MS 170

[Non professional]

I bought a 170 a few weeks ago I figured how can I go wrong for under $200. I really hate this saw every time I use it I hate it more and more. Anyway the biggest problem is the chain a 3/8 pico 55 link .043 gauge (low profile or whatever you want to call it). This saw just doesn’t have the power to run a normal 3/8 .058 chain. I can’t seem to find a normal chain for it they are all semi chisel, round ground no kickback chains. I ground all the no kickback things off made a big difference now the tip actually cuts and you can bore cut a lot faster. It was a lot of work, the problem is the cutters are so small on it that after a few filings it’s time for a new chain and an hour of grinding the damn bumps off! I need a square ground chain non safety chain for this saw. I don’t mind buying a spool of chain but I can’t seem to find anything even a full chisel or non safety chain, let alone anything but a full comp chain! What I really want is a square ground, full skip, non safety chain in .043 3/8 pico, I’d settle for a .050 gauge chain but this saw doesn’t like it. Any advice is appreciated, I know this saw is garbage I am used to a ported 461 I used to use at work so maybe my expectations are too high. I don’t have the budget for a 462 and just don’t do enough cutting to justify it.

 

[J_Ashley]

Don't spend a ton of money on a new bar & chain, custom ground chain etc, on a 'wimpy' saw like that.

Truth be told, I have a MS170, and I like it. Have had it for years, and it's never let me down to be honest. It's great for a homeowner's limbing saw. Does fine felling & bucking softwood trees 10" & under. Hardwoods 8"ish & under.

If you really want to cut faster, just get a bigger saw. I found a used MS260 Pro on eBay last year for $275. Shipped to me for less than $300.

Older MS290's / 029's are $300 all day long on the used market. Heck, you could buy one, use it, and resell it for what you paid for it if you had to...



Don't throw good money after bad via custom bar & chains on that saw. Just spend $300ish on a bigger saw. Sell your MS170 for nearly new price, and end up with a much better saw, for less money overall than you would have spent messing around with this one...

 

[Pioneer]

I put a 14 inch Oregon semi chisel non-safety chain/bar combo on a friend's 170, it handles the regular 50 gauge LP chain just fine. Don't expect much from a 30cc saw, small jobs are what it's made for.
The best performance you're going to get out of it is by using the Stihl PS full chisel LP chain if you want to spend a few extra dollars, assuming you want to get away from the picco chain. I've used several different types of 3/8 LP chains on small saws, and this is by far the fastest cutting.

 

[Dennisthemenace]

You gotta be kidding

 

[ElevatorGuy]

Bore cutting with a 170? Lol

 

[TRTermite]

Bore cutting with a 170? Lol

I'm cleaning up a bunch of 2" to 10" trees (Twigs with leaves growing out of the dirt) with a lot of "STUFF" in the way like iron. The 170 is great for the job and surprisingly good at boring a tree growing against or through iron. I'd uh never thunk it when it was given to me if I wanted to fix it.

 

[djg james]

I have a 170 and like it too. As said, good home-owner limbing saw. Had to cut all my firewood one year because my main saw was down. Even 24" dia. stuff. Slow yes. What I hate is the teeth on the pico chains break off too easy. Does a 0.050 chain have heavier teeth?

 

[GrizG]

Rotary makes the kind of chain the OP is looking for… copperhead line. My son got a couple of them and reports they cut well. Note, however, if you are cutting saplings, vines, or small branches you are better off with the stock safety chain as the Rotary grabs and whips the small stuff around.

 

[Non professional]

Rotary makes the kind of chain the OP is looking for… copperhead line. My son got a couple of them and reports they cut well. Note, however, if you are cutting saplings, vines, or small branches you are better off with the stock safety chain as the Rotary grabs and whips the small stuff around.

Any idea what the part number is for it? All I’m seeing on there website is full comp round ground chain?

 

[Non professional]

I appreciate everyone’s advice, I am well aware this saw is not what I need and I’m going to get a proper saw eventually. In regards to J Ashley’s comment when I buy a proper saw it’s going to be something I can run a 32 in bar on I’m to old to be bending over all day. At this point this saw is a fun project and a learning experience for me to play around with I plan on porting it this winter it’s no loss if I screw it up. I’m the kind of guy who spent 10 times the money time and effort trying to get a six cylinder to run 9s when I could have just built a V8. I didn’t succeed (not even close), broke cranks, blocks, ect. but I had a lot of fun and learned a lot.

An update I am breaking down a few chains and going to build a full skip chain and square file it today I’ll let everyone know how it cuts when I finish it.

 

[bryannewton]

A freind of mine has one and the chain tightening screw will back out of saw while cutting and can't figure out why

 

[Non professional]

A freind of mine has one and the chain tightening screw will back out of saw while cutting and can't figure out why

Is the screw stripped out? It shouldn’t be able to turn unless the tab that engages the bar is not in the hole/broken or the screw and nut are stripped out. I’d just get a new adjuster they are cheap and easy to change. I’d recommend getting the side screw adjuster it is easier to use then the front screw one and the same price.

 

[Non professional]

Is the screw stripped out? It shouldn’t be able to turn unless the tab that engages the bar is not in the hole/broken or the screw and nut are stripped out. I’d just get a new adjuster they are cheap and easy to change. I’d recommend getting the side screw adjuster it is easier to use then the front screw one and the same price.

Sorry I posted incorrect information! I don’t use the stock front adjuster on mine. I just looked at the stock one it looks like it can come unscrewed. I’d recommend either after tightening the bar giving the screw a little bit of a turn or just replacing it with the side adjuster.

 

[GrizG]

Any idea what the part number is for it? All I’m seeing on their website is full comp round ground chain?

Full… not skip. It cuts faster and holds up better than the safety that comes on the saw.

 

[TRTermite]

Sorry I posted incorrect information! I don’t use the stock front adjuster on mine. I just looked at the stock one it looks like it can come unscrewed. I’d recommend either after tightening the bar giving the screw a little bit of a turn or just replacing it with the side adjuster.

I"THINK" there is a little piece of rubber that is formed to fit over a machined spot on the front adjusting screw to make a friction fit when the bar cover is snugged up. a piece of v belt might be cobbled to work. Many of the older Stihls incorporated this design (Like the 056 saws).

 

[bryannewton]

Sorry I posted incorrect information! I don’t use the stock front adjuster on mine. I just looked at the stock one it looks like it can come unscrewed. I’d recommend either after tightening the bar giving the screw a little bit of a turn or just replacing it with the side adjuster

Sorry I posted incorrect information! I don’t use the stock front adjuster on mine. I just looked at the stock one it looks like it can come unscrewed. I’d recommend either after tightening the bar giving the screw a little bit of a turn or just replacing it with the side adjuster.

The freind of mine doesn't care much he is fixing to replace the saw with a better one he has a tree service and needs a better smaller saw

 

[Non professional]

View attachment 1029957
Full… not skip. It cuts faster and holds up better than the safety that comes on the saw.

Thanks

 

[TRTermite]

An update I am breaking down a few chains and going to build a full skip chain and square file it today I’ll let everyone know how it cuts when I finish it.

I bought A Total brand (.043 .375 LP/Picco non safety) SEMI Chisel off the Bay to many links but it will get shortened. I don't know about Full Chisel so you can square file but if you insist on a "Full Skip" grind the unwanted cutters off. Quicker than rebuilding a chain..

 

[NSEric]

I run chinese 8 ten full chisel chain off amazon on my small saws. It has the big shark fins on it but I ground them off, making it like stihls picco but half the cost. It's better than oregon 3/8lp chain, it's cheaper, faster and has longer teeth so it last longer too.
14 inch is the cheapest/easiest set up to get, you can get a bar and chain for only a tiny bit more than a stihl chain.
These chains are so cheap I dont sweat it if I hit a rock and need to toss the chain in the garbage.

 

[Non professional]

I bought A Total brand (.043 .375 LP/Picco non safety) SEMI Chisel off the Bay to many links but it will get shortened. I don't know about Full Chisel so you can square file but if you insist on a "Full Skip" grind the unwanted cutters off. Quicker than rebuilding a chain.

Good idea! One could make a semi skip chain that way. Unfortunately if I tried to do a full skip I’d end up with all right or left hand cutters unfortunately.

Anyway I just finished spinning this chain together can’t find a beveled square file that fits these tiny teeth. Going to have to find something else to square grind it. So I ran it as a round ground chain. It is night and day improvement over the full comp chain, I’d say it cuts almost twice as fast and doesn’t bog the saw down like the full comp did. It obviously doesn’t cut as smooth (a little jumpy on the start the light weight of this little saw makes it a little more noticeable) as the full comp chain but it’s not bad. It is really not bad cutting even with a round grind! I’m shocked no one makes a skip chain in 3/8 picco. This is a huge improvement! If and or when I figure out how to square grind it I’ll post the results. Finding a file small enough may be impossible, I doubt anyone with a simington grinder would be willing to redress the wheel and readjust it for a picco chain of its even possible to grind it on one. I’m going to ask my local shop but I already know the answer Seriously I can’t blame them they are trying to make money with them. I need to find a place to get 3/8 picco preset tie-bars in bulk I spent over $20 on these for one chain.

Thank you to everyone who responded to this post