Got a load of Elm, thinking about getting a MS 290 Farm Boss

[c5rulz]

BRAVO!!!!! Marc, brother that's one of the best video's I've seen on practical noodling...masterful job sir!
btw...think my Stihl 034 with 20 inc bar/chisel chain can do that????

Are you being sarcastic. You could split 4-5 rounds into the same size pieces by hand in the amount of time he spent with the saw. That wood looked mighty easy to split.

 

[luckydozenfarm]

I guess what I should have said that anyone that's been on AS for more than a few months would likely have more than one saw. My point was that if you only could take one saw into the woods then take the 290..

 

[NSMaple1]

Are you sure about that? We only have 2 saws and for years, we just used 1 saw. We just can't afford to have multiple saws like alot of people on here. Would we like to have more saws, well yeah. I would love to have a nice limbing saw but just can't justify it right now. And I would say there are many others on here with just 1 or 2 saws.

Back to the topic at hand, I would go for the 290. That saw used to be Stihl's best selling chainsaw for a reason.

It doesn't have to be expensive. My first & only new saw purchase was my MS170. Couldn't pass on a brand new Stihl for <$200, for some reason.

All else has been used.

My ms250 was $60. Had to buy a new B&C for it, but it now works & looks great.

Have an 044 here that I have less than $200 into so far, counting buying it & getting the rebuild parts. Can't wait to get that together & fired up.

The thrill of the hunt is not to be discounted.

 

[Wolfcsm]

www.stihlusa.com

For a limited time both the farm boss and all "1" saws are up. You can see first hand for yourself.

I think that you may find that the saws, like the 290/310/390 are prety much the same chasis. I know that in the case of the 310, it could take a 390 P and C. I actually have one. I have asked Stihl about the "sameness" of the 291/311/391 saws. Will see what they say, when I get an answer back from them. Certainly the 311 and 391 are on the same chasis. I do see where the 291 has a bit less fuel and oil capacity. But not sure if their mechanical parts are different.

Hal

 

[autoimage]

theres a 372 on here for 360?...no brainer even if it needs jug piston

 

[Chris-PA]

I have plenty of plastic chassis clamshell saws and find they work great. But I can't imagine paying that much for one, especially without a strato engine.

As for noodling I cut all the crotches and twisted bits into stackable blocks. I prefer to use my ported 42cc Craftsman/Poulan with an 18" bar and lo pro chain. The lo pro chain cuts a narrower kerf and the saw has no chainbrake so it doesn't clog as easily.

 

[zogger]

Are you sure about that? We only have 2 saws and for years, we just used 1 saw. We just can't afford to have multiple saws like alot of people on here. Would we like to have more saws, well yeah. I would love to have a nice limbing saw but just can't justify it right now. And I would say there are many others on here with just 1 or 2 saws.

Back to the topic at hand, I would go for the 290. That saw used to be Stihl's best selling chainsaw for a reason.

Oh you can get more saws, especially smaller ones, for like free to ten bucks. Then just clean the carbs good, new filter and lines, etc. It's relatively easy to accumulate small saw runners that way, just grab 'em, all you can scrounge local, then start piecing together runners. A lot of times, like over 50%, I get these free or ten buck saws running good again with nothing other than a new line and carb cleaning.

One of the best saws I own, and I would classify it as an older but pro saw, is a poulan tophandle s25cva that cost me ten bucks, then another ten worth of fuel filter, new line, and some carb spray. Dang *nice* saw, strong runner.

I get some stihl clamshell saws now and then, they are always free to get swapped away though, I prefer split mag case pro saws to own and run. I didn't know the difference until I joined this site, now having run and owned a variety of saws, have to say, I prefer the pro saws, just more power for the weight, and (usually) easier to work on. And as for clamshells, I can't see much diff between a ms250 or farmboss variant, or the husky clamshell home owner models, and a regular cheap poulan of similar 40 something CC size, in the cut, in the wood. None, zero, ain't seeing the diff that would make them allegedly worth 200 bucks more.

And I haven't tried any of those 50-60 buck mailorder earthquakes the guys have been getting, but 200PSI right out of the box, then a muff mod and carb limiter trim and tune...hmmm..

But..any running saw can cut wood, that's a given. Sharp chain and adequate tune is the most important.

To each their own, but from what I have learned just on this site and really just a small amount of dorking around with used saws, no real need to drop serious bucks on a new saw unless you just really really *want* a brand new saw. There's way too many good used deals out there.

 

[Wolfcsm]

I think that you may find that the saws, like the 290/310/390 are pretty much the same chassis. I know that in the case of the 310, it could take a 390 P and C. I actually have one. I have asked Stihl about the "sameness" of the 291/311/391 saws. Will see what they say, when I get an answer back from them. Certainly the 311 and 391 are on the same chassis. I do see where the 291 has a bit less fuel and oil capacity. But not sure if their mechanical parts are different.

Hal

The answer from Stihl:

The MS291 shares no common parts with the MS311 and MS391 as it is not in the same family. The MS311 and MS391 share all parts except the cylinder and the piston.

Hal

 

[ReggieT]

Are you being sarcastic. You could split 4-5 rounds into the same size pieces by hand in the amount of time he spent with the saw. That wood looked mighty easy to split.

Nope, not being sarcastic. I'm not concerned about the ease of the wood to split...just the noodling techniques he employed. Sometimes I enjoy exercising my liberty to do what ever I want with my wood & my labor like:split, noodle, rip...or sling it the dam river!

 

[MarcS]

Are you being sarcastic. You could split 4-5 rounds into the same size pieces by hand in the amount of time he spent with the saw. That wood looked mighty easy to split.

Fair enough but this is a thread about Elm and that is some nasty stuff with a maul. Whether or not the Red Oak in the video could have been split faster by hand isn't the point, believe me I've got a maul that sees plenty of use. However if you are just looking for a d#$k swinging contest I'm game for getting together a couple dozen Red Oak rounds, 20"-24" diameter and 18" long and we'll put my noodling against your maul.

 

[ash man]

20"-24"x 18" goes right into the owb. I only noddle stuff I can't roll under the log splitter.

 

[c5rulz]

Nope, not being sarcastic. I'm not concerned about the ease of the wood to split...just the noodling techniques he employed. Sometimes I enjoy exercising my liberty to do what ever I want with my wood & my labor like:split, noodle, rip...or sling it the dam river!

Fair enough.

 

[c5rulz]

Fair enough but this is a thread about Elm and that is some nasty stuff with a maul. Whether or not the Red Oak in the video could have been split faster by hand isn't the point, believe me I've got a maul that sees plenty of use. However if you are just looking for a d#$k swinging contest I'm game for getting together a couple dozen Red Oak rounds, 20"-24" diameter and 18" long and we'll put my noodling against your maul.

Well do you want to put your noodling production against my common sense approach to making firewood. Here is my pile, let's see yours.

Obligatory dog pics.

 

[XSKIER]

Nice Weimer rhimers, but your stacks are too close to the neighbors property, the rows are too close together, their not covered, and your split size is inconsistent. Keep up the good work!

 

[c5rulz]

Nice Weimer rhimers, but your stacks are too close to the neighbors property, the rows are too close together, their not covered, and your split size is inconsistent. Keep up the good work!

Man you really offended me, "Nice Weimer Rhimers".

The are Deutsch Drahthaars, from the Verien Deutsch Drahthaar registry/Group North America.

http://www.vdd-gna.org/

Say what you want about my woodpile, but my dogs are my pals.

 

[MarcS]

Nice supply of heat you've got piled up. Do the dogs go cutting with you? I have to hang a cowbell on my Great Pyrenees so I can keep track of her, some days I just leave her home. Of course there isn't much point in arguing who makes wood smarter, uses better saws, hydraulic-kinetic-Fiskars...noodling. We make wood because we enjoy the work and being out in the woods. Sell a little bit to fund the saw habit, this year just over 17 cord and I burn another 7-8 myself. My offer of a friendly wood making competition is serious, afterward we'll drink beer and BS saws. And to keep it fair, when you have to stop and rest between swings I'll quit sawing

 

[Bob95065]

When I started heating with wood I had an 029 I bought used. I heated my house for ten years with that saw and sold it for $75 more than I originally paid. It was a good saw for what I used it for. I got into rebuilding dead saws and had too many so I sold it. I think I am down to 30 saws now.

 

[SecondGenMonkey]

I like my 290. Don't need to cut firewood but it's great for my needs, mostly stumping or felling. Much better than the echo it was temporarily replaced with.

Just got all my sthils back from the shop too so I'm putting it to work starting tomorrow.

sent using logic and reason from a device forged of witchcraft.

 

[maulhead]

Thanks for all the responses and ideas. I'll try to answer most of the responses. Not sure if that wood is American Elm or Red Elm. I know it is very dry 15-20% MC. It was cut 4 years ago standing dead. It has been lying in a big pile at a farm down the road a few miles from me. I have been cutting out of that pile for the last 2 winters. There are at least 3 more big loads there, I hope to go back there after the 1st of the year and get the rest. I like it because it is so dry you don't have to wait for it to season. you can pretty much split and burn the same day and it burns hot. It keeps my poorly insulated 100 plus year old farm house warm. I don't have a splitter. I split everything by hand with a few different mauls. I have access to a splitter if I need it but I have never used one yet. I have noodled a few pieces of wood, but most times I just split them with my maul

I live in a very rural area of Colorado. Everything is either 70 or 100 miles away. I don't have anything against Husky but if I am going to buy something used I want to look at it in person, and 2nd thing there is not a Husky dealer within 150 miles from here that services them. There is a box store within 1 hour drive that sells them and a Napa also, but neither of them service them. I have used a few Stihls in the past and have always liked them. (When I bought the echo a few years ago, I wanted a Stihll but did not have the extra $$) Plus the dealer that services Stihls is about 70 miles from here. That's kind of why I was leaning towards them because they are closer.

I never thought of looking for a used saw. I called the one Stihl dealer back today and asked if there was anything used. They have a MS270 and he wants $290 for it. He said new they run $410. He said the guy he sold it to traded it in for a 290 because it didn't have enough power. He again told me you can't beat the 290 for power to price, he said even the smaller 270 is more money.

I called another Stihl dealer 100 miles from here. They have 2 used 026 Stihls for $300 a piece. (not much less then the new 290) Not sure if that is a fair price or if those are good saws. The guy said they are good running saws, been tuned and serviced and are ready to go. Said he wouldn't sell them if they were junk. He also has a used 024AV that he wants $300 for and a used 290 Farm Boss that he wants $325 for. I think the used 290 is over priced at $325 when I can buy a brand new one for $389

I also got a lead on someone that has a used 660 for sale. I am sure that is way more saw than I need. I talked to the guy though and he wants $600 for the 660. He said it might have 25-30 hours on it at the most, he bought it two years ago. He dropped 6 large trees with it and bucked up a couple more. It has a 25" bar on it with two chains as well as a 36" bar and chain. The guy with the 660 also has a MS271 that he bought brand new this past summer. He said it only had a few tanks of gas ran through it and it is like a brand new saw. He wants $300 for it. Those are what I found for used saws. Now not sure if I should buy one of the used ones I found or just the brand new 290?

What should I look for when looking at a used saw? The problem with one thing is, the dealer that has the two 026's, 024AV and used 290 is 100 miles from me, one way, the guy with the 660 and 271 is 100 miles in the complete opposite direction. Kind of SUCKS about putting several hundred miles on my pickup to look at used saws. I am kind of thinking I should go to the dealer 1st and look over the the 026's before I drive and look at a 660, that is probably going to be way more then I need anyway.

I only have the one chains saw, I can see where it would get out of hand with more though. My last saw I had before the echo, was a older homelite I got 2nd hand. Was great for several years then gave out on me. I am not sure if I will keep or sell the echo yet?

 

[sb47]

I have the ms290 and a ms 362 and the 362 is my go to saw over the 290.

I used the 290 for years and even bought a seconded, but now that I have the 362 and I almost never use the 290 any more.

Even for smaller jobs the 362 works better.

I can get through the same wood with the 290 but it’s slower and less power.

You wouldn’t think the power difference would be that great but it is.

If I had been able to try them both before I bought one I would have gotten the 362 the first time.

But the 290 is a great saw and should give you years of dependable service.