New sawdust maker in the plans...

[Josh Carmack]

Need a bigger saw, I have a little bitty echo cs300, a Redmax g5000 a Stihl ms290 and have been borrowing my BIL's 390XP.

He has asked for his saw back, can't blame him I've had it for over a year. He told me to use it as long as I want, but he is now in need of it. He doesn't cut or burn wood except for simply maintaining his property. I have tried, he will NOT sell me his 390. When I was trying to buy it, he just told me to keep it til he needed it.


I like his saw fine, but I'm wondering if the new 390s perform as well as his does.Don't know how old his is, but it has had enough hours on it to get a rebuild right before he got it.He had a new carburetor on it shortly after trading for it. Ya'll won't believe he traded a used push mower for it, he only had 20$ plus his time in the push mower he traded for it.

My current considerations,

CS2188 Jonsered
MS661 Stihl
390XP Husky
MS 441 Stihl
Thoughts on these models, I will be running a 42" aftermarket bar and chain, and a 28-30" bar&chain with which ever model I choose.

Thoughts, opinions... GO!

 

[Jon1270]

Nix the 441 from that list. It's a good saw, but it's not going to run a 42" bar. The other three are all solid choices, I think.

 

[duramaxman05]

Why a 42" bar? Thats a lot of bar. I have cut some very big stuff with my 441 and 24" bar. Granite i had to cut on both sides but it does the task.

 

[BenTN]

390xp with a 28" bar. I doubt you'll need a larger bar than that unless you have stump grinding business. I am not a logger but on my end of the state 28" will get the job done easily, plus it sharpens in half the time.

 

[Josh Carmack]

I have cut three oaks this winter, all three had to be slabbed off for the last 10-15 feet or so of the trunk, that's running a 28". I have an oak on the ground right now that I can't buck out because I cant get the center cut out and am tired of slabbing them off. The 42" will only be used to make my life easier when I get into the big big stuff.
I'm assuming the dogs have been upgraded on the 390, they are HUGE, but if I can find an upgraded set for which ever saw I decide on I will also be running them.Those huge dogs of course take away some usable bar length, but I love the bite they give.

Maybe it's actually more efficient to cut the smaller stuff, I'm not sure it's sure as heck easier to move the rounds, but I FEEL like i'm getting more payback out of my labor on the old giants.We have got several to cut on the old home farm that the timber cutters didn't fell for various reasons, and so there only value is firewood, beings as timber company won't touch em. I know 3 of them have cotton spindles in them thanks to my ahole other BIL that decided he wanted to make a deer stand out of the trees. Dad lost several hundred bucks due to nails and spikes etc he had driven in them. Since we can still see the metal. or the scars we are confident we can get em without ruing a chain, that's yet to be seen. I use my tractor and boom pole with a log tong on the end just to move the rounds over to the splitter.. My desire to cut big wood has also led me to the planning stages of a splitter pushing 40 to 50 tons and being large enough to hold an entire 48"+ round, AND splitting it into multiple slabs at once by using a box style wedge.,,

 

[BenTN]

You may want to add the 3120xp and the 880 to your list if you plan on burying a 42" bar in hardwood.

 

[woodhog73]

I agree the 441 should be off the list.

The other 3 would all be great choices. I'm partial to husky products so I'd get either the Jonsered 2188 or the Husky 390.

I've got a great Jred dealer nearby and I like red better than orange so I'd personally take the Jred. Plus my guess is you may be able to get the 2188 for less money since I'm sure the demand is less on the Jred brand than Husky. However resale value should you sell the saw will probably be higher with the Stihl or Husky. This obviously depends on where your located and what's popular in the area. That's just my opinion.

 

[Dairyman]

I'm guessing you already have the 42" bar and it's a husky mount. So I'd say with the 390 or 2188. If your running that 42" very much I'd go with the 395.

 

[heavy hammer]

If possible look at the 660 you can still find them new less electronic upgrades than the 661. But it's still an awesome saw. I have an 880 it is awesome will pull a 42 inch chain all day no problem plus runs the big stuff 404 by .063 chain. It is a big power head and with that bar it is a beast but you will never need another saw again. I would run my a lot more than I do but I have a 660 as well that has a 25 and a 36 inch bar. The 660 in my opinion one of the best saws stihl ever made for size and power, if you can find an 066 in good shape or if you luck out new get that. eBay a great place to look I passed up on a brand new 066 a guy in California had and regret it. Good luck with what ever saw you get I'm sure all are good I have only ever used stihl.

 

[Josh Carmack]

Well, I called Bailey's... I pulled the trigger, AND bit the bullet, on a 395XP with a 36" bar. They didn't have anything 42" in stock, and it was going to be the end of the month before they were in stock. I'll post some pictures when it arrives.