]

The 361 will fetch more $$$. I'd sell the 359...

Surely - the 341 is the Stihl to compare to the 359, not the 361!

 

[andrethegiant70]

It would help to know what kind of wood you cut. If money is really that tight, I'd be trying to figure out which of the three to keep. Sounds like the 361 is your saw for all seasons. That 460 will fetch a nice chunk of change.

 

[jeepinmatt]

As always, lots of good advice here.

The advice to sell the 361 and 046 really got me thinking. Doing a quick search of completed listings on ebay, here's what I saw:
Husky 359: $250-350
Stihl MS361: $325-575
Stihl 046 Mag: $450-750

All of my saws are in fantastic mechanical condition, but they don't look as good as they work. The plastic is all free of cracks and dents, but it just doesn't look fresh and shiny.
Judging by that, I could probably get:
Husky 359: $300-350
Stihl MS361: $$450ish
Stihl 046 Mag: $500ish

Is there a good way to make it shine like new? I'm sure there's a thread somewhere about this topic, but I haven't seen it yet.

I've got 18 acres, all wooded, and I'm slowly clearing it as I see fit. There are about 10 acres of pine in the 10-20" range, and 8 acres of hardwoods in the 12-25" range. I don't plan on cutting any of the hardwoods unless they die and need to become firewood. I have been and will be cutting a lot of pine in the 12-16" range. Obviously the 046 makes quick work of it, but I could certainly get by with the 361 or even the 028 Super. I have some 25-30" black walnut and red oak trunks that I plan to make benches/tables/stuff out of, so I could really use the extra umph of the 046 when I'm cutting them lengthwise.

The biggest thing that's keeping me from selling the 046 is sentimental attachment. It was the first saw I ever bought, and it's what I've used to clear my roads and house site.

If I were to sell the 046, I assume the MS361 would be better suited to pulling a 25" bar and 3/8" chain when compared to the Husky 359?

Here's a nice pic of me and my 046 after finding this rotten oak in the woods and cutting it open to discover some really nice wood still in it:

 

[nmurph]

here's an idea: sell the 460 and 359. keep the 361 and get it ported for about $250. a ported 60cc saw will do anything you need.

 

[jeepinmatt]

here's an idea: sell the 460 and 359. keep the 361 and get it ported for about $250. a ported 60cc saw will do anything you need.

Thats a good thought, but I would probably port it myself. I've never ported anything, but I've got a Jonsered 2050 I could practice on. I've got plenty of tools and a lot of mechanical aptitude.

Are there any good threads on how to do a woods port?

 

[blsnelling]

Sell the 361 and 460, and get the 359 ported. The strongest 60cc saws I've done was a 359. They're a super strong runner ported.

 

[nmurph]

Sell the 361 and 460, and get the 359 ported. The strongest 60cc saws I've done was a 359. They're a super strong runner ported.

i knew you had mentioned that bf, but is it a big difference? the weight difference still exist and with using one saw for everything, i might give up a little power in exchange for a more nimble saw.

matt, brad can give you much better advice than i, but most saws benefit a good deal with a basic woods port. widen the ports, lower the squish and mod the muff. it sounds like you might be up to this.

 

[SawTroll]

......
If I were to sell the 046, I assume the MS361 would be better suited to pulling a 25" bar and 3/8" chain when compared to the Husky 359?

.....

Sure it would be better suited (if they are left stock), but you will need to use skip chain.

A ported saw always changes the picture......

 

[blsnelling]

i knew you had mentioned that bf, but is it a big difference?

Ask Sean, aka Outdoorlivin247 I sold it to him. I'm doing the 346 and 440/460 combo myself. But a ported 359 is the most bang for the buck.

 

[little possum]

Matts 046 is definitely not beat up.

I think you could handle a woods port.

Arrowhead had a good thread on cleaning up Stihl Plastics.
link- http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=128252

Seems like a hard descision, but I cant see having 2 60cc saws and a 70cc. Not with the weight difference. Id sell the 359 and 361

If JT78 was coming to the GTG I would suggest coming up and running it against your stocker. But he is not going to be able to make it.

 

[PLAYINWOOD]

Sell the 361 and 460, and get the 359 ported. The strongest 60cc saws I've done was a 359. They're a super strong runner ported.

Brad you seem to leaning away from Stihls as you do more porting,as others have.
I seem to remember you as an avid Stihl guy until a 346 changed your mind.


I agree with lot of what you say but I have a 361 that will stomp my 2 359/2159 I have and any 359/357/358 I have ever seen.
Most of what I have seen are from one builder so it could be biased. I doubt it, but possible.

Anywho, Stihl only makes 3 class leading saws 200T,361 and a 880, and the 361 is one hot runner if you know where to find it.

 

[PLAYINWOOD]

Ask Sean, aka Outdoorlivin247 I sold it to him. I'm doing the 346 and 440/460 combo myself. But a ported 359 is the most bang for the buck.

Back in the day, 03/04 Gypo Ed Heard and countless others would purchase 359 on Ebay for $250 and Ed would port them.The secret was in the transfers.No machine work needed on pistons or other nonsense.Dollar for dollar they are about the best still today.
They would have $450 saws that would outwork any stock 440,372 or 460 on the planet.
I think they flogged a whole wack of them
Timberwolf did a few I saw at gtg's and they were also runners.


My only druthers are an outboard clutch, I prefer inboard

 

[7sleeper]

As I mentioned Stihl bring irrationally more money than other brands, hence my recommondation. Sounds like you have a nice piece of land you live on. Hope for you that you can keep it! I was thinking about the mods Brad is famous for and remembered his recommondations. If he says the 359 is a good saw then I would seriously consider it.

Hope you find a solution!

7

 

[sprung22]

if you have an 046, i would sell them both and look for a used 346......the 359 will bring more like $275-300. you are pretty close on the 361 value and you might be able to find someone on the trading post that would be willing swap a 346NE for your 361. i would def prefer a 361 to a 359, though a 359 with a MM is a respectable saw and will cut with a 361. it's still heavier than a 361.

+ 1 or just run the 046 and sell both.

 

[sbhooper]

There are lots of ways to look at it, but it makes sense to keep two similar saws. The 359 will bring less money, but I think you will be happier keeping the two Stihls.

 

[mdavlee]

If you have a 2050 jonsered for the small stuff I would sell the 359 and 361 and keep the 046.

 

[Farmertim]

:agree2:--makes sense to me

Tim

 

[SawTroll]

...
Anywho, Stihl only makes 3 class leading saws 200T,361 and a 880, and the 361 is one hot runner if you know where to find it.

:agree2: basically, with the possible exception of the 200T......

Regarding comparisons of ported saws, I have read a lot of those in the past. The results seem to vary with a lot of factors, including who made the mods, and when + the ambition level with the mods. In addition, some will hit the "sweet spot" on one model, and maybe not on all others.....opcorn:opcorn:opcorn:

This is just a general observation, not directed at anyone in particular.