Stihl 460 ?'s

[ecocavalier02]

Well ive been getting alot of wood from a tree service company 30 to 48 inch in diameter and sometimes bigger. And i will be getting alot more of this wood from now on. i have a 361 with a 20 inch bar and its doing ok but definatly dogging on power. what id like to know is whats the biggest size bar you can put on there without loosing power. i would like to go with a 30 inch bar. and ive been cutting alot lately and im putting alot of abuse on the saw as well. i have a 250 and i cant even use it at all to give the saw a brake because the woods way to big.

 

[CJW88]

If I were going to be cutting 30-48" wood with regularity I would seriously think about getting into at least a 460 or 660. The recommended bar for the 440 is 20". The recommended bar for the 460 and 660 is 25", if that tells you anything. So I would say that if you want to use a 30" bar on that kind of wood regularly, go 660. I would rather have a more powerful saw with the moderate bar length so that I'm easier on the saw.

That is big wood.

 

[midwestcoast]

Well, if it's "dogging on power" with a 20" bar then I guess the biggest you can go is 20" no? Could try a 24" (Stihl calls it 25") with full-skip chain, but to me that's more for helping it get through the odd big trunk, not to power through 48" rounds regularly. 30" is 80+cc territory :coolgrin: Unfortunately that's also $$$ territory. 460 or 660 as CJW suggests. Just to stir the pot, the Husky 385XP is about even in price with the 460 + 8cc bigger.

 

[WARDNEAL]

You can put a bigger bar on your saw just use a skip tooth chain so that you will not loose power.

Oh just don't try to double your bar lenth that is way too much.

Hope that helps.

 

[ecocavalier02]

my saw is going through it ok its just i know a more powerful saw will go through it faster and make the job easier. Plus the stress on the saw. plus its and excuse to add to my collection of saws. and i dont want to put a bigger bar on my saw i know it will slow it down even more. i was thinking maybe the 660 but now i may push more towards the 660. husky not an option in my book i love the stihls and im sure if i had a husky i would love it but i like the stihls and am famaliar with them and have a dealer really close. but all in all i really am going to end up needed a bigger saw not just to add to my collection lol, the wood i am getting is really is extremely large.

 

[Singed Eyebrows]

my saw is going through it ok its just i know a more powerful saw will go through it faster and make the job easier. Plus the stress on the saw. plus its and excuse to add to my collection of saws. and i dont want to put a bigger bar on my saw i know it will slow it down even more. i was thinking maybe the 660 but now i may push more towards the 660. husky not an option in my book i love the stihls and im sure if i had a husky i would love it but i like the stihls and am famaliar with them and have a dealer really close. but all in all i really am going to end up needed a bigger saw not just to add to my collection lol, the wood i am getting is really is extremely large.

What kind of chain are you using? I know this isn't going to affect the cut length. How is it sharpened? Randy

 

[ecocavalier02]

i hand file. but just what i was using yesterday was one of my brand new chains and its a yellow chain, i believe a rsc 3/8 chain. i have no problem with my 361. i love the thing its great on 18 20 inch logs and even bigger. but my problem here is im going to be cutting a lot of big stuff from the new hook up i have and i want it to be done easy cut one side and thats it and not have to struggle getting the bar all the way around and i want the power plain and simple.

 

[Singed Eyebrows]

If you are using Stihl yellow chain you need a bigger saw,lol. I thought maybe you were trying to chew through it with a chipper chain. 660 sounds like a good choice to me, Randy

 

[ecocavalier02]

i think so, now i just hope my buddy doesn't get to much stuff here to soon cause i gotta start savin the penny's. lol. looks like a nice xmas present.

 

[HittinSteel]

Save the pennies and go with the 660. You won't regret it

 

[smokinj]

Advantage with a 660 would be running a 36 inch bar and max out. I would rather have a 460 90 percent of the time. 660 is not faster than the 460 until you get in very large wood 45 inchs plus....For me thats when an 880 with a 41inch bar does fine for me. 460 is a very very hard saw to beat in almost every case.

 

[ecocavalier02]

So you think a 460 would be a better fit?

 

[HittinSteel]

If you're gonna run a 32" bar in hardwood, get the 660. That would be pushing the limit of a 460. Remember, Jay's is ported!

 

[midwestcoast]

Why not a ported 460 than? You're not too worried about saving money, so why not go for it & have more power with the lighter saw?

 

[JustWood]

Black powder is cheaper and more funner! mmmm hmmm

 

[ecocavalier02]

well i wouldnt want to have to find someone to port it for me. id rather just leave a brand new saw alone to tell ya the truth. i think the 660 may better fit my needs.

 

[smokinj]

So you think a 460 would be a better fit?

460 does not need to be ported to be a very strong saw....I think unless your felling moster timber 8hrs a day the 460 wins hands down ower the 660....Now if you where also going to mill the the 660 would be a better saw. 460 just fricken Rocks!

 

[oilstinks]

Ill have to agree with jay.

 

[Singed Eyebrows]

Does a 460 pull a 36" bar well(no skip chain)? Seems to me the thread starter is going to want the reach of a 36". I've never owned a 460 & just hear that they are torque monsters, Randy

 

[smokinj]

Does a 460 pull a 36" bar well(no skip chain)? Seems to me the thread starter is going to want the reach of a 36". I've never owned a 460 & just hear that they are torque monsters, Randy

48 in. can be done easy with a 28inch bar...And No 36inch bar is 660 range thats when it become the better saw. I have done many trees well over 50+ with a 28inch bar and a 460. I also run a 32in bar as well but the 28 inch is a little easier. 48 inch tree is very well with in a 460 range...

 

[Singed Eyebrows]

Does a 460 pull a 36" bar well(no skip chain)? Seems to me the thread starter is going to want the reach of a 36". I've never owned a 460 & just hear that they are torque monsters, Randy

48 in. can be done easy with a 28inch bar...And No 36inch bar is 660 range thats when it become the better saw. I have done many trees well over 50+ with a 28inch bar and a 460. I also run a 32in bar as well but the 28 inch is a little easier. 48 inch tree is very well with in a 460 range...

Thanks Jay, I guess I was too lazy I forgot about walking to the other side of the log,lol. I cut the base of a 30" elm once(standing 5' trunk) with a 16" bar & it turned out better than it had any right to, Randy

 

[smokinj]

Does a 460 pull a 36" bar well(no skip chain)? Seems to me the thread starter is going to want the reach of a 36". I've never owned a 460 & just hear that they are torque monsters, Randy

48 in. can be done easy with a 28inch bar...And No 36inch bar is 660 range thats when it become the better saw. I have done many trees well over 50+ with a 28inch bar and a 460. I also run a 32in bar as well but the 28 inch is a little easier. 48 inch tree is very well with in a 460 range...

Thanks Jay, I guess I was too lazy I forgot about walking to the other side of the log,lol. I cut the base of a 30" elm once(standing 5' trunk) with a 16" bar & it turned out better than it had any right to, Randy

Even with a 41in bar a lot of times your going to go down both sides..They dont have the torque of a 660 but they do have very high RPM with a 28 inch bar on so in most wood they will be faster than the 660. If your at 48 inch trees and up the 660 takes over but most will be well under that for the most part. I have done silver maples with a 28inch bar and trees over 60 inchs. (find the flat spot)

 

[ecocavalier02]

Well I guess I'll have to keep
My options open. Sounding from the way ur talking that the 460 will fullfill my need. Alot of the stuff has been So far 36 to48 inches. Just trying to get the bes power for what I'm doing.

 

[smokinj]

Well I guess I'll have to keep
My options open. Sounding from the way ur talking that the 460 will fullfill my need. Alot of the stuff has been So far 36 to48 inches. Just trying to get the bes power for what I'm doing.

Thats a 460 and it will do over 60 inchs as well. A 660 may beat you in speed a little bit on the fringe of 48+ and 460 will beat it 40 inch and under middle grown just that a toss up... Best chain sharpener wins every match!

 

[Cowboy Billy]

My friend Scott has a 460. And even though I love my jonserd I like that saw and wouldn't mind having one. I gave him a 28" bar for it that I got to cut up a big willow that came down in my yard. And his saw pulled it no problem even when he completely buried it in a big red maple stump.

Billy