Which saw?

[AJarb]

Needing new big saw. Has to be 36"+ bar. Looking at husky 3120xp or Sthil ms660 or ms880. Am being swayed to the 660 but the husky 3120 I do love. Ideas would be much appreciated!

[Mark Bolam]

660 runs a 36" bar ok, but much more grunt with a 30 or 25. Just stick the big bar on mine when I really need it. Really versatile, no problems 3 years in.

 

880 is a beast of a saw, much heavier. Too big IMO for day to day use.

 

Havn't used the 3120, but mate has one and seems to like it.

 

This hasn't really helped at all, has it?!

[Peter]

I wouldnt bother with the 660 if you want to run a 36 all the time, just get the 880.

[Husqvarna King]

if you need 36" then get a 3120 or 88, but surely there isnt many trees that you couldnt do with a 30" on a 395/066 and then just put a 36" on the few times when needed....the 395/66 will outcut the other two saws with a 30" bar, much lighter and cheaper

[Husqvarna King]

also, you could use a skip chain to run longer bars when needed on the smaller two saws

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

also, you could use a skip chain to run longer bars when needed on the smaller two saws

 

That's a good point; last time I was in Sweden, the cutters were all using 254XPs with 24" bars and running skip chains. Not sure if this applied to softwoods only but they were tweaking for higher rpm, sharpening the backs of the cutters (yes the backs!) and cutting like billio... Chip clearance was the aim of the game.

[Mesterh]

If its just for logging on the deck then go with the 3120 or 880 but if you are going to use it while doing a lot of chogging then I would get the 660.

 

We run a 36" (wouldnt want to use bigger than a 36 though) on the 066 and it runs well, obviously not as fast as the bigger saws but a hell of a lot easier when up a tree!

 

Oh and I'd go for the Stihl out of the bigger ones

[MattyF]

my 395 seems to run a 3/8 36" chain better than a 28" .

Personally i would not bother with an 88 or 3120 both are heavy and old desighns and horrible to use up trees and there is not much you cant cut with a 36-28" bar on a ms66 or 395.

The ony thing i would maybe consider the big 2 for is on a chainsaw mill.