Buying Advice Need Second Stihl Commercial Chainsaw, Larger Than MS261

[LD1]

I mean, no one is making you click on this thread. From what I can see you're the only one offended by it. I'd encourage you to relax and stick around though. TBN is a pretty chill and well mannered forum compared to the other ones I visit.

I dont know how many other ways I can say it.......just having fun here.

There are certain other members here that I jokingly give a hard time to about their choice of orange color for tractors.

My brother is a ford guy.....I like Dodge. We tease each other all the time.

I cut wood with guys that use stihl and husky. One has a 372xp, the other has both an old 044 and an 046. And yep.....there is some fun there about who has the better saw.

This thread is no different.

So sorry if some get offended and take the joking too seriously.

 

[4570Man]

If price is factored in Stihl looses nearly every time. With the amount of people that blindly put Stihl on a pedestal isn’t it ok to go the other direction? And this forum would be in the dumps if everyone stayed completely on topic and never threw any jokes.

 

[LD1]

If price is factored in Stihl looses nearly every time. With the amount of people that blindly put Stihl on a pedestal isn’t it ok to go the other direction? And this forum would be in the dumps if everyone stayed completely on topic and never threw any jokes.

Could you imagine a forum where you could only ever talk about John Deere tractors and stihl chainsaws?:laughing:

 

[4570Man]

Could you imagine a forum where you could only ever talk about John Deere tractors and stihl chainsaws?:laughing:

I’d get kicked out pretty quick...

 

[LD1]

I’d get kicked out pretty quick...

At least you have a deere. Only deere tractors I own are a dozen or so model tractors. But I do have a 210 disc and a 2308 blade:thumbsup:

 

[4570Man]

At least you have a deere. Only deere tractors I own are a dozen or so model tractors. But I do have a 210 disc and a 2308 blade:thumbsup:

Being serious again. It’s a terrible mower unless your yard is as flat as Florida.

 

[aczlan]

Two saws, one bar for each saw; that is all the complexity I can stand and all the room I have in my RTV500 Utility Vehicle. I realize, reluctantly, that I will have to shuffle in/out my 1 gallon sprayer, propane torch and fire shovel to accommodate the longer saw.

Sounds like you need a storage rack to put your saws on up top and get them out of the way. Perhaps something like this: Dump Bed Rack -Universal Fitment

Aaron Z

 

[motownbrowne]

Wish we could all get together and run some saws. I'd love a chance to try some of those older Dolmars you've got LD1, and I always enjoy running 372s. We could continue talking trash over a beer or sasparilla as well. Too bad about all that space between Wisconsin, Tennessee, Florida, and Ohio. Guess we'll have to stick to keyboards.

 

[LD1]

Wish we could all get together and run some saws. I'd love a chance to try some of those older Dolmars you've got LD1, and I always enjoy running 372s. We could continue talking trash over a beer or sasparilla as well. Too bad about all that space between Wisconsin, Tennessee, Florida, and Ohio. Guess we'll have to stick to keyboards.

Yea, I often wish I lived alot closer to many of the people here. I think we'd have a great time doing alot of things.

As to the older dolmars......one nice thing is that they are a lesser known brand among many.....so if you go to auctions, yardsales, even c-list.......you can often find them and they dont bring much money. unlike stihl and huskys....even their homeowner models....people get stupid at auctions because they see "stihl"

The 115i and PS540 (same basic saw)....excellent little trim saw. ~3.6hp or so.....and light. 11.7# i think is the spec. almost as light as dads newer PS-350....but a whole lot more power. Compares real well with an 026 or 346xp.

The 116si and 120si.....same saw....larger jug and piston on the 120. These saws also became the 6000i and 6800i respectively.
60cc and 4.2HP or 68cc and 4.8hp. and man will those two cut. Husky seems to skip the 60cc class with pro saws for a long time. They now have the 562xp....never ran one of those....but I had a 365sp back in the day, as well as an older 266se. And these two dolmars compared nicely.

Those 4 saws are the 4 I look for casually. Never pay more than ~$100-$150 for a running 540/115i.......and never more than $200 for a 116si/120si

 

[crazyal]

I think Husky's answer was the 359 for the longest time. When they showed it some love and turned it into the 357xp the got back into contention in the 60cc class. I've never owned a Stihl saw because until the 7900 I've only bought used saws and just never came across one but buy their chains exclusively. I do have friends with Stihl saws and other than the flip caps they love them.

 

[big bubba]

so looking at the recent posts....can you imagine a thread that actually pays attention to the OP question?

or does it just eventually play into another name brand war no matter what?
seems we already have our minds made up even before the OP posts... no matter, just be careful w/that saw.

 

[4570Man]

We’re 6 pages in. How much discussion could possibly result of which Stihl pro grade chainsaw to buy?

 

[big bubba]

We’re 6 pages in. How much discussion could possibly result of which Stihl pro grade chainsaw to buy?

well good point. well taken after all, it's an open forum & discussion of our own experience to share. best regards

 

[newbury]

I壇 gladly pay $450 for a 372 or a 7900. Unfortunately I haven稚 found such a deal.

What about 120CC of Stihl?
Stihl 088, 32 inch bar, 2 chains, a few tools, the carrying cases AND a mint Alaska Mark III $450. Mentioned HERE

121.6 CC of beauty and power. Purrs like a 7.3L diesel without the exhaust pipes

We?*e 6 pages in. How much discussion could possibly result of which Stihl pro grade chainsaw to buy?

See, that's your problem - SIZE.
I'm only on page 3, I get 40 posts per page

 

[Deere Dude]

We羆*e 6 pages in. How much discussion could possibly result of which Stihl pro grade chainsaw to buy?

well good point. well taken after all, it's an open forum & discussion of our own experience to share. best regards

I would like to ECHO those points.

 

[arrow]

I would like to ECHO those points.

Allow me.
ECHO CS-68 66.8cc Professional Use Chain Saw - ECHO USA | ECHO USA

 

[jeff9366]

The additional saw will be a commercial grade STIHL, as this thread title relates.

The leading contender is a Stihl MS 461 with a 25" chain bar.

I am in rural north Florida. No full service Echo shop anywhere near.

Excellent, full service, Stihl specialty store twelve miles away, six miles past my kubota dealer.



(I have nothing against Echo.)



MORE STIHL MS 461: https://www.google.com/search?q=sti...YAhWllOAKHdnMALYQrQIIRigEMAI&biw=1280&bih=739

 

[two_bit_score]

That pinched fuel line recall was interesting.

 

[big bubba]

The additional saw will be a commercial grade STIHL, as this thread title relates.

The leading contender is a Stihl MS 461 with a 25" chain bar.

I am in rural north Florida. No full service Echo shop anywhere near.

Excellent, full service, Stihl specialty store twelve miles away, six miles past my kubota dealer.



(I have nothing against Echo.)



MORE STIHL MS 461: https://www.google.com/search?q=sti...YAhWllOAKHdnMALYQrQIIRigEMAI&biw=1280&bih=739

personally, i would wait till the ms 462 is out. well worth the wait. you'll thank yourself hap new yr

 

[arrow]

The additional saw will be a commercial grade STIHL, as this thread title relates.

The leading contender is a Stihl MS 461 with a 25" chain bar.

I am in rural north Florida. No full service Echo shop anywhere near.



Excellent, full service, Stihl specialty store twelve miles away, six miles past my kubota dealer.



(I have nothing against Echo.)



MORE STIHL MS 461: https://www.google.com/search?q=sti...YAhWllOAKHdnMALYQrQIIRigEMAI&biw=1280&bih=739

I'm not attempting to bugger you Jeff. I'm all on your side. It is just that as a logger, I learned never to rely on one brand of saw as time was money. I only got a couple years out of any saw as they simply were run too much to last a lifetime. We'd go through about 5 gallons of mix per day. I could not wait for any dealer to get the saw size I wanted. I simply had to have running chainsaws and as you, i didn't ever pull a chainsaw apart to find out why it wasn't running after i did all the regular things of fuel adjustment, spark plug and spark test.
Chainsaws are different today. They are way more reliable. If I had the job you have and I wanted a more powerful saw, I'd look for the next best alternative. I wouldn't want to spend close to that thousand bucks for a saw that was going to see limited use.
I'm just attempting to share my mindset. I understand you are not in "timber country" or a "firewood zone" so I'm guessing there are not of dealers around selling chainsaws (or skating equipment) in Florida.
You are attempting to stay loyal to one shop and that is all well and good. It is unfortunate that most of these shops are prioritized to sell only one saw brand by manufacturers or else this Echo would be the "perfect" saw for your current needs.
If there is one saw i'd shy away from having owned a couple would be the "EFCO" brand from Italy. Parts are horrendously expensive to get here. Hardly a dealer around (which I didn't care about except to simply buy the saw) and seem to have real sensitive carburetors to this crap ethanol farce.
Other than that, I'd give any saw a shot today even to have to purchase one on-line.
Any small engine shop can take care of a chainsaw. I'm sure your Stihl guy would understand your situation and would even take care of an Echo saw if it had Sthil chains on it. You were loyal to them all of these years. How about them being loyal to you especially that you are a remaining customer buying all your related chainsaw gear from them?