Kit saws.. farmertec? Reviews. Advice?

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$162
20181221_194027.jpg $154
20181222_111554.jpg $150
20181214_201347.jpg $83
20181121_142806.jpg
Labor not included. Amounts are total out of pocket to rebuild the powerhead including initial purchase price. There may be a quality aftermarket(not FT/Huztl) part here or there, but pretty much all OEM. No excuse for padding the Chinese's pockets for their junk.
 
I can be a bit blunt sometimes. No offense intended in my last post. I don't see to many deals like the above in my area. Most people want $140 for there broken saws. I do see some good deals in the Charlotte and Raleigh area but that's a few hour drive.
 
No offense taken. If anyone can help locate a deal on broken saw in need of repair. And connect me with seller. I'd be happier than fly's on cow $#@&.
 
I bought a 660 kit just to piss off people.
The two issues is it leaks oil and gas and the Texas sissy button fell apart.

During the assembly I had to file a casting seam on the crank.
Used all the parts in the kit.
 
$162
View attachment 692218 $154
View attachment 692219 $150
View attachment 692220 $83
View attachment 692221
Labor not included. Amounts are total out of pocket to rebuild the powerhead including initial purchase price. There may be a quality aftermarket(not FT/Huztl) part here or there, but pretty much all OEM. No excuse for padding the Chinese's pockets for their junk.

I'd be in
Pound the pavement gents!

Would be interested in the 034 super you were talking about. Contact me with details?

I bought a 660 kit just to piss off people.
The two issues is it leaks oil and gas and the Texas sissy button fell apart.

During the assembly I had to file a casting seam on the crank.
Used all the parts in the kit.

How's it run/cut? Hard to tune?
 
How's it run/cut? Hard to tune?
Its ported, base cut .020" squish.
Last time I checked compression it was in the neighborhood of 225psi
It pulls a 34" with authority
My advice, take your time and look over every part.
During the break in period I was constantly adjusting it, it has settled out and runs good.
 
The bigger saws don't come around quite as often. Last summer I bought a box of ex tree service 372s. I sold some parts units and built a saw with the leftovers and proceeds for a net price of zero.

Picked up the cherry 2171 in my avatar this summer for a NIB Jonsered 2250 that a homeowner wanted because it fit his use more.
 
I wouldn't trade the enjoyment I had building a 361 kit saw. However, now that it is afterwards, I probably would trade the saw for a 'needs work' 361 OEM saw. They are different enough in solidness to be noticeable. From a usability standpoint, the kit 361 I have, all ported up and modded to my hearts content, is very good. It hammers out plenty of wood. Lots of folks in my neck of the woods who can't afford an OEM 361 or 660. I am getting plenty of interest in a significantly lower price hand built clone that I may end up trading them off and getting whatever as my next adventure. Bought my last couple saws already modded from old timers in the local saw shop. They are retired and gone now. The kids doing the modding there haven't a clue what longevity means as it applies to modding a work saw. Hence my jump into kits saws to teach myself some of the art.

Kit saws are fine for that task and make a seriously useful item if done carefully and with a brutally honest eye to swapping out any sub par part with a higher quality one. I would not trade the experience I got, and my built up saws are very usable.
 
I'm looking at the ms200t complete repair kit. From farmertec. Also looking at the 044 complete repair kit . Would that be the build kit? Wat else could be done to make it as reliable as possible? Besides what has been mentioned.

The 044 kit is unknown to me, but the 200t kits have a lot of issues. The rubber is trash, the carb doesn't work, the handle doesn't fit, carb studs too short, throttle and choke linkages aren't right, oiler line kinks, fuel line kinks, piston is sloppy, rings are brittle, LOTS of missing bolts, probably more stuff.

I'm not saying don't buy one. But don't buy one as a stand alone saw. You will want a lot of OEM parts. It's a better kit to learn all the quirks of the model than to build a saw and go to work. It's a kit for somebody that works on 200t and needs parts or wants to build a hybrid that's basically brand new.

A used non-Mtronic 201t can often be found for sub $300. They get a bad rap but with proper mods are torquey tanks that get the job done every day. Many 200ts are out there rebuilt in the $450 range.

I think the 365/372 or 660 kits have the most popularity. They have been around the longest and have more quirks worked out.
 
I can be a bit blunt sometimes. No offense intended in my last post. I don't see to many deals like the above in my area. Most people want $140 for there broken saws. I do see some good deals in the Charlotte and Raleigh area but that's a few hour drive.

One of the best saws I’ve purchased has been my Homelite SXL925. If I remember right I paid $60 for it. Later I bought a non running XL901 parts saw and an NOS bar for it. By the time all was said and done I was in it a bit over $200. It’s a fantastic saw however. Lots of power and it has been super reliable. For a big displacement saw, (82cc), it’s also somewhat compact and the fact that it has an old, beat up appearance to it makes it a great truck saw. I’m not half as worried leaving it in my vehicle as I would be with my MS460.

I bring this up, because I see a fair number of these big 70s and 80s era Homelites pop up on Craigslist at reasonable prices. Stihls and Huskies fetch premium prices and I just don’t see the big McCullochs for sale that often, but Homelites seem pretty common.
 
I have an I 70 in a million pieces on the basement floor right now. I've painted it and purchased the crank bearings. All the parts are available but not cheap. The piston and cylinder look good but the rings look like there different thickness, not sure whats going on there but ill replace them. I will be a couple hundred in before im done but it should be neat. I also have grandpa's 10-10 and poulan 25DA to do. I've been keeping my eye out for a 029 super. The one saw I regret selling was a Homelite Big Red. Very rare and mine was mint.
 

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