Husky or Stihl?

[Altissimus]

saw choices

455 is an ok saw, i had 2...but the 346 and the 357 are simply bad as and worth the extra dough..there is a slightly tuned down version of the 346 thats more economical...i like huskys med and big saws, stihls for the small climbing saws

.... the ski area buys the 346's , good little saws .... I am on my third 357 , set up w / 18 inch bars ... best value mid size in my opinion .... Not opposed to Stihl just going with my best choice for performance at price

 

[NorthWoodsDiver]

I ended up getting the Stihl 290 Farmboss. So far I'm not impressed. It feels pretty gutless w/ 20" bar and .325 chain on. Put 4 tanks of fuel through it thus far on one tree. Feels like it gets worse mileage, for lack of a better term, than the old Poulan I used. Right now I can't say I would recommend it.

 

[treesmith]

I keep a 290 in the truck all the time (though I catch flack from Carl over my "homeowner" saw ). I've made more money with a 029/290 than any other ground saw I've ever had. When blocking down big wood, I use the 290. Why wrestle with a bigger saw when it's not necessary? I buy them with 18" bar and have cut down trees pushing 4' diameter with it. I frequently use it to cut the notch on big trees so if I hit nails/metal, I' not damaging the chain on my bigger saws. Also helps when the tendonitis is flared up. Much easier than handling a heavier saw. $379 out the door, it can't be beat. Oh, and I'm just too lazy to run a bigger saw. And after having one fall from a tree twice, it's far easier to take than seeing a thousand dollar saw in pieces on the ground.....

I have had to tweak the carbs a bit to make them cut like I want. I've had one 029 and am now on my second 290. None were worn out, just reached a point I'd rather replace them than fix them. My biggest gripe on these saws is that the bar studs are simply threaded into the plastic case (one may be threaded into aluminum), and after a while, it gets to where when you try to loosen them, they back out of the case. More an aggravation than anything.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Scott, wonder if those bar studs would still loosen up if you put some cynoacrylite adhesive into the hole?

 

[treesmith]

Jay, the dealer recommended putting LocTite on them. I tried, but they had already broken loose. It doesn't work dependably. On a cold morning, they still back out, but once the saw's hot, they seize and the nuts will loosen like they should. No big deal, just can't change out bars unless the saw's hot.....

 

[woodworkingboy]

Hassle....

 

[Al Smith]

The 290's are a plastic case ? Wow didn't know that ! I have part of a box full of 029's and I thought they were aluminum .

 

[treesmith]

All mine have been plastic, Al. Seems like one of the studs may be threaded into aluminum, but I can't remember which one it is, nor where the aluminum starts/stops. I do know the stud I pulled (pretty sure it was the front one) was in plastic. (I guess if one is in plastic, likely they both are...)

On the last 290 I had, I went so far as to take my Dremel and grind a couple of "keys" in the side of the threaded hole, and grind a flat on the stud. I packed the hole full of JB Weld and ran the stud home, figuring I was done with it. Didn't hold. Not sure if the JB was old, too cold for good mix, or what, but that saw had to be retired as there's no fixing that hole now.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Can you drill out the hole and add a metal threaded insert, ones with both internal and external threads, and use an adhesive? You could screw the insert into the unthreaded plastic or use a bottom tap. Woodworking supplies often carry inserts, seems like the right thread size and pitches would be available.

 

[Al Smith]

Oh I imagine you could get creative some how and bush it or make an over sized stud.

When I bought that little antique 015 yesterday at the dealers he had 029's stacked up like cord wood in the dead pile . That might be an option if you have a friendly dealer .

 

[treesmith]

Well....after the stud mishap, I went and bought a new one. Coupla months later, I was blocking down a big pine, and I had another mishap and the new 290 fell about 20', landing right on its butt. Shattered the rear handle assembly. I scrapped the old one to save the new, and it isn't worth trying to revive it now.

 

[GASoline71]

The 290's are a plastic case ? Wow didn't know that ! I have part of a box full of 029's and I thought they were aluminum .

The 310 and the 390 might be plastic cased as well. All homeowner grade saws. So if they are purchased and expected to rip chips like a pro saw... they won't.

The 290's are a great little saw for their intended market. Pro treework, and groundie abuse ain't it.

Gary

 

[Al Smith]

Yeah I think that "groundie abuse " is why I have a box full of junk parts in my shed .One of them they had ran with no e-clip or bearing in the clutch .Talk about crispy critter plastic .Cooked it !

 

[Tucker943]

I don't buy homeowner grade saws. They don't stand up.

 

[Al Smith]

Of that bunch probabley the 039 was the top of the line .It had enough power but how long they might hold up I have no idea .

Funny though because when they snatched Toms saws several times they stole an 039 and left a 281 Huskey and an 038 Mag behind .Crack heads were never blessed with a lot smarts I guess .

 

[Altissimus]

... another option might be Echo's ... good value for the money, all they lack is a heavy duty piston / cylinder

 

[Cobleskill]

For how long they last and how much more they do I think pro saws are worth the extra money. Having said that my first new saw was a 45 Husky. I worked the snot out of it and it loved it. It took my dumbass stepson switching the gas jugs to kill it. A new piston would get it going again. My only complaint was it ate oil pumps. I think I put 3 in it.