Chainsaw Conundrum

[Exmasonite]

Hey all.... looking for some insight on a chainsaw purchase.

Background: Moved in to a new house this past fall, have a wood stove that i'm trying to use to do about 70-80% of heating (a little fuel oil in the AM to get the house warm so my wife won't divorce me). Figure I'll probably go through 3-5 cords? (Have done through about 1.5 cord so far this winter). House has 9 acres, 8 of them pretty wooded. Already have 2 felled trees (a maple and an oak, about 22-24" trunk) ready to process.

So, have been looking to purchase a chainsaw. A family member, with the best of intentions, got me a box store Homelite 42cc saw kit (16" bar). I know this isn't going to be the saw to do what I need... but want to hold onto it for limbing (and b/c i don't want to insult the gift giver).

I have been looking at Stihl and think that's what I want to go with so let's stick to with that.

Was about ready to pull the trigger on a MS 290 Farm Boss with an 18 or 20" bar at the local Stihl dealer today when I notice a used model they have for sale... It's a MS 260 pro with a 20" bar. It was purchased new on 1/12/10 by a friend of the shop owner (who of course says that his friend takes "great care" of his gear). That being said, the saw looks in great shape. Little-no wear or burring on the bar.

New Farm Boss with 20" bar is $379.

The used 260 Pro is asking $350.

Given my situation, what should I go with? Take the chance on the 260 or get the new (but heavy, i know) 290?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

Hey all.... looking for some insight on a chainsaw purchase.

Background: Moved in to a new house this past fall, have a wood stove that i'm trying to use to do about 70-80% of heating (a little fuel oil in the AM to get the house warm so my wife won't divorce me). Figure I'll probably go through 3-5 cords? (Have done through about 1.5 cord so far this winter). House has 9 acres, 8 of them pretty wooded. Already have 2 felled trees (a maple and an oak, about 22-24" trunk) ready to process.

So, have been looking to purchase a chainsaw. A family member, with the best of intentions, got me a box store Homelite 42cc saw kit (16" bar). I know this isn't going to be the saw to do what I need... but want to hold onto it for limbing (and b/c i don't want to insult the gift giver).

I have been looking at Stihl and think that's what I want to go with so let's stick to with that.

Was about ready to pull the trigger on a MS 290 Farm Boss with an 18 or 20" bar at the local Stihl dealer today when I notice a used model they have for sale... It's a MS 260 pro with a 20" bar. It was purchased new on 1/12/10 by a friend of the shop owner (who of course says that his friend takes "great care" of his gear). That being said, the saw looks in great shape. Little-no wear or burring on the bar.

New Farm Boss with 20" bar is $379.

The used 260 Pro is asking $350.

Given my situation, what should I go with? Take the chance on the 260 or get the new (but heavy, i know) 290?

Thanks in advance.

I'd probably go with the 260, but, one year from now you'll be completely satisfied either way. True story.

 

[CATSCAN]

New one comes with a 1 year warranty. I had work done on my MS 290 under a year. I would buy new for $29 diff. Unless you really like the used one.

 

[thinkxingu]

No question: get the pro saw. Sure, the 290 has a great reliability record, but the 260 is known to be bulletproof and much lighter.

S

 

[peterc38]

Whats your budget? MS260 is a nice saw but for 22-24" diameter trees I'd want a bigger saw (60-70 cc) if this is what you are typically going to be dealing with.

 

[zzr7ky]

I would go with a 60-70cc saw. I'm often cutting similar sized hardwood. My 62cc Makita/Dolmar is great, but may get upsized to 79cc's.

You already have a handy small saw for limbing.


Also get a good chain for the Homelite.

Enjoy!

 

[Exmasonite]

Thanks for the info and advice.

Peter- You ask a great question (budget) that I should have answered....

With the new house, there are tons of bills and new expenditures. I may or may not have a slight propensity for going overboard at times (if it's true, i'm blaming genetics!) and am trying to be rather reasonable on this one. So, i'm really looking to keep this under $400. If this catches, i see bigger saws in my future but want to test the waters first, make sure i'm going to be committed to processing all the wood myself. Hope that makes sense.

Initially, i was going for the "one saw" solution, the 290/270 was the option. When i got the small homelite, i was debating getting a "bigger" saw like the 362 or something but realized i'm contemplating multiple chainsaws without having cut a single piece of wood.

For the amount of wood i'll be cutting (~ 5 cords year, maybe double that the first year to get my feet wet and a proper wood supply), do i need to go bigger than the 260 or 290? Also, the 22-24" trees that are down (had them felled the week we bought the house since they were dead and close to the home) are definitely the upper limit of what i'm going to be dealing with.

 

[zzr7ky]

Hi -

Check out the local Home Depot rental places for a Makita 6401 that's for sale. You should be able to get out of the whole deal for well under $400 with new bar and a few chains.

It is a very good saw for what you describe. Bigger saws are quite a bit quicker than small saws, well worth it IMHO.

ATB,
Mike

 

[CSAW]

They probably have a lot more wiggle room for offers on the used saw. May help sway you.

 

[brages]

The used like-new 260 is a much better deal than the 290. Hp on the saws is close, but the 260 is way lighter. IMO, the 260 is better with a 16" bar than an 18". I have not tried a 20" and I don't want to!

You're not taking much of a risk; the saw shop is not going to be risking its reputation by selling junk. Get the 260 - $350 is a good dealer price. I just sold one in "pretty good" shape for $285 on Craigslist.

 

[Mcbride]

Offer them 300 for the used saw.

 

[smokinj]

Hey all.... looking for some insight on a chainsaw purchase.

Background: Moved in to a new house this past fall, have a wood stove that i'm trying to use to do about 70-80% of heating (a little fuel oil in the AM to get the house warm so my wife won't divorce me). Figure I'll probably go through 3-5 cords? (Have done through about 1.5 cord so far this winter). House has 9 acres, 8 of them pretty wooded. Already have 2 felled trees (a maple and an oak, about 22-24" trunk) ready to process.

So, have been looking to purchase a chainsaw. A family member, with the best of intentions, got me a box store Homelite 42cc saw kit (16" bar). I know this isn't going to be the saw to do what I need... but want to hold onto it for limbing (and b/c i don't want to insult the gift giver).

I have been looking at Stihl and think that's what I want to go with so let's stick to with that.

Was about ready to pull the trigger on a MS 290 Farm Boss with an 18 or 20" bar at the local Stihl dealer today when I notice a used model they have for sale... It's a MS 260 pro with a 20" bar. It was purchased new on 1/12/10 by a friend of the shop owner (who of course says that his friend takes "great care" of his gear). That being said, the saw looks in great shape. Little-no wear or burring on the bar.

New Farm Boss with 20" bar is $379.

The used 260 Pro is asking $350.

Given my situation, what should I go with? Take the chance on the 260 or get the new (but heavy, i know) 290?

Thanks in advance.

I'd probably go with the 260, but, one year from now you'll be completely satisfied either way. True story.

+1

 

[HittinSteel]

I'd be looking seriously at a 60-70cc saw.

 

[Exmasonite]

Thanks for all the info and keep it coming. I am leaning toward the 260.... run it for a year, probably cut a little slower than i'd like (based on your opinions) but get the job done reliably. After that, reevaluate and add another saw if necessary- maybe a 311, 391, 362. A bigger saw would be nice but for only 5-6 cords/year, do i really need a 441, 461, etc?

 

[pyper]

I got a 310.

It has anti-vibration stuff built in. It runs smoother than my little box store saw with half the displacement.

It will cut through 8" limbs about as fast as I care to lower it through them.

It's more saw than I need, but I figure it will last forever, and I'd rather have too much tool than not enough.

 

[smokinj]

Thanks for all the info and keep it coming. I am leaning toward the 260.... run it for a year, probably cut a little slower than i'd like (based on your opinions) but get the job done reliably. After that, reevaluate and add another saw if necessary- maybe a 311, 391, 362. A bigger saw would be nice but for only 5-6 cords/year, do i really need a 441, 461, etc?

260 or 290 perfect for what your doing and many on this forum are doing alot more than that with those saws.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Both of those saws will cut 5 cords a year just fine (that's about what I do a year). The main reason I got a MS390 instead of the 290 because at the time the price difference between it and a 290 was around $100. I think the new 391 has increased the delta between it and the 290 though.

 

[midwestcoast]

Thanks for all the info and keep it coming. I am leaning toward the 260.... run it for a year, probably cut a little slower than i'd like (based on your opinions) but get the job done reliably. After that, reevaluate and add another saw if necessary- maybe a 311, 391, 362. A bigger saw would be nice but for only 5-6 cords/year, do i really need a 441, 461, etc?

I'd go for the 260 as well. That's an excellent firewood saw and there's no need for a bigger saw unless you need to cut big wood. A 20-30" tree here & there is no problem. If you'll be in that size wood all the time I'd go for a bigger saw.
There would really be no need for that Homelite with the 260, take it back now if possible. The giver will get over it & no sense wasting that $. Good intentions don't cut wood or heat your home.

 

[kevin j]

I'd go the 260 hands down because of the weight. For me a few ounces is really noticeable, a pound is huge.
Then, a year later, if you want to go bigger, you have more spread between the light saw and the new bigger saw.

You won't use the box store saw much, the 260will be the same weight and way faster. A muffler modification wakes up the Poulans a lot though.



Or, would the 290 be your one saw to do it all? That is quite reasonable also. You could stay at one saw, but you would have the weight of the bigger saw but power of the smaller saw.
And if you add a bigger saw, you have two heavier saws just with different power. So the 290 would not get much use after that.


My 026 (bought used) was my 'big' saw for a long time after moving up from free and patched up junk. I did some pretty big (for here anyway. Maybe max 36 inch bucked up on the ground, maybe 24 inch felling) stuff with it, just slower. Since almost everything I get is 20 inches and under, it did just fine. I have a 20 inch .325 bar and it does fine, just need a light touch. I like the longer bar for more reach when limbing. 20 inch, 3/8, I think would be a dog though.

I have a 7900 for the big stuff not because the 026 can't do it and I NEED the bigger saw. I have the dolkita because it is a fun toy and I rationalize that I want if for the big stuff. I probably only 'need' it 2 tanks a year. The rest is fun, but in reality the 026 could do it all.

All depends on personal preference. Even the box store saw is way better than a hand saw, and people made do with hand saws and axes for thousands of years.

kcj

 

[lukem]

260 is a good saw. Got some umph for a "small" saw and is lightweight. If you get it you'll never pick up that Homelite again unless you have to.

Unless you are routinely cutting 20" plus I think you'd be fine with the 260. My FIL heated his home with nothing but a 026 for decades. He gave me the 031 in my signature because he didn't want to/need to wield a bigger saw.

Buy the 260...it's already depreciated...run it for a year and if you think you need more sell it and look for a larger used pro saw. Or keep it and buy a bigger pro saw too. You're not going to lose your @$$ if you turn around and sell it after some light use (what you'd be doing with it)...but you would take a hit if you wanted a larger saw after buying a new 290.

 

[FLINT]

I agree,

I would get the 260, but I would definitely swap out that 20" bar for a 16" bar. I think you would love that saw way more with a 16" bar - and probably 90% of what you do will be just fine with the 16" and the 10% that might be done better with the 20" bar wont be worth the lack of power you'll have with it.

I've been using an ancient 028 for several years with a 16" bar and its done everything that I've asked it - I think I would have replaced it by now if I tried to run a 20" on it.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Rather than advise I'll just state what I have. I've had the Stihl Farm Boss 290 for several years (I think 2002 when I got it). This is my first Stihl saw and I like it. I could have my choice of bars; 16", 18" or 20". I chose the 16 inch and have not been sorry. It does all the cutting I need to do as I have no intention of running a saw with a 36" bar again! I did enough of that. Now I need the lighter weight and that also is why I got the 16". I've cut many trees in the 30-32" range with no problem. Yes, it does take a little longer to go through those big logs but not that much. I am not cutting commercially but only for myself so the little bit of extra time is a non-issue for me. I cut usually from 5-10 cord per year with this little saw and it has been trouble free, even if my body hasn't.

One thing I will say about the new vs. the older saw. Stihl has had to make some changes in the newer saws, I think to comply with the emissions problem. With that I have heard of some problems they are having with the carburetors. I don't think it is very serious but have heard some grumbling from a few folks. I had to laugh when a neighbor found a deal on a Stihl with the old carburetor and he bought it even though he already has 2 other ones. He just did not want to deal with the new saw problems.


btw, I recently had a fellow come to cut some wood and he has a new 90 cc Husky saw. Yes, there is no doubt it will saw through the logs much faster than mine will but I am not about to lug that behemoth around the woods! It is a sweet saw though but I doubt it is any better than a Stihl saw with the same size engine and bar. It is funny watching someone with a 36" bar cutting a 5" limb!

 

[Stump_Branch]

I have a 290. I love it. 20" bar probably more then I truely need, I am presently cutting some large oaks (36" 42" dia) and find it nice to have. Shes heavy though.
260 is a PRO saw, has decompression valve needle bearings one peice 'block' very nice new around here they go for $570's, I got my 290 for $300 something. the 290 has PRO bits and pieces. My guess is Sthil wants their trademark named saws to be known for reliablity so they dont skimp the whole thing (sthil isnt known for being skimpy, im just using the term for reference) I know the 290 comes with needle bearings and a forged crackshaft like the pro's which makes it a true inbetween model, very good for just firewood.

but at that price the 260 sounds like a good deal. That and from what i gather the new 291* is coming soon, maybe get a good handle on this one and if you find some coin laying around pick up the 290 later on.

 

[avc8130]

Let me do the same as Backwoods and give my experience rather than advice.

I recently bought a used MS361. I LOVE it. No, seriously, I do, literally.

I toyed with what to buy for a few weeks. I tried a friends MS270 and found it adequate, but lathargic. Another friend's MS290 was similar, but better. I was all set to buy an MS391 brand new. My logic was this: I knew I wanted to run a 20" bar with NO issues. The 290 is supposedly good for that, but more power is always better, right? I am just a guy living on 13 acres running a wood stove. I didn't think I needed a pro saw. I just wanted something that would work and last.

Suddenly the 361 was up on C-list. The saw was in mint shape and priced right at what the 290 would have cost me: $375. I made a post and pretty much everyone questioned my sanity for why I was sitting around reading crap on the interweb rather than out buying the saw.

This brings me back to the 2nd line. I LOVE this 361. It has the weight of the 270 with the power of, well nothing I had ever considered. I will buy pro saws from here on out. Not because I NEED it, but because it works better. They are all lighter and all better made than the midrange saws.

Jump on that 260. You will love it. It will love you. The 290 is lying buying a Civic. It works, everyone has one. The 260 will be like buying a Corvette, lighter, faster and a status symbol amongst your wood buddies.
ac

 

[lukem]

Let me do the same as Backwoods and give my experience rather than advice.

I recently bought a used MS361. I LOVE it. No, seriously, I do, literally.

I toyed with what to buy for a few weeks. I tried a friends MS270 and found it adequate, but lathargic. Another friend's MS290 was similar, but better. I was all set to buy an MS391 brand new. My logic was this: I knew I wanted to run a 20" bar with NO issues. The 290 is supposedly good for that, but more power is always better, right? I am just a guy living on 13 acres running a wood stove. I didn't think I needed a pro saw. I just wanted something that would work and last.

Suddenly the 361 was up on C-list. The saw was in mint shape and priced right at what the 290 would have cost me: $375. I made a post and pretty much everyone questioned my sanity for why I was sitting around reading crap on the interweb rather than out buying the saw.

This brings me back to the 2nd line. I LOVE this 361. It has the weight of the 270 with the power of, well nothing I had ever considered. I will buy pro saws from here on out. Not because I NEED it, but because it works better. They are all lighter and all better made than the midrange saws.

Jump on that 260. You will love it. It will love you. The 290 is lying buying a Civic. It works, everyone has one. The 260 will be like buying a Corvette, lighter, faster and a status symbol amongst your wood buddies.
ac

If, and this pretty rare, you can find a smokin deal on a used 361 jump all over it. You will not regret it. I sure as hell don't. Got it for 300 and can't imagine running anything else. If you can be patient they will come available.