You have lots of resourceful people on the forum , ask away & we will try to answer !
List of Pro Saw Models - References
- Thread starter Farmer_Nate
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Well said, and I completely agree. Antique saws enjoy a niche all their own. I'll never send a new guy backwards with advice.
I buy and re-condition dozens of saws each year. Its a hobby. Further to that, when asked for a recommendation, based on several questions about the saws use, and user........I always point that budding new woodsman towards the right machine for his personal needs. Regardless of what I have for sale at the time.
Such a list as you have promoted only supports the advice of others like myself.
acresinternet.com
I'd have to believe you already have a short-cut or bookmark on your pc.
Keep me in this , your thread, with any up-dates as to your personal involvement in the unfolding, of the PRO - Grade Saws List. I'm all ears.
If you're gonna go back to the early 80's why in the world would you exclude the venerable 2101xp? It was sold with a brake unless it was requested otherwise. For that matter the 2100cd could be had with a brake as well. Bailey's always asked me if I wanted brakes or not when I bought the 2100/2101 power heads.
Kevin
I believe the Stihl MS241 would be considered as a "pro-saw".
Comments??
Comments??
ColinNS
ArboristSite Operative
I would put the 268 se because it was the predecessor to the Xp. An XP before it was called an xp. But a 365 special, 42 special are no pro saws the 353 and 359 I see mentioned are not pro saws either.
I do consult the Acres site. It is awesome. It doesn't really specify homeowner, pro, or mid-grade, however in most cases. It would help me though to see if models with SE or XP overlapped, however. Thanks.
Nothing has been excluded, that simply wasn't added yet. I had not confirmed nor explored the models you mentioned yet.
Not mentioning it is not excluding it Kevin . 1987 through 1990 . 99 cc & 6 hp very much an old school big bore , pro model . Thanks for contributing keep it up !
Yes, added to master list...will update site soon.
Those saws were legendary pro saws. They are still talked about even to this day. To us using them, they were just tools. We didn't think much about the distinction of 'pro' saws because these were Husky's top line saws for commercial use.
When Husky dropped the 2101xp, they replaced it with the 3120 and 394 simultaneously.
I got this straight from the Husky regional manager of the west coast back in the day;the xp designation in the beginning meant a hotter spark for our wetter west coast conditions. Later it came to mean some internal fortification.
Kevin
Nice history. Fun to explore and hear about.
Yeah , lots of legendary saws from various manufacturers brother . Andreas Stihl & i ran the famous 090 during our teenage years . 137 cc & 9 hp . Add a 48" b&c , one serious big bore at its finest brother !
Yeah , Andreas Stihl & i ran the famous 090 during our teenage years . 137 cc & 9 hp . 48" b&c , look out big bore at its finest brother !
I like the idle of big saws...chug cha chug, pop, chug, pop pah pop
Yep , the big bores are the Harleys of saws brother !
It all depends on you cutting application , as I said previously east coast to west coast cutting applications varied . Hardwood cutters vs Softwood cutting requirements varied within performance , horsepower vs torgue characteristics . I recall very clearly 254 & 257 xp's ruling the Eastern Pulp wood sector . Also 371 & 372xp ruling the hardwood sector for Husquarna . 044 & 048 Stihl's doing the same . Out west large higher density softwood firs required large 100 cc + displacement high torgue saws . Out east the same less dense giant White & Red pines required the same . Both Coasts also provided numerous hardwood species that numerous middle weight 70 & 90 cc class saws could handle quite well . Although , I have seen this trend reversed by numerous production felling crews depending on their saw loyalties & cutting requirements . Nothing etched in stone !
Exactly , as I have previously stated Kevin. Back in the day there were Commercial grade & Residential or Homeowner grade saws . Actually similar but different today . Pioneer , Homelite , Remington , Solo , Dolmar , Mac & Stihl along with Husquarna all had their distinct product lines accordingly . Other saws came into the picture Shindawia , Jonsered , Echo , Efco & even Poulan produced quality professional series & economy grade saws . Better cdi & transitorized electronic ignition modules & higher compression ratio's "muscle saw" (high horse power & light weight) criteria became the norm . These saws, produced faster chain speeds & better overall performance & handling along with better fuel conservation over previous lower horsepower & more torgue & lower rpm 7-9 thousand peak rpm's units with .404 & .500 chains & became 11,500 to 13,000 rpm & saw chain sizing .325 & 3/8" technologies of today became the norm !
They most certainly did !
Well, there's more if anyone is interested. The Husky 2100cd was born from the loins of the 1100cd. In and of itself, a decent pro saw. But.....Husky knew if they were to take on Stihl seriously, they had to do better. When I started west coast loggin' in the 70's, Stihl had all but replaced the big Homelites and MACs on the loggin' shows. My day-to-day saw was an 075.
Knowing this, some shrewd Swedes at Husqvarna figured they could take the 1100cd and make it more a logger's saw....like the Stihls. So......(and I'm not sure this has ever happened before or since), Husqvarna sent their head engineer over to the west coast with some prototype 2100cd's. They gave saws to the loggers in whatever bar configuration they wanted asked questions and took notes(unbelievable, right?!). I not only met him, but remembered his name for decades....just too old now. He stayed over here for months.
And.....they sent back the 2100cd to the States and Canada with all the improvements incorporated. Those saws took the west coast loggin' world by storm. By the time I was ready to move to CO around '80, all the shows were like seas of orange. And it was the same way in CO.
Bill Bailey couldn't keep enough 2100's in stock.....the power heads were flying out the doors as soon as they came in. Now mind you, no equipment company historically made boo-coo bucks on pro saws. The staple of their revenue comes from home owner saws and other outdoor equipment...often commercial/construction stuff. But what it does do is give them a flagship saw(s) and bragging rights. If the weekend warrior thinks some lesser saw down the line carries some of the same DNA as their big dawg, then he'll sucker and buy every time.
Lots of bandwidth on AS has been devoted to the 2100/2101. One guy in particular has made it his life's effort to accumulate as much data as possible. Never a logger over here or back in the day, he's got all the answers. I told him what that big Husky rep said about the xp designation and he fired back that reps were the biggest liars and sleazeballs in the world. I mean, you can't even counter that with anything....you just have to move on because he's not listening. You can't spout out absolutes about something when you weren't even there.
Kevin
My Dad had a Pro Mac 790 back in the day , old school thumper 103 cc . That was a mans saw . My Uncle ran a Dolmar 153 100+ cc 10 hp reed valve that pulled like a Missouri Mule , almost weighed as much too lol. I ran it once that was enough . My Cousin bought a Poulan Pro 655 I think back in 1988 , it was an impressive big cube saw also , a real muscle saw of its day . The biggest saw I actually ever owned was my PS-9000 Dolmar not quite a true century mark big bore , however ran like one . I wish I had ran my Uncles Pioneer P62 , I watched him fell big old growth White pine with it numerous times however never got a chance or nerve to ask to use it lol . I'am currently very pleased with my current 7900 , since selling my 576 xp a few yrs back . Lots of old saws out there that have put a lot of wood on the ground & in the bunks brother !
