DanCorcoran said:
Okay, I give up.
Correct me if I'm wrong here guys but the PROS of a pro saw are:
- parts of the body a more durable metal construction. My 026 and 6401 both have magnesium cast bodies
- easier to work on/maintain
- NOT made in China
- better construction quality of parts/better QA, e.g. less casting burrs in cylinder, more machined parts etc.
- more durable: rated for longer use
- better AV
- adjustable oiler
- decomp valve
We come from different levels of experience , so I assume the word "pro" means different things to different people.
I worked as a treeman and as a saw mechanic starting in the late 1960s. I still cut a lot of firewood. Maybe 20-30 full cords of ash-oak-hard maple - hickory every summer?
This is how I see it. A "pro-saw" ought to have a metal crankcase, ball bearings on BOTH main bearings, a cylinder-jug that is high quality and totally separate from the crankcase, a simple but well built pull starter, a decompression valve on larger saws, a metal bar cover, an adjustable oiler, an easily serviced air filter, and NO idiot-type self-adjust mechanism for the bar and chain.
Now adays - claimed cutting speeds are not the #1 issue to me. Modern tech allows saws to be built cheaply and still cut very well - althought some won't last long.
Also, for the most part - the brand-name does not guarantee quality. I started working on,and using . . . Homelites, Sachs, and Sthils back in the 60s. At that time, the brand-name Homelite meant quality to pros - which is hard to believe now. At that time, almost all saws - cheap or not - were all metal, had ball bearings, separate jugs, etc. Not the case now-adays.
From what I've observed lately (past two years). Husqvarna makes a cheaper line of saws with plastic crankcases that WILL self-destruct when used hard and long.
To Sthil's credit - to my knowledge - they thus far have not stooped to that level. Stihl has made some great saws and some poor saws over the years -but even the worst still had metal crankcases. Stihl does have some Chinese parts and does make some saws with roller-bearings riding on the crank instead of ball-bearings. They've also made a few that used jugs integral with the crankcase.
And yes, there are also plenty of pro Husky and Sthil saws to be bought. But, often for less money, a Dolmar/Makita or an Efco can be bought - at a fully pro-saw level - and they give more quality for less money.
Nice thing too is . . . Dolmar and Efco post full parts breakdowns on-line. So, you can see inside a saw before you buy it. Not so easy with Stihl. I wonder why?
