70-90cc saw recommendation please

395xp is hard to beat for a big saw. I run a 24, 32, and 42 on mine. The 24 basically only gets used for cutting big firewood as I end up with tons of 24 chains from our 562 and 572. Sharpen them on the grinder and have at the firewood. I tried running a 36 but didnt like it as much as the 32. Its much more awkward to get into the saw scabard on our bucket truck.

I used a buddy's 500i last week at a crane job. I was really impressed by it. If they end up reliable long term, I will be very tempted to buy one.
 
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If it were me I would switch to husky for anything over Stihl’s 462 / ‘4-series’. I have run a 660/661 a lot as well as an 880 and the husky equivalents are better. If I could swap my 880 for a 3120 I would.
 
Another vote for the 395. I've got two 394's and they do all our big saw stuff. One we run a 36" and the other a 28". They will pull and oil a 42 if need be.
The 66 family is great up to a 32" but fails to oil after that.
 
Stumpsprouts said:
If it were me I would switch to husky for anything over Stihl’s 462 / ‘4-series’. I have run a 660/661 a lot as well as an 880 and the husky equivalents are better. If I could swap my 880 for a 3120 I would.
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I agree. I had to do some major mods to my 880 to make it acceptable.
 
The 395 remains the saw to beat in the world of 80-90 cc saws. I can tell you from personal experience that neither the 500i or 661 will not come close to pulling a 36”- 42” bar with the authority that a 395 does..Plus it’s cheaper.
 
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Even loyalists are leery when it comes to new model offerings these days. For the money, the 395 is the best buy out there. Like Z’sTrees, I have its predecessor, the 394. Several of the companies I sub for run the 395 even if everything else they own is a Stihl. It’s a reliable and proven platform.
 
As far as 'new stuff,' in the last year I've bought a Stihl 261, Stihl 500i and Husky T540i and LOVED all of them. And this is coming from someone with plenty of old school saws: 200T, 046, 361, etc. I've got a new 400cm on order as we speak. While there may be a few legit reasons to avoid the new stuff, for most of us, it is great and you'd be foolish to skip it as far as I'm concerned.

That said, I think the sweet-spot for the 500i is a 28" bar and you absolutely want a bigger saw for 32" or larger. (Cutting firs in the PNW for reference) I have a 661cm with a 36" because we have no Husky dealers in my area and I've just never loved it. Maybe with a muffler mod, MaxFlow filter and maybe a port-job I'd be happy, but if I had a Husky dealer in the area I'd have gotten a 395 in a heartbeat.
 
Dan Cobb said:
Working solo without machinery (and being on the old side, and being about 155 lbs with my pockets full of sawdust), I avoid big wood.
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Get yourself an Arbor trolley with a set of frame extensions. You may end up leaving your wife for it. I tell some of my coworkers that I'd choose it over them when scheduling.

661 is a decent saw, but I'm another 395 vote, awesome saw. I also love the 390, especially in the air. In general terms, and this is coming from a huge battery nerd, there's no replacement for displacement.

Sent from my E6910 using Tapatalk
 
fall_risk said:
Get yourself an Arbor trolley with a set of frame extensions. You may end up leaving your wife for it. I tell some of my coworkers that I'd choose it over them when scheduling.

661 is a decent saw, but I'm another 395 vote, awesome saw. I also love the 390, especially in the air.

Sent from my E6910 using Tapatalk
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Where are these sold now? All I could find was the Notch version that's way heavier.
 
has anyone experienced the Farmertec like this job here:

87cc Chain Saw Power Head On Sale | Farmertec

87cc Holzfforma top quality gasoline chain saw power head suplied by Farmertec, all parts are high quality and fit Husqvarna 288 chainsaw. Used for medium to large-sized cuts, tree limbs and other similar projects.
www.farmertec.com www.farmertec.com

I hear these are the saws getting souped up by Just Send It. I wonder what they are like off the assembly line.
Not huge on knockoffs but it wouldn't take a lot for a $240 saw to earn it's keep. Feel like it could be a good piece to run an alaska mill on, a saw I am not too worried about.
 
27RMT0N said:
As far as 'new stuff,' in the last year I've bought a Stihl 261, Stihl 500i and Husky T540i and LOVED all of them. And this is coming from someone with plenty of old school saws: 200T, 046, 361, etc. I've got a new 400cm on order as we speak. While there may be a few legit reasons to avoid the new stuff, for most of us, it is great and you'd be foolish to skip it as far as I'm concerned.

That said, I think the sweet-spot for the 500i is a 28" bar and you absolutely want a bigger saw for 32" or larger. (Cutting firs in the PNW for reference) I have a 661cm with a 36" because we have no Husky dealers in my area and I've just never loved it. Maybe with a muffler mod, MaxFlow filter and maybe a port-job I'd be happy, but if I had a Husky dealer in the area I'd have gotten a 395 in a heartbeat.
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Muffler mod on a 661 makes a world of difference. I mostly cut very hard wood, maybe that is why and it oils well. But nothing I have come across turns it away with a 36" bar.
 
islandarb said:
Muffler mod on a 661 makes a world of difference. I mostly cut very hard wood, maybe that is why and it oils well. But nothing I have come across turns it away with a 36" bar.
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We have no problems with oil or power on a 36” bar with the 661 either, and we live in the land of hardwoods. Sure, some work can add power, but stock I have no complaints.
 
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