Chainsaws

[mommucked]

I have a 21" bar on it , the purpose of the bow , is how they logged back in the day , a guy with a regular saw would drop the tree , then the guy with the bow saw would limb it and cut it to length , the bow works great for trees already on the ground , you dont have to bend over , just lay the saw on the limb and let its own weight cut through the branch .

I remember the bow saws being used when I was a kid in the 70s. They worked well but they also had to be cut loose often when a log/tree trunk trapped them after being cut in half. A solid bar saw was used to free them every time. I like a 20" bar best, great for most felling, limbing and cutting downed trees into firewood. I use the end of the bar for limbing and always keep the tip from touching anything but wood. To cut trunks on the ground I'll kneel on the ground, make all my deep cuts level and almost to the ground, roll the whole log over and cut through whats left standing up, w the top/tip of the bar so no chance for a kickback or sticking the bar in the dirt.

 

[ProbablyBroke]

I couldn't help myself, so I bought this 026 off Craigslist for 150$. Why would anyone sell something their grandfather gave them? Kids these days.

 

[BigBody79]

Haven't seen a good deal on any saws on C/L.

Thinking hard about a new Stihl MS271 Farmboss. I think they are right at 399.00 new.

Just don't think that I can justify moving up to the MS261.

Don't need the next bigger saw.

 

[mommucked]

Haven't seen a good deal on any saws on C/L.

Thinking hard about a new Stihl MS271 Farmboss. I think they are right at 399.00 new.

Just don't think that I can justify moving up to the MS261.

Don't need the next bigger saw.

Check out the MS291

 

[BigBody79]

Check out the MS291

I knew that was coming

It looks like they both weigh 12.3 pounds. 291 has 3.76hp compared to 3.49hp of the 271. The 291 is 55cc compared to 50cc of the 271. It is also ~$50.00 more.

Hard to choose.

FIL has an 038(039) I don't want a saw that big.

 

[mommucked]

I knew that was coming

It looks like they both weigh 12.3 pounds. 291 has 3.76hp compared to 3.49hp of the 271. The 291 is 55cc compared to 50cc of the 271. It is also ~$50.00 more.

Hard to choose.

FIL has an 038(039) I don't want a saw that big.

291, 20" bar and a yellow chain, it will put a smile on your face every time you use it! The Farm and Ranch saws all come w green chains,low kickback and good for dirty wood but cut slower than the yellow chain. You'll notice a big difference in speed w the yellow chain.
The 261 is 2 lbs lighter and more power than the 291. $100 more and worth it if you cut all year long.

 

[BigClay]

I couldn't help myself, so I bought this 026 off Craigslist for 150$. Why would anyone sell something their grandfather gave them? Kids these days.
View attachment 231679

I love my 026, no way I am going to ever sell it

 

[BigBody79]

271 farm saw 399.99 12.3 lb 3.49hp
291 farm saw 489.99 12.3 lb 3.76hp
261 pro saw 629.99 10.8lb 4.0hp

Going from 399 to 629 is no little jump.

 

[13bullets]

Thinking hard about a new Stihl MS271 Farmboss. I think they are right at 399.00 new.

Just don't think that I can justify moving up to the MS261.

Don't need the next bigger saw.

This is what I did. I couldn't justify the price difference between the 271 and 261. The 271 does everything I need it to and I can change the chain to the yellow if I want on down the line. I have about 1/4 acre I need to clear of mostly smaller trees and underbrush then it'll sit in the case for long periods of time. An added bonus, Stihl had a promo where you got a free case with the purchase of certain saws, the 271 was one of them.

 

[ProbablyBroke]

I'm not a professional tree cutter and my usage likely doesn't justify having pro saws. But as I've gotten more comfortable repairing and servicing my own saws, I appreciate the design of the pro saws that are made to be rode hard, field serviceable, easily rebuilt and have a better power/weight ratio. Also, the crankcase on a pro stihl is magnesium vs polycarbonate with the farm and ranch. The older saws lack the emissions bs and squeeze a little more power while avoiding the electronic carbs and engine management. Before I would spring for a new one, I'd shop the older models and be ready to throw a carb kit and air filter on it.

 

[jeepinmatt]

What ^ said.

271 farm saw 399.99 12.3 lb 3.49hp
291 farm saw 489.99 12.3 lb 3.76hp
261 pro saw 629.99 10.8lb 4.0hp

Going from 399 to 629 is no little jump.

You can find an 026 or MS260 (older versions of the MS261) for under $300 used and in good condition on CL, and it will last longer than the other saws, and then if you ever decide to sell it, it will still be worth the $300 you paid for it.

 

[ProbablyBroke]

 

[BigBody79]

Well after looking at saws I'm probably going to look harder at the ms180 or ms211. I don't want or need a big saw. I don't need a professional saw either.

 

[1-tonmudder]

Bringin this one back to the top.I finally broke down and bought a new saw.I got the Husky 450 rancher from lowes for $399.Ive put about 5/6 hours on it since last Thurs,so far so good.Its a lot lighter than my old Homelite EZ start.

 

[josh m]

Bringin this one back to the top.I finally broke down and bought a new saw.I got the Husky 450 rancher from lowes for $399.Ive put about 5/6 hours on it since last Thurs,so far so good.Its a lot lighter than my old Homelite EZ start.
View attachment 244917 View attachment 244918

Same one I have. I bought it about 6 years ago and gave my dad my smaller stihl. The 450 rancher is a good one with a lot of the features of the higher end stihls. Keep ethanol out of the tank and she will treat you well for a long time.

 

[UncleWillie]

I bought a used one. It is wearing my arm out though

.

 

[jeepinmatt]

I bought a used one. It is wearing my arm out thoughView attachment 244942 .

How's the performance with all the new EPA emissions equipment on those?

 

[UncleWillie]

How's the performance with all the new EPA emissions equipment on those?

Runs quiet doesn't cut all that well.
I tend to have more emissions and require more coolant though.

 

[BigBody79]

I run mine on fuel that comes in the can at the store. I figure as little as I saw it's not that bad on the wallet. But, if I were I run into some heavy sawing I'd mix non-ethanol and the Stihl mix.

 

[jeepinmatt]

@Ron Why the title change? Trying to be all proper? I liked "Edumacate me"

 

[StretchASU]

Bringin this one back to the top.I finally broke down and bought a new saw.I got the Husky 450 rancher from lowes for $399.Ive put about 5/6 hours on it since last Thurs,so far so good.Its a lot lighter than my old Homelite EZ start.
View attachment 244917 View attachment 244918

Good machine. It will treat you well as long as you keep ethanol free in it. The only Ranchers I ever got back when I worked at bLowes were Gummed up from shitty fuel.

On the flip side, I'm still murdering the 20" Poulan Pro I got about 6 years ago for $40 when we did a model changeover. Modded it to breathe better and put a Stihl chain on it and it's been beat on ever since. Hunt camp saw so any number of people use it and treat it like shit. I refuse to treat it any differently for fear it will actually blow up.

 

[ProbablyBroke]

Figured I'd take one last picture before the stihl heads out to meet @BigClay

 

[CasterTroy]

So in reading thru this, I've gathered I "need" a 261 20" stihl for my purposes (5 acres of large hardwoods, heavy woods, creek...etc) and a model 91 weedeater.

So my happy ass heads down to Forsyth Mower works to look at them and get a quote. I don't want the EZ start bullshit, nor the enviro friendly crap (FT EPA)

$1015 was the grand total quote [$575 for 20" blade 261 and $329] (including: tax, case, 2 gallons of ready mix to extend both warranties a year longer, as well as the blade adapter for the weed eater)

But the little sales guy was REALLY trying to push me to Echo, because they don't have the emissions crap, and their quality hasn't gone downhill (like he was saying about Stihl)

He doesn't make commission on sales, but still couldn't figure out his angle, because he was all but refusing to tell me about the stihl until I said "this is what I want...what do you have IN STIHL"

I knew what I was looking for with Stihl (261) but I have no idea what the comparable echo is. Or IS there anything comparable?

The Echo you get at a big box store is the same model available from a servicing dealer. I am that guy in the shop, which is why I push Stihl, which aren't sold in big box stores. Oh, and I work for an Echo dealer. Haha!

Any particular reason?

 

[Loganwayne]

So in reading thru this, I've gathered I "need" a 261 20" stihl for my purposes (5 acres of large hardwoods, heavy woods, creek...etc) and a model 91 weedeater.

So my happy ass heads down to Forsyth Mower works to look at them and get a quote. I don't want the EZ start bullshit, nor the enviro friendly crap (FT EPA)

$1015 was the grand total quote [$575 for 20" blade 261 and $329] (including: tax, case, 2 gallons of ready mix to extend both warranties a year longer, as well as the blade adapter for the weed eater)

But the little sales guy was REALLY trying to push me to Echo, because they don't have the emissions crap, and their quality hasn't gone downhill (like he was saying about Stihl)

He doesn't make commission on sales, but still couldn't figure out his angle, because he was all but refusing to tell me about the stihl until I said "this is what I want...what do you have IN STIHL"

I knew what I was looking for with Stihl (261) but I have no idea what the comparable echo is. Or IS there anything comparable?

Any particular reason?

a buddy has a large scale mowing company all his blowers, weed eaters are echo. all his saws are stihl...
i have a stihl weedeater to his comparable echo. the stihl is a little heavier but my dad still uses his stihl weed eater he got before i was born 26 years ago.

 

[CasterTroy]

my dad still uses his stihl weed eater he got before i was born 26 years ago.

I keep hearing that, and I also keep hearing that buying new, the stihl "ain't what it use to be"

Since I'm buying new...I want to do it right (with what's available today)