What older model chainsaw has the most durable engine?

[HuskyShepherd2016]

Once upon a time most chainsaws made in America or Europe were pretty much top quality small engine powered tools. Stihl, Husky, Poulan, Homelite, Lombard, Mcculloch, Echo, Jonsered, Dolmar, Danarm, Castor/Alpina, and even many generic store brand saws really were all built very well! Homeowner grade saws were built to similar if not the same quality specs as their larger professional grade ones.

Over the years I have heard a bunch of personal testimony and anecdotal claims about what saw was the very best. But one thing I’d like to know. What brand saw actually had the most durable engines, cylinders, pistons, crankshafts, bearings and internals? Did it matter if the cylinders were chrome lined or iron sleeved?

By the looks of it, it looks to me like the more robustly built ones were made by Mcculloch, and some of the older Husqvarna chainsaws like the 480CD and the 2100 type saws. The ones I have feel significantly heavier than my Stihl’s and older Poulan/Dayton saws of that class and era, and their magnesium bodies are thicker and heavier. But that’s just my eyes. Does anyone here have any objective knowledge on who’s chainsaw’s parts were indeed the most durable?

I’m just curious.

Thanks!

 

[buzz sawyer]

Interesting question but maybe difficult to nail down one answer due to variations in fuel mix, fuel and oil quality and maintenance practices. I've had different brands from the 50s to present that were well maintained and still in excellent condition. The "pro" models typically fare better than the box store/homeowners' versions. Newer saws have more plastic to reduce weight which can make them more susceptible to impact damage, but they may be used more due to less fatigue.

 

[HuskyShepherd2016]

Absolutely! Right on with the newer box stores saws being inferior. I’d rather use a good sharp axe nowadays than a box store saw.

I came up with this question because I was looking at all my new saws that have croaked. I have a pile of them and I don’t know why I haven’t thrown them away either! Lol!

And I’ve got some saws from the 60’s and 70’s that back then were considered homeowners’ saws. But they are built worlds better than many of today’s pro grade saws. For Example: I’ve got a couple of Sears D-44 saws. Nothing fancy at all. Just store brand tools of that era. If my memory serves me right, those saws were meant for the average Joe. But they are built a bunch more solid than most of today’s pro bucking saws in their CC class. (77cc). Plus, they have iron cylinder sleeved AH-47 engines. Those were built for all out longevity and durability. No they aren’t quite as fast cutting but they have torque numbers and general build quality that’s no comparison. Even newer pro grade stuff has a noticeably higher disposability factor.

I’m definitely welcoming all kinds of opinions on my OP. But if anyone actually has some real data about build quality, of yesteryear vs today, please by all means share it.

Thank you everyone!

 

[Mad Professor]

Dam hard question. Early saws with no AV you could beat the crap out of, pre-AV. I was too young 60-early 70s to run them.

I'll nonminate 038M Stihl. Heavy but more durable than a 044.

But then my Dad's SXL 12 Homie is still running too, never even been in thE carb, but never seen E10 either.

 

[HuskyShepherd2016]

I like homelites a bunch although I’ve never owned one. Just used ones that my customers had. Every one of them were impressive. I might try to land a XL-925 if I can. I might be willing to do a trade or a partial trade partial cash for one if it’s in good shape.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

I've been refurbishing an old Poulan Super 25DA lately. Looking at it I don't know how they could have built a saw much more solid that that one. Just it's age should tell you how well the old saw lasted and appears to have several years left.

 

[Czed]

Husqvarna's 1and 2 series I'm still running 80s
266s and 257/262/268/272/181/281/288s
Many with their original bearings.

 

[Ted Jenkins]

From an Operators point of view a very silly question because it is nearly impossible to answer. For sure an average person can not begin to wear out a saw. I started using saws when I was fourteen and now am seventy. In the eighties I bought a nice Stihl 011 to do limbing and just limbing. It is and was the lowest performing saw that I could find. It does not have impressive power or RPMs but is pretty reliable. I started with it when I had a timber sale in the early eighties. It was used for several years about six months a year four hours a day. It went along for close to ten years when it really gave up. Yes it was really wore out. How many people can say they have used a saw that much. Many professional climbers never give a saw a chance to wear out. I have a 056 that has cut several hundred cords and wore out several bars. It did get many new parts a few years ago but is still running and I use it plenty. So how would one know what saw will last a hundred or two hours longer than the next. Good maintenance with good care will cause a saw to last well past their lives. Thanks

 

[grizz55chev]

Husqvarna's 1and 2 series I'm still running 80s
266s and 257/262/268/272/181/281/288s
Many with their original bearings.

+ the 61! First introduced in the late 70s, last produced in the early 2000s! They are simple, strong, durable and cheap to fix with lots of parts available.

 

[Bill G]

+ the 61! First introduced in the late 70s, last produced in the early 2000s! They are simple, strong, durable and cheap to fix with lots of parts available.

Not even close to a "older model" saw

 

[82F100SWB]

+ the 61! First introduced in the late 70s, last produced in the early 2000s! They are simple, strong, durable and cheap to fix with lots of parts available.

The 61 is actually still in production!

 

[Mad Professor]

The 61 is actually still in production!

The 038 is sort of too

 

[Mad Professor]

Not even close to a "older model" saw

Bill, we need some barn pictures.

I remember my uncles getting cordwood for the winter in early 60s. Have no idea what the saws were. They were big heavy slow beasts but quicker than a crosscut. They used 20W non-detergent for mix ~20:1.

Smaller bucked stuff got cut down on a tractor driven cordwood saw.

 

[Bill G]

Bill, we need some barn pictures.

I remember my uncles getting cordwood for the winter in early 60s. Have no idea what the saws were. They were big heavy slow beasts but quicker than a crosscut. They used 20W non-detergent for mix ~20:1.

Smaller bucked stuff got cut down on a tractor driven cordwood saw.

I have posted many pics but sadly a bunch are gone. They were lost when the site crashed years ago

 

[stihltech]

From the standpoint of repairing saws for a living in a Stihl dealership, 041 and 028.

 

[Mad Professor]

I have posted many pics but sadly a bunch are gone. They were lost when the site crashed years ago

I reposted a bunch of mine. But not of old stuff.

It sucked when we lost all that stuff. Lakeside/Andy had some great stuff on repairs.

I was thinking about really old saws. Way before AV..........

 

[Jay Hansen]

The XL12 and the Super XL have to be considered in this discussion; almost bulletproof and maybe the most copied design of all time. Also the Stihl 070, based heavily on the Contra which was introduced in '59, and still being produced as of a couple of years ago (maybe still?)

 

[Marco]

XL-12 Homelite and Stihl 041 for older saws.
The hardware store Poulan 3000 is a sleeper of the newer designs

 

[Cantdog]

From an Operators point of view a very silly question because it is nearly impossible to answer. For sure an average person can not begin to wear out a saw. I started using saws when I was fourteen and now am seventy. In the eighties I bought a nice Stihl 011 to do limbing and just limbing. It is and was the lowest performing saw that I could find. It does not have impressive power or RPMs but is pretty reliable. I started with it when I had a timber sale in the early eighties. It was used for several years about six months a year four hours a day. It went along for close to ten years when it really gave up. Yes it was really wore out. How many people can say they have used a saw that much. Many professional climbers never give a saw a chance to wear out. I have a 056 that has cut several hundred cords and wore out several bars. It did get many new parts a few years ago but is still running and I use it plenty. So how would one know what saw will last a hundred or two hours longer than the next. Good maintenance with good care will cause a saw to last well past their lives. Thanks

I concur with Ted on this one. Partially due to what he said but also the defination of old is way to vague and open to personal perspective. If the 61 is not to be considered to be an "old" saw, it being introduced in 1980 (according to Acres) and now aged 43 years where is the cut off line?
The SXL has been mentioned and is due it's fame as about the most basic saw you could buy and tougher than woodpecker lips. They produced just a blue million of the things so it's not very surprising that there are many still in operation.......I have like 6-7 kicking around the shop.....one is my loaner saw....it takes a special person to enjoy using one for very long.

My personal pair to mention as some of the toughest pro saws produced is first The 621 Jonsereds.....a pleasent saw to run....quiet with decent AV was a favororite with a pulpwood guys and firewood guys. Then the 80 Jonsereds for the loggers......basically same design as the 621 but with more power. I have seen, used and own several examples of both these saws that started, run and cut perfectly though they hardly had enough paint left on them to show they had once in fact been red in color. Old soldiers that with regular care just don't go away.
These are 70"s saws with good AV so I don't know if the half century mark allows them to be qualified as old or not.

 

[Squareground3691]