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Im 62. I still ride the trailbikes. Only last year i had a foot full of titanium. I was booked to have it removed. Thought i better go for a ride out bush cause it we be some time before i get the chance too again. Foot felt a little odd from that point on. Come out of surgery and the Surgeon asked what i had been up to? Oh i went for a trail bike ride, why? He said you have broken screws in there we cant remove. I said it must have been from landing off the erosion humps. The look of disbelief from the medical staff!

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Had 2 of my screws removed, they were rubbing through a nerve on the sharp end.

So now I tell people i have a couple loose screws... Used to have em somewhere? lost in one of dozens of moves (or more likely currently holding some piece of scrap together until the rust and moss win)
 
Had 2 of my screws removed, they were rubbing through a nerve on the sharp end.

So now I tell people i have a couple loose screws... Used to have em somewhere? lost in one of dozens of moves (or more likely currently holding some piece of scrap together until the rust and moss win)
I asked my Ortho surgeon what kind of screws she used.
"You're not planning on numbing up your foot and breaking out your cordless drill, are you?"
Suffice to say all 24 screws are still firmly attached.
 
I asked my Ortho surgeon what kind of screws she used.
"You're not planning on numbing up your foot and breaking out your cordless drill, are you?"
Suffice to say all 24 screws are still firmly attached.
Most of em are Square drive self drilling self tapping... coarse like a wood screw, but different?

There's a machine shop round here that makes most of em lol
 
Big block saws, if you get a chance are a hoot to run, chew through any damned thing no matter the condition of the chain
A 125 or 090 (with AV) & a long bar in a big log will make you smile. Well at least for the first full cut or two, providing you don't have to hike it in very far. However I still want a sharp chain, though big chain definitely dulls noticably slower.
 
A 125 or 090 (with AV) & a long bar in a big log will make you smile. Well at least for the first full cut or two, providing you don't have to hike it in very far. However I still want a sharp chain, though big chain definitely dulls noticably slower.
I will pass on starting the 090's though... they is heavy and hard on shoulders, 088/084's way lighter and easy to start
 
Well I do my own maintenance but the advice part is a good thing I hadn't thought about. Funny you would think big box would be cheaper but my local dealer carries the same saw for the same price
I actually bought an Echo trimmer from a farm equipment dealer who also carries Echo for a little less than a major retailer wanted for theirs.
Another big reason to go with a dealer is warranty work or major repair.You already have a relationship with them and they'll probably get to yours before one bought elsewhere.They'll probably have more parts in stock that you can get the same day plus people who should know their saws and what works well.They may also carry a line aftermarket accessories to give you more choices in files,chains,PPE etc.
In another case, I was buying a smaller saw for use as a backup,once. Had narrowed my choices to two saws made by the same manufacturer. Same size and class. I was familiar with one and was leaning toward it.
When I went to the dealer to buy,I was looking at both when the guy at the counter told me, if I wanted his advice, to set the saw I had picked for my second choice

back on the shelf and take the other model. That finished my decision since I was fairly sure I wanted the other one,anyway.I figured he knew the saws and worked on them so he should know them. Plus,the one he recommended was marked down in a manufacturer's promotion. The saw has worked every bit as well as I hoped,maybe even better.
 
No, they are not hard to find parts for, there are plenty online, and there’s dealers on the Forums
who sell the parts, but most importantly, you rarely ever need a part for an Echo Dolmar or Makita,
they are very reliable saws, I have had Three Echo and Five Maita/ Dolmars.

The only saw I ever sold because it wouldn’t start easy enough was a New MS362 with
a days work on it, didn’t want to spend a month in and out of the Stihl shop living in hope
they would admit there was a problem and fix it, seen too many suffer that crap.
i agree dolmar parts are easy for me to get here in B.C. but i usually dont need much, i have to disagree with the post above this one about poulan saws i have a friend who bought a poulan pro 50cc saw, his family is poor and he had bought a used poulan returned to the dealer, after the 1st owner had it for a month and said it was to heavy [which it is] but he has cut 100s of cords with that 50cc saw, i know him well, he heats his home and his parents, every canadian winter, i know he fiddles with it alot, but it has never blown up [like the husky i had] i always ask him when i see him how the poulan runs, and he says good, hes had it 4 or 5 years now, and he sells some firewood to sometimes, so they must be a basically sound saw,not my choice, but SOME folks dont have the coin for a new stihl 261 pro saw [800$ cdn here] i bought 2 dolmar 5105s 2 yrs ago when they were going to makitas for 400$-450$ cdn what a deal that was, up here the makita es5000 50cc pro saw is 850$ cdn, same saw, the odd domar comes up like new used around here, and the 5105 is the 2nd best firewood saw IMO, BEHIND THE stihl 261, im not a big stihl fan, but i sell firewood, and i like the power [4hp] and lightness 10.8 lbs of the 261, when you do it 8 to 10 hrs a day sometimes i appreciate a good LIGHT powerful saw.
 
Im 62. I still ride the trailbikes. Only last year i had a foot full of titanium. I was booked to have it removed. Thought i better go for a ride out bush cause it we be some time before i get the chance too again. Foot felt a little odd from that point on. Come out of surgery and the Surgeon asked what i had been up to? Oh i went for a trail bike ride, why? He said you have broken screws in there we cant remove. I said it must have been from landing off the erosion humps. The look of disbelief from the medical staff!

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deamnnnnnn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Chain saw is perfect tool for cutting smaller branches . Actually, it's quicker as you can grab a branch on one side to scoop the branch into the jaws and with a quick squeeze, the limb is cut. I I read the reviews on Amazon before purchasing, and saw the comments about adding oil being a nuisance; but I just used a little canola oil that I had in the kitchen, and it works great. The little plastic bottle has a little screw cap that opens the top to dispense oil, then screws back down to close when finished adding oil to the little reservoir. I would definitely recommend this tool because it is easy to use, has great safety features, and the cost was very reasonable.
 
550xp MKII if you need a 18in or shorter, 372xp or 572xp for 20 or bigger, mainly hardwood. Will last you many years. If your looking to buy on a budget used, 034 Super, 036, etc 359, 357xp. Lots of good options. But honestly the 590 Timberwolf is probably your best bet. I have heard nothing but good from them. A pro saw at a homeowner price.
 
Chain- 4 things to know- pitch, gauge, # of drive links, and if full size or 1/2 size height cutters. Stilh has 3 lines Home owner, Jobber, Pro. Husky is the same but 3 names poulan ( home owner) Jonsered (jobber) Husky- pro. Dolmar/ Makia - all pro saws- Same guts under the different colored exteriors- so far . Makita corded Electric saw is the only one I know of with all metal gears.
 
ok new to the sight, but 48 years pro service and repairs of all makes and models. ok here goes,for my entire career, i serviced and repaired more stihl brand saws than i care to think about. buy the best grade saw you can afford, and maintain it regular, keep it sharp, and please run high octane fuel and oem brand oil mix. personaly i run huskys 372xp 550xpll and t540ll. yes there more expensive but my down time consists of sharpening, blowing them out with air,bar maintence. thats about it. buy from local best dealer you can find, even if you do your own work, in case their is a warranty issue. just for the record i only run vp 110 leaded race fuel and husky xp mix oil. little to no smoke and smells great when running.all my saws including my 4 echos love this fuel mix and run trouble free.and their performance is flawless!!!!
 
ok new to the sight, but 48 years pro service and repairs of all makes and models. ok here goes,for my entire career, i serviced and repaired more stihl brand saws than i care to think about. buy the best grade saw you can afford, and maintain it regular, keep it sharp, and please run high octane fuel and oem brand oil mix. personaly i run huskys 372xp 550xpll and t540ll. yes there more expensive but my down time consists of sharpening, blowing them out with air,bar maintence. thats about it. buy from local best dealer you can find, even if you do your own work, in case their is a warranty issue. just for the record i only run vp 110 leaded race fuel and husky xp mix oil. little to no smoke and smells great when running.all my saws including my 4 echos love this fuel mix and run trouble free.and their performance is flawless!!!!
I see your from the land of "Depression " above Scranton, pretty country with a terrible economy around there.
Anyway, there's a GtG down near the Bellefonre exit off I-80 in May planned 5/14-5/15 . Theres a thread on it if your interested.
 
Well I've gotten fairly decent @ tuning high/low not expert but enough to get the saw running @ peak performance. I would say you're right about the cheap bearings. I'm leaning more towards Echo or Stihl just because that's all they make. I.e. specialize in Small engines only vs a company like Husqvarna who is owned by a vacuum cleaner company and also makes the pos poulans. Thanks so much for your advice and help
While Husqvarna isn't the company it was back in the 80's. OI still think your assessment of them as a loser in the game is both inaccurate and unfair. Husky does make good saws, and they make consumer grade junk. If you buy a saw for a bargain price at a big box store, you get exactly what you paid for.

I'd strongly look at Echo IF there is dealer that supports them nearby you can trust. Don't overlook the used market either. A used pro saw is still a lot more saw than a new consumer grade saw from TSC/Lowes.
 

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