Saws That Surprised You

[sean donato]

Hmm this kinda hard for me. I have had and still have a lot of saws I found to be great. My number one would be my 562xp. 2012 model. Never gave me any of the grief that others had. Still el44 carb and all on it. My next would be my stihl 026. It was a fantastic saw, once ported it was even better, but too light for much over a 20" bar. Biggest disappointment is my stihl 192tc. It works and that is giving it credit. It's just a slow turd of a saw. Next would be my husqy 346xp oe i bought it based on the love it seemed to generate from sites like this. It just sits now. Only saw I own that brings a smile to my face every time is my pops old mac pm605. Not so much how it runs, more of a walk down memory lane. First saw I ever ran and it still runs.

 

[TBS]

Introducing the undisputed heavyweight lightweight pos. Stihl 019T. There was never a worse saw made imo. I do agree with the 025.

I see your 019T and raise you a McCulloch eager beaver 2016.

 

[Deleted member 117362]

Stanley Shark bite saw. Great fast cutting hand saw.

 

[sundance]

My surprise was the Echo CS-346. Bought it for light limbing and have routinely used it to cut much larger. Once I've started using it I tend to run it until its way over matched or out of fuel. Used it much larger than its displacement.
Biggest disappointment would have to be my Stihl MS-250. I like the size and power but its an absolute beast to get running. Really wish I'd bought a Dolmar 421 when I was in the market for that size range.

 

[Wood Doctor]

...Stihl 064. Pound for pound the definitive wood sabre.

I second this motion. No decomp valve and a gorilla to start cold, but it has more power than it knows what to do with. Gasp!

I should never have sold it, but my shoulder and right wrist are still in place.

 

[chipper1]

I don't get the ms362 hatin'?

362 1st gen, I've had muffler modded ms310's that would beat them lol.

I was going to start a thread very similar to this one the other day and never got around to it.
My Husqvarna 450 also blows me away from a performance standpoint. I know its just a "homeowner" grade saw, but it feels much more powerful than other 50cc saws I have run.

The 450 is a farm ranch saw and my favorite stock plastic saw. I really like the quick clips for the filter cover.
The specs of it are almost the same as a husky 353 which is a great saw.

Does your MS 170 have the. 043 gauge chain? Changing to .050 helps a lot. My top handle use same 14".

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Why would that help?

Hmm this kinda hard for me. I have had and still have a lot of saws I found to be great. My number one would be my 562xp. 2012 model. Never gave me any of the grief that others had. Still el44 carb and all on it. My next would be my stihl 026. It was a fantastic saw, once ported it was even better, but too light for much over a 20" bar. Biggest disappointment is my stihl 192tc. It works and that is giving it credit. It's just a slow turd of a saw. Next would be my husqy 346xp oe i bought it based on the love it seemed to generate from sites like this. It just sits now. Only saw I own that brings a smile to my face every time is my pops old mac pm605. Not so much how it runs, more of a walk down memory lane. First saw I ever ran and it still runs.

I was quite surprised by a ported 026 with a 20x3/8, ran it like a stock 60cc saw.
Bummer about the 192, I like them and I wouldn't mind another, same for the 346 oe(but I like the 346ne better except for the grey).
Hows the chain on the 192.
This one was sharpened by a local company.

Here it is after I sharpened it.

Here it is after a slight timing advance and a muffler mod.
For a 7lb saw what's not to like.

 

[Wood Doctor]

I guess I have to add my Husqvarna 353 to this list. I never dreamed it would replace my two Stihl 026 PRO saws as my goto saw for cutting firewood, but it did exact;y that. Lighter and just as strong. All three are keepers, but that 353 is a step above from the same era.

 

[holeycow]

362 1st gen, I've had muffler modded ms310's that would beat them lol.

Aha Ha Ha


yup, my Jonny 2152 Is a keeper

 

[chipper1]

Aha Ha Ha


yup, my Jonny 2152 Is a keeper

Sorry, never liked the first gen, but I'm open to running the latest one .

I forgot to add that the latest 261cm in stock form even after break-in was quite disappointing, I sold it after only having it for a couple weeks, but a ported one is a great saw and pulls a 20x3/8 like a champ in hardwood.

Yep, the 2152 is a nice saw, the 2252 is as well.

 

[Maintenance supervisor]

This is turning into " the saws that disappoint me" thread.

 

[SCHallenger]

Stihl MS 241. I was amazed at the torque with just a MM & 6deg timing advance. Now ported, it is as much or more fun than anything I have ever worked with!

 

[sean donato]

362 1st gen, I've had muffler modded ms310's that would beat them lol.

The 450 is a farm ranch saw and my favorite stock plastic saw. I really like the quick clips for the filter cover.
The specs of it are almost the same as a husky 353 which is a great saw.

Why would that help?

I was quite surprised by a ported 026 with a 20x3/8, ran it like a stock 60cc saw.
Bummer about the 192, I like them and I wouldn't mind another, same for the 346 oe(but I like the 346ne better except for the grey).
Hows the chain on the 192.
This one was sharpened by a local company.

Here it is after I sharpened it.

Here it is after a slight timing advance and a muffler mod.
For a 7lb saw what's not to like.

Chain is just as sharp as any of my others saws. I have a sharpener as well am pretty decent at keeping up with them by hand. I've just never been impressed with the 192tc. It's stock, so I guess I could do a muff mod to it. Just never been impressed with its power.

 

[Deleted member 117362]

Never cared for 50cc saws. 550xp changed my mind.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Saws that surprise are not necessarily worshiped. I found this Mac 5700 in a garbage can, power head only. It needed a new spark plug, a pull cord, and a tune up. That's it. The first time I used it on some large logs, here's what it produced while pulling a 28" bar:

It never bogged down. Yes, indeed, this was an enormous surprise.

 

[buttercup]

Dolmar/Makita 32cc, cuts better than my Husky 445.
I don't care about the cost - it's just a better saw.

 

[holeycow]

Never cared for 50cc saws. 550xp changed my mind.

have you tried a jonny 590? That would change your mind again. It actually has some torque. The 550, while a quick revving screamer that's fun, has none.

 

[holeycow]

Sorry, never liked the first gen, but I'm open to running the latest one .

Yep, the 2152 is a nice saw, the 2252 is as well.

I haven't run the latest 362, but I found the early moronic ones a little wheezy, meaning low on grunt compared to my early, non-moronic model.

my 362 rocks, as far as I'm concerned. I have compared other good 60cc saws to it, and lo and behold it compares favourably. The moronic ones, not so much imo.

 

[chipper1]

I haven't run the latest 362, but I found the early moronic ones a little wheezy, meaning low on grunt compared to my early, non-moronic model.

my 362 rocks, as far as I'm concerned. I have compared other good 60cc saws to it, and lo and behold it compares favourably. The moronic ones, not so much imo.

I figure if the new 362cm runs as well as the 261cmvs2 and the 462 then it would be another modern day 60cc saw. The 261cmvs2 is a great saw, but the latest 550mk1 runs right with it and handles better, but some may like the onboard clutch on the 261 better, I'm glad they started angling top handlebar on the stihls more. The 462 once broke in is a beasty saw and weighs about what the early 362 weighs so I see no reason for the 362 unless you can afford the 462.
I usually skip right over the 60cc saws myself, I think I have 3 and I haven't ran one since early spring, id just rather run a 70 since I have a bunch, maybe as I get older that will change, by then we may have some sweet electric saws .

 

[holeycow]

Eegads! Electric chainsaws! Yuck!
....but my electric string trimmer works decently..

 

[Deleted member 117362]

have you tried a jonny 590? That would change your mind again. It actually has some torque. The 550, while a quick revving screamer that's fun, has none.

Never ran one, first 60cc saw I owned was a 262xp KS 87. Used that saw more than my 371xp. Owned 346's and 357's, they all sailed. What I own now will take me through rest of my life.