vw_motorsports
ArboristSite Guru
As stated, I'm well over 60 saws now, husky, poulans, homelites, stihls, echo, macs etc, and it's getting a little silly. So I want to trim down, the small saws under 50cc I plan to sell locally. But I want to keep some of the well "respected" saws. I was hoping to get some opinions on which saws to keep. Sorry for the long list but here goes.
Here is a partial list of the saws
husky:
371xp w/BB kit
570 runs good completely stock
359, with spare new piston and cylinder in box
357xp, it needs a piston min. in box
(2)266xps one with Mahle cyl, other with Italian cylinder
(2) 262xp's almost complete,
61/162se bunch in a box
261
460/455
257
254xp
55R/55epa/51/50
(2) 353's one stock, one transfers ported
346xpne in box
346xp in box
bunch of 350's
bunch of 36/41/136/141/etc
42
40
240 non runner
Stihl:
066 magnum, stock, factory dual port muffler, aluminum flywhell, no decomp
026 stock
ms280
ms290
046 project not complete
028, project
ms250
025
Echo
cs5000, with spare new engine
cs3900 plus spare saw
cs360
cs345 top handle
cs3000 top handle
Dolmar
120 Super, ported
Some of the Huskys have not been put into service yet because they need a part or two.
Here are the saws I seem to use most often and some opinions on them. Some of the saws listed aren't true runners yet so hopefully some fellow members can give they're opinions on some of the saws listed but I haven't put in service yet.
husky 42, Italian cylinder Gilardoni? anyway it's amazing the amount of compression this little saw has. To me it has that perfect husky sound and a nice feel. Stihl ms250 nice saw but the 42 is the screamer out of the two. Sadly I don't even bother with the 41/141 etc saws, been to the dark side.
50-60cc
the echo cs5000, IMHO it has the best front handle grip and ergonomics of just about any saw. I like the external idle and oiler adjustments, but it is a little short on power compared to the stihls or husky so I'm always pining for the stihl or husky. If it only had the power of a stihl or xp. Has anyone actually modified this saw? Is it worth it?
The 55/51 saws are the saws I've worked on the most and I find are great firewood saws. Tough to beat for the money, IMO with the exception of the oiler a pro quality saw especially with the EPA cylinder, a modified epa55 is not much different than a stock 254xp.
The 455/460, and ms290 are two reliable tanks but they're like driving a toyota....flat liners.
I like the 026, great saw, great sound Stihl sound, perfect balance with a 16-18 bar, but the 254xp has more power and is still on of my favorites. Best thing you can say about a saw is it makes you smile.png "Love :heart:")
I will say I do like the 350/353 saws but like the stihl ms280 I'm not crazy on how the AV feels in the cut. Does anyone else get the feel that the saws a/v bottom out to easily against the stops? I like the firmer feel of the rubber A/V's on the 254 or 026
60-80cc
In medium stuff, I grab the Dolmar 120S, great power to weight and I like it takes the smaller husky mount but the 371xp is THE saw. The 570, is like a real pretty fat chick...if she could only lose a few pounds.
A few recent additions are the 257, 261/262 and the 266xp. The 266 is harder to start than the 066. Starting effort it is right up there with my Dolmar 343 cutoff saw. I put a 18" bar on it and 8 pin, and all I can say is wow. The 262 I haven't been able to put a bar on it yet..it must be an early version it requires a mag cover as it does not have the slots in the case for the tabs on the plastic clutch cover and I refuse to cutoff the tabs on the cover as it's the cover for 257. With that being said, I think the 262 feels like the 266 but lighter. The 257 is apart but judging by the cylinder it already looks like a disappointment just sitting in the box.
The 066 currently has no competition so it's definitely a keeper.
The 346xpne and 346xp are they a huge jump over the 254xp?
Same with the 357/359, I just got the 359 running, but it has the cat muffler it feels nice but is that class of saw a worth while jump over the 262xp?
BTW, I've ruined a few poulans while learning to port. ex. raising the exhaust port too much no torque, too wide bye bye ring, did some freeporting...oddly that saw actually ran great...go figure, thank god for the wild things. Now I'm setting my sights on some Homelite Rangers 46cc. Don't laugh, the castings on their cylinders are really clean. Much nicer than some stihl's I've seen recently.
thanks and I finally yield the floor.
Here is a partial list of the saws
husky:
371xp w/BB kit
570 runs good completely stock
359, with spare new piston and cylinder in box
357xp, it needs a piston min. in box
(2)266xps one with Mahle cyl, other with Italian cylinder
(2) 262xp's almost complete,
61/162se bunch in a box
261
460/455
257
254xp
55R/55epa/51/50
(2) 353's one stock, one transfers ported
346xpne in box
346xp in box
bunch of 350's
bunch of 36/41/136/141/etc
42
40
240 non runner
Stihl:
066 magnum, stock, factory dual port muffler, aluminum flywhell, no decomp
026 stock
ms280
ms290
046 project not complete
028, project
ms250
025
Echo
cs5000, with spare new engine
cs3900 plus spare saw
cs360
cs345 top handle
cs3000 top handle
Dolmar
120 Super, ported
Some of the Huskys have not been put into service yet because they need a part or two.
Here are the saws I seem to use most often and some opinions on them. Some of the saws listed aren't true runners yet so hopefully some fellow members can give they're opinions on some of the saws listed but I haven't put in service yet.
husky 42, Italian cylinder Gilardoni? anyway it's amazing the amount of compression this little saw has. To me it has that perfect husky sound and a nice feel. Stihl ms250 nice saw but the 42 is the screamer out of the two. Sadly I don't even bother with the 41/141 etc saws, been to the dark side.
50-60cc
the echo cs5000, IMHO it has the best front handle grip and ergonomics of just about any saw. I like the external idle and oiler adjustments, but it is a little short on power compared to the stihls or husky so I'm always pining for the stihl or husky. If it only had the power of a stihl or xp. Has anyone actually modified this saw? Is it worth it?
The 55/51 saws are the saws I've worked on the most and I find are great firewood saws. Tough to beat for the money, IMO with the exception of the oiler a pro quality saw especially with the EPA cylinder, a modified epa55 is not much different than a stock 254xp.
The 455/460, and ms290 are two reliable tanks but they're like driving a toyota....flat liners.
I like the 026, great saw, great sound Stihl sound, perfect balance with a 16-18 bar, but the 254xp has more power and is still on of my favorites. Best thing you can say about a saw is it makes you smile
I will say I do like the 350/353 saws but like the stihl ms280 I'm not crazy on how the AV feels in the cut. Does anyone else get the feel that the saws a/v bottom out to easily against the stops? I like the firmer feel of the rubber A/V's on the 254 or 026
60-80cc
In medium stuff, I grab the Dolmar 120S, great power to weight and I like it takes the smaller husky mount but the 371xp is THE saw. The 570, is like a real pretty fat chick...if she could only lose a few pounds.
A few recent additions are the 257, 261/262 and the 266xp. The 266 is harder to start than the 066. Starting effort it is right up there with my Dolmar 343 cutoff saw. I put a 18" bar on it and 8 pin, and all I can say is wow. The 262 I haven't been able to put a bar on it yet..it must be an early version it requires a mag cover as it does not have the slots in the case for the tabs on the plastic clutch cover and I refuse to cutoff the tabs on the cover as it's the cover for 257. With that being said, I think the 262 feels like the 266 but lighter. The 257 is apart but judging by the cylinder it already looks like a disappointment just sitting in the box.
The 066 currently has no competition so it's definitely a keeper.
The 346xpne and 346xp are they a huge jump over the 254xp?
Same with the 357/359, I just got the 359 running, but it has the cat muffler it feels nice but is that class of saw a worth while jump over the 262xp?
BTW, I've ruined a few poulans while learning to port. ex. raising the exhaust port too much no torque, too wide bye bye ring, did some freeporting...oddly that saw actually ran great...go figure, thank god for the wild things. Now I'm setting my sights on some Homelite Rangers 46cc. Don't laugh, the castings on their cylinders are really clean. Much nicer than some stihl's I've seen recently.
thanks and I finally yield the floor.
:chainsawguy:
