The most underated saw....

[OREGONLOGGER]

I have three 031's for a reason very under rated great wood saw at the ranch turn's 13,000 and will take a computer chip inplace of condensor.

My Pro Mac 800 at 82cc will build a log house in the forest..period!! Very under rated saw
Any Mac 250 or Super 250..Don't care if it's heavy they go into the forest with me daily!!

 

[SawTroll]

Jerry your right on the money. My Efco saw (JD CS 56) get's no respect. It has performed and has held up as well as any of my Stihl's. It has been a flawless saw for the last 3 years.

As far as I know, those saws hold up just fine - unless they are submitted to pro use (ask Efco dealer Stihl Crazy)....

The 56 also suffer from the fact that it is a 62, with a smaller engine on it, and the somewhat "cheap" looks. Those that desigh the looks of the EMAK saws should have been sacked years ago! :msp_biggrin:

 

[trappermike]

Sorry to rain on anyone's parade,but McCulloch saws were rare and despised in Canada even in the 80's,because they were almost impossible to get parts for even then. I'm not saying they were bad saws,but whenever a mechanic got one to fix,he sighed in resignation because you had to adapt parts for them,and there really wasn't very many of them here.
I fixed millions of the little Mac minis,they ran good.
I remember one mini,the repair went on and on,just one more heli-coil,one more screw etc,etc.,it turned into hours of repair,then I took it out the back door to test run it,BANG,it stopped and oil started pouring out of it?? WTH?
The con rod let go and punched a hole thru the crankcase into the oil tank,3 hours of work and parts wasted....
I don't think there was many of them sold in Canada. Except the minis in the 'chain stores....

 

[jerrycmorrow]

As far as I know, those saws hold up just fine - unless they are submitted to pro use (ask Efco dealer Stihl Crazy)....

The 56 also suffer from the fact that it is a 62, with a smaller engine on it, and the somewhat "cheap" looks. Those that desigh the looks of the EMAK saws should have been sacked years ago! :msp_biggrin:

glad you chimed in troll. been wanting to ask a question that mostly only europeans could answer. been wondering for a long time if Efco has and supports a dealer network in europe. they sure as heck take a lackadaisical approach over here and i figure they must be doing something somewhere to stay in business.

 

[trappermike]

I only ever got to see or fix one Echo twin,I think it was about a 70cc 2 cylinder. I was amazed how smooth it ran,no vibration. I'd LOVE to make a "70cc stock appearing with pipe" race saw from one,2 pipes sticking up off a 70cc saw,how cool!!
Gimmie one gimmie one!

 

[jerrycmorrow]

one for sale on feebay right now

 

[trappermike]

I'd like to look closely at one. See if it could be a good candidate for a 70cc stock appearing class saw.With 2 small pistons(Short stroke),it's gotta be capable of really high rpms. And with 2 pipes(legal) it would look really wild. I'd LOVE to build one.
Buy it buy it,give it to me to butcher!!!...:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[redheadwoodshed]

Probably the MS290-MS390 line of saws. They're certainly not my favorite, but we(and I'm including myself here) don't give them the credit they're due.

The MS441 belongs here as well. It's a great saw AND responds very well to mods, contrary to some old wives tales.

Another that comes to mind is the Husky 350. They can be made to run great!

I have a ms391, it seems to be one of the most trashed saws on here but I like it just fine.I also have 038 mag2 that is one of the favorites on here in some threads and I got to say, I can't tell a whole lt of difference in weight or power when I pick it up.

 

[woodyman]

My underrated saw is my Husky 44 which I use for limbing now.It also smoked a stock MS260:hmm3grin2orange:

http://www.arboristsite.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=189807&stc=1&d=1310004298

 

[trappermike]

As a Stihl shop mechanic for many years,I call the 028 and 038 the most reliable saws ever made.I rarely ever replaced a piston in one,never the crank or main bearings,they were overbuilt and would last forever. Not to mention they were just nice running saws and super -reliable. For home and work saws I would STAULK them down and buy them,I know a well maintained one should last a lifetime.
I don't think Stihl can ever beat them.
Hang onto your 028s 038s,the saw staulker is out to kidnap them! Hahaha....:msp_smile:
Some of today's new saws with plastic crankcases-NOT gonna last a lifetime.

 

[Bigrod]

Not having any of the saws that Nick mentioned I do have a Husky 350 that I have done a little mod work to and that small lightweight saw really screams. If not for getting into some large wood I would stick with this saw to cut just about everything. I was up at outdoorlivins GTG last year and was very impressed with Andys 7900. May have to be the next saw I get, (d**m cad). I picked up a 290 at a farm auction and not knowing anything about this saw was surprised at what it would do, but is a little on the heavy side, had to use it to cut thru a 30" oak after the oiler had quit on the 066 and did a good job, a little slower but it cut thru it. My dad and I purchased a new Sachs Dolmar 120s back round 89-90 and still using that saw.

 

[OhioGregg]

I don't know if its so much as under rated as it is just plain bad mouthed. And thats the saw everybody loves to hate, the "Wildthing". LOL No saw takes more abuse, both verbaly and in the real world than they do. Most are owned by weekend warriors, home owners who need a saw to clean up yard trees and such. Once the crappy chain gets dull, and they continue to try and burn there way through wood, and never service them, they get set on the shelf for later sale at the yard sale. Would I recemend one to a serious firewood cutter? NO, but they aren't as bad as they are made out to be. Especially for the price they can be had for.


Gregg,

 

[Mastermind]

I don't know if its so much as under rated as it is just plain bad mouthed. And thats the saw everybody loves to hate, the "Wildthing". LOL No saw takes more abuse, both verbaly and in the real world than they do. Most are owned by weekend warriors, home owners who need a saw to clean up yard trees and such. Once the crappy chain gets dull, and they continue to try and burn there way through wood, and never service them, they get set on the shelf for later sale at the yard sale. Would I recemend one to a serious firewood cutter? NO, but they aren't as bad as they are made out to be. Especially for the price they can be had for.


Gregg,

Plus one on the wildthing. If the muffler is opened up a bit they cut very well. I know a fellow that only uses them for a firewood operation he runs. At first I thought he was insane. But after watching for a couple of years it seems that he may be smart. The boys running them would ruin any saw he gives them. He's not out too much when they get damaged, parts are everywhere and cheap. I service and tune them for him and to be honest they hold up well.

 

[zogger]

What do you see?

Plus one on the wildthing. If the muffler is opened up a bit they cut very well. I know a fellow that only uses them for a firewood operation he runs. At first I thought he was insane. But after watching for a couple of years it seems that he may be smart. The boys running them would ruin any saw he gives them. He's not out too much when they get damaged, parts are everywhere and cheap. I service and tune them for him and to be honest they hold up well.

What wears out on those things the most, what are the most common repairs you have to do?

 

[Justsaws]

What wears out on those things the most, what are the most common repairs you have to do?

Homeowner Poulans get a bad reputation because of the operators. Used properly within the proper limitations they will work quite well for the money spent.

The bars and chains that come on them stock tend to be of lower quality and wear quickly.

Sprockets, seem to wear faster than one might expect.

Oil pumps.

Fuel lines., purge pumps.

Gas caps.

Chain tensioner, not so much anymore.

All easily replaced and can be had fairly inexpensively. If the chain is as dull as the operator then the bar studs get pull threw the plastic case and the case gets melted around the oil pump. You know the "Those stupid nuts keep loosening up and allowing the bar to slip............" or the classic " It started smoking around wear the DUST comes out so it might need some............", those people.

 

[SawTroll]

glad you chimed in troll. been wanting to ask a question that mostly only europeans could answer. been wondering for a long time if Efco has and supports a dealer network in europe. they sure as heck take a lackadaisical approach over here and i figure they must be doing something somewhere to stay in business.

The former Dolmar importer here now handles Efco instead - but I have no idea why that happened.

 

[flushcut]

I would have to say the Husky 350 as well. That saw has had the snot beat out of it on a daily basis and has held up surprisingly well. For a homeowner saw it will last a life time. The saw has been through three years of professional use and has yet to quit.

 

[SawTroll]

The most underrated saw probably is the 346xp, as many people doesn't seem to understand how much better than the competition it is! :biggrinbounce2::hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange:

 

[sachsmo]

Most under rated?

I have a few different ones, but they are not under rated, they basically get no ratings.

Sachs Dolmar 120si/ Dolmar 6800i, Dang fine saws.

 

[SawTroll]

Most under rated?

I have a few different ones, but they are not under rated, they basically get no ratings.

Sachs Dolmar 120si/ Dolmar 6800i, Dang fine saws.

Those are fine saws, just a bit heavy, but there are lots of positive comments on here - hardly underrated......:biggrin: