Stihl 028 Woodboss?

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NovaMan

NovaMan

ArboristSite Operative
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Hi. I need a chainsaw to cut firewood, but I don't want to buy a piece of junk. I've done some research, but I think it's time to talk to the experts. I went to my local shop today (Stihl and Husky dealer), and they have a couple 028 Woodbosses for $225 each. One has a 16" bar, the other has an 18" bar, and apparently they're both about 15 years old. They come with a 30 day labor guarantee, and they've been torn down, checked out, and refurbished. Does that sound like a fair deal, or is it a little pricey?

But wait, there's more!
  • What are the specs on the 028 WB (bore, stroke, bhp, rpm, weight, etc.)? How does it compare to the other 028 models?
  • I'm a gearhead; can the 028 WB be souped up?
  • I'm guessing they have a long stroke and small bore; what are the opinions on that combination versus a big bore and short stroke?
  • Should I wait for a different saw or a better deal to come along?
 
good saw is it what you want?

I can't comment on saw value or what mods are feasible...but the 028 was and is very highly thought of. There is a site here somebody will hopefully pop in with the link, or know teh specs off the top of their heads...but you could do a search for acresnet saw page(I think that's right)that guy has just about any conceivable saw specs available, for sure he'd have the 028WB. I think it's about 3 cubes though. I think you would not be disappointed with an 028. I have owned 3 Stihls and just sold another for a friend, having run it a few times before I'd sell it. All of them have been very good. All you ahve to do is determine if a) you want to plunk down that kind of money for an old saw and b) if it's enough saw for your needs. If it's just occaisonal use/firewood I think it will be more than enough. If you ever cut big wood you might wait around for a good used 038 Magnum or 044 or just plunk down teh big bucks ofr a new 440 but if you just need a good reliable firewood saw the 028 will be awesoem for that.
 
I bought a Stihl 028 Super in '87, it was a good little saw, ran it hard cutting little trees under the powerlines for months, first real saw job I had. Its a 30 day guarantee, take it and use it. You are a chemist I see, being a weekend warrior there is no real need for a bigger saw. Make sure the bar is good and straight with a new chain.
 
028 WoodBoss

Bore is 44 mm, stroke 31 mm, and it is 47 cc as the link posted above states.

I do not have a confirmed or official hp number, but my partly educated guess is about 3.2 hp.

It is a bit heavy for its power, but not really bad.
Anyway, I think a used 026 is a better option......:taped:
 
The Woodboss is an older version of the 028 - has an aluminum tank (instead of plastic) and has points instead of Electronic ignition. They are great saws, but make sure you get one with low mileage - they are after all 20-25 years old... The 028 Super mentioned earlier is a really nice saw, but very hard to find.

Don't be put off by points ignitions - they produce more spark at lower recoil speeds than their electronic counterparts...

If you're really wanting a WB, I have one I've just gone through...
 
Thanks for the replies. :)

The age of the saws and not knowing the owners and how they treated the saws worries me. How can I tell how much life they have left in them?
 
NovaMan said:
Thanks for the replies. :)

The age of the saws and not knowing the owners and how they treated the saws worries me. How can I tell how much life they have left in them?
Click to expand...

Off the top of my head...

Pull the muffler off and look at the piston. Ask for a compression reading. Look at the bottom of the saw to see how scratched up it is and how much paint is missing. See if it's really clean under all the covers. Handle the saw quite a bit and make sure it doesn't feel loose from slopy AV mounts.

Thats what I'd do if I were looking at a saw in your situation.
 
What is the minimum acceptable compression? How is the compression checked on a chainsaw? Thread the gauge into the spark plug hole, make sure the choke is off, hold the throttle wide open and pull the cord?

The guy said the saws are about 15 years old, which would put them right at the end of the 028 production run. If they really are "only" 15 years old (and not 20-25), shouldn't they have electronic ignition?
 
JMO but I would think that's at least $50 too high per saw. You could get a better deal than that just about once a week at the trading post here at AS. A nice, and modded, 026 just sold today for only $25 more and I just sold a real nice 028 AV Electronic Quickstop for $186 on ebay and thought it was a fair deal for me and the buyer. If you have to pay sales tax on top of the $225 that would cover some freight. The mods here do not want dealers to exsist on the Trading Post unless the pay sponsorship fees, which is fair, but it discourages people like me who are not dealers from offering you a saw, if I had one, for fear of getting banned. You might want to ask them to start a "wanted to buy" sticky at the Trading Post because I'm sure you would get better offers than the one you've found.
John...

BTW, I do not have a saw to offer you so please don't PM me.

Also, IMO, the 028 is kind of wimpy. Very durable but it has to be because it's kind of slow. I think you'd be better off with a more modern saw.
 
You can't really compare prices on Ebay to local store prices.. It's almost impossible to get a real comparison as to condition, and on Ebay there is no going back to the store for a fix or refund... $225 is quite fair for a real clean saw with a store warranty. Around here they sell for up to $300 for a late model version, and $225 is the low end for anything decent.
 
Lakeside, I just assumed that since the saws had been torn down that meant that they probably were not 'real nice' but they could be now, who knows. I guess I've gotton spoiled by good pricing here in KC but I don't see much value in a 30 day warrenty because all they are covering is a possible bad reassembly after their tear down. I doubt the original poster would wear the saw out in that time frame and if it had a factory defect it would have already shown up. I don't think it's unfair to compare prices here at AS, on ebay, and at a store. They're all prices. Just my opinion any way and that's what he asked for. I thought $225 was too high and can't understand why anyone would pay $300 for an 028WB unless it was NIB and they were a collector of NIB saws. I'd buy a week old MS290 for that and cut a lot more wood. I didn't think the original poster was a collector but I may have missed that in the first post. And do we really want to recomend a WB when a AV would be much nicer. The WB is a heavy, old, relatively slow, but very durable saw.
John..
 
whatsnext said:
Lakeside, I just assumed that since the saws had been torn down that meant that they probably were not 'real nice' but they could be now, who knows. I guess I've gotton spoiled by good pricing here in KC but I don't see much value in a 30 day warrenty because all they are covering is a possible bad reassembly after their tear down. I doubt the original poster would wear the saw out in that time frame and if it had a factory defect it would have already shown up. I don't think it's unfair to compare prices here at AS, on ebay, and at a store. They're all prices. Just my opinion any way and that's what he asked for. I thought $225 was too high and can't understand why anyone would pay $300 for an 028WB unless it was NIB and they were a collector of NIB saws. I'd buy a week old MS290 for that and cut a lot more wood. I didn't think the original poster was a collector but I may have missed that in the first post. And do we really want to recomend a WB when a AV would be much nicer. The WB is a heavy, old, relatively slow, but very durable saw.
John..
Click to expand...

I don't see much difference in weight or opertion of any of the 028 WB or AV (except the "Super").

The 30 day warranty will show most problems... It's mainly to give the user time to actually prove the saw. Most saws either work well or quickly show their problems. I'd doubt most 028 resale saws have been "torn down" anyhow - just cleaned up and fuel/carb etc fixed.
 
I'm not a collector, I just need a saw to cut firewood. The vast majority of chainsaw-wielding people I have talked to have said Stihl is the best, and Husky seems to be second in popularity.
The shop in question also has a 3 year old Husky 345, but they had to replace the piston. That kinda makes me feel uneasy about the saw.
Edit: this shop tears down all their used saws in order to check them thoroughly. They don't want me coming back to them with problems; they want me to be a satisfied customer. At least that's the vibe I got from talking to the guy for half an hour.

Perhaps I should rephrase my question:
I cut firewood for personal use, and it's not my primary heat source. I have a 14" Wen electric chainsaw that works OK, but I need a saw I can take into the woods too. I really only do about an hour or two of sawing per week. What should I look for?
 
If you think the shop knows more than you I would look at the 345 and I'm not a Husky guy. It's lighter, quieter, has anti-vibe, as is just WAY more modern. I ran a 340 the other day and really thought it was nice for a small saw. If they put a new piston in without a new cylider they must have thought it was OK or they wasted their time doing the work. It doesn't sound like you'll be wearing saws out too quickly so you want easy starting and good ergonomics and, of course, more power than your electric.
John
 
Yup, new piston in the old cylinder. Apparently the scoring wasn't quite bad enough to require a new cylinder, and he says the compression checks out... but it still makes me feel uneasy. I'm used to Chevy V8s, and I would never replace a piston without honing at the very least.

Also, the Husky has some features that put me off a little, like the plastic crankcase and less HP than the Stihls. Maybe I should wait for a different used saw? I'm hoping that if I don't horribly neglect and mistreat the saw, it will last for a decade or two.
 
while 225 is top dollar on todays market ,if u get one that has been treated good ,id rather have it than most saws in its class. very dependable,strong enuff with sharp chain . one of the few saws ive owned that could be taken to the woods ,and not worry about a backup saw.my bet is u would be glad u got it .in my opinion the 028 has the distinction of being one of the few pro type saws that were bought primarily by homeowners.hence not worked to death.. if its in good shape ,starts easy and cuts strong, get it. . then u got u saw worries over . jmo
 

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