New guy newish saw

[s sidewall]

You can do like a lot of us, find old saws and restore them and run them, cheaper in the long run and when you are finish building the saw you can say I did this. Working on a 5200, 85cc Poulan now, just slow go in spare time.

Steve Sidwell, Samsung On5 using Tapatalk

 

[Bedford T]

I got a 029 and it just can't get any respect anymore. I like it. I did a little muffler mod on it and it kicked it up. The advice on a sharp chain is spot on. Just ask yourself when was the last time it was sharpened... correctly? I never believed it could wear a bar longer than 16". If you just cut the occasional big tree 16" can do it just cut both sides. But why not have two saws? The sweet spot is three. 16, 20, 24 and a powerhead for each so you don't have to pull the bar off and on. It's so much trouble you know. Tell the wife it's bad as doing the laundry by hand she will understand.

 

[1Alpha1]

Two saws, two saws, who you kidding, 10 or more.

Steve Sidwell, Samsung On5 using Tapatalk

I tend to be a bit conservative.

 

[CuriousGeorge17]

Wow! Thanks for all the responses and advice! So basically I need a bigger saw (or 10) and to drop down on bar size and chain type. And get better at sharpening them! So possibly dumb question. If I got another bar for the 290 and then purchased a powerhead to wear the 20" bar could I run a different type chain on it? Or is that bar specific for the green safety chain? Thanks again for all y'all's guidance. This is a hell of a site!!

 

[CuriousGeorge17]

You can do like a lot of us, find old saws and restore them and run them, cheaper in the long run and when you are finish building the saw you can say I did this. Working on a 5200, 85cc Poulan now, just slow go in spare time.

Steve Sidwell, Samsung On5 using Tapatalk

I love to tinker. Mostly on cars and tractors. I've never really dove in and worked on a saw before. I guess it's like anything gotta start somewhere! But as far as knowing where to begin on even buying an old or non running saw I don't know where to start.

 

[Ted Jenkins]

That is the easy question and answer. Whatever you get it needs to have ready available parts period. If you buy a brand new Zika brand saw for only $69, but they made 15 of those saws do you think that when you need a new filter you will be able to find one? So you need to buy a saw that has a larger number of them made and you have a source for parts. From the dealer or after market does not matter. Then it would be helpful if you go to places like AS ( here ) and many folks like a particular model then get one. Many years ago I needed a saw to cut 30'' Pine and Fir trees on a USDA project. A dealer recommended a 056 super which just came out so I bought one at full retail price. I still have it and use it. Yeah it has been rebuilt a couple of times, but runs well and is easy to work on. My newer saws are lighter, but more difficult to work on. As long as you stick with the basics you will have a very enjoyable time cutting trees firewood or earning a few bucks removing a neighbors dead Oak. Thanks

 

[Cope1024]

I had an MS290 with 20" bar, and it did everything I asked of it. I kept the chains sharp and did a conservative muffler mod. I bought an MS362C, and sold the MS290. As already mentioned, the Echo CS590 is a great 60CC saw for the money.

 

[ericm979]

Wow! Thanks for all the responses and advice! So basically I need a bigger saw (or 10) and to drop down on bar size and chain type. And get better at sharpening them! So possibly dumb question. If I got another bar for the 290 and then purchased a powerhead to wear the 20" bar could I run a different type chain on it? Or is that bar specific for the green safety chain? Thanks again for all y'all's guidance. This is a hell of a site!!

You can run any chain that's the same pitch and gauge. I.e. .325 pitch and .050 gauge. And the same number of links of course. The info is stamped on the side of Stihl bars and some others. (technically you could run chain of a different pitch and same gauge but the link count will be wrong)

Stihl used a few different bar mount interfaces. The larger pro saws have a 12mm wide slot, smaller ones have a smaller slot. The 029 has the larger slot so that bar could be used on a larger Stihl.

Lots of guys discount safety chain but in my experience it cuts about as well as non safety chain of the same type. Close enough that I don't notice a real difference. Maybe if I was cutting firewood commercially I would but I'm just a land owner with a lot of trees to cut down. It'll even do bore cuts. It'll also kick back if you do it wrong. It's not idiot proof just idiot resistant. I use safety chain on my smaller saws used for brush cutting and mostly non safety chain for the larger saw used for larger trees.

Keeping the chain sharp and the air filter clean is the most important thing for saw performance. I sharpen every two tanks of fuel at most (and clean the saw, air filter and turn the bar over). If I notice the chain not cutting as well as normal I sharpen it or put a sharp chain on if I am in the middle of something. Lots of different methods for sharpening but I free hand file 95% of the time. None of the file holders I've used have been worth while to me and I can do pretty well by hand having had lots of practice. The electric bench sharpener is used for badly damaged chains.