That what I'm usually holding around here but every now and then pick up a friends Stihl to see what all the hype is about, there homeowner saws leave me totally unimpressed, pro saws are just fine. Steve
290 chain. .325 or 3/8? sorry........
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That what I'm usually holding around here but every now and then pick up a friends Stihl to see what all the hype is about, there homeowner saws leave me totally unimpressed, pro saws are just fine. Steve
2000ssm6
Stihl User
No kiddin', hard to compare the pro line to the home owner line. The home owner line is not made to make ya jaw drop, just get the job done. I'd rather use a pro saw also. Even though the 211 is a home owner, it has impressed me alot.
Getting back to what were talking about, the 290 pulls a .325 better than a 3/8 in real wood. Steve
2000ssm6
Stihl User
I disagree and don't find much difference in using both, rather use the more common 3/8....
windthrown
361 Junkie
Only good in small wood you say? Really? Gee, I guess all those 18 inch DBH alders and doug firs all fell down by themselves seeing me and the 290 coming their way, eh? I must have cut up 50 cords of firewood and dropped I dunno, couple hundred trees with a 290 and a 20 inch 3/8" B&C on that thing. I have run .325 on the large and small bars on the 250, 290 and 361. It sucks on them all. I run 3/8 picco or standard on all my saws.
windthrown
361 Junkie
I'd rather use a homeowner Stihl than any Echo saw out there myself. My weenie MS 025/250 hybrid spanks my brother's Echos to death. I used to like Echos, until they all fell apart.
2000ssm6
Stihl User
I was going to leave that part out, LOL.
windthrown
361 Junkie
No it does not. I have tried and tested it many times on my MS 290. .325 wanders in the cut, and the bars tend to pinch. That is why you see all the .325 bars out with no paint on them. From the bar pinch. The kerf is too fat on the .325 for its own good. 3/8 standard (and picco on the smaller format bars) is better stuff. Cuts straight and cuts faster. Y'all want my .325 B&Cs, I will be selling then soon.
You want real wood? Try cutting 18" year old Pacific Madrone. I have cut cords and cords of that stuff with the 290. 20 inch bar, 3/8 standard Stihl RM chain. Chains dulling is the real issue cutting that stuff, not the grunt of the saw. I know a lot about the almighty 290 boat anchor. I am stihl the president of the I
.png "Love :heart:")
my 290 Club on AS!!! Even though the ex has that saw now... 
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BarkBuster20
Addicted to ArboristSite
i would just like to say that my ms 310 with a 3/8 25 inch b&c was pulling well through dough fir with the bar completely burried it bogged a little but didnt have any problems. so i imagine a 290 would do just as good if not better with 3/8 with a 20 inch b&c
Lignum
Addicted to ArboristSite
No it does not. I have tried and tested it many times on my MS 290. .325 wanders in the cut, and the bars tend to pinch. That is why you see all the .325 bars out with no paint on them. From the bar pinch. The kerf is too fat on the .325 for its own good. 3/8 standard (and picco on the smaller format bars) is better stuff. Cuts straight and cuts faster. Y'all want my .325 B&Cs, I will be selling then soon.
You want real wood? Try cutting 18" year old Pacific Madrone. I have cut cords and cords of that stuff with the 290. 20 inch bar, 3/8 standard Stihl RM chain. Chains dulling is the real issue cutting that stuff, not the grunt of the saw. I know a lot about the almighty 290 boat anchor. I am stihl the president of the I
I have three saws in the mid 50 cc range and I have found that the 3/8 chain fits my cutting style better. Bigger chips, easier chip removal, and like you said, the .325 getting pinched all the dern time.
No it does not. I have tried and tested it many times on my MS 290. .325 wanders in the cut, and the bars tend to pinch. That is why you see all the .325 bars out with no paint on them. From the bar pinch. The kerf is too fat on the .325 for its own good. 3/8 standard (and picco on the smaller format bars) is better stuff. Cuts straight and cuts faster. Y'all want my .325 B&Cs, I will be selling then soon.
You want real wood? Try cutting 18" year old Pacific Madrone. I have cut cords and cords of that stuff with the 290. 20 inch bar, 3/8 standard Stihl RM chain. Chains dulling is the real issue cutting that stuff, not the grunt of the saw. I know a lot about the almighty 290 boat anchor. I am stihl the president of the I
Why don't you try making some sence instead of nonsence once in a while. A .325 wanders in the cut from too wide of a kerf and gets pinched from that to wide of a kerf?????? Pure nonsence, I suppose the 290 has more power than a modded 5100s Dolmar also which cut the FASTEST with a .325 7 pin. GET real. Take those solid orange and white glasses off so you can see. Steve
biggenius29
Addicted to ArboristSite
I am going to suggest to him to run 3/8" chain. It will make it easyer for me so I only need to stock one roll of chain, not two different rolls, plus if something falls through I am not stuck with a bunch of .325 chain that I never will use.
I have a 20" bar and a few loops of 20" "saftey" chain, I might even be able to find a sprocket yet that I can sell him to get him set up.
I have a 20" bar and a few loops of 20" "saftey" chain, I might even be able to find a sprocket yet that I can sell him to get him set up.
2000ssm6
Stihl User
ML, now you are not making any SENSE. A stock 290 will NOT have more power than a modded 5100.
Why even compare these 2?? So lets get real and say it's our choice on what chain we want to run? Unless you would like to buy ours??? I'll take a roll of .325 RSC, turn around and sell it for some of that good ole 3/8".outdoortype
ArboristSite Guru
Mountainlake has a point
The 029/290 probably outsells every other saw 10 to 1 around here and they all come with .325 chains. The dealers all say that the .325 setup is better in hardwood. After running a few 029s, I would stick with .325.
This business about the paint being worn off the .325 bars more than the 3/8's is pure hogwash. My buddy has been cutting hardwood with his 029super for 8 years and his bar still has 85% of the paint still on it.
My guess is the best way to tell is by running the saws with a tach. The b&c setup that allows the engine to maintain the rpm closest to specs "Max power RPM" is the winner.
The 029/290 probably outsells every other saw 10 to 1 around here and they all come with .325 chains. The dealers all say that the .325 setup is better in hardwood. After running a few 029s, I would stick with .325.
This business about the paint being worn off the .325 bars more than the 3/8's is pure hogwash. My buddy has been cutting hardwood with his 029super for 8 years and his bar still has 85% of the paint still on it.
My guess is the best way to tell is by running the saws with a tach. The b&c setup that allows the engine to maintain the rpm closest to specs "Max power RPM" is the winner.
sbhooper
Addicted to ArboristSite
I guess you are saying, then, that because some like the .325, it is because we cannot properly run a chainsaw? Talk about nonsense!:jawdrop:
windthrown
361 Junkie
opcorn: Have you taken your meds today? Talk about pure nonsence. Where the fork did Dolmar enter the picture here? I said NOTHING ABOUT THE Dolamr 5100... where in your little mind did this shyte come from? I trashed the Echo, but for completely different reasons.
Pay attention now: this applies to Stihl saws, and the 290 (also applies to the 250). Look at the average used Stihl .325 bars for sale on Ebay. They are mosly all devoid of bar paint. Pay attention now... that is becasue they pinch in the cut. Why? Becasue .325 has a wide kerf. I have tested this many times in the field, with a 290 and a 250 (larger and smaller format .325 bars, same type of Stihl chain). The .325 cuts wander, the bars pinch, the paint comes off with use. Simple. Has zero to do with cutting technique, or skill, or ability, or anything else. Now look at the 3/8 picco or standard Stihl saw bars. Most of the paint is still on there. The wear patterns are completely different. They cut straighter.
Its really that simple. You all want to go crazy in response to these simple observations, fine. Say what you want. Scream all you want. As for Dolmar, since YOU are the one that brought it up, I could never find a 5100 for sale here on any shelves. Zero availability means zero chance of my ever owning one. But that has zero to do with this topic of discussion here. Why does running a .325 on a Dolmar have anything to do with running one on a 290? Different bars, different chain, and different saw.
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Have you taken your meds today? Talk about pure nonsence. Where the fork did Dolmar enter the picture here? I said NOTHING ABOUT THE Dolamr 5100... where in your little mind did this shyte come from? I trashed the Echo, but for completely different reasons.
Pay attention now: this applies to Stihl saws, and the 290 (also applies to the 250). Look at the average used Stihl .325 bars for sale on Ebay. They are mosly all devoid of bar paint. Pay attention now... that is becasue they pinch in the cut. Why? Becasue .325 has a wide kerf. I have tested this many times in the field, with a 290 and a 250 (larger and smaller format .325 bars, same type of Stihl chain). The .325 cuts wander, the bars pinch, the paint comes off with use. Simple. Has zero to do with cutting technique, or skill, or ability, or anything else. Now look at the 3/8 picco or standard Stihl saw bars. Most of the paint is still on there. The wear patterns are completely different. They cut straighter.
Its really that simple. You all want to go crazy in response to these simple observations, fine. Say what you want. Scream all you want. As for Dolmar, since YOU are the one that brought it up, I could never find a 5100 for sale here on any shelves. Zero availability means zero chance of my ever owning one. But that has zero to do with this topic of discussion here. Why does running a .325 on a Dolmar have anything to do with running one on a 290? Different bars, different chain, and different saw.
It's just like talking to a box of rocks. Chain wandering and getting pinched is pure bs. If a modded 5100s doesn't have the power to pull a .325 8 pin as good as a .325 7 pin the mighty 290 for sure doesn't. Now I just put it out real simple, read it over several times, look at the poll above. Steve
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windthrown
361 Junkie
What the heck is a .328? And what the heck does a sprocket pin count have to do with this? Or the 5100 for that matter. Talk about wandering in the discussion.
I have used a Stihl 290 with a 20 inch bar and 3/8 (.375) standard chain with a 7 pin rim for several solid years of cutting. I could care less what the poll says. My experience tells me otherwise. It runs better with 3/8 than .325. I can say the same about the 250: it runs better with 3/8 low profile (picco) than .325. For the same reasons. If you want evidence of the .325 wandering in the cuts, don't believe me. All you have to do is look on Ebay at all the used .325 bars for sale.
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That 328 was a typo, If you have no concept of chain speed and torque you shouldn't be giving bad advice like you are. The reason why a picco works better on the 250 is because of the thin kerf. Steve
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