How has your chainsaw "taste" evolved?

[PLMCRZY]

I like my stihl, but i will not refuse to buy a husky, echo, dolmar, jred, etc. They are all good in my book.

 

[Nardoo]

I am with Plumcrazy - I am not brand true but certain models of various brands seem to attract me and I don't know why. I move lots of saws but some stay on. I have saws from 29cc to 135cc but my most used ones were all built in the 70's. I just love cutting with a Partner 5000 or mangy old Countervibe. And I hardly need an excuse to get out one of the 090's.

In a weak moment I actually purchased a 346 this year. Has not even seen fuel. Somehow it just does not do it for me. I know I am stupid but cannot help it.

Al.

 

[o8f150]

I like my stihl, but i will not refuse to buy a husky, echo, dolmar, jred, etc. They are all good in my book.

:agree2::agree2::agree2:

 

[Brian13]

I started out buying a Husky 55 and a Stihl 044. I was intimidated by the older saws and wanted nothing to do with them LOL. I had my line up all picked out, I had to have a 200t, 026, and a 066 for Stihl and a 288 and 272 for Husky. After listening to my dad talk about his old Mac Super 250, and remembering how he always wanted to get it running again and make a kart for me and my brother I decided to dig it out. It was trashed LOL, after sitting in my grandfathers shop for 20 years or better and probably at least 10 of those years the roof being collapsed it was in rough shape. I figured I didnt have a whole lot to lose, so I gave it a go at restoring it. It took a long time and a whole lot of help from people here, found out there was some real stand up members here. And for only my third rebuild I managed to bring it back to life. Since then I have been only buying up old Macs. I find it kind of funny because the only reason I didint want to mess with them in the first place, was because I didnt understand the points ignition. Still stuck on Macs, and still want a 200t( also have started getting into climbing since I have joined here) but Eccentric is slowly getting me to broaden my horizons with the old Homelites LOL. Seems like anymore the only time I work on a modern saw is if I am fixing one for a friend, if its for myself it probably out dates me by a decade or two.

 

[sunfish]

Started with a Pouland 245A in the late 70s', 10 years later a 3400. Great saws...

But the 346xp in 2001 really changed my thinking. umpkin2:

 

[mdavlee]

I've had lots of modern stihls and huskies in the 70-90cc class. Right now its just a 660 and i'm trying to decide what to get to keep it company.

I have run a few old homelites and macs and would like to own one myself.

 

[BloodOnTheIce]

My focus in the last 2 years can be broken down into two categories firewood saws and race.saws.
Huskies for racers, and Stihls for cutting firewood.

My firewood saws are stock or muffler moded, for me woods porting is pointless. If I'm going to spend money modding a motor, it better win me some money.

I use to like those old, heavy, slow saws from way back, but I don't have time or patience for those boat anchors.

 

[Ambull]

I have a few modern firewood saws, and then the rest is old big cube stuff. Mac's and Homelites are my preference, but I like them all, just for collecting, tinkering with, and occasional use. Lately my focus is getting a vintage creamsickle. 090, 070, maybe even an 084. Haven't found the right one yet......lol. I shifted to the vintage stuff about a year ago.

 

[Bounty Hunter]

My father had Stihls, so I learned at a young age to like 'em...and started tree service and firewood work at the age of 15, a long time ago ...and still stuck with one brand. So I have to answer, How has your chainsaw "Taste" changed?... Not much...

We have a bunch of them now...our stable is pretty full...from a herd of 200Ts and 260 Pros, a healthy group of 044s and 440s, 660s and 066...up to a "Snellerized" 880 that is a total, freakin' monster.

However, we DO have a stable of 4 - 5 cheap box-store Poulans...

They are the Groundie saws, the hired help, and the new hands saws. It costs a lot less to replace them when someone ##### them up...:msp_smile:

 

[Steve NW WI]

Got a 3 pack of newer Dolmars for serious work, more than happy with them, but I'd likely be as happy with similar saws from Stihl, Husky or J-red.

My old iron is a colorful bunch, McYellow, a couple different colors of Homeys, a couple old Olympiks that I grew up cutting with, a little top handle Echo for trimming work, a big old P-60 Pioneer, and a Poulan Pro 365 that was too good of a deal to pass up. Basically, if it's cheap and local, I'll pick it up. I have enough projects to last me a LONG while, and will be back at fixing em when it's nicer to sit by the stove in the basement than in the lake.

 

[JRepairsK70e]

i started with reds now they are just red ,but still my favorite flavor ,10 and counting ....lol jk

 

[sloweather]

We bought what we bought at the time and kept all of them. The first 2 are the Deeres by Remington Dad got from the company. Then the 14" Craftsman for my wife, an electric 16" Mac, a Techi-Tool power pruner, 18 or 20" Craftsman, the Husky 570 with 2 bars (24 and 28), and even a Black and Decker 10" battery saw. Oh, and a pruner head for the Expand-It Ryobi weed whacker my wife bought.

The all still run and all have a use (although those Deeres are best used for fogging for skeeters these days. )

 

[Eccentric]

The first saw I ever saw ran was an OLD McCulloch. I was about 5 years old. Dad borrowed a friend's 200/ 250, 1-50, or similar front-tank Mac to remove a couple apple trees from the back yard. The first saw I ran was Dad's "new" Mac 320 back in 1981. He was right behind me, as I was all of 8 years old. Still have it.

The first saw of my own was a Stihl 031AV basket case that I put together with a new piston and rings in 1984 (at age 11). Ran it for a few years through high school doing clearing jobs for dirt bike money. It was still running, but tired when I put it up about 20 years ago. Sold it (along with an NOS P/C/R) to a member here a few months ago.

Worked on people's OPE for a paycheck through the '90s. Had no desire to own/run the damn things after getting burned out. Around 2005 or so, my good buddy (who's an old rancher/firewood cutter/catskinner/jack-of-all-trades) got me hooked on old Homelites. That's ALL he runs (and has been running since the late '60s).

Slowly but surely I've added to the Homelite collection (mostly C/XP-Series and XL12/SXL-series). Hooked up with RandyMac here in early 2007, and he infected me with the Yellow Fever. Been collecting old Macs since. My preference is still towards the Homelites, but I do love the Macs. I have a pair of red Craftsman badged Poulan top-handles (Poulan 20D and 25DA). Also have a Stihl 011AVEQ that I got from a fellow here. That's my beater brush/pruning saw. Got a few oddballs, such as my Mono/Wards WD60. The Old Magnesium is what keeps my interest. Most of the cutting I do is for fun. Just firewood and some clearing. Mostly stuff that's already on the ground.

 

[cat-face timber]

I started with a Stihl 050AV, and a P62, and a Poulan Pro 525, a Poulan Wild Thang, husky 272 XP.

the Stihl is now my Hangar Queen, I traded off my P62, and my Poulan Pro 525, I gave my Wild Thang away to a guy that needed a saw in the worst way, I kept and ran my 272, I bought a 385, now I have husky projects coming out of my ears, I have a little Stihl MS250, that is fun. I have a 136 that is a great project.
I cut for my enjoyment, my mom's firewood, my firewood, my daughter's wood and my MIL wood.
My grandson loves to come over and clean my saws, we have even named them.
I digress, i got off subject......
I am a big husky fan, all shapes and sizes, but my favorite saw of all time is a tie between the Stihl 050 AV,(which my dad traded half of a beef for, 25 + years ago, and my 385 )

 

[REJ2]

Started with an 025, new, hard to start, wouldnt run to well tipped on its side. Dealer tried and tried to resolve problem which did exist even in his eyes. Sharp chain on a saw that runs poorly still doesnt get much wood cut. Tried an Echo, no problems what so ever, ventured to the Husky camp and still remain pleasantly surprised. Now I know one bad apple is not supposed to spoil the whole bunch, but Stihl had their shot at the title, but failed miserably.

 

[jerrycmorrow]

bought and cut with my first saw around '83. it was an oly 251B (still have and use it). wanted a husky but the oly was $50 cheaper. that was all i was gonna have until i backed over it couple years ago and bent the top handle. then i bought a handle off ebay and decided i needed to learn to work on it. that's how i found AS. you buncha jerks, now i got the CAD. a major effort to think about anything other than saws. sometimes i think i'd like to have a new saw (certainly wouldn't turn a good one down for the right price) but i seem to be hooked on mag saws. its hard for me to even be comfortable with the plastic on my saws so i sure couldn't bring myself to buy a plastic saw. but then again, free is always hard to pass up. would love to own a big stihl, husky, jonnie, etc. but they are expensive whereas i can generally buy two old saws for the price of a new one. doubt i'll ever own a new one. i rationalize my CAD by thinking when i pass my kids will be able to sell my collection, NAH! they'll prolly just give 'em away but what will i care? nada. i'm enjoying them now. have been looking at the poulans and homies more though.

 

[heimannm]

I'd like to complete my McCulloch collection if possible (one man saws from 1948-1978) but along the way I won't turn down anything interesting. Any twin or the KMS rotary would certainly be welcome, perhaps one of the old round Homelites too. Somewhere in WI I have an old 100 cc Pioneer waiting, might have to consider a few others as well just to round out some curious collections like the Power Products line up.

I think I actually prefer using the old McCullochs for cutting firewood these days, sure they are heavy and loud and slow, but then they are loud and slow and heavy, what's not to love? With a sharp chain the 10-10s or CP 55 are a lot more fun to work with than the Jonsered 2050, and anyone within a mile or so should be aware when I am cutting.

Would I ever buy another new saw? I think the Dolmar 7900 is probably most interesting but I hesitate as I rather suspect if I had one the Mac's might not get as much use.

A long while back I posted that I would be good with 12 or 15 saws but I think I will end up with a few more than that...

Mark

 

[wendell]

At this point, I have my firewood needs more than covered, really love the 4 modern saws I have and can't imagine a reason to change any of them out so my interests are shifting to the older saws.

 

[rms61moparman]

I F@#*%NG LOVE THEM ALL!!!!!

Still partial to my old Poulans for running for fun!


Mike

 

[Hank Chinaski]

I went from liking big saws to NEEEEEEDING big saws.