CAS - 4 SAWs IN 2 MONTHS!

[oneoldbanjo]

I got Chainsaw Acquisition Syndrome bad!!!!! I joined this site on November 19, 2007. At the time I owned a single Stihl 029 that I had owned for 11 years. Just recently my woodcutting needs have changed from cutting the occasional downed tree on our farm - to the need to keep our new outdoor woodburner supplied in wood. I joined this site as I was in the mood to get a bigger/better/faster/badder saw so that I could cut more wood in less time.

I first bought a 192T to do the small annoying little branches, then sold the 029 and bought an MS361 with the help of everyone here. Then I found a nice MS260 on eBay and with the help of the experts here I changed the carb from the single screw to the WT 194-1 and did a muffler mod. Last night in a weak moment I bought a MS660 on eBay that appears be a couple of months old. I have sold only 1 and bought 4 saws (2 new, 2 used) in the short 2 months that I have been a part of this site.

I also purchased a brand new MS260 engine from Schnoodles and if anyone finds an nearly new MS260 that has scorched the engine.....let me know as I want to make a "mod project" with this saw.

Did I do anything wrong?.....I don't think so. I may not need the 192T often as the MS260 could be small enough to do most of the limbing - but the top handle saw sure is nice for cleaning up all the little stuff as you can cut and drag without having to set the saw down. The power company came through my property and cleared an additional 25 feet width of trees on each side of their powerline through my property and I currently have about 200 trees to clean up and stack (they chipped up the brush) - so once I get this mess cleaned up I may sell 1 or 2 saws. Time will tell which ones stay and which ones go.

The outdoor wood boiler is working well and is heating our 2,400 square foot house and 1,800 square foot garage - and our utility bill last month was only $ 56 (I believe most of that was probably our electric clothes dryer).

I will be modifying the 361 muffler soon and the MS660 will probably get a muffler mod as well. The MS260 will probably get the ports cleaned up and made a little bigger and a bit of work on the cylinder to adjust the piston clearance and squish. I am also going to experiment with the MS260 muffler to see if baffles can be added that will allow the muffler to remain quiet-and at the same time making the passages larger to get better flow. I am slowly losing my hearing ( I do wear ear protecton) - so improved performance without extra noise would be nice.

Thanks to all who have contributed to my questions in the past......and I have enjoyed everyones humor (except the 029/290 bashing). We all need to be understanding and tolerant of the fact that not everyone needs or can afford a professional saw. If we can help others avoid buying a truly bad saw from a Big Box store.......it is a good thing I believe. I do have a neighbor that keeps buying one or two of these saws a year (some of which come form Harbor Freight and are refurbished).....and he is just happy as a clam using them. I don't understand why he feels that is better than buying a single "quality" saw and using it for many years.

I really like the technical and restoration threads and look forward to many more oil and mixture threads......"NOT"!!!!!

 

[MikeInParadise]

Welcome to the affliction!

I will bet that you were very happy with your 290 until you joined here and all the zealots told you what a poor choice is was.

You just have to take all of the that with a grain of salt!

 

[LarryTheCableGuy]

If you gotta have a disease, CAS is the one to have...well, at least compared to herpes or something.


.

 

[joatmon]

I got Chainsaw Acquisition Syndrome bad!!!!! I joined this site on November 19, 2007. At the time I owned a single Stihl 029 that I had owned for 11 years. Just recently my woodcutting needs have changed from cutting the occasional downed tree on our farm - to the need to keep our new outdoor woodburner supplied in wood. I joined this site as I was in the mood to get a bigger/better/faster/badder saw so that I could cut more wood in less time.

I first bought a 192T to do the small annoying little branches, then sold the 029 and bought an MS361 with the help of everyone here. Then I found a nice MS260 on eBay and with the help of the experts here I changed the carb from the single screw to the WT 194-1 and did a muffler mod. Last night in a weak moment I bought a MS660 on eBay that appears be a couple of months old. I have sold only 1 and bought 4 saws (2 new, 2 used) in the short 2 months that I have been a part of this site.

I also purchased a brand new MS260 engine from Schnoodles and if anyone finds an nearly new MS260 that has scorched the engine.....let me know as I want to make a "mod project" with this saw.

Did I do anything wrong?.....I don't think so. I may not need the 192T often as the MS260 could be small enough to do most of the limbing - but the top handle saw sure is nice for cleaning up all the little stuff as you can cut and drag without having to set the saw down. The power company came through my property and cleared an additional 25 feet width of trees on each side of their powerline through my property and I currently have about 200 trees to clean up and stack (they chipped up the brush) - so once I get this mess cleaned up I may sell 1 or 2 saws. Time will tell which ones stay and which ones go.

The outdoor wood boiler is working well and is heating our 2,400 square foot house and 1,800 square foot garage - and our utility bill last month was only $ 56 (I believe most of that was probably our electric clothes dryer).

I will be modifying the 361 muffler soon and the MS660 will probably get a muffler mod as well. The MS260 will probably get the ports cleaned up and made a little bigger and a bit of work on the cylinder to adjust the piston clearance and squish. I am also going to experiment with the MS260 muffler to see if baffles can be added that will allow the muffler to remain quiet-and at the same time making the passages larger to get better flow. I am slowly losing my hearing ( I do wear ear protecton) - so improved performance without extra noise would be nice.

Thanks to all who have contributed to my questions in the past......and I have enjoyed everyones humor (except the 029/290 bashing). We all need to be understanding and tolerant of the fact that not everyone needs or can afford a professional saw. If we can help others avoid buying a truly bad saw from a Big Box store.......it is a good thing I believe. I do have a neighbor that keeps buying one or two of these saws a year (some of which come form Harbor Freight and are refurbished).....and he is just happy as a clam using them. I don't understand why he feels that is better than buying a single "quality" saw and using it for many years.

I really like the technical and restoration threads and look forward to many more oil and mixture threads......"NOT"!!!!!

Banjo,

Good job man. You're certainly a great pupil and I believe you'll see that "A" when report card comes out next week!

But, don't rest my friend. We still have to explore 'sharp ground chisel' and 'modding'. Start savin' up so you can give your 660 a trip to Big Dave Nieger's chainsaw spa in Michigan. You and your saw will be most thankful.

Keep up the good work,

joat

 

[Stihl 041S]

Do you think anybody beleives you "may sell 1 or 2 saws", other than to buy more saws. Cause if you do, turn in your membership card or get off the meds.

 

[oneoldbanjo]

Mikeinparadise: I was happy with my 029 for 11 years - it was a good saw and did lots of cutting for me. I paid $ 329 for it and kept it in good shape and sold it for $ 275 with 2 extra chains and a new filter - it cost me about $125 to keep the saw for 11 years - a pretty darn good investment. When a 30" Shagbark Hickory fell over onto my neighbors property this summer I found out the reasonable limitations of my 029. My 029 had an 18" bar on it and 0.325 chain and it did cut the tree up - but I kept thinking I was overworking the saw. The chain was sharp (in the beginning) and when the bar was buried it was very easy to go from too little to too much pressure on the saw which would cause to to bog down. I have lots more big trees to cut up as a result of the powerline clearing - and I just felt my 029 was not up to the task. I was better off selling that saw to another homeowner while it was still a good running saw with lots of life left in it - instead of burning it up on wood it was never designed to cut.

I do remember my 029 fondly......it was my first saw and a welcome change from the gear drive David Bradley that my dad had on his farm.

 

[oneoldbanjo]

Sihl 041S:

They got meds for CAS?

I thought only a frontal lobotomy would be affective.

 

[Stihl 041S]

Frontal lobotomy? maybe

Cause a bottle in front of me never helped.

 

[blsnelling]

I know how you feel Banjo I think you made an excellent purchase with the 660 here. You will love this saw in the big wood. Two months old? That's the way to buy them. Significant cost depreciation from new yet still like new! Way to go!

 

[Dapper Dan]

Tell me about it!

I only had three saws before finding this place.

 

[NPKenny]

I appears to be the common lot in life for those fortunate enough to find this place in the early stages of CCS (Chainsaw Curiousity Syndrome).

I started with the want for a saw...Bought a 361 that same week, two 6401's, then a broken 660. In the meantime, my shop has transformed from a place where modest automotive tasks were performed to a refuge for friends and neighbors non-running saws to recieve muffler mods and rejuvination, and an occasional fabrication. The list includes Husky 350 and 51, a Pioneer P42, wild thing, Poulon Super XV, Poulon Pro 4218,a nd two Homie XL top-handles.

My wife was ill recently and wanted my attention, so I even set-up a small shop in the bedroom to work on saws.

 

[oneoldbanjo]

My wife is tolerant of my tool quirks and doesn't say much if I get a new item to help with the maintenance of the farm - but cleaning saw parts in her dishwasher or putting a workbench in the bedroom would definitely be a way to begin a new phase of our loving relationship!!!!! There is no way that I am going to test or explore those dangerous waters!

I am just finishing up a new garage......and when it is done I may watch Craigslist for a nice used portable dishwasher.

 

[heimannm]

Had three work saws

Up until November last year I had three saws that I use for firewood, collected over the past 25 years. Looking at the list below I find the number has grown to 12 in two months. A even dozen sounds pretty good but I still want to have a BP-1 and an SP125. 14 is no good so I will have to add at least one more to make 15, but then I can't store them two on a shelf so I'll have to go to at least 16, in which case two dozen will probably be better.

I even got serious about making the Strunk run properly and it is surprisingly strong for such an old saw. I can't make the recoil starter work properly so I use a rope around the starter cup to fire it up, then tend to rest it against my leg when its running. Probably need to come up with something better?

My hope is to keep all of them operational and so far it seems to be within reach. Just need a starter pulley for the 930 and some chain for the 1-85 at this time.

 

[NPKenny]

- but cleaning saw parts in her dishwasher or putting a workbench in the bedroom would definitely be a way to begin a new phase of our loving relationship!!!!!

I forgot about the dishwasher...Yes, she did come home to some parts in the dishwasher. I broke the news by saying "I put the dishes away."

 

[joatmon]

I forgot about the dishwasher...Yes, she did come home to some parts in the dishwasher. I broke the news by saying "I put the dishes away."

NPK,

Mederma works pretty well for removing the evidence of scars.

joat

 

[Erick]

4 saws in two months...... that’s nothing just look at what poor old Brad is going through with his addiction.

We're here for you man, if you need help deciding what else you need just let us know. Always happy to spend someone else’s money.

 

[Stihl 041S]

The title of the thread,

Is he braggin' or complainin'?

 

[huskydave]

Im guilty of usin the dishwasher to clean sawparts. It works great for floormats too! I go in the doghouse for spilling gas and painting in the house doh. I am trying to sell/giveaway saws before I end up like the house of saws guy. I have been thinking about getting one of those ultrsonic cleaners.

 

[stihlfarmer]

I have found that if you leave your ear plugs in your jeans through the washer it does a fine job

 

[wanab]

Tell me about it!

I only had three saws before finding this place.

6 saws in 3 months. NICE MAN!

im working on 4 in 2.