Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire The definitive chainsaw thread

Locust!


Many times I've thought I must have rocked my saw.
It just wasn't cutting good, chips weren't big.

Try it on something that wasn't dry locust...
Everything is good!

Big Stick needs to weigh in...

BINGO!

Pro saws!

I have about 10 Stihl saws. The only downfall to them was when US production began on many of them. The Pro line is still made in Germany, not all plastic, and adjustments can be made. Jonsered used to have good saws, Husky bought them out to revitalize their line up I’m guessing. Sachs-Dolmar also quality saws, believe they are done too .. had primer bulbs on small to mode size. Partner, Shindawa… there used to be a lot of good saws. User preference and what you need it for.. money figures in for most. I usually notice people buying the smallest saws and thinking they are meant for everything. The chain is one of the most key things to me. Stihl chain is unrivaled.

Ever use a Remenington? I never had to shut it off.

On the subject of Stihl… has anyone bought the new 500 fuel injected? Ordered a new 462 a few weeks ago and they were wanting me to think about it. Like everything, production is way behind. Dealers can’t even place orders on some saws at this point.

I had a Farm Boss. I built 3 log cabins with it, and cut lots of firewood. Great saw.
Then, one day, I let my friend Bud borrow the saw. He used it for a week, no problems.
A few days later I cranked up the Stihl, it ran for 45 seconds, and it died. And it was dead. Just before Bud returned it to me, he had filled it with straight gas with no oil added.

Thanks, Bud.

The moral of the story: Don't lend out tools.

The 029 replaced the 028, right?
My 028 SWB was bought in 19 & 89 and still cutting like a beast[for what it is].
As mentioned prior: a GOOD sharp chain and clean filter help immensely.

The 028 was a little bit better saw than the 029. Better power to weight ratio, and optional AV system. In the newest saws, it became a MS280 and later I believe MS281. The MS290 (now 291) is a heavy saw and really not much of an upgrade from the home owner grade saws.

028 was a wood boss, the 029 a farm boss. The power ratio goes with the upgrade to farm boss. I agree with many of the other posts here… for lots of my cutting I tend to use the 029 the most on stuff that doesn’t require the larger saws.

The only .325 or 3/8 full size chain I use is RS or RM. Never with a 2 or 3 behind it… that is safety chain. 600 series up RSK, the skip let’s you yield more of the power. One more thing I noticed in a post I would not ever do…use ethanol base fuel; only premium gas to have that power and maintain it.

It cost me $209 worth of replaced carburator seals, on my Stihl 039, to learn not to use gasoline with alcohol in it.
They fixed it right, I bought that saw in 1988 and it still runs great.

Going back a way, is this old David Bradly.

Yeah, my 028 got a new carb several years back.
I had already quit running E gas in everything other than daily driven vehicles but the damage was done. Most every 'older' small engine item I have has either had the carb replaced or rebuilt.

That 028 is a cutting machine with a little 16" bar on it.

Another crisp winter's morn in thee wood yard.

I've got a Stihl 036 that I've been running for quite a few years now. They stopped making them about 10 or so years ago IIRC... about the only time I use it any more is in hunting camp for firewood and around the place taking care of limbing and removing dead trees. I have to adjust the carbs when in hunting camp, but when I get it right and the chain is sharp it is a cutting SOB. Had to replace the bar last year and went with an Oregon bar and chain combo and it worked fine, but not like the original Stihl bar and chain I got with the saw originally. I also broke down in a moment of weakness and bought one of those Harbor Freight electric chain sharpeners on sale and I was surprised it actually did a pretty good job and my saw cut better than it ever has.

I've got about 26 dead trees on a property we bought that need to come down soon and cut up for firewood so it will be getting a work out when the weather improves a bit.

MS291 12.3 lbs, 3.76 bhp with a ratio of 0.30569106 bhp per pound.

MS280 11.7 lbs, 3.6 bhp with a ratio of 0.30769231 bhp per pound.

"Woodboss" and "Farmboss" are just marketing names they put on them. It didn't mean anything. Now, they call the MS271 the "Farmboss" and the MS251 the "Woodboss" but they aren't significantly different than their legacy models.

https://cessco.us/stihl/ms280.html

https://www.stihlusa.com/products/chain-saws/farm-and-ranch-saws/ms291/#specifications


If you want to get into the sweet spot, you go with the 026/MS260/MS261 with a 4.0 bhp powerhead that comes in at 10.8 lbs.

Husqvarna and Jonsered were one and the same in some models going back to the mid 80s. Parts for husky 266 and jonsered 630 were interchangeable. Both were or still owned by electrolux I believe. I own jonsered , husky and stihl. Use them professionally. Like I said all good saws but the jonny and husky are the top performers. Stihls are shelf queens.

I have the stihl ms250 but I haven't used it much.

Bb

I have almost a year using my Stihl 500I. Mostly on standing dead beetle killed spruce.
Revs up fast and stays rev'd up - cuts fast but seems to dull chains faster than the 026. Also have a stihl 029 super and an 017 that do not get used much. All still running good. The 026 was a free saw from the neighbor - took awhile to get it running pretty decent but probably my favorite saw.
Wondering if due to the inner bark breaking down into a powder is causing the chain to dull? With green or trees that have not been dead as long I seem to get more time between filings.

The old 028 was constructed like a pro saw. Heavy and low on power by modern standards but very durable.
The 029/290/291 and the 280 are steaming piles of garbage.