Need opinion

[treeclimber165]

learning to use a saw

Unfortunately, almost no one is capable of running/maintaining a saw PROPERLY if they simply see a picture in a Sears catalog and run out to buy one without ever having been around saws before. There are many subtle nuances in regard to chain tension, proper sharpening, keeping a chain sharp without trenching the lawn, safety techniques, adjustments, etc. These things cannot be taught properly online or from a manual without firsthand training and observation. The absolute BEST way to learn how to use a chainsaw is to work with someone who knows how.

As to your oiler, I'm certain that something on your saw is simply out of adjustment, or plugged, or the bar isn't mounted properly, or the chain isn't tensioned properly, etc. etc. etc. This has nothing to do with a person's intelligence, simply experience.

 

[mmiller]

this ???? craftsman

thanks for your responses.

here's the thing: after hurricane fran, i successfully ran a homelite saw for hours & hours. i got to know the thing quite well, did my own troubleshooting, and got many times my money's worth.

so i'm not a novice at this kind of operation. i'm tensioning, adjusting, responding accordingly, and still no joy.

did i mention this saw is brand new, out of the box, this morning? there's been no opportunity for me to screw it up, even if i were grotesquely incompetent, which i don't believe i am.

anyhoo, to hell with it. i'm throwing the crafstman back in the box and calling around for a new saw.

in the meantime, if anyone has any operating advice for a 20" craftsman (particularly concerning this bar oil cluster F), i'd be grateful.

thanks.

 

[Ryan Willock]

mmiller, what part of NC are you in??? i have a VERY good Stihl dealer i could put you in touch with. I'm in Chapel hill.

as far as the crapsman (oh, i'm sorry thats craftsman) goes my advice is to throw it away and buy a stihl or husky (preferably stihl):angel:

 

[Weatherby]

Ryan,

Do you use the Stihl dealership on Chapel Hill Blvd? I have never had too much luck using them, they were always higher than other stores I tried, although it was on small purchases.

How did you make out in Chapel Hill? WE got hit pretty hard in Hillsborough, I spent all weekend cutting ice damage from our new house. Thank god there was no damage to either of the houses we have, but it looks like a disaster zone in the yard. No power at either place still. An no power at my apartment in Raleigh.

Power company said it would probably be Tuesday before we get it back. Im headed South for a research trip all this week, taking 12 mm wood cores from loblolly pine plantations in Northern FL, and AL. We are using new gas powered drills instead of our old generator powered ones. We will see how it goes. Using echo drills Model 2400 I believe. They work well.

Rob

 

[fun_chopper]

Originally posted by Tom Sawyer
Are Sears Craftsman chainsaws junk or are they worth it for the weekend warrior?

I would not recomend a craftsman for cutting anything bigger than 10" no more than twice a year, if you dont want to shell out a ton of money, the Poulan pro is a little more expensive, and a little more dependable. I would not reccomend cutting more than 12" 3x a year.

I do recomend gaining some knowledge of chainsaws, and learning basic maintenance, and care, and the craftsman should last you a while.

If you plan on doing some heavy cutting, frequent cutting, or cutting at a variety of altitudes, get a good quality saw. A stihl MS250-MS260 or Husqvarna 345-55Rancher will probably suit your needs without breaking the bank.

I have never had good luck with Poulan products, they fail when you need them the most. Remember you get what you pay for!-Matt

 

[Ryan Willock]

Barnhill Equipment Co. on the Blvd. are a bunch of @ssholes!!! prices way too high and LOSEY service, not to mention they don't know their @ss from a hole in the ground!!! i use Dual Supply on west king St. in hillsboro, Wes is a great guy to work with and if you talk to him he'll come down off the list price:angel:

 

[Weatherby]

Ryan,

Yes I agree Wes is a good guy, and so is his brother Ronnie over at Orange Garden, they will give you some good deals. Latta's is good for service, but his prices on saws are high. He only deals with Husqvarna and Echo though.

mmiller, I dont know much about craftman saws but your right saws are in short supply, well the cheap ones, although Walmart was selling Poulans left and right just this morning. I would still try to get a Stihl or Husqvarna saw, you will be much happier.

Rob

 

[mmiller]

ryan and rob,

we're in nawth raleigh, off of 540 and leesville. our neighborhood looks disturbingly like the aftermath of fran. we have holes in our roof, and the back end of our explorer got pretty messed up.

but my chainsaw won't fix either of those things.

i took the conventional advice and went to lowe's for an 18" husqvarna (350). and here's the kicker: still no bar oil on the chain and bar.

i'm stumped, the technician at lowe's is stumped, and i have a lot full of downed pines.

again, i'm not a (total) drooling idiot here. the engine starts and runs just fine; i'm using craftsman bar oil.

standard-issue stuff. and yet the chain is sahara-dry. just like the craftsman earlier today, as well as the model i traded it in for.

i'd be perfectly happy if someone told me, "you moron, you forgot to twist the foley manifold! a trained chimp would've twisted the foley manifold! har har!"

okay, that wouldn't make me perfectly happy...but at least i'd know what to do about the situation. yes, i read the manual. yes, i adjusted the oil flow to "wide open."

nada.

somebody throw me a bone, here.

 

[Ryan Willock]

did you check the oil pick up line??? it could be kinked or cloged. just a possiblity:angel: latta Bro's are way high on saws, they quoted me $499 for a husky 346xp!!!!!!!! @!##$#@!#$! thats high!!!! but they do have a good service shop with resonable prices

 

[mmiller]

ryan, thanks for the suggestion. i confess, i did not check the oil pick up line. as soon as i discover what the oil pick up line is, i will check it.

let's recap the day:

two brand-new chain saws. one a POS craftsman, one a very reputable husqvarna 18" (350). two disturbingly similar bar oil flow problems.

i'm ready to admit operator error of the worst kind...if someone can just point out the error of my ways, i will bow before your superior knowledge.

all i want is a chain saw that will survive past the first tank of fuel mix.

 

[jokers]

Bar Oil

mmiller, I`m assuming that it is not so cold that the bar oil is overly thick. It does pour easily doesn`t it? Try a lighter oil, virtually anything clean like new 10w motor oil or hydraulic oil and see what happens. You have what we call a "common mode failure" and it appears to be no longer specifically related to Craftsman chainsaws, maybe just their oil. Russ

 

[Fish]

Make sure the oil chamber is full, remove the bar and chain,
then run the saw. If no oil drips out, return the saw.
No reason to get too worried about it. If it is brand new
and it doesn't work, Lowes or Sears will take care of it.

 

[mmiller]

jokers, fish:

thanks for the responses. we hit about 50 for a high today, so i don't think that was it.

i'll try the running-without-bar-and-chain idea tomorrow.

the people at lowe's have been customer friendly, so i don't expect a hassle from them.

the folks at sears are not so inclined. they'll get no more of my money.

thanks all around for the input.

 

[Tony Snyder]

My advise is to get the Husky 345 or the Jonsered equivalent 2145. Another good choice would be the John Deere CS47. Moving up in size a little is the Husky 55 which is usually available at about $325.

Operator satisfaction and local parts availability should weigh heavily in your decision. I would be embarassed to carry a Craftsman chainsaw. Show total lack of taste.

 

[Brush Stomper]

Just my opinion-
Chain saw or whatever tool it is right down to an ax or splitting maul, I want the tool to do what it's supposed to do. If I buy something, say a chain saw and it doesn't work,I have to drive 20 miles to get another one. So that turns into a 40 mile round trip.
Do this a couple times & I' ve driven 80 miles and have not gotten any work done either.
I say go to a good dealer, let them make sure all is working properly (like running it in on a tach for carb adjustment) then go and cut wood instead of trying to figure out what's wrong. This theory is sound to me whether you're using the saw once or twice a year or using it every day. Plus pride of ownership has to be worth something.

 

[cttreehugger]

4 what its worth

I just ran up to sears and went the cheapo route with a 16" $120.00
closeout craftsman. I have been hemming and hawing on this for 2 months and asked 2 dealers and 2 tree surgeons about this. My feeling is that you ask a dealer; he wants to sell you what he sells...ask a surgeon he will give you his honest yet biased opinion.....there are ford mechanics there are chevy guys...you get it? I was told stihls I was told echos I was told they both suck get a husky...I'm not taking down redwoods everyday, once or twice a year yardwork. I do agree you never regret buying quality but I figure it will handle twice a year. I used to have a old stihl 020...it ran for about 25 years than a gas feed rotted out, I figured I don't want to use a old saw I know 3 people who got injured badly from tree work so I'm skiddish around it. My mechanic told me my ford wagon was a piece of crap, he is chevy all the way...the tranny died so I junked it and got a Nissan pick up. 2 months later he trys to sell me a van....yup a Ford! My tree surgeon wanted my old 020 for parts but I tossed it. oh well, I either do o.k, or kick myself in the ass and never shop at sears again.

 

[stihltech]

oops

This where I have made a big mistake.
I went out of my way to figure out what was wrong with these saws. They are all WAY to lean. I richened up the carbs and woke them up. Now I get them every spring, so much I have to work extra hours to get them done.
Maybe those other dealers have a metod to their madness when they turn other makes away.
Maybe it is just job security to me.

 

[lxt]

MMiller, my husky had the same prob. no oil to the bar, my father owning a small engine repair serv. gave me this advice before i had this problem son, keep your saws clean & blow out the oil line 1 a month. yeah whatever dad!!! well only to have his advice bite me in the a#$ right in front of him when i complained about no oil to the bar. take a air comp. light pressure some duct tape make a seal around the oil fill and blow air into the compartment this will blow dirt out & even unkink the line somtimes. donot crank up the air pressure as this could get messy(3 stooges funny even!) this is best done with bar & chain off watch the oil outlet for debris, sprocket may spin as the oil pump is ran off this good luck. take care, be safe DOUG,LXT...........

 

[DanMan1]

I would not recomend a craftsman for cutting anything bigger than 10" no more than twice a year, if you dont want to shell out a ton of money, the Poulan pro is a little more expensive, and a little more dependable. I would not reccomend cutting more than 12" 3x a year.


How do you come up with those numbers?

I guess I really haven't cut down the 16 to 20" oak and beach trees that I thought I had with my 42cc craftsman/poulan. Was $150 with extra chain and case..No regrets, still runs good. Sure my new 357xp is better and faster, but it sure is hell should be, it cost 3X more.

 

[sedanman]

I think all of us here tend to be elitists with regard to saws, I include myself in that statement. There are tons of people who fit the demographic of the 'homeowner' sawyer. My neighbor bought a Craftsman was 2 years a go to clear a row of pines on his property for a construction project. He was very happy with his purchase and that saw will last him for all the cutting he has to do for life. Would I go buy one? NO! but that doesn't mean it wasn't the right thing for him. There a untold thousands of saws out there that will get thrown out from being stored with stale gas LOOOOOOOOOOONG before they would ever have worn out. Some homeowners won't ever wear a chain out let alone the saw it's mounted on.