Wondering about the new saws

[col56]

harrygrey382-Exactly my point. We live in a plastic and throw away world.

I have used these 2 saws since 1980 and I don't use them a few times per year. When the BOSS and I were first married in 1978 I bought both of thesesaws and living out in the country we heated with noting but wood.

I wished I had a dollar for ever tree I cut down., I even owned a tree service for a few years and supplemented my income and came in real handy when I was laid off.

I was looking at the new Sthil saws the other day because being over 50 now and with grandchildren saftey is number 1.

This should have been the case always before but I was young and stupid and cut with saws that had no chin brake o them. Now I look at them and think how God had been with me not allowing me to cut my fool head off.

Anyhow I am looking at all the plastic on the new Sthils and wonder if these are as well built as the other ones I have. They just don't seem as well built. Maybe it's just me but I don't like the plastic world in which we live in.

I am told that the space age plastic is just as good as metal but everytime I hear this I point out that if I had a 56 chevy and hit into one of these new cars with all the plastic it wouldn't hold up near as well as the 56.

There were a lot of good points here and this subject must have been asked and answered so forgive me for not checking things out.

I enjoy what others here have to say and see there is a lot of expierence here.

Col

 

[Stihl #1]

Col56, I will through in a couple more observations that are really just repeats of what has been said. I have a collection of Stihl saws, and I enjoy looking at and owning the 028 and the 038 and the 090 and the 009, but when I need to do some real wood cutting I will pick up the MS 192 or the MS 361 or the MS 280 or the MS 441 because each of them are lighter, more powerful, easier to start, safer, etc. And I am confident that they will work for a long time with proper maintenance and care. And I am sure that the same is true for other quality brands out there, I just prefer Stihl. ( I do have a good reason to be biased, though!)
For whatever that is worth.

 

[SawTroll]

Col56, I will through in a couple more observations that are really just repeats of what has been said. I have a collection of Stihl saws, and I enjoy looking at and owning the 028 and the 038 and the 090 and the 009, but when I need to do some real wood cutting I will pick up the MS 192 or the MS 361 or the MS 280 or the MS 441 because each of them are lighter, more powerful, easier to start, safer, etc. And I am confident that they will work for a long time with proper maintenance and care. And I am sure that the same is true for other quality brands out there, I just prefer Stihl. ( I do have a good reason to be biased, though!)
For whatever that is worth.

009 - where is the closest dumpster - must be the worst Stihl designs ever.......

 

[Stihl #1]

009 - where is the closest dumpster - must be the worst Stihl designs ever.......

1120 series Stihl saw:
009L 2000-2005
009 Mini Boss 1993-2000
009 1980-1989
009LE 1982-1997
010AV 1978-1982
010AVE 1982-1985
011AVEQ 1980-1990
011AVT 1980-1982
011AVET 1982-1997
012AVE 1986-1994
012AVET 1986-1989


Troll, We all know you feelings on this saw, but how come Stihl made them starting in 1978 through 2005? At least several hundred thousand of them!!!
That is 27 years of production. And I will agree that towards the end there were plenty of new designs that were better than a reed valve 2 port engine, but there is no arguing with success! That many people can't be wrong. It is a good saw. And JRED or anybody else can't claim that many years of production for any model, good, bad, or otherwise.
Or maybe you are just kidding around and stirring the pot trying to pull a THALL on us!!!

 

[hoss]

Hi all,

I was wondering if the new saws are better or worse then the loder saws.

I have a few older Stihl saws, 041 Farm Boss and 056. They still run fine and start right up.

These older saws were built very well. I know a lot of older things seemed to last longer and were built better then the newer things (washing machines, stoves, etc) Are the older saws better then the new Stihl saws ?

Col

Well in my opinion you'd be hard pressed to find a better saw than your 056 for big wood in a comparable new saw. Unless your main criteria for "good" is less weight then I think the 056 is one of the best saws to use ever.Also an 880 will not pull a 6' bar with the authority that an 090 will. However the 880 i'm sure has it's own good attributes. In the 100+cc class of saw they are all heavy so power is king as far as I am concerned. My 090 is also one of my most reliable saws.

 

[Gologit]

The newer pro saws a e much better than the old... power, vibes, weight, fuel, repairability.. etc etc...


And remember...For every 056 , 031, or 041 (for example) still running there have been hundeds junked... A new saw bought by a typical "non-pro' can last almost forever.. just like the older saws did. In the hands of a "pro", just like the old saws, not long at all... Just assume a couple of thousand hours... how you get there over how long is up to the owner..

Well said.

 

[Brushwacker]

Hi all,

I was wondering if the new saws are better or worse then the loder saws.

I have a few older Stihl saws, 041 Farm Boss and 056. They still run fine and start right up.

These older saws were built very well. I know a lot of older things seemed to last longer and were built better then the newer things (washing machines, stoves, etc) Are the older saws better then the new Stihl saws ?

Col

I wouldn't sell the old saws and go all new. I find old an 041 av and similar era saws are nice to have along with a newer saw when out cutting wood.
Limbing or carrying the saw a distance power to weight comes into play but bucking near the truck the older saws work about as well for me for the amount of time I handle them. Most are fuel efficient reliable and cut fast as I want them to.

 

[col56]

Bushwacker,

Good reply however I am a little older with grandchildren and safety is number one priority now.

I am more concerned with the lack of chain brake funstion on the older saws.

I have been using them since I was 20 years old but as I said before when your young you do things you normally wouldn't do later on.

I'm sure that a large majority on this site are using a saw without a brake on them.

The lack of a brake started me looking at the newer saws but I guess having a chain brake is more important then worring about plastic on a saw.

I guess being they are made of space age plastic they are lighter which translates into less fatigue.

I have a neighbor that has a Stihl 660 and his gas tank developed a leak and I thought had Stihl not used plastic maybe he wouldn't have had this problem.

This what what I was refering to when I ask the question if the newer saws were built somewhat inferior to the older saws.

Don't get me wrong here, I have owned nothing but Stihl and never would think of buying any other saw.


Col

 

[Brushwacker]

Up to the 361 I think they are very durable. My first 034 had alot of limbs and logs batter it up. Broke the tophandle once, the rest of it held together with no major malfunctions. I've seen an 066 drop about 15 feet out of a tree and all it did was bend the compression release a little.
I haven't seen enough of the 361 or 441 to know if they are structurely sound as the previous generation of stihls. To me they look like they'd be a little easiar to break , but I really don't know for sure.