Favorite make of chainsaw?

[fallguy1960]

I notice that the majority of photo's seem to show you guy's using Stihl saws. I was just wondering why the preferance for them? How do Husquvana's and Jonsrude's compare to the Stihl's:??

[Skwerl]

The one that makes me the most money. ;)

[sawinredneck]

Most of the members here are true and real climbers. For that there really is only ONE saw, the Stihl 200t!!
On the ground, I don't think they could care less what they run!!
They all make good models, and they all make bad models, you just have to find whats what.

[stehansen]

I went to Stihl from a Homelite and an Echo. Both of which either wouldn't start at all or wouldn't run with any power. My first Stihl was an 029. It started when I pulled the handle and ran pretty good and would idle. Now that I'm in the tree business I have a couple of 200Ts a 192T, an 046, and a 660. All of which are dependable. I actually still have a 290 but my son dropped it and cracked the gas tank and I'm thinking it's not worth fixing, as it doesn't have near the power of the 046. I've never owned a Husqvarna or a Jonsared so I can't tell you about those. They both seem to have their fans here, so they must make some good saws.

[Al Smith]

Any one that starts and runs is my favorite . I'm a collector so I have many of different colors. Most of my cutting however is done with a Stihl.

[No_Bivy]

sthil......200t....360......046........

[stehansen]

Any one that starts and runs is my favorite . I'm a collector so I have many of different colors. Most of my cutting however is done with a Stihl.

What about your old Macs?

[squisher]

Heh heh:

2 200T's soon to be a third :/:(found one this morning in the buy and sell meet the guy on Tuesday)

361 woods mod
038 collector saw
2 046's
660 woods mod

Damn I need more saws.:(

Stihl Rules!!!!

[Bodean]

200T for the tree,

372, 046 with full rap and big dogs.

then 66, then 88.

[Al Smith]

What about your old Macs? I have a few I use .10-10 super [57 cc's ] Sp 81 and rarely the big SP 125's .It's got to be a big piece of wood to pull that thing out.

I have a big pile of oak I've been sawing to length and splitting for what seems to be forever.That stuff gets carved up with an 038 ,048 or the 10-10 super Mac .Just depends on my mood of the day .:)

[Reddog]

How do Husquvana's and Jonsrude's compare to the Stihl's:??

I have run all three. To me the difference is, which one has the best dealer in the area I am working.
They have little differences in the feel but all have good saws in their lines.
This is all based on 4 Cubic inch or larger saws.

[fallguy1960]

Thanks for the input fellas. I have a Husky 51 with a 20"Arbor pro narrow kerf bar on it now. I am kind of looking for a little bigger saw. And I thought I would get some input from guys that use them every day.

[Skwerl]

Ahh. A specific question will always get you better answers than dragging out the old "Which brand is better" debate. Most here won't play the brand wars, we leave that for the kids over on AS.

[sawinredneck]

Yes indeed Brian, now we are getting somewhere!!!
If you are happy with Husky see if you can get a 372xp while they are still around. You'll be hard pressed to find anyone that has much bad to say about them, and it will pull up to a 32" bar.

[Blinky]

My medium saw is a Stihl 440 Mag. Starts 3 rd pull every time, pulls a 28" bar when I need it to... damn good saw.

[Bodean]

460/372 full wrap with a 24" good sharp chain and you're the guy in charge.

[stehansen]

Ahh. A specific question will always get you better answers than dragging out the old "Which brand is better" debate. Most here won't play the brand wars, we leave that for the kids over on AS.

Reminds me of Jr. high and the Ford/GM/Chrysler arguments about which was faster in the quarter mile.

[top hopper]

Craftsman all the way baby!!

[squisher]

So I'm the only immature one here then?:D

Stihl, Stihl, Stihl :evil:

[Poleframer]

Stihl 090 is the only real man's saw.

[oldirty]

i have a 200t and a 338 xp for my climbers. the husky is my back up.

a 359 and a ps540 for limbing and bigger cuts the climbers cant make.

a 371xp for bucking and again bigger cuts in the tree

and a brand new ms 660 magnum for the butts and big buckn and if i need that thing in the tree, well i have it if i need it.

my next saw will be a dolmar 7900.


sharp chains are a must though, no matter what size saw your running.


i dont play favorites as you can tell but i do know there are certain brands any self respecting woodsman/tree guy would never bring to the party.

[TC3]

Craftsman all the way baby!!
RALMAO !!!
I have a garage full of Sears stuff that customers have given me. God luv 'em, they wanna just get rid of it & I don't say, "No thanks."
(Tossing it into the corner.)

[Al Smith]

RALMAO !!!
I have a garage full of Sears stuff that customers have given me. God luv 'em, they wanna just get rid of it & I don't say, "No thanks."
(Tossing it into the corner.) Well now just hold on there.I've got a little 46 cc Craftsman/2800 Poulan that will flat get with it .Of course I doctored on it just a tad bit.;)

Oh,they are what they are,inexpensive but not built exactly the best.Most of them died from inactivety.

[Ax-Man]

Sthil makes a good saw no doubt. The main reason they are number 1 is because they have a good dealer network. You can buy a Sthil and have a dealer that is close to you or you can pick your dealer of choice if you want to do a little driving. You won't get this option if you buy a saw that carries a different brand.

Most of the posters here are into tree cutting and pruning on a professional level. When your at this level you have to have good reliable tools. If those tools break you need parts and service, pronto. No saw , no money it is that simple. You don't have the luxury of time for mail order parts, e-bay shopping or trying to find part saws and then find time to disasemble them and then reassemble them with used parts.

Sthil fits this niche market very well. This is why they are so popular even though there may be better saws out there in a particular cc size it won't be of much use if you can't find parts or a dealer to fix it.

Five years ago I was a died in the wool Sthil groupie. But after getting into saw collecting and fixing saws on a more serious level than ever. I have changed my mind enough after some actual hands on of some other brands to say that there are better saws in other models but still rely on Sthil for my bread and butter.

[olyman]

olympyks for me--used to sell them--and know of their durability---but i also own a 090--animal!!! but when i get the 999 oly together--maybe that will be the hot ticket!!!!!!!!

[Ed L]

I've got both Stihl & Husky saws.
More Stihls than Husky. :D


Ed

[stig]

The swedish saws: Husqvana, Jonsered andPartner used to be good.
Then they all got bought up by the Electrolux Company, along with american Poulan saws.
Elektrolux makes all sorts of electric stuff. Around here they are mostly known for their wacuum cleaners.
They pretty much dumped Partner, that is only a saw for hobbyists today. And today Jonsered is simply a Husqvarna with another color.
I'm not kidding, if you visit the factory in Jönköping, you'll see engines on the assembly line being diverted to one side for Husky colors and design and the other side for Jonsered.
In my opinion, once they got bought up, they stopped competing against each other and were overtaken by Stihl.
I have owned saws of all those brands over the last 30 years, and today I run only Stihl.
Like we say around here: I want a chainsaw, not a wacuum cleaner!!!!

[fallguy1960]

THANKS GUYS. I thought I would start this thread slow and let you get warmed up a little before I gave you the big stick. Stig Thanks I did not know that Husky and Jonsered were owned by the same outfit. No wonder there leaf wacuums have improved. HA HA. Ax Man your make very good point service after the sale is important.

[Magnus]

Hello Stig!

I am chainsaw collector in Noth east Skåne.
This is correct. Husqvarna, Jonsered and Partner use much of the same parts with colour change or in best case a difftent cover.

Same parts rotate thrue many models in these brands and some more too..

Jonsereds had a diffrent style as well as Partner, but they are all the same now. Partner still has pro saws but not for Nothern Europe.




The swedish saws: Husqvana, Jonsered andPartner used to be good.
Then they all got bought up by the Electrolux Company, along with american Poulan saws.
Elektrolux makes all sorts of electric stuff. Around here they are mostly known for their wacuum cleaners.
They pretty much dumped Partner, that is only a saw for hobbyists today. And today Jonsered is simply a Husqvarna with another color.
I'm not kidding, if you visit the factory in Jönköping, you'll see engines on the assembly line being diverted to one side for Husky colors and design and the other side for Jonsered.
In my opinion, once they got bought up, they stopped competing against each other and were overtaken by Stihl.
I have owned saws of all those brands over the last 30 years, and today I run only Stihl.
Like we say around here: I want a chainsaw, not a wacuum cleaner!!!!

[Magnus]

I am partial to Dolmars now if we talk new saws.

[GASoline71]

460/372 full wrap with a 24" good sharp chain and you're the guy in charge.

Yup... 'cept I would have a 28" full skip on mine... :)

Gary

[MasterBlaster]

I don't like bending over, either!

[Cedarkerf]

Long bars big dawgs wrap handleson all my Stihls. Yup Gary 28" on the 044, 32" on 056 and 066, 30" on the 064, 032 only has a 20"bar tho. So I would say Stihl is my favorite brand.

[Bodean]

Alright, I guess maybe I'm not as tall as the two of you.

[Al Smith]

Well you west coasters can do that. Bigger trees,softer wood.I guess we on this side are just more limber.:lol:

[fishhuntcutwood]

They're gonna think I'm smokin' crack in Michigan when I show up with my 24", 28" 32" 36" combos.

[stehansen]

They're gonna think I'm smokin' crack in Michigan when I show up with my 24", 28" 32" 36" combos.

You know it gets cold there, right?

[TC3]

Nothing will surprise a Michigander. It's part of our 'inner glow'.
jk

[fishhuntcutwood]

You know it gets cold there, right?

I'm from Indiana, and have been stationed in Michigan twice before. Once on the West side, and once on the East....so yeah, I've got the cold dialed in. ;)

[Bodean]

Yup... 'cept I would have a 28" full skip on mine... :)

Gary


If I'm going 28, then I'm grabbing the 660 with the 32 full skip freshly cut right off the roll

[GASoline71]

My 044 wears the 28" to be honest...

It also sees the 32" once in awhile...

If I "need" to use something bigger... I will pull out one of the huge, old, slow Homelites I have... they can handle bars up to 5 feet if I really needed them to... :D

Gary

[Al Smith]

If I "need" to use something bigger... I will pull out one of the huge, old, slow Homelites I have... they can handle bars up to 5 feet if I really needed them to... :D

Gary I imagine that big Homelite I have could handle 60" of bar.It's not however slow even by todays standards.It is however heavy by anybodies standards .

[stehansen]

Nothing will surprise a Michigander. It's part of our 'inner glow'.
jk

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[Drella]

Echo 4500 C/S 8000 ground saw

Stihl O9 -- Of course

Echo 750 for stumping

Echo C/S-360T 12" for general tree saw

I started working with Echo's since 1990 and they've lasted years coupled with some serious abuse. --- And a few test flights when chunking out a spar, when suddenly, it rips the saw from your hands....:O

[Husky385]

Makita/Dolmar best value for money in the UK imo

[Blinky]

I'm simple, 200T w/ a 14" bar and a 440 with a 20" or 28".
Still got my eyes on a 200 rear handle or a 260 Pro for a light ground saw.

[CurSedVoyce]

Stihl 200t I would love to have back.
Resorted to 2 echo 360t for the climb with 14 bars.
They do ok... Had good luck so far, but a 200t they aint.
Husky 345 and 455 for the ground work (mostly brushing and branching once its on the ground. They do take the abuse of working in the brush where the Stihls dont. Plus cheaper to replace. I get two to three years out of the huskys in the brush, throw away and then replace.
Stihl 036 and 066 for the wood both in the tree and on the ground as needed.
We also have a service problem with the Stihls as no one here can fix the dang things. Have to take them 1 plus hours away.
Anyone wanna try fixin my 200t??? no one up here in my town can. I have yet to take it to the valley though. See what haps.

[arborworks1]

whats is the problem with the 200?

[No_Bivy]

I'm simple, 200T w/ a 14" bar and a 440 with a 20" or 28".
Still got my eyes on a 200 rear handle or a 260 Pro for a light ground saw.

rear handle 200t is very nice:D

[RIVERRAT]

Cant say I am paticular about brand. Not as much as I used to be any way.
Stihl has always felt right in my hands. But I really like some of the Husqvarnas. The Stihl is the best I think for use up in the trees.

Just give me a sharp, good running saw with power

[arborworks1]

rear handle 200t is very nice:D

Is it balanced. or slightly nose heavy

[OTGBOSTON]

rear handle 200t is very nice:D

I love mines...

[Ax-Man]

I like my rear handle 200 also.

Blink, I am not trying to sway you away from a 26 as a ground saw. It will fill that role easy but the 26 is kind of a dog saw unless they have had the mufflers opened up and had a slight porting done to the cylinders. I have three of those saws. I rebuilt one totally, splitting the case, new bearings and seals, new top end ect ect. That saw was a dissappointment. No one liked it including myself. The second one I did didn't get all new parts but got some mods done to it. That saw I like. Much more power, easier starting and running. The third one was just a radical porting experiment and still came out better than the first one and wasn't in as good a shape mechanically as the first one.

Sthil came out with the 26 as a replacement to the old 028 line. To me that was a mistake. If they had kept the power and torque of the 28 and made it lighter like the 26 is they would have had a real good saw.

[Banned by Squirrels]

I'm simple, 200T w/ a 14" bar and a 440 with a 20" or 28".
Still got my eyes on a 200 rear handle or a 361 for a light ground saw.

I fixed it for ya. ;)

[rangerdanger]

Stihl all the way!!

Can I ask this though. What do you guys prefer for in-tree use. A regular 200T, or a rear handle 200??

[CurSedVoyce]

well arbor works, It has compression, but loses power and stalls out. They (Local repair shops) have tried everything but the ignition module as far as I know. Rebuilt carb etc etc. Funny, they say it all fixed, I take it out in the parking lot start her up, and same issues. Repaired my Butt!

Ranger.. 200 t up in the tree or larger stihl like the 036 once I get to bigger wood. I so pretty big pines up here so you can be 30-60 feet up and need a 25 or better bar....

[Ax-Man]

Stihl all the way!!

Can I ask this though. What do you guys prefer for in-tree use. A regular 200T, or a rear handle 200??

Up in a tree a rear handle is the way to go IMHO. Others will counter this opinion of course. The top handle version is better suited for working in a bucket.

[hornett22]

i own a 200t and a 192.i like the 192 better most of the time.i don't use the 200t until i start chunking out or i know i need a quick cut.other than those two and the Stihl pole saws,everything else is Husky.that is usuall what is on the trucks everywhere around here.

[TC3]

Stihl 090 is the only real man's saw.
I thought Russ was joking ? Our local hardware store had the only chainsaws to be found after our last big storm in July, and an 090 was purchased for a pal o' mine. He said he was pissed when I first brought it to his work site, but found it had a surprising amount of power. I guess it's considered a farm saw ??? I dunno.

[JonnyHart]

Wrong saw T, you're thinking 290 or 390, the 090 was one of (if not the) biggest stock saws ever made and it hasn't been for sale new in a long while.

[Al Smith]

Wrong saw T, you're thinking 290 or 390, the 090 was one of (if not the) biggest stock saws ever made and it hasn't been for sale new in a long while. For what it's worth ,Larry S ,also known as "Chainsaw 57" has the last one ever sold in Canada .He got it from Gyp a few years back .The thing has never had fuel in it .

[Dave Shepard]

I like Stihl and never went looking for any Husky's, but.... I traded a broken ATV that I had a total of $260 tied up in for a Husky66, it was new, only started once. Scared the heck out of the homeowner and he never ran it again. I run mostly 20" bars, but I have a 32" for bigger stuff. I thought it would have a hard time with it, but it'll pull it in dry ash, with a little patience.;) Then I came across the 394xp, which I paid $500 for. It was a couple of weeks old. A guy tried it on a Granberg and didn't like it, bought two 3120's. I really liked that saw, especially the suspension. It blew up in '04. Dealer wanted near $600 for top end and seals. I ordered a new piston kit from Baileys as well as seals and carb kit. Should be good to go for under $75. I currently have an 020T and an 036, both of which I like. I'll be adding a 660 to that list too. Stihl has the best service around here, and a high school friend just bought out his boss at the local Stihl shop, so I'll support him.


Dave

[mryb]

For what it's worth ,Larry S ,also known as "Chainsaw 57" has the last one ever sold in Canada .He got it from Gyp a few years back .The thing has never had fuel in it .

I have an 038 Mag that has never cut wood...

[mryb]

My 044 wears the 28" to be honest...

It also sees the 32" once in awhile...

If I "need" to use something bigger... I will pull out one of the huge, old, slow Homelites I have... they can handle bars up to 5 feet if I really needed them to... :D

Gary

I have a modified 044 with a 36" bar. I have skip & regular chain for it. It pulls it nicely...

[Skwerl]

I have an 038 Mag that has never cut wood...

But Rick, I heard you take that saw to bed with you sometimes. I don't want to know why the handles are so sticky.
:boogie:

[woodworkingboy]

Gawd...I just got this terrible mental image of a guy going 69 with his chainsaw.....you know that can't be right.

[mryb]

But Rick, I heard you take that saw to bed with you sometimes. I don't want to know why the handles are so sticky.
:boogie:

Most of my saws have heated handles so they don't stay sticky long. You're going to get me banned for no reason, you know that?

[mryb]

Gawd...I just got this terrible mental image of a guy going 69 with his chainsaw.....you know that can't be right.

That's just wrong...

[hornett22]

i am a Husky guy through and through but the orange climbing saws suck.Echo makes a great wheel chock.

i use the ms200 and 192 in the bucket or on the rope.none better! the 200t is like a mini 372 with a top handle.

[hornett22]

The swedish saws: Husqvana, Jonsered andPartner used to be good.
Then they all got bought up by the Electrolux Company, along with american Poulan saws.
Elektrolux makes all sorts of electric stuff. Around here they are mostly known for their wacuum cleaners.
They pretty much dumped Partner, that is only a saw for hobbyists today. And today Jonsered is simply a Husqvarna with another color.
I'm not kidding, if you visit the factory in Jönköping, you'll see engines on the assembly line being diverted to one side for Husky colors and design and the other side for Jonsered.
In my opinion, once they got bought up, they stopped competing against each other and were overtaken by Stihl.
I have owned saws of all those brands over the last 30 years, and today I run only Stihl.
Like we say around here: I want a chainsaw, not a wacuum cleaner!!!!

they leave it out all the time on the floor.guess the 372 wasn't the first time Stihl copied Husky.:lol:

i'm a Husky guy for the most part but i admit,Stihl has the dealer thing down.granted there are a few screwballs but their displays are the best in the business.

[squisher]

they leave it out all the time on the floor.guess the 372 wasn't the first time Stihl copied Husky.:lol:

What? Imo the 372 was a huge copy of alot of the already available features on a Stihl at the time it came out. It was to get Husky back into the market because their saws were rattling apart so badly it was ridiculous.

[Al Smith]

Oh they bounce back and forth stealing each others ideas .Always have always will .

You should get around a bunch of old timers talking about how both Stihl and Husqvarna tried to copy a Mac 10 series port design but never succeeded .

This old game has been played on motorcycles ,automobiles, chainsaws you name it .My favorite example would be the Craftsman quick release rachet .Everybody makes them now .

If you could get the torque of a Stihl ,the speed of a Husqvarna and the oiler of a big McCulloch then you would have something .

[NeTree]

The Stihl dealers around here all suck. That's why I switched to Husky- Better dealers, better product, better pricing.

[Dave Shepard]

Around here the dealers gave up on Husky due to them being available, at the time, online and in the big box stores. They got sick of having to deal with the warranty and repair issues of a saw someone got at the Home Cheapo. The spring suspension on my 394XP is awesome. I haven't run anything newer than my 036, so I don't know if Stihl has improved their anti-vibe.

[stehansen]

My local Stihl dealer is also a Husky dealer and Echo also.

[Al Smith]

Husky shot its' self in the foot and choked the chicken that layed the golden egg . They pulled their franchises in several Stihl dealerships .Gave them a choice ,Stihl or Husky .The dealers in return give them the power finger . The only Huskys you find within 40 miles are at Lowes etc .To make matters worse the company refused to credit or buy back the dealers existing stock they had on hand .Mad would be an understatement .

[CurSedVoyce]

They Usually fix the husky's better up here.. Forget the Stihls... They seel em ... but dont ask them to fix it... LOL It will never be the same... 200t thread says it all... Echo is starting to get a good rep up here, all same dealer like you have there Steve... They do all three... I am going to try the Echo 50cc and see how I like it... The Echo rep (The factory guy) and I met the other day and I will get to try out the saw and any thing else I want for 30 days money back I if dont like it..

[stehansen]

I have an Echo backpack blower that works good.

[CurSedVoyce]

Their Brushers are the shiznit now too.... Kicked my FS250's arses!:O

[Al Smith]

I don't know ,they come they go .At the present Dolmar is attempting a power play to capture some market shares . None will ever be successfull unless they have good dealer support .

Very few people with any brains would buy something you can't have repaired in a timely fashion .Oh sure you could track down a part timer like me to wrench on them but that certanly is not the answer to success .Besides that I'm such an independent cuss I only turn a wrench if I feel like it .:lol: Annoy me and it will never get done ,insult me I'll get nasty which is why I would never be a good business man . That said I don't think I'll quit my day job .;)

[squisher]

My point had been that when the 372 came out it was a blatant rip off of alot of Stihl features at the time in rebuttal to Hornett22's statement that Stihl had stolen features off the 372. Do y'all remember the previous to that generation of Husky's? Can you say heli coil and numb hands? I'll admit that they do go both ways on stealing the others ideas but at that particular time with that particular series of saws Husky needed some drastic improvements and alot of them came from Stihl. Imo;)

And Dave Sheppard yes a 361 is way more smooth vibe wise than a 036.

Here the Stihl and Husky dealers are the same store. Stihl does piss me off by not allowing mailorder though. I was gonna ask my local shop if they could lower their counter as I'm not that tall and I find it uncomfortable each time I go in there and get bent over it.

[CurSedVoyce]

Recently, Volvo Rents down in the valley (good repair too) dropped Husky.. I went down there to try and get a Husky fixed I was having issues with. Oiler kept giving out. Dealer replaced it few times and same chit. I was informed at the counter once I got there that they dropped Husky because the repair parts they were ordering were often defective (too high a percentage) and Husky was not honoring any returns on the defective parts. I know they all do this on some things. But it does say a lot when a Dealer and service dept (good sized one) drops them.

[Al Smith]

You are going to take a royal screwin on any thing you must use OEM repair parts on . Doesn't make a diff if it's a chainsaw or an automobile machine tool ,whatever . The Germans are the best in the world at designing mechanical or even electronics based around OEM designs . It's usually good stuff but they have you by the short and curlies for repairs .

Now this might work for the consumer of which we all fall into that catagory .However they get to fooling with a corperate giant using those tactics they loose . I've been a part of many redesigns on automated machine tools because some hardheaded German company thought they could play hardball . Funny part is after a bit of "Yankee ingenuity " the machines ran better than the original designs .Don't get mad ,get even .;)

[CurSedVoyce]

Here Here... Does level the playing field ;)

[Al Smith]

Well,here is another thing .It seems that US manufactures have a tendency to forget history ,automobiles ,electronics just about any consumer goods .

They get a good product then get lacka- daisical about quality price etc . Pretty soon up comes some import that does as good ,often times better and grabs market shares then they have to go back to square one and recapture what they never should have lost in the first place . Once again just history repeating itself . It's not lost on the factory floor but rather in the board room .:X

[RentalDude]

WE don't deal with Husqvana chainsaws. We rent, sell and repair Redmax. We also still work on older Homelites (we still have a stock of parts from the days when we rented Super XL's). We have had to deal with Electrolux for a while now. Target and Partner being two brands we carry that are now owned by Electrolux. Service from Electrolux has always been a problem, our rep is so upset by the problems he told us he's leaving.
For my next chainsaw I'm looking at a real mans saw.

[NeTree]

Aw, now I KNOW yer just funnin'.

[Bounce]

:lol: That thing reminds me of a pair of skis I had when I was 9. I think they were former rentals as well.

[CurSedVoyce]

Throw it away before you raise your blood pressure:lol::lol::lol:

[hornett22]

My point had been that when the 372 came out it was a blatant rip off of alot of Stihl features at the time in rebuttal to Hornett22's statement that Stihl had stolen features off the 372. Do y'all remember the previous to that generation of Husky's? Can you say heli coil and numb hands? I'll admit that they do go both ways on stealing the others ideas but at that particular time with that particular series of saws Husky needed some drastic improvements and alot of them came from Stihl. Imo;)

And Dave Sheppard yes a 361 is way more smooth vibe wise than a 036.

Here the Stihl and Husky dealers are the same store. Stihl does piss me off by not allowing mailorder though. I was gonna ask my local shop if they could lower their counter as I'm not that tall and I find it uncomfortable each time I go in there and get bent over it.

i forgot how much i loved get shit stirred up! i knew i'd get someone on that one.:lol:

[hornett22]

my biggest complaint with Stihl besides the 4mix crap is the price of parts.my buddy bought an air filter for an 026 pro for $45.i bought one for a 395xp for just under $30.

as for chain,Stihl kicks ass,same with the 192t and 200t.they make some great stuff but some of it has me scratching my head.

[hornett22]

Recently, Volvo Rents down in the valley (good repair too) dropped Husky.. I went down there to try and get a Husky fixed I was having issues with. Oiler kept giving out. Dealer replaced it few times and same chit. I was informed at the counter once I got there that they dropped Husky because the repair parts they were ordering were often defective (too high a percentage) and Husky was not honoring any returns on the defective parts. I know they all do this on some things. But it does say a lot when a Dealer and service dept (good sized one) drops them.

GM was doing that around 2003.i'm so glad i got out of auto repair.

[Stumper]

Justin, Actually I DO remember the Husky generations before the 372. I own Both a 371 and a 268. Great saws. I have no idea what you think got stolen by either company. 2 cycle engines had been around a long time.So had oil pumps, electronic ignition, antivibration, centrifigal clutches, and rim sprockets. Oh there is airfiltration..........but Husky kicked Stihl's butt in every generation so why would the steal Stihl's inferior technology...and they patently did not since Husky kept their better filtering systems.

[GASoline71]

my biggest complaint with Stihl besides the 4mix crap is the price of parts.my buddy bought an air filter for an 026 pro for $45.i bought one for a 395xp for just under $30.

as for chain,Stihl kicks ass,same with the 192t and 200t.they make some great stuff but some of it has me scratching my head.

I guess it's all about where you live... I can get parts, chains, and bars for waaaaayyyyy cheaper than what most of you are paying. Having a saw shop that supports local logging operations helps. I can go i there and usually find parts for old Stihl and Husqvarna saws o the shelf, since a lot of the old saws are still bein' used in the woods to this day.

Gary

[Al Smith]

Prices are all to do with competition .Washington state would obviously have more of same than Ohio which would have more than Conn .

Another thing to consider is the fact that the Stihl corp pretty much sets the prices a dealer charges .As I've said a zillion times though ,anything that you must use strictly OEM parts for repair is made intentionly that way to assure complete company control . Just a fact you have to live with ,like it or not .

[GASoline71]

Just like goin' to a car dealer and buyin' all your parts there... they are way overpriced than goin' in to a parts store like Auto Zine and the like.

Gary

[Al Smith]

Auto Zine and the like.

Gary Auto Zine :P You must have as fat of fingers as myself .

Ah the goofy part about auto parts is the fact that the parts after a period of time are made by an after market supplier ,not by the auto companies .They just get repackaged .Genuine GM parts is a misnomer .By the way 95 percent of all piston rings are made by companies in proximity to Muskegon Mich . ,for what that's worth .

[Altissimus]

Right now , HUSKY.s ONLY ....run stihls , run echos , ect.

[inztrees]

Ms200 and a372xp

[CurSedVoyce]

1 200t, 2 echo 360t, 2 husky 455s, 2 husky 345s, Stihl 036 and 066, and a FS250 with a pole saw attach... We shall expand that next year...

[woodworkingboy]

I have my favorites, but mostly I just provide a place of refuge for homeless chainsaws, or ones having been abused by their former owners. The 242xp is making the transition nicely. :)

[squisher]

Hmmm Stumper,

As far as I can recall Stihl was first to the table with a handlebar that was actually large enough to be comfortable to grip. First with a side adjuster for the chain tension instead of down in the dogs, first to have a air filter cover that could be removed without tools, first to have a inboard clutch thus making changing your sprocket alot simpler of a task. Need I go on? Please correct me if I'm wrong.:P

[hornett22]

first to screw up something as simple as a fuel cap.as much as i like the ms361,i like the 036 better.

[squisher]

Justin, Actually I DO remember the Husky generations before the 372. I own Both a 371 and a 268. Great saws. I have no idea what you think got stolen by either company. 2 cycle engines had been around a long time.So had oil pumps, electronic ignition, antivibration, centrifigal clutches, and rim sprockets. Oh there is airfiltration..........but Husky kicked Stihl's butt in every generation so why would the steal Stihl's inferior technology...and they patently did not since Husky kept their better filtering systems.

Ahh so that's right I was thinking of the 371 which if memory serves correctly now replaced the 272? I could be wrong on that, but what I do remember was running 272's and then buying a 46. Can you say blown away by the difference. Heh Stump ever replace any of the air filter cover clips on your 371?:P Superior filtration my ass!

[squisher]

first to screw up something as simple as a fuel cap.as much as i like the ms361,i like the 036 better.

I've owned both and the 361 is far smoother imo.

And I will concede the point on the caps, pos caps.

[hornett22]

iknow it's smoother,the 361 has better filtration too.i still like the 036 better.it was a great saw and i didn't really notice the vibes much.

[Stumper]

Actually Homelite had side chain tensioning on the 650 Super 30 years ago. If Stihl introduced pop off filter covers first -good for them -they needed to since you have to clean their blasted filters constantly.(And, while I love my Dolmar 7900 it needs cleaning far too often also). Stihl makes great equipment........but Husqvarna has been making superlative tools for aver 300 years adn they have served me well without that nasty whiney butt liberal tone that big Stihls have.

[Al Smith]

Contrair youngsters ,both Homelite and McCulloch had easily removable covers long before Stihl ever thought of it . Better oilers too .:P

[woodworkingboy]

One of the first things that I noticed when I started using Husqvarna, was that the filters stayed considerably cleaner than Stihls, at least the models I became familiar with.

Never had a 361, but my modded 036 continues to be an excellent saw for me, added on to an 034 crankcase. I wouldn't have considered any vibration problems, if I hadn't read about it. I would expect the newer saw to be smoother though, as that is the way things usually go, I believe.

[squisher]

Stihl makes great equipment........but Husqvarna has been making superlative tools for aver 300 years adn they have served me well without that nasty whiney butt liberal tone that big Stihls have.

Would that be the same tone that your posts in this thread have?:P


:lol:

[sotc]

hahahahhahahaahahahahaa

[stehansen]

Stumper has a liberal tone?:lol:

[rbtree]

Hmmm Stumper,

As far as I can recall Stihl was first to the table with a handlebar that was actually large enough to be comfortable to grip. First with a side adjuster for the chain tension instead of down in the dogs, first to have a air filter cover that could be removed without tools, first to have a inboard clutch thus making changing your sprocket alot simpler of a task. Need I go on? Please correct me if I'm wrong.:P

Good innovations they were...save the handlebar idea...never noticed that one....buuuuuuuuttttttt.....


....You've forgotten air injection for better filtration, springs for antivib, and quad ported transfers....


guess who copied who there? And Stihl still only has two of those on one saw, the 361.....

[rbtree]

.(And, while I love my Dolmar 7900 it needs cleaning far too often also)

Haven't you gotten the new, much improved cover yet? Solves that problem at a cost of maybe $13. I get parts from Scott and Steve of The cutting Edge in NY....quickly. Great guys.

[Al Smith]

....You've forgotten air injection for better filtration, springs for antivib, Now,the 64 thousand dollar question .Was it Husqvarna or Poulan that actually had the springs and air chute first ?

[wiley_p]

More wood has been put on the ground with Stihl than any other saw. That includes the finicky, fragile saw that many of you have a twisted love for. :evil:

[Al Smith]

Well perhaps so in the last 20 years . Got back 20 more and Stihl still has a long way to go .;)

[Stumper]

Nice attempt at a riposte` Justin.
Of course I like Stihl products and own a few..... but I love to pick on Stihl loyalists. They are such easy targets.

[Al Smith]

Of course I like Stihl products and own a few..... but I love to pick on Stihl loyalists. They are such easy targets. Me too .I had em all up in arms on another forum especialy when I had said I'd seen many modified saws done by other than their favorite builder that did as well or better on the block . I won't mention the forum but they damned near tossed me off of it .:lol: No sense of humor I guess .;)

[squisher]

Heh it's all good fun for me too. In reality run what ya brung and how a individual is capable of maintaining their saw of choice is gonna play alot larger role in performance than any difference by brand.:)

All things equal though I'll stick with my Stihls. Lol

[woodworkingboy]

Whatever the brand, MORE CHAIN SPEED :big-jump:

[Magnus]

Recently, Volvo Rents down in the valley (good repair too) dropped Husky.. I went down there to try and get a Husky fixed I was having issues with. Oiler kept giving out. Dealer replaced it few times and same chit. I was informed at the counter once I got there that they dropped Husky because the repair parts they were ordering were often defective (too high a percentage) and Husky was not honoring any returns on the defective parts. I know they all do this on some things. But it does say a lot when a Dealer and service dept (good sized one) drops them.

Don't confuse Husqvarna US with regular Husqvarna. It is not fair to Husqvarna.
Husky US is a seperate company.

Huky US has their own polecy's and rules. It is not the same as Husqvarna here, especially if you are a dealer.

[Cut4fun]

Depends on the cc size of the saw what brand some of like.
All have junk ones and some good ones in each brand.

[Dave Shepard]

Just a friendly reminder to the owner of better filtering Husky's: that dirt is still inside the saw, it may not be in the filter, but it will be in the starter housing, flywheel, and assorted ducting.;)