Probably a loaded question, but I always hear about the best chainsaws a person owns. How about the worst chainsaw you've owned or come across. More than a few days ago I owned a mac, I believe it was a 110, it had what was called a W Mac carbureter and I just couldn't keep the thing running. My memory is fogged, but I believe the saw came out with two different carbs and I think I got the bad one. I think the other carb was a Walbro SDC.
worst saw
- Thread starter dingo
- Start date
Help Support Arborist Forum:
woojr
ArboristSite Operative
I worked on a bunch of little saws with aggravating quirks about them but as far as a real saw, the Homelite 410.
skwerl
Will Climb for food
Several years ago I got some POS Solo top handle saw from a 'saw builder' that was supposed to blow away an 020T. When I got it the front handle had broken in shipping. I ordered a new handle and fixed it, but the saw was weaker than a stock Echo 3400 and the 'saw builder' wanted $450 for it! The second day the top handle broke again (ended up being a miscast piece of plastic) and I boxed it up and sent it back. Luckily it only cost me about $75 total for 3 days use of that pile of crap. A month later the 'builder' fell out of favor with the forum for scamming several members out of money and saws.
retoocs555
Addicted to ArboristSite
McCulloch power macs. Except the power mac 6 I like that one. But I can't stand the 310, 320 and so on.
Stumper
One Man Band
Tough to choose between the old worn out Mono I once had or the little Top handle McCulloch's. Both were pretty awful.
no longer collecting
ArboristSite Operative
for me it is the MC CULLOCH EAGER BEAVER.....cheap all plastic fabrication ....even the throttle and choke levers are cheap made and hard to start. In french we say: MC CULLOCH === MC APPART............LOL...
Has to be my currently "in-the-bucket" Puolan 2XX0 "Super Clean" mamma-jamma. This was the "last years model" display job I got on what looked like a deal at the time. Was missing a bar nut, and was not assembled worth a poop. Got a nut, jiggied it all back together and cut wood. Dis well for the first weekend, then it refused to maintain tune, never revved smoothly or well, and leaked bar oil whenever, well, whenever it had any in the tank. The thing started throwing chains right and left - even after double and triple-checking the bar, chain(s), and sprocket. Never found out why, and after giving thought to my truck's permanently fouled carpet, potentially lost digits, and general PITA factor, I just went and replaced it. It still sits nose-down in a 5-gallon bucket in the garage. I've often thought about resurrecting it now that I'm cooled off and don't need it but I just never have found a good donor saw. I suppose the first step would be figuring out the model, huh? The engine can't have but 6 hours on it.
Mr_Brushcutter
ArboristSite Operative
I'm going to throw the cat amongst the pegions and say a STIHL MS250 or 60 can't remember which. Thing was horrid we had 4 and we took them out and 3 broke managed to get two of them going after a quick field workshop was set up.
The Anti vibration was rubbish and they were very nice to use. I then used a 346xp which is in the same engine class and it was far better.
The Anti vibration was rubbish and they were very nice to use. I then used a 346xp which is in the same engine class and it was far better.
066MagnumMan
New Member
I would have to say poulan wildthing that was one of the worst saws I have ever owned. It took 30 pulls to get started cold then 7 when warm.
PUclimber
ArboristSite Operative
The wild thing is a pretty terrible saw. I was supposed to "help" a guy cut wood once since he didn't have any place to cut it and it was my g/f's dad. By the time he got his Wild thing started, i already had enough wood cut to satisfy him.
A little Mac...don't remember the model number...about twenty years ago and I still get steamed thinking about it. Bought it to brush out some old roads into a firewood cutting area. Sixteen inch bar. Wouldn't start unless you threatened it. Wouldn't run unless you cussed it. Threw chains,bogged down,kicked back like a buggy whip,puked oil and leaked gas. Took it back to the saw shop. They worked on it. Went back the next day...same thing all over again. Took it to a different shop. Still the same,maybe a little worse. Roads still not brushed. Went to town,bought an 032 Stihl. Ran Stihl for about an hour. Took chain off of Mac. Tied about a three foot rope to the handle,spun around and around and around like those guys doing the hammer throw in the Olympics and sailed that little yellow POS off into a canyon.
tony marks
Addicted to ArboristSite
poulan 2750. after my 028 got stolen,i tried one of these to get by until i found another good 028.. i took 2 back to lowes before they gave me my money back. spent more time working, to keep the saw runnin ,than i did gettin any real work done.
MikeInParadise
ArboristSite Guru
Poulan 2153
I bought it before I had any woods mostly to trim a few trees and cut some bowl blanks for turning on my wood lathe. Got only about 1 tank of gas a year through it.
After 2 tanks carb came loose and wouldn't start.
After 4 tanks the fuel lines cracked and had to be replaced.
After 5 tanks the oiler stoped working as the gears where stripped and had to be replaced.
It constantly dripped oil.
When it wasn't acting up it started and ran pretty good.
Before that I had a couple of mini-macs with 12 bars that worked and ran great just got borrowed and never returned.
I also had a very old sears that was a real work horse that after about 10 years the clutch blew apart and I couldn't get parts for it so someone got it in a garage sale for $5.00.
I bought it before I had any woods mostly to trim a few trees and cut some bowl blanks for turning on my wood lathe. Got only about 1 tank of gas a year through it.
After 2 tanks carb came loose and wouldn't start.
After 4 tanks the fuel lines cracked and had to be replaced.
After 5 tanks the oiler stoped working as the gears where stripped and had to be replaced.
It constantly dripped oil.
When it wasn't acting up it started and ran pretty good.
Before that I had a couple of mini-macs with 12 bars that worked and ran great just got borrowed and never returned.
I also had a very old sears that was a real work horse that after about 10 years the clutch blew apart and I couldn't get parts for it so someone got it in a garage sale for $5.00.
Lakeside53
Stihl Wrenching
My Mac PM605... Bought new, never did start well, vibrated, heavy, oiler problems, chain wold never stay sharp (just kidding...), overall a POS. Kept it for 13 years and then sold it for more than I paid for it, so I guess in the end it all worked out for the best!
mike385
ArboristSite Operative
my worst saws, let me see......
oh yeah any of the homelites made for homeowners, and I had a 2083 jonny that was just a money pit. between bolts coming loose and the clip coming off of the crank end. I finally got that all straightened out and then the flywheel sheared the key and smeared the keyway shut in the flywheel. That was it I got rid of it.
oh yeah any of the homelites made for homeowners, and I had a 2083 jonny that was just a money pit. between bolts coming loose and the clip coming off of the crank end. I finally got that all straightened out and then the flywheel sheared the key and smeared the keyway shut in the flywheel. That was it I got rid of it.
THALL10326
The Champ
woojr said:
Odd you would mention the ole Homelite 410 as your worst saw. Reason being my brother has one of those thats well over 20 years old and though on its last leg compression wise that old saw has probaly 200 cords of fire under its belt and he's never put penny in other than chains, bars and sprockets. The ole thing still runs but not as it should, power and good idle are history for it thanks to low compression but it sure had a busy long life at very little cost. He parked it last year and got a Stihl MS361 to play with and he likes it. He asked me if the 361 would be running 20 years from now and hold up like his ole 410 did. My answer was simple and safe, I said I don't know........
THALL10326
The Champ
Mr_Brushcutter said:
If ya can't remember whether they were 250's or 260's then its obvious there was something wrong besides the saws. Lake am I right or am I blowing smoke,lol....
mike385
ArboristSite Operative
the homelites I am talking about are the super2 and the 240 those are the ones that I had. Left a bad taste so I never tried again with the red saws.
LOL
LOL
THALL10326
The Champ
skwerl said:
Good job Sk. Sometime the worst saws aren't the worst at all, the feller selling it is. I happen to own the biggest piece of junk I've ever seen and its a Red Eye 066 Mag Stihl that was given to me by a man. He bought it used from a dealer up in Pa. and was told its in great shape. That saw was so wore out you just wouldn't believe it. You named it had it. When I went through that saw it was totally unreal how wore out it was and everything on it was either stripped out or broken. The guy couldn't believe how bad he had gotton ripped off and told me just take it. He went home with a brand new Stihl 440Mag and I went home with the biggest pile of pure junk I've ever got my hands on and we know a 066 isn't junk. I still got it sitting out in the shed as a reminder not all folks are honest. That poor man said he gave 600.00 for it and it ran about a hour and died. Just goes to show sometimes its not the saw or the operater but the crook that is selling it.
