Getting a Stihl 290 Farm Boss to live up to expectations

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hard to tell for sure but sounds like its 4stroking just fine at WOT. whats more important for tuning is how it acts coming out of a long bucking cut and how long it takes to revert to 4stroking when you take pressure off in the cut.

What should I be looking for when it comes out of a cut or pressure is let off in the cut?
 
You need. 063 chain for 063 bar.

I see timberline sharpener. I was thinking timber tuff grinder. Yea that will make a huge difference. I Gaurentee you your chain is jacked up


Is that good or bad for the timberline? I've read lots of good things here about it, but didn't read them all.
 
What should I be looking for when it comes out of a cut or pressure is let off in the cut?
as the saw warms up it will continue to run slightly leaner. make sure its tuned while its at operating temp. So if you end up doing several consecutive cuts with the bar buried, it doesnt hurt to see what it sounds like at wot. That tells you whether the saw is tuned right. and the perfect tune for your carb will change from summer to winter.
 
Do NOT run a .050 gauge chain in your .063 bar. It's not the right set up. Get a chain that's the correct gauge.

Probably your sharpener will arrive soon and you can fix up chains you already have.


Ok. I'll take it back off. USPS never scans their tracking numbers. I don't know why they even bother to have them. Completely useless. Regardless, the sharpener should be here tomorrow or Thurs I'm guessing.
 
I find a good running 025 , 250 cut just a bit slower than a good running 029, 290 in real life. Why bother carrying around the extra weight. Steve

Because I already own it and it's still light as a feather compared to dads 056 with a 25" bar. No point in selling it to downsize. Dad and brother both have 250's I can use if needed.
 
Timberline is a good sharpener.

As soon as you let up pressure in a cut it should go from sounding like...waaaaaa to waa..ba.wa.ba..ba.ba.ba

Or essentially four stroking. Should be instantaneous and as soon as you set it back on wood or put pressure or the weight of the saw should go back to the clean waaaaaa sound.
 
Roger that. Thank you
Timberline is a good sharpener.

As soon as you let up pressure in a cut it should go from sounding like...waaaaaa to waa..ba.wa.ba..ba.ba.ba

Or essentially four stroking. Should be instantaneous and as soon as you set it back on wood or put pressure or the weight of the saw should go back to the clean waaaaaa sound.


Roger that. Thank you.
 
I went through the same process last year. Ms290 18 bar I retuned the carb it made a difference. Then a muffler mod and retuned made large difference. I then put a NWP 390 top end with a 8 tooth sproket .325. Which is a big difference. I really like it now, cuts well. Same weight as before. I use a 24 bar and 3/8 chain when need pulls good.
 
Sharpener is out for delivery now. I'll tackle my fubar chains tonight and should be ready to have some fun. Weather is supposed to be nice all weekend. Hopefully I don't have to work so I can go play at the property but I'm too greedy to pass up overtime. Anyways, being somewhat of a knife guy, I got to wondering.... stropping a knife can make a good edge great. Has anyone ever taken that concept to chainsaw chains? Seems like it would be pretty easy to get a file of the needed size wrapped with leather to finish at the correct size, and hand strop the teeth. It wouldn't change any angles and could only make it better, but better enough to be worth the effort is the question...
What do y'all think?
 
Sharpener is out for delivery now. I'll tackle my fubar chains tonight and should be ready to have some fun. Weather is supposed to be nice all weekend. Hopefully I don't have to work so I can go play at the property but I'm too greedy to pass up overtime. Anyways, being somewhat of a knife guy, I got to wondering.... stropping a knife can make a good edge great. Has anyone ever taken that concept to chainsaw chains? Seems like it would be pretty easy to get a file of the needed size wrapped with leather to finish at the correct size, and hand strop the teeth. It wouldn't change any angles and could only make it better, but better enough to be worth the effort is the question...
What do y'all think?

Complete waste of time. Chains should be sharp, yes, but trying to turn the cutters into scalpels is pointless. That superfine edge will be gone in a cut or two.
 
Totally agree. The edge will be gone the second you drag them though the wood.

And with a Sharpe file and correct angles the cutters will be sharp enough already to cut a finger wide open that is accidentally brushed across the face of a cutter.
 
Ok guys. Update. Today I finally made it down to the property. I set aside the Lazer chain that was the wrong size before I ever cut anything with it. I ran down to a lawn and garden shop yesterday and bought two loops of RS full chisel chain. So now I've got two new loops of full chisel and two freshly sharpened loops of RMS? Semi chisel. Should be in good shape with that. The saw is running absolutely great. Four stroking at wot and immediately clearing out when the chain touches the wood. I was cuttting very small clean wood today so I ran the full chisel. Definitely impressed. Can't wait to get into something big enough to use most of the bar to see how it likes a real workout with the muffler mod. Very happy so far even though what I cut was so small it almost wasn't worth even starting the saw. I couldn't have done it without you guys. Thanks to all of you again!
 
May not be tuned right then if the wood was really that small. But your description sounds perfect. Just test it in some 12" plus wood and double check that tune.
 
May not be tuned right then if the wood was really that small. But your description sounds perfect. Just test it in some 12" plus wood and double check that tune.

That's the plan as soon as I finish building my bridge across the swamp. The big stuff is on the other side. Nothing but small pines on this side and it's a looong way around.
 

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