Hello, my name is Bob, and like many guys i enjoy chainsaws.........about 6 or 8 years back i decided to start collecting a few. I utilize wood for supplemental heating, and living in Grants Pass, Or ive got plenty of options for finding firewood to cut......Ive accumulated about 10 or so saws, my first is a Husqvarna 50 that i bought new back around 1988. back around 2006, i bought a Husky 372Xp with a 28" bar, and maybe a year later i got a new Stihl ms 210 w/16" bar. a year or so later i bought a Jonsered 2165, 24" bar and finally a Dolmar 7900/20". Since the Dolmar, Husky and Jonsered all share bar mount specs, ive switched bars. the Dolmar now has a 28" bar, the Husky 372 has a 24" and the Jonsered carries a 20" bar. For whatever reason the Jonsered seemed faster than the Husky with smaller logs, even when it was stock at 24". I also bought a new Stihl MS290 20"........Several years ago, i started buying used saws via Ebay, Craigslist, Pawn shops, and classified newspaper ads. Ive ended up getting a Stihl 026 20", a Stihl 036 QS 18", a Jonsered 70E 24", a Stihl 044 32", and finally i just got a Husky 181SE 28". Ive bought plenty of chains and several bars from Baileys, ive got extra 24, 30 and 36" bars and chains, all set up to fit Husky/Jons/Dolmar pattern, and i also got a 24" bar to fit the big Stihl. Ive heard great stuff about the 372, 2165, 7900, 026, 70E, 044, and 181SE, and the little MS210 and MS 290 are real new, so im inclined to keep them too, but the others arent something im real attached to......Living in Oregon, its timber country, plenty of saws are bought and sold here, any thoughts on what ive accumulated, and thanks in advance!
Im new here, which saws should i keep?
- Thread starter Bob Igram
- Start date
Help Support Arborist Forum:
Joe46
ArboristSite Guru
Well for a first post you've probably open a big can of worms. You've got a lot of good saws. I only own a couple of Stihls, so I can't really comment on them except the 044. I think most everybody would say that's a keeper. I like all the rest of them.
Any thing I don't find myself going to as a preferred saw on a regular basis, ends up for sale. My most go to saws for wood with some size are the 044 and 034-036 series. The 034-036 takes up minimumal space for the power it packs and very well backs up a 50cc limbing saw as well as 70cc bucking saw IMO. 034-36, 20" bar is perfect for most work with it but it manages 25" reasonably well if needed and is fine with a short bar. When I have big wood, I like long bars and +80cc and the Stihls that share the same bar mount down to an 026.
I do like the Dolmars well and like using the Huskys to, but rather have my money in most of the Stihls as I have found them cheaper to own in the long run and they seem to fit my build and most kinds of wood cutting situations I do more comfortably. I use some other small saws some and I might keep my $90 Dolmar 5100 in the main line up for a good while. I'm constantly trying different saws big and small, but I mostly end up wanting to keep mostly Stihls.
I do like the Dolmars well and like using the Huskys to, but rather have my money in most of the Stihls as I have found them cheaper to own in the long run and they seem to fit my build and most kinds of wood cutting situations I do more comfortably. I use some other small saws some and I might keep my $90 Dolmar 5100 in the main line up for a good while. I'm constantly trying different saws big and small, but I mostly end up wanting to keep mostly Stihls.
nmurph
ArboristSite.com Sponsor
- Joined
- Nov 26, 2007
- Messages
- 16,162
- Reaction score
- 7,168
Three saw plan based on what you currently own...7900, 036, 026
hseII
Addicted to ArboristSite
Husqvarna 50
Husky 372Xp with a 28" bar- eehhh ..... I guess if you can keep it running,, keep it as a back up
1- Stihl ms 210 w/16" bar. - you've got an 026- sell it
2- Jonsered 2165, 24" bar - you've got an 036- sell it
Dolmar 7900/20".
3- Stihl MS290 20".......- you've got an 036 for the same weight- sell it
Stihl 026 20"
Stihl 036 QS 18"
4- a Jonsered 70E 24", - Sell it. Parts
a Stihl 044 32"- put a 24/25" bar on it and run the **** out of it
5- Husky 181SE 28"- sell it- parts
!
Sell those 5 with the number beside them, buy a new MS661RPQWSTwhatever and send it to the monkey to be even more amazing than it already is.
There is 0 Dolmar support around here, so I would sell that but YRMV.
If I could only keep one saw, it would be my Dolmar 7900. In fact, I would take the 7900 hands down over any 70cc-79cc saw out there (044 & 372xp included). Mine's getting Masterminded in September and then it's not going anywhere! I also think a 28" bar belongs on that saw...
Most people who say not to buy them have never ran one.
Mine will smoke a 440/460 with ease.
Funny, I was gonna say sell everything but the 7900 and buy a 550xp... for a nice two saw plan...
661 would be cool, too!
Maybe not, but I find them to be very easy to work on. I buy parts from a member on AS, and they usually show up within a week.
But what do I know?... Look at my sig!
sunfish
Fish Head
I'd keep the 372xp, 7900 or 044, sell the rest and get a 346xp or three...
Guido Salvage
Supreme Saw Whoreder
Why would you want to sell a saw?
- Joined
- Jan 29, 2001
- Messages
- 34,108
- Reaction score
- 37,041
No advice in regards to your saws, but I lived in Grants Pass for almost 4 yrs. I loved it there and all the surrounding areas.
A great day for me was riding over to the coast and putting in a few hundred miles.
I'd like to think that one day, we might move back.
A great day for me was riding over to the coast and putting in a few hundred miles.
I'd like to think that one day, we might move back.
I thank all of you for offering opinions on these saws, im not even sure if i want to sell ANY of the running, complete saws........Ive also got a complete, but not running Stihl 024, an incomplete MS290, and a couple incomplete big Husky's sitting in a box out in my shop, one i believe is a 272XPW, and the other i think is somewhere in the 280 series.........In this part of Oregon, im typically seeing Stihl's 2-1 over Husky's..........I frequently see ads from a guy about an hour North of me in Canyonville, Or, goes by the name The Chainsaw Guy, posts YouTube vids and apparently repairs and sells lots of used saws........I just might load up all the basket cases and non runners, and pay him a visit and see what he might have for sale. Ive also recently seen a couple CL ads for Stihl 045's one a pretty old non electronic one called a "Pro 50" and the other a slightly newer 045AVSE, both run and are for sale in the low to mid $200 range
If you have a 288xp for sale, I'm listening.
CapitaineHaddoc
European Westcoaster
You're wrong. The 461 is a great saw, but the 7900 is at least the same weight, probably lighter. And it's a little more powerful, 6 hp vs 6.3 hp. The 7900 has the best power to weight ratio, even better than the second one (Stihl 064).
I'll keep the 7900 and the 026. Not the 036, you say it's a 036 QS, and if it's the saw with the chainbrake
which engage when you loose the rear handle, i just hate this saw. A real pain in the arse.
I'll sell the others and buy a Husky 562XP, great saw, and you can swap the bars with your other Husky/Jred/dolmar saws!
Locust Cutter
Sawing for Sanity
I'd keep the 044, 7900 and 372xp OR 2165 (essentially the same thing de-tuned a bit). I liked the feel of my 6400 but didn't invest the money to make it a 7900. Someday I'll either have a 7900 or a MS461. The 026 is a solid saw too. Honestly unless you need or just want to sell them I wouldn't, BUT if you need to, keep the first three and think about the 026.
After that I'd look hard at a Husky 550xp (or minty 346xp) / Jonsered equivalents or a MS261CM as both are darn solid saws. The Dolmar 5100 is a darn solid saw but is to fat for my tastes. Redmax, Echo and Efco also have decent 50cc saws. I love my 562, BUT, while it does split the difference power-wise between the 50 and 70cc saws, it feels more like an somewhat under-powered 70cc saw. I'm not bashing it a bit as I really like mine and reach for it now much more than my 372, BUT it feels a decent bit bigger than my 261 and a lot bigger than my old 346xp, which are and were both amazing saws from a size to production ratio viewpoint. Ultimately the question can't really be answered without a bit of context about your cutting habits, desired saw traits, etc.
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2014
- Messages
- 3,399
- Reaction score
- 4,037
I'd keep a 026, 044, and 372 as they have good dealer supports and parts. Maybe keep the 281 with a long bar for big stuff, and you should be set. 7900's have plastic oiler parts that can go bad and have poor dealer support. Mine had could not be leaned on as well as my 460. I live on the PNW and 70cc saws are the to go saws for many as 24" firewood logs are common. The 026 is the perfect size for small stuff and around the home. It is extremely well made, light and quick. And if muff modded will equal a stock 346.
bryanr2
Addicted to ArboristSite
OP post up some pics of your saws. The following inbound pms will help you decide which ones to part with and which ones to keep.
