Need Help Deciding on chain saw Time out adding another saw after some checking any pros cons 310

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I have a 390 and I am very happy with it. Many of the pro features like compression button, alot of horespower, a full horsepower more than the 290 and not alot more money. I do not notice any vibration and cuts like a champ.
 
Of the 2 choices you're down to,
390 with a 20" bar
 
chad3 said:
Highbeam,
Small stuff is the difference between homeowner saws and pro saws. Good example that happened recently, tank breather went out, kept stalling the saw from the vacuum in the tank. Do you know where the breather is on the homeowner saw? Pulling the tank. On a pro saw, small cap on backside. Took about 1 minute to get back up and running. Also seem to have better oilers, as well as more metal less plastic yet lighter with more HP.

Might also want to look at the Dolmars. 2 year war. out of the box, commercial or homeowner. Good prices as well. Bailey's has them.
Chad
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I think I found the breather, it is now right next to the air filter under the pop top hood on the 290. If I ever need to replace it I expect it to be pretty simple. The adjustable oiler is surely slow on the 290, it uses bar oil but at a pretty slow rate, I have read this to be true of all stihls. I've only owned mine for the last several cords of wood and neither of these items has been an issue, perhaps after 50 cords the 290 will begin to fail in these little areas but do you think the 361 will be any better off? I would love to trade you for a 361 or even a 440 but I don't need a saw like that, want one, sure!

Yes more metal and less plastic, I don't think that this makes a rat's butt of difference. We all can break metal just as easily as plastic. The key is to use enough plastic or metal in the right places and that comes down to quality design. You either have it or you don't and I certainly don't hear about any saws melting. Many modern things are made of plastic and you can't be afraid of it. My axe handle is one of them.

I didn't realize that dolmars were now just as expensive as stihls. Given the choice I would certainly rather have the equivalent stihl if the price was the same. Dealer support for dolmars is poor poor poor in my state. The 6401 was 550$ at the home depot last year. So which 64 cc "pro" saw from stihl is that cheap?
 
I will be cutting mostly Hedge have acces to over 20 acres i am still young and dumb not in the best of shape but strong as on ox just wanting a saw that is going to last I had one at work that was not working and had to go through and repair it was a 029 seemed to be a nice saw is this comparable to the 290 or 361 i am looking to spend 300-600max
 
If you can swing the extra cash, get the biggest saw you can. When I bought my 290, $350 is about all I could spend. With that said though, I have nothing but good things to say about my saw. Ditch the safety chain and get a semi or full chisel and keep it sharp and you won't have any issues.

BTW, I've cut with a 361, 346XP, 357XP, and a couple Johnsereds. They are all good saws. Decide how much you want to spend and then go looking. Buy what you like best. The MS290 fit my budget and feels good in my hands when I'm cutting. That's why it's in my garage.
 
I am wanting the best bang for my buck as i will still need to split by hand until i make a log spliter
 
was looking at sthils web found the 310 has the 3/8 just like the 390 has 4.0hp 390 4.3hp weight is the same cc are 4.1 diff and the price is 60 diff is the cc and hp worth the $60 savings
 
smokinjay said:
Bigg_Redd said:
smokinjay said:
Highbeam said:
Big Redd, in his cons, is comparing the 290 series with the 361 being suggested above. The 290/310/30- series is a touch heavier but is much cheaper and for homeowner use is every bit as dependable.

I own the 290 and if the 290 is not enough for you then do NOT pay hundreds more and only end up with a 390, go all the way to a 361. A regular homeowner cutting for his personal use will have a hard time needing anything more than a 290. My 290 has a 20" bar and has all the power I need to cut logs that are well over 3 feet across, from both sides of course, but if the extra seconds were critical that a 361 could give me with a faster cut or if I had to cut 3 foot logs all day then I would want a big pro saw.

Personal firewood cutting only = 290. Has anyone ever been on this site and said that their 290 did not perform or was unreliable? I haven't seen it.

Now there is a whole different issue of want vs. need. You might want a 361 because it's cool or something. You can justify this by noting that it is in fact a touch lighter weight and has more HP. I like cool stuff and might someday buy one but I will fully realize that it would be to satisfy a "want".
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Thats all ture but with a furnace it can and will comsume a lot of wood. If he had a stove with 3-5 cords a year 290 is a great saw, but if he is ever going to get 3 years ahead thats 25-30 cords thats a tall order even for the 361.
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I cut 10+ cord every year for the last 6-7 years with my 290. Will my next saw be a 460? Probably. But the 290 is plenty sufficient for cutting lots of wood.
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maybe but to get up on top of the game is 25-30 cords 3 years worth is a very tall order 10 cords a year not bad but with his set up the next 3 years are ruff I know I have one "furnace" and a 361 and a 460. Not kocking the 290 just I would "go for it" hes going to need ever advantage he can get. He will need 15 cords a year for 3 years to get a hold of it. (and thats only two years ahead)
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Meh

With that much wood the limiting factor will be ambition. How much time can one really save cutting a cord of wood - 290 vs 361? Maybe quite a bit if you're cutting on a nice neat pile of logs. But even at that it's not like you can cut 2x faster or 50% faster. Or even 25%.


I've never heard anyone say "I'd have cut a lot more wood if only I had a slightly lighter and more powerful saw!"
 
Highbeam said:
I guess I just don't see this perceived "advantage" with a pro saw. If both saws will start up and cut all day then just don't see the advantage. True, I am not burdened with justifying the purchase of a pro saw which certainly would make finding this advantage easier but what is it exactly? Does anyone actually expect the OP to cut 30 cords of wood this year? I sure don't and I think we can all assume that the majority of wood furnace guys do NOT have 3 years of wood stacked up. Heck all but the minority of woodburners barely have enough for the winter at hand. Does anyone expect to wear out a Stihl? Other than, of course, an actual forestry professional.

I agree with midwest that your current saws are great lightweight limbers and then leave the bucking to a heavier and stronger bucking saw. If folks are right about your consumption then you would be money and time ahead to have these two sizes of saw. If I was looking to NEED a big saw like a 361 or bigger then I would be looking at the Dolmar/Makita 6400/7300/7900 line as an econnomical brute for bucking.
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I agree. However, since cutting firewood IS my recreation I will feel no need to justify the $800+ I'll slap down for a 460 come that day. Will I NEED it? no. Can I justify it? Not in pure economic terms. It will be a minor extravagance, a toy, but a toy that saves me lots of money and brings me lots of satisfaction.
 
thinkxingu said:
Redd, how can you make a snarky remark like "reliable, but twice as much for less than a pound difference" and, in the same sentiment, "next time I'll get a better saw"?!

S
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1) My 290 was given to me

2) See above post

3) Snarky or not, I'm not wrong

4) I don't assume that what I would do is best
 
Redd,
That was a great answer--thanks!

KSC,
You're asking for two different things here: value vs. performance. If you want value, look at the 390--it has the best power of the homeowner group at a bit less than the equivalent pro saw. If you want performance, look at the 361 (Damn, son--90% of the posters on this thread have told you to buy it!).

So you know, a month ago I picked up an MS361 for $640, including 18" and 16" bars, 3 RSC chains, a gallon of bar oil, Stihl file kit, and 6-pack of 2-stroke oil.

K, time to go buy a saw!

S
 
As most here know, the MS361 is no longer being manufactured. It is being replaced by the MS362. There might be some real deals on the 361 from dealers who still have one or two. John_M
 
Was showing the wife the comparison on all 4 the 290 310c-q (310not priced) 390 and the 361 she said get the big one. I know i am a lucky man to have a women like that but I know stihl make a great saw and a long lasting i am after the saw that is going to get the job done as said above i will be cutting mostly hege (osage orange) some which is dead maybe 25-30% (hard as a rock) i was pricing them with the 20 inch bars i am not after the bigger is better just the best saw. Hey dad what size bar and was the saw new thanks again
 
Yeah, now the only problem is when to buy it--my one and only gripe about Stihl is that their dealers are usually closed Sundays!

S
 
I work for the state as and equimpent mech so i have to fix everything from a chain saw concrete cutter to the international dump truck motor i have tore down now so if a repair comes up not sure how much problem that would be less a part is needed
 
kscowboy said:
Was showing the wife the comparison on all 4 the 290 310c-q (310not priced) 390 and the 361 she said get the big one. I know i am a lucky man to have a women like that but I know stihl make a great saw and a long lasting i am after the saw that is going to get the job done as said above i will be cutting mostly hege (osage orange) some which is dead maybe 25-30% (hard as a rock) i was pricing them with the 20 inch bars i am not after the bigger is better just the best saw. Hey dad what size bar and was the saw new thanks again
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It's been a while since I looked into it, but I think the 390 is the "big one" out of that group. . .
 
kscowboy said:
I know i am a lucky man to have a women like that
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If you really meant the plural and they are all happy with the big saw choice, you are a luck man indeed!
 
Wrong again Redd!!! Just kidding--the 390 has more displacement (64.1 vs. 59) but the 361 has more HP (4.3 vs. 4.4). And if you use the two side-by-side, there's a definite performance difference. The 361'll not only cure cancer, it'll take that 390, give it a good spankin' and send it off cryin' into the hills.

Or just cut a bit quicker, feel less vibraty (Yeah, I made that up--I'm Shakespeare reincarnate), be easier to service, look cooler, and not weigh you down.

S

I'm feeling a bit sprite--I just read a well-written piece defending (for once!) teachers. A town south of mine has been bombarded with teacher criticisms since the last superintendent screwed up and went way over budget--obviously, someone's budgeting mistake is the teachers' fault. Check it out: http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/opin...eachers-for-school-budget-deficit-misses.html
 
I have an 029 and it has never let me down in the 15 years I've owned it. If I were buying new at this time, I would take a serious look at the Dolmar/Makita 6400/6401. These are professional grade 64cc saws that have 4.7 horsepower, reportedly outstanding AV, and are the same weight as the 029/290 class Stihl saws. They can also be easily upgraded to 79 or 84cc's. Baileys has them for 499.00 plus shipping. I don't think you can get this much saw for the money from Stihl or Husky.
 
timmyd said:
I have an 029 and it has never let me down in the 15 years I've owned it. If I were buying new at this time, I would take a serious look at the Dolmar/Makita 6400/6401. These are professional grade 64cc saws that have 4.7 horsepower, reportedly outstanding AV, and are the same weight as the 029/290 class Stihl saws. They can also be easily upgraded to 79 or 84cc's. Baileys has them for 499.00 plus shipping. I don't think you can get this much saw for the money from Stihl or Husky.
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Maybe not, but what you do get is a Stihl or a Husqy
 
timmyd said:
I have an 029 and it has never let me down in the 15 years I've owned it. If I were buying new at this time, I would take a serious look at the Dolmar/Makita 6400/6401. These are professional grade 64cc saws that have 4.7 horsepower, reportedly outstanding AV, and are the same weight as the 029/290 class Stihl saws. They can also be easily upgraded to 79 or 84cc's. Baileys has them for 499.00 plus shipping. I don't think you can get this much saw for the money from Stihl or Husky.
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Yeah, I thought that Dolmars were still MUCH cheaper. Before I got a 361 I would make sure that the 6400 wouldn't be a better bang for the buck.

The MS290/310/390 are all the same saw with the only difference being a bigger piston and cylinder. They all weigh the same and all can use 3/8" chain as my 290 does. The 390 is rated for more bar becuase it has more power. When I bought, the cost difference was huge to go up from the 290 to the 310 and then the 390. It was as though they purposely wanted you to see how dumb it would be to buy the 390 so you may as well spend a buck more on the 361. The price from Stihl for any of the 290/310/390 saws should be exactly the same. It doesn't cost any more to make does it?

If "buy the big one" means to buy the expensive one and you got the 361 then you'll be a very happy guy. That saw is nice. The extra pain in the pocketbook won't last long when you get to cutting.

When you cut a hedge row are the trees small? Our hedges here are shrubs. We have fence rows where trees can grow because it is hard to mow right to the fence. Is that what you're dealing with, basically a long row of large trees with great access? I wouldn't want a 361 for cutting a thousand little pecker poles but it would be great for a long row of large trees.
 
Highbeam said:
timmyd said:
I have an 029 and it has never let me down in the 15 years I've owned it. If I were buying new at this time, I would take a serious look at the Dolmar/Makita 6400/6401. These are professional grade 64cc saws that have 4.7 horsepower, reportedly outstanding AV, and are the same weight as the 029/290 class Stihl saws. They can also be easily upgraded to 79 or 84cc's. Baileys has them for 499.00 plus shipping. I don't think you can get this much saw for the money from Stihl or Husky.
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Yeah, I thought that Dolmars were still MUCH cheaper. Before I got a 361 I would make sure that the 6400 wouldn't be a better bang for the buck.

The MS290/310/390 are all the same saw with the only difference being a bigger piston and cylinder. They all weigh the same and all can use 3/8" chain as my 290 does. The 390 is rated for more bar becuase it has more power. When I bought, the cost difference was huge to go up from the 290 to the 310 and then the 390. It was as though they purposely wanted you to see how dumb it would be to buy the 390 so you may as well spend a buck more on the 361. The price from Stihl for any of the 290/310/390 saws should be exactly the same. It doesn't cost any more to make does it?

If "buy the big one" means to buy the expensive one and you got the 361 then you'll be a very happy guy. That saw is nice. The extra pain in the pocketbook won't last long when you get to cutting. Not to mention that 361 is then finnest small saw I have ever ran the anti-vibe is unreal.

When you cut a hedge row are the trees small? Our hedges here are shrubs. We have fence rows where trees can grow because it is hard to mow right to the fence. Is that what you're dealing with, basically a long row of large trees with great access? I wouldn't want a 361 for cutting a thousand little pecker poles but it would be great for a long row of large trees.
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after shipping your in the 540.00 range 60.00 bucks is not a saving at all if you just throw in the resale on the two saws.Not to mention it is the knock off brade of a dolmar. now price the 6400 dolmar and see where your at the saving that once was there is gone...Not o mention the anti-vibe is perfect and the power is great. The 361 will go down as one of the very best saw ever make...
 
I'm not sure when Makita started to build "knock -off" saws. Makita owns Dolmar. The saws are built at the Dolmar plant in Germany and the only difference is the color of the cases. The OP was looking for suggestions and presenting his idea of the 290/310/390 series. The Makita 6401/7901 is in the same weight category as the 290/310/390 but have more horsepower and are pro grade saws. The 361 is a very good saw and a good suggestion. I don't think the OP would be disappointed with any of the saws that have been suggested.
 
timmyd said:
I'm not sure when Makita started to build "knock -off" saws. Makita owns Dolmar. The saws are built at the Dolmar plant in Germany and the only difference is the color of the cases. The OP was looking for suggestions and presenting his idea of the 290/310/390 series. The Makita 6401/7901 is in the same weight category as the 290/310/390 but have more horsepower and are pro grade saws. The 361 is a very good saw and a good suggestion. I don't think the OP would be disappointed with any of the saws that have been suggested.
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me either just dont see how people can say that there saving all this money when buying a dolmar there just as much as a stihl with in 5-10 percent... and they dont hold there vaule like a stihl
 
smokinjay said:
...and they dont hold there vaule like a stihl
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They would only need to hold their value if you plan on selling it. I plan to keep mine for as long as I live. Who cares what value they hold for the "next of kin".
 
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