Farm Boss's suck!I

[Chris-PA]

Well, the majority of the community here are saw enthusiasts... It's the same way with car enthusiasts, if it's not German, a V8, RWD, etc. they couldn't care less.. A 3120XP captivates my interest a lot more than an 029, and the majority of this forum is the same way.

The vast majority of 029 owners simply consider the saw as a tool and nothing more. As long as it starts and cuts wood, it's a keeper.

Yes, AS is often like a BMW club. I drive a 1999 Hyundai Accent GSi, and I cut wood with homeowners saws, some also that old. And I know how to use and maintain both.

 

[Chris-PA]

In the same way that a car is just transportation, but try convincing Jay Leno that his cars are only good for getting to work and back..

Just like cars, many folks get a lot of enjoyment and satisfaction out of tuning, running, repairing, and collecting our saws... They're more than just a tool for cutting wood.

The fallacy is that one must spend a lot of money to enjoy it or to have an effective tool.

 

[rich450es]

a car is to get from point A to point B
a truck is to get to point A to point B without carying the crap on youre back
a gun is to kill
water is to drink
a chain saw is to cut wood
am i wrong ?
edit .....water is to freeze and 1 play hockey on and 2 to put in youre drink ....lol

 

[daryng]

Here is a question for 029 loyal owners. What bar setups do you guys run on them? the reason I ask. I am still here in Idaho and still using the same 029. I was bucking up a poplar that the wind had taken down and the saw just died on me. I looked and the chain was super tight. pulled the clutch cover off and a chunk of the sprocket had broken off. I looked up the local dealer and went to get a new sprocket. After 20 minutes at the dealer he said they don't have a new sprocket in stock and he'd have to order one. I was surprised seeing this was their most popular saw. This 029 is running an 18" .325 setup, the parts guy said they had never carried a .325 sprocket because everyone out here run's 3/8". I debated switching his saw to 3/8", but they only had a 20" bar in stock (not a top notch dealer IMO) and I know this particular saw would struggle with a 20" 3/8". So what does everyone else run?

 

[singletrack100]

Here is a question for 029 loyal owners. What bar setups do you guys run on them? the reason I ask. I am still here in Idaho and still using the same 029. I was bucking up a poplar that the wind had taken down and the saw just died on me. I looked and the chain was super tight. pulled the clutch cover off and a chunk of the sprocket had broken off. I looked up the local dealer and went to get a new sprocket. After 20 minutes at the dealer he said they don't have a new sprocket in stock and he'd have to order one. I was surprised seeing this was their most popular saw. This 029 is running an 18" .325 setup, the parts guy said they had never carried a .325 sprocket because everyone out here run's 3/8". I debated switching his saw to 3/8", but they only had a 20" bar in stock (not a top notch dealer IMO) and I know this particular saw would struggle with a 20" 3/8". So what does everyone else run?

Hi! I live in Eastern AZ, where (for firewood) I normally cut Aspen, Pinon pine, Juniper (shaggy bark and alligator) and Oak. My 029 Super runs a 20" (72 drivers), full comp full chisel 3/8" .050 bar and chain. I use it for firewood 3-20+" diameter. My 029 has had a muffler mod and limiter caps removed to facilitate tuning appropriately for the modification. I run 87 octane pump gas at 50:1. It pulls the 3/8" 20" fine.

I have my 066 for larger needs and ocassional fire season use.

Duane

 

[singletrack100]

Oh yah, I run a 7 pin rim.

Duane

 

[Adirondackstihl]

This one doesn't suck

 

[MCW]

In the same way that a car is just transportation, but try convincing Jay Leno that his cars are only good for getting to work and back..

Just like cars, many folks get a lot of enjoyment and satisfaction out of tuning, running, repairing, and collecting our saws... They're more than just a tool for cutting wood.

I agree but that doesn't mean that people need to assume that an 029 is somehow a piece of crap. There are a hell of a lot of junk chainsaws on the market and the 029 isn't one of them. As CR888 mentioned a lot of people assume that an 029 is a piece of crap simply by what is repeated on this site mostly by people that haven't run one.
It's along similar lines to people assuming that the only 50cc saw that's capable of dropping a tree is a 346XP.

 

[daryng]

I agree but that doesn't mean that people need to assume that an 029 is somehow a piece of crap. There are a hell of a lot of junk chainsaws on the market and the 029 isn't one of them. As CR888 mentioned a lot of people assume that an 029 is a piece of crap simply by what is repeated on this site mostly by people that haven't run one.
It's along similar lines to people assuming that the only 50cc saw that's capable of dropping a tree is a 346XP.

they certainly aren't junk, and I'm sure most people on this site would agree with that. I think from a standpoint of a firewood cutter, which I'm sure most new saw buyers are, there are better options at or below the same price as a new MS290/291.

I remember years ago while in college I was home for the holidays. Dad and I went to a local shop to get some new chain for our trusty walmart poulan. The owner of the shop was trying to sell us on a new Echo saw (their farm and ranch version cs-590 I think?). It was above what dad wanted to spend and the shop dealer said "Just think of how much more wood you could cut with this, in a shorter time". I didn't think much of it then, but now that I find myself working from sun up to sun down, what he said is very true. To even the weekend warrior, time is valuable. so a heavy, slower, under powered saw isn't what most people would pick up off the shelf if they knew that there are better saws for just a bit more, or at the same price only in a different color....

 

[066blaster]

I kinda like mine. And if you are using a bigger saw and then pick up a 290 they feel really light. I will admit without a muffler mod they are a slug.

 

[MCW]

they certainly aren't junk, and I'm sure most people on this site would agree with that. I think from a standpoint of a firewood cutter, which I'm sure most new saw buyers are, there are better options at or below the same price as a new MS290/291.

I remember years ago while in college I was home for the holidays. Dad and I went to a local shop to get some new chain for our trusty walmart poulan. The owner of the shop was trying to sell us on a new Echo saw (their farm and ranch version cs-590 I think?). It was above what dad wanted to spend and the shop dealer said "Just think of how much more wood you could cut with this, in a shorter time". I didn't think much of it then, but now that I find myself working from sun up to sun down, what he said is very true. To even the weekend warrior, time is valuable. so a heavy, slower, under powered saw isn't what most people would pick up off the shelf if they knew that there are better saws for just a bit more, or at the same price only in a different color....

Your dad would have made a bigger mistake getting a CS-590 In all honesty though what the dealer told your dad is straight from the Sales 101 handbook.
The thing is that with no outside influence 90% of people would be quite happy with an 029/290. Saw snobbery does actually exist. I own and have run a whole heap of saws both stock and ported and the 029 is nowhere near as bad as what people make it sound.
If I started a thread saying that I'd just bought a new MS290 you watch how much crap I'd get for it, even if it achieved 99% of what I needed it to. Countless new members have left here more confused than when they arrived due to the "pro" saw mentality.

 

[MCW]

I kinda like mine. And if you are using a bigger saw and then pick up a 290 they feel really light. I will admit without a muffler mod they are a slug.

I agree. I've never picked up an 029/290 and thought that they are a gutless slug. Do they run like my ported 7900, 390XP, or 3120? Hell no but I don't expect them to either for the price. Muffler mods certainly do make a difference on these things though.

 

[Brushwacker]

Everyone around here usually has a ms250 or the farm boss. Both run good in my experience, although a bit heavy.

My experience here is there has been probably about 4 times the 025's through ms390s non pro stihl sold and used as all the Husky non pro in that catagory adding 346 xps with them being used and seldom do the non pro Stihls show up needing more then a fuel line or normal bar and chain maintainence to me. See more of those fewer Huskies fried then working it seems like to me. I know people running excavators using 290's-310's-390's for ditch bank work cutting some big tree's along with every thing else ahead of their machines and the ones I am still aware of are running them at least a few to several years and they are still using them and often don't even have a back up saw . I lost track of the Husky 350's seized I had mostly from farm or firewood people who either offered to give them to me or trade for a couple new chains or something else worth a small fraction of their original value. Just saying that shows the non pro Stihls are a better investment then some of the same or more expensive rival chainsaws that do some things a bit better, for some people. Then again some situations it would almost be silly not to be using a pro saw too, but then its nice for tight wad professionals to have a reliable, value retaining cheap saw available to them if that is what they prefer to buy.
Personally I think a well tuned muffler modded 025 feels light weight, sweet handling and has plenty of power to fall most species of trees here 12" OD and smaller and that is my preference on icy steep ditch banks when encountering that size trees. If I happen to need to let go of the saw to escape danger and the saw gets mashed, i'm not losing several hundred dollars and God forbid it be a $600 new, $300 ported, and a $100 lightweight bar chainsaw I bought that year . I lost an low hour 066 mag once escaping the unexpected, so now if the going isn't predictably safe for me and the saw, I grab for the lower value saws big enough to do the job safe. About a month and 1/2 ago I had an 025 stolen, glad it wasn't a newish pro saw.

 

[rich450es]

i would hate to see a new member who just shelled out the coin for a new FB and comes on and starts reading about how his farm boss is a p o s ....that just wrong IMHO

 

[hseII]

So, I guess the 029s aren't cookie cutters or collector type saws, but do alright in the "cutting firewood to heat homes with" category.

Must be a good buy for a Farm and Ranch/ Homeowner type

 

[Saw Dr.]

So, I guess the 029s aren't cookie cutters or collector type saws, but do alright in the "cutting firewood to heat homes with" category.

Must be a good buy for a Farm and Ranch/ Homeowner type

Did you already sell that 290?

 

[Matt81]

These are saws you buy to do work without getting into the "pro saw" price bracket. I think we all are a little guilty of being a bit snobby towards these saws after getting bitten by the CAD bug and having many pro models to choose from. I did start out with a 455 rancher as my first brand name saw.

I do really like the 025/MS250 saws. Don't have anything bad to say about them really. I have used a 290 and a 310 and 390 but not for any substantial length of time. I'm sure they cut just as well for most people as my 455 that I thought was the greatest saw in the world when I had it and it was earing a living for me.

 

[hseII]

Did you already sell that 290?

Nope
I think I'm going to throw a set of Cabers at it

 

[Matt B]

A good mate has just taken possession of a very clean Pro Mac 605 to gather firewood for his new house. He's v keen. I'm going to spend the day with him in his work shop and a local state forest going through the ins and outs of it all.

What saw will I bring? Don't want to piss on his parade...Something light, reliable and a step below the 605. Something that I won't sweat over when my inexperienced but thoughtful mate does something wrong.

The 023.

 

[PLMCRZY]

Id be happy with a farm boss, they seem to do the job....