I really had no intention of buying more saws, OR parts-but when the price is right, what's a kid Gonna do? Well Buy Candy of Course! (I Swear I'm not addicted)....Anyway, the first thing I came across was this cute little "Homeowner Husky", seems the wire slipped out of the kill switch and the nice man figured it would cost $100 or so to have a shop fix it (he just choked it out whenever he was done cutting a wheelbarrow of sticks for his fire ring) And, Who was I to argue? So the saw is on its original chain--heck, he never even had the filter cover off! And you can see how clean it is. On top of that, his Wife was happy to see such a powerful and Deadly dangerous Device Be Gone! Don't feel sorry for him though, he's still got a 13 HP Tracked Snowthrower and all the latest Grass/weed cutting Machinery. So I got the saw for $80 after agreeing that it WAS kinda Old ('05), and the dealer might charge even more than a C-Note and parts might be an issue. Just unscrewed the cover to see how surprisingly clean it is under there...
Then I stopped in a former Stihl Dealer that is sort of a family run deal--BUT, if big Mama isn't around (No Escalade parked in front), then I know Junior is minding the store...And Junior likes Cash about as much as he likes Hamburgers! (Jr is a Big Boy), SO, with Mama absent, I was allowed "In Back" to look at the shelves and benches full of anything and everything, and as long as Mama wasn't going to miss it, it was 4 Sale at a "Nice Price" Sooo I got an 044 powerhead, which seems to have good compression--$150, and I can bring it back if I don't like it!--(haven't dug into it yet), also got most of a Dumore Grinder--No drive cable, so it was "Hows $10 Bucks?" (OK by me!)
Figured the near new Carbide was worth that! But by the size of the hand piece, I figure this old gal never ported anything as dainty as a Chainsaw cylinder! BTW, looks like a cable for the thing will run me ~100 bucks or more!
Then, before Mama got back from BK, I spotted another buried gem, a complete 350(!)--not as pretty, but a runner, "just totally redone" (whatever that means)--$125 for that puppy, and as I was being hustled about, I spotted a box with "346xp" written on it in "Sharpie", and here's what was inside: HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY!
Apparently parts got ordered, paid or not, and just wound up in random piles--I Definitely need to stake out this Mower Shop at lunch time when Mama's out, I'm Sure I missed some real gems!
But for now I've read up on 350's --the poor man's 346xp--and I intend to reseal the clamshells and probably tighten the squish, maybe even try a bit of clean-up (Smallest thing I ever took a Die Grinder to was a CR500 Jug--and I wished I had more room/fancier tools!. I Read Brad Snelling's post and Pics on the 350--Thank You VERY MUCH Brad--, and the idea of putting that 346 topend on the "Less Pretty" 350, along with a black coil of course, is quite tempting, but if I understand the ink stamps correctly, "42" works out to about 45cc's while "44" is close to 50cc's. Since the 350 pictured is truly almost new, I cant see changing that P/C, so if anything it'll be the other 350 that gets the XP topend....Which, btw, set me back Some Serious Ching ($80 to be precise), Since, in Junior's words, "That's a REAL Head!, Not one of those Chinesey jobs they sell on the internet!", and he added,"If you can even get them anymore, they cost as much as a saw, that's why we got away from all that stuff, nobody fixes Nothin', they just buy new saws from Home Depot".
Then on the way out he rattled off a bunch of Well Meant Warnings, "Watch those little c-clips, if they go flying you'll never find them", "Make sure and use good oil when you first start it",(I guess later you can just use waste oil?), "And be real careful gettin' that ring lined up, There's a pin that keeps it from spinning. And Don't jam it or you'll ruin it!". "These Aren't like Mower Engines--Don't go prying or banging on it with a Hammer if don't go in easy!" I Mean IT-They Break real easy if you try to force them too much!"
Well meaning kid though--or perhaps he just didn't want to see me back with a box of parts while Big Mama was in the house! So I did my best to assure him that I'd worked on Dirtbikes since I was 12 or so and wouldn't destroy anything or blame him. He DID invite me to "Come back real soon!, there's lot's of parts that need clearing out!"
Finally then, if anyone has any words of wisdom/advise regarding these "Homeowner"saws, be it sealant preference, port specs, anything at all, It would be Mightily Appreciated! I do plan to reseal with 515, yamabond, hondabond, whatever I get first, MuffMod of course, muff brace, black coil-so my tiny tach can get some use, and I plan to run the 18" .325/.050 bar chain setups that are on them--unless there's something compellingly more fun to justify the change. And I've gotten almost anal about charting Comp#'s and doing a Vac/press. test after any reseal or on an unknown--like the 044.
I might just be tempted to pull the Xfer covers like Mr. Snelling did and tidy things up a bit--not like I'm short on saws! Thanks in Advance, and Thanks for reading my rambling post. And if I learn anything I'll certainly put it up for those who might still have/run/like this little half breed! Regards, Mike
P.S., anyone use these Dumore-or foredom cable drive units? Or is it all Air?
Then I stopped in a former Stihl Dealer that is sort of a family run deal--BUT, if big Mama isn't around (No Escalade parked in front), then I know Junior is minding the store...And Junior likes Cash about as much as he likes Hamburgers! (Jr is a Big Boy), SO, with Mama absent, I was allowed "In Back" to look at the shelves and benches full of anything and everything, and as long as Mama wasn't going to miss it, it was 4 Sale at a "Nice Price" Sooo I got an 044 powerhead, which seems to have good compression--$150, and I can bring it back if I don't like it!--(haven't dug into it yet), also got most of a Dumore Grinder--No drive cable, so it was "Hows $10 Bucks?" (OK by me!)
Figured the near new Carbide was worth that! But by the size of the hand piece, I figure this old gal never ported anything as dainty as a Chainsaw cylinder! BTW, looks like a cable for the thing will run me ~100 bucks or more!
Then, before Mama got back from BK, I spotted another buried gem, a complete 350(!)--not as pretty, but a runner, "just totally redone" (whatever that means)--$125 for that puppy, and as I was being hustled about, I spotted a box with "346xp" written on it in "Sharpie", and here's what was inside: HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY!
Apparently parts got ordered, paid or not, and just wound up in random piles--I Definitely need to stake out this Mower Shop at lunch time when Mama's out, I'm Sure I missed some real gems!
But for now I've read up on 350's --the poor man's 346xp--and I intend to reseal the clamshells and probably tighten the squish, maybe even try a bit of clean-up (Smallest thing I ever took a Die Grinder to was a CR500 Jug--and I wished I had more room/fancier tools!. I Read Brad Snelling's post and Pics on the 350--Thank You VERY MUCH Brad--, and the idea of putting that 346 topend on the "Less Pretty" 350, along with a black coil of course, is quite tempting, but if I understand the ink stamps correctly, "42" works out to about 45cc's while "44" is close to 50cc's. Since the 350 pictured is truly almost new, I cant see changing that P/C, so if anything it'll be the other 350 that gets the XP topend....Which, btw, set me back Some Serious Ching ($80 to be precise), Since, in Junior's words, "That's a REAL Head!, Not one of those Chinesey jobs they sell on the internet!", and he added,"If you can even get them anymore, they cost as much as a saw, that's why we got away from all that stuff, nobody fixes Nothin', they just buy new saws from Home Depot".
Then on the way out he rattled off a bunch of Well Meant Warnings, "Watch those little c-clips, if they go flying you'll never find them", "Make sure and use good oil when you first start it",(I guess later you can just use waste oil?), "And be real careful gettin' that ring lined up, There's a pin that keeps it from spinning. And Don't jam it or you'll ruin it!". "These Aren't like Mower Engines--Don't go prying or banging on it with a Hammer if don't go in easy!" I Mean IT-They Break real easy if you try to force them too much!"
Well meaning kid though--or perhaps he just didn't want to see me back with a box of parts while Big Mama was in the house! So I did my best to assure him that I'd worked on Dirtbikes since I was 12 or so and wouldn't destroy anything or blame him. He DID invite me to "Come back real soon!, there's lot's of parts that need clearing out!"
Finally then, if anyone has any words of wisdom/advise regarding these "Homeowner"saws, be it sealant preference, port specs, anything at all, It would be Mightily Appreciated! I do plan to reseal with 515, yamabond, hondabond, whatever I get first, MuffMod of course, muff brace, black coil-so my tiny tach can get some use, and I plan to run the 18" .325/.050 bar chain setups that are on them--unless there's something compellingly more fun to justify the change. And I've gotten almost anal about charting Comp#'s and doing a Vac/press. test after any reseal or on an unknown--like the 044.
I might just be tempted to pull the Xfer covers like Mr. Snelling did and tidy things up a bit--not like I'm short on saws! Thanks in Advance, and Thanks for reading my rambling post. And if I learn anything I'll certainly put it up for those who might still have/run/like this little half breed! Regards, Mike
P.S., anyone use these Dumore-or foredom cable drive units? Or is it all Air?