I can relate. I’m not far from 50 and I can’t stand using a heavy saw anymore unless I’m dropping big trees or bucking big trees. I keep a large saw around for when I need it. But my 50cc saw with an 18 inch bar gets used the most. I figure I got about 16 inches of usable bar length which is 32 inches side to side cutting plenty of firewood I can cut with that. Sure it might take a little longer than a big saw but atleast it’s nice and light to use for extended hours. Doesn’t fatigue me or my back so much.
Saw selection.
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I can relate. I’m not far from 50 and I can’t stand using a heavy saw anymore unless I’m dropping big trees or bucking big trees. I keep a large saw around for when I need it. But my 50cc saw with an 18 inch bar gets used the most. I figure I got about 16 inches of usable bar length which is 32 inches side to side cutting plenty of firewood I can cut with that. Sure it might take a little longer than a big saw but atleast it’s nice and light to use for extended hours. Doesn’t fatigue me or my back so much.
Isaac Carlson
Minister of Fire
@Ashful
Ported saws can outlast stock saws. They run cooler, are easier to tune, and spend less time cutting the same amount of wood.
I saw a neat chart a while ago that a fellow wood cutter put together of saw temps and cut times on stock and ported saws.
The stock saws had the highest temps and slowest cut times, while the ported saws had the lowest temps(by 30% if I remember right) and the fastest times. I have ported all of my saws and I spend less time cutting and more time with my family. The saws are super easy to tune by ear and I can put them in the vehicle without waiting for them to cool down, because of how much cooler they run.
Ported saws can outlast stock saws. They run cooler, are easier to tune, and spend less time cutting the same amount of wood.
I saw a neat chart a while ago that a fellow wood cutter put together of saw temps and cut times on stock and ported saws.
The stock saws had the highest temps and slowest cut times, while the ported saws had the lowest temps(by 30% if I remember right) and the fastest times. I have ported all of my saws and I spend less time cutting and more time with my family. The saws are super easy to tune by ear and I can put them in the vehicle without waiting for them to cool down, because of how much cooler they run.
My Stihl 440 Mag is getting ported now, supposed to be done around Dec.1. Since we are so far behind harvesting I told him there was no rush. After tearing it down he found some of the Nikasil coating was coming off so I am replacing the 440 top end with a 460p&c since 460&440 p/c were the same price. My next saw will probably be a Dolmar, since in retrospect I can buy a new ported Dolmar cheaper than I can buy a used Stihl & get it ported. ( I should of done a better job on my homework). Down side to porting is they use more fuel & are a little to a lot louder.
Isaac Carlson
Minister of Fire
That stihl should run great.
Yes, porting does increase fuel consumption, but you get more work done faster with the same amount of fuel, so it’s all good.
As for loudness, I can’t hear what you’re saying, my saws are too loud! Yeah, you’ll want some sort of hearing protection with ported saws.
Yes, porting does increase fuel consumption, but you get more work done faster with the same amount of fuel, so it’s all good.
As for loudness, I can’t hear what you’re saying, my saws are too loud! Yeah, you’ll want some sort of hearing protection with ported saws.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
Okay, I’m in. Might as well give it a whirl with my 036 Pro, as I’ve always complained about that saw being under-powered. It’s old, but has almost no hours on it, as the original owner only used it once or twice, and I almost never use it myself (I usually go between a top-handle and the 064).
Rather than muck up this thread, I’m going to start a new one to ask for some direction on this. I’ll post a link here.
Rather than muck up this thread, I’m going to start a new one to ask for some direction on this. I’ll post a link here.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
Modifying Stihl 036 Pro (port, muffler, etc.)
https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?sh...ro-(port,-muffler,-etc.).170762/&share_type=t
https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?sh...ro-(port,-muffler,-etc.).170762/&share_type=t
Just wanted to mention that another place to look for chainsaws is your town's transfer station take-it-or-leave-it shed, if they have one. One of the old guys (guess I'm one now) from my wife's former church that I have coffee with Friday mornings recently picked up two chain saws. Both required very little work to get them in great condition.
http://www.townofberlin.com/boards-and-committees/board-of-health/transfer-station/
BTW, I just have a smaller Stihl Mini Boss 16", as it's all I need for home clean-up.
http://www.townofberlin.com/boards-and-committees/board-of-health/transfer-station/
BTW, I just have a smaller Stihl Mini Boss 16", as it's all I need for home clean-up.
I agree I noticed more fuel usage on my ported saw. But still , I’m amazed at how far a tank of gas goes on newer auto tuned and strato saws. Compared to older saws it’s a huge difference. My ported 2252 Jonsered still gets far better fuel mileage than my old Stihl 031. I’ll fill the old 031 twice to one fill on my newer auto tuned and ported 2252. Both are 50cc saws.
The noise sucks. The muffler mod on mine makes the saw too loud in my opinion. It is what it is.
Saw update. I ended up getting a 460 rancher with a 20 inch bar. My Cornwell tools dealer was able to put it on my existing Cornwell Tech Credit account. Its amazing the difference between it and the cheap Walmart chainsaws I've used. My Dewalt cordless saws are good but with full skip safety chains they cut slowly and lack the power for more aggressive chains.
This 460 is a beast, it cuts 3 times faster than anything I've owned. Got that big tree cut up into 18 inch lengths and noodled into sections I can lift in no time. Got it moved out of my driveway for now . Haven't got it split and stacked yet as I am still working with a bunch of mixed wood I got from the township road dept. Will post pics when I get it all split and stacked.
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This 460 is a beast, it cuts 3 times faster than anything I've owned. Got that big tree cut up into 18 inch lengths and noodled into sections I can lift in no time. Got it moved out of my driveway for now . Haven't got it split and stacked yet as I am still working with a bunch of mixed wood I got from the township road dept. Will post pics when I get it all split and stacked.
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Jazzberry
Minister of Fire
Jotel me this
Feeling the Heat
exactly. it stinks but its like that with anything in life. the pro grades last MUCH longer but are much more money.
Jotel me this
Feeling the Heat
Echo is a good brand. it gets lost behind common names such as Stihl and Husqvarna but they are powerful
Ashful
Minister of Fire
I may be off-base, as I've only owned a few of each brand, but here's my impression from the saws I've owned:
Echo sacrifices performance, such as power/weight ratio, for dependability and price. I see a lot of landscapers with Echo equipment, but I've never seen an arborist using Echo.
Husqvarna sacrifices ruggedness for performance and price. A local arborist who buys 20+ saws per year to keep his multiple crews supplied told me they perform ever bit as well as Stihl, but end up needing much more frequent repairs hands of his crews.
Stihl sacrifices price for performance and ruggedness. Usually the most expensive of the three, but not entirely without reason.
Comments I've read from others who've owned multiple brands generally seem to agree with these impressions. The aforementioned arborist told me he's fine with buying Husqvarna for his own use, but switched back to Stihl for his crews, the overall cost of ownership ended up being less.
Isaac Carlson
Minister of Fire
I feel like husqvarna is more like a sports car and stihl is more like a pickup truck or old mustang. They both need some tuning, but will do the job.
Every stock husky I have ever used felt like a choked up and untuned race car....wanting to go, but not able to wrap the needle around.
Once ported, they run like lamborghinis, revving a mile high and burrying the speedo at will. I love my ported husky. It holds rpm in the cut and keeps on going with the speedo burried.
Most of the stihls hae felt lie trucks, built solid, not high revving, but they have lugging power and grunt. Like a truck, they can be modded to really haul the mail. Ported stihls are torque monsters, pulling some long bars in the bigger displacements. My ported stihl pulls chips like nobody’s business and keeps asking for more, just happy to work hard.
I have no experience with modded echo’s, but the ones I have run feel rather cheap, but they do ok.
These are just my observations and I love both husky and stihl when ported. Neither one of my saws is a “pro” model, and they have not needed very much in the way of maintenance. Just keep them clean, the chain sharp, the tanks full, and they fire right up and go to work without any complaint.
I have seen a lot of “pro” saws that can’t hold a candle to my “homeowner” saws in any category. It’s all about how they are treated. I feel like every machine has a “soul” and just wants to be loved. They break down when not loved, but will run for years if loved. I enjoy repairing old machines and giving them new life. It feels good. I have repaired a few that were neglected after returning to their owners and they show it...they look sad. I know there are others who feel the same way about machines, and I understand if you don’t see it the way some of us do.
Just my 2 cents.....
Every stock husky I have ever used felt like a choked up and untuned race car....wanting to go, but not able to wrap the needle around.
Once ported, they run like lamborghinis, revving a mile high and burrying the speedo at will. I love my ported husky. It holds rpm in the cut and keeps on going with the speedo burried.
Most of the stihls hae felt lie trucks, built solid, not high revving, but they have lugging power and grunt. Like a truck, they can be modded to really haul the mail. Ported stihls are torque monsters, pulling some long bars in the bigger displacements. My ported stihl pulls chips like nobody’s business and keeps asking for more, just happy to work hard.
I have no experience with modded echo’s, but the ones I have run feel rather cheap, but they do ok.
These are just my observations and I love both husky and stihl when ported. Neither one of my saws is a “pro” model, and they have not needed very much in the way of maintenance. Just keep them clean, the chain sharp, the tanks full, and they fire right up and go to work without any complaint.
I have seen a lot of “pro” saws that can’t hold a candle to my “homeowner” saws in any category. It’s all about how they are treated. I feel like every machine has a “soul” and just wants to be loved. They break down when not loved, but will run for years if loved. I enjoy repairing old machines and giving them new life. It feels good. I have repaired a few that were neglected after returning to their owners and they show it...they look sad. I know there are others who feel the same way about machines, and I understand if you don’t see it the way some of us do.
Just my 2 cents.....
blacktail
Minister of Fire
Don't run 2-stroke boat gas in your new saw. Marine 2-stroke oil is designed for water cooled engines. 2-stroke oil for saws and lawn equipment is for air cooled engines.
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Im not planning on it. I had sold the boat and still had some fuel for it in the can. It didnt seem to harm the old poluan any it was 32:1 so it smoked a lot. I dumped the rest of it in my pickup to get rid of it.
Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk
The my new saw does seem like the power falls off some on the high rpms, adjusting the carb a tick richer on the high side helped it a lot. I might look into porting it when the warrenty is up.
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Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk
Jazzberry
Minister of Fire
I would start with a used pro saw if you are wanting to make more power. I think it would be foolish to throw porting money at a home owner saw and maybe make it work as well as a pro version. Big difference between a pro vs homeowner saw besides the hp.
If its big money then i would't do it any way. I would rather save up for a bigger/better saw to replace or supplement it as it ages.
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Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk
Having owned just about every brand of saw over the years except Echo, I won’t offer any input on that brand.
In my opinion between Husky and Stihl I’ve gotta say on the ruggedness its a toss up. Husky uses bigger and stouter AV springs than the new Stihls. If you got an older rubber mounted Stihl it doesn’t apply. But Spring AV the husky’s hold up better especially if your the type that when pinching a bar start pulling on the saw to no end. The Husky springs will probably last longer. And if it’s a newer 261 or 362 series 50cc or 60cc pro Stihl it’s got a plastic handle bar on it. Drop it in freezing temps they break. No way should Stihl put plastic handlebar on a $700 saw.
Also for older Stihl saws the air filter was known to let fat more dust pass through than a similar aged Husky. It wasn’t until the new Stihl xx1 series saws did they catch up with Husky by using automotive style pleated filters and fresh air from the non drive side. So older Stihls could potentially let dust into the combustion process causing cylinder wall damage before a Husky would do the same. Another nod to Husky on ruggedness.
On the other hand Stihl engines are probably known to last longer. They use 2 piston rings. Many Huskys even new XPs only use 1 ring. So if dust does pass through your filter I believe 2 piston rings is better. But using 2 rings might be why Stihls don’t accelerate RPM as fast as Huskies. Split the cases and most pro Stihls are better constructed from what I’ve seen.
As for ported saws let’s remember they are not created equal. You can decrease a 2 strokes performance just as much as increase it if the porting is not done correctly. Ports in a 2 stroke effect the velocity of the incoming gas and air mix. They also effect the back pressure when the burnt exhaust exits the cylinder. If not done right you could end up with a saw that performs worse not better.
In my opinion between Husky and Stihl I’ve gotta say on the ruggedness its a toss up. Husky uses bigger and stouter AV springs than the new Stihls. If you got an older rubber mounted Stihl it doesn’t apply. But Spring AV the husky’s hold up better especially if your the type that when pinching a bar start pulling on the saw to no end. The Husky springs will probably last longer. And if it’s a newer 261 or 362 series 50cc or 60cc pro Stihl it’s got a plastic handle bar on it. Drop it in freezing temps they break. No way should Stihl put plastic handlebar on a $700 saw.
Also for older Stihl saws the air filter was known to let fat more dust pass through than a similar aged Husky. It wasn’t until the new Stihl xx1 series saws did they catch up with Husky by using automotive style pleated filters and fresh air from the non drive side. So older Stihls could potentially let dust into the combustion process causing cylinder wall damage before a Husky would do the same. Another nod to Husky on ruggedness.
On the other hand Stihl engines are probably known to last longer. They use 2 piston rings. Many Huskys even new XPs only use 1 ring. So if dust does pass through your filter I believe 2 piston rings is better. But using 2 rings might be why Stihls don’t accelerate RPM as fast as Huskies. Split the cases and most pro Stihls are better constructed from what I’ve seen.
As for ported saws let’s remember they are not created equal. You can decrease a 2 strokes performance just as much as increase it if the porting is not done correctly. Ports in a 2 stroke effect the velocity of the incoming gas and air mix. They also effect the back pressure when the burnt exhaust exits the cylinder. If not done right you could end up with a saw that performs worse not better.
