New Chainsaw Advice

[HittinSteel]

Correct me if I am wrong but after reading a lot of posts about chainsaws, the stihl 361 could be the pick of the litter, I am thinking about a new saw before I retire.

Very nice firewood saw....... it has probably become the 362 now unless you can find a leftover.

 

[smokinj]

Correct me if I am wrong but after reading a lot of posts about chainsaws, the stihl 361 could be the pick of the litter, I am thinking about a new saw before I retire.

Very nice firewood saw....... it has probably become the 362 now unless you can find a leftover.

This saw in a lot of different wood just flat out runs. You get 3 of these going and it looks like a war zone. MMAUL Will have 3 ready to go when one out of fuel he goes to the next one and so on.

 

[Thistle]

I still say 880 or 3120 60inch cannon bar. lol

;-) thats what I'm slowly saving for.... I did see on Ebay last month a very good EIGHT FOOT Stihl bar for the 090...It hit around $475,still below their reserve price & didnt sell.Shipping from CA to my address was around $90 :lol:

 

[smokinj]

I still say 880 or 3120 60inch cannon bar. lol

;-) thats what I'm slowly saving for.... I did see on Ebay last month a very good EIGHT FOOT Stihl bar for the 090...It hit around $475,still below their reserve price & didnt sell.Shipping from CA to my address was around $90 :lol:

I think that I can run down both sides of a log with my mill (41 inch) giving me 66 inch's of milling width will let you know how it works out..lol

 

[pyper]

I got the MS 311 (despite what my signature says -- doh).

It cost a bit more than the Farm Boss, but I figure over the course of the 20 to 30 years I might use it the extra cost is nothing. It's been a great saw. I've cut down a few trees with it, and cut up a few others. The weight pulls it through logs about as fast as I let it. I get less tired with this saw than I did with the little big box store husqvarna, because it gets the job done so much faster. The anti-vibration built into the 311 makes it smoother to run than the little orange saw, too, despite having twice the displacement.

 

[Thistle]

I still say 880 or 3120 60inch cannon bar. lol

;-) thats what I'm slowly saving for.... I did see on Ebay last month a very good EIGHT FOOT Stihl bar for the 090...It hit around $475,still below their reserve price & didnt sell.Shipping from CA to my address was around $90 :lol:

I think that I can run down both sides of a log with my mill (41 inch) giving me 66 inch's of milling width will let you know how it works out..lol

I've checked out Granberg's double-ended bars up to 56" you use with 2 powerheads,pretty pricey.Not much around here that big except for Cottonwood,Silver Maple & the occasional Sycamore.Am thinking about one of the shorter ones with the "helper handle" & roller bearing though,I'll see how the finances are in the next several months.

 

[midwestcoast]

Seems like there should be some measure of how quickly a saw cuts through a given log. Horsepower is the only spec they show...what else can be used to compare saws?

I think Husky also gives Chain Speed on their site. I'm not sure though if that is the chain speed at max RPM or at the MAX HP rpm (closer to the RPM in the cut).
Anyways this is some thing that CAN be overthought. All the guys cutting with 290's prove that it's a good choice for firewood, all the pros with 260's say something too. Simple. Do you want a solid, reliable saw to cut wood at a good price, or a Kicka$$ saw that weighs a little less, cuts a little faster, smoother & costs more?

 

[DanCorcoran]

I think Husky also gives Chain Speed on their site. I'm not sure though if that is the chain speed at max RPM or at the MAX HP rpm (closer to the RPM in the cut).
Anyways this is some thing that CAN be overthought. All the guys cutting with 290's prove that it's a good choice for firewood, all the pros with 260's say something too. Simple. Do you want a solid, reliable saw to cut wood at a good price, or a Kicka$$ saw that weighs a little less, cuts a little faster, smoother & costs more?

Thanks...you're right! I guess I'll just go with the 880...

 

[Jutt77]

Okay, I give up.

I've been reading these Stihl threads for months now and comparing the specs online. The specs, pricing, and recommendations don't make sense to me, so help me understand.

Assuming we compare 16" bars (these also take 18" or 20"), here's what I've found:

The cheapest, the 290 Farm Boss, costs $349, weighs 13#, has a 3.8 bhp engine, and takes a 67-tooth, .325"/.063" (pitch/gauge) chain, on an 11 tooth
sprocket (it'll also take a .375"/.050", 60-tooth on a 10-tooth sprocket);

The 270/271 Wood Boss, costs $429, weighs 11.7#, has a smaller 3.4 bhp engine, and takes the same .325" chain as the 290 (but won't take a .375");

The 261 costs $559, weighs 11.6#, has a 3.75 bhp engine, and takes the same chains as the 290 Farm Boss.

So, if you compare to the baseline Farm Boss, the 261 costs $210 more, weighs 1.4# less, has a slightly less powerful engine, and takes the same chains.
The 270/271 costs $80 more, weighs 1.3# less, has an even less powerful engine, and has less chain flexibility.

I don't get it. Why spend spend $210 more just for 1.4# less weight? Or spend $80 more for 1.3# less weight and a 10.5% less powerful engine?

Correct me if I'm wrong here guys but the PROS of a pro saw are:
- parts of the body a more durable metal construction. My 026 and 6401 both have magnesium cast bodies
- easier to work on/maintain
- NOT made in China
- better construction quality of parts/better QA, e.g. less casting burrs in cylinder, more machined parts etc.
- more durable: rated for longer use
- better AV
- adjustable oiler
- decomp valve

Given the above, production costs of a 260 vs a Farm Boss would be quite different which would boost the price up.

What I would like to see though is an independant, 3rd party study of connecting chainsaws to a dyno and giving us some results from quantified data vs only HP (torque, hp at different RPMs, etc.), or "yep, sounds better". Just like we have in the back of Motortrend.
Also, the timed cut thing is such BS in my opinion. Its open to WAY too many variables (inconsistancies in the wood being cut, different pressure from the operator, different temps, etc.).

 

[CodyWayne718]

I'm a Dolmar guy myself. PS6400 or the Makita 6401

 

[DanCorcoran]

"Correct me if I’m wrong here guys but the PROS of a pro saw are:
- parts of the body a more durable metal construction. My 026 and 6401 both have magnesium cast bodies
- easier to work on/maintain
- NOT made in China"

The 290 Farm Boss is made at the Stihl factory in Virginia Beach, VA. Does that make it a "pro" saw?

 

[amateur cutter]

The 290 Farm Boss is made at the Stihl factory in Virginia Beach, VA. Does that make it a “pro†saw?

Nope, Stihl's most popular homeowner grade saw. Very good machine, cut tons of wood everywhere they're sold. Little heavy for the power they make, & more difficult to work on than the pro grade saws. Will easily handle the 5-6 cord per year for many years. Reasonably priced for the quality. Try a few different saws if you can. Once you run a pro saw you'll know the difference after 3-4 hours of cutting. I swapped my 290 for an 026 in similar condition. ( Very good ) & wouldn't go back. My only consumer grade saw now is an MS 192T. I can't justify the $$$$ for the 200T for the little bit I use it. My go to saw is a modded 064, cause I like the power & speed in the cut.

Don't over think your decision, or you'll wind up owning a crap load of saws, & still be wanting more, right Jay? A C

 

[Jutt77]

"Correct me if I’m wrong here guys but the PROS of a pro saw are:
- parts of the body a more durable metal construction. My 026 and 6401 both have magnesium cast bodies
- easier to work on/maintain
- NOT made in China"

The 290 Farm Boss is made at the Stihl factory in Virginia Beach, VA. Does that make it a "pro" saw?

Lol Dan, you're something else. My guess is that you will never find the correct answer on this forum. Perhaps you should contact Stihl and debate with them? Let us know what you find out...

 

[quads]

Okay, I give up.

I've been reading these Stihl threads for months now and comparing the specs online. The specs, pricing, and recommendations don't make sense to me, so help me understand.

Assuming we compare 16" bars (these also take 18" or 20"), here's what I've found:

The cheapest, the 290 Farm Boss, costs $349, weighs 13#, has a 3.8 bhp engine, and takes a 67-tooth, .325"/.063" (pitch/gauge) chain, on an 11 tooth
sprocket (it'll also take a .375"/.050", 60-tooth on a 10-tooth sprocket);

The 270/271 Wood Boss, costs $429, weighs 11.7#, has a smaller 3.4 bhp engine, and takes the same .325" chain as the 290 (but won't take a .375");

The 261 costs $559, weighs 11.6#, has a 3.75 bhp engine, and takes the same chains as the 290 Farm Boss.

So, if you compare to the baseline Farm Boss, the 261 costs $210 more, weighs 1.4# less, has a slightly less powerful engine, and takes the same chains.
The 270/271 costs $80 more, weighs 1.3# less, has an even less powerful engine, and has less chain flexibility.

I don't get it. Why spend spend $210 more just for 1.4# less weight? Or spend $80 more for 1.3# less weight and a 10.5% less powerful engine?

Many years ago I bought two 026 Stihl saws, used from a neighbor, for $50. Finally, last winter one of them started to run funny (probably needs a carb kit). I put it on the shelf as a 'someday project' for repair. The other one still runs pretty good, but as with its sister, it's very old and many many hours on it.

So last summer I decided to buy a new one. I wanted an MS260, which was the new number for the 026, but the local Stihl dealer was out of stock. I decided to buy an MS290 instead, less money, same horsepower. But, I soon decided that the specs didn't give me a 'feel' for the saw. Even though the horsepower rating is similar, what the specs on the website don't tell you is that the 026/MS260 engine revs way higher. Compared to the 026, the MS290 felt heavy and was slower.

Last month, 6 months old and I sold the MS290 for half of what I paid for it, went directly to the Stihl dealer, and used that money towards a new MS260 PRO. Now I'm happy again. The MS260 is a completely different saw than the MS290. It revs way higher/cuts faster and the couple pounds lighter is really noticeable after cutting awhile.

I know it seems like a lot of extra money to spend on a smaller saw when you could have the 290 for so much less, but you would not regret buying the 260/261. The MS290 is a very nice saw, but I was spoiled after running an 026.

 

[thinkxingu]

I'm not sure I've ever heard someone say pro versions aren't worth the money. I have heard many people say they weren't willing to spend the money. Essentially, buying saws is the same as buying anything: you want the longevity, fit & finish, and timeless style of a Rolex or the value and utilitarianism of a Timex? Sure the 290 will cut wood, but it's heavier, less nimble, harder to work on, and, depending on the size bar and wood being cut, may take longer to do the same job. I'm the type who likes to buy once and cry once--I get frustrated if I have to screw around with my tools. I can bury my 18" 361 into anything and it just...goes. That's worth a couple hundred bucks to me. Especially over the course of years.

S

 

[DanCorcoran]

Thanks for all the comments...particularly Quads, who gave me a better feel for what the tradeoffs will be. That'll help me make a final decision. Oh, and thinkxingu, I've worn Casio or Timex watches for the last 25 years and I buy a lot of stuff at Harbor Freight, so that'll give you an idea of my mindset. Not right or wrong, just mine...

 

[thinkxingu]

Dan, sounds like you should be looking at a Wild Thing! JK--Stihl homeowner stuff is still solid gear. And Harbor Freight and Timex have their places, just not for tools I depend on and weddings or nights on the town.

S

 

[thinkxingu]

By the way, I've read much on top vs. most productive chain speeds/rotation. Does anyone have info on this? Specifically, Husky's saws claim higher RPM numbers but does this necessarily translate into performance?

S

 

[holland_patrick]

Thanks for all the comments...particularly Quads, who gave me a better feel for what the tradeoffs will be. That'll help me make a final decision. Oh, and thinkxingu, I've worn Casio or Timex watches for the last 25 years and I buy a lot of stuff at Harbor Freight, so that'll give you an idea of my mindset. Not right or wrong, just mine...

WOW... I'm in the camp of saving money and I also shop hat HF BUT there was one thing i wanted when i was looking for a saw....

something that would last, be reliable, and would be cost effective.

I was lucky enough to find a 026 pro at the pawn shop for $165 it runs great but i was taking a risk...

If i didn't find a good deal I had back up saws at my Father in law but i wanted my own.


You can by a cheep saw but if it doesn't work for ya you'll kick your self all over the place

 

[Adios Pantalones]

Once in a while I think I should get something with more oomph than my 260 pro. I cut 4 cord for the house, and about 8-10 cord of slab wood for the kiln every year with that little beast. I abuse it, but it doesn't stop. I hear good stuff about the 290- very reliable as well. The 260 is just a bit lighter, and I'm 5'7" and 185# with a brick in my pocket- so it makes a difference (I tend to do my cutting in maybe6-7 long sessions in the year rather than more shorter periods- lighter is better for me)

 

[HittinSteel]

Adios, a stock 290 won't have much more if any more oomph over your 260.

I think you're a prime candidate for a nice used 044!

 

[Spikem]

Thanks for all the input. It looks like Stihl is the overall favorite and I think it is the make I will go with. Just not nailed down on the model yet.

Find a shop near where you live and talk with the people who work there.

 

[Adios Pantalones]

Adios, a stock 290 won't have much more if any more oomph over your 260.

I think you're a prime candidate for a nice used 044!

Naw, I wasn't suggesting the 290 was the upgrade I was thinking- just that the 2 saws get compared a lot. For the use I get out of this saw, a little extra coin is worth it.

 

[smokinj]

Adios, a stock 290 won't have much more if any more oomph over your 260.

I think you're a prime candidate for a nice used 044!

Naw, I wasn't suggesting the 290 was the upgrade I was thinking- just that the 2 saws get compared a lot. For the use I get out of this saw, a little extra coin is worth it.

At your 15 cord a year...lol That is alot of firewood! Lift for the splitter like jags maybe in order.

 

[Tom NJ]

Okay, so I got the Stihl 391 with an 18" bar. Nice saw. I am very happy with my purchase. There ain't gonna be any trees left around here...

Thanks again for all the input.