I'm thinking of buying a bigger saw............

KevinE

Hi guys, I've used the forum search to try & find if this has been done before but couldn't find it. My apologies in advance if this has been asked before, but I'm looking at buying a bigger saw & am seeking some feedback regarding which one I need. I'm a gardener, not a tree feller, but I do a reasonable amount of pruning & removal of trees up to about 15M tall from residential backyards (usually in very tricky situations lol!). I also do emergency clean ups of fallen trees & limbs. I don't climb. I currently run an Echo 350T with a 12" bar as my stick saw & use a Stihl MS260C to chop up the stuff that's too big for the Echo (I work out of a Ute & trailer). Clearly that means that I'm having to say no to a fair amount of work because, while the 260 is a very good saw, it's simply not big enough to do the bigger fallen trees/branches. The 2 saws I have in mind are an MS461 or an MS660. The guys that service my gear have pointed me towards an Echo CS8001. What are your thoughts?

nmurph

dolmar 7900....close in power to the 660, unless you are running a bar longer than 32" and 2+ lbs lighter.

windthrown

There are no MS461 as of yet. An MS441 may be better for what you need. An MS660 is a very large beastie, as is the 7900. The 7900 is about the only Dolmar that I would recommend, as they have a lot of grunt for the size, and have that class of saw pretty well dominated. However parts and service here are hard to find for any Dolmars. I personally prefer a 440 in the larger 70-75cc saws that Stihl makes (the 440, 441 and 460), but they no longer make or sell them here or down under. A Stihl 441 is probably the size that you want/need from your description. Or a Husky 372xp later edition (74cc).

You are in Adelaide? My cousin owns the Zamberos there in that town. Its a Mexican place with lamb tacos.

Cut4fun

The 372xp is 70.7cc, most west coast versions of the 372xpW are 74.66cc with full wrap handle and bigger dogs.
Then you can put the aftermarket 52mm top end on any of them and get 76cc.

windthrown

The 372xp (smaller engine) are out of print around here. The only model that Husky shows on their USA web site now is the 372xp (w) with the 74cc engine. The 372xp supposedly is being replaced in the US with a newer 372xp model that is smogged to pass EPA requirements. The Husky Oz site shows only the 372xp (smaller 70cc engine) being available in Australia. That has the same engine as the older model 371, which I was not that impressed with.

Cut4fun

Some of the shops are getting in the NEW Husky 372xp which says X-Torque on side sticker too , pay attention to this. The de-comp is on the top of cylinder instead of the side. This is the strato 372xp.

windthrown

Nothing like confusing the market with three completely different models of the 372xp... I have yet to see or run an X-Torque 372.

Cut4fun

Just like the NE or OE 346xp, now even more confusion on the 372's. I dont get it either, give the stuff a new model # IMO.

sharkey

I suppose you should try to figure out how much business your going to get out of the more expensive larger saw. If the business is out there, you should go after it because someone will. What I see is that the biggest saws dont see that much use outside of a professional tree faller venue. Even the pro's dont want to lug around 880 stihls or 3120 huskys all day. Maybe look around for a good used 65-70cc saw that will run a 24 inch bar and see where that takes you.

KevinE

Thanks for the replies everyone

To the best of my knowledge, we don't have a Dolmar dealer here, so unfortunately, they're out (shame though).

I had a very, very, very BAD experience with a Husky hedge trimmer that has left a foul taste in my mouth (and my wallet $765 lighter!) so.............. no room in my shed for anything that they make!

Thanks again though for the replies!

KevinE

I know what you mean! That's what I've been mulling over; how much work will I get out of buying a big saw? My wife's cousin is a farmer down in Mt Gambier & he has an 880. It's a beast & I love it, but, it's too big for what I've got in mind!

There's only about $150 difference here between buying a 440, a 460 & a 660. I'm worried about buying a 440 or a 460 & then a year or two down the track wishing I'd bought the 660. I'm leaning (read, VERY HEAVILY) towards a 660. Next thing will be.................... what bar & chain do I put onto it???

Cut4fun

You got Makita dealer? They are the same saws 7901

Just doing some long distance searching for you. Makita dealer comes back as........

Mowers Plus Echo, Husqvarna, Jonsered, Makita, McCulloch, Oregon, Poulan, Stihl

(08) 8250 5666
Address
89 Frost Rd, Salisbury South SA 5106, Australia

KevinE

WOW! that's amazing!!! what a coincidence that you'd post that, they're the people I go to for all my repairs! I've bought a lot of equipment there over the years! They're FANTASTIC PEOPLE! When I walk in the door with something I need fixed, they pretty much drop what they're doing & get my machine going again there & then! Jamie is the one suggesting the Echo.

Yup, they have Makita! I've seen them in there (blue saws) they've only got small ones on display, I'll ask about the 7091 today.

micksaw

Makitas have turned to shit, they dont last as long as they used to

KevinE

You are legend Cut4fun! You've saved me about $650 if I'd bought the 660 & $450 if I'd gone the Echo! I've ordered the 7901 (typo in my post above!) from Jamie at Mowers Plus & got a great deal. I can't believe that I've managed to buy a pro saw in that range with 12 months contractor warranty for such a great price!

My saw should arrive Tuesday or Wednesday!

KevinE

Thanks for making the suggestion of the 7900 nmurph!

Cut4fun

Makita with 32" . Here is my old one with grey cover then I put on new black cover. Now they have a HD filter set up that is the cats azz for even better flow and filtration for the 6400-7900 saws.

There is not a saw 70cc-79cc in the Stihl or Husqvarna line up with even close power to weight ratio of the 7900-7901. Now the Solo 681 80.7cc weighs about 1lb more and cuts just a little quicker then the 7900, but 681 has very soft AV.

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KevinE

Hi mate, yup! I'm in Adelaide Where your cousin has the restaurant is probably the busiest cafe strip in town. They're probably doing very well I'd reckon! I don't get there much these days, old age lol !

KevinE

OK, picked the saw up today! Very, very happy with so far! It came with a 24" bar & a 3/8 full chisel chain. I'm especially impressed with the low/mid range torque it seems to have.

Cut4fun

I have ran stock ones with 36" full comp full chisel chain in hardwoods. Unreal power to weight ratio for the 79cc saw.


Sorry got carried away

KevinE

Still very, very happy with this saw! During some recent bad weather a neighbour's gum tree dropped a significant limb. I went over there to help clean up with the 350T & the MS260C. The 350T cut up all of the sticks no probs, but the 260 wouldn't bloody start! (I really don't like the air filtration system on this model saw!) I was as embarrassed as hell, so I went home & got the 7901.......... started 2nd pull & like a hot knife through butter! I'm thinking of ditching the MS260C, after about 10 cuts in gum the air filter is blocked & the saw gets temperamental. But I need to run a saw with a 16-18" bar for most jobs. How does the 7901 go with an 18" bar on it?

Cut4fun

I ran my 7900 with a 16" and 20" too. So 18" will be 7900 PHO weighs 3lbs more then the 10.6lb PHO of the 026. I weighed mine and thats what I go by . Try it and let me know what you think afterwords

Now if you go lifting over your head with it, you wont like that. I tried that with a 066 and 084 before by having the wrong saw for job I was called for .

KevinE

Ok, 18" bar & chain now on order! I'm really looking forward to this!

Chris75

Any opinions on the Makita 9010?
We have a 361 but have needed a bigger saw on a couple of jobs. We're hoping to find a used 660 as it won't get used often enough to warrant buying a new one but there isn't any around. This may be option if it's a decent saw.

Cut4fun

I have a used stock stihl 084 122cc I am going to sale. I have no clue what would be involved shipping a saw of that size to Perth though. Probably cost as much as the saw used. Buy as big of a bar as you need for this one.

Stihl 084 for sale

Sunraysia Tree Solutions

Just for interest sake, i found out the cost price for a 7900, powerhead only at the large green hardware shop I work part time in it was $999.00. So add their usual mark up and it would come to around $1400-$1500. So I suppose this adds weight to the whole Stihl US and Aus price difference debate, in that its not the dealers who are ripping us off its the companys themselves.

KevinE

I know what you mean! Either the importer or the manufacturer are making a killing! Incidentally, I paid $1,159 for my 7901 in August

KevinE

I'm currently looking for a 50cc saw to replace my MS260C & would prefer a Makita, as I really like the 7901. The thing is that the cheapest I can find a 5000 for is $880. I can't find a 5030 for sale anywhere here, but maybe I'm not looking hard enough? I can buy a 6401 for $40 less than I can buy a 5000, which confuses me! I don't want a 6401 though, I'd rather something a bit lighter!

loggerBOB

A.G Stihl produces about 1,000,000 saws for the us market annually and maybe 100,000 at the most for the aus market

Just do the sums on that

Sunraysia Tree Solutions

Yeh their market is bigger, but I cant see their production costs being any higher, (see the other threads on this) Also seems that home user saws are not marked up nearly as high as professional saws, when compared to the US /