My TOP TEN advice list for Stihl, Inc.

[bcorradi]

rather scrap the entire 290-family....:greenchainsaw: :yoyo:

I think a 290 without an air filter would get you by for quite a few years. If your worried about the vibrations, I think the number of posts you make bashing the 290 is a lot more detrimental to your arthritis, than what you would get using a 290.

 

[bcorradi]

While we are dumping saws why not ditch the 650!

I agree with you there....i'd be curious to see what the overall sales figures of the 650 were in the US last year vs the 460 and 660.

 

[buck futter]

"I think the number of posts you make bashing the 290 is a lot more detrimental to your arthritis, than what you would get using a 290."

I love this, bravo!

Even the 460 doesn't really vibrate that bad.

the ms250 has very close to the same power to weight ration of the husky 353

but I believe the 350 is better too.

I think it is actually one of the lightest saws you will find at 10.1lb

I agree with getting rid of the 170, 210 and 230. Get rid of the 290 and lower the price of the 310 and 390 so they make more sense. They would be great firewood saws for many many years, they are also a good choice for municipal work where they may only get used for 3-4 tanks a month.

keep the tool less tensioner on homeowner saws where it belongs.

For crying out loud upgrade to huskies air filtration and antivibe.


how about paying attention to the crowd that promotes the use of saws, free advertisement. Fillup the saw classes.

261, under 49cc
361 can go to 65cc
461 to 80cc
661 to 100cc

hey that looks like a nice spread to have your saw displacements.

It used to seem pointless, a 71cc professional saw or a 76cc professional saw? who cares there isn't a decision to make.

I agree about the 260 make em all pros, why wouldn't you?

 

[SawTroll]

....
It used to seem pointless, a 71cc professional saw or a 76cc professional saw? who cares there isn't a decision to make. ...

The 441 leaves me totally cold for a few reasons, even though it is relatively cheap here - the 461 is more interesting, when it appears, and if it is what I hope it is......

The story tells that they detuned the original 361 prototype, as it was too close to the 440, and they didn't want it to cut into the 440 sales - but that is just a rumor......

 

[windthrown]

Tell that to some of my local tree servrices that use the 290 for a ground saw... I try...

Hey Lake, you stole my reply to this one! :greenchainsaw:

Personally I consider the 290 as a pro saw. It is about 5 years old now, and it can cut and cut and cut and cut. All day and all night. No problem with it running a 20 inch bar. OK, after a day I feel a little better if I run the 361 (has an 18 inch on it right now), but the cutting effects and results are the same. In downed firs, anyway. Yah the 290 is a little more fragile than the 361. It weighs a tad more. No more maintenance required on it though. Trees down, saws stihl working. The 290 has a little better feedback to it without all the spring flex as well. I can be more exact with it. And well, the cost is about half that of the 361.

 

[windthrown]

The MS270 and 280 is just that, but you seem to dismiss them - one of the things I do not agree with - rather scrap the entire 290-family....:greenchainsaw: :yoyo:

The 390 just is too close to the 361 here as well, and the others.......LOL

I agree that there is a huge overlap in these saw lines. There are 3 parallel designs in the same power size: 260 and 270, 280, 290 and 310, and 390 and 361. The 270 and 280 are just far less common out here than the 290/310/390 and 260/361 mid-range families. The odd thing that I see is the overlap in price in saws like the 250 and 290. The 290 is a heck of a lot more saw than the 250. And the 250 is prone to self-destruction.

I think that manufacturing costs would be cheaper if they streamlined on similar and interchangable saws, which is one of the better features of the 210through250 line, and 290through390 line. Same with the 240/260 and the 341/361, though the 240 and 341 are not available here.

Basically I just do not see the need or reason for half of Stihl saws that they have out there. If I had a cahinsaw company, I would do it different anyway. Maybe the German psyche is the problem here. We need a real Amurikan chainsaw company again! Not that that will happen again... seems that even the Germans are being bought out by the Japanese. Though I think Makita is a good thing for Dolmar.

 

[windthrown]

While we are dumping saws why not ditch the 650!

Good point! Oversight on my part. The 650 can be tossed into the ocean with the others. Why have a 650 when you have a 660???

 

[windthrown]

The 441 leaves me totally cold for a few reasons, even though it is relatively cheap here - the 461 is more interesting, when it appears, and if it is what I hope it is......

The story tells that they detuned the original 361 prototype, as it was too close to the 440, and they didn't want it to cut into the 440 sales - but that is just a rumor......

I heard that about the 390 as well (against the 361).

 

[Peacock]

Good point! Oversight on my part. The 650 can be tossed into the ocean with the others. Why have a 650 when you have a 660???

Agreed!

I see as many worthless saws in the Husky as Stihl. New 346/353, 357/359, 570, 575/372, 385/390 and so on. They have so many pro saws that are very similar in displacement.

 

[windthrown]

Does your girlfriend know you talk of her in such glowing terms?

Her words, not mine!

I bought her the 210 to begin with, and she loves it. Then I got a 250 so I could limb at the same time. She loves the three position switches on the Stihls. I am the one that needs the gas and oil at the same place, or the gas gets dumped into the oil and vice verse. Then a lot of swearing happens, and things degrade from there.

Major issue with Echo saws: the gas and oil are flipped from Stihl.

 

[Pablo26]

Hey Lake, you stole my reply to this one! :greenchainsaw:

Personally I consider the 290 as a pro saw. It is about 5 years old now, and it can cut and cut and cut and cut. All day and all night. No problem with it running a 20 inch bar. OK, after a day I feel a little better if I run the 361 (has an 18 inch on it right now), but the cutting effects and results are the same. In downed firs, anyway. Yah the 290 is a little more fragile than the 361. It weighs a tad more. No more maintenance required on it though. Trees down, saws stihl working. The 290 has a little better feedback to it without all the spring flex as well. I can be more exact with it. And well, the cost is about half that of the 361.

I tried to buy this used ms290 from my sister, but she needed it too long, so I got the 357xp which has the same 56.5cc. Of course the 357 is the pro level saw, but it really spanks the 290 feeling like twice the power. So, the 290 is in a very backup role, resting up in the loft. Got to run, pizza and time It is a durable saw though, mine got really abused and the P&C look mint, no worse for wear.

 

[SawTroll]

I tried to buy this used ms290 from my sister, but she needed it too long, so I got the 357xp which has the same 56.5cc. Of course the 357 is the pro level saw, but it really spanks the 290 feeling like twice the power. So, the 290 is in a very backup role, resting up in the loft. Got to run, pizza and time It is a durable saw though, mine got really abused and the P&C look mint, no worse for wear.

Every saw in the 290-family looks and feels like POS - but they reportedly work for what they were designed to do - it doesn't help though, in my book they still are POS, as they look and feel like... (only have a few minutes with a 390, that is more than enough....)

Didn't really have to run it to see that it was a sub-standard saw, the overwhelming amount of not too well designed plastic really told the story.......

Sorry Andy, Tom and Steve (and others) - just had to get it out........

 

[Lakeside53]

Every saw in the 290-family looks and feels like POS - but they sure work for what they were designed to do - it doesn't help though, in my book they still are POS, as they look and feel like... (only have a few minutes with a 390, that is more than enough....)

Didn't really have to run it to see that it was a sub-standard saw, the overwhelming amount of not too well designed plastic really told the story.......

Everyone except Troll is a complete idiot. 12 years on the best seller list and Troll is still right. :monkey:

 

[windthrown]

Everyone except Troll is a complete idiot. 12 years on the best seller list and Troll is still right. :monkey:

Yes, leave it to a Norge Husky authority to tell us PNW's about our Stihls. Really, I interleave running my 290 with the 361 all the time. Now, I have the 290 muffler modded and the 361 is stock, but stihl...

I say we start the 290 Boat Anchor Club!

Chainsaws ahoy, mates! -SpongeBob StihlPants...

 

[SawTroll]

Everyone except Troll is a complete idiot. 12 years on the best seller list and Troll is still right. :monkey:

Nope, they just haven't seen the light - marketing tend to confuse people..........

I haven't said that anyone is an idiot, btw.....:monkey:

 

[Lakeside53]

What "marketing". Customers don't have a clue about stihl marketing... which is al most non-existent anyhow.. Most 029/290 sales are "word of mouth" - referals from friends or people they trust...

 

[SawTroll]

What "marketing". Customers don't have a clue about stihl marketing... which is al most non-existent anyhow.. Most 029/290 sales are "word of mouth" - referals from friends or people they trust...

We don't have that problem here, as the 290 and 310 never has been offered....

.. the "Farm Boss" here is the 260FB (non-pro), and the 390 - a few years ago there was a 360FB as well...

Those 260FBs are really good at spilling bar oil everywhere......

 

[Lakeside53]

In that case., you really don't know what you're missing

 

[kevinj]

Welcome back, Windthrown...

Cant wait to hear some of yer movie scripts again.

 

[SawTroll]

In that case., you really don't know what you're missing

Absolutely nothing!!!!! :greenchainsaw: