Thread: The Great Debate

I have a 3120 and the only reason that I haven't thrown it in the dam is because it is so bloody heavy. I have a mate that broke his thumb starting his 880. Im sure they both have there faults. But if I could choose again I would go with a stihl.

Originally Posted by catpower

Hi i am buying a new saw either a stihl ms880 magnum or a husky 3120xp the saw will be used for blocking large logs for firewood and a smaller bar for ripping posts have used both saws just can't decide which one even though i'm a die hard stihl boy.

You can't be a real "die hard stihl boy" if you are asking?
Does a diehard Collingwood supporter suddenly decide to barrack for the other team, or a diehard holden fan buy a ford?

Both great saws, I'd go for whichever would offer me the best 'deal'!

Then again, I am cheap....and I've already got the small sawmill too. Yup, the best deal would win!




Scott (cheap is cheap, but cheaper can afford some brews afterward) B

Go the Stihl, easier to start, especially when they run out of fuel

Thanks for all your thoughts i am a stihl boy but have noticed a lot of fulltime guys are using the huskys saying they will rev harder.
Have got a good price on both saws only a few $ between them

Originally Posted by catpower

Thanks for all your thoughts i am a stihl boy but have noticed a lot of fulltime guys are using the huskys saying they will rev harder.
Have got a good price on both saws only a few $ between them

Well they obviously don't know the spec because although they both have rev limiters on them, the latest model Husky has a 10K limiter whereas the Stihl has a 12k limit.
In practice this does not mean a lot because it's what's pulled in the cut that counts and they both pull the same sorts of revs.

A couple of year ago I ran these saws side by side for a week on chainsaw mills and here is my list of pros and cons

1) The Stihl has an inboard clutch and an outboard sprocket whereas the Husky has the opposite. This means the sprocket is MUCH easier to change on the Stihl than the Husky. Some people say an inboard sprocket can get clogged with sawdust but I haven't seen this. This feature alone would lead me to the Stihl.
2) The Stihl has a variable H screw whereas the Husky has a fixed H or main carby jet. This makes the Husky easier to tune - ie no H screw to mess with. OTOH if you want to modify something like the exhaust and then need to retune to suite the modification by varying the H screw you cannot do this on the Husky, you have to change the carby main jet ie a PITA. OTOH having a fixed jet the Husky it is much harder to run lean.
3) The chain adjustment on the Stihl is on the side whereas it is on the front on the husky. If you use these saws in a conventional Chainsaw mill adjusting the chain on the husky requires a small modification to the mill to be able to get at the chain adjustment screw.
4) The Husky has much greater oil output of up to 54 mL/min versus 39? mL/min for the Stihl. Having used both my experience is the extra oil output from the Husky is just spun off at the nose so there is little benefit. IMHO being such heavy saws the manual oiler is just a waste of time.
5) The Husky can be hard to start when its warm but it is also easy to flood the Stihl.
6) The Stihl maybe uses a bit more fuel but that could be because the stihl I was using had a modded exhaust.

Other than the above they are greats saws and a lot of fun and give you and excellent upper body workout.
One thing that might be important for someone that needs someone to do their servicing is access to a reliable service agent

Hi Bob.
i agree with all your points the outboard clutch is a good point as i run various chain pitch and can easily swap them.
The only reason i asked the question was i watched some post cutting competitions on the weekend and they all used huskys and the revving was one of there reasons for choice.
I am the proud ownwer of 5 stihl saws from a 009 thru to 2 ms660 magnums and they have never let me down apart from old age i have a 390 farmboss that is 22 years old still starts still on the original spark plug i really can't fault them

Originally Posted by catpower

Hi Bob.
i agree with all your points the outboard clutch is a good point as i run various chain pitch and can easily swap them.
The only reason i asked the question was i watched some post cutting competitions on the weekend and they all used huskys and the revving was one of there reasons for choice.

Unless they are modding new ones they will be using old ones which had no limiter.

Catpower, to be honest mate go with a 395xp not the 3120.

For what you've mentioned, it will be more than enough. I use "sammy" (my 395) with milling and also for ripping posts, it's done more than 5,000 posts. If I'm walking through the bush I want to carry my 372 (10 years old and just replaced $90 worth of bits in it) if I'm running behind a machine and trying to harvest logs and keep out of their way I use sammy cause he just vaporises timber. I use a 30" bar on both my saws and run a left, right, skip, right, left skip pattern on my chains, that 395 goes like the blazes, will be lighter, easier on fuel and also easier on your pocket compared to the 3120....

I do agree with the clutch comments, my 372 has in board clutch and 395 has outboard -I don't like outboard and another down side is 395 chain tension is beside the bar between motor and bar, on the 372 its outside the bar cover near the bar bolts...

I have two 3120 husky i use for milling i put biger jets in them to stop the fuel from vaporising when hot. Hard to start when cold good to start when hot
Thanks Andrew

I'm familiar with both and of that pair I'd buy the 880... Odd because it's the only pro saw in the Stihl lineup that I actually would buy, I have three big huskies now. Seriously unless you're doing a real lot of work dragging a really big bar - as in 32 inches or more in the wood all day everyday - the 395XPW is a hell of a lot better day at the office. One of mine lives with a 36" bar on full time and it takes a fair bit to bog her down.

The 880 would have to be one of the best saws Stihl have produced. I will stop using their saws when I get a crook one. Hasn't happened yet. My son runs Huskies, but he is young and silly.

Originally Posted by catpower

Hi Bob.
i agree with all your points the outboard clutch is a good point as i run various chain pitch and can easily swap them.
The only reason i asked the question was i watched some post cutting competitions on the weekend and they all used huskys and the revving was one of there reasons for choice.
I am the proud ownwer of 5 stihl saws from a 009 thru to 2 ms660 magnums and they have never let me down apart from old age i have a 390 farmboss that is 22 years old still starts still on the original spark plug i really can't fault them

Catpower

Your reference to the ms660 magnum is interesting. A friend has had one of these for some years and it is more impressive than my similar sized Solo. Between us we bought a 42" bar for it (I did the bar and my mate provided the chain and saw) to use on a rail style mill. The Stihl was absolutely unstoppable.

However this weekend I was talking to him and he mentioned that a mutual friend had loaned him his new Husky (we presumed it is was an XP395, but can't be sure) and he said it just ate the Stihl.

I am talking performance only as I can't answer for other issue as raised by Bob. Al also has a good point in the 395 is probably lighter than the 3120. I have been told by another professional that it has nearly the same performance in the bush as larger saws and a bit lighter to lug around.

Regards
Paul

I agree with Bushmiller as i have a 395xp and a 660. The husky eats the stihl alive,i run an 8 tooth sprocket on both with a 24 inch bar on husky and a 20 on the stihl, if i need to run a 24 on the 660 then i have to go back to a 7 tooth sprocket.As for the question of an 880 or 3120 never used a 3120 but i have an 088 which is 16 years old and unkillable i think.