Are all of these modded saws reliable, dependable, and will they last?

[sachsmo]

You can say it all ya want mang... but I will never see the benefit of modding a saw that was never intended to cut anything bigger than a 18" piece of wood.

Again... this is coming from the PNW knuckledragger in me...

If it weren't for timber fallers, fallin' big wood... there wouldn't be "woods ports".

Gary

Different strokes for different folks. A pulp wood faller in the Northwoods would find a modded 60cc saw right good for the job he's doing. Good thing there are so many different places on this here marble, variety makes saws more fun! If the PNW fell into the sea a hundred years ago, there would still be modded saws,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, It's just a Man thing.

 

[blsnelling]

Different strokes for different folks. A pulp wood faller in the Northwoods would find a modded 60cc saw right good for the job he's doing. Good thing there are so many different places on this here marble, variety makes saws more fun! If the PNW fell into the sea a hundred years ago, there would still be modded saws,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, It's just a Man thing.

+1. IMHO, there is no replacement for a ported 346 or 261. They are simply a must have for anyone cutting wood that size.

 

[Chris J.]

There has been some impressive (in a bad way) bashing, being defensive, flip-flopping, and backpedalling in this thread.

Most of it has been by one person .

 

[Anthony_Va.]

Different strokes for different folks. A pulp wood faller in the Northwoods would find a modded 60cc saw right good for the job he's doing. Good thing there are so many different places on this here marble, variety makes saws more fun! If the PNW fell into the sea a hundred years ago, there would still be modded saws,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, It's just a Man thing.

Lol, I'm with that also. Modded saws was the destiny of men, ever since chainsaws were invented. Anything we get ahold of gets modded. Do we have to be from the South to mod cars? Nah, the North, East and West are doing it too. Just the way it is. If it has a motor, it will eventually be modified.

 

[CentaurG2]

Like it or not guys, and I know it flies in the face of all the fun we're having here, but for the most part this is absolutely true.

I certainly deal with a great many loggers and tree pros, and there is only one logger then I know of that runs ported saws. There is also one crew chief for a major tree company that has a couple of them for his own personal use, but doesn't take them to the job sites.

I do think that some more guys would enjoy running a mildy modded saw, if they gave one a try. But there are a lot of reasons why most pros won't do this. For one thing, these guys feel that the saws are expensive enough as it is, and throwing another couple hundred bucks into porting one isn't something that many of them would do. Tree service guys working in residential neighborhoods certainly don't want the extra noise from modded saws. I'm sure there's more reasons I'll think of.

Also keep in mind that porting/modding voids warranties, and most people, pros or not, aren't comforable with that idea.

Like I've said a bunch of times, here on the site we have a different perspective of things because we are all enthusiasts to some degree. We like saws, and we like modded saws even more. It's just different out in the real world.

Bah, such blasphemy!

I will go get the rope.

YouTube - ‪Down Under - Men At Work (HQ Audio)‬‏

 

[Gologit]

Gologit is using a "Slingered 660 and is probably using it right now.

Yup. I used to buy a new 660 every year, move last season's saw to back-up status, and use the old one for a trade-in. I've been working that deal with the same saw shop for many years.

I've been running the Slingr' 660 for two seasons now. It's not a radical mod, just what Jasha calls a "mild woods port". I tore it down this winter just out of curiosity and it looks like I'll probably get another season out of it.

RandyMac ran it a little...he knows what it is. It's not all hopped up, it just runs easier and cooler and doesn't struggle in big wood as much as the the stock 660 did.

The money I paid, which wasn't much considering the excellent quality of the work, actually saved me money in not having to buy another new saw this year. Probably screwed myself out of the free coffee and do-nuts at the saw shop, though.
I run my saws hard and I don't baby them. They're just a tool to get my work done. But if I can get better performance at no decrease in dependability...and save money at the same time...it's an easy decision when I need to get another saw done.

 

[Rounder]

I was thinking about this again today in the shop. My old cutting pard Aaron ran a ported 441 for three years. Most of it's use was pre-commercial thinning. Straght up - barely any load use/ abuse. He sold it to a firewood cutter. Still running a year later. Come to think of it, he ran it stock for a year before he had it ported.

So.....like I said, port the ####in' thing - Sam

 

[Mastermind]

I just read all 17 pages of this thread............. I mean Damn WTF guys?!?!?

Port one if you want to. Don't if you don't. For God's sake don't kick me in the balls for throwing my opinion in this mess.

I love to hop stuff up. I enjoy that sort of thing. And it ain't for everyone. I ported a weedeater the other day, even milled the jug and spun a pop-up for it. I reckon it's 67.5% more productive than a stock weedwacker. :msp_ohmy: Hell it was so strong I got scared of it and gave it to a friend. :hmm3grin2orange:

I've been to a few GTGs and have placed my mitts on a lot of builders saws. I've also stood and watched folks with ham hands and no understanding of mechanical things make strong running saws look bad, really bad. You know who you are.

The OPs questions were answered in the first few pages of this mess. A lot of the rest is just BS I would like to say thanks to the real loggers that chimed in with some valuable posts.

Terry Landrum uses a very strong "modded" saw for work everyday without any issues arising from the port work. I do remember his favorite 440 getting smashed when he let another guy run it though. I bet the porting was the problem.

I'm enjoying learning a new craft. I've built several saws now and will be the first to admit that experience is key here. Some of my first porting efforts were not so great. I've got a small pile of mistake jugs in a bucket. I sure ain't afraid to cut stuff up. Attention to detail, nice slick bevels, and seeking to improve whats there rather than reinvent the wheel is a must. I see that and I've got a lot yet to learn.

I've spent the last month or more learning to hand file better. I've found gains that equal a muffler modd on a epa saw just by learning to sharpen instead of relying on my grinder so much.

Should I kick my own nuts or what???

 

[Stumpys Customs]

I just read all 17 pages of this thread............. I mean Damn WTF guys?!?!?

Port one if you want to. Don't if you don't. For God's sake don't kick me in the balls for throwing my opinion in this mess.

I love to hop stuff up. I enjoy that sort of thing. And it ain't for everyone. I ported a weedeater the other day, even milled the jug and spun a pop-up for it. I reckon it's 67.5% more productive than a stock weedwacker. :msp_ohmy: Hell it was so strong I got scared of it and gave it to a friend. :hmm3grin2orange:

I've been to a few GTGs and have placed my mitts on a lot of builders saws. I've also stood and watched folks with ham hands and no understanding of mechanical things make strong running saws look bad, really bad. You know who you are.

The OPs questions were answered in the first few pages of this mess. A lot of the rest is just BS I would like to say thanks to the real loggers that chimed in with some valuable posts.

Terry Landrum uses a very strong "modded" saw for work everyday without any issues arising from the port work. I do remember his favorite 440 getting smashed when he let another guy run it though. I bet the porting was the problem.

I'm enjoying learning a new craft. I've built several saws now and will be the first to admit that experience is key here. Some of my first porting efforts were not so great. I've got a small pile of mistake jugs in a bucket. I sure ain't afraid to cut stuff up. Attention to detail, nice slick bevels, and seeking to improve whats there rather than reinvent the wheel is a must. I see that and I've got a lot yet to learn.

I've spent the last month or more learning to hand file better. I've found gains that equal a muffler modd on a epa saw just by learning to sharpen instead of relying on my grinder so much.

Should I kick my own nuts or what???

I'll kick em fer ya.:msp_biggrin: just kiddin

 

[2dogs]

I just read all 17 pages of this thread............. I mean Damn WTF guys?!?!?

Port one if you want to. Don't if you don't. For God's sake don't kick me in the balls for throwing my opinion in this mess.

I love to hop stuff up. I enjoy that sort of thing. And it ain't for everyone. I ported a weedeater the other day, even milled the jug and spun a pop-up for it. I reckon it's 67.5% more productive than a stock weedwacker. :msp_ohmy: Hell it was so strong I got scared of it and gave it to a friend. :hmm3grin2orange:

I've been to a few GTGs and have placed my mitts on a lot of builders saws. I've also stood and watched folks with ham hands and no understanding of mechanical things make strong running saws look bad, really bad. You know who you are.

The OPs questions were answered in the first few pages of this mess. A lot of the rest is just BS I would like to say thanks to the real loggers that chimed in with some valuable posts.

Terry Landrum uses a very strong "modded" saw for work everyday without any issues arising from the port work. I do remember his favorite 440 getting smashed when he let another guy run it though. I bet the porting was the problem.

I'm enjoying learning a new craft. I've built several saws now and will be the first to admit that experience is key here. Some of my first porting efforts were not so great. I've got a small pile of mistake jugs in a bucket. I sure ain't afraid to cut stuff up. Attention to detail, nice slick bevels, and seeking to improve whats there rather than reinvent the wheel is a must. I see that and I've got a lot yet to learn.

I've spent the last month or more learning to hand file better. I've found gains that equal a muffler modd on a epa saw just by learning to sharpen instead of relying on my grinder so much.

Should I kick my own nuts or what???

Yeah this is a nasty thread. I did not find out anything new, and just was not much fun.