Finally fired up the Stihl MS 290

Now I know there are bigger and badder saws out there, but I'm used to my trusty little Craftsman 36cc, 16 inch bar saw.....but I gotta tell ya, you fire up this freakin' Farmboss, and you know you're in different territory. I put this thing into a log and geez, it just about dragged me forward.....starting to get used to the idea of how this thing cuts (using the spikes), it's a friggin beast compared to my Craftsman (which I still like).....absolutely love this new saw....it's like when you stand next to a muscle car thats idiling...a whole different sound....feel like a kid at Christmas (well, this is my early Christmas present)

Glad you like the bigger saw, the sickness has set in, you will be buying bigger saws in the future!

zap

Wife sez "NO !".....I tend to agree with you

No means YES!
zap

I did the same thing and fell in love with the new saw.

I cut with a small Poulan for years, worked fine. Then I bought a 290 then an Echo Now an 036. But I am done buying saws now, this time I mean it.

He appears to have stage 1 CAD.

I heard the vaccine for that is still in trials.

Thanks Jags.......

Jags is such an enabler.

Your doomed. I really liked my ms 270. But I love my my new ms 362. Now I am looking around for a small limbing saw. It is sad that there is no cure for this disease. (I lie, it's not sad)

Ha, keep goin fellas, 290 to 360/361 to 046 to 064 to lookin for 066/660 to really wanting an 088 or better yet an 090 contra. Don't delude yourselves there's no end & no cure. I started out years ago with a 12" Homelight XL & Mac 605. You can't have enough saw, or make em cut fast enough. A C

You guys are gonna get me divorced

Once you get your big saw(s) fix, then you start pursuing the rare and unusual ones. Twin cylinders, two-mans, wankels, ....

Yea, I really want an old diesel saw too. A C

I bought a MS290 a few years ago and really like it. Then I got some semi-chisel chain and liked it even more. Then I muffler modded it and enjoyed it more than even. Now I'm looking for a 044/440 to re-build with a big bore kit.

Wankels? I've never seen one, but if they cut as fast as the C111 wearing the front tag in the photo, they must eat some wood. That car or its sister passed me on the autobahn in the early 70s. One second it was in my rear view mirror, the next it was disappearing over the hill in front of me. I was doing just under 100 in a Lotus at the time. I didn't bother trying to catch it.

That's 100 mph, not kph.



I'd love to own a wankel powered saw, even if it never saw any use. I wonder what they go for?

Happy times! Love mine too. My only sadness - I've run out of wood to cut this year.

I felt the same when I moved up from a crappy Homelite to my 029. I felt it again when I put a chisel chain on the 029. I felt it again the first time I cut with my 036. I'm good for a while now.

Keep telling yourself that......

The 290 is a gateway drug....before long you'll be hooked and will want to try bigger more potent saws......

Gets even the best of us

I'm thinking you guys are right.....I was using it a lot today, and thinking about "how much better a bigger saw would cut". I don't have wedges, and had the saw get trapped a few times...used a small pry bar to loosen things up enough to keep cuttin'....and wouldn't you know, the pry bar drops on the running saw....think I might need to carry an extra chain, this one took a shot, but I think it'll be okay

Plenty of wood for the scrounging out here on Long Island, post-Sandy.
Saw a sign the other morning, "Free Wood"
It's been a long time since I worked in a lumber yard; gotta say it's a lot heavier in 14 and 16 inch diameter chunks than 8' x 4' sheets etc.

You can always cut your own with the saw. And you might even convince the wife/Santa to get you a couple plastic wedges for xmas. They're cheap!