what ones better? in your (a loggers) opinion? HUSQVARNA STIHL
I am not a logger, but I bought a Stihl 056 used in 1982, and it still (no pun intended) runs great.
when I started logging 40 years ago with line skidders the fallers had Husky's (they were lighter but more finicky) and the landing buckers had Stihls ( they were heavier but tougher). Doug
I have ran both a lot over the years landing bucking and falling . If you look after your saws they'll run good when you go to use them next time . The only thing I don't like about Stihl is the fuel tank is a little smaller , no big deal but 5 minutes here and there adds up by the end of the day . All in all both great saw's
I believe Stihl and Johnsrude are still identical except for the outer cases and handles. I like Johnsrude best as the ergonomics fit me better. I think it boils down to what feels good in your hands and dealer support. I will mention that if you have an older saw and get the opportunity to use a new one for 5 minutes you will probably park the old one. The old one will vibrate so bad in your hands compared to the new ones you will wonder how you ever used it.
I think Jonsered and Husky were both owned by Electrolux at one time. Stihl is wasn't associated with either.
Dist3; you're correct the lower $ home owner husgvarna is made by Electrolux along with all the cheapo box store saw's. Stihl makes all their own, they have lower $ home owner saws but they're still a quality build, unlike their competitors. I have run my stihl next to Husqvarna equal in size/power and just feel it is a better machine. In the end no matter what saw one gets, it needs to be dependable, good dealer, and have longevity. I will say I never need my dealer unless it's time for another saw or I do something stupid.
Always owned Stihl saws as well as other trimmers, pole saws, blowers myself. Local dealer used to carry homelite, Jonsered, Husqvarana, as well as Stihl. Believe they only carry Stihl now due to other brands going into box stores. Saws are all over 20 years old and still reliable as day purchased.
Couldn't vote.....I run Stihl, Husky & J-red saws. Just like any other products, each saw company has good ones and models to avoid. Ed
I "Stihl" only own "STIHL" ….. have about 20 of there products Stihl ….. LOL …. From the oldest being an 050AV, 051AV, 088AV, 045AV Super, 056AV Magnum, (2)031AV Quik-stops, 038 Super, 038 Magnum, (2) 066 Magnums, 020AV Super, 015, MS230, SH55, BGE61, FS120 (with weed eater head and brush cutting blades), KM90R (with pole saw +extension, weed-eater head, power paddle broom) and also an 18" Electric Chain Saw …………. All of the above "STIHL" running Great …… the 050 & 051's if they could only tell stories !!! ….. I've cut Thousands of board feet of lumber (Alaskan Mill attachment & Alaskan Mini-mill), I built a Double ended 60" Bar and put both power Heads on the same bar of the Milling Attachment, (I later acquired the 088 Magnum and put it onto the same Bar using the Helper Handle on the other end) ….. Cut Hundreds of Cords of Fire wood with them, we cut Thousands of ton's of Ice Blocks out of the Lake with the 050 & 051's (over 20 yrs when the Lake, at times the ice was 39" thick and had a 42" bar) because of the power head design they were the only saws that would take the sometimes sudden Rush of Freezing cold water with out mucking up the Air-filter system or drowning them thru the intake, we put the blocks up into an ice house packing them in damp Saw dust over the Summer selling them to the Tourists to keep the Beer cold in their coolers at the Fishing Resort we owned …These 2 power Heads have NEVER been rebuilt either !!! …… used to build Log Homes back in the '70s & early '80s with the 031's, 045 &56's, and then the 038's …. STIHL sells more Chain Saws World Wide than the other top "5" brands combined !!! ……… cheers
Agree with Bumpsteer! Beside there is always feelings involved just like buying a car. Ive run Chainsaws since early sixties and my first Husky was bought in 1966 because of good ergonomics,a 65 still running. My favorite saw is a 380CD from 1975 used every year since,only changed piston ring once.Sadly it was stolen in my garage the other night! I think Huskys ergonomics always score a bit better to other saws but then we all are different.....most proffesional saws today are good.
Ive run both STIHL and HUSQVARNA. I own ONLY Stihl. Why? Because I have a dedicated Stihl dealer 1 mile away from the farm. My Brother-in-law owns ONLY Husqvarna. Why? Because he has a dealer only 5 mile away from his place. See the pattern? Lets face it, this is the same question as whats better, a Chevy truck or a Ford truck. Basically everyone is going to reply with what they have in hand, or what Dad always had, or whatever is the easiest to obtain in your area... It was a good question though and I am surprised at the numbers above show that show Stihl 2 to 1 above Husky. I would have expected 1 to 1.
I've owned several saws over the years, Pioneer, McCulloch, Remington, a Sachs-Dolmar KMS 4 -- probably the single most powerful and least vibration saw that I personally owned. The Sachs with the Wankel engine was a pure joy to operate. Ate any kind of wood without slowing down a bit and was by far the easiest on my hands. It did love it's fuel though, I ran a Pioneer at the same time and it would keep me in the woods for about a half hour longer than the Sachs. In the mid-seventies a friend of mine and I sold and serviced the Sachs Wankel KMS 4 and we must have marketed about a hundred of them altogether. They were about half the price of comparable saws and held up very well. At the time, Sachs was the largest seller of chain saws in the world. I don't have the saw anymore. My brother "borrowed" it and that was the end of it. I see now that they are a collectors item.
I own two Husky's, a little 036 and and 055 if I remember the models correctly. The 055 is technically an arborists saw, but I had the dealer put a 24" bar on it as new. My dad gifted me with a couple of Homelite's that he had used while logging and they were miserable beasts, with no compression release, so were hard starting with lots of vibration. It is no wonder that he had both wrists operated on later in life. My brother had a Pioneer which he used for wood cutting until it managed to destroy itself one day. I couldn't say with any authority which is better, but both are good depending on the model.
I've been a logger,and a landclearer, and still spend about 30% of my time clearing woods, but about 50% pf my time building and repairing roads for timber companies, so I work beside most loggers around here. I don't think I've ever seen a Stihl in the woods, everybody around here that makes a living with saws uses huskys. I think it's mostly because the nearest Stihl dealer I know of is about 55 miles away in the city of Myrtle Beach, while there are 4 Husky dealers within 25 miles of here. Why, I can't begin guessing. My favorite Husky was the 372, but if one of your idiot truckdrivers sets it on the drives of a CH Mack after he trims his load, then drives off, they aren't much good. I replaced it with a 576xp which is pretty good, too. I liked Homelite saws when I could get parts, just because they were not finicky at all.
I imagine the Husky is a good saw, but I'll never know. My Stihl's have been so reliable I'm scared to try anything else. When something treats me good I stick with that manufacturer.
Same as Ford vs Chevy. I've had both, liked both. They are both great saw makers. I went with my Husky based on comfort and the fact it was a little lighter. Does kinda scare me how much plastic is on it but the Stihls are covered in plastic now a days too. Comes down to personal preference.
I find the Stihl has more power, and is more solid than the husky.
I have never had to pack out due to a broken mount with a Stihl. I have seen many a Huskys day ended from it though.
I have had the saw repair contract for WFP Jeune Landing for 28 years. W used Husky's for 25 of those years and now switched over to Stihl's. They both have there good and bad points. Husky's are easy one the guys that have problems with vibration. They seem to require more repairs than the Sthils, and have a little less power. But are much easer to work on. The stihls are hard on handle bars, bar studs and that stupid rubber manifold that you have take the head off to fix. But the Huskys throttle cables are a real pain and so are there chain brakes .So I would say no matter which one you use if you like it use it,they are both good saws. I might add that we use both makes of cut off saws and the Husky whips the Stihl on ease of working on. The stihl is put together like rubrics cube a real pain to take apart and put back together., lol
They are both good saws but i think husqvana is better. Dad has been using husqvanas for 25 years and have been excellent. Dad rarely has to service his saws as they keep on going. If it was a stihl he would have to clean The filter a couple of times a day, with the husqvana is is very rare. The husqvana is more user friendly and more comfortable while the stihl may have more power for a comparable model
My father and I run Huskies and swear by them. The reason we run Huskies is the DEALER. He's great. Both Husky and Stihl are great saws. Go with the best local dealer and buy what he's selling. Husqvarna, Stihl, Johnsred, Dolmar, Makita (made by Dolmar) and Echo are all good saws.
During the few years I spent working in the North Carolina woods, or the 'Logwoods' as the locals call it, I used mostly Stihl, along with a couple of Poulan 53s and 70-As here and there. I strongly preferred the Stihls, and particularly the 070. I Have been loyal to Stihl for personal use pretty much my whole life, but I did own a couple of Husky 372XPs for a while. Bought several bars for them, and worked the snot out of 'em out behind the house for a while. Although they do seem a bit smoother to operate and I LOVED the sound of the idle, they never really tripped my trigger. So, I broke out the Stihls again, sold both Huskys, and got ready to post the bars on Arboristsite. I wish I still had the ad. It read something like this: "Here's one for the ladies of Arboristsite. i know you are frustrated with all the attention the menfolk here lavish on their Stihls, so I decided to offer you a few nice bars for your Husky saws, so you don't feel left out. Here we have for sale three Husky bars, a 20", a 25", and A 32"."
I have been cursed with buying a brand new Stihl saw. Its a nightmare as it requires Premium fuel. If I don't use the saw for a week It doesn't start. The dealership and Stihl says that the fuel has gone bad! How can fuel go bad in a week????????? Well the saw is a seven hundred dollar mistake as it never wants to start and if it does it won't stay running! Does anyone know if the New husky saws require premium fuel as well. Anyone else have these problems? What saw can i buy brand new that I can run regular gasoline through? Man I hate the environment!
Diesel Monkey : ….Sadly they have all had to go that way ….. Especially the saws that have EPA ratings and have carbs that you can't even adjust the H&L jets ….. only the Idle screw …. Just had this very same conversation with our local Stihl/Husky ect. Saw shop ……. this shop has been in business for over 40 yrs and claim he's fit to be tied over these issues, AND YES Gas can go bad in a week, depending on even which refinery it came from ….. we are buying Premium Purple (some times commonly known as Boat gas or Farm Gas) it's the same price as reg Gas here and YES there is a difference in runability ….. We started seeing it back in the mid '90's our Sleds wouldn't run worth a crap in the higher elevation and saws, generators and outboards would get this weird white build up fouling on the plugs ….. As far as your Saw goes What model is it ??? ….. big saw little one ??? ….. don't put all of the models in the same basket … because the Baby cheapy saws are exactly that …. Let us know what you got to maybe help you out !!! Cheers ….
Depending on which saw you have you can get a tool that will let you adjust the jets. Its just a funny looking screw driver. Or you can buy a new carb they come fully adjustable on the bigger Stihls and Huskys
Thanks for the fast response! Its a MS 271. I don't do anything too serious with it. Just help out the in laws with their firewood! When I took the carb apart it too was full of white stuff. Looked like dried tooth paste!
I will look into the tool to adjust the jets. Is it a universal tool or model specific? If adjusting it doesn't work I will change the carb. Can I put the carb from an older model on it?
Yeah... Both are great saws . As others have mentioned go with the brand with the best dealer support . Don't know about the Husky ? But found out on a job that a Stihl saw will work damn near submerged in water , just keep the air cleaner at the surface . Sounds like a small motor boat engine .
The one I have is for Stihls and the older carb should work if it is off the same model of saw.
Anything is only as good as the dealer that stands behind it, services it, and can get you parts, when you need them, in my area there is only one choice for all those listed, and that's stihl, after four new shihl saws over the years, three of which I still have today, I'm sold on them. I've run dolmer saws, homelite, lombards, husqvarna, poulan, johnsrude, and a few others, all worked good, but lacked support at some point in time for me.
"Looks Like Dried ToothPaste ??? " …… WTH !!! …..I can guarantee one thing …."that saw did NOT come from the Factory or Dealer Like That " …..how can one blame the brand of saw ??? ……Deff **** Gas if you ask Me … that almost sounds like gas that went stale either in the can or in the saw from sitting too long and it lacquered up leaving that residual behind …. Sorry Pal in any brand of saw that's NOT the saws fault !!! ………… After you get it cleaned up Properly …. maybe for that HUGE extra 10 cent/litre expense of purchasing 2 gal (10 L ) of PREMIUM GAS …. you should also think about going to that saw shop and buying a Fuel Stabilizer as well …… Like the Guy on the Fram Filter commercial said (years ago … LOL) …..You either pay me NOW or pal me LATER !!! …. Cheers ….
If you just use your saw occasionally you should dump your left over gas out and start it up and run it until it runs out of gas. Today's gas will dry up and leave that white crap in your carb. ( it is because of the alcohol in it) It plugs up all the little holes in your carb and you can rarely get it clean again .
Yup that's how she came from the dealer. I wasn't really disappointed with the saw I was disappointed with the dealer service. It came with that fuel from the dealership since after that tank of fuel ran out I couldn't get it to start and keep running! So I took it back where they claimed to fix it and it still wouldn't keep running. After I cleaned everything as clean as i could get it. Put the best fuel right from the fuel pump in it and some stabilizer and it finally started the way a stihl should! One pull!
My brother in law just bought a Husky 372 and it has the same problems but with much better dealer support. So I guess its like any equipment. Its not just the initial cost but the dealer support with parts and service.
Stihl vs Husqvarna I personally use Husqvarna and Efco saws. I get tons of firewood from the local tree Services. They use both brands on a 50/50 split. I can tell you why I don't use a Stihl. Everything on a Stihl only fits a Stihl, nothing else. I'm talking about bars, chains, etc. The same goes for the mid to big size Echo. Husqvarna, Efco, Dolmar, Johnsered, Red Max all use the same bar mounts, gauges, pitches, drag links. Stihl and Echo are all by themselves. That's why I don't use the two oddballs of the chainsaw world. My two cents worth.
They are both great saws, in the pro grades. No comment on the homeowner versions since I've never owned any. The last few years I have given Stihl more business however since the dealer support is better in my area.
Rodmunch, some of us tend to view it differently, those two saws are the correct one's and the rest are oddballs. LOL
Recently got used Stihl MS261 put bow on it and cut some red oak Saturday. Cut great little lighter than my 044. Have run Stihl's for 40 years great dealer locally.
I have stihl wood boss (028) and a farm boss MS290 and just got a little MS171 for trail clearing and brush/limping. The nearest store to me is a Stihl dealership with a full time dedicated Stihl mechanic. Most of the local loggers use Stihl, the rest use Husky. I also keep a poulan 290 around for the nasty jobs that I won't use a decent saw on...
I bought an 031 Stihl back in the mid 70's. It has cut 3-4 cords every year. I put new crankshaft seals in it a few years ago. Still a joy to use.
My method to keep my saw in good working condition is to NEVER lend it.Jost say no.
For an easier starting, the STIHL chainsaw features an ErgoStart system. On the other hand, Husqvarna chainsaws feature a quick-start system which allows the user to start the machine easier and faster.
Source: https://craftyreview.com/best-stihl-chainsaw-ever-made/
The Newest Echo Friendly Stihl, nothing else runs with less noise decibels as this Stihl!
HUSQVARNA For some reason they start when Stihl don't.
Thread is over 10 years old and STIHL is in the lead. I’m upset with both brands for their emission control bs, Chinese manufacturing and proprietary software. Saws should not require a laptop Echo still makes saws with carburetors with anti-tamper screw covers that can be removed. Metal cases. Tunable, pride in workmanship, easy to work on, easy to purchase parts for. No dealer only parts.
Have 5 running Stihls that all get used regularly just to keep 'em happy. All are at least 20 yrs. old and purr like kittens (loud, angry kittens) as long as you take care of fuel supply and don't abuse them. The fact that I never let anyone else run my saws makes a big difference, have seen normally "tool friendly" people do stupid things with somebody else's saw. Chainsaws aint for dirt and rocks. And no saws should not require laptops, effin' ridiculous.
I have 2 Sthil’s. Both are over 25/30 years old. Both do exactly what they are supposed to. Don’t use them that much anymore after built new house with spray in insulation and got away from burning wood. No savings in that anymore. My arthritis misses the wood stove though. After they came out with the 50/1 mix in the cans, have never mixed gas again. Will admit it’s expensive but unless I’m gonna use it all day, cutting up a grapple load, no more carb problems and fuel lines don’t rot out in 2 years. Husqvarna may cut a little faster but a little air flow and exhaust, along with a RPM gauge and they run as good. Not a fan of the newer Sthil and the way they start.
I like STIHL saws the best. I worked at two different dealers for a total of about 5 years. They are a great company. The saws are easier to work on than Husky. I like the way they are put together and their parts are better. I don't now much about the newest ones since I have been out of it for awhile. I agree, you should not need a laptop to fix a saw. Just give me an adjustable carburetor. I like the MS 250 MS441 MS660 MS 200T. My favorites are MS361 and the 026. The 026 is a high strung saw with bad manners
I have an 056 magnum that I bought used in 1982 or so , a 441 and a 461. I always liked Huskies too but never owned one. I'm sure happy with Stihl though.
One of my least favorite STIHL saws is the 031. If the coil gets weak they start running bad and coils are NLA. You may as well throw it away.
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First STIHL was a 391 and shortly after purchased a 291 and 261. Stihl have all of them and within the past few years ive added another 261 carbed and a 462cm with the electronic carb management. Between all the saws I consume around 70 gallons a year. So far no complaints about the electronic managed carb. Manual explains the tuning procedure for resetting the computer when needed. Takes the same amount of time as tuning the straight carb saws and needs to be done under the same conditions as the straight carb saws. For reference my 462 with 24" bar uses less fuel than my 391 with 20" bar. STIHL has never given me any reason to look at other brands and I have not ever tried a Husqvarna to know if im missing anything? I did end up with two Echo saws, 501P and 620P. I would not recommend Echo as both those saws were very difficult to restart after being up to temp and shut down for five to 10 minutes between use.
My main saw for 15 years or so was a MS 260, always started in 2-3 pulls and pretty lightweight for slashing/line cutting. This summer....was stolen out of the job box in the back of the pickup. Now using a 290 ("farm") unit. Not bad really; but a fair bit heavier (for about the same power) than the 260. Just not balanced as nice, also a lot harder to start... Thinking about a 462 as might be a lot faster for firewood cutting duty...
If you dont buck much more than 20" diameter for firewood and are buying a new saw, get a 261. The 462 is real heavy unless you're into 24" or larger diameter and need it. The pro saws are 100% worth the extra dough. My 291 and 261 are supposedly comparable as 50cc saws but the 261 revs higher and rips through the cut considerably faster all while having a decompression valve, metal case on the business end, and a pound or more lighter.
I was given at age 13 a Pioneer, can't say what model, might be they didn't have models that early. In 1972? dad bought a Stihl 031AV, It was a sweet saw! 1975? I bought a week old 042AV. I'd have said it was the best saw ever. 1993 it siezed. Dealer scolded me: "Your gas is too old!" Might have been three months. That day he sold me a Johnsered Super 930. That was a great saw! 2014 one of my extra sons was pairing it with a Husquvarna 385 on a double ended sawmill bar. The super 930 siezed. I bought a pair of Husquvarna 390, still using them. My son is obsessed with the newest high tech saws. He bought one, he bought a second with my account. They are great saws to cut. they are light, cut crazy fast. I absolutely can't get them to start! He preaches to me: "push the primer bulb a few times, you'll feel it when fuel comes in. Push it three more times. There is no on, only a momentary off. Crank it once, it'll start second pull." I've yanked 25 times, let it sit a while, yanked another 25 times. I reach for a 390, it starts reliably 3rd or 4th pull. 390 is a big saw. It cuts fast, I don't cut as long.
I was given
Good advice, wondered if a 462 would just be to big... Similar experience to my 290 & 260... the pro saws are a lot nicer for sure.
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Here is my Husky story, We were logging in the backend of Goat Lake in Powell River BC in early November when a dump of snow shut us down, was April when They went back in plowing snow to get the machines out, the guy running the D8 seen something orange go off the blade in the snow as he was close to the landing. It was the second loaders 2100 husky saw, he pulled it out and thought would it start, gave it two pulls and it started. I've been impressed with them ever since.
I've run either, both have pros and cons. After I badly bruised some ribs, starting the Husqy 2100 was not fun. That was a saw you HAD to start like you wanted to rip the cord clean out the recoil or it'd bite! Had a 372 for a while, 480, few others. Stihl 036, 360, 361, 362, several 460s, 500i, 660, etc... I can't recall them all. few others over the years. Currently just have a 460 and 500i. Been buying 25ft logs the last few years so don't use them a ton. Before we logged and did tree length. Feller buncher and stroke delimber but still some hand cutting and plenty of hand delimbing on the big knarley stuff
Stihl…
I have only bought Stihl. I bought a new one this year, a big one 391 or something like that to help clean up a large number of trees that came down in a Tornado in North Dakota at the family farm in June. Brand new, could not get it to start. Took it to the dealer, he laughed "common issue with a new Stihl". He got it going quickly. There is a process for certain. One thing we have done for years, is I only buy the Stihl fuel in the cans, premixed. It is expensive, kind of, but by far has made life much easier on keeping two cycle machines running well.
I honestly don’t think I have thrown away or had to fix, other than regular maintenance, a 2 stroke, after starting to purchase the premixed fuel in cans. When I was using a lot of two stroke stuff, I would go to the local airport, which was a 45 minute drive one way, and fill up 10 to 15 gallons of pure gas, to be only used for mixing. Then they decided to not let just anyone fill up as it was causing delays for preppy plane guys. Two stroke gas mixed using ethanol works fine if you’re using it everyday but for the average person, it contributes to keeping small mechanics and junk piles busy.
STIHL production years for every STIHL chainsaw. 1926 to Today STIHL Chainsaw Production Years: All Models From 1950 To 2023 Do you know what era your STIHL chainsaw was made? This list of Stihl Chainsaw production years will let you know how old (or new) your saw is! fireandsaw.com
Dad bought three 031AV over the years. I remember one catching a piece of wood in the chain, threw it back against the oil tank, broke a hole in it. That became a parts saw, he bought another. Must have been 1976, I bought a two week old 042AV. Two local young men were unemployed, decided selling firewood was a great plan. In two weeks they figured out wood was a LOT of work! I loved that saw, used it until 1992 when it siezed. Dealer blamed me for using mixed gas that had been around too long.
Have a MSi 500 and it is quite powerful if bucking up 30 inch cottonwood trees. Does burn fuel but cuts through 24 inches very fast compared to others I have used. Simon C
After the Stihl 042AV died, I bought a Johnsered Super 930. We paired it with a Husqvarna 385 on opposite ends of a bar with an Alaskan saw mill. Used them for years. An extra son borrowed them, the Johndered came home melted. Ten? years ago I bought a pair of Husq. 390. I love those saws! They are heavy for limbing, but the big jobs are finished sooner. Seth studies saws, he has used my accounts to buy several mid size saws. Some were Stihl, most Husq. Last two; he bragged how advanced one was; "Starts second pull every time!" I'd yank till my right arm fell off, not a fart! Days later, he would try. He'd yank several times, it'd start. I'd grab a 390, choke it three yanks, off choke, yank two more, it'd start. I'm old, I can carry a saw all day. If it takes me 30 pulls to start it I get discouraged. I think a good saw isn't measured in pounds per tree mile, or however you measure fast cut. A good saw is measured in how spent I am when the day is done, how much did I cut. If I'm exhausted before the saw starts, I won't get much done by day's end.
Fuel injection right? Yes I imagine that's a real beast!
You can get plain alcohol free gas all over the place now. If you were buying air-o-plane gas it was probably 100ll. The EPA cracked down hard on non airplane fuel sales of 100ll.
It is fuel injected. I have a 28 inch bar , but some have 32, or 36 inch bar on same saw. Simon C
Found this MS 260 yesterday used for $450. Still has the vinyl sticker intact below the muffler. Barely used (2004) model. Pretty happy to replace mine that was stolen last summer. Has the adjustable carb, and is completely stock. I do a fair bit of slashing and trail clearing on steep slopes so this will be a lot nicer than the 290 I was using last fall (heavy/cumbersome/not well balanced for that kind of work) Will use the 290 mainly for firewood cutting now; it seems pretty decent for that use….
I have the new MS261C and it is very nice to operate for limbing and small stuff. I had your exact same saw for 19 years and had an oops with it. It was a good saw. Simon C
Nice, that 261 surely is a nice saw! I checked those out in our local saw shop. Other budget priorities (like our bricked Godwin water pump lol!) had me in the used category! I think I had the first 260 for around 14 years or so. Nice and light for limbing and such.
Nice buy, that is my favorite saw.
I have 2 T435i top handle saws and a 576xp I did a muffler mod, base gasket delete, and mild porting on. They all start easily and run well. I usually run the 576 with a 24" bar, but have 20", 36", and 62" for it.
I don’t have enough ass to run a 24” bar, never mind anything larger. I can run a 20” for about 1/2 hour, then I start dirt digging and stumbling around like a drunk.
The 24" has better balance than the 20" and a 30" would likely be better. Bigger than that and all bets are off. The big ones only come out when necessary and removed as soon as practical.
Same!
I like big saws, get the job done faster. My 390 Husqvarnas I've always used a shorter bar. My son has nagged me to try a 28". I found I can stand up to cut a log on the ground. I cut most of the way through until I get to a spot it isn't resting on the ground. Then I cut it through. Often I can roll it over with one foot. Sometimes I need a cant hook.
One brand or another ? One big deal with me is can i buy one close by ? can i get parts close by? But now days the store close to me will handle brand x today will be selling a different tomorrow.
I buy virtually everything online. It is usually cheaper, no businesses stock anything any more so it is usually faster, and there is little to no benefit of expert advice going to a local store.
Does anyone know the difference between a stihl ms500i and ms500i R
My experience is the opposite, we live in an area with a large logging/log hauling industry and the local saw shop is staffed by real experts...It is/was never an issue to get parts (genuine) and quick repairs. Also costs are extremely reasonable! For a small town of ~5000 population the quality of service is really impressive.
I think they both used to be good, some models better then others. Now both models are crap from being crippled by emission laws.
I am not sure how that is possible. If they are carbureted, just free up the intake and exhaust flow and fatten up the mix.
Use a cheap RPM gauge to set the high point, open up the exhaust and you’ve got a ripper, fo sure. I modded my MS 250 and my MS 290 and they rip right along. Don’t need no stinkin small engine mekanik!