346xp VS. 359.....

For bucking firewood? Returning my 455 Rancher to lowes. Not enough power. Love the 30 day return policy.

Hi Hardwoods,

I have a 359. It is a great saw and does wonders for bucking (I don't fell trees as I feel I don't have enough experience). I have never had any issues (I bought it used). I sharpen it every tank of gas, keep the bar oil and gas filled up, squirt grease in the sprocket hole, use good quality 2 cycle oil and basically treat it nicely.

It will be a wonderful saw for you.

The 346xp however, is what I am looking for. Supposedly, it is designed for cutting smaller softwood trees. A newbie wrote that yesterday. It is a hot rod vs. the 359 being a V8. Very highstrung, high rpm saw. The 359 has more torque.

I want the 346xp as I am not the biggest guy around (so a few pounds lighter saw helps) and I don't need the longer bar for my wood (I will order mine with a 14" bar).

I believe you will like the extra torque of the 359 for bucking. Others might think differently.

Thanks

carpniels

359 is the better choice of the two for general firewood duties, as it has a wider powerband and a greater reserve of torque, due in no small measure to its 13cc greater displacement. If you're looking for a lighter, smaller saw, the 353 is the same saw as the 346xp with a different piston and cylinder that is ported in such a way as to yield a wider powerband that is better suited to general use; it is also $50 cheaper, too.

Don't get me wrong, the 346xp is a super saw and would get the job done. But it requires more finesse than the other saws to get good results. I've run the 346xp (stock and ported) the 353 (stock and ported), and the 359 (stock and muffler modded) and would not want a stock 346xp for firewood use, unless I also had a larger saw for the larger stuff. The 353 or 359 would be my personal preference by a substantial margin.

That's the idea! A 346xp set up with the 13" or 15" bar is exactly what Husqvarna had in mind when they designed that saw. That should be a fun combination! The intention of the saw was to be a light, fast-revving saw with a short bar for walking the trunks of various sorts of pine, limbing from trunk to top. Lots of the Scandanavian guys (over on AS and elsewhere) report that over there they can do most of their felling of forest-grown trees with a 357xp or Stihl 361 with a 16"-18" bar, and then limb the trees with their 346xp (or 2147 Jonsered, which we can't get over here). Since pines of the size that can be dropped with a 16-18" bar seldom have large branches, the speeed of the 346xp is a perfect match to the task at hand.

A good thread of both saws.

http://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/6763/

Hard Woods,

I recently went through exactly the same decision making process, and I chose the 359 (a great saw!). The biggest reason for choosing it over the 346xp was the friendlier powerband (and consequently the power to pull a bit larger bar length easier). A lot of the firewood I come across is wood that is just too big for others to take. When I come by a pile of 30" plus hardwood logs, I know that the 359 can handle it without overworking it. To me, the 359 seems to be more of a workhorse. I don't plan to cut all my firewood from trees this size, but it is nice to be able to tackle them when they come up with a tool designed for it.

just my .02 (and echoing what has already been said )

Thanks guys. Definetly getting the 359. What are your thoughts on the best deal? Looking at wise sales, $430ish with the 20 inch pro bar and 3 chains and free shipping. Any better deals out there?

Wise was the best Deal I could find. This place is competitive as well. 435 shipped

http://www.husqvarna-chainsaw.com/p_husqvarna_chainsaw_chain_saw.htm#359

Wise IS a Husqvarna dealer and can / will cover warranty issues . make sure to get there dealer # to put on your Husqvarna warranty card if its not already on the card. I have bought a few saws , 2 helmets , chaps and extra bards and chains from them. really good people.

Also if you would like extra chains the time to ask is when your buying the saw , i picked up a few extra chains for $10. each at the time of the sale and also shipped for free.


http://stores.ebay.com/Wise-Generators-and-Power-Equipment

The 346xp has roughly the same power as the 455, but it cuts a little bit faster because of a smaller bar and narrower chain. The 359 has a bit more power, but not THAT much. If the 455 really didn't have enough power you probably want something bigger than the 359. Look into the 357xp, 362xp, or 372xp.

Since you bought the saw from Lowe's, Hard Woods, I'm assuming you never had the carb leaned out after breakin. That could account for your perceived lack of power. But not knowing your cutting conditions, it's hard to say. The 455 Rancher is aimed at the consumer market while the xp saws are for pros, so you're obviously going to have a higher power to weight ratio with either one.

Ordered the 359 today.

Tho the 353, 359 , 365 are not XP models they are considered PRO chainsaws by dealers and users alike. The power really starts to come around the 10 tank of gas mark on these saws.

Hard Woods , you got yourself a good saw.

fore someone who cuts alot of firewood or uses one more than an average homeowner,i think the 359 is the perfect all around saw.

and i don't even own one.my partner does and it's nice.and he hasn't broken it yet and he could break an anvil.

Thanks Roo. Ijust figured for an extra 60 bucks I got 2 more chains, The file kit, and the 359 instead of the 455. How could I go wrong?