The Old Giants

With the arrival of my freebie 075 this past week, I've entered a new area of saws that I know next-to nothing about - the over 100cc class of old saws. I hear all kinds of talk about the great power of the old saws - Homelite 1050, 2100, etc, McCulloch SP125, Dolmar 166, and such - but I've never run any of them (yet), save for my 075.

So, my question: I know the 075 is no screamer of an old saw, but I'm wondering - how do these old saws stack up with one another in terms of performance? How do they compare to an 075?

you keep posting pictures of that saw and I may well have to come over and beat you with it.

The only one you mentioned that I have run is the Dolmar 166 and I would discribe the torque as incredible. It was unlike anything I ever ran before or since. I also had a Solo 603, (103CC) that had lots of torque, but it wasn't close to the 166.

Your ears play tricks on you with these saws. Since we are all used to hearing 13,000 RPM's, they just don't sound like they are set up right. But put them in some big wood and they just keep going.

Now you got me thinking that I "need" to get something like that.

Here's some of our 166's and a CT.


Hey Spike60 want to make a cut with this one?


Steve

CaseyForrest said:

you keep posting pictures of that saw and I may well have to come over and beat you with it.

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How about if I got a Burger King crown for it to wear and then took some new photos to post? Would that be better?

Steve;

Yeah, I'll try it when we swap the Exmarks next week!

How many of them things you got up there? Got any 143's or 153's? I always liked them. Any chance you got more than you feel that you really need? And might want to let something go?

spike60 said:

Steve;

Yeah, I'll try it when we swap the Exmarks next week!

How many of them things you got up there? Got any 143's or 153's? I always liked them. Any chance you got more than you feel that you really need? And might want to let something go?

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We've got a 153 and a couple 143's. Actually one is your old demo from DHS!

Also the 166 with the arrow pointing to it belongs to the next door neighbor.

Steve

So, THAT'S where I left it!

The SP125 is sweet, like holding on to a drag bike. Great sound. Scary.
The 075 is cool, like holding on to a 4 wheeler.:greenchainsaw: Great sound. Not as scary.
The 1050 is not in the same class, good short bar, runs out on a long bar. Sounds like a Homelite. Not scary at all.
A Husky 1100CD is easier than any of the others to run but does not have the a$$ for .404 on a long bar. Great firewood saw. Pleasant sounding. Not even frightening.
Dolmar 153 or 152 something like that was really nice. Awesome hollow heavy sound. Almost as scary as the Stihl. Still not a SP125.
It is late I may have to change some things, we will see. Might have to wake up the neighbors to make sure.

Oh yeah, great looking 075. Run it every chance you get, the big ones make you manlier.

075 has a chain brake...or not?? Biggest thing that would scare me about the old big saws, no brake.

Biggest saw I got is My Promac 610 and The TimberBear...more than enough for me...Not a "big" saw by any means..but bigger than any residential grade saw built today.

I know one of the mechanic in a chainsaw shop who claims to collect old big saw and that he has a McCulloch chainsaw with two cylinders.
Is he having me on?

Diesel JD said:

075 has a chain brake...or not?? Biggest thing that would scare me about the old big saws, no brake.

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Mine has a chain break. A new one, $$$$$$$$$$$ ouch.

computeruser said:

How about if I got a Burger King crown for it to wear and then took some new photos to post? Would that be better?

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You talking about an overthrow of the current leader??? I think thered be some a might bit pissed about that!!!!

By all means ....please post a picture of the McCulloch Super Pro 125 wearing a Burger King crown. We all know that the SP125 is the true 'king of saws'.

Marc1, don't know about the 2 cyl., but if he's a friendly enough guy, you gotta ask him to let you see the thing!! Maybe pick it up. Run it?? Then tell us about it. Experts here will know about those saws. [Expert does not include me.]

coveredinsap said:

By all means ....please post a picture of the McCulloch Super Pro 125 wearing a Burger King crown. We all know that the SP125 is the true 'king of saws'.

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SP125 Trumps any Stihl, any day.

MAC 1000 Also trumps any stihl.

I own some big-ol saws. They are a homelite xp1000 (100cc), a homelite 990g (112cc gear drive), a husky 2100 (99cc), a pioneer RA (100cc), a pioneer 700d (107cc), a stihl 076 (111cc) and a stihl 090 (137cc) plus various slightly smaller saws 80-95cc. I also have a few larger newer saws jonsered 910, stihl 066. I definately have to say there is a big difference in the way the oldies sound, but supprisingly not as much difference in cutting time as you might think. Those older saws pull a big chain and hardly ever bog down, so if the weight is not too much of an issue for a given individual then the oldies can be a joy to cut with. The breakdown in power from least to greatest as far as I can tell goes something like this...
Pioneer RA steady and a strong puller with a loowww rumble to it.
Homie xp 1000 a good reliable cutter with a 20" bar pulls pretty good, not an unusual sound but still loud.(tempermental starter)
Pioneer 700d feels as if it runs about the same in the wood as it does out of it, I run a 36" bar on this with a .404 full comp chain and it rarly bogs or drops rpm's.
Husky 2100 for a higher rpm saw (relative to these others) it still pulls very hard, cuts fast withe 28" bar and 3/8 full chisel chain that I use on it, still loud but more akin to what a more modern saw might sound like.
Stihl 076 doesn't have the chain speed of the husky but will still edge it out head to head, at least with the two examples I own. This saw pulls veerrryyy hard with the 32" bar and .404 full chisel chain. Also it is very reliable and has a great bass sound to it

dern hoss, one of the best threads i've read on these pages....

the avatar saw (L 65) ain't big but she sure is old and fun.

everyone loves that ol' saw, i've gotta leave it at home if i don't care to have it runnin' all day....

my wife likes to run it best, she's gotta brand new 346xp that's been started maybe twice.

recently found a brand spankin' new husky jug and piston for it on ebay, paid way too much, but what the heck...got a pretty good parts saw for two bucks, so i reckon it all evens out...