346XP or 357XP?

[Sam Thompson]

Hello Chaps,

 

 

Looking into buying my own saw rather than stealing the old mans Having used both of them at college I'm having a tough time trying to choose between the two above. It's going to get used for pretty much everything but mainly commercial felling,soft and hard wood, coppice work and all the snedding etc. that goes along with it

 

 

I think it boils down to the weight V power issue again. I'm not really sure what I will end up doing with it, and I can't afford multiple saws for different jobs so this saw has to cope with it all. No climbing work but felling (forestry stuff), coppice work, snedding, cross cutting firewood, and maybe some arb work too if I get the chance

 

 

I know its a close call and I'm not being very specific, but your rumblings would be much appreciated

 

 

Cheers lads,

 

 

Sam

[WoodED]

346xp ive got and i love it,, depends wether its for snedding more than felling or felling more than snedding

[WoodED]

357xp for felling mate..

[dangerous brian]

The 57 is better on fuel.

[Andy Collins]

I have both, and prefer the 346 most of the time, for most jobs. Why carry around a bigger saw than you need most of the day? On 1st thins, the 346 is perfect, nimble and powerful running a 13" bar, on snedding work its a beast, and for zipping through cord for logs its fast enough. If I were limited financially to one saw (of the 2) I would probably plump for the 346.

[Littletree]

Well I have just gotton myself a 372xp 24 bar its wicked .

For my everyday use I love my Sthil 260 its fast powerfull light and the best saw in the Sthil range they have ever made goes up to a 15inch

 

I dont know about the 345 or 57 but my new 372xp is sweet . if you want to get just one saw for all then the 372 runs up to 24 bar and you can put a 15 on it as well so then you are sorted for all size jobs . with the 357 not sure what bar size it will take up to .but it is something to consider if you just want one saw for all

 

hope this helps

Littletree:thumbup:

[Andy Collins]

I like the 260, but no way is it in the same league as the 346, let alone a 357.

[Chris Sheppard]

Difficult one - as a first saw a 346 is a good choice and will handle some fairly hard use on decent sized softwood thinnings, but it's always nice to knwo there's something in the truck with a bit more guts to it when required (372 in my case)

 

The 357 is an awesome all rounder with loads of power (I was really really impressed first time I used one) and If I was only going to run just one saw in the woods I'd be tempted to go for the 357.

 

The dealer might try and push a 365 at you as an alternative, IMO I'd not bother - we used to get issued with a 365 each on the Estate and they were an 'almost' Saw - they were almost a big saw but not quite, and almost a small saw but not quite - it was almost like carrying round a 372 with a blunt chain

 

If you were looking to buy one saw and maybe add to the collection with something bigger later (or could borrow something bigger as required) then the 346 makes sense.

 

Ultimately I don't think there's a right or wrong answer though.

Edited November 19, 2010 by Chris Sheppard

[Brushcutter]

I'm a big fan of both saws. I think i'd go for the 346xpg over the 357 now that the new 346 is out.

 

I've been using the 346 this week to fell medium chestnut about 25" across and some larch of a similar size. Worked really well. Done some really big 3 15" guidebar stuff with the 346 and it coped but it wouldn't want to do it all day every day but for smaller stuff its ace.

 

I use mine for big stuff right down to coppice size stuff. Its also very good in the tree (when i do go aloft).

[grenadier]

026 or ms260 as it is called now is the most over rated saw i have ever come across it wont last half as long as a 346. The 357 will blow its decompression button off after a lot of hard use and rattling around in the back of a truck. 346 is bullet proof i have 3v of them quality saws.