Buying Advice Need Second Stihl Commercial Chainsaw, Larger Than MS261

[motownbrowne]

FWIW I have an old (pre comp rel.) MS390...it's been worked hard for many years and is still strong and starts easy...I run a 20" bar but it will handle up to a 30"...
Logging is a big local business here...since ox teams were the norm...A lot of guys treat their saws like they were offspring...local repair shop is a master re-builder and very reasonably priced ...BTW...Our home sits on the very spot that was once a CCC saw mill...

That's a cool bit of history. Don't get me wrong, a 390 isn't a bad saw. I've never run its replacement, the 391, but I'm sure it'll get the job done too. FWIW, Stihl's specs list a 20" bar as the max for the 391. Obviously with a skip chain it'd manage a 25" in oak just fine.

The 461, though will still be better and faster. Worth the $500 price difference? I guess that depends. For me, if I had a 261 and a big saw, then I'd set the big saw up with a 20" bar (and a 32" for occasional use) and use it for anything over about 15". Like Rye Thomas, I'm spoiled now. I like fast saws. I don't drink, smoke, gamble, ride motorcycles, own a boat (well I have a canoe), or drive a fast car. For me, if I can spend a few extra bucks to have a saw that makes me grin, sign me up.

Here's my 036 (62cc) that just came back from New York. In the video it's pulling a 36" bar buried in oak. With a new piston and rings. It's picked up a little power since then. I'd run it against a stock 460/461 any day. Not sure I'd win, but it'd be close.

Ryan 036 wif da 36 - YouTube

 

[arrow]

Not trying to be negative...would just like to understand the rationale...Other than the "Tool Man syndrome"...
Why buy a commercial duty saw (meant to be used all day every day) to do a limited amount of work?

A valid point for what the op is confronting. This can be considered an occasional cut. It may serve him just as well to save a ton of money, go to the box store and get a Husq 460 w/ a 24" bar. Slow? sure. Will it do the job? most definitely. Would it be my choice? Nope. I cut my teeth on production so as others, I'm spoiled. This is not that. The other option is to sell the 461 as he's done with it. The Husq he can keep till the cows come home as a cheap enough investment serving up a longer bar if ever needed.

Personally, I feel fortunate to have never been loyal to any saw. Just couldn't afford that luxury. The larger Echos seem like a nice saw for cheaper money. ECHO CS-68 66.8cc Professional Use Chain Saw - ECHO USA | ECHO USA

 

[jeff9366]

The sole dedicated chainsaw franchise in my area is Stihl. Store has been a family business for many years, although recently passed to new family ownership due to the retirement of previous owner.

I do not have time for saw chain sharpening nor chainsaw adjustments and/or repairs. I need a pro I can count on to do the work properly.

 

[JimRB]

I thought I had a current price sheet. Maybe not but here is an interesting price sheet with weights.

 

[arrow]

The sole dedicated chainsaw franchise in my area is Stihl. Store has been a family business for many years, although recently passed to new family ownership due to the retirement of previous owner.

I do not have time for saw chain sharpening nor chainsaw adjustments and/or repairs. I need a pro I can count on to do the work properly.

I as well. I simply needed a running chainsaw or two logging professionally. But a quintessential piece to chainsaw owning is being able to sharpen a saw chain and get them running properly by turning a couple screws. As a retired person, you state your time is yours. It is time essentially spent in my mind. But hey, it's your money.

 

[Deere Dude]

I was looking at the Stihl 362 with Mtronic carb. The older lifelong Stihl dealer in a forestry area kind of steered me away from them because of the electronic stuff. He said if a man has one and it works good, then great. But if a guy has one and has trouble with it, the troubles seem to never end. He said just because it is the latest, doesn't necessarily mean it is the best for me.

He would have gladly ordered anything I wanted but he confided in me that old style carbs were more reliable...for a homeowner

Check out Arborist.com forum. Anything you want to know about saws, they seem to know.

You can purchase a 362 without the Mtronic carb...surprised an older lifelong Stihl dealer didn't point that out to you. He probably didn't have one in stock to sell at the time.

He didn't have either one in stock, just little ones and 440 and 660 types. I was looking at the Mtronic type and he firmly hinted to shy away from them because of problems he came across and heard of. But then those problems may have been from 2 years before and maybe they are all good now.

On some chainsaw forums there are many people who love them, but then there are quite a number that have ongoing problems with them. Putting computerized anything in a chainsaw, what could go wrong with that? For me, buying an expensive saw I didn't really need, I didn't want to take a chance of getting a dud especially after knowing this.

 

[jeff9366]

I as well. I simply needed a running chainsaw or two logging professionally. But a quintessential piece to chainsaw owning is being able to sharpen a saw chain and get them running properly by turning a couple screws. As a retired person, you state your time is yours. It is time essentially spent in my mind. But hey, it's your money.

I can tighten a saw chain.

I keep 12-15 RS chains for my MS 261. When I am down to 3-4 sharp chains in inventory, the dull saw chains go to Stihl for overnight or two day sharpening @ $5.00.

I use my MS 261 several days each week. It lives in the bed of my RTV500 utility/scout/planning vehicle.

 

[goeduck]

I can tighten a saw chain.

I keep 12-15 RS chains for my MS 261. When I am down to 3-4 sharp chains in inventory, the dull saw chains go to Stihl for overnight or two day sharpening @ $5.00.

Nothing wrong with that plan.

 

[Omega Woods]

Not trying to be negative...would just like to understand the rationale...Other than the "Tool Man syndrome"...
Why buy a commercial duty saw (meant to be used all day every day) to do a limited amount of work?

Because I heat with wood and have a quarter mile driveway that frequently has trees across it. When I tug that starter rope, it HAS to fire up and go. Cheap saw is $400, pro saw is $1000 (or a little less). I pay 1500 per year to my insurance company for effectively nothing but peace of mind. Paying up an additional $600 for so vital a piece of equipment seems a wise investment.

Finally, I plan to keep my saw until my death, some 50 years from now. A pro Stihl will likely last that long, a consumer grade anything will not.

 

[4570Man]

How many people advising against a pro saw actually have one? You can keep your farm boss and I’ll keep my 372. And I’ll cut 5 times much wood in a day.

 

[mike69440]

Because I heat with wood and have a quarter mile driveway that frequently has trees across it. When I tug that starter rope, it HAS to fire up and go. Cheap saw is $400, pro saw is $1000 (or a little less). I pay 1500 per year to my insurance company for effectively nothing but peace of mind. Paying up an additional $600 for so vital a piece of equipment seems a wise investment.

Finally, I plan to keep my saw until my death, some 50 years from now. A pro Stihl will likely last that long, a consumer grade anything will not.

Great Thread! That Stihl Commercial Chainsaw, MS-462 is quite a saw at under 14 lbs and all of 6 HP.

I regret not getting the Husky XP372 and again going cheap with a Rancher. Many years ago I had a small Pro 50cc Husky with 16" Bar. People used to laugh at it till they say what I could do with it. It had very fast chain speed. It lasted +20 years. I've been thru 4 "homeoner/ farmer" saws since.

 

[LD1]

How many people advising against a pro saw actually have one? You can keep your farm boss and I’ll keep my 372. And I’ll cut 5 times much wood in a day.

Agreed.

Dont have to be a "pro" to use a pro saw.

They are just built better, more power, less weight, longer lasting.

Thats alot of benefit weather you are a weekend warrior or a "pro"

 

[s219]

To me one of the biggest benefits of the pro saws is power/weight. The 261 is a good example -- it was lighter and less cc, but easily out-cut bigger heavier consumer saws (ie, Farm Boss) in the Stihl lineup. Pay a little extra for the 261 and you'd have a saw that was a lot nicer to use day in and day out. I've been using saws a long time, sometimes for 6-8 hours a day, and when you can save weight and get more power from smaller cc, that translates into a lot less fatigue during use. Makes it easy to justify the cost increase because you will realize the benefit over hundreds of hours of use.

 

[/pine]

...And I値l cut 5 times much wood in a day.

No it just seems like it...

 

[rScotty]

Agreed.

Dont have to be a "pro" to use a pro saw.

They are just built better, more power, less weight, longer lasting.

Thats alot of benefit weather you are a weekend warrior or a "pro"

I think that is true of any tool that you use a lot. That's when to get the best.
rScotty

 

[crazyal]

I have a Husky 357XP that I used for years with a 20" bar and really like the saw. The internet says 12lbs and 4.4hp. I was always worried about getting a larger saw and hating the extra weight/ bulk when I'm deep in the woods trying to selectively pick the trees that aren't healthy for firewood. I few years ago I stepped up and got a new Dolmar 7900. It's 13.6lbs 6.3hp. I don't know Stihl models but I think you can do the cross reference. I really do notice the extra weight of the Dolmar and with it's 24" bar the extra bulk is also there. Being 20 years younger I suspect that at 70 I may feel differently but what I can say is the extra weight is offset but how much easier the cutting is. My plan was, like you are thinking, to just break out the 7900 when the 357xp just is too small. That's not the case. The 7900 cuts so fast and once the saw is on the log the weight and bulk aren't an issue. I usually just use the 7900 now. The longer bar means not bending over to limb (my back thanks me).

My advice is probably like most here, step up far enough in HP to notice it, I think the 70cc to 80cc class of saw is a nice place to be for most people who are looking for lots of power but not a monster. If they are testing the 462 up in Alaska it sounds like it's probably going through the EPA right now. That could mean days or a year before they get approval.

 

[4570Man]

Where can you buy a 6.5 hp 7900? The biggest new dolmar saw I can find is 5.7 hp. Has the epa ruined them that bad?

 

[motownbrowne]

Where can you buy a 6.5 hp 7900? The biggest new dolmar saw I can find is 5.7 hp. Has the epa ruined them that bad?

IIRC, the 7910 is pretty much the same saw. I think the piston is actually a little lighter, which is a good thing. My memory is that they really stuffed up the muffler, which is why the HP rating is so low. Also, they lowered the max RPM with the new coil. Both of those are fairly easy fixes. So, no, you can't walk into a dealership and buy a 6+ HP dollar, but if you want, you can make one pretty easily.

 

[4570Man]

So claiming a 7910 is significantly more powerful than a 372XP is false. I’m betting Husqvarna isn’t immune to the EPA either and you could get more power out of it.

 

[motownbrowne]

So claiming a 7910 is significantly more powerful than a 372XP is false. I’m betting Husqvarna isn’t immune to the EPA either and you could get more power out of it.

I'm not sure if anyone claimed the new 7910 is more powerful. It is more powerful at 5.7 vs 5.3 HP, but not by that much. Seriously, those are both great saws. I know the 372 has gone through several versions as well, OE, XT, XPW, etc. With different power ratings and attitudes. I'd be happy to own either one. Well... I mean I'd be happy to also own a 372. My 7900 with a full wrap is an excellent saw. It starts easy, is super smooth, pulls a 28" bar buried very well, and I paid $450 for it used. Zero complaints about that one.