Stihl Chainsaws

txpjl

What's the difference between the professional series and the standard saws? Does anybody on here know? I know the price is a lot more.

Say for a MS 362 and a MS 391.

Thanks
T

49801

a professional saw is designed to run non stop.
same cannot be said for a domestic type saw.

really just depends on your needs which you go for.

MOC1972

There can be alot of small stuff thats hard to notice.
for example a metal chain catcher on the pro saws light weigth metal chasing to take more abuse and they would also be lighter than the diy saws and have more power to weight

dipper.meath16

Professional saws have a lot more power, cut trough harder timber, take more abuse (as in being used all day everyday) without issues, tend to be slightly heavier but its worth it! However with every saw they should be maintained on a daily basis, keeping them clean, regular sharpening ect!

CJhaughey

Usually its the build of the saw.

Pro saws have magnesium or alloy crankcases, to save weight and increase stiffness, high output and fully adjustable oil pumps.
Sometimes they have heated grips for cold climates.
Clutches are usually a little stronger maybe 3 shoe instead of 2.
Bigger idler bearings under the sprockets etc.
Bars tend to have replaceable noses.

Non pro saws
Plastic crankcases, limited oil pump adjustability.
Smaller/less clutch shoes.

Stihl usually have white handles on prosaws and orange handles on non pro saws.

txpjl

ok, so pro saw it is. I have a quote for a MS 362 for E775 incl VAT. I held this saw today and really liked it.

Anybody know of anywhere I can get it cheaper?

Thanks

Eleganza

MTBF is higher on fully professional saw.
below pro is semi-pro
below semi-pro is consumer.

crankshaft and bearings would last longer on a pro saw.
cylinder and piston would be coated in better materials.
saw body would be more durable in general.
while power may be higher on a pro-saw it doesn't distinguish a pro-saw from a lesser saw.
alloy body doesn't distinguish a pro-saw from a consumer hobby saw either as there have been many pretty rubbish alloy bodied consumer saws released to market.

a pro saw may not be appropriate to a domestic or farm user.
a pulp wood professional saw is of little use to a farmer cutting hardwood and working in ditches.

example of differentiation from past were husky range.
Husky 45 was a rubbish plastic bodied consumer saw that never ran right cheap but still overpriced living off the reputation of the following two saws.
Husky 50/Husky Rancher was a robust affordable alloy bodied saw that was a joy to use with not too much power to get the user in to trouble.
Husky 254 was an animal of a pulpwood saw that was very expensive but right tool for it's job.
For a farmer the right choice if they could afford it was the Husky50 as the 254 was just not suited to farming work. All these saws were sold at the same time by husqvarna to fill niches in the market.

If I were a farmer I wouldn't buy a pro saw, I'd buy a semi-pro and take the wife or girlfriend away for the weekend on the money saved or perhaps both on alternate weekends.

CJhaughey

If the OP is looking at the 391 or the 362 I know what I would rather be using all day!
The 029/390/391 range are heavy durable saws but no match for the 362.
The 362 are a new design with much better airfiltration than the 391 series, and are stratocharged which makes them a lot more economical to run, and the spring AV (copied from husky) makes them smooth compared the the shítty rubber AV mounts on the 391.
Its all about price TBH and if you are doing a lot of saw work then get a smooth powerful saw, anything less is doing yourself a disservice.
Once you use a pro saw with nice power you will find it hard to go back to anything else.
All chainsaws are dangerous and react the same way when you do the wrong things with one, I can't see how anyone would intentionally choose a lesser saw if they had the choice. Farmers can spend all day cutting and thats when you need a lightweight powerful saw with good antivibe to lessen fatigue.

Eleganza

Go to the Stihl website. Their product lists are separated in to different use types. If you are farmer then you select the area agriculture and horticulture.
Don't select a saw from another area like arborist, forestry or property maintenance.
If you know that you'll spend your time in a ditch with the saw at arms length then go for the lighter saws from that area, if you know that you'll spend most of your time felling and blocking then go for one of the heavier saws from that area.

Only Jonsered, Husqvarana and Stihl are big enough manufacturers to be offering saws across all "user" types but all three classify their saws in the same fashion according to intended user type.

If you go in to the shop not knowing what saw is appropriate to you then the Dealer will sell you what is on the shelf or the most expensive saw he can.

Determine your need and buy the appropriate saw rather than buying a Ford Transit or Fiesta when you need a Mondeo.

A forestry saw is not a more comfortable saw to use than a farmer's saw. It may be equally as comfortable to use as a farmers saw but both will be more comfortable than a consumer saw. Don't think of a farmer saw as inferior to a forestry saw but rather as a different type of pro saw in the same was as an arborist saw is a different type of pro saw. forestry saw will have longer MTBF than the other saw types but don't confuse yourself with technology used and buy the right tool for your intended task and only you know your intended task.

Final bit of advice: don't lend your nice shiny new saw to anyone; they'll destroy it on you.

Fiskar

Have an MS261 pro saw and its an animal. Cuts fast and is very frugal. Super saw. Recommend the pro-saw

F.D

We have a stihl saw, dont know what model, very good machine only thing i hate about it is the filler caps for the fuel and chain oil there a pain in the ass to secure some times, can't understand why the could not just leave screw type ones on it, dont know if its the same on all models

Finnt

txpjl wrote: »

What's the difference between the professional series and the standard saws? Does anybody on here know? I know the price is a lot more.

Say for a MS 362 and a MS 391.

Thanks
T

The 362 is a fast saw literally! It revs to about 14000rpm!! Thats the main difference between the pro saws and the farmer saw who revs to about 10000tpm,
The pro saw is lighter and more durable but unless your cutting all day ever day theres nothing wrong with the 391,
Do you need a 18" or 20" bar?
The 251 is a grand mid range saw or the 262 is a smashing saw too!
The trouble I often see us people buying big saws and a 15" or 16" saw would do them and they'd have a lighter saw that'd be more comfortable to use all day.

Bluebeard99

I hear someone in Cork is selling no-additive petrol for use in infrequently used chainsaws, anyone know where this is?

CJhaughey

Bluebeard99 wrote: »

I hear someone in Cork is selling no-additive petrol for use in infrequently used chainsaws, anyone know where this is?

Drinagh Co-op has Alkylate petrol in their stores.
1 or 5 litre containers premixed with oil.

Reindeer

WHat sort of work will you be doing with the saw?

Bluebeard99

I just want to get some petrol that is guaranteed to have no or minimal ethanol.