I need a liitle help identifying my new saw

[ScotO]

Thanks for the ID on the saw.

I cut up a giant maple at my Mom's house up in Fremont NH this past Wednesday. 16" to 32" in diameter. No problems, but wow, I hold that saw tight.. Gotta be fighting this saw sometimes.
I read a bunch of post about buying a new saw over running these old saws. not sure what I think about it but I will be buying a helmet.
This saw cuts fast like u would not believe.

There's nothin wrong with that old saw, it will long outlive any of these new saws.....yes the old saws vibrate more, yes they are heavier, no they don't rev as high as the new ones....but they will be cuttin in 20 years while the new plastic ones will not be.....just use common sense, awareness, and always watch what you are doing...oh and use earplugs with that XL 'cause they are LOUD.....

Hey Scotty, I see you over on the other forum. Question....would you go back to a pre EPA stove???? If the answer is no then why you so bull headed on the saws thing?

One other thing, you know the guys cuttin BIG wood, out in northern CA and up in the Pacific NW, up in Canada, the guys cutting the REALLY big stuff.....why do a lot of those outfits run Stihl 090 and 090G's?.....with all these modern day marvel chainsaws out there, why do they use that old 138cc beast? because of it's legendary durability....you don't find that anymore......I'm not bashin ya, bud.....just making a point ;-)

 

[lctatlp]

wow, I didn't try to start a fight here. Just looking for an idea about this big ass red saw I got here.
Helmet anyone?

 

[ScotO]

wow, I didn't try to start a fight here. Just looking for an idea about this big ass red saw I got here.
Helmet anyone?

No fights, just some of us stubborn woodheads speaking our beliefs ;-)......no hard feelings, it's all good!

 

[ScotO]

Could be the low speed idle. I did take it to McDougals up here.
What should the compression test read?

Optimum compression, with a used saw like that, should be in the 130-150lb range......you get a saw that's down around 90-100lb, she's got issues.....quick way to home test compression, pull out the plug, hold yer thumb over the spark plug hole and have someone else pull the saw over for ya....if it moves yer thumb and hisses a good bit, you should have plenty of compression to fire it.....that would be the redneck way to test her out, of course a compression gauge is best....

 

[ScotO]

The XL ran just fine, although it may need a carb rebuild, or something else... not sure. Under 50% throttle it is bogging, once I get over that it rips.
Do you guys know where I can find a 20" for my saw? I got the saw with an 18" blade and chain but I was told it came with a 20"

I recently had to overhaul my father-in-law's XL 12, both bar bolts were stripped out so I replaced the case with one from the boneyard.....anyway, that saw sat for years and years (he did a lot of logging in the mid 80's), and he just started burning wood again last fall......upon taking it apart the rubber lines and hoses, as wkpoor said, were gooey and shot.....replaced that line to the fuel tank (very easy fix), and also installed a good screen filter on that line, pulled the carb apart and kitted it, that saw runs like a top......and it will easily turn a 24" bar all day long, so 20 would be a good option for ya.....also look for a bucking spike on ebay...that makes cutting firewood so much easier.....either way, if the saw has compression and spark it will run, just need to get the bugs out of it.....your bogging issue sounds to me like it could even possibly be the high low screws need tweaked.....but if that saw sat around, I would def. do the maintanence, and while yer at it replace the spark plug.....that model of saw was produced for DECADES, may possibly be the longest run of any chainsaw ever made....those old Homelites kicked ass......

 

[wkpoor]

Thanks for the ID on the saw.

I cut up a giant maple at my Mom's house up in Fremont NH this past Wednesday. 16" to 32" in diameter. No problems, but wow, I hold that saw tight.. Gotta be fighting this saw sometimes.
I read a bunch of post about buying a new saw over running these old saws. not sure what I think about it but I will be buying a helmet.
This saw cuts fast like u would not believe.

There's nothin wrong with that old saw, it will long outlive any of these new saws.....yes the old saws vibrate more, yes they are heavier, no they don't rev as high as the new ones....but they will be cuttin in 20 years while the new plastic ones will not be.....just use common sense, awareness, and always watch what you are doing...oh and use earplugs with that XL 'cause they are LOUD.....

Hey Scotty, I see you over on the other forum. Question....would you go back to a pre EPA stove???? If the answer is no then why you so bull headed on the saws thing?

Actually I have a pre-EPA stove, in my workshop.....and my answer is, if the new EPA stoves didn't impress me, then yes I would....but these new EPA stoves DO impress me....I have run the newer saws, many of them.....don't get me wrong, they are lightweight and all, but I am bullheaded about the old stuff because it holds up better.....my buddy who cuts with me has an MS290, running an 18" bar, and the thing is a turd if you try to muscle it at all....I can push my old 041av to the limit and have a hard time bogging it down, I even got pinched in a huge willow with that Super this year and had to step back and let mother nature do her thing.....sure when it came down it did some damage, but I went over to that saw, pulled the cord and it started right back up.....later that evening I had it back together with parts from my Stihl graveyard and she was good as new again.....my other buddy has a MS660 Magnum, nice and light, screams like a banshee, but my 075 will turn bigger bars, and if you ask me it will run circles around that saw....maybe not as fast but I don't have a thousand dollars wrapped up in my saw, either....My point here is, I like what I like, you like what you like.....you talked about racing saws, I find racing saws senseless....just my personal opinion....I use my saws for cutting a lot of wood, sometimes very big jobs (I probably went through almost 15 gallons of gas this year alone), and I enjoy tinkering on them, I do all my own work and repairs (even building the dual ported mufflers, I even forge my own bucking spikes on a farrier's forge),....you may find all that stuff senseless, but I enjoy doing that...the moral of the story, I ain't knockin you for what you like, so why you knockin me? I just don't like the plastic crap, which all of these modern saws are anymore.....if I had to break down and buy a new saw, it would be a redmax......even my beloved Stihls do not impress me anymore.....they've all gone chain-store crazy, just like the sub-grade John Deeres sold at Lowes..all in the name of commercialism...so I am sticking with my old magnesium junk.....it serves me well!

Redmax and Solo are very close to each other. Not many Solo dealers around. I have never seen a hotter out of the box saw than the Solo 681. Maybe new 7900s might be there now but that 681 is a smokin beast. I always pull it out at GTGs and make a few quartering cuts so guys can see just how much muscle is there.

 

[smokinj]

Thanks for the ID on the saw.

I cut up a giant maple at my Mom's house up in Fremont NH this past Wednesday. 16" to 32" in diameter. No problems, but wow, I hold that saw tight.. Gotta be fighting this saw sometimes.
I read a bunch of post about buying a new saw over running these old saws. not sure what I think about it but I will be buying a helmet.
This saw cuts fast like u would not believe.

There's nothin wrong with that old saw, it will long outlive any of these new saws.....yes the old saws vibrate more, yes they are heavier, no they don't rev as high as the new ones....but they will be cuttin in 20 years while the new plastic ones will not be.....just use common sense, awareness, and always watch what you are doing...oh and use earplugs with that XL 'cause they are LOUD.....

Hey Scotty, I see you over on the other forum. Question....would you go back to a pre EPA stove???? If the answer is no then why you so bull headed on the saws thing?

Actually I have a pre-EPA stove, in my workshop.....and my answer is, if the new EPA stoves didn't impress me, then yes I would....but these new EPA stoves DO impress me....I have run the newer saws, many of them.....don't get me wrong, they are lightweight and all, but I am bullheaded about the old stuff because it holds up better.....my buddy who cuts with me has an MS290, running an 18" bar, and the thing is a turd if you try to muscle it at all....I can push my old 041av to the limit and have a hard time bogging it down, I even got pinched in a huge willow with that Super this year and had to step back and let mother nature do her thing.....sure when it came down it did some damage, but I went over to that saw, pulled the cord and it started right back up.....later that evening I had it back together with parts from my Stihl graveyard and she was good as new again.....my other buddy has a MS660 Magnum, nice and light, screams like a banshee, but my 075 will turn bigger bars, and if you ask me it will run circles around that saw....maybe not as fast but I don't have a thousand dollars wrapped up in my saw, either....My point here is, I like what I like, you like what you like.....you talked about racing saws, I find racing saws senseless....just my personal opinion....I use my saws for cutting a lot of wood, sometimes very big jobs (I probably went through almost 15 gallons of gas this year alone), and I enjoy tinkering on them, I do all my own work and repairs (even building the dual ported mufflers, I even forge my own bucking spikes on a farrier's forge),....you may find all that stuff senseless, but I enjoy doing that...the moral of the story, I ain't knockin you for what you like, so why you knockin me? I just don't like the plastic crap, which all of these modern saws are anymore.....if I had to break down and buy a new saw, it would be a redmax......even my beloved Stihls do not impress me anymore.....they've all gone chain-store crazy, just like the sub-grade John Deeres sold at Lowes..all in the name of commercialism...so I am sticking with my old magnesium junk.....it serves me well!

Redmax and Solo are very close to each other. Not many Solo dealers around. I have never seen a hotter out of the box saw than the Solo 681. Maybe new 7900s might be there now but that 681 is a smokin beast. I always pull it out at GTGs and make a few quartering cuts so guys can see just how much muscle is there.

For the price and out of the box does make them really strong saw. Is the price still low or has that caught up with them yet?

 

[wkpoor]

I'm afraid the good ole low price days are over. Last I checked that 681 was about a grand. 250.00 more than I paid and nearest dealer to me is a state away. I hear ordering parts over the net works pretty good. Thankfully I haven't needed a thing. However Dolmar has a pretty decent dealer network and last GTG I was at it seemed that Dolmar stepped up to the plate with the 7900 as they knew the Solo was stronger. At one time I could buy 7900 power heads for 549.00. Last guy I bought one for had it ported and I'm here to say that was one wicked saw. Anyhow glad I got my Solo when I did. Almost sold my Husky 395 several times since the 12cc smaller Solo can kick its but but I have a 100cc P&C for the 395 I haven't put on yet. Still doubt it will take the Solo, that is just one very strong running saw.

 

[ScotO]

I'm afraid the good ole low price days are over. Last I checked that 681 was about a grand. 250.00 more than I paid and nearest dealer to me is a state away. I hear ordering parts over the net works pretty good. Thankfully I haven't needed a thing. However Dolmar has a pretty decent dealer network and last GTG I was at it seemed that Dolmar stepped up to the plate with the 7900 as they knew the Solo was stronger. At one time I could buy 7900 power heads for 549.00. Last guy I bought one for had it ported and I'm here to say that was one wicked saw. Anyhow glad I got my Solo when I did. Almost sold my Husky 395 several times since the 12cc smaller Solo can kick its but but I have a 100cc P&C for the 395 I haven't put on yet. Still doubt it will take the Solo, that is just one very strong running saw.

another guy I know has a newer Solo, not sure what model, but he says he likes it........so if I ever (probably won't happen) buy a (gulp) new saw, I will also give the Solo a good look-see......still don't like the plastic........;-)