Recommended saw?

[NH_Wood]

I am the opposite about used stuff. I hate buying anything used. My dad always said "Why buy somebody else's problems." I like buying something new, treating it right, and having it almost forever.

I agree with you about pro grade saws and pro grade everything else. I generally buy the best item available. However, I am fortunate enough to have the money to do so. Like my comparison, I am pretty sure a Farm Boss will cut plenty of wood for quite a long time. If somebody cannot afford a pro grade saw right now but needs one to cut firewood, might as well buy a lower end saw that will get the job done and allow them to save on the heating bill. By saving money on the heating bill, hopefully that will free up additional money down the road for a new saw in a different niche or a better grade saw in the same niche as the Farm Boss and the Farm Boss can be put on CL or ebay.

I also agree with you, but I think it all has to do with the buyer. If you know saws, what to look for in terms of problems, etc., you can get some really nice deals on used saws. But.......for newbies, the used saw market could be a nightmare. Cheers!

 

[Thistle]

175

same weight as me,hope you're at least 20yrs younger if you really want that beast. I figure I have a ''10 yr window'' left ,once that passes if I dont have the remaining big saws on my wish list,I wont bother.Nice for a collection,but if I cant use them at least a few hours monthly,I'll let someone else have the fun,time for me to slow down a little.....

 

[Thistle]

I also agree with you, but I think it all has to do with the buyer. If you know saws, what to look for in terms of problems, etc., you can get some really nice deals on used saws. But.......for newbies, the used saw market could be a nightmare. Cheers!

Exactly. Bought my 288XPW almost 2 yrs ago off ebay,was hesitant buying ''sight unseen'' but Seller guaranteed it to be strong running,great compression,have no mechanical issues,easy starting & run like a striped ass ape

He wasnt joking,I was very pleased.Within 30 minutes of that big box from FedEx arriving,it was a screaming beast.

 

[Blue Tornado]

I like my two very old Stihls, one small one large.

 

[Flamestead]

This one might be close to you (562xp for $650)...
http://burlington.craigslist.org/grd/3562785574.html

I've been very happy with my 359 as an all-around saw.

 

[Como]

Beat me to it.
edit- call ToolKing Superstore in Lakewood,Co. -toolking.com- My 6401 was $379+tax
You have to call to see if they have one in stock, they don't advertise these saws.

I called them, they sell them on line only and there are none available on line.

 

[Beetle-Kill]

I called them, they sell them on line only and there are none available on line.

Yup, they don't list those on-line. The inventory of saws at the Superstore (on 6th) is spotty at best. I was turned on to mine by another forum member who lives fairly close to the store. He checked it out, let me know, and down the hill I went.
Last few times I've been in there, no saws, but that should change in the spring.
Plus, I now have an "insider" at the Makita warranty shop in Denver, all Mak./DCS saws that come through, I'll get "first right of refusal"on the warranty saws.
Not sure if that's good or bad.
Sorry for the minor hi-jack of the thread.

 

[Como]

I have been to the Service Center, just below I 25, took me a while to find it first time. Nice people.

Not sure when I am next going down, wife is on Sunday to have her hair done...

I used to pick up pellets just around the corner.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

I really do like my MS261, but I think the size of the saw purchased really depends on the size of the logs you are going to tackle, not the amount of wood that you are going to tackle. The MS 261 is great until I have to get into the big stuff that is 30"+. Then, the MS660 really shines. That is the reason I am looking at getting a MS362 (for the heck of it).

Now, what grade saw you purchase depends on how much wood you are going to tackle (e.g., homeowner, mid range, pro). At 5 cords a year, I am willing to bet a homeowner saw will get the job done. Just not as nicely as a pro saw. For instance, we can compare a MS290 (Farm Boss) with the MS261. The former is a mid range saw and the latter is a pro saw. They both have about the same power and can run the same length bars on them. However, the pro saw is 2 pounds lighter and built to last a little longer than the mid range saw. I am pretty sure that plenty of firewood has been cut with the MS290.

If money was tight, I would have gone for a mid range or homeowner range saw instead of the pro saws that I bought. Pretty sure even a homeowner saw would have lasted me a decade or more at the rate I cut wood. However, it sure would have been tough to tackle some of these monsters I have been dealing with lately.

x2

 

[scooby074]

562xp.
light and fast!!

 

[Stoneduster]

I knew this would be the right place to ask this question. I appreciate the insights regarding displacement, and it sounds like 60cc is a good fit for a one-saw show. I have a few old timer friends (that is relative, as I just turned 29) who have saws that they have been running for 25 years, this is the saw I want. I too, really appreciate the feeling that comes with using high quality equipment. This being the case, I think I will settle on the 562xp, with a little bar and a big bar, and plan on it being the last saw I buy until 2038. Thanks folks.

 

[fabsroman]

I knew this would be the right place to ask this question. I appreciate the insights regarding displacement, and it sounds like 60cc is a good fit for a one-saw show. I have a few old timer friends (that is relative, as I just turned 29) who have saws that they have been running for 25 years, this is the saw I want. I too, really appreciate the feeling that comes with using high quality equipment. This being the case, I think I will settle on the 562xp, with a little bar and a big bar, and plan on it being the last saw I buy until 2038. Thanks folks.

Good luck with that. That is what I said in 2011 when I bought the 261 and 660. Now, I am looking at buying a $650 MS201 as my "small" saw for limbing and small rounds and a $700 MS362 to fit right between the 261 and 660. I am going to need to check myself into a self help group soon. I do expect all of them to last me 20+ years though.

 

[missedbass]

5 cords a year? take a look at a ms271. its a good saw and its $120 less than a ms261

 

[fabsroman]

5 cords a year? take a look at a ms271. its a good saw and its $120 less than a ms261

Was that post meant for me? If so, I would not trade my MS261 in on a MS271. The MS271 is a pound heavier and has a lot less power than the MS261. Think I am going to end up staying in the pro grade category for all the saws.

 

[missedbass]

Was that post meant for me? If so, I would not trade my MS261 in on a MS271. The MS271 is a pound heavier and has a lot less power than the MS261. Think I am going to end up staying in the pro grade category for all the saws.

No, it was for the op. If I had a pro saw, I wouldn't trade down either. I only cut 2 cords a year, so the 271 is fine for me. The .7# difference in weight means nothing to me.