Need opinion on what big saw to buy.

@David Scigliano; David, you are rolling. Nice job, bigger than anything I've ever done, for sure. I don't know what voltages you were dealing with in this instance, but I've read about some instances of climbers getting hit when in the tree. Obviously, one needs to be extremely careful around this stuff. "Approach boundries" is a phrase that gets used a lot. This kind of work should be done during really dry conditions, in my opinion.

You didn't kill yourself, so you must have taken some measures to protect yourself.

Again, nice job. You are a serious player.

Tim
 
Tim they were 7000 volt lines. I will usually call the power company and see if they will drop the line for me if it's to close. Anything closer than 10ft the power company is liable for and I won't usually touch it. Did one 2 years ago where the line was woven through the tree branch and me being stupid climbed up cut the top out down close to the line and used a pole to push the line out of the tree and finish taking the tree down. Not very smart. Lucky I didn't get nailed. The Lord sure has been good to me, Keeping me from harm when I'm being stupid. I love tree work and am praying I have many safe years in the buisness.
 
I don't know about the 390 but I know the 395 is a beast of a saw! That is what I'm holding in the pic above. Has a 42" bar with full comp chain. Set it on your log and pull the trigger and go. Lots of torque. Heavy bugger though. If it's in good condition I'd get it with no hesitation. Of course I'm a Stihl guy so I say get a 066/661 instead but that's just me. :-) I almost bought a husky 3120 a few weeks ago for 800 though.
 
I really don't understand why the 395 is in the lineup... the 390 is way more reliable and is only 5 cc's smaller which results in only .5 hp less. I run an Oregon 36" lightweight bar and full skip semi-chisel Stihl chain on it. The weight savings is worth the minor loss in power and no screws wind themselves out like on the 395...


Reed Wortley
CA# SO-6953A
CTSP# 01739
 
Worthaug said:
and no screws wind themselves out like on the 395.
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Speaking of, one of those long bolts that goes THRU the oil tank on our 395 walked itself out the other week while I had it up in the bucket. Didn't even realize it until much later, so now my right pant leg and boot are fully waterproofed. Joys.

Seriously, who designs a bolt to pass thru an oil tank??? I hate engineers.
 
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Worthaug. I am not very familiar with most husky saws. I have very limited knowledge on the 350, 455, 362, 272, and 395 having only run those husky saws. Very glad to know about the 390. I always like to get info on different saws. Like working on them to. Back when I first got interested I picked up almost anything that I could find. Unfortunately I didn't make the best decisions in which models to get and have more in the saws than they are worth :-( oh well live and learn.
 
TimBr said:
@evo; Why the regrets? Not enough power for the size of wood you normally have to deal with? Or some other performance or maintenance aspect?

Thanks in advance for any answers you choose to give.

Tim
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I'm not speaking for Evo, this is just me and I know I'm randomly reviving this, but I know your always into reading opinions.
The 362 size saw is kinda lame. It's kinda big for cutting small stuff and kinda under powered to be cutting bit stuff. It's like whenever I need to cut wood that's bigger than wood for a 550xp or like Stihl 026 kinda size, i almost just want something bigger than a 362.
I also kinda hate switching bars on a job tho. If I had my own production crew hammering out work, I'd outfit em with too handles, a small/ midrange saw (550xp), then a 372xp with a 22" bar and a 440 or 461 with 28"+.
Light saws for small stuff is sooo nice. As great as is in, I think in a production work sense the 362 is a somewhat silly size
 
CutHighnLetFly said:
I'm not speaking for Evo, this is just me and I know I'm randomly reviving this, but I know your always into reading opinions.
The 362 size saw is kinda lame. It's kinda big for cutting small stuff and kinda under powered to be cutting bit stuff. It's like whenever I need to cut wood that's bigger than wood for a 550xp or like Stihl 026 kinda size, i almost just want something bigger than a 362.
I also kinda hate switching bars on a job tho. If I had my own production crew hammering out work, I'd outfit em with too handles, a small/ midrange saw (550xp), then a 372xp with a 22" bar and a 440 or 461 with 28"+.
Light saws for small stuff is sooo nice. As great as is in, I think in a production work sense the 362 is a somewhat silly size
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I'll second that, I run a t540 14", then to the 550 20". Love that 550, it blocks down almost all the removals here. Then I got to a 576 w/ 28" for felling and every once in a while in the tree. Go to a 36" on a 394/661 from there. I find the 6-8" bar length to be a good step up.
I think I could get a 562 24" for what the 550/576 duo does though...
 
Z'sTrees said:
I'll second that, I run a t540 14", then to the 550 20". Love that 550, it blocks down almost all the removals here. Then I got to a 576 w/ 28" for felling and every once in a while in the tree. Go to a 36" on a 394/661 from there. I find the 6-8" bar length to be a good step up.
I think I could get a 562 24" for what the 550/576 duo does though...
Click to expand...

24" bar lives on my 562, my favorite saw in the lineup!!!


Reed Wortley
CA# SO-6953A
CTSP# 01739
 
CutHighnLetFly said:
I'm not speaking for Evo, this is just me and I know I'm randomly reviving this, but I know your always into reading opinions.
The 362 size saw is kinda lame. It's kinda big for cutting small stuff and kinda under powered to be cutting bit stuff. It's like whenever I need to cut wood that's bigger than wood for a 550xp or like Stihl 026 kinda size, i almost just want something bigger than a 362.
I also kinda hate switching bars on a job tho. If I had my own production crew hammering out work, I'd outfit em with too handles, a small/ midrange saw (550xp), then a 372xp with a 22" bar and a 440 or 461 with 28"+.
Light saws for small stuff is sooo nice. As great as is in, I think in a production work sense the 362 is a somewhat silly size
Click to expand...
I guess I never got back to this... These are very close to my thoughts. I started out working on crews where the 044 was the go to saw, and 020's/200's for top handles. If there was a 3rd saw in the mix it was always greater than a 044/440/441.
I was just trying to save a buck, and listen to the wiser ones that a 361 is a good starter saw.
Its a good saw, but an odd in between size for the trees we have here. I still use it, and it has grown on me.
My line up is 150, an old 020 (16"), 361 (20"), and a 440 (28").
Blocking down wood, I will call for the 361 if I know that I wont need to double cut till my feet hit the ground. Otherwise it's not worth yarding up the tree for the extra 4" of bar. I do have a 25" bar for it, but then it's just a slightly lighter under powered 440....

On the ground I have to bend over much less with a 28" bar... Also worth noting I'm in conifer PNW land, and run skip chains...
 
I'm running 200T, 201tc, 036pro (24), 440(24), and 066 (28 or 36). I want a 261tc (18) and another med sized saw with 2o'' bar. Maybe a 361, or something similar for fast cutting ground duty. Have an old 029 farm boss that I paid $50 for. Cuts kinda slow though. Had an antique manual oiler Homelite xl12 that grew legs .....
 
A few more options could be Husqvarna 555, Jonsered 2258, with 18, 20, 24 bars. Both are great saws, I own both for 2-3 years now.

Powerful, agile, good on fuel and about $100 cheaper than their big brothers 562, 2260.

If you need more displacement, the Stihl 461 is an impressive saw also, been running mine for 3 plus years, stock it's a runner with a 28inch Stihl lightweight bar.
 
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