needing upgrade

[onetracker]

from my ms290.

i am not a professional...i don't need, nor could i afford, a $900 saw.

as soon as i put an aggressive chain on the 290, it clearly didn't have the mojo to get thru large green oak.

thinking around 60cc. ...maybe under $500 if possible.

i'm asking for your help and experience....if you prefer husky, i'd really appreciate your thoughts on that as well.

 

[lukem]

from my ms290.

i am not a professional...i don't need, nor could i afford, a $900 saw.

as soon as i put an aggressive chain on the 290, it clearly didn't have the mojo to get thru large green oak.

thinking around 60cc. ...maybe under $500 if possible.

i'm asking for your help and experience....if you prefer husky, i'd really appreciate your thoughts on that as well.

Pick up a used 361. I got mine for $300 and love it.

 

[zzr7ky]

Home Depot: Makita 6401. Boringly dependable Dolmar in blue... $250-300 if you are lucky enough to get a rental saw. I called every store around my area and got a saw in great condition with a new bar and chain for $300.

If no joy there I'd go to the saw shop and see what they had. Sometimes good saws get hurt and are replaced because folks 'need it now'...

Good luck!
Mike

 

[smokinj]

60cc's is not a big junp when your already at 55cc's. I would look at the 70cc used pro saws.

 

[MasterMech]

+1 on looking for clean used pro saws.

Stihl 034, 036, MS361 are all great saws.

Husky 357XP, 346XP, Some older ones around too. the XP saws are generally good.

New saws at about $500,

Check out the Stihl MS311. Some dealers may have a MS390 around. Same chassis as your 290 but a lot more motor.

I've heard a lot of good about the Husqvarna 359 too.

 

[HittinSteel]

Have you muffler modded the 290? Those saws are super anemic stock, but a simple extra port on the muffler and a retune changes the saw quite a bit.

Other option is to sell the 290 on craigslist. They bring ridiculous prices. If it's nice you may get close to $300. Take the proceeds and add $300 of your own funds and you should have $550-$600 to play with. That will get you in to a new 60cc or a very nice used 70cc.

If I were you and seeing you have a 435, I'd be looking at a 70cc.

 

[MasterMech]

Have you muffler modded the 290? Those saws are super anemic stock, but a simple extra port on the muffler and a retune changes the saw quite a bit.

Other option is to sell the 290 on craigslist. They bring ridiculous prices. If it's nice you may get close to $300. Take the proceeds and add $300 of your own funds and you should have $550-$600 to play with. That will get you in to a new 60cc or a very nice used 70cc.

If I were you and seeing you have a 435, I'd be looking at a 70cc.

Muffler Mod for the 290

http://www.arboristsite.com/chainsaw/121779.htm

 

[mecreature]

Have you muffler modded the 290? Those saws are super anemic stock, but a simple extra port on the muffler and a retune changes the saw quite a bit.

Other option is to sell the 290 on craigslist. They bring ridiculous prices. If it's nice you may get close to $300. Take the proceeds and add $300 of your own funds and you should have $550-$600 to play with. That will get you in to a new 60cc or a very nice used 70cc.

If I were you and seeing you have a 435, I'd be looking at a 70cc.

Muffler Mod for the 290

http://www.arboristsite.com/chainsaw/121779.htm

interesting read there, thanks for posting the link MM

 

[onetracker]

great stuff gents!
lots to research.
if i port it i'll let you know how it turned out. i ain't much of a tinker-er with small engines so i'll see about getting a shop to do it. i cant imagine it would cost alot.

thanks for all the ideas

OT

 

[TreePointer]

When burying a 290 in hardwoods such as oak, it doesn't do so well, especially with the 20" bar. The used 361 will certainly do much better with a 20" bar in that scenario, as it has better power and low end torque. As others have stated, if you really want a difference maker in big oak, you should go bigger than 60cc's.

70cc+ saws to consider (new or used):

Stihl 440/441/460
Husqvarna 372/576
Jonsered 2171/2172 (Husqvarnas with red shells)
Dolmar 7900 (Makita 7901)

The Dolmar 6400 (Makita 6401/6421) is under 70cc's, but performs much like some 70cc saws. There are also a 79cc and 84cc P&C kits that you can bolt on as upgrades for those saws.

 

[stee6043]

If I were in your shoes I'd buy the MS362 and never look back. Right now I'm considering an upgrade and it will either be a 362 or a 441. I'm leaning towards the 362 at the moment because it's a pro level saw with a decent price, lots of power and weighs less than the MS310 I currently run. For an extra pound in weight over my 310 and a fair amount of extra cash I could go with a 441 and cut the whole world down (my world, anyway).

Decisions decisions......

 

[thinkxingu]

Don't put any money into that boat anchor--you'd be better to sell in on CL for a couple hundred and buy a 362 or nicely used 361. Though they're just a tad larger in cc's they're a whole lot more saw. I run an 18" on my stock 361, and I've buried the bar using RSC in 35" maple and 30" oak without an issue.

S

 

[smokinj]

Don't put any money into that boat anchor--you'd be better to sell in on CL for a couple hundred and buy a 362 or nicely used 361. Though they're just a tad larger in cc's they're a whole lot more saw. I run an 18" on my stock 361, and I've buried the bar using RSC in 35" maple and 30" oak without an issue.

S

Only because you didnt know any better...lol 24-28 inch and a 70cc would make the 361 look very slow. ;-) ( On that log)

 

[thinkxingu]

Agreed, but that was after de-limbing for a couple hours--wouldn't wanna be dragging that 70cc saw around for the one or two trees a year that size!

S

 

[smokinj]

Agreed, but that was after de-limbing for a couple hours--wouldn't wanna be dragging that 70cc saw around for the one or two trees a year that size!

S

Yep yep! I like the 192t for de-limbing. The 361 guys bring it to the trunk and the 460 for the trunk. Thats a combo that looks like ants. Couple splitters going and your knocking down some cords.

 

[lukem]

ignorance is bliss. Having never used a 4xx I don't know what I'm missing. I'll go a step further and say that given the opportunity I would refuse to use one...fully knowing that when I do I will probably want one and within a week my wallet would be several hundred dollars lighter. Since the biggest tree I usually go after can be killed with a 20" bar, my 361stihl (pun intended) feels like a rocket. A sharp full chisel chain and it is plenty fast for me.

 

[smokinj]

ignorance is bliss. Having never used a 4xx I don't know what I'm missing. I'll go a step further and say that given the opportunity I would refuse to use one...fully knowing that when I do I will probably want one and within a week my wallet would be several hundred dollars lighter. Since the biggest tree I usually go after can be killed with a 20" bar, my 361stihl (pun intended) feels like a rocket. A sharp full chisel chain and it is plenty fast for me.

Yea they are good saw's no question. If I already had a 290 and thinking of keeping it and getting another saw I would jump over the 60cc. Thats all. Now when I go cutting there will normally be 036 and 2 361's.
Also 180, 192t and an 880 to round it off. Oh an of course a 460. :cheese:

 

[Kenster]

from my ms290.

i am not a professional...i don't need, nor could i afford, a $900 saw.

as soon as i put an aggressive chain on the 290, it clearly didn't have the mojo to get thru large green oak.

thinking around 60cc. ...maybe under $500 if possible.

i'm asking for your help and experience....if you prefer husky, i'd really appreciate your thoughts on that as well.

What size tree are you talking about and what length bar are you using? Maybe you have too much bar for that saw considering what you are cutting. You might be very happy with a 16 inch bar, unless you are always cutting logs greater than 32 inches.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

from my ms290.

i am not a professional...i don't need, nor could i afford, a $900 saw.

as soon as i put an aggressive chain on the 290, it clearly didn't have the mojo to get thru large green oak.

thinking around 60cc. ...maybe under $500 if possible.

i'm asking for your help and experience....if you prefer husky, i'd really appreciate your thoughts on that as well.

If you're buying new, that saw doesn't exist.

 

[TreePointer]

If you're buying new, that saw doesn't exist.

Very good point.

I think I squirreled away one of the last $500 60cc saw deals this past winter--a new Makita 6401 form Baileys for $472 (and free shipping). Now the replacement 6421 is $599. I wish my other investments were up 27% in the past nine months.

 

[onetracker]

from my ms290.

i am not a professional...i don't need, nor could i afford, a $900 saw.

as soon as i put an aggressive chain on the 290, it clearly didn't have the mojo to get thru large green oak.

thinking around 60cc. ...maybe under $500 if possible.

i'm asking for your help and experience....if you prefer husky, i'd really appreciate your thoughts on that as well.

If you're buying new, that saw doesn't exist.

yes i'm seeing that.
i'm thinking of selling 2 of 4 saws and buying a 362.

i just yesterday fired up a new husky 435 to replace my 42cc poulin that i had for 12 years.
i like the husky so far. in the first tank i had the cover off twice...once the chain jumped (ok...my bad for cutting small stuff on an angle) and again when the sprocket got bogged down with noodles (on a 16" oak round).

so now i'm thining of selling my ms180 and 290 and getting a 362. i saw some decent used ones out there but i'm leary of buying a piece of junk...i don't have time and patience to tinker with small engines. found a pawnshop that was selling one but that makes me feel bad to think that a working man may have had to pawn a tool that helped to feed his family.