Recommend me a new chainsaw please.
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Thinking hard about the MS 290 (Farmboss). Also looking at the 250. I think the 211 may be too small.
Question though...
Is there any difference in life expectancy of the occasional use saws versus the mid range use saws?
I'm really leaning toward getting the Farmboss, dealer is quoting me $389.
Question though...
Is there any difference in life expectancy of the occasional use saws versus the mid range use saws?
I'm really leaning toward getting the Farmboss, dealer is quoting me $389.
Whats an extra 50 or 100 when you have to replace it? I used a farm boss for 11 years. I actually have 2 of them. You will be happy with it!
burntime said:
You are right. Farmboss it is. I just hate to spend 400 bucks once you figure in tax.
Once you get it run a good 5 or so tanks thru it and put a more agressive chain on it. By the 5th tank it will be screaming. Mine took a good 5 to wake it up...
I'm late to the party, but you'd be making a good buy with the 290 IMO. You hate to spend the $400, but you'll sure like the saw it gets you & you won't even remember that money a few years from now. 211 is way on the small side for firewood. If you only cut smaller wood the 250 will do you, but as stated, you wouldn't really be saving much anyway.
burntime said:
Why does it take 5 tanks or so for it to scream? Engine rings seating like in a car?
BTW, I'll post a pic of my saw when I get it.
Yup. Breaking it in. Mine leaned out a little after breakin too. It became easier to start too. I don't know if I learned the "knack" or the breaking in the saw helped with that.
Matt
Matt
The only problem with stihl is they last so long you may have a hard time getting parts after 30 years, :lol: I have to buy parts for my 045 on ebay now.
That reminds me, when I did tree work , I bought a used stihl 051AVE. I ran a 21 inch with .404 chain. Talk about a cutt'n saw. Used it for my trunk wood. Cut like butter. I used it for 15 years and then finally gave it to a friend who did tree work, as I didn't use it anymore. Was ashame to just let it sit. That was back in the metal body days, no chain brake. Made you pay attention.
So after handling the saws at the store, I decided to get the MS 250, I like it becuase it's lighter. Picked it up this afternoon and already cut about a cord of logs into rounds, split them, and stacked them in my woodshed. I like the saw so far.
I was just in pretty much the same situation, but I went with the 311 instead of the 290.
I liked the blade size on the 311 better (it has larger, wider teeth) , and the anti-vibration system.
It was $100 more, but I figure divided over 20 years is only $5 per year, and it ought to cut faster. I've got these stupid flowering pear trees (Bradford) and two of them fell apart in the yard. I had a little Husqvarna, but about every time I got done cutting a log I'd need to sharpen it. Flowering pear wood is really hard and dense.
I had the dealer put an 18 inch bar on to replace the 20. I wanted a 16 but he didn't have one in stock. The professional tree guys seem to do just about everything with a 16.
I haven't had a chance to use it yet. Rain. Looking forward to it though.
I liked the blade size on the 311 better (it has larger, wider teeth) , and the anti-vibration system.
It was $100 more, but I figure divided over 20 years is only $5 per year, and it ought to cut faster. I've got these stupid flowering pear trees (Bradford) and two of them fell apart in the yard. I had a little Husqvarna, but about every time I got done cutting a log I'd need to sharpen it. Flowering pear wood is really hard and dense.
I had the dealer put an 18 inch bar on to replace the 20. I wanted a 16 but he didn't have one in stock. The professional tree guys seem to do just about everything with a 16.
I haven't had a chance to use it yet. Rain. Looking forward to it though.
smokinjay said:
OK, with a brand new car the dealer will tell you basically the same thing but will also say to keep the engine under 60 mph or so for the first xxx miles. So, with a chainsaw are you also looking at not running it at max speed for awhile until things settle in?
Let the saw warm up for about a minute, holding it just above an idle, varying the speed a little. Vary the speed while cutting. Roll the throttle on, don't slap it on. Don't let the saw sit and idle once warmed up, that creates alot of heat as it is fan cooled. Make maybe 10 cuts then let the saw cool until it's just luke warm. Then fire it back up, warm it , cut again varying the speed. Maybe in ten minutes, let it cool one more time. Then just vary the speed until you get thru a tank or two, no sustained wide open throttle, you can bring it up momentarly. After a couple of tanks you should be good to go. It's new, go easy on it. Worked as a Harley Tech, and that was what we did on new motors or rebuilds, especially the bigger stroker motors. Start them up , warm them up until you could barely touch the motor. Then shut it down and let it cool. This was done a few times. Helped to kind of season or temper the rings ,etc. Let everything break in. Then you should have a long lived saw. Give a little to gain alot. Just like breaking in a cast iron soap stone stove. Small fires and let it cool down.
Redneck, my prediction is that you will you will be pleasantly startled by the balance and cutting ability of the MS250. You most likely will not be cutting any logs larger than 12" diameter on the Kenai and the MS250 will cut them all year long for many years to come. You chose a great saw.
Recently, I have been clearing out some trashy hedge rows. Much ash, apple and honeysuckle up to 6" diameter. I always choose the MS250 because it cuts all this stuff like a hairy chested beast and maneuvers like a hummingbird. The easy-2-start feature is a marvel of engineering and makes starting the saw an effortless experience. I find the Stihl reduced kickback chain cuts very effectively when the cutters are kept sharp. It didn't make sense to me to take off a perfectly good reduced kickback chain and install a full chisel. Removing a perfectly good chain seemed like a waste of money. For what it is worth, in my experience, the properly sharpened reduced kickback chain on my MS250 will cut much faster and cleaner than a not-quite properly sharpened or slightly dulled full chisel chain on my MS362. Your saw's speed and ease of cutting is determined more by your ability to keep the chain properly sharpened than with the shape of the chain's cutters.
Good luck with your new saw.
John_M
Recently, I have been clearing out some trashy hedge rows. Much ash, apple and honeysuckle up to 6" diameter. I always choose the MS250 because it cuts all this stuff like a hairy chested beast and maneuvers like a hummingbird. The easy-2-start feature is a marvel of engineering and makes starting the saw an effortless experience. I find the Stihl reduced kickback chain cuts very effectively when the cutters are kept sharp. It didn't make sense to me to take off a perfectly good reduced kickback chain and install a full chisel. Removing a perfectly good chain seemed like a waste of money. For what it is worth, in my experience, the properly sharpened reduced kickback chain on my MS250 will cut much faster and cleaner than a not-quite properly sharpened or slightly dulled full chisel chain on my MS362. Your saw's speed and ease of cutting is determined more by your ability to keep the chain properly sharpened than with the shape of the chain's cutters.
Good luck with your new saw.
John_M
John_M said:
I did cut one big birch down that my 16in bar couldnt make it through, I still cut it up though. Probably get a 20in bar for the few big ones I may need to take down. I also didnt really work it too terribly hard the first day. Today it got worked pretty good.
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