The lil saw that could

[diver64]

I have two Craftsman S185 42cc saws with 18" bars, purchased new for about $31 each on clearance (the store was dropping the entire brand of saw, they were normally $185 each). The oilers are adjustable and I set them "reasonably," 40:1 mix per the manual.

On a few 24" cuts I stayed in the cut wayyyyy too long and should have pulled out for a few seconds several times, one saw might have lost some compression due to that (or it was crap fuel on the refuel, not sure).

They've been great "beater" saws for jobs you really don't want to use a good saw for. They were made by MTD who seem to have "borrowed" the best Jonsered ideas when they folded.

Keep 'em cool and try to not run them out of gas, 40:1 works great (32:1 does not in these), and keep the chain sharp.

I thought I read that Craftsman are Husky saws? I cut all my firewood for about 10yrs with a Husky 041 using both a 16in and an 18in bar. Maple, Beech and Yellow Birch as big as pictured by the OP plus some softwood blowdowns. Maybe 6-8 cords each year. Finally fried it when I got gas from the wrong jug. Straight gas did not treat it well otherwise I bet it would still be working.

 

[sean donato]

A lot of generalizations, not 100% accurate, but not wrong at the same time.
Cooling is proportionate to rpm and power output, the saw cant make peak torque and peak power without being at its optimal rpm. Lower rpm, lower output, less heat, less cooling needed. Tuning, ambient conditions and saw repair/maintenance all play a factor in cooling. But yes, in general the most cooling is at peak rpm. Doesn't mean the saw needs peak cooling at half throttle or idle. Same thing with your cars water pump... all proportional to rpm/load/power.
Dogs can be used whenever you want, don't over load the saw. I mist certainly will use the dogs on any of my bigger saws while bucking, noodling or whenever I see fit. Doesn't mean my chain is dull or depth gauges are improperly set. Self feeding is dependant in a lot of factors, and how you sharpen a chain is dependant on equally as many factors, dry wood, dirty wood, hard, soft, chain type etc. Not every chain will always self feed. Ask the Australian guys. Whole thread about self feeding chains.
everyone has ran a saw out of fuel, sure it sucks and most can tell you when it's time to fill up, but it happens. The saw isn't going to die a sudden death from doing it. May be a bit of a pain to restart, but nothing more then that. Don't know what being a clone does or does not have to do with anything. Never heard of a piston ring sticking from running out of fuel either, and yes I have some cheapo knock off saws that have been ran out of gas just as often as any of my stihl, husqy, Echo, Mac, homlite or any other saw I have. I call bs on that without some real proof. Ring seizure is typically from other issues.

 

[flatsfisher]

....and punctuation.

I wouldn't know if there were punctuation issues because I didn't read any of it. it's too painful.

 

[sean donato]

I thought I read that Craftsman are Husky saws? I cut all my firewood for about 10yrs with a Husky 041 using both a 16in and an 18in bar. Maple, Beech and Yellow Birch as big as pictured by the OP plus some softwood blowdowns. Maybe 6-8 cords each year. Finally fried it when I got gas from the wrong jug. Straight gas did not treat it well otherwise I bet it would still be working.

Craftsman, like many brands, is a flavor of the day mfg. Whoever gets the bid get to make their products gets to make them. Husqy/poulan was just one of them, they had some licensed and none licensed zenoah knock offs throughout the years as well. Going back older David bradley come to mind, as well as others.

 

[flatsfisher]

back in the day Craftsman was pretty particular about who built their tools. most of them were top tier. not so much anymore it seems.

 

[sean donato]

back in the day Craftsman was pretty particular about who built their tools. most of them were top tier. not so much anymore it seems.

Has been that way for 20+ years. Traded in a few broken old ratchets a while back and immediately regretted doing so. The replacments just felt cheap.

 

[flatsfisher]

I don't think they still take in the old craftsman tool when they break do they? pretty sure they stop. I still have one of the older 25 foot tape measures probably from the late 90's or early 2000's. still works but the numbers are pretty worn.

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

I thought I read that Craftsman are Husky saws? I cut all my firewood for about 10yrs with a Husky 041 using both a 16in and an 18in bar. Maple, Beech and Yellow Birch as big as pictured by the OP plus some softwood blowdowns. Maybe 6-8 cords each year. Finally fried it when I got gas from the wrong jug. Straight gas did not treat it well otherwise I bet it would still be working.

The S185 saws are MTD (per the parts list, emissions testing, etc.) and not nearly the quality of Husquvarna. The quality is impressive given the retail price, perhaps midway between smurfy saws and Husqvarna saws.

I do not know about other Craftsman saws, but from what I can tell MTD uses several vendors to provide parts and not all vendors make the parts exactly the same, though they do mostly function interchangeably.

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

I don't think they still take in the old craftsman tool when they break do they? pretty sure they stop. I still have one of the older 25 foot tape measures probably from the late 90's or early 2000's. still works but the numbers are pretty worn.

ACE Hardware will replace them, though only once, last I heard.

 

[Crftrapper535]

I thought I read that Craftsman are Husky saws? I cut all my firewood for about 10yrs with a Husky 041 using both a 16in and an 18in bar. Maple, Beech and Yellow Birch as big as pictured by the OP plus some softwood blowdowns. Maybe 6-8 cords each year. Finally fried it when I got gas from the wrong jug. Straight gas did not treat it well otherwise I bet it would still be working.

They might be husky I know my poulans are huskys

 

[Crftrapper535]

Paragraphs?? Let's try sentences and punctuation too!! WTF?? LOL.

But anyways, first off, I've got to admit that most of what I learned was from forums, and YouTube.. From that "education", I (thought) I learned the following...

!) A 2 stroke engine, is cooled by the fan blades on the flywheel. The faster it turns, the more cooling air goes over the fins. Run them at the top of their rev range to keep them cool. They may produce great torque at lower R.P.M., but there's a definite loss of cooling.

2) A saw chain, is supposed to be "self feeding".. as in, that you don't have to push the saw chain and bar into the cut, it should pull itself in all by itself. You should be able to just lay the saw on a log and pull the trigger, and the chain should chew through the wood.

3) If you have to push or rock the crap out of the saw on a vertical cut, then the saw chain needs service, especially the rakers ( depth gauges ).

4) Dogs help with horizontal cuts, because there's no weight on the saw chain. Use them, but keep the revs up, especially when the bar is buried.

I don't know.. Am I missing something? I've never had a saw "overheat", even when buried bar deep in a big one. But then again, in that scenario, I let the revs do the work, I don't push the saw to the point that the revs drop more than into the sweet zone.

Seriously.. Am I missing something? I've got some real sweet old school Stihl stuff. Some of them get used for slabbing on an Alaskan mill, and it'd be nice not to damage one of them because of my ignorance. I run Amsoil Saber at 70 to 1 , with Ethanol free Premium.

Thanks..

Man I wish this thing had some Dogs on it /well it does but they suck pretty hard and when it comes to overheating we're talking about Chinese saws so seriously this thing would overheat in minus 30 weather and damn I didn't know there was a thing as 70:1 mix also assuming your in Alaska ain't that softwood country here in the midwest it's hardwood and if you have ever tried to cut chickepin (think I spelled that right) it's hard as **** even to split with a axe you have to use wedges but I will admit the trigger gives me the fizz and so I'm sorta (trigger happy and have a thing with full throttle on saws so) but besides that I think with alot of work and tuning and etc these saws could be pretty decent

 

[sean donato]

I don't think they still take in the old craftsman tool when they break do they? pretty sure they stop. I still have one of the older 25 foot tape measures probably from the late 90's or early 2000's. still works but the numbers are pretty worn.

ace hardware and Lowes, but they have to have the same model number in stock, and thats a crap show tbh. Tgeres a customer number i found once, lress this number and that till you get a human. Even more frustration, but they will send you an exchange tool. Just dont hold your breath till they show up. I have one yellow and a few red 25 foot tape measures around yet, but they haven't exchanged them in years. Just been replacing them as they wear out.

 

[flatsfisher]

mine is the silver one with the bottom you press in to retract.

 

[Crftrapper535]

Ha what was about people's chainsaws that were the little saws that could have turned to tapes may I join in with my dollar tree 25ft tape and how it's the most worthless junk I've got

 

[diver64]

ACE Hardware will replace them, though only once, last I heard.

Look online for the number and call them. I broke a ratchet, called and they wanted the size and number off the side of it had one then sent me a new one.

 

[Sloughfoot]

I'll definitely do that

Time to talk about the little saw that could and if anyone else has a little saw that could heres the story on mine it was March 2023 and I was scrolling on good ole facebook marketplace and came across 2 saw deal 2 black max 38cc saws 2 for 25 1 had a heavy used and bent 16 inch bar other had a random black bar 14 inch with some rusty Oregon chain so having some spare time that day I picked up both saws and got a included bar cover for the 16 inch bar and a bent scrench so opon getting home both saws had gas in them and they were used for 2 years so I threw the 14 inch bar away and got a wild hair that hey I happen to have a 18 inch bar and chain 62 dl just collecting dust so I put it on the saw left the 16 inch bar and saw alone set it back took the 18 inch bar and saw out to play with cut about 3 wild cherry trees around 12 to 13 inches big no problem then went to my scrap pile and found some 16 to 18 inch red oaks that were not rotten and about 9 foot logs to with knots and belive it or nor that little 38cc saw just zapped threw it no problem ran about 5 tanks of gas threw it and had it so hot I swore the plastic was melting off and it had burnt the hair off my hand so I let it cool down and thought it's definitely dead now be surprised nope it's good so I just set it back and waited for a good job to use it on and I did had 2 big branches fall 1 a walnut and 2 a Hickory both about 14 to 15 inches big and the saw absolutely ran threw them no problem so then just little playing around and cut up about 5 Rick's or so of oak with it then the big job came a huge huge 28 inch water oak and a 23 inch red oak and a 18 inch white oak fell across a local road I happen to be on and so I thought well hell I'll blow this little saw up on these nope no problem cut all three up in a day and yet again the saw was so hot I swore the metal inside was red hot but nope let it cool for 6 hours took if in no problem so about 2 months go by cutting elm and Hickory and maple all of which small trees and daily it was fine but then......... the cursed one a medium size red oak that was down that was the blame for killing saws and almost some one well I thought it should kill this saw to and it did and didn't it was about 28 feet long and from the top 16 inches and the bottom well I'm not to forsure cut about almost all 28 feet just had maybe 5 feet left and it happened I was giving the saw all it had the muffler bolts by this time were red hot and welded themselves to the muffler and I got it all cut up even that 5 ft and set the saw down turned it off to go down for a drink I come back up and boom I try to start the saw and its hard to pull the rope and its squeaking and won't start so now the other saw has the same bar and chain and is in service and so far it's giving my friends poulans and small huskys a run for there money

That's what I do when a saw makes a good first impression, everything imaginable to kill it.

 

[Crftrapper535]

That's what I do when a saw makes a good first impression, everything imaginable to kill it.

Yep this one honestly did better than my poulan Cause these 2 set for 2 years and been uses of and on and I didn't clean no fuel lines or Nothing left the old gas in ran it out of gas put new in and we'll rest is history

 

[Chucksta]

Man I wish this thing had some Dogs on it /well it does but they suck pretty hard and when it comes to overheating we're talking about Chinese saws so seriously this thing would overheat in minus 30 weather and damn I didn't know there was a thing as 70:1 mix also assuming your in Alaska ain't that softwood country here in the midwest it's hardwood and if you have ever tried to cut chickepin (think I spelled that right) it's hard as **** even to split with a axe you have to use wedges but I will admit the trigger gives me the fizz and so I'm sorta (trigger happy and have a thing with full throttle on saws so) but besides that I think with alot of work and tuning and etc these saws could be pretty decent

Lol.. No,,.. not in Alaska.. About 4 hours North of Toronto, Ontario. All kinds of different trees, Oak, Maple, Poplar, mixed softwoods, Pine, Fir, etc. Hot and sweaty in the Summer, and cold and Snow in the Winter ( this year not so much. Only had the sleds out twice).
The 70 to 1 mix is what I use with Amsoil Saber Synthetic. The say that you can go 100 to 1 ratio, but, I don't see the need to push it that far.

 

[Crftrapper535]

Lol.. No,,.. not in Alaska.. About 4 hours North of Toronto, Ontario. All kinds of different trees, Oak, Maple, Poplar, mixed softwoods, Pine, Fir, etc. Hot and sweaty in the Summer, and cold and Snow in the Winter ( this year not so much. Only had the sleds out twice).
The 70 to 1 mix is what I use with Amsoil Saber Synthetic. The say that you can go 100 to 1 ratio, but, I don't see the need to push it that far.

Oh ha good ole Canada ? Unfortunately we ain't had much snow here in missouri not enough to break out the sleds just enough to get ice and car wrecks 100 to 1 just sounds crazy

 

[Chucksta]

Oh ha good ole Canada ? Unfortunately we ain't had much snow here in missouri not enough to break out the sleds just enough to get ice and car wrecks 100 to 1 just sounds crazy

Yup... Amsoil claims 100 to 1 ratio "proven", with Saber. ( Google it!). But, then again, there's a difference between mix ratios depending on how much is pure Synthetic. Stuff that was spec'd for 32 to 1, 40 to 1 , 50 to 1, that was built 20 or 30 years ago, was never tested with a modern Synthetic. I've run it at 70 to 1 in everything I've got.. That includes Lawnboys, that spec'd 32 to 1 mix, newer Echos', and old school Stihl. As much as I see the advertising that it'll be "safe" at 100 to 1, I just didn't see the need to try that out at my own expense. I've ran it ( Saber ), at 70 to one for well over a decade, and haven't had a problem. No issues on maintenance, exhaust fouling, plug fouling, excessive smoke ( actually, virtually no exhaust smoke.. ever ). If I'm running clean, with no worries, and not fouling plugs, or burning engines,, just stay in the zone. Equipment that's over 15 years old ( bought new), and, equipment that's well over 20 years old, ( bought used), that just loves the mix. But, always Premium, Ethanol free gas, with a splash of SeaFoam, with the 70 to 1 mix.
Snow free Missouri?.. So, it"s not just here! This year, my sled cost me $500.00.. $250.00 for insurance.. $250.00 for a "Trail pass".. There wasn't one day when the trails were open here. So, for the one day that I went 4 miles and went ice fishing, my sled cost me about $125.00 a mile.. Up here, I should have had good sledding from Mid December, until mid March.. "Effin global warming!!
Got a really nice 2018 Polaris 600 Indy that's going up for sale next fall. That sucks. Just me and the wife, and we have 4 sleds.. Just in case we have company. Can't justify the cost, when there's no longer a skidoo season. Gonna keep 2, and the old 2002 MXZ, for a spare.. If next season is like this season, then they are all gone. 4 hours North of Toronto, and there's no snow??