Tried out my new ms290, I have some questions

[tec498]

Thanks for all the comments guys! I'm going take it back to the dealer and have them look at it. I'm a little bummed I already have to go back but it will be awesome once its starting easy! Also, I really like the look of Jonsered saws. Why are the dealers all on the west coast? Are the prices of Jonsered saws the same as Husqvarna since they're essentially the same?

 

[sunfish]

Most older dudes who can't hear, didn't wear hearing protection when they were younger. It's not really an age this at all. I started in my late 30s' and maybe too late

 

[PLMCRZY]

Most older dudes who can't hear, didn't wear hearing protection when they were younger. It's not really an age this at all. I started in my late 30s' and maybe too late

Ive been around loud things all my life, if i go deaf i go deaf. My girlfriend is a sign language interrupter anyways, the only time i wear hearing protection is when its very high pitch like a chop saw going thru some thinner steel.

I like to hear what an engine is doing or the machine, you cant do that with ear plugs in. Especially cutting wood, i like to hear limbs cracking or something else. Infact i went deaf for a little while in my right ear, it was plugged up. Anyways i enjoyed it, malls were quieter i didnt have to hear b****ing as much.

Call me ignorant, but i wont wear them.....

 

[tec498]

I guess I'm going to start wearing ear protection all the time. I'd like to get a new pair of ear muffs because I hate the ones that go in my ears. I have a pair that I use when I'm shooting but I want a pair that's more comfortable that I can wear for shooting and running my chainsaw. What are the best ones I can buy? Are the generic Stihl/Husqvarna ones any good?

 

[Mike PA]

For ear protection, look for db reduction. Most earmuffs will provide ~ 26-30 db reduction, which is sufficient for a chainsaw running around 100 db (85 db is considered the upper limit). Any muff you buy will have the db reduction listed. Ear muffs are good, but fit problems lower the db reduction. Glasses, hair, and poor fit all reduce the effectiveness of the muffs. Almost any brand you buy will be sufficient for your use, from a reduction standpoint. Therefore, the most important factor is fit and comfort. For he most part, plugs do a better job at reducing db levels, but muffs are acceptable.

 

[Chris J.]

You can buy earplugs that are custom made to fit your ear. They are not cheap, but a big selling point (in addition to a good fit) is they have interchangeable inserts that offer different levels of db protection.

They're popular with musicians. One of my friends is a field geologist for a drilling company and a serious guitarist, he uses the plugs on the job and on stage. He swaps out the inserts for the best protection depending on the noise level, type of noise/frequency, etc. I'll need to do a search to find the brand name.

 

[wyk]

I usually only wear chaps when I am limbing. Having said that, it is not a bad idea to wear them all the time. But I am super careful about where my bar is, and have been sawing off and on for about 25 years now. Always wear eye protection - chips, saw dust, branches, falling branches, flying branches, etc etc. Always wear eye protection. I wear gloves not only for protection from the saw but also from the elements, splinters, etc. I tend to grab stuff in my way as I am sawing and throw it aside to keep my work space clear. With gloves on, I don't get surprises or splinters doing so.

Hearing is one of the most important. Even the quietest chainsaw will ruin your hearing after hours and hours of work. And that hearing does not come back once it's gone. Your ears are like many other organs you have: Drink enough, hard enough, and your kidneys, pancreas, and liver aren't going to be happy. You won't have hep or cirrhosis overnight, it will be gradual, and inevitable if you expose yourself to enough of it. The same with your hearing loss. Here's the OSHA guideline I see quoted often:

1910.95(b)(2)

If the variations in noise level involve maxima at intervals of 1 second or less, it is to be considered continuous.

TABLE G-16 - PERMISSIBLE NOISE EXPOSURES (1)
______________________________________________________________

Duration per day, hours | Sound level dBA slow response
_____________________________________________________________
|
8...........................| 90
6...........................| 92
4...........................| 95
3...........................| 97
2...........................| 100
1 1/2 ......................| 102
1...........................| 105
1/2 ........................| 110
1/4 or less................| 115


In other words, a standard chainsaw without a muffler mod can potentially damage your hearing after an hour, or less, of working with it. How many hours do you put in with your saws? I put in 5 last Saturday, and will do the same tomorrow.

What?

 

[josh1981]

I have the stihl muffs they work good also got some pop in ones from walgreens they work good when I'm wearing eye protection over my glasses. You can get some on string that go around your neck. That's what I'm going to get this time.

 

[tec498]

2-3 hours every few weeks. But like I said, a good majority of the time I wear muffs. I need to get a new pair because while mine have a tight fit over my ears they are big and heavy and not comfortable for me after those long periods. I always wear gloves and eye protection (I'm especially protective of my eyes because my eyesight in the left isn't very good although in the right it is perfect). Now when I take my saw back to the dealer to richen the L screw I'll have to take a look at what muffs they have :smile:

 

[GASoline71]

Most older dudes who can't hear, didn't wear hearing protection when they were younger. It's not really an age this at all. I started in my late 30s' and maybe too late

Workin' in the woods and on the flight deck of a US Navy aircraft carrier did it for me... plus LOUD heavy metal music...

Oh... also most MS290's out here come set upfrom the dealer with a 20" bar, 3/8" chain.

Gary

 

[PLMCRZY]

I usually only wear chaps when I am limbing. Having said that, it is not a bad idea to wear them all the time. But I am super careful about where my bar is, and have been sawing off and on for about 25 years now. Always wear eye protection - chips, saw dust, branches, falling branches, flying branches, etc etc. Always wear eye protection. I wear gloves not only for protection from the saw but also from the elements, splinters, etc. I tend to grab stuff in my way as I am sawing and throw it aside to keep my work space clear. With gloves on, I don't get surprises or splinters doing so.

Hearing is one of the most important. Even the quietest chainsaw will ruin your hearing after hours and hours of work. And that hearing does not come back once it's gone. Your ears are like many other organs you have: Drink enough, hard enough, and your kidneys, pancreas, and liver aren't going to be happy. You won't have hep or cirrhosis overnight, it will be gradual, and inevitable if you expose yourself to enough of it. The same with your hearing loss. Here's the OSHA guideline I see quoted often:

1910.95(b)(2)

If the variations in noise level involve maxima at intervals of 1 second or less, it is to be considered continuous.

TABLE G-16 - PERMISSIBLE NOISE EXPOSURES (1)
______________________________________________________________

Duration per day, hours | Sound level dBA slow response
_____________________________________________________________
|
8...........................| 90
6...........................| 92
4...........................| 95
3...........................| 97
2...........................| 100
1 1/2 ......................| 102
1...........................| 105
1/2 ........................| 110
1/4 or less................| 115


In other words, a standard chainsaw without a muffler mod can potentially damage your hearing after an hour, or less, of working with it. How many hours do you put in with your saws? I put in 5 last Saturday, and will do the same tomorrow.

What?

Thats a bunch BS! Like i said i been around louder things then a friggin chainsaw. I can still hear really good. I do have selective hearing though.....

 

[Justsaws]

...
When I bought it the guy at the dealer said it can run a 20" B/C but he said Stihl doesn't recommend keeping it on there all the time. I got the 18" because he said that. I find it has plenty of power to cut with the 18" so I don't see why the 20" would be much worse. I can't find anywhere where Stihl says a 20" B/C can't be kept on the saw. On their website it just says recommended bar length is 16-20". Am I missing something?

.325 x 7 x 18" seems to a typical setup on a 290 in any area that is predominantly hardwood.

When I was at there he was trying to sell me on an ms311. He said that one can pull a 3/8 chain on a 20" bar and the 3/8" chain will cut much faster than the .325 on the ms290. Is the ms311 really that much better than the ms290?

He would like to sell as many 311s because he makes more on them now.

Has anyone here run an ms290 and an ms311 so I can get a good objective comparison?

MS311 is smoother and has a bit more power. If you have an extra $120.00 it may be worth the extra $. If $ is tight a 290 will heat the house for years.

Also, when I was starting the saw cold it would fire up and then immediately die. It took me about 7-8 tries to get it fired up when I was starting cold. And I did switch that little rubber boot and flip the air dam like recommended in the manual to prevent carb icing.

If it is not starting the way you want it to take it back to the dealer. Most likely as others have mentioned it could be slightly adjusted. Make that dealer earn his $50.00.

Thanks guys

311s are to new and do not have a good reputation around where I live. For $350.00 it is hard to beat the 290 if you are buying a Stihl.

 

[Justsaws]

Thats a bunch BS! Like i said i been around louder things then a friggin chainsaw. I can still hear really good. I do have selective hearing though.....

So you are personally willing to pay all the bills(medical/disability/etc.) associated with employment related hearing loss for any one that works for and/or with you from the time they start until they die.

A big part of not getting pissed off by rules is understanding why they were written. That does seem to be difficult for "ignorant" folks.

Selective hearing is why no one sells full coverage marriage insurance, even the Feds will not poke that bear.

 

[banshee67]

i couldnt imagine running a saw with no ear protection, that is retarded. even a couple cuts without earphones on and my ears are ringing, let alone running one all day without hearing protection, thats crazy. i do not understand why someone would run a saw without them. if your ears dont ring after making even 1 cut without earphones on, your hearing has already begun to deteriorate

 

[PLMCRZY]

So you are personally willing to pay all the bills(medical/disability/etc.) associated with employment related hearing loss for any one that works for and/or with you from the time they start until they die.

A big part of not getting pissed off by rules is understanding why they were written. That does seem to be difficult for "ignorant" folks.

Selective hearing is why no one sells full coverage marriage insurance, even the Feds will not poke that bear.

Lmao my dad is 57years old and hasnt wore ear protection and he used to race DRAG BOATS, he can hear just fine! Yall can wear your ear phones i wont do it, id rather hear a limb breaking then me breathing. Im sure you look really cool when you go out and do about 3 cuts with your ear phones. Takes longer for you to get ready then it does to cut. Im all about safety but ear phones for me are pushing it sorry.

 

[banshee67]

Lmao my dad is 57years old and hasnt wore ear protection and he used to race DRAG BOATS, he can hear just fine! Yall can wear your ear phones i wont do it, id rather hear a limb breaking then me breathing. Im sure you look really cool when you go out and do about 3 cuts with your ear phones. Takes longer for you to get ready then it does to cut. Im all about safety but ear phones for me are pushing it sorry.

"he can hear just fine" - is this what HE tells you? we all know its totally out of character for older men to be stubborn in their old school ways, right? unless he just has bionic ear drums or something..his ears have been SEVERELY impacted from not wearing any hearing protection.

"im sure you look really cool when you go out and do about 3 cuts with your ear phones, takes longer for you to get ready then it does to cut" - who even starts a saw to make "3 cuts" ? im unaware of your mental capacities, but does it really take you longer than 2-3 seconds to put a pair of earphones on your head? at that rate, why even bother wearing boots, they take forever to lace up..god forbid you double knot the laces too!

the tough guy persona is real cool and all but id be wearing as much safety gear as i could get if i was making stumps like this: sorry, you forced me to

 

[PLMCRZY]

"he can hear just fine" - is this what HE tells you? we all know its totally out of character for older men to be stubborn in their old school ways, right? unless he just has bionic ear drums or something..his ears have been SEVERELY impacted from not wearing any hearing protection.

"im sure you look really cool when you go out and do about 3 cuts with your ear phones, takes longer for you to get ready then it does to cut" - who even starts a saw to make "3 cuts" ? im unaware of your mental capacities, but does it really take you longer than 2-3 seconds to put a pair of earphones on your head? at that rate, why even bother wearing boots, they take forever to lace up..god forbid you double knot the laces too!

the tough guy persona is real cool and all but id be wearing as much safety gear as i could get if i was making stumps like this: sorry, you forced me to

O wow you got me since that was my 3rd tree to fell. I think i even mentioned that in the post. It fell right where i wanted it, i didnt wear ear plugs then either

Its ok im sure you look cool with your ear phones and HELMET!

O god i forced you to, you ruined my life on the enet, Cry cry cry....ya right my life goes on even with your lame posts of my 3RD STUMP that i used a 16" bar on. Good try, seriously GOOOD TRY.

 

[Justsaws]

Lmao my dad is 57years old and hasnt wore ear protection and he used to race DRAG BOATS, he can hear just fine! Yall can wear your ear phones i wont do it, id rather hear a limb breaking then me breathing. Im sure you look really cool when you go out and do about 3 cuts with your ear phones. Takes longer for you to get ready then it does to cut. Im all about safety but ear phones for me are pushing it sorry.

FYI, while wearing the recommended hearing protection I can still hear the engine well enough to tell when it is about out of fuel. Do you know why, because I have actual good hearing, after 20+ years of power tool use, etc...

Also if for instance I am taking down some standing dead or hazard tree, I can remove the hearing protection to listen for breaking limbs and falling debris. I know that might seem amazing however the hearing proctection is removeable.

Now if putting on or removing hearing protection is taking you more than a few seconds then I suggest that you remove your head from your butt first, it will go faster.

I do not think that of the two of us, I am the one concerned with "looking cool".
I am good to go.
Look at the chart and apply it to what you are doing and the tool you will be using.
Do not worry about the "ear phones" making you look less cool, I doubt that will be an issue.

 

[PLMCRZY]

FYI, while wearing the recommended hearing protection I can still hear the engine well enough to tell when it is about out of fuel. Do you know why, because I have actual good hearing, after 20+ years of power tool use, etc...

Also if for instance I am taking down some standing dead or hazard tree, I can remove the hearing protection to listen for breaking limbs and falling debris. I know that might seem amazing however the hearing proctection is removeable.

Now if putting on or removing hearing protection is taking you more than a few seconds then I suggest that you remove your head from your butt first, it will go faster.

I do not think that of the two of us, I am the one concerned with "looking cool".
I am good to go.
Look at the chart and apply it to what you are doing and the tool you will be using.
Do not worry about the "ear phones" making you look less cool, I doubt that will be an issue.

Its not that fact about looking cool, its that my ears sweat, and i cant hear whats going on around me. You dont need ear plugs...period.

 

[mdavlee]

I try to wear ear plugs all the time. I wear glasses all the time. Certain saws are a lot worse on my ears than others. I won't harp on wearing chaps as the pair I've got I need extensions on the thigh straps.