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I too, used to own an 029 Super. I don't recall any issues with it, or it being too heavy. Great running saw from what I recall.
Farm Boss's suck!I
- Thread starter daryng
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In this area of southwest Missouri everyone cuts firewood and doesn't have a lot of money. The extra $250 is a lot of money and the "farm boss" or Husky "rancher" can run a 20" bar and will buck most all logs into firewood. Yes it isn't the fastest or lightest saws in their class but that $250 is a lot for guys who are going to cut 10-15 rick of wood a year. And yes it is rick/rank/face cord, it is what it has always been called and that is just the way it is.
If someone hadn't handed me a 260 pro to do some limbing right before I bought my first saw I would probably be one of those guys also. It's a hard sell when two saws have close to same cc's but one cost $250 more. You can tell them the higher one is lighter and a lot faster, they counter with yeah but can this one get the job done?
YES it can and there you have it. Most of it is the money as you can tell by the number of times it's referenced. I know most of the above cause my dad is one of those guys [emoji2]
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If someone hadn't handed me a 260 pro to do some limbing right before I bought my first saw I would probably be one of those guys also. It's a hard sell when two saws have close to same cc's but one cost $250 more. You can tell them the higher one is lighter and a lot faster, they counter with yeah but can this one get the job done?
YES it can and there you have it. Most of it is the money as you can tell by the number of times it's referenced. I know most of the above cause my dad is one of those guys [emoji2]
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Guido Salvage
Supreme Saw Whoreder
If the farm boss "sucks", it may be time to move to another farm...
What a worthless thread.
What a worthless thread.
RiverRat2
Serio Tree Freak
So what are you really saying??? It sounds like you wanna just diss on homeowner grade saws??? When properly tuned... and in appropriate sized wood for a mid 50 cc saw they do quite well... No it's Not a landing/bucking size 70CC saw... sorry but I fail to see your point?????
daryng
ArboristSite Operative
I certainly wasn't trying to start a fight or insult anyone. I was giving my opinion of said saw. I would buy one if the price was right ($100-150) as a backup or play around with port work. I have a small farm, and with work and maintaining the land my days are stretched pretty thin. So for me, going out to cut firewood on a weekend or evening I prefer a lighter more nimble saw, and I'm sure most buyers of new ms291's would also. I'm certain I could get more cut with any of my smaller saws (2252, 346, 2260 of course) than an 029 in a given amount of time. Its also good know that if I drop it on my foot I don't run the risk of breaking a toe....
Sagetown
Farmer and a STIHL
Farmers, not all, but Farmers are the worlds worst when it comes to tools. They just use'm and toss'em year after year. The Farm Boss Saws are probably made to be abused.
My first saw ever was a 029 super and it cut a lot of wood for years without issue. I didn't realize what a underpowered over weight turd it was till I got a 036 pro that weighed less and seemed to cut twice as fast. The OP is right in the fact that if buying a new saw today there are cheaper better options out there. ie echo cs 590. By the way that old 029 turd I probably cut 70 cord of wood with fetched $250 when I sold it. I think I only paid $320 for it new. How's that for holding value?
daryng
ArboristSite Operative
no diss on homeowner saws. I have a few. Build wise, the 029 is a very sturdy machine. But I feel there are better saws in the same price range. I know my 455 rancher is lighter, faster, and pulls a 20" 3/8" better than this 029 pulls a 18" .325". I'm just saying that dealers pushed these saws pretty heavily over better saws. I know that when this saw was new it was $50-$100 cheaper than the lighter, nearly same powered 026. Used prices (ebay) show that they sell for the same, or even more than an 036.
I will add, and says something cool like, "Farm Boss" or "Z71" or "King Ranch" on it.
They say "Stihl" and are tried and true. Dealers push them. One of my favorite saws to flip- buy 'em cheap, easy to work on if you know what you are doing (overhauled one tonight after work and before dinner), parts are plentiful and cheap. People buy 'em cause they don't say "poulan" and cost a lot less than the pro models- not everyone cant races or cuts wood for a living.
daryng
ArboristSite Operative
That's not too bad. I saw what used one's fetch and I considered buying up some rebuilders, but even the rebuilders sell high.
Not true- I had three saws on CL all equally nice- pro tree service guy came by and wanted the 029 Super and the ms290, left the ms260 pro because it was 50$ more. They were the right saws for a guy looking to maximize profits.
donate all unwanted ones to Scott and ship them priority plus and COD
that should help him get better and back online
that should help him get better and back online
pro94lt
Addicted to ArboristSite
I'm a tree guy and most tree guys are low information stupid rednecks... no tree guy is buying used saws on Craigslist. Business's buy new for one certain reason..............
daryng
ArboristSite Operative
same here. I started with a walmart poulan (all dad had laying around) before I found this site. I now have a decent collection of ported saws and can't stop looking for more.....Once I found this site the 036 pro wasn't good enough, had to have pro and mostly ported saws. lol
rich450es
you can't fix stupid
yup the "farm boss" thing is kinda corny but for what the 029 is it does it well for 1000s of people daily (just like the 025-ms250 does)...heavy yes ,but to average joe who uses it 3 times a year or cuts 2 cord of wood a year , it works fine and the weight is ok also (one of the best saws to flip also)
lambs
Stihl crazy after all these years
I couldn't tell you how many people have told me "I have a Farm Boss", but do not know if it's an 029, 290, or 029S in their garage. That marketing machine is something, huh?
I had an 029s that never gave me a minute of trouble, and sold it for slightly more than I paid for it (used), so I could buy an 039. Same chassis, more power. I really like that saw for a one saw plan, and only put $250 in it at the time. It's not a 362 by any stretch, but it can sure get the job done.
I have now moved on to a 261 and an 046 for the bigger stuff. The 261 is great for the smaller stuff, though when it bogs down I am reminded of my 029s…oh wait, it does have the same hp as my 029 had…..and I paid $200 more (also used) to get it than my 029s.
An occasional user will be just fine with the 290. They have their place. And if I had not become an AS addict, I'd probably still be running one. But CAD has set in.
I had an 029s that never gave me a minute of trouble, and sold it for slightly more than I paid for it (used), so I could buy an 039. Same chassis, more power. I really like that saw for a one saw plan, and only put $250 in it at the time. It's not a 362 by any stretch, but it can sure get the job done.
I have now moved on to a 261 and an 046 for the bigger stuff. The 261 is great for the smaller stuff, though when it bogs down I am reminded of my 029s…oh wait, it does have the same hp as my 029 had…..and I paid $200 more (also used) to get it than my 029s.
An occasional user will be just fine with the 290. They have their place. And if I had not become an AS addict, I'd probably still be running one. But CAD has set in.
