What are your thoughts on this vid?

[drumbum]

 

[drumbum]

....and this

 

[Bill G]

I sent you a PM

 

[holeycow]

 

[drumbum]

?

 

[Bill G]

Here is what I think. The guy is dead wrong when he says the Husky 395 is no longer available. He needs to stop spreading BS rumors. I have bought (12) in the last 2 years and most recently not long ago. Hell the Stihl 660 and 260 are also still available as well as the 070

 

[holeycow]

I gave him a trophy cause he is, for the most part, expressing the sentiments of many an experienced saw hand.

 

[Bill G]

I gave him a trophy cause he is, for the most part, expressing the sentiments of many an experienced saw hand.

I do not disagree but I do not like folks spreading misinformation. I have had many 064's, 066's, and 660's but never a 661 so I cannot comment on the differences but I sure as hell can when he claims he cannot get 395's

 

[huskihl]

Here is what I think. The guy is dead wrong when he says the Husky 395 is no longer available. He needs to stop spreading BS rumors. I have bought (12) in the last 2 years and most recently not long ago. Hell the Stihl 660 and 260 are also still available as well as the 070

Ones you’ve been buying are leftovers. Once they’re gone, you won’t be able to buy them from dealers here anymore. Might be able to bootleg them still but I bet in a couple months that will be it

 

[Bill G]

Ones you’ve been buying are leftovers. Once they’re gone, you won’t be able to buy them from dealers here anymore. Might be able to bootleg them still but I bet in a couple months that will be it

I respectfully disagree.

Also I do not "bootleg saws" so not quite what you were meaning.

 

[huskihl]

I respectfully disagree.

Disagree all you want Bill. They’ve discontinued production of the 395 for the United States, Canada and Europe because it doesn’t meet emissions restrictions. They may be awhile getting them sold off, but I know there are some dealers that can’t get anymore

 

[Bill G]

Well they entire "bootlegging comment" confuses me.

 

[Husky Man]

Well they entire "bootlegging comment" confuses me.

I’m guessing that they won’t ship them to the US, Canada or Europe, but they are still producing them

By “Bootlegging” I am assuming that he is referring to buying them from an out of country vendor, like Robinwood, here on AS, he will sell and ship them to the US, and other places, where an authorized dealer can’t get/sell them

Robinwood has sold Many unavailable (Here) saws to many members, and I have read Many Great referrals about his reliability as a seller. It’s an option for those that want a specific saw, that is no longer offered where they live


Doug

 

[rogue60]

I agree with him about the ms661 what a let down unreliable untunable junk as a main work saw. Compared to 066/ms660 that is, they were some of the most reliable saws ever made.

 

[Sidecarflip]

In as much as I only have one Stihl now (my venerable 028) I found the YT vids, interesting but not much else in as much as I'll stick with my carbed Echo's.

I will say in the first video, the guy needs to learn how to TIG weld the bad cases and lugs or take them to an experienced TIG welder and have them repaired, I just TIG welded and older Dolmar that had a cracked oil tank. Not a big deal but you do have to take the saw apart and clean it carefully before hand.

Of course TIG welding alloy does take skill and the consumables are very expensive as well, just a pound of Mag rod will set you pack almost 150 bucks.

Never liked the flippy caps and I sold the MS I had with flippy caps to a fellow wood cutter. I much prefer the screw in caps with the scrench slot in them but along that line, I always carry a small paint brush in my back pocket and I always brush the swarf away from the caps before I remove them (on the Stihl as well as the Echo's), just something I do as I don't need junk in the tank.

Interesting vids. guy needs to switch to Echo or a Chinese saw....

I do find YT video's to be entertaining and those are entertaining but not much else.

My 028 is getting lonely sitting with the 2 echo's on the bench lately. Might have to retire it with the 075 and the 090 up on the high shelf soon...lol

 

[rogue60]

Big difference between someone who runs a saw for a living and someone who runs a saw when they have time from their regular job.
Of course issues with a saw are never or rarely going to show up if ya not hanging off one daily year after year to make a living.
Homeowners and guys that don't run up high hrs on saws should get 30 plus years out of a Stihl pro saw providing they don't crush it run over it with a tractor or straight gas it...
Although solenoids could be a source of frustration in the future will Stihl continue making them available if they move on from mtronic in pro saws? The 500i seems to be paving the way for fuel injection on pro saws..

 

[rogue60]

In as much as I only have one Stihl now (my venerable 028) I found the YT vids, interesting but not much else in as much as I'll stick with my carbed Echo's.

I will say in the first video, the guy needs to learn how to TIG weld the bad cases and lugs or take them to an experienced TIG welder and have them repaired, I just TIG welded and older Dolmar that had a cracked oil tank. Not a big deal but you do have to take the saw apart and clean it carefully before hand.

Of course TIG welding alloy does take skill and the consumables are very expensive as well, just a pound of Mag rod will set you pack almost 150 bucks.

Never liked the flippy caps and I sold the MS I had with flippy caps to a fellow wood cutter. I much prefer the screw in caps with the scrench slot in them but along that line, I always carry a small paint brush in my back pocket and I always brush the swarf away from the caps before I remove them (on the Stihl as well as the Echo's), just something I do as I don't need junk in the tank.

Interesting vids. guy needs to switch to Echo or a Chinese saw....

I do find YT video's to be entertaining and those are entertaining but not much else.

My 028 is getting lonely sitting with the 2 echo's on the bench lately. Might have to retire it with the 075 and the 090 up on the high shelf soon...lol

What is this "Echo" never heard of it.
And no personally I'm not learning how to TIG weld just to keep a saw running.
And besides how do you fix the cracked and broken out case at the rear bar stud on a ms661 saw is toast needs a new case when that happens. I think Stihl addressed that defect and beefed up the case around the rear stud? meh idk.

 

[Sidecarflip]

I TIG weld in exotic alloys all the time actually. I own and operate a welding, machine and fabrication shop so welding in all disciplines is something we do every day.

The other thing a person needs to take into account is as technology advances in pressurized die casting, the cross sections of die cast parts gets thinner but the internal gusseting (that you don't see) gets more pronounced and all the parts on any chainsaw are pressure die cast.

Everything die cast is fixable so long as you have the knowledge. Conversely, you can always take a broken part to a competent welder and have it repaired but it will cost you and in the case of TIG welding, it won't be a cheap date. Our labor rate for any welding is 135 bucks an hour btw.

Saws are getting progressively lighter today due to advances in manufacturing and metallurgy and that is how it plays.

Far as Echo saws, Around here, there is Echo, Husky and Stihl. You need to go to your favorite search engine and put in 'Echo Products and have a look see.

I'm surprised you never heard of them as they are real common saws around here, but then maybe where you are they aren't. Don't know what is sold in Oz, I'm here in the USA.

In summation, any die casting can be repaired using the correct technique but if you lack that expertise, you will have to pay for it.

Far as Stihl is concerned and their M-Tronic platform, I prefer not to own it but then that is my prerogative only. My venerable 028 WB is fine with me as are my Echo's and I am an occasional user as well so I run only canned gas, in my situation, either Echo Red Armor 50-1 or Tru-Fuel 50-1 as here in this country, regular unleaded gas is bad ju-ju for saws that only get used infrequently.

As a rule I only watch YT video's for entertainment purposes and rarely take them as gospel anyway.

 

[lone wolf]

Ones you’ve been buying are leftovers. Once they’re gone, you won’t be able to buy them from dealers here anymore. Might be able to bootleg them still but I bet in a couple months that will be it

Looks like Bill should stock up on a few more leftovers soon.

 

[huskihl]

I’m guessing that they won’t ship them to the US, Canada or Europe, but they are still producing them

By “Bootlegging” I am assuming that he is referring to buying them from an out of country vendor, like Robinwood, here on AS, he will sell and ship them to the US, and other places, where an authorized dealer can’t get/sell them

Robinwood has sold Many unavailable (Here) saws to many members, and I have read Many Great referrals about his reliability as a seller. It’s an option for those that want a specific saw, that is no longer offered where they live


Doug

Exactly this