I agreee with the others...I don't think you NEED a pro saw for what you are going to do. But you can't take it with you, and if its not an issue of saving money, then why not.
You only regret the price once, when you buy top-of-the-line stuff, but you'll regret inferior quality everytime you use something.
Hopefully Santa agrees with you guys. Put the Husky 346XP on my list (right after a spreader for the tractor & right before bucket forks). Hope he's feeling generous this year [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] . Still planning on trying them out tomorrow or friday for the fun of it, if nothing else.
I have a Stihl Farm Boss with a 20" bar that I use With my bandsaw mill. It is an excellent saw that stands up to the hard work I put it through. I also have a model 36 Husky with an 18" bar. This saw has a lot of hours on it and is also an excellent saw. I don't think you could go wrong with either saw, just make sure you have a good dealer to back the equipment, for parts and repairs. Wal-Mart will offer you a good price on a cheap saw that won't last and their repair and parts service is non-existant.
I have the Stihl because Husky changed their marketing policies. My local dealer was cut off from selling them because his sales volume was not large enough. I hope they are not going to cheapen their saw and sell them in volume through the discount stores. Buying one good saw is cheaper than buying several bad ones. Good luck!
After extensive research this past summer, I fell in love with the 260 due to it's weight and easy handling. I ended up buying the 360 due to the size and number of trees we have on the acreage. Personally, I love the 260 and would purchase it if or when we need a 2nd chainsaw.