odd number stihl
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jokers
Addicted to ArboristSite
Not Really
To say that the consumer models are junk isn`t really fair. You have to keep in mind that you get what you pay for. The cheapest hairy homeowner Stihl is typically a better quality product than your average Poulan or Homelight, but you do pay more, so it should be right? Thing is, Stihl (and all others) sell their consumer saws at prices higher than they should really be, based on the reputation of their pro saws. I think that a consumer should be aware when they are purchasing one of the non-pro saws, that they are not getting a product of the same good quality that Stihl(or Husky) has built their reputation on. I have heard bad things about the earliest Stihl models using the plastic crankcase, apparently they get dissimilar rates of expansion between the engine base and jug which leads to an eventual air leak. Death to a two stroke. I have only heard of this on the 029/290. Husky uses a plastic case on the 350 and they don`t seem to be having widespread problems with theirs. Bottom line is that you should purchase from the highest quality dealer you can find, even if you have to drive to another town or city, then if you do have a problem, a good dealer will excercise the latitude they have in making warranty repairs. Let`s face it, Stihl pushes the concept of skilled servicing dealers, and you`re paying for them, so why not get one? Russ
To say that the consumer models are junk isn`t really fair. You have to keep in mind that you get what you pay for. The cheapest hairy homeowner Stihl is typically a better quality product than your average Poulan or Homelight, but you do pay more, so it should be right? Thing is, Stihl (and all others) sell their consumer saws at prices higher than they should really be, based on the reputation of their pro saws. I think that a consumer should be aware when they are purchasing one of the non-pro saws, that they are not getting a product of the same good quality that Stihl(or Husky) has built their reputation on. I have heard bad things about the earliest Stihl models using the plastic crankcase, apparently they get dissimilar rates of expansion between the engine base and jug which leads to an eventual air leak. Death to a two stroke. I have only heard of this on the 029/290. Husky uses a plastic case on the 350 and they don`t seem to be having widespread problems with theirs. Bottom line is that you should purchase from the highest quality dealer you can find, even if you have to drive to another town or city, then if you do have a problem, a good dealer will excercise the latitude they have in making warranty repairs. Let`s face it, Stihl pushes the concept of skilled servicing dealers, and you`re paying for them, so why not get one? Russ
Dave
ArboristSite Guru
I have a plastic POS 023 that I use to straighten out crooks at the chipper and I love it. The clowns that I bought it from (used) had a .325 sprocket, 3/8 bar, and low profile 3/8 chain on it 
Set it up with .325 and have been using it for over a year now with no trouble at all. Is it a 088? No. Does it work well if you have realistic expectations of what it can do? Yes.
Set it up with .325 and have been using it for over a year now with no trouble at all. Is it a 088? No. Does it work well if you have realistic expectations of what it can do? Yes.davefr
Addicted to ArboristSite
The odd numbered Stihl's are simply poor value. You are paying for the name.
Compare a Stihl 021 vs a Makita DCS401 (Dolmar Sachs), they are both about the same price:
The Stihl simply has a piece of foam for an air filter, The Dolmar has a 2 piece heavy duty filter.
The Dolmar has compression release, the Stihl doesn't.
The Dolmar has an adjustable oiler, the Stihl has a very aenemic non-adjstable oiler.
The Dolmar has more power and less vibration than the Stihl.
The Dolmar has a 2 ring piston design. I think the Stihl is one ring but I'm not sure.
I tend to reach for the Dolmar way before the Stihl.
I also have a Husky 41 and feels it's better than the Stihl 021 but by a smaller margin than the Dolmar.
When it comes to the "real" Stihl's like 044, 046, 066, 026, they are excellent saws but the consumer models just aren't worthy of the name nor the price IMHO.
Compare a Stihl 021 vs a Makita DCS401 (Dolmar Sachs), they are both about the same price:
The Stihl simply has a piece of foam for an air filter, The Dolmar has a 2 piece heavy duty filter.
The Dolmar has compression release, the Stihl doesn't.
The Dolmar has an adjustable oiler, the Stihl has a very aenemic non-adjstable oiler.
The Dolmar has more power and less vibration than the Stihl.
The Dolmar has a 2 ring piston design. I think the Stihl is one ring but I'm not sure.
I tend to reach for the Dolmar way before the Stihl.
I also have a Husky 41 and feels it's better than the Stihl 021 but by a smaller margin than the Dolmar.
When it comes to the "real" Stihl's like 044, 046, 066, 026, they are excellent saws but the consumer models just aren't worthy of the name nor the price IMHO.
Fish
Tree Freak
Stihls
There were only a couple models of Stihls that had only one ring
that I know of, and these models had versions with 2 rings as
well. The plastic "crankcase" on the newer consumer models
is not really the crankcase, but the tanks and body of the saw,
but the engine block splits at the crankshaft, and the screws
that hold the body to the engine block are also the same
fasteners that hold the block together sandwiching some sealant
between the top cylinder part and the bottom cover, a poor
design in my book.
Fish
There were only a couple models of Stihls that had only one ring
that I know of, and these models had versions with 2 rings as
well. The plastic "crankcase" on the newer consumer models
is not really the crankcase, but the tanks and body of the saw,
but the engine block splits at the crankshaft, and the screws
that hold the body to the engine block are also the same
fasteners that hold the block together sandwiching some sealant
between the top cylinder part and the bottom cover, a poor
design in my book.
Fish
HUSKYMAN
Addicted to ArboristSite
Welcome to this forum, Fish, your knowledge will be very helpful to a lot of frustrated Stihl owners here! Yeah some models like the famous 009 have single rings on some (the 009eq I think) and the 009L has two rings. Too damn confusing.
Fish
Tree Freak
A few models of the 041 had one ring as well, but eveything
else is two as far as I know.
Fish
else is two as far as I know.
Fish
Gypo Logger
Timber Baron
I groove on the Poulan Wild Thing. Let me have at it with one and I will cut circles around 10 woodticks with 066's in a wood doo, cause it's just like that, however, I have never used one before, but it is prolly an enjoyable experience, and why wouldnt it be? If you ain't got it, your gettin it!
Frank's Planks
Frank's Planks
The Stihl 025/250 has a good reputation, especially on this forum. Light weight, good performance, and good reliability.
The 029's, 031's & 039's are the saws that seem to generate the most negative comments. Mechanical problems aside, these saws tend to be heavy for the rated horsepower.
But, like everything, the comments go both ways. I have a friend that puts probably 24 hrs a year on his 031 & he is perfectly happy with it!
Mike
The 029's, 031's & 039's are the saws that seem to generate the most negative comments. Mechanical problems aside, these saws tend to be heavy for the rated horsepower.
But, like everything, the comments go both ways. I have a friend that puts probably 24 hrs a year on his 031 & he is perfectly happy with it!
Mike
I don't recall the 031 generating any negative comments with regard to its performance. The 029/039 don't even compare to the 031. I think the biggest problem (now) with the 031 is that parts are getting harder to find, particularly for the electronic ignition.
Wait till the 029/039 are as old as the 031 is now. Bet you don't see one go for $250 on Ebay.
Also, the odd-numbered rule applies to the modern Stihl saws. If you were to retroactively apply this rule, not only would the 031 be sub-standard, but so would the 041, 045/056, and 075/076--all of which were very good saws in their days.
Chris B.
Wait till the 029/039 are as old as the 031 is now. Bet you don't see one go for $250 on Ebay.
Also, the odd-numbered rule applies to the modern Stihl saws. If you were to retroactively apply this rule, not only would the 031 be sub-standard, but so would the 041, 045/056, and 075/076--all of which were very good saws in their days.
Chris B.
Stumper
One Man Band
Gypo, Sober up!
Speaking of overpriced. All the large saws are over priced. Large pro saws don't have more parts/greater complexity than small Pro saws. Yes you have a few cents more in raw materials Plastics, Aluminum Steel and Copper. Grant it $5 for extra material. The larger quantities of material and bigger parts take up more warehouse space and cost more to transport. Being generous with all those figures an O66 might cost $50 more than an 026 to generate the same margin of profit. Instead it costs hundreds more. Don't get me wrong. It is fair -we don't have to buy. They charge what the market will bear. I left out the facts about potential sales to---Little saws are sold in greater quantities so less $ per saw is needed to recoup research and development. Still It really is odd that price climbs so fast as displacement goes up.
Pointless musing from an overheated arborist......
Speaking of overpriced. All the large saws are over priced. Large pro saws don't have more parts/greater complexity than small Pro saws. Yes you have a few cents more in raw materials Plastics, Aluminum Steel and Copper. Grant it $5 for extra material. The larger quantities of material and bigger parts take up more warehouse space and cost more to transport. Being generous with all those figures an O66 might cost $50 more than an 026 to generate the same margin of profit. Instead it costs hundreds more. Don't get me wrong. It is fair -we don't have to buy. They charge what the market will bear. I left out the facts about potential sales to---Little saws are sold in greater quantities so less $ per saw is needed to recoup research and development. Still It really is odd that price climbs so fast as displacement goes up.
Pointless musing from an overheated arborist......
As you can see below, I have a MS310 as well as two "Pro" saws, an 024 and an 066. The 310 is my saw for working 14 - 20 inch cuts in oak and pecan. A little heavy - maybe, but it works every time and all of the time. It is indeed more comfortable on a long day of work to use one of the small saws, but I give up a good bit of power by using either of the small saws I have. Seems to me that there is a saw that is the "right" size for each application - limbing, bucking and felling. If you are lucky enough to be aboe to have several saws that therory works out great but if you are like most homeowners, or folks who don't want to or can't afford several, one of the odd nnumbered saws by Stihl is a good compramize.
Worked beside a man with an 021 over the 4th. He was just as happy with that saw as he could be. No he was not able to cut 4 foot thick oak, but he didn't need to there was a lot of 10" and smaller stuff available, while I cut up a good bit of larger stuff.
Guess it is all about what you need a saw to do. $400 to 450 for an 026 is a lot to pay, when you can have a 310 or 290 or even 250 for a lot less.
Lastly, I saw a statistic once that said that the average saw owned by a homeowner was used a TOTAL of 10 hours in it's life time. Ever wounder why some saws that are marketed to homeowners - especially at the lower end of the price scale are less that great?
Hal
Worked beside a man with an 021 over the 4th. He was just as happy with that saw as he could be. No he was not able to cut 4 foot thick oak, but he didn't need to there was a lot of 10" and smaller stuff available, while I cut up a good bit of larger stuff.
Guess it is all about what you need a saw to do. $400 to 450 for an 026 is a lot to pay, when you can have a 310 or 290 or even 250 for a lot less.
Lastly, I saw a statistic once that said that the average saw owned by a homeowner was used a TOTAL of 10 hours in it's life time. Ever wounder why some saws that are marketed to homeowners - especially at the lower end of the price scale are less that great?
Hal
