Husky collectors, what models are you after/have already and why?

[Husky Man]

No husky collection is complete without a 266XP.

Absolutely, the 266XP was my first Quality saw.
I bought it in 1991, it made a Husky Believer out of me. I still have it, it’s still a Rippin saw, and has Earned it’s nickname “Ol’ Reliable”


Doug

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

The 266 was one of the two best things Husqvarna ever did for Stihl.
Without the challenge put up by the 266 and 181- would Stihl have gotten around to the 044 and 064?

 

[ballisticdoughnut]

Absolutely, the 266XP was my first Quality saw.
I bought it in 1991, it made a Husky Believer out of me. I still have it, it’s still a Rippin saw, and has Earned it’s nickname “Ol’ Reliable”


Doug

Took me a bit of searching to find my 266XP and as it turned out, this one kinda fell into my lap so to speak. 300th anniversary (1989) 266XP factory “west coast” saw. Looks even better in person believe it or not. I’ve done some cutting with it but if I’m being honest I probably won’t use it much going forward. Wanna keep it nice and somewhat clean.

 

[rupedoggy]

I bet somewhere there is a guy that has a collection of "like new" snap-on tools. When he works on things however he uses Craftsman so he does not get the good tools dirty. LOL

 

[Husky Man]

My 266XP is probably a a 1989 model, at a guess, it has the Plastic Brake Flag, and small square recoil decal

This pic was stolen from acresinternet, it’s not my actual saw, but appears to be the same version. Acres puts production ending in 1990, and I have seen pictures of what I assume are the final version, with the plastic flag and the “Hockey Stick” recoil decals


Doug

 

[Husky Man]

Here’s some pictures of my 266








Anyone know how to decipher the model year from the serial number?


Doug

 

[holeycow]

I think that's a '92

I wish I had a 266. And a 272. And a 288...

for now I'll make do with my '90 262xp. It absolutely rips! But no contest in outright durability to the 266, the "forever" saw.

 

[Husky Man]

I think that's a '92

I wish I had a 266. And a 272. And a 288...

for now I'll make due with my '90 262xp. It absolutely rips! But no contest in outright durability to the 266, the "forever" saw.

Acresinternet put the 266XP production ending in 1990, they’re usually pretty accurate AFAIK

I bought my first house in Oct 1990, I’m pretty dayum sure that I bought this saw the following spring, so I’m pretty sure it isn’t any newer than a 91, even if acres is wrong on when production ended

If someone knows how to decipher the model year from the serial number, I would be curious, but the 266, would be about the last saw that I would sell

wait………….what, people actually sell their saws??, why would someone do something as silly as that??
Oh, I have bought a few used saws, so I guess that it must happen, but don’t ask me to explain the mental illness that leads to that



Doug

 

[quattro.pilot]

Anyone know how to decipher the model year from the serial number?


Doug

if it's anything like the same era 242's you read the tag as: first digit (YEAR) second two digits (WEEK) last remaining (Production NUMBER within that week) .... so it's like: (#)(##)(####)

so the "2" for you should be 1982, because they didn't make the saw beyond '90 (according to acres)
"43" is the 43'rd week....so....mid-Oct
"0218" means it is the 218th saw to roll off the line that week... so I'm sure it was probably made on a Friday for them to get over 200 in 5 days

It's interesting the 266xp decal on your starter looks more like the style they designed starting early in 90. At least with my lineage of 242's you could see the progression and, assuming the saw had all of it's original parts, date it by that decal. All through the 80's they just had a plain black text, then in like '89 and through early 90's they went to sort of the blue'ish script with those parallel lines like your saw, and then finally around '95 they went to hockey stick. For ***** & giggles you might check the starter for the date markings to see when that component was produced. In the life of the saw someone could have easily swapped starters so you have '82 cases & crank likely but that starter could be '89 or 90. Just fun .. it doesn't matter either way. I wish I had enough spare money to justify hoarding my collection rather than selling

 

[quattro.pilot]

Even though it’s not a 70 cc but a 262xp is definitely needed in a collection as well.

couple for sale in Canuckistan I've run across

 

[quattro.pilot]

What models are on your bucket list and why? I'm after a 395xp, 3120, 2100cd, 181se, 288xp.

Thoughts?

394 or 395 for me I'd like with my collection. I tend towards the iconic models more than the obscure transformative revelations

 

[holeycow]

Didn't have the plastic flag in '82, afaik.. But that means nothing, as it might not be original on OP's saw.

I don't think "2" series were around in '82. Or maybe they were just coming in.

that saw is very, very nice, but may not be "all original".

where's sawtroll when you need him? He was a wealth of information. Biased to a fault, but had a keen memory on all things Husqvarna..

 

[Husky Man]

if it's anything like the same era 242's you read the tag as: first digit (YEAR) second two digits (WEEK) last remaining (Production NUMBER within that week) .... so it's like: (#)(##)(####)

so the "2" for you should be 1982, because they didn't make the saw beyond '90 (according to acres)
"43" is the 43'rd week....so....mid-Oct
"0218" means it is the 218th saw to roll off the line that week... so I'm sure it was probably made on a Friday for them to get over 200 in 5 days

It's interesting the 266xp decal on your starter looks more like the style they designed starting early in 90. At least with my lineage of 242's you could see the progression and, assuming the saw had all of it's original parts, date it by that decal. All through the 80's they just had a plain black text, then in like '89 and through early 90's they went to sort of the blue'ish script with those parallel lines like your saw, and then finally around '95 they went to hockey stick. For ***** & giggles you might check the starter for the date markings to see when that component was produced. In the life of the saw someone could have easily swapped starters so you have '82 cases & crank likely but that starter could be '89 or 90. Just fun .. it doesn't matter either way. I wish I had enough spare money to justify hoarding my collection rather than selling

I’m pretty confident that it isn’t an 82, the metal brake flags seem to have gone well past that, and I know that there haven’t been any parts changed out, I bought it new from the dealer, with dry tanks

Maybe in this case, acresinternet is off on when production ended

The 43rd week of 92, seems later than I bought this saw, maybe I put up with worn out, unreliable junk old saws longer than I remember. I sure remember the Difference in using a Good, Reliable Saw, I wished that I had done it sooner, never once regretted buying that 266XP. A bit later, I bought a Husky 23 Compact, a little top handle, there are some things that a 266 is overkill on, and until 2017, that dynamic duo was my “2Saw Plan” before I even knew what a 2 Saw Plan was, or that I had one

Then in 2017, I finally decided that I needed a Bigger saw, and I also got interested in CSM, so a wait for it……………………….3120XP was my next saw.


Wow, I was impressed with the 266XP, but going from 66.7cc/24”B&C to 120cc/36”B&C what a difference
The first log that I bucked with the 3120, was a 34” Douglas Fir, and it went after it like a Rabid Beaver on Steroids . I COULD have bucked that log with the 266/24”, but would have been cutting from both sides(Not always an option, or Good Idea) and I would have been cutting a lot longer, especially making that 34” D Fir into 16” rounds

As much Fun as the 3120 was to buck with, it didn’t take long to put it down and use the 266 for up cutting to finish the cut after rolling sections of logs

The 3120 is a Hoot, when dogged in, but pulling it up into a cut is a whole nother story


When I was still on a “3Saw Plan”






Doug

 

[ballisticdoughnut]

Here’s some pictures of my 266

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Anyone know how to decipher the model year from the serial number?


Doug

Believe that to be 92 year 43rd week number 218 of that week. I’ll have to look up the IPL but I believe the 266xp was made up into the early 90’s.

 

[ballisticdoughnut]

I bet somewhere there is a guy that has a collection of "like new" snap-on tools. When he works on things however he uses Craftsman so he does not get the good tools dirty. LOL

I’m sure there is. I’ve got plenty of Snap-On tools and they definitely get used.

 

[quattro.pilot]

I’m pretty confident that it isn’t an 82, the metal brake flags seem to have gone well past that, and I know that there haven’t been any parts changed out, I bought it new from the dealer, with dry tanks

Doug

well then you're the man who knows the EXACT history of that 266! No arguments there....unless you're going senile ... haha

sometimes those serial tags are a real mystery.... i dunno Doug, don't know what to say. Like I pointed out the design of the starter decal is identical to when 242's changed a bit through the early 90's. Not that it really matters but the date stampings on the plastics (starter housing and lid are the easiest to see/find) sometimes can tell a bit of the story.... not saying though that those individual components weren't created a year earlier and just sat of the shelf waiting for cases. I've gone so far as to tear things down to check the printing on a crankshaft in order to identify year of manufacture....any how I'm sure there's better ways we all can be spending a sunny Saturday afternoon lol.

View attachment 1071411

my forearms hurt just looking at that rig

 

[Squareground3691]

266 are great saws, better ported

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

I remember reading somewhere 266XP production carried on until 1994- but hey I have a brain injury so who knows!
I do know though that the Acres site- great as it is and a wonderful reference page- is not 100% correct in every aspect on every listing.

 

[Squareground3691]

Some 2 Series, easy to work on , and reliable

 

[Husky Man]

my forearms hurt just looking at that rig

Honestly, that 60” B&C, and it’s 72” Big Brother, are strictly for milling, and are still Virgin, I haven’t milled anything big enough to need them yet, but eventually I want to build a custom dining table, and possibly evolve that into an income hobby

I will say that the 3120 balances just a tad nose heavy with the 44” B&C ( the 36” is just right), but I was truly Surprised at the difference between the 44” and the 60”, I expected it to be nose heavy, but Not THAT Nose Heavy


Doug