Stihl 462

[bullskin]

I know the Stihl/Husky comparison has been made a hundred times. But, after running Husqvarna for thirty-five years (266, 268, 372), I finally decided to try the Stihl 462 as my latest small saw replacement. By comparison, the husky 372xpxtorq is slow to accelerate and doesn't feel right in the hand--and I am not convinced the 572 is much better. Only time will tell if the Stihl is as durable, but I will say it has better balance front-to-back and rolls side-to-side much more easily since the grip lies closer to its center of gravity. Of course it is lighter and more powerful than the previous generations of saws, but it is the ergonomics that I really like. It is as nimble bumping knots and thinning manzanita as it is quick tearing through logs with a 24 inch bar. I can't wait to try it the small kerf Q83 Husky chain. The only feature I would improve is the volume of the fuel tank. IMO, Stihl is the brand to buy in the 70cc class.

 

[elkassassin]

I've got an older Stihl 066 MAGNUM!

I believe in the 91cc Range!

You Won't go Wrong with a Stihl!

However!

I Wonder sometimes If Newer Stihl's are Like anything else Newer?

(((Not the Quality they once were?)))

I Surely Hope Not & Hope they are Still a Quality Built Tool!

I Do know CHINA Built/Builds some FAKE Stihl Chainsaws,so BEWARE Everybody!

I Guess if I couldn't Buy a Stihl I'd have to go with a HUSKY!

I Have Noticed for Quite a few years now that the Husky Saws have alot of Plastic parts on them!

 

[eelgrass]

I'm glad you like the new saw bullskin. I agree the Stihl feels good in the hand and that makes a difference at the end of the day. There should be lots of firewood on Forest Service next year.

 

[eelgrass]

bullskin, I'm curious about the thin kerf chain. Let us know what you think if you try it. Theoretically it will take less power to pull it through the cut.

 

[customweld]

My first landing saw was a Husky 288. That was a helluva saw. When I moved on to being a sawyer, my main saw was an 066 and by backup was a 046. I still cut wood with the 046, it's been a good saw and doesn't owe me anything. I bought the 288 from my employer when I went to falling logs. I had intentions of letting the loader operator run that miserable sob over! I still run it on occasion, but good golly is she heavy!

 

[Blank]

My son has been a HotShot and a Supt. for 20 years, and they all swear by the Stihl. They have a bunch of the MS 362's, which they use for work parties and field. They are a little smaller model, but still hearty for home use. They use all 461 and 462 professional grades on major fires. Either would last a life time.

 

[Captain_coues]

I used Stihl when I was with the Forest Service and when I worked with the Municipal fire dept. We ran them like gang busters for 10 hours a day with the fire dept sometimes 6 days a week thinning Pondersoa pines. I never had a problem with them. We had the good chains that didn’t have the kickback protection and it would just chew through the trees. I got to the point where I was pretty good with one. I sharpened the chain during my breaks and cleaned it up GOOD every day. Now I doubt I could run one for 4 hours without hurting myself. I have never ran a Husqvarna.

 

[eelgrass]

bullskin, my chainsaw guru says the newer 462 has a much finer mesh fuel filter than earlier versions so you need to keep an eye on that and maybe change it more often.

 

[elkassassin]

Might Lean it Out Huh Eel & Take a Piston out?

 

[eelgrass]

Might Lean it Out Huh Eel & Take a Piston out?

Cut the fuel off and run like a McCulloch.

 

[elkassassin]

Or a Pull-On?

 

[bullskin]

bullskin, my chainsaw guru says the newer 462 has a much finer mesh fuel filter than earlier versions so you need to keep an eye on that and maybe change it more often.

Good to know. I don't run the commercially mixed fuels (damned expensive) and so I will be replacing ethanol-damaged fuel lines frequently. I'll do the filters as well.

 

[desperatehills]

I am sure I can not hang with any of you "loggers" but my next chainsaw is going to be battery powered. I have owned stihl for the last 30 years and they have always been good to me. Trouble is I do not burn wood much to heat my house anymore and my saws may sit for a couple years between uses. That's no good with todays gas. My buddy that lives in northern Idaho has a milwaukee battery powered saw. He says he can fill his truck bed with firewood with one battery. He has a second battery but has never used it. I am sure he is cutting tamarack and not oak. For my use it should be just fine. You "loggers" try not to make fun of me too much.

Has anyone else tried the battery powered saws and like a certain brand?

 

[Deepcolor]

Currently run and old Stihl 064, might be a little much for firewood but it sure makes easy work of lodgepole. I used to have an 056 Mag 2 that was waaay too much for a firewood getter, it finally broke down and I couldn’t find parts.

 

[DW]

Good to know. I don't run the commercially mixed fuels (damned expensive) and so I will be replacing ethanol-damaged fuel lines frequently. I'll do the filters as well.

Bullskin find a place to buy ethanol free 90+ octane and mix in your oil. I don't use my saw much so I buy the premixed ethanol free quarts. If I used it more, that'd be the way I'd go. Ethanol is a carburetor killer!

 

[Don Quixote]

I have a bulk tank of 100LL avgas at my shop for hotrods and old cars that sit most the time.....it never goes bad. Since I have it available that is all I use in my mowers and chainsaws. They love the octane and it will never plug up the carb.

 

[eelgrass]

I am sure I can not hang with any of you "loggers" but my next chainsaw is going to be battery powered. I have owned stihl for the last 30 years and they have always been good to me. Trouble is I do not burn wood much to heat my house anymore and my saws may sit for a couple years between uses. That's no good with todays gas. My buddy that lives in northern Idaho has a milwaukee battery powered saw. He says he can fill his truck bed with firewood with one battery. He has a second battery but has never used it. I am sure he is cutting tamarack and not oak. For my use it should be just fine. You "loggers" try not to make fun of me too much.

Has anyone else tried the battery powered saws and like a certain brand?

A PG&E worker was cutting tree limbs and brush around a power pole on my property awhile back and I was pretty impressed with his electric chain saw. It was a Makita. Stihl makes one also that I saw a video on and I was amazed.

 

[cosmic_cowboy]

Find and use ethanol free gas, it's very hard to find and is almost always premium. But it will save you a lot of headaches. I run Stihl saws now but the best saw I ever owned was a Pioneer, they had to quit making them because they never wore out.

 

[DW]

Find and use ethanol free gas, it's very hard to find and is almost always premium. But it will save you a lot of headaches. I run Stihl saws now but the best saw I ever owned was a Pioneer, they had to quit making them because they never wore out.

Had an Olympic, same thing,bulletproof!

 

[middlefork]

Find and use ethanol free gas, it's very hard to find and is almost always premium. But it will save you a lot of headaches. I run Stihl saws now but the best saw I ever owned was a Pioneer, they had to quit making them because they never wore out.

I guess it depends on what state but in Utah ethanol free is pretty easy to find.

I don't run ethanol gas in anything but my daily drivers.

 

[bullskin]

Getting back to Eel with my take on the thin kerf chain... It certainly cuts faster, but does not seem to move chips out of a deep face cut quite as well. That said, after a season of saw work I much prefer the Stihl 462 in comparison to any Husky I have owned. It is light, powerful, and nimble, but it does tend to kick back more when cutting at the tip, and the muffler gets hotter, so one has to be more careful when sawing in dry conditions.

 

[elkassassin]

Ya!

We've all Done it!

But a Guy Shouldn't Cut with the Tip on a Powerful Saw!