2-digit Husky saws...all clamshell?

[irhunter]

Well, it is true that Stihl makes no effort to match the model number to displacement. They do make it easy to spot pro saws. I guess, now Husky calls all its pro saws XP. If that is true about Husky and the XP, I would call that a good thing.

Maybe both Stihl and Husky should come up with an easy way to spot homeowner saws. I agree, it makes no sense that a Stihl 250 is homeowner and the Stihl 240 is pro (unless you know the second digit being even means pro).

 

[cuinrearview]

Well, it is true that Stihl makes no effort to match the model number to displacement. They do make it easy to spot pro saws. I guess, now Husky calls all its pro saws XP. If that is true about Husky and the XP, I would call that a good thing.

Yah, except Husky didn't. Check out the three series saws...

 

[deaves61]

42 51 55 61 are not clamshells.

 

[jltrent]

I just put a Husky 41 engine in a Husky 142 case. The 41 has bearings and oil seals same as a Poulan, the 142 has bearings and oil seals like the Husqvarna 350 design. The 36 136 137 41 141 142 are clam shells. From working on them the impulse line is pretty weak.

 

[SawTroll]

Well, it is true that Stihl makes no effort to match the model number to displacement. They do make it easy to spot pro saws. I guess, now Husky calls all its pro saws XP. If that is true about Husky and the XP, I would call that a good thing.

Maybe both Stihl and Husky should come up with an easy way to spot homeowner saws. I agree, it makes no sense that a Stihl 250 is homeowner and the Stihl 240 is pro (unless you know the second digit being even means pro).

Sadly there are exceptions from that "rule", as well as any other "rule" that have been thought out trough the years (like the color of the rear handle).

Bottom line is that you have to know what is what, with any brand that I know of.

 

[Wood Doctor]

I guarantee that my 61 classic is NOT a clamshell. Heck, even I was able to rebuild the top end. It's a keeper now:

This saw runs very well, not a screamer, but I doubt I will ever kill it.

 

[harpersend]

I have two running saws of the old 45 Husqvarna / Partner design. They are semi-retired now, but I picked up some parts saws a little while back to have around. In my research, I found that there were also some Jonsered's produced under the Partner design.

 

[SawTroll]

I have two running saws of the old 45 Husqvarna / Partner design. They are semi-retired now, but I picked up some parts saws a little while back to have around. In my research, I found that there were also some Jonsered's produced under the Partner design.

There surely was - and all Swedish made Jonsereds/Jonsered saws made between 1979 and 1987 were made at the Partner factory, except for the 630/670 that was made at the Husky factory (from 1982).

 

[ammoaddict]

OK, I know that for some time Husky has made homeowner (e.g., 240), farmer/rancher (e.g., 450), and pro saws. I would like to know how their older 2-digit saws compare to these categories.

My list of 2-digit saws: 36, 40, 41, 42, 45, 51, 55, 61.

Are all these saws clamshell farmer/rancher class saws? Were some cheap-builds which would put them in the homeowner class? Any of them have pro-like bolt-on jugs?

Thanks,

Roy

I know the 50 is not on your list but I have one built in 1985. It is a mag case saw with a bolt on cylinder. I would classify it as semi pro. I bought it new and it's still running.

 

[SawTroll]

I know the 50 is not on your list but I have one built in 1985. It is a mag case saw with a bolt on cylinder. I would classify it as semi pro. I bought it new and it's still running.

Yep, the 50 isn't a clamshell.

It is an exception from the general "rule" in that it isn't a semi-pro version of a pro saw either though, but was conceived for the Racher/Farmer market from the outset - and at that time (1980s) that market was pretty much the same as what usually are referred to as semi-pro saws (it no longer is, todays Farmer/Rancher/Farm boss saws usually are clamshells, and really just somewhat large homeowner saws). Stihl was first with this "degradation" of Farmer etc saws,

A problem with discussing this is of course that the saw brands (and more specifically their marketing people) at any given time define anything in the way they think will lead to most sales in the near future, so there always will be some confusion regarding what should be categorized as what in the long run.
New "saw categories" are invented (and some times disappear again) as they see fit in the marketing, like with Stihls "Immediate" class and Huskys "landowner" class - and then there are those that regard anything with a metal case as a "Pro" saw, regardless of performance and other features.

 

[irhunter]

On a somewhat related note (to the Husky 50), the Husky 350 isn't a clamshell either, right? You calling that a semi-pro?

 

[ammoaddict]

On a somewhat related note (to the Husky 50), the Husky 350 isn't a clamshell either, right? You calling that a semi-pro?

The 350 is a clam shell plastic case. At least the one I saw was.
When my Husqvarna 50 was built they didn't have all these classifications of saw like casual use, home owner, farm/ranch, landowner, everyday use, professional.
I was meaning by todays standards, I would personally classify it as a semi pro saw.

 

[hseII]

I hate it when they do that. It is not like every available number has been used.

Anyway, thanks a bunch, guys. I think I have the 2-digit Huskys down, now. Husky could have made the numbering system a little more logical/telling.

Roy

You should try the 61/261/262/266/268/272 series.

 

[irhunter]

You should try the 61/261/262/266/268/272 series.

Yes, I have a 262.

I was interested, in the first place, so to better understand what's going on with various CL saws I notice.

I have never owned a husky 350, but have run them some (owned by the outfit I work for)...and, think of them as a handy little saw.

Roy

 

[hseII]

Yes, I have a 262.

I was interested, in the first place, so to better understand what's going on with various CL saws I notice.

I have never owned a husky 350, but have run them some (owned by the outfit I work for)...and, think of them as a handy little saw.

Roy

They certainly are good little saws.

 

[Wood Doctor]

The 350 is a clam shell plastic case. At least the one I saw was. When my Husqvarna 50 was built they didn't have all these classifications of saw like casual use, home owner, farm/ranch, landowner, everyday use, professional. I was meaning by today's standards, I would personally classify it as a semi pro saw.

Maybe that's why I hang onto this one:

This classic Husky 61 seems to be a pro, not a semi-pro. I need to run it more often than I do and I could have used it today rather than my Husky 257 that I used to bring in a whole truckload of big elm that's ready to be split. The 61 is a bit heavier. Both the 257 and the 61 seem to deliver the same horsepower, but the 257 is about 20 years or so younger than the 61.

Is my 257 a clamshell? After the way it performed today, I think not.

 

[ammoaddict]

Maybe that's why I hang onto this one:
View attachment 643056
This classic Husky 61 seems to be a pro, not a semi-pro. I need to run it more often than I do and I could have used it today rather than my Husky 257 that I used to bring in a whole truckload of big elm that's ready to be split. The 61 is a bit heavier. Both the 257 and the 61 seem to deliver the same horsepower, but the 257 is about 20 years or so younger than the 61.

Is my 257 a clamshell? After the way it performed today, I think not.

I have no experience with the 257. But a clam shell design really has nothing to do with preformance. It's just the way they are built, cheaper to manufacture and lighter. I have an echo clam shell saw that cuts very well and is very light.

 

[SawTroll]

The 350 is a clam shell plastic case. At least the one I saw was.
When my Husqvarna 50 was built they didn't have all these classifications of saw like casual use, home owner, farm/ranch, landowner, everyday use, professional.
I was meaning by todays standards, I would personally classify it as a semi pro saw.

It basically is a clamshell as you say (and a "homeowner" saw), but with the added twist that the upper part of the "case" is a separate "bearing cap/cylinder base", and not part of the cylinder. This means that the cylinder is easier to port properly, and easily can be replaced by a better one (like a 346xp one). This can be done on the 345 and 340 as well, by using the 350 "bearing cap" on them. It isn't just a straight bolt-on, but is easy enough to do (lots of threads here on the topic).

That said, there also has been made some "Pro" saws that basically is built this way, but with a metal lower case, creating a horizontally split metal crankcase (Jonsered 2051, 2054 and 2055 + some older ones that imo was more in the "Semi-pro" category, like the 535, 525 etc).

 

[SawTroll]

Maybe that's why I hang onto this one:
View attachment 643056
This classic Husky 61 seems to be a pro, not a semi-pro. I need to run it more often than I do and I could have used it today rather than my Husky 257 that I used to bring in a whole truckload of big elm that's ready to be split. The 61 is a bit heavier. Both the 257 and the 61 seem to deliver the same horsepower, but the 257 is about 20 years or so younger than the 61.

Is my 257 a clamshell? After the way it performed today, I think not.

The 61 is a typical semi-pro saw, as it originally was a lesser performance version of the 162SE. Originally it was called 61 Rancher, which back then (late 1970s/early 1980s) was a common designation for a semi-pro Husky. The 61 was upgraded quite a bit technically early 1991, but remained the "junior" member in that model family. It still was made (in Brazil) the last time I checked (some time in 2017 I believe)

The 257 is not a clamshell. It is based on the 262xp, and another typical semi-pro model (as is the closely related 261).

 

[SawTroll]

I have no experience with the 257. But a clam shell design really has nothing to do with preformance. It's just the way they are built, cheaper to manufacture and lighter. I have an echo clam shell saw that cuts very well and is very light.

Far from all clamshell saws are light, particularly not the current breed of "farm/ranch" models (like the Husky 455/460 and the Stihl MS 311/391).