# Stihl 029 compared to Stihl MS290



## MontanaBob

Ok. This is my first year with a wood burning stove and you know once in a while something exceeds your expectations and certainly this experience with our Englander 13 has!  Now for part 2 of wood burning fun: chainsaws.

I have used my 14" Craftsman 36cc for 15 years now for general use. While this saw has been awesome it is time for something bigger/better. I have read a ton of posts (thanks for all the advice) and narrowed my choices partly be our small town limitations to Husky Rancher (box store), Echo cs-400 (box store) and Stihl many choices (only local saw dealer in our town).  I will be cutting about 3 cords per year of 10-14" diameter pine out here in the Rockies.  I am 40 and in good shape. $300 - $400 is about my max. The Stihl dealer reccommended the MS290 Farm Boss which retails for $379.  Now for my long-winded question: I have the opportunity to purchase a Stihl 029 20" bar, used very little about 10 years old for $150. Great price I believe, but does the re-named MS 290 have any performance or safety advances the 029 did not have? While I love a deal, I do want to sacrifice performance and safety.  Thanks....


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## fattyfat1

get the 029 and save your hard earned money. no need to spend 250+ dollars on crap you'll never notice between the two saws. buy an extra couple of chains, maybe a longer bar, and feel good you are money ahead. Or, jump on the bandwagon and go buy a dolmer or dolmar or whatever. everyone else is.........


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## aandabooks

The 029 Super is todays MS290 without the flippy caps.  Screw on with the older models.  The 029 is a slightly less powerful model in that it wears a smaller bore cylinder and therefore is less cc's.  Don't know which way I would go in that situation since I can't see the 029.  A 20" bar would be max on the 029 and a 16" would fit it a little beter since you said your cutting 10-14" trees.


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## MontanaBob

oops...Last line I meant to say I did NOT want to sacrifice safety and peformance....


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## Bigg_Redd

fattyfat1 said:
			
		

> get the 029 and save your hard earned money. no need to spend 250+ dollars on crap you'll never notice between the two saws. buy an extra couple of chains, maybe a longer bar, and feel good you are money ahead. Or,* jump on the bandwagon and go buy a dolmer or dolmar or whatever. everyone else is*.........



I second this.  

All the cool kids are buying Dolmers.


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## EatenByLimestone

I thought about the 5100 and ended up with the 290 because of a lack of Dolmar dealers in my area.  IF anything should ever go wrong I wanted a place to go.   A sharp chain on a 290 will melt through oak and maple like butter and it hardly realizes the pine is even there.  

I think the 029 would work just fine, but that's me.  A slightly larger or smaller engine would be hard to notice with a sharp chain.   If you went with a shorter bar you would pick up most of that lost power.   

Matt


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## MontanaBob

Closest Dolmar dealer is 75 miles away.


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## LLigetfa

PFFT! That's just a one hour drive.  A Dolmer fanboy would walk that distance.  I have to drive 4 or more hours to get to the nearest major city.


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## NoPaint

I will start by saying I own 2 Sachs Dolmar saws. 1 is an actual Sachs Dolmar and the other is a Makita which is a rebadged Sachs Dolmar. My newest saw is a 1997-1998. Bought both used. You can BURY the chain in oak, idle the engine and then goose the throttle and it will start cutting again. It will do the same with Locust and Walnut. 

My HONEST suggestion: Get a brand new saw. Things like rings and cylinder walls don't last forever. Even sitting can cause condensation to form and when you fire it up it can score the cylinder. You won't be sorry with the higher power, lower noise, and probably reduced smoke of the newer saw. I would say look at Echo too because they make very friendly 2-strokes.


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## Highbeam

That 150$ stihl might be a gem. If you could test run it, maybe take it to town for a compression check and general looking over by a pro it would be great. Sitting outside in the rain for 10 years is different than being well maintained/cleaned and stored properly in the closet for 10 years. Most people will fall somewhere in the middle.


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## buildingmaint

I would buy both . Nice to have a rescue saw when you get one pinched. 
Oh I know none of you ever get one pinched , well I do . And if you ever 
got one pinched and did not have the other saw , you would spend the 
cash for another lol. Even the guys on AXEMAN get their saws pinched.
Main saw Stihl 290, rescue saw Poulan something or another , bought at yard sale for $
50.00 brand new. Horrible saw to run .


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## pelletizer

029 for $150.00 dude if you can test run it like Highbeam says, Then keep the craftsman as a back up and lighter duty saw, 
I had one and they are nice, does the owner have the original 16" bar and chain I think that's what it came with.


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## BJ64

I like the feel of the older 029 for some reason.  If worst comes to the old saw I think a jug and piston replacement cost around $200.  My experience has to do if the saw starts quickly enough.  I burned the rings and scored the cylinder an old 028 with a bad fuel/oil mix.   The result was that the saw was hard to start.  It took quite a few pulls because it did not have enough compression.


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## ccwhite

You've been running a Craftsman with 36ccs. The 029 is around 56ccs if memory serves. Not to mention the jump in overall quality. At $150 if it runs good, why spend the extra cash on new. Then in a couple years you can talk the ol' lady into letting you get the ms460


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## smokinj

If the 029 is a good runner thats they way to go!


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## WidowMaker

Buy the 029, do a muffler mod, a 20" bar and the chain of your choice will put a smile on your face for many  many cords of wood...


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## fullbore

For $150 the 029 is good firewood saw.  If your buying new, the MS390 is a few dollars more and will handle a 20" bar better.


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## ozarkjeep

Ive got an 029super, and a newer ms310 ( similar to the ms290)

the 029 is just as good of a saw.

get the $150 used saw.

oh, and to repeat what was said above, a 20" bar is max for an 029, you might be alright in softwood with it, but Id say 16 or 18" would be better, the saw is pretty hefty as it is.


those saws are easy to work on, easy to get parts for, and cut really well, even though they are not considered " pro" saws by most Stih saw buffs.


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## ccwhite

I don't think you need the 20" bar. You said you're cutting 10" - 14" Rounds and you've been getting along with a 14" bar. With a 16" bar that 029 should never even grunt. With a 20" you will bog it down at times. I run a 039 with an 18" bar ... no trouble with power. With an 18" bar I can cut up to a 36" round but I rarely cut anything more than about 24". Now if you just WANT the 20" bar then that's a different thing. Just get the 039/ms390. It will handle it nicely.

PS: there's a good reason why the Stihl 029 "Farm Boss" is the Most popular chainsaw in America.


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## burntime

I have a 029 super farm boss, was going to buy a ms361, the more I thought about it, the saw is 8 years old, I replaced the bar and it still runs and looks like new.  Compression is right up there and it starts with 1 or 2 pulls...  Why spend money when you don't have to.  Get the 150.00 saw if it runs good.  The jump will be impressive from your old saw.  By the way, I have cut up several oaks 36 inchs at chest height with mine and a 18 or 20 inch bar.  I run the oil slightly heavy.  Not sure if it makes that much difference but it still is running strong after approx 50 plus cords of burnt firewood, plus neighbors, trimming, and a side job or two :cheese:


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