Husq 592 xp or other? 36" bar in oak and ash

[FlyFishn]

All,

I'm doing some digging on saws and have a question on cutting bigger trees - including oak and ash. In the midwest here needing more than a 36" bar is a rare thing. Our crew took out a 64" trunk diameter tree last week that was a real odd-ball. I am not sure what variety, I didn't cut on it. The other trees we worked on seemed pretty soft to me.

My saw is a Husq 455 with a 24" bar and skip chain. On cutting down some of the trunks I had to cut from both sides. I am guessing some of them were in the 30" range. For as much as I do that, the saw I have does the job, but it is under powered.

What I would like to do is get a heavier saw that will have the power to get through wood a 36" bar can cut with decent power. On the rare occasion I'd like to get a bigger bar on there if the need arises, but in that situation I would probably have a bigger saw - stihl 661 most likely - to handle it. Its just with one saw and several trees being worked on at the same time trying to use one saw for everything slows things down when it happens.

Is a saw like the Husq 592 xp up to the task? The recommended max bar is 36". So that meets the main criteria I'm looking for. Other than slowing down with dragging a longer chain through more wood and quicker clutch wear maybe - is there anything else to really be concerned with?

I'm thinking if I double up with a smaller lighter saw with a 14" or so bar then the one bigger heavier saw I can cover all my bases. I'm not a fan of swinging the 455 all day on limbs when I don't need it, but then it falls short on most of the bigger stuff.

[Stubby]

I think the 592 would be up to the task . I have an older 395 that runs a 36" .404 full skip ok . ( ported by Crocky by the way ) 

Edited March 25 by Stubby

[Botty Cough]

Well having had a big husky years ago it was ok.

I replaced it with a sthil 660 and that's better.

I find the big huskys are a bit meh..

Mid range saws are husky for me but for big cuts I prefer my 66 as it's just better all-round.

It's a darn site easier to start than the husky too.

[waterbuoy]

48 minutes ago, FlyFishn said:

What I would like to do is get a heavier saw that will have the power to get through wood a 36" bar can cut with decent power. On the rare occasion I'd like to get a bigger bar on there if the need arises, but in that situation I would probably have a bigger saw - stihl 661 most likely - to handle it. Its just with one saw and several trees being worked on at the same time trying to use one saw for everything slows things down when it happens.
 

 

I may have misinterpreted your post, but are the 661 and the 592 not effectively the same size - ie c.90cc?

 

I run my 066 with three bars for cross-cutting - 20, 28 and 36", of which the 28 is by far my favourite as the saw feels so much more balanced than with the other two.  It runs the 36" OK with a full chain on it, though it is mainly softwood and poplar at that size of trunk round here.  However, as soon as it is down to within range for the 28" then that is my go-to.

 

For milling I currently use the 36" bar, but am thinking seriously about a lo-pro 42" with a skip chain as by the time the 36" bar has lost the usual 6" to the mill itself it is getting a bit tight on some of the logs.

Edited March 25 by waterbuoy

[FlyFishn]

On 25/03/2024 at 07:44, Botty Cough said:

Well having had a big husky years ago it was ok.

I replaced it with a sthil 660 and that's better.

I find the big huskys are a bit meh..

Mid range saws are husky for me but for big cuts I prefer my 66 as it's just better all-round.

It's a darn site easier to start than the husky too.

Can you explain what you mean about the bigger Husqvarnas in your experience?

I having not run a bigger saw, personally, than my 455 rancher I don't have much to go off of. The 455 rancher I got back around 2012, lightly used, so the last over 10 years that's been what I've grown to know. That isn't to say the newer saws are that similar to what I have, but my experience with Husqvarna has been very good. So I am tempted to stay with them.

Stihl is another possibility. I haven't done much digging on saw brands recently, but many years ago Jonsered was up there on recommended saws. I see they went out of production in 2022 and were, at least for the last period of time of their existence, a subsidiary of Husqvarna. I don't recall that being the case back 10-15 years ago, but I can't remember much other than the brand name.

There are some knock-off brands on the market, also, that seem to have surprisingly good reviews/performance. One is blue that is a knock-off of Stihl. I am not sure I could get myself to go that way, but then again - for as often as I would need a heavy saw that might still get the job done.

[Stubby]

I think that back in the day the difference was that Stihl were slower revving saws but produced more torque so you could " lean " on them more and Husqvarnas were more revvy and fast . Today however I think that they have both been moving more toward each other becoming similar in their characteristics .

[Botty Cough]

23 minutes ago, Stubby said:

I think that back in the day the difference was that Stihl were slower revving saws but produced more torque so you could " lean " on them more and Husqvarnas were more revvy and fast . Today however I think that they have both been moving more toward each other becoming similar in their characteristics .

Yeah that's a good point.

I have ported my 66 and it has A LOT of power now. I run a 30" bar and haven't failed to cut anything I've taken on yet.

I love the mid range huskys and the 455 is a lovely little saw.

My old 362xp is my goto saw with 18" bar.

I'm a husky fan especially doing soft wood forestry and general private work,they just run better.

@FlyFishn 

As for the big husky saw 90cc upwards I never really got on with it. A big saw for me needs to be big and powerful and I never felt I got it from the husky over the sthill.

I was going to go for an 88 but decided it would be too big and opted For the 66 . 

I have found over the years te 660 has never missed a beat . As much power if not more than the big husky I had which also had a bigger engine .

I can handle the big still easily as it's not huge.

 

The big huskys are better these days but if you can get your paws on both I would first.

If not then I would go for a big sthil. ..