New saw time, 576 or ms441

[gensetsteve]

A 660 would be useful to me but not as much as a 460. Does the weight of the 660 on an 18" bar not kill your back after a few hours. I have 260 for 13" stuff too big for processor and preping. Ms390 for 18" stuff would like a saw just to cross cut 2-3ft stuff maybe onece a week for half a day.

[JimM]

Spent the weekend with my 576 on 30" beech and 20" elm logs. Ran an 18" bar and then a 26" bar. It was one fantastic bit of kit.

It was running pretty much the entire day and wasn't a killer on the arms or back.

Not a machine for snedding pines, too heavy for that, but for hardwood delimbing it is ace.

[Tom D]

I am in a similar position myself, I am currently running 2 teams and although I have 2 362's, a 357 and a 254 I don't have a second "big" saw. I love my 385xp, it has been brilliant in the 9 years that I have owned it. I don't like the newer generation of husky and stihl saws and would have ideally liked another 385. I have used the 441 and 372 and liked them both however not as much as the 385.

So after doing a little web research I bought a makita 7901 on impulse, hopefully it will arrive tomorrow, it is the only saw in this class to have a 1HP per KG power ratio and i have used one and been impressed, it has a nice design and feels nice in the hand, also it has no fancy auto tune or any other gismos. I will stick a 24" bar on it and run it for 6 months and report back.

I am only thinking of you lot, sticking my neck out to try a non stusky saw in the interests of research.

 

It only cost £411 new! so no great loss if its crap, it may turn up on the bay though, watch this space...

[gensetsteve]

I am in a similar position myself, I am currently running 2 teams and although I have 2 362's, a 357 and a 254 I don't have a second "big" saw. I love my 385xp, it has been brilliant in the 9 years that I have owned it. I don't like the newer generation of husky and stihl saws and would have ideally liked another 385. I have used the 441 and 372 and liked them both however not as much as the 385.

So after doing a little web research I bought a makita 7901 on impulse, hopefully it will arrive tomorrow, it is the only saw in this class to have a 1HP per KG power ratio and i have used one and been impressed, it has a nice design and feels nice in the hand, also it has no fancy auto tune or any other gismos. I will stick a 24" bar on it and run it for 6 months and report back.

I am only thinking of you lot, sticking my neck out to try a non stusky saw in the interests of research.

 

It only cost £411 new! so no great loss if its crap, it may turn up on the bay though, watch this space...

 

I am interested to hear how u get on I only need a bigger saw for 4 hrs about once a month. I can get round the problem if it means spending £700 but the convience of having a saw that cost less than £500 would be usefull if its any good.

[Tom D]

I'll post up after I have used it a bit, but won't have a real verdict for several months.. I need to really get a feel for it before I'd recommend one..

[Woodworks]

Instead of starting another thread I thought I would ask here.

 

Would a 372XP be happy with a 24" bar on hardwood (mainly ash). I ask because I have been offered some large standing ash trees for our growing firewood business. At the moment I only have a 346XP which get's used with a 20" bar for the bigger stuff Whatever saw I get is not going to have to work many hours a week as I will probably revert back to the 346XP for all the smaller stuff and this is only part time at the moment.

 

What other New or second hand saws should I be looking at?

 

Tom D

Any opinions on the Makita yet?

[Stubby]

Instead of starting another thread I thought I would ask here.

 

Would a 372XP be happy with a 24" bar on hardwood (mainly ash). I ask because I have been offered some large standing ash trees for our growing firewood business. At the moment I only have a 346XP which get's used with a 20" bar for the bigger stuff Whatever saw I get is not going to have to work many hours a week as I will probably revert back to the 346XP for all the smaller stuff and this is only part time at the moment.

 

What other New or second hand saws should I be looking at?

 

Tom D

Any opinions on the Makita yet?

I run a 372 with a 24" bar and it copes ok . probably not quite enough grunt for all day use if you factor in time taken but for a couple of houres its fine . certainly won't hurt the saw .

[Tyz05]

I run a 24" and 20" on my 372 it handles the 24" well IMO. If you've been using a 346 with a 20" on it the 372 will be major step up.

[Stubby]

I run a 24" and 20" on my 372 it handles the 24" well IMO. If you've been using a 346 with a 20" on it the 372 will be major step up.

 

Agreed !

[MattyF]

I think they run a 24" really well unless your limbing ,ran a 24 for a year untill the sprocket shattered,went for a 20" as I found the 24 skipped the rails quite easily snedding. great for ringing up and blocking down in a tree.