A couple of Stihl questions

[vsteel]

I just have a couple of questions that I can't seem to find the answer to anywhere.

I heard that the professional saws where the ones with the even numbers, (under the old method of numbering them) and have white hanldes. Looking at the Stihl web site I see that this seems to hold true. What I am wondering is what is the real difference between the proffesional saws and the home owner ones?

I have a buddy that just bought a ms290 farm boss and I have seen on this message board that several people don't seem to like the saw, and I was wondering why? Is it really that bad of a saw? He is a big guy so a pound or two I don't think will bother him if its not the lightest saw around.

And the last question is why does stihl not really mention the difference between some of the homeowner saws and the professional ones. IE why are the 029 (ms290) and the ms310, and the ms390 listed under the serious user section. Mixed in with saws like the 026 and 036?

Just a little background on my buddy, he cuts firewood for himself and pobably cuts about 3 cords a month over the year. Its pine and from around 12 to 18 inches in diamater at the base. He has a 20 inch bar on the saw.

 

[sonny]

I dont know if I can help butttttttttt hear goes. no the #s dont mean squat. maybe right now today yes. 10 yrs ago the comercial saws had odd #s as in 041 ,051. who knows. But 1 thing for sure. I am one of the few that believe the 029 or excuse me thems290 is a pretty darn good saw. & is priced very well. But as far as the home owner saw vs comercial saw. Im very sorry to say. Im about as AMERICAN as they come. butttttttt, american made is junk, German made is quality. where is Henry Ford when you need him?I heard a story once that Adolfo Hitler sent Mr Ford a drill bit. Supose to be the smallest drill bit made. Well Mr. Henry Ford sent it back to him with a hole drilled thru it.
signed......
sad american

 

[treeclimber165]

The odd numbered ones (029,039,etc.) have mostly plastic parts and inferior air filters. I believe they don't have as good of a motor design either. Could be cheaper pistons, rings, etc. but I am not sure. I do know they don't have the power of the commercial saws. The 026 will cut circles around the 029 any day. The even numbered ones have much better air filtration, go to the saw shop and look at the 3 stage filter on the 044. Higher compression, more performance, more SAWDUST!

My last boss bought a 025 for a ground saw cause the 5 yr old 026 was about 'worn out'. The choke linkage (plastic) on the new 025 wouldn't work right and you had to take the air filter cover off to choke it. After a month of having to start it for my groundman I gave it to the landscape crew as a root saw. Took the 'old' 026 home and serviced it up, spent $50 in parts and it ran great!

 

[HUSKYMAN]

I just dont understand what Stihl is thinking with the 290. I mean why would anyone buy a 13.5 lb saw with 3.7 hp or whatever it has when there are 372 xp's and 044's and 046's and 357 xp's with the same weight and 2 MORE HP? the only reason anyone would get an 029/290 is price alone and I think that is the worst reason to purchase something you want to last.

 

[treeclimber165]

Yup, the 029's are incredibly inexpensive. Haven't looked in the last year, but last time I was at the saw shop they were $120 CHEAPER than a 026.

BTW HUSKYMAN, how's that $60 used 009 doing?

 

[buckkillr8]

your answer

hey vsteel,


THE BEST THING TO DO IS BUY A HUSKY!

 

[confused]

I agree with both everyone except buckkillr, because once you go stihl(a pro saw) you wont even think about any of those plastic Huskys. Reguardless your buddy should've spent the cash and purchased a 026 at least with a 18" bar. I love my 046 with the 18" bar makes lots of saw dust. Only problem is your have to file the !@#$ out of the chain guides so the chisels get a big bite.

STIHL cause everything else is just a hatchet

confused

 

[sonny]

Dont file them guides down to much. It will get to much of a bite. & there will be nothing there to throw the chips out. You want to get the best file the guides on the sides . now that will make it cut.
It will just take you a while, & a few cool drinks.

 

[vsteel]

well my buddy was looking at a 044 but 700 dollars was a lot to spend on a saw. He was not sure he would use it enough to warrent the cost. Also when he bought it, I didn't know there was a difference in the homeowner and the pro saws. The Stihl literature shows the ms290 as a mid range saw, so he thought he was getting a semipro saw. The reason that I ask is that I am looking at a saw and wanted to research it a little. I used his a little and thought it was a very good saw. It seemed to really cut well and have a nice ballance. I too don't know if I could use it enough to warrent a pro saw and couldn't find a difference between the pro saws and the home owner ones other than price.

On the subject of Husky, neither he or I had ever even known someone with one, or had heard anything good or bad or otherwise about them.

 

[HUSKYMAN]

Confused, before you arbitrarily slam all Husqvarna's, have you ever even used one? If you have then slam all you want but if not then shut your pie hole! They are both good saws and both have an excellent reputation. Even though I like Husky I dont classify all Stihls as overpriced and overhyped junk! Sure the 046 is a great saw but for $800 it damn well better be! There is a reason why more loggers on the west coast are using Husky then Stihl, and that is because they have the same power and parts cost less and the saw costs less. There I am done and will get off my soapbox now. Good luck with your 046 it is a nice saw. Treeclimber I have not been able to use the 009 because the chain tensioner screw is trashed and I have not had time to get a new one. It runs good and fires on the second pull, but I cant cut squat.

 

[confused]

HuskyMan,

I simply said and i quote "plastic Huskys." Now you take that as a slam and that was not my intention. My personal take on the husky is it looks cheap from the outside, very plain and ordinary. Now i realize that huskys are great saws because people wouldnt praise a piece of junk. Yes i have used one, a 372XP. Its a good saw. However i wanted a great saw so i bought a Stihl. Thats just my side of it. I would never knock or say something bad about a product unless i truely believe its a piece of !@#$. I take that back Fords suck but thats just a personal opinion.

confused

 

[sonny]

lighten up a little husky man.

 

[sonny]

I dont put nothing down but as far as I know, A couple of yrars ago maybe not 2 , Husky supplied a few major logging camps out west free of charge some saws & said use them. They did for a week or 2 put them down & grabed there 066s & went back to work.

 

[Darin]

Well, everyone has there opinion. I am just going to say that I was a large dealer for both. It was very far and few between when I got a stihl in to be returned or for warranty. Mostly it was the Poulan made Husky saws that gave me fits. Although I had a bunch of large Huskys for warranty. They loved the saws but hated the air leaks, missing parts (I had three shipped without oil pumps). I couldnt believe it. I also was one that for homeowner saws thought the 025 and 029 were good buys. 029 was very heavy and I had a streach of serial numbers that the cylinders were miss milled and had to overhaul it within 8 hours of use. The 025, I cant say I had many problems that I thought were serious.
The actual difference between the pro models and homeowner is the professional saws have a pressed crankcase and the homeowners have a capped. RIGIDITY!!!!

 

[the tree guy]

vsteel, the 029 is agood saw when used for it's intended purpose,firewood cutting.Most people will buy the 029 and be happy with it.I own both stihls and husqvarna saws,both hve good and bad traits.I wuold agree with confused the plastics on the husky are not the same quality as the stihl.The 372husky I use for logging will out rev my 046 and cut a little faster also,but the stihl will out torque the 372 and take more ham-fisted use with out to much whinning.vsteel what do you plan on doing with your saw?The amount you plan on using it should influnce the price of your saw.to spend 800 dollars on a saw to use afew times a month is kind of defeating the money you want to save by cutting your own wood.Here's a thought, cut 4or 5 more cords of wood than you will need put that money aside and trade up to a bigger saw as you get more experience. Dan

 

[vsteel]

I would use the saw to cut firewood and use it around the yard for trimming a little. I would cut about 5 to 10 cords of wood a year with it, used a few times a month. It sounds like the ms290 is the saw for me. Thanks for all of the help guys. (and that was a good idea about the extra wood dan.)

 

[sniper12793]

what should i buy

Hi people I am trying to get a good chainsaw for under 300$ I have no idea what chainsaw to get I am deciding on a Husqvarna or a Stihl and need some help.

 

[manual]

Yes the 029's or Ms290 are a good saw. They are a bit heavy.
My 029 with a 18" bar weights 18 lbs. So what. I have cut many of cords of wood with it and NEVER had a porblem with it.
You say you are looking for a home owner saw so I don't think you are going let people misuse it... "ground crews".
My feelings about that are. If you are going to run a saw then BUY ONE. It's a tool.
Husky's are a great saw too. don't think that husky's are all plastic. What the handle,pull starter and top cover. All the rest is not. Time and time it has been proven that the plastic is strong. How much plastic is on a Sthil saw?
Lets not get into filter problems you say the 290 has filter problems so did the PRO 361 thats why Sthil had to remod the filters.
You want a saw that has a past history of no filter problems try a Husky or better yet try a Jonsered.

 

[Freakingstang]

The 029/290 is a decent saw. It is heavier than its pro counterpart, but that is part of the price difference too.

One thing to remember, the 290/310/390 are all built on the same chassis, so if you uare going to buy a 290, then I would look into getting the biggest CC saw on the same chassis for the same weight.

There will not be as good antivibe on the 290 series as the pro models, but that is part of the difference between the pro/homeowner models.

Myself, I like to choose the pro models. It doesn't make me a pro buy any means, but they offer better features. Usually that includes less weight, more power, better antivibe, better air filtration, and better overall duarbility.

There's my 2.5 cents without saying Husky or Stihl is better. They all make good saws, and they all make ok saw, and they all make cheap junk too.

-Steve

 

[manual]

Good post.

Why does everybody explain better then me? :bang: