Jungle Jim
ArboristSite Member
It's hard to find any bad press on the Husky saws but I ran across these on [a river in Brazil]:
Before I go buy one I'm curious about the AS members reaction to these reviews. I suspect they are uninformed, novice, prejudiced or didn't read the manual. Gotta love the starting procedure in the first one :msp_smile:
-Jim
Avoid Husky Saws - non functional start up, December 4, 2010
This review is from: Husqvarna 450 18-Inch 50.2cc X-Torq 2-Cycle Gas Powered Chain Saw With Smart Start (Lawn & Patio)
If you plan on using your chain saw in the field (woods)on a consistent basis, forget purchasing a Husky...particularly the larger models (I own a 372XP, so I speak with a lot of experience).
The Husky engineers (with the European Union safety mods) created a saw that is almost impossible to start in the field. The procedure (for a right handed person) calls for inserting your left boot into the D handle, depressing the trigger mechanism with your right hand, and then pulling the starter cord with your left hand. Got it? Good. Wearing logger boots bigger than a size 10? Forget putting one of them into the D handle. Like to lay your saw down in slush and mud, and start your saw? If not, you will enjoy cursing out the Husky engineer who designed these saws. Enjoy having the saw bar come back at you when the clutch snags? Get used to it, because it is going to happen more times than not.
Don't be fooled by the cc's per dollar mentality. Don't be fooled by the "safety" hype by Husky sales ("it's safer this way").
The Husky design for start up is simply inefficient, unworkable, and sometimes downright dangerous in true field conditions.
Works Well But a Bear to Start, April 27, 2010
This review is from: Husqvarna 450 18-Inch 50.2cc X-Torq 2-Cycle Gas Powered Chain Saw With Smart Start (Lawn & Patio)
I use this in my NH home on trees which I clear for expanding my daylily farm. I looked through the many options and bought this due to the reviews and the reputation of the company. But beware.
It took seven hours of trying and five days to get it started the first time. I even called the manufacturer's hot line which was helpful but they said to me that this was a common problem.
First a suggestion. Follow the directions but beware the flooding. Follow each step but you may have to do what I was told to do several times.
Remove the cowling and remove the spark plug and turn the engine over to expel the excess fuel. Then clean the plug and let it dry. It may take time since the fuel mix with oil does not evaporate quickly, the oil is a surfactant and stays on the plug. Let the engine cool down then replace the plug, and start all over again. It took three times to get it to finally turn over. It finally turned over.
It cuts well and seems to start well after the first almost impossible start up.
The manual is poorly written and unless you have used chain saws before you may have a difficult time. The manual can and is confusing and is poorly laid out. I have seen better but frankly the manuals for most machines are poorly written.
The 18" chain saw works well on most trees and the chain needs constant monitoring at the start to keep the tension at the required level. One should always watch for this problem. The tension adjust is easy to perform since it is external and on the side of the machine.
It is a relatively light machine for medium duty work. It is well balanced and easy to handle. Again safety is the key issue, gloves, glasses, and respect at all times for the chain and the environment is necessary.
After it started it has worked well thus far. The replacement chains are a bit difficult to buy, standard but they also require some on line searching. ****** should bundle all of the additional parts in one place which they do not.
Starting second and ensuing times seems to work well.
Before I go buy one I'm curious about the AS members reaction to these reviews. I suspect they are uninformed, novice, prejudiced or didn't read the manual. Gotta love the starting procedure in the first one :msp_smile:
-Jim