Bottom dwelling saws

[joe25DA]

If you run canned fuel through the saws before putting them away you avoid most issues, lack of use ruins more of these small saws than them wearing out or breaking from use.
The small husky and echo saws cost more than the 170 stihl, so it gets recommended.
I know a couple guys with the little husky's, they seam to work well for what they are, guys who never go online dont know the little huskys are poulans in orange plastic.

The reason I recommended the 170/180 over the 240 (or whatever the entry husky saw) is party because when I pickup the “junk” saws from my dealer in town I have gotten 10-12 of the small huskys vs 1 170 and one mini boss that only had pinched bar rails. In my opinion the low model stihls are better made than the equivalent huskies. At the commercial level, seems to be more about personal preference as those saws are very expensive and close with regard to construction, performance and how they handle. I own many in all the brands. I don’t discriminate by manufacturers.

 

[Razor6niner]

In my opinion. NOTHING made today is equal to the quality, performance and reliability of things made in the pre 2000's. Even the Stihl's and the Husky's. Have cut so many corners on quality to increase profits and have people replacing them much sooner. My 2006 MS 311 is my most modern saw and the very last saw I select when I want to cut something. Just has been my observation.

PS: The exemption and there are probably more are TV's.

 

[Hickahollar]

Back when I really had to pinch pennies. I had basically no chainsaw experience at all. I bought a ppb4218 to cut firewood for my house. Could I have done better probably but I wouldn't of known. It came with a skip tooth chain didn't idle very well and I wasn't sure of myself to adjust the carb it did start and run fine though. (Did change the chain to full comp) Was very annoying that it wouldn't idle as I stopped to move a log and pick it up only to restart on half choke. 10% ethanol in every tank of gas. Year 8 I bought a new carb for it finally figured out how to adjust a carb (bought a ms250 while the poulan was down) that 250 was twice the saw kept the poulan as a back up ran real good for another year then I decided to see if I could get it to run with my 250.... well I got it to run faster than my 250 for about 30 minutes then it died never to be resuscitated again. However after seeing how a poulan could run I decided to buy a basic pl3314 (same cc as a 4218) put the old 18 inch bar on it and tuned the carb right. No it's no ms250 and that being said it took like 10 tank of gas to get that thing to run right I had to adjust the carb every tank of gas for seemed like for ever. It now runs quite well it hangs with my ms250 in 18 in hard dry white oak my ms250 cut it in I think 31 seconds that poulan did the same log in 36 seconds so yes for a cheap $112 dollar saw if you can tune em they are not bad that 2nd poulan is I think 6years old and I mill small logs with it biggest it can handle is about 14 or 15 inch logs. I only started milling 2 years ago I have since upgraded my milling saw but for small stuff(12inches or less) the poulan is ok. The poulan worked for me but could have come tuned better. Other than that they do seem to last about 10 years with cutting about 5 cords a year probably longer if well maintained.

 

[3000 FPS]

5 cords is a lot of cutting for a small homeowners saw. Plus, your milling logs with it. Not bad for 112 dollars.

 

[Hickahollar]

My 2nd poulan only sees about 2 a year but that first 1 was my only chainsaw for 8 years no backup saw. First year I had this house it was a big fixer upper it had a huge 6 foot hole in the livingroom from the previous owners dogs that dug a hole in the floor. I went through 8 cords that first year and I bought the house in November so I was way behind getting wood. I had to fight and scrounge to find wood I could burn. After I got started fixing up the house I burned less wood but I still cut wood for my moms boiler with it. Knowing what I know now would I buy another one as my main firewood saw. Um heck naw. Thankfully I have options now. I think the poulan has a little more grunt than my buddys ms170, but I think the 170 hits a higher rpm. Through that 18 inch dry white oak yeah that poulan would eat that 170. But 4 inch wood they would be about the same.

 

[Wow]

I think echo is atleast assembled in the USA. The echo rep at my dealer during echo days was playing a video on the company and factory during the dinner party.

My Echo saws were supposed to be made in Japan. They sure run and look good. Id be disappointed to find they had been made in China

 

[Wow]

I'm just laughing at this based on who liked it. A RY3714 {37cc) is "Chinese crap", but a RY40530 (40V) gets a thumbs up. Is this a gas vs electric thing cause it doesn't look like a Chinese vs Chinese thing?

I bought a RY 3714 several years ago on the advice of a friend who was employed by Home departy. AKA HD. I used the crap out of it with a good bar and chain. In a week it was weak running. They gave me a refund. Bought a Echo cs352 several years ago. Haven't been able to wear it out. Feels like it's not yet fully broken yet.

 

[Hickahollar]

Yeah my buddy that has the ms170 he bought a homelite chainsaw it lasted 6 months and the compression was gone no scored cylinder. He then bought the biggest ryobi HD had I think it was 46 cc .325 chain and 20 inch bar. I almost bought 1 because it out cut my ppb4218. He had that ryobi 2 years and it was dead. And he only cuts like 1 cord a year and takes them to deer camp to clean up hunting lanes. He then found a poulan pro on the side of the road we figured out someone had put the fuel lines on wrong fixed that and it's ran 5 years since then. Although the rubber intake is cracked now and starting to run erratically but I think the parts are 25 dollars. But that thing is a 1st gen strato saw.

 

[Brufab]

Those poulan wild things are 50$ all day on fb or cl running good or not running at all still 50$

 

[Maintenance supervisor]

Its funny but when you look at the lower cost saws from the 60s and 70s they could range from 140.00-200.00$ which is quite an investment, given inflation its equivalent would be in the range of 800.00 to 1300.00$ ! For an Xl-12 or Mcculloch 10-10. Except in the case of these saws most are still running with any maintenance as apposed to the garbage that you would pay for today.
I love running my vintage saws , because they don't support a "throw away society, I drive a 1989 jeep and a 1969' Plymouth. In 1973 several car magazines published articles about how the aftermarket parts dealers should over produce parts because the cars that would be built that year would last generations!
Who knew that future generations would gladly scrap the profoundly superior construction of the past?
Honestly I think the better question is should chainsaws even be available to everyone? When they can't be bothered with maintenance or quality craftsmanship? Even repair shops that even repair their equipment are rare.
At least the Clones saws "copied" quality products unlike the tragedies that Lowe's and other stores sell. It's all very unfortunate.

 

[Brufab]

Well said!!! Once the 80's hit plastic was king. Also all my cars/trucks are older 97-02. All this computer crap and and wireless gas pedals what the heck! Now all these gas cans suck and are more dangerous than the old ones. I have one that seals so tight that when you open the nozzle you better point it somewhere safe because a huge stream of gas shoots out, releasing the pressure by cracking the cap does same thing. Thing balloons up like a beach ball. The more society/government tries to protect us from ourselves the more harm its doing.

 

[KASH]

The best known safety device is an idle man.If you dont move you you wont get hurt.
Kash

 

[Okie294life]

Emails here normally start with an open minded person looking for a good saw. They come here looking for advice and either provide enough information or the smart people here pull it out of them to recommend the appropriate saw. What do you say when someone is intent on purchasing based on price only? They are looking at a Poulan/Craftsman/Remington/Troy-Built/Ryobi 40 to 46 cc saw for under $200 that they see in the store. First question, are any of these saws better than the others? Is there a pecking order for these type of saws? Second question, what shortcuts do these manufactures make to deliver a saw that is about $100 cheaper than Husqvarna/Stihl/Echo?

You could get a poulan pro 42cc or 50cc for around that amount, basically a stripped down husqvarna 440 or 450. Your getting China assembly, China made engine, single piston ring…plastic clutch cover…all the good stuff.