Why do so many slam the MS290 ?

[Beefie]

My friend is happy w/ his 290. I have a 390, another saw that gets made fun of on this site.
I don't worry about it though. I figure the guys that make fun of my 390 have enormous man breasts and they lash out because of their shame and anger. I'd love to watch them jog in slow motion though.

That's funny right there I'll tell you what:hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange:

That deserves some REP

Beefie

 

[spike60]

The 290, like the Husky 455, suffer here mostly from snobbery. That and guys who need to dis it to further justify in their own minds, (or their wives'), why they spent twice the money on a firewood saw. Both of those saws are their respective companies best sellers. Are they as nice as a 361 or 372? No way at all. Will they reliably get the average guys firewood cut? Absolutely.

Most saw discussions here are by guys, myself included, who view things through an enthusiast's lens. That's cool, but we need to understand where a new member might be coming from before we start telling him he needs $700 pro saws and three saw plans and such just to cut a half dozen cords of firewood. Saw discussions over on the firewood forum are actually more real world than those here on the Chainsaw forum.

This forum is a lot of fun, but in some ways it's as far away from the real saw market as Oz was from Kansas.

 

[04ultra]

The 290, like the Husky 455, suffer here mostly from snobbery. That and guys who need to dis it to further justify in their own minds, (or their wives'), why they spent twice the money on a firewood saw. Both of those saws are their respective companies best sellers. Are they as nice as a 361 or 372? No way at all. Will they reliably get the average guys firewood cut? Absolutely.

Most saw discussions here are by guys, myself included, who view things through an enthusiast's lens. That's cool, but we need to understand where a new member might be coming from before we start telling him he needs $700 pro saws and three saw plans and such just to cut a half dozen cords of firewood. Saw discussions over on the firewood forum are actually more real world than those here on the Chainsaw forum.

This forum is a lot of fun, but in some ways it's as far away from the real saw market as Oz was from Kansas.

Is this were Saw Troll comes in pounding his chest about the NE 346......opcorn:



I know plenty of Tree services that own 029/290's for ground saws....One has a beat to hell 029 super that is still cutting wood ever day since new........If the truck backs over one or a tree falls on one they are cheap enough to replace ....


.

 

[spike60]

Is this were Saw Troll comes in pounding his chest about the NE 346......opcorn:



I know plenty of Tree services that own 029/290's for ground saws....One has a beat to hell 029 super that is still cutting wood ever day since new........If the truck backs over one or a tree falls on one they are cheap enough to replace ....


.

Great point Ultra! But now we're really paddling against the current: Pros using homeowner saws! Oh no!

I have a few guys that are doing the same thing. Why drop a 346 out of the bucket when you could drop a 445 refurb? I get some great deals on closeouts and refurbs from Husky. The refurbs are saws that were returned to Lowes or TSC. I can sell 435's and 445's for $200 and $225. These saws really appeal to the medium sized companies that have some employee turnover, and what I'd say is a sort of high accident rate. I have to admit that I'm surprised myself at how well these "homeowner" saws hold up. They take a lot of abuse, and the maintenance they need is really no different than the better saws. I see absolutely no additional problems due to the so called inferior plastic crankcases. And just like your guys who run the 290's, these companies wouldn't be buying these cheaper saws if they didn't hold up reasonably well, no matter how much money they save.

 

[04ultra]

Great point Ultra! But now we're really paddling against the current: Pros using homeowner saws! Oh no!

I have a few guys that are doing the same thing. Why drop a 346 out of the bucket when you could drop a 445 refurb? I get some great deals on closeouts and refurbs from Husky. The refurbs are saws that were returned to Lowes or TSC. I can sell 435's and 445's for $200 and $225. These saws really appeal to the medium sized companies that have some employee turnover, and what I'd say is a sort of high accident rate. I have to admit that I'm surprised myself at how well these "homeowner" saws hold up. They take a lot of abuse, and the maintenance they need is really no different than the better saws. I see absolutely no additional problems due to the so called inferior plastic crankcases. And just like your guys who run the 290's, these companies wouldn't be buying these cheaper saws if they didn't hold up reasonably well, no matter how much money they save.

I think the smart business guy would buy a few of them 200.00 saws and run them till dead and then pull out another .....


.

 

[andrethegiant70]

Great point Ultra! But now we're really paddling against the current: Pros using homeowner saws! Oh no!

I have a few guys that are doing the same thing. Why drop a 346 out of the bucket when you could drop a 445 refurb? I get some great deals on closeouts and refurbs from Husky. The refurbs are saws that were returned to Lowes or TSC. I can sell 435's and 445's for $200 and $225. These saws really appeal to the medium sized companies that have some employee turnover, and what I'd say is a sort of high accident rate. I have to admit that I'm surprised myself at how well these "homeowner" saws hold up. They take a lot of abuse, and the maintenance they need is really no different than the better saws. I see absolutely no additional problems due to the so called inferior plastic crankcases. And just like your guys who run the 290's, these companies wouldn't be buying these cheaper saws if they didn't hold up reasonably well, no matter how much money they save.

I've seen the same thing... the tree service owner ONLY ran 290s... he has been using them for years and, to him, they had everything he needed... power, reliability, and price-point. I don't have a lot of running experience with them... I've built a few back up from parts and they seem to do the job nicely. They are a bit heavy for the power, but even THAT goes away when you move up to the the 310 and 390. We've heard lots of folks here say that their 390 runs right along side their 361 which, apparently, cures cancer.

 

[joatmon]

My friend is happy w/ his 290. I have a 390, another saw that gets made fun of on this site.
I don't worry about it though. I figure the guys that make fun of my 390 have enormous man breasts and they lash out because of their shame and anger. I'd love to watch them jog in slow motion though.

AF,

I'm about to jog. See ya.

Enjoy,

ole joat

 

[Jacob J.]

My friend is happy w/ his 290. I have a 390, another saw that gets made fun of on this site.
I don't worry about it though. I figure the guys that make fun of my 390 have enormous man breasts and they lash out because of their shame and anger. I'd love to watch them jog in slow motion though.

One beer anymore and I have to run in place for a 1/2 hour. I won't even go into what I have to do to burn off a piece of cheesecake.

 

[Gologit]

One beer anymore and I have to run in place for a 1/2 hour. I won't even go into what I have to do to burn off a piece of cheesecake.

LOL...yup. I can still wear the clothes I wore in high school...I just can't zip them up or get the buttons close enough to the button holes.

 

[Bowtie]

Most of the tree services here run 290s as well.

My 2 problems with the 290 series saw is number one: Rookie tries to run against the chain brake very long, the case is fried. Thrown away BUNCH of 290 cases at the store due to this issue. Number two, the handle/cylinder cover are one piece, making it a pain in the ass to clean cylinder fins and access that general area.

Other than that they murder trees just fine. I dont even totally mind the clamshell design. If a person had a few spares, its fairly quick and easy to change a complete engine.

 

[mini kahuna]

+1 for the mule!!!!

 

[andrethegiant70]

Most of the tree services here run 290s as well.

My 2 problems with the 290 series saw is number one: Rookie tries to run against the chain brake very long, the case is fried. Thrown away BUNCH of 290 cases at the store due to this issue. Number two, the handle/cylinder cover are one piece, making it a pain in the ass to clean cylinder fins and access that general area.

Other than that they murder trees just fine. I dont even totally mind the clamshell design. If a person had a few spares, its fairly quick and easy to change a complete engine.

I think that's a HUGE advantage to do-it-yourselfers. You can literally rebuild these things with a T27 and maybe a few common handtools. No special tools to remove clutches or split crankcases. I cut my rebuild teeth on the 021/023/025 series (same contruction) and it was a great way to get warmed up to rebuilding the more pro models.

 

[sigpros]

I have the MS310, and I love it. I have used and abused the heck out of it and it keeps going. Just bought a used muffler that I am going to mod. Parts are everywhere if you need something. Is it a pro saw? NO but it works good for me. It was the only saw I had when I got on here, bought it new to cut fence posts and it has cut a bunch of them. Now I am after a bigger saw too. but that's because I got CAD real bad.

 

[Rope2Win]

I own a MS290. We have alot of these at work and they get beat up pretty bad due to that fact they are used by some guys who have very little chainsaw experience. These saws handle everything thrown at them for the most part. I think they are great,JMO.

 

[Gab250]

They seem to me to be quite an underated saw. Good power, and very reliable, they may not be a PRO grade saw, but look at it this way: They are a STIHL Chainsaw, and STIHL Chainsaws are top quality, even their homeowner ones.

Gab

 

[gallegosmike]

I do NOT use one personally, but my father's is going on 14yrs on his 029. He cuts about 12 to 16 cords a year. Thats mixed pinon pine and juniper. He has never replaced the air cleaner or changed the spark plug. Heck is still on the bar that came with it from the factory. I just got him to start flipping the bar.

Ive used a few times and it was okay..... :monkey:

 

[TraditionalTool]

I just picked up an 029 Super, and in the little I've worked on it, it's pretty plasticy to me. I am not sure how I feel about the clam shell design, and not sure if it can be modified in any way, other than muffler. And maybe that is just fine on them, I am not sure. The crankcase looks like it's the same as the MS290, which must be plastic. I'm not sure I like that...but...

It does seem Stihl in quality, and they seem durable.

I'm going to lend this to a buddy who cuts his own firewood that he gets from a tree service buddy of his. It is usually in rounds or sections, and he cuts it and splits it by hand. 2 wood stoves in a small house built around 1900 so it's pretty old (with an era-addition).

He uses a Homelite, not sure what model, but it's a 40cc-45cc saw that he got from a big box store. I think the 029 Super will be a big improvement for him. I want to sharpen the blade, but would like to muffler mod it, remove the limiters, and re-tune it before I give it to him.

 

[garmar]

I worked the piss outta my 290 today in a humongous blown-over red oak. Couldn't be happier, but I'm your average Joe Homeowner that doesn't make his living with a chainsaw.

It's beer thirty. See ya.

 

[Austin1]

I know what you mean, all I had when I started out was a 610 mac, I thought it was the greatest saw ever made for years, until I started hanging around this site. They bash a 610 about like a 290!

I still use my Mac 3.7 EB same saw,too be honest it's all I need that and some kind of little saw 35/40cc. I made do with that for years even though I had the monster SP105. If your the popular kid your going to get slammed.
I think of my 2159 as a modern 610 type saw, a do everything type of saw.
Granted I suffer from Cad but not all chainsaw users do. It is nice to own a good quality machine like a saw or Rifle. But don't put down the guy that shoot's his Deer or Elk every year with his .303 or cut's all his wood with a non pro saw.

 

[blackoak]

I just picked up an 029 Super, and in the little I've worked on it, it's pretty plasticy to me. I am not sure how I feel about the clam shell design, and not sure if it can be modified in any way, other than muffler. And maybe that is just fine on them, I am not sure. The crankcase looks like it's the same as the MS290, which must be plastic. I'm not sure I like that...but...

It does seem Stihl in quality, and they seem durable.

I'm going to lend this to a buddy who cuts his own firewood that he gets from a tree service buddy of his. It is usually in rounds or sections, and he cuts it and splits it by hand. 2 wood stoves in a small house built around 1900 so it's pretty old (with an era-addition).

He uses a Homelite, not sure what model, but it's a 40cc-45cc saw that he got from a big box store. I think the 029 Super will be a big improvement for him. I want to sharpen the blade, but would like to muffler mod it, remove the limiters, and re-tune it before I give it to him.

How do you sharpen an 029 Super chainsaw "blade"??:monkey: