How “rebuildable” are mid-level or modest pro-level chainsaws?

[user 184817]

And your point is? Not “bangin” Giving my experience. Two are homeowner saws the other is a pro model FYI. Better name usually means better saw. Older poulans were decent but new ones not so much.

Problem with this site are jerks like you who like to be a holes instead of supporting fellow cutters wether new or experienced.

We can all express our experiences doesn’t mean I am right it’s my experience!! Glad I don’t live in such a miserable place.

 

[OM617YOTA]

And your point is? Not “bangin” Giving my experience. Two are homeowner saws the other is a pro model FYI. Better name usually means better saw. Older poulans were decent but new ones not so much.

Problem with this site are jerks like you who like to be a holes instead of supporting fellow cutters wether new or experienced.

We can all express our experiences doesn’t mean I am right it’s my experience!! Glad I don’t live in such a miserable place.

Chill, cupcake. He wasn't stepping on your pee pee, just pointing out his own experience. That's not an attack on you, or your experience. No need to get defensive about it.

Chainsaw folks tend to be direct speakers, without much filter. Sean's one of the good ones here, and what he said was pretty mild compared to what you can expect to encounter across most of the internet.

 

[mudfly]

Two are homeowner saws the other is a pro model

You said Stihl 250, MS392? (Haven't heard of that maybe a 391) And your wife's 170.

Which one is the pro model?

All could be great saws, I don't own any of them.

 

[Gabriel1982]

“I think 45-50 ccs is more what you need.”

I was initially looking at that range, but it seems most of them are at a lower price point and I was concerned about durability.

Before I got my 18V Milwaukee, I would borrow my father-in-laws 40cc poulan “Wild Thing”. It’s always a total PITA to use, and 40cc didn’t impress me much. I borrowed it this year after my electric let me down. It was total garbage after sitting a couple years. I spent $30 on a new primer bulb, fuel lines, fuel filter, and a spark plug, and it still wouldn’t run beyond a shot of ether. I may try cleaning the carb in an ultrasonic bath or by hand, but I have bad luck with carbs that small. I definitely don’t want a saw in that ^ category.

A quality 50cc might be good, but (A) searches reveal the 50cc saws getting trashed (my first consideration was a Husky 450, I searched it here and the results weren’t motivating), and (2) I really like the idea of a 20 inch bar and searches seem to indicate 50ccs is a tad underpowered for a 20 inch bar.

Why bother with few cc's? Go big or go home
A Husqvarna 395 XP should be enough! I was set on a Makita 7900 but thank God I didn't found one for sale NEW with 0 hours... I found instead a Makita EA6100P new and even with that I almost cut my left foot less then 6 months after I bought it...
Imagine what could have been the outcome with a Makita 7900...
But I get handy ,am more carefull how I handle the 6100 ,since it's my first chainsaw ,and I'll get to 95-120cc "category" in the end... And keep all my limbs

 

[sean donato]

And your point is? Not “bangin” Giving my experience. Two are homeowner saws the other is a pro model FYI. Better name usually means better saw. Older poulans were decent but new ones not so much.

Problem with this site are jerks like you who like to be a holes instead of supporting fellow cutters wether new or experienced.

We can all express our experiences doesn’t mean I am right it’s my experience!! Glad I don’t live in such a miserable place.

Settle down. All of your saws are stihl homeowner grade saws. None are pro grade. Saying they are better because they are stihl branded doesn't mean much. I'm not poking fun or anything just pointing out the irony in your statement. I've used many a cheap stihl model to good effect. I've stated many times ms180 were truck saws at the township and worked quite well for what they are.

 

[sean donato]

Why bother with few cc's? Go big or go home
A Husqvarna 395 XP should be enough! I was set on a Makita 7900 but thank God I didn't found one for sale NEW with 0 hours... I found instead a Makita EA6100P new and even with that I almost cut my left foot less then 6 months after I bought it...
Imagine what could have been the outcome with a Makita 7900...
But I get handy ,am more carefull how I handle the 6100 ,since it's my first chainsaw ,and I'll get to 95-120cc "category" in the end... And keep all my limbs

I have about a 6" long scar on my left leg from running a ms180c cutting bamboo. Bent over and something fell and hit the saw, pushing it into my leg. Fortunately i had let off the trigger so the chain was coming to a stop anyway. Could have been much worse. The size of the saw doesn't matter they will kill you just the same. That was my fault for not looking up and my fault for not having chaps on.

 

[Gabriel1982]

I have about a 6" long scar on my left leg from running a ms180c cutting bamboo. Bent over and something fell and hit the saw, pushing it into my leg. Fortunately i had let off the trigger so the chain was coming to a stop anyway. Could have been much worse. The size of the saw doesn't matter they will kill you just the same. That was my fault for not looking up and my fault for not having chaps on.

Echo cs1201. No plastic in that thing,ALL metal... And no chain brake... Only for pro guys... One wrong move and all those 116cc 2 stroke horses+ torque will shred you to pieces before you let go the acceleration...
Still I would love one!

 

[sean donato]

Echo cs1201. No plastic in that thing,ALL metal... And no chain brake... Only for pro guys... One wrong move and all those 116cc 2 stroke horses+ torque will shred you to pieces before you let go the acceleration...
Still I would love one!

I'd personally rather have a 3120xp, ms880 or even an ms720/070. I have nothing against echo, but it's not a common model in the states.

 

[Hermio]

I am a Stihl guy my Dad a Husky guy and my buddy runs echo’s all great saws with decent warranty can’t go wrong with a good name brand saw. I have been thru a few poulans etc and won’t play with them after buying a better quality saw.

My ms 250 has cut a lot of wood but only use a 16” bar. I have a ms392 for larger trees which is also a great saw. A 16” bar can cut a lot of tree.

I would recommend using TRU fuel or other stabilized fuel for your last tank of the season at min. Why? So I don’t have the carb issues that you have experienced.

I won’t cut this winter due to an injury but my wife will with her own saw so I ran some try fuel for my last day of cutting in my saws. And yes my wife can use my saws if she wants but for what we are doing her little ms 170 fits the bill.

Good luck

I bought some Trufuel but I am reluctant to use it after seeing what Chickanic has to say about it.

 

[Hermio]

Echo cs1201. No plastic in that thing,ALL metal... And no chain brake... Only for pro guys... One wrong move and all those 116cc 2 stroke horses+ torque will shred you to pieces before you let go the acceleration...
Still I would love one!

The smallest chainsaw made will tear human flesh to pieces in an instant. That is why a chain brake and chaps are essential. My first two saws did not have them, but all I have owned for the last 30 years have had chain brakes.

 

[OM617YOTA]

I bought some Trufuel but I am reluctant to use it after seeing what Chickanic has to say about it.

Chickanic didn't retune between fuel types. Her test was a joke.

 

[ammoaddict]

I bought some Trufuel but I am reluctant to use it after seeing what Chickanic has to say about it.

I have a Stihl pole saw that I only use once a year. I have only used trufuel in it for the past three years. No problems so far.

 

[Hermio]

Chickanic didn't retune between fuel types. Her test was a joke.

That makes no sense. The gas/oil ratio was the same with Trufuel and with her own mix.

 

[OM617YOTA]

That makes no sense. The gas/oil ratio was the same with Trufuel and with her own mix.

Alkylate fuel and whatever oil Tru-Fuel uses in their mix, vs. pump gas and Stihl Ultra or whatever she used.

You're right, no difference at all.

 

[mudfly]

Chickanic didn't retune between fuel types. Her test was a joke.

Even worse she says that no one should tune their own 2 stroke equipment. I left a comment asking her what she recommends for elevation and temperature changes if the aren’t allowed to retune their equipment for the appropriate conditions. No response.

Personally I run saws from 90 F to 0F or sometimes colder. They same tune won’t work in those temp changes.

I don’t have elevation, but same thing applies. Move a couple 1000 feet up or down and see how your saw runs.

 

[OM617YOTA]

Even worse she says that no one should tune their own 2 stroke equipment. I left a comment asking her what she recommends for elevation and temperature changes if the aren’t allowed to retune their equipment for the appropriate conditions. No response.

Personally I run saws from 90 F to 0F or sometimes colder. They same tune won’t work in those temp changes.

I don’t have elevation, but same thing applies. Move a couple 1000 feet up or down and see how your saw runs.

I've commented on a couple things like that and had my comments deleted. Her whole channel is a joke.

 

[Hermio]

Even worse she says that no one should tune their own 2 stroke equipment. I left a comment asking her what she recommends for elevation and temperature changes if the aren’t allowed to retune their equipment for the appropriate conditions. No response.

Personally I run saws from 90 F to 0F or sometimes colder. They same tune won’t work in those temp changes.

I don’t have elevation, but same thing applies. Move a couple 1000 feet up or down and see how your saw runs.

Maybe some engines are more sensitive than others. I haven't had elevation change, but I have run my saws at about 900 feet elevation from maybe 20F to 90. After initial tune, I did not ever have to change it, and I could not tell any difference other than how hard it was to start. My current saw, an MS500i, will adjust automatically.

 

[mudfly]

Maybe some engines are more sensitive than others. I haven't had elevation change, but I have run my saws at about 900 feet elevation from maybe 20F to 90. After initial tune, I did not ever have to change it, and I could not tell any difference other than how hard it was to start. My current saw, an MS500i, will adjust automatically.

If you have it tuned for 20F, you will be rich at 90. Not by a lot but some. If you have it tuned for 90 and run it at 20, you will be lean. (Air gets denser as it gets colder) So some of it depends how it was originally set and at what conditions.

 

[Hermio]

If you have it tuned for 20F, you will be rich at 90. Not by a lot but some. If you have it tuned for 90 and run it at 20, you will be lean. (Air gets denser as it gets colder) So some of it depends how it was originally set and at what conditions.

I am a bit puzzled by that statement. Yes, air gets denser in cold weather but so does fuel vapor, and by an equal amount. So, it would seem that the temperature effect is the same on air and fuel, and should cancel out, unless I am missing something. In any case, I could not detect any effect in my usage. Of course, many modern saws have some form of autotune, making the whole system less sensitive to temperature, fuel type, etc. But my first 3 saws were strictly manual tune, and I did not notice a temperature effect on performance, except for an early Remington. But it had nothing to do with air/fuel ratio. It had to do with the fact that the engine and fuel tank were one casting, and in warm weather, the fuel would boil in the tank, resulting in vapor lock and an inoperable saw. At least it gave me a good excuse not to cut in hot weather!

 

[sean donato]

I am a bit puzzled by that statement. Yes, air gets denser in cold weather but so does fuel vapor, and by an equal amount. So, it would seem that the temperature effect is the same on air and fuel, and should cancel out, unless I am missing something. In any case, I could not detect any effect in my usage. Of course, many modern saws have some form of autotune, making the whole system less sensitive to temperature, fuel type, etc. But my first 3 saws were strictly manual tune, and I did not notice a temperature effect on performance, except for an early Remington. But it had nothing to do with air/fuel ratio. It had to do with the fact that the engine and fuel tank were one casting, and in warm weather, the fuel would boil in the tank, resulting in vapor lock and an inoperable saw. At least it gave me a good excuse not to cut in hot weather!

@weimedog did a video not too long ago taking a warm saw from his shop, fired it up and walked out in the cold. The idle changes quite a bit, as expected. When he walks back in his shop it colms down after getting some warm air back in it.