Adding a 4th Saw

[Woodwackr]

A 462/572 is going to have you questioning why you have the 390 on anything 28” or under. If you go that route you might end up wanting to sail the 390 on down the river for a 395 or 661.

661 over a 395 any day of the week.

 

[PA Dan]

Is 25 runners bad?
And, another couple dozen projects…

Sounds about normal to me!

 

[Catbuster]

Got a price for the 572 XP $950 USD taxes in.

That would be an easy decision for me. The 572XP is a workhorse that will last you a long time if you treat it right. You may actually find your 390 sitting should you get one. I think 70-80cc is the best “all-round” saw.

A 572 fits all the bars and chains you have for your 390XP as well, so that’s a dollar saver. 3003 mounts can use a spacer to go to D009 but not the other way around.

 

[Woodpecker]

661 over a 395 any day of the week.

I guess it really depends on what you’re doing with the saw. Your philosophy of use so to speak.

I don’t personally care for the chain adjuster or external clutch on a long bar saw which is what those two saws are meant to be. It’s a personal preference thing though. I don’t like fighting with a 36+” bar and chain trying to get it on a 395 working against that clutch with the chain adjuster out in the field. For me I’m partial to the 661 of the MMWS variety. If I really need a hoss I’ll pull out the Treemonkey flat top 066. My hands don’t like that 066 for very long anymore though.

However, if I was running a chainsaw mill I’d want a 395 where the external clutch was actually of very real benefit. The 395 is typically built like a tank too. Especially with liberal use of blue locktite

 

[Sloughfoot]

Glad to see I'm not the only one that suffers the Husky front adjusters and external clutches. I'll spend the extra 15 minutes reshaping a wrecked chain instead of throwing another on these. New chains are a pleasure to install on internal clutch saws, dreaded on an external.

 

[Woodpecker]

Glad to see I'm not the only one that suffers the Husky front adjusters and external clutches. I'll spend the extra 15 minutes reshaping a wrecked chain instead of throwing another on these. New chains are a pleasure to install on internal clutch saws, dreaded on an external.

I know it seems like a silly gripe. I’m sure folks with loads of 395 experience have learned clever tricks to work around these issues. Me I’d rather spend that time getting work done. My clients also don’t want to pay my hourly rate to watch me fart around with saw maintenance in their driveways. So any minimization of those issues is appreciated by me. Again I fully understand this is a personal preference for my unique use case. The 395 is a fine saw otherwise .

 

[Jusgunn3]

I have a ported 390xp and can’t figure I will need anything bigger. I am on 24 acres of oaks and some are pretty big. Also run a 572xp with a 24” bar with easy through most everything. I really enjoy the 50cc saws for most work even though I just bought a ported 60cc haha. Can’t have to many I guess but if I could only have 3-4 it would be a 50, 70, 90ish. My brother just bought a 462c from my neighbor and it felt a lot lighter than my 572xp. I have been hearing great things about a ported 400c as well…tough call!

 

[farminkarman]

I have a ported 390xp and can’t figure I will need anything bigger. I am on 24 acres of oaks and some are pretty big. Also run a 572xp with a 24” bar with easy through most everything. I really enjoy the 50cc saws for most work even though I just bought a ported 60cc haha. Can’t have to many I guess but if I could only have 3-4 it would be a 50, 70, 90ish. My brother just bought a 462c from my neighbor and it felt a lot lighter than my 572xp. I have been hearing great things about a ported 400c as well…tough call!

572’s are a heavy saw for what they are. Not a bad saw…they sure are smooth.

 

[Woodpecker]

I have been hearing great things about a ported 400c as well…tough call!

It’s kind of a ‘tweener saw. In the past I haven’t been a big fan of those. I will say that since my ported 400 did its best wicked witch impression under a big red oak, I have been sorely missing it! I like them a lot. Size and weight of a 362 power of a 70cc saw. Great all-arounder!

 

[bogieboy]

Stock i didnt find an ms400 particularly impressive... got to run one last week, and didnt really see any power difference over my stock fresh rebuild ms362... both pulling 25" bar with stihl 33rs in the same piece of wood, the 400 wasnt more than a half to 3/4 second faster on average... ported they may be better, but they are off my radar currently...LOL but thats coming from a guy with an ms170, ms194, ms261, ms280, ms362, ported 044, and a ported ms661... so i kinda have a bit of overlap in stuff already....LOL

 

[Jusgunn3]

It’s kind of a ‘tweener saw. In the past I haven’t been a big fan of those. I will say that since my ported 400 did its best wicked witch impression under a big red oak, I have been sorely missing it! I like them a lot. Size and weight of a 362 power of a 70cc saw. Great all-arounder!

I’d like to compare a ported 400 to a ported 365 special…

 

[farminkarman]

I’d like to compare a ported 400 to a ported 365 special…

Well here is one of each in the same log…not the same chain, but gives an idea. The 400 has a 103 exhaust and the 365 had a 102, so similar type of build. The 365 was still getting up to temp on the first cut, so if you are timing cuts, you would want to toss that one.

 

[Jusgunn3]

Both look good but I think I will take the 365 special haha

 

[Catbuster]

I know it seems like a silly gripe. I’m sure folks with loads of 395 experience have learned clever tricks to work around these issues. Me I’d rather spend that time getting work done. My clients also don’t want to pay my hourly rate to watch me fart around with saw maintenance in their driveways. So any minimization of those issues is appreciated by me. Again I fully understand this is a personal preference for my unique use case. The 395 is a fine saw otherwise .

I kept a 395 around for years because I needed a saw that would pull a 3/8 pitch, 42” bar in midwest/east coast hardwood trees and it was the smallest saw that would do that.

A 661 is nice to live with but a 395 eats it once you get to 3 feet plus of bar.

 

[Hoser]

Catbuster, how do you like the air filter setup on the 661? They have my interest but the air filter 1/4 turn thing seems flimsy to me like it would have trouble keeping the filter tight?

 

[farminkarman]

Both look good but I think I will take the 365 special haha

I like a good 365 too…but the 400 can really scoot for such a small saw. I don’t see the 400 being ideal for running anything over a 25” bar though. I think the 400 is nearly perfect at filling that 20-25” bar niche.

 

[Jusgunn3]

I do like the idea of how light they are!

 

[jeffkrib]

I guess it really depends on what you’re doing with the saw. Your philosophy of use so to speak.

I don’t personally care for the chain adjuster or external clutch on a long bar saw which is what those two saws are meant to be. It’s a personal preference thing though. I don’t like fighting with a 36+” bar and chain trying to get it on a 395 working against that clutch with the chain adjuster out in the field. For me I’m partial to the 661 of the MMWS variety. If I really need a hoss I’ll pull out the Treemonkey flat top 066. My hands don’t like that 066 for very long anymore though.

However, if I was running a chainsaw mill I’d want a 395 where the external clutch was actually of very real benefit. The 395 is typically built like a tank too. Especially with liberal use of blue locktite

When I was deciding on a 90cc saw there were so many things to like about a 395 but I couldn't bring myself to do it due to the external clutch and front adjuster. I got a MMWS 661 instead.
Curious to know how does a MMWS 661 compare to a tree monkey 066?

 

[drf256]

661 over a 395 any day of the week.

Being a Stihl guy though and through I highly disagree.

As much as I HATE the external clutch, it is a plus for many reasons. The front adjust all out sucks.

But the 395 has truly earned its reputation as “The King”. It’s a durable tough ass saw in every way. Ain’t easy to swing all day with a 36” 404 standard cannon bar I can tell you. Wouldn’t want to fell with it. But for big saw usage (bucking and milling) it can’t be beat.

 

[Woodpecker]

I kept a 395 around for years because I needed a saw that would pull a 3/8 pitch, 42” bar in midwest/east coast hardwood trees and it was the smallest saw that would do that.

A 661 is nice to live with but a 395 eats it once you get to 3 feet plus of bar.

What about my multiple 395 statement says I want to turn this into a 395 vs. 661 debate?