Saws that surprised you...
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timberdollars
ArboristSite Operative
Oh yah!!! my new CS 590 kicks it great, pulls 24-28" skip great. (Partner P100 saw Dogs fit too)
Surprisingly good saws:
Husky 346XP OE - 45cc light and fast. Had it for years; got a 550XP but still use this one way more.
Stihl MS650 - Picked one up on close out, popped on a 066 muffler, and let it rip. Folks who never used one moaned about them. It's a very underrated saw.
Husky 555 - Great all around saw. Mine is an early one, and has been running like a champ. Makes it hard to justify a 562XP.
Husky 346XP OE - 45cc light and fast. Had it for years; got a 550XP but still use this one way more.
Stihl MS650 - Picked one up on close out, popped on a 066 muffler, and let it rip. Folks who never used one moaned about them. It's a very underrated saw.
Husky 555 - Great all around saw. Mine is an early one, and has been running like a champ. Makes it hard to justify a 562XP.
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Echo CS-310 w 14" bar.....after muff mod ofcourse
tallfarmboy
ArboristSite Guru
242xp is my most surprising saw... Man oh man, do they rev.
TFB
TFB
Bret4207
ArboristSite Guru
Guy at work gave me this old Poulan that he was going to throw away. You know the type of saw, covered in dirt and old oil, starter rope handle was a hunk of 2x2, chain sagging down 2" off a completely worn out and clearly bent bar, missing screws replaced with sheet rock screws with tooth picks down in the holes. Real impressive. It sat in the shop for a few months until I got tired of tripping over it. I scraped off some of the crud and shot some mix on the air filter. She popped right off. So I cleaned her up and found a bar that would fit, sharpened the chain, made a fuel line and generally put her back in shape. Filled the tank, set the choke and pulled her over. Once she started drawing fuel I found out the sucker had some serious compression. She fired on about the 10th pull and suddenly I had a lime green monster on my hands. I tried it out on some 2-3' dead elm and I'm pretty sure my mouth was hanging open the whole time. This was not the "junk Pull-on" I'd heard about. This was a real, honest he man type chain saw! Turns out it was a 4200 and is still an awesome saw. Looks like something someone would be embarrassed to admit owning, but it's a cutting monster. Truly impressed me.
Second most impressive is a saw I got from the same guy. It's probably a Sachs 133 but it could be a 143 since it wears both badges. I have a 28" 3/8 skip tooth chisel on it and it's truly impressive. It's more saw than my 2100CD buy a good margin and that's saying something.
Least impressive was the Husky 365 I bought as a replacement for my 266. Had it for about 10 years and it was hard starting, would never really develop as much power as I thought it should. I hardly ever even tried to use it and kept getting ready to trade it, but I never found the right deal. Finally a couple weeks back I got sick of it and tore into it. Frickin' fuel line. There was a little bit of something in the line right above the filter. Looked like someone shoved a pick of some sort in the line and left a tag hanging. Now it starts on the first pull and runs like it should. I feel totally stupid because I should have figured that out a long time ago. Now I have the chance to figure out if it's as good as a 266XP.
Second most impressive is a saw I got from the same guy. It's probably a Sachs 133 but it could be a 143 since it wears both badges. I have a 28" 3/8 skip tooth chisel on it and it's truly impressive. It's more saw than my 2100CD buy a good margin and that's saying something.
Least impressive was the Husky 365 I bought as a replacement for my 266. Had it for about 10 years and it was hard starting, would never really develop as much power as I thought it should. I hardly ever even tried to use it and kept getting ready to trade it, but I never found the right deal. Finally a couple weeks back I got sick of it and tore into it. Frickin' fuel line. There was a little bit of something in the line right above the filter. Looked like someone shoved a pick of some sort in the line and left a tag hanging. Now it starts on the first pull and runs like it should. I feel totally stupid because I should have figured that out a long time ago. Now I have the chance to figure out if it's as good as a 266XP.
Brettl
ArboristSite Guru
My 200t and 441 are awesome. Both surpassed expectations.
A 024 I took in trade has been the greatest surprise. AV is great and very versatile with the 16" bar. It's very impressive in the most seasoned Osage up to 10" or so. Maybe not the most powerful saw for it's size. However, the user friendliness more than makes up for an extra second or two lost in the bigger cuts. Very fuel efficient.I NEVER have to pull more than twice when cold( even when some idiot left it in my truck during the hard freezes). 1/4 to 1/2 pull warm start every time.
A 024 I took in trade has been the greatest surprise. AV is great and very versatile with the 16" bar. It's very impressive in the most seasoned Osage up to 10" or so. Maybe not the most powerful saw for it's size. However, the user friendliness more than makes up for an extra second or two lost in the bigger cuts. Very fuel efficient.I NEVER have to pull more than twice when cold( even when some idiot left it in my truck during the hard freezes). 1/4 to 1/2 pull warm start every time.
Brettl
ArboristSite Guru
View attachment 394197 View attachment 394195
this.......my expectations were low, but the difference between this with a severe muffler mod and my Husky 350 with a base gasket delete is difficult to tell. They both cut wood and kick some ash. Your results may be different. The Husky doesn't rip my fingers off when starting. It is much more civilized.
That Earthquake is a great saw that surprised a lot of people until they found out that it has a Zenoah engine. Redmax used Zenoah engines. The Ryobi 10532, Mac M40, TroyBilt M40 and the yellow Craftsman Pro around 2007(?) were Zenoah rebadges. Diggersdad is an authority on these.
Speaking of which, my yellow Craftsman was a great surprise as well. I used and abused it for 6 or 7 years. It cut Osage right alongside my Stihls. It wasn't until after wearing it out that I learned from Diggersdad that I had a Redmax GZ4000 in Craftsman yellow. I used it on fencelines and other areas that I'd never use one of my "good" saws on.
ft. churchill
Addicted to ArboristSite
I was shocked how good my Partner P85 ran against my Husky 385 when I got the husky running.
I rescued the P85 from my small engine dealer for $19.00. It was in a box disassembled and full of sand and snow. I was told the piston and cylinder was bad. Some cleaning, no base gasket, a muff mod, a lil' dremel work and new rings , and it's a cuttin' fool. Speed in the cut almost equals the 385, even though it doesn't hit the rpm's of the husky. I've since made a dog for the missing inside dog and it wear a 24" just like the husky. Not to shabby for a 30 year old yellow toaster.
I rescued the P85 from my small engine dealer for $19.00. It was in a box disassembled and full of sand and snow. I was told the piston and cylinder was bad. Some cleaning, no base gasket, a muff mod, a lil' dremel work and new rings , and it's a cuttin' fool. Speed in the cut almost equals the 385, even though it doesn't hit the rpm's of the husky. I've since made a dog for the missing inside dog and it wear a 24" just like the husky. Not to shabby for a 30 year old yellow toaster.
imagineero
Addicted to ArboristSite
I had an 044 that used to surprise me all the time. If you set it down for a minute, when you reached to pick it up it would always cut out. Sneaky little thing! I worked out that if I surprised it back it didn't have time. I'd just make out I was tying my shoelace or whatever, keeping watch on it out of the corner of my eye. Then, the second it let its guard down I'd make a lunge for the throttle and get it revving before it knew what happened!
Pioneer P40... they look heavy but are comparatively light , rev and cut like modern saws.
For cutting firewood the Stihl 034 AV Super. Light, agile, reliable. I like is so much I got 2 spare runners, just in case.
For cutting firewood the Stihl 034 AV Super. Light, agile, reliable. I like is so much I got 2 spare runners, just in case.
jughead500
Sasquatch
Just got a regular 034 rebuilt.I figured the tilly carb would need rebuilt.pulled the darn thing about 5 times and she fired to life.been thinking of sticking it up for sale.still needs a few things.im afraid that after I do try it out its going to replace all of my 028's. Its just .....well I guess ...... smoother.
Its just .....well I guess ...... smoother.
Deets066
Firewood hack
And look good too
ft. churchill
Addicted to ArboristSite
The thing stickin' outta the side of the recoil is gone now. It was a cheesy previous owner repair. The dogs I cut out from a chunk of stainless steel, copied the one side pattern, modified to fit the other bolt pattern on the inside.
juttree
ArboristSite Guru
The saw that surprised me the most was a 372xp, it was the first saw that I truly ported and it is an absolute animal, it blows stock ones out of the water by a lot.
The second saw was an ms391 that I ported also, lots of gains to be had in that saw.
The second saw was an ms391 that I ported also, lots of gains to be had in that saw.
cedarshark
Addicted to ArboristSite
One more vote for the Echo 590. Although I wish I had held out for the 600P, at $300 the new Timberwolf was too good a deal to pass up. My BIL (MS 290) and I cut up a big Cottonwood last weekend. He was flabbergasted.
Chris-PA
Where the Wild Things Are
Actually RedMax is Zenoah, it's just their US brand name. The Ryobi 10532 is a RedMax/Zenoah GZ400 with an actual Zenoah engine, and the Craftsman is a yellow GZ4000.
The McCulloch/Troy Bilt/MTD were made by Jenn Feng in Taiwan, clearly under license - they made their own castings, and most all of the parts are just a little different. You can swap engines but they used different threads on the clutch and bar studs. In my opinion the castings are equal to or better than the already fantastic Zenoah castings.
The Earthquake CS38xx and CS41xx are copies of the Zenoah G3800, but made in China. The casting and machining is not nearly as well done, but works. The porting has been extensively modified to meet emissions.
tacomatrd98
ArboristSite Guru
Least impressive and most impressive are one in the same for me. A bone stock 346XP NE is a turd in my opinion. My NE 346 ported by Dan Henry is the most impressive saw I own.
Another saw that surprised me is a muff modded 200t. Never forget when I bought mine new in 08. Never ran one before. Pulled the screen, fired it up and said Holy Sheet, this lil bugger sounds angry.
Another saw that surprised me is a muff modded 200t. Never forget when I bought mine new in 08. Never ran one before. Pulled the screen, fired it up and said Holy Sheet, this lil bugger sounds angry.
Brettl
ArboristSite Guru
Thats beauty Deets! I have a 036 Pro. I'd like to find a 034 Super/regular 036 to compare it to. How does it run along side your 036 Pro?
Deets066
Firewood hack
Did anybody mention the modded 200t?!
I used mine yesterday in the boom lift taking down 3 maple trees. Sprayin chips with a buried 16" bar. Just reinforced how handy that saw is up in the basket.
I used mine yesterday in the boom lift taking down 3 maple trees. Sprayin chips with a buried 16" bar. Just reinforced how handy that saw is up in the basket.
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