MS290 Performance

[Cam501]

I'm not a fan of the 290 either, but ..... I believe Stihl markets the 290 to the homeowner who is going to have 1 saw for everything. Not to saw nuts like us. If you only cut a few cords of wood for yourself a year, need a reliable saw from a trusted company, that has good dealers all over the place...then the 290 might be for you. Same with the husky 455. Gets a bad rap here, but for the person its marketed to, its a great saw. Personally I don't want either, but the numbers of these saws sold, have to tell you there is a market for a reliable, inexpensive, homeowner saw, that will last you 10 years or more with the type of use stated above. My step dad has had his 029 for probably 10 years, cuts 7 to 8 cord a year with it, has only had to change the spark plug and chains in that time. He loves his, personally I don't care for it, but thats just me. I can't knock the saw as its been reliable. To each his own...

I completely agree! They have a useful lifespan in their intended market. The problem we have is that a lot of our local pro users around here have a 460 or 385xp as their primary larger saw, but use a 290/310 as their midsize unit. We sell more 361's to homeowners than we do pros. A lot of our pros only have pro saws for stuff above 70cc and that's it. We have one tree care guy who uses 1-460, 2-310, 1-210, and 2-137's. And that is very typical of our tree care customers around here. One big pro saw and for everything else price dominates all other factors

 

[ValleyO'Giants]

just for reference. I have a 460 that weighs 19lbs with a 25" bar, i HAD a 290 that weighed 17lbs with a 18" bar. 2lbs difference, half the power with a lot lesser .325 chain. Hmmmm....I thought about it for about second, then I sold the 290 and bought a 250 that weighs 12lbs with a 16" bar. i'm not sure what possesed me to buy the 290, but now i am happy. the 460 will cut anything i need to cut in record time, and the 3hp 250 effortlessly trims limbs and is very light. Could they have made the 290 heavier if they tried, who knows? could the 290 rev any slower, who knows? A happy 290 person should use a different saw for just 20 minutes. but beforehand, make sure you have some extra cash around, you may be ready for a new purchase.

#1
"with a lot lesser .325 chain."
Dont know why you would want that chain on that saw, The 250 is the one I would go with in that case. I agree 100%

#2
"bought a 250 that weighs 12lbs with a 16" bar."
My Dad has the 250 with .325 chain, I like it for limbing. I agree 100%

#3
"i'm not sure what possesed me to buy the 290"
Could it have been price? I got the 310 becaue I could not afford a bigger/pro saw. I also could not afford 2 saws at the time of purchase.

#4
"Could they have made the 290 heavier if they tried, who knows? could the 290 rev any slower, who knows?"
How many post do you have? no need to jump right in on the insults, wait till you have 6 or 2 post under your belt!

I would love to have a 460 AND a 250, heck while your at it why not a 460 and a 361????

MONEY
Is why I do not have those saws right now!
I will just have to suffer.

 

[SawTroll]

Is a "lack of" missing in the heading of this tread?.....

 

[joatmon]

Is a "lack of" missing in the heading of this read?.....

OK. There is something "lacking" here. If someone runs an 029/290 because that's what they have and it represented a "value" to them because of it reasonable power/price ratio, please extend them the curtesy of a positive response.

If a "pro" is running one, then they must have a reason and us "homeowners" have no reason to be critical.

If a "homeowner" is using a $300-$350 dollar saw, they may have a host of reasons like:
1. They can't afford a "pro" saw, possibly because the kids need shoes.
2. They don't need a "pro" saw because they only cut a few times a year.
3. The dealer advised an 029/290 because it has "safety" chain and a casual user isn't as likely to hurt him/herself.
4. They wanted a saw where they could get sales and service in the same place.
5. Any of another 1000 valid reasons.

I asked you if you had run this saw before and you lacked the fortitude to answer this question directly. So, have YOU operated this saw?

If you don't like the saw, well, too bad. That's what some people have. Help them to use it more safely and efficiently and when they need a new saw, by all means, tell then why they need a 361!

Happy and safe cutting,

Jack

 

[Bowtie]

OK. There is something "lacking" here. If someone runs an 029/290 because that's what they have and it represented a "value" to them because of it reasonable power/price ratio, please extend them the curtesy of a positive response.

If a "pro" is running one, then they must have a reason and us "homeowners" have no reason to be critical.

If a "homeowner" is using a $300-$350 dollar saw, they may have a host of reasons like:
1. They can't afford a "pro" saw, possibly because the kids need shoes.
2. They don't need a "pro" saw because they only cut a few times a year.
3. The dealer advised an 029/290 because it has "safety" chain and a casual user isn't as likely to hurt him/herself.
4. They wanted a saw where they could get sales and service in the same place.
5. Any of another 1000 valid reasons.

I asked you if you had run this saw before and you lacked the fortitude to answer this question directly. So, have YOU operated this saw?

If you don't like the saw, well, too bad. That's what some people have. Help them to use it more safely and efficiently and when they need a new saw, by all means, tell then why they need a 361!

Happy and safe cutting,

Jack

I own one, have run it, and I like it. I dont give a damn what anyone else thinks about it. Yes its heavy for the power, WAHH, so what. Lots of Jonsies, Huskys, etc...are too. They dont like it, DONT BUY ONE AND DONT RUN ONE!!! Jesus Im tired of this thread, Im out.

 

[ShoerFast]

I been running the snot out of a 310, pulling the muffler to take a look at how much life is in there, it won't finish it's 3rd year.

For the altitude it runs in, I'm sure it would come close to a 290 performance below 3500 feet, and it has cut a huge pile of wood, maybe about what an average home owner would cut in there lifetime?

I think Stihl was spot on with the market , cost and usefulness of the saw.

Would i buy another one, no, if a 361 is twice the price, it would have 3 times the life , me thinks.

 

[chowdozer]

OK. There is something "lacking" here. If someone runs an 029/290 because that's what they have and it represented a "value" to them because of it reasonable power/price ratio, please extend them the curtesy of a positive response.

If a "pro" is running one, then they must have a reason and us "homeowners" have no reason to be critical.

If a "homeowner" is using a $300-$350 dollar saw, they may have a host of reasons like:
1. They can't afford a "pro" saw, possibly because the kids need shoes.
2. They don't need a "pro" saw because they only cut a few times a year.
3. The dealer advised an 029/290 because it has "safety" chain and a casual user isn't as likely to hurt him/herself.
4. They wanted a saw where they could get sales and service in the same place.
5. Any of another 1000 valid reasons.

I asked you if you had run this saw before and you lacked the fortitude to answer this question directly. So, have YOU operated this saw?

If you don't like the saw, well, too bad. That's what some people have. Help them to use it more safely and efficiently and when they need a new saw, by all means, tell then why they need a 361!

Happy and safe cutting,

Jack

Good post! I rep'ed ya for that! Couldn't have said it better myself.

You people that pi$$ and moan about the 290 being too heavy and underpowered and everyone's got to have a pro saw... Are all your hand tools Snap-On and Mac??? Why not? You got nothin' to gripe about! :deadhorse:

 

[16gauge]

Thanks for the GREAT post

OK, we finally got some clear weather here this weekend and I got out there and ran the RM and full skip chain comparison on a MS290 with a 20 inch bar. The 290 is running in top shape and both chains were sharp. The RM may have had a slight edge in that it was sharpened at 0 degrees and I use files with an Oregon bar mount file guide sharpener (read razor sharp and an edge that lasts). The full skip chain was off the spool and had a factory edge.

There were some interesting observations. Cross (bucking perpendicular to the log) cuts were about the same. It was easier to keep up the revs of the 290 with the skip chain. Bog was about the same with about the same pressure in a really dense hardwood (madrone). Bog was less in softer wood (doug fir) with the skip chain, and the skip chain seems to cut better in softer wood. Noodle cutting some madrone rounds and the skip chain was better. It cleared the noodles, or curly fries better from the sprocket cover.

Now, the skip chain may have had a 10 degree offset in the edge of the cutters, and that may have caused it to dull faster. But I suspect that the real reason it dulled faster in hardwood was the fact that a skip chain has far fewer teeth than a regular chain. Chain stretch and dulling was more noticable and faster with the skip chain cutting about the same amount of wood.

So, overall? Noodle cutting was certainly better with the skip chain as it clears the sprocket cover better with fewer cutters. The revs were easier to keep higher with the skip chain overall, but the chain dulled faster after the same amount of cutting than the RM chain. Is the skip chain the answer to livening up a 290 with a longer bar like a 20 in? Maybe. Depends on the wood that you are cutting. In hardwood, I think that a smaller bar would be better with a regular non-skip chain. In larger softwood the longer bar seemed to benefit from the skip chain (as seems to be the consensus of the long bar loggers around here with 30 in plus bars on 440-460s that use full skip chains). Overall they seemed to cut about the same to me, really.

Now that is information we can use. Not opinions as we usually get here. Thank You Windthrown.

 

[NYH1]

OK. There is something "lacking" here. If someone runs an 029/290 because that's what they have and it represented a "value" to them because of it reasonable power/price ratio, please extend them the curtesy of a positive response.

If a "pro" is running one, then they must have a reason and us "homeowners" have no reason to be critical.

If a "homeowner" is using a $300-$350 dollar saw, they may have a host of reasons like:
1. They can't afford a "pro" saw, possibly because the kids need shoes.
2. They don't need a "pro" saw because they only cut a few times a year.
3. The dealer advised an 029/290 because it has "safety" chain and a casual user isn't as likely to hurt him/herself.
4. They wanted a saw where they could get sales and service in the same place.
5. Any of another 1000 valid reasons.

I asked you if you had run this saw before and you lacked the fortitude to answer this question directly. So, have YOU operated this saw?

If you don't like the saw, well, too bad. That's what some people have. Help them to use it more safely and efficiently and when they need a new saw, by all means, tell then why they need a 361!

Happy and safe cutting,

Jack

You're never going to be able to rationalize with SawTroll about the price of a chain saw. He just refuses to take price into consideration! :bang: The best part of it is that if it wasn't for the Stihl's best selling chain saw the MS290/029, his beloved MS361 probably wouldn't even exist! He just doesn't get it!

 

[windthrown]

Comparing a 460 to a 290????

just for reference. I have a 460 that weighs 19lbs with a 25" bar, i HAD a 290 that weighed 17lbs with a 18" bar. 2lbs difference, half the power with a lot lesser .325 chain. Hmmmm....I thought about it for about second, then I sold the 290 and bought a 250 that weighs 12lbs with a 16" bar. i'm not sure what possesed me to buy the 290, but now i am happy. the 460 will cut anything i need to cut in record time, and the 3hp 250 effortlessly trims limbs and is very light. Could they have made the 290 heavier if they tried, who knows? could the 290 rev any slower, who knows? A happy 290 person should use a different saw for just 20 minutes. but beforehand, make sure you have some extra cash around, you may be ready for a new purchase.

I bought a 460 and used it here for about a week and fully tested it felling trees, bucking, noodle cutting, and cutting firewood. I have used the same 20" bar that I usually have on the 290. Several things to note: while the 460 rips through wood like butter, I can still get it to bog down. The 460 feels a LOT heavier than the 290 (and way more than the 361). It also gets far worse gas milage and has to be fed more often. Also the 460 vibrates more than the similar rubber mount 290, and way more than the spring mount 361. My hands really hurt after using it. I will post some photos and the tests I ran on the 460 in another thread on AS sometime in the future.

Also, I dunno why you are comparing a 460 to a 290. They are not even in the same class or league. Never mind the price. I get beat up for comparing my 361 to my 290, and they are far closer in size and power. I bet with a muffler mod I can get the same or more power out of the 290 as the 361. I have a new 290 muffler coming for testing that with. Bash them all you want, I like my 290 more now than I did before. Maybe becasue I am used to running it and I know its limits, and I am still fuguring out the 361. I have the 290 pretty well dialed in. I dunno. Maybe I got a good one. With a 20" bar is is a great firewood saw, and as a backup saw for the 361.

 

[SawTroll]

how come the canadian version of the ms 290 is rated at STIHL MS 290 56.5 3.0/4.1hp and the american version is ENGINE POWER
2.8 kW (3.8 bhp). Is the canadian version actually stronger, more rugged. do most of the saws use the same engine just with different bore sizes?

I assume it just has to do with the different emission regulations. In canada, they probably sell the 290 with a less restricting muffler. Internally, they must be the same, since they both have the same displacement.

I wonder if the horsepower ratings are rated the same way?

I know with cars, you get different hp ratings in europe with the same engines.
Also could be epa regs here and you actually have more horsepower there.

Good questions, that I don't have the actuall answers too!:spam:

As far as I know there is about a 2% differense between hp and bhp, but the kWs should be the same everywhere (1.0kW = 1.34bhp = 1.37hp should be pretty close).
Beware of calculating further on already rouded off numbers, though.....

Some older saws were rated in SAE hp, and those were pretty far off from the hp/bhp usual today.

EPA surely is to blame for the sometimes lower power ratings on the US market, than in Canada, Europe etc......:bang: :bang:

 

[pigsitter]

I'd like to add this my MS 290 has kept my family and my house very warm this winter and the price difference between it and the MS 361 will more than cover the last 6 months propane bill!!
Welcome to my world!!


opcorn: :deadhorse: opcorn:

 

[Lakeside53]

If the 290 wasn't out there to bash, what would everyone talk about??

 

[windthrown]

Ba ha ha ha ha!

If the 290 wasn't out there to bash, what would everyone talk about??

The 280? The 310?

Amusing that the most popular Stihl is the 'boat anchor' of the fleet. Odd contradiction. I guess because there are more of them out there than any other Stihl saw???

 

[pigsitter]

If the 290 wasn't out there to bash, what would everyone talk about??

Amen!! I didn't realize how lousy my saw was til I found this place!!Now I can't cut anymore wood til I save up for a MS361!!

 

[WRW]

The 280? The 310?

Amusing that the most popular Stihl is the 'boat anchor' of the fleet. Odd contradiction. I guess because there are more of them out there than any other Stihl saw???

If one wished to present himself/herself as being superior to the greatest number of people with the least effort, which saw should he/she bash, the one with the greatest number of owners or the least number of owners?

 

[sredlin]

I bought my 290 just because of the macho sounding name "Farm Boss"

 

[Lakeside53]

If one wished to present himself/herself as being superior to the greatest number of people with the least effort, which saw should he/she bash, the one with the greatest number of owners or the least number of owners?

I have no idea what you just said, but I like it

 

[WRW]

I have no idea what you just said, but I like it

'scuse me while I obfuscate. :Eye:

 

[peter399]

What is the best answer to global warming and deforestation ?

- MS290 !