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Has your favorite chain saw changed over the years?

Started by hedgerow, September 24, 2021, 11:28:38 AM

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hedgerow

A little background. Been working with the same two guys cutting my firewood and cleaning the pastures for around thirteen years. I burn about fifteen full cord a year in my Garn. The three of us are late fifty's early sixty's. We started out with a Stihl 038 I had for years and I bought a pair of Solo 654's and a Solo 694. The helpers ran the 654's until they wore them out. I run the 038 but run the support equipment. About eight years ago I bought a Stihl 461 and a Makita 6401. One claimed the 461 and the other claimed the 6401 as there saws and we used the 694 for big stuff had a 36 inch bar on it. About three years ago I had a couple shoulder surgery's so I sold the 694 and bought a like new Stihl 660 with compression release. A year ago last spring both started complaining that the 461 and 6401 are too heavy for brushing out all this hedge {Osage Orange} we are cutting. So I bought a Stihl 261. Both are kind of claiming it as there favorite saw. I do have a Echo 360T that I just used in my bucket lift. The one started using it to limb out the hedge. I guess I better buy another 261 so they can both have a new favorite saw. Seems like age changes your favorite saw needs.  

HemlockKing

I was talking with the sales rep in my local stihl dealer and i asked what saw sold the most, 261 without hesitation, says some homeowners buy it but a lot of firewood buckers, weekend warriors, and Nova Scotia power buys them in bulk for clearing powerlines. I have the 026, although I bought it well used, I love it, I can definitely see how lots of other people favor it.
A1

Al_Smith

Being a restorer I can't really say I have a favorite brand so to speak .However they all cut wood or did at some time .Some just do it better than others .

barbender

I have a 261cm, only Stihl I've ever owned or run. Great saw with a good bottom end for a small saw. 
Too many irons in the fire

rburg

I can remember when one of my favorite gtg saws was a 9010 from MO. I definitely enjoy a smaller saw these days.

Spike60

Changes every week for me. LOL It's such a moving target and there's so many saws. No wrong answer either, cause everyone's favorite can be whatever they like.

I'm a lot like Al in that as a collector type I have a lot of saws. Most Husky and Jonsered models in one way or another over the last 40 years. Plus a dozen or so Homelites, a few Dolmars, couple Solos, couple Macs. The current saws have obvious improvements in anti vibe and power to weight, but I still enjoy the old girls for what they are, and what they were in their day.

Last week I ran a nice clean Homelite 550 to cut some large oak. Just came in from the workshop replacing an ignition on a Jonsered 820 I'm going to run tomorrow., and stuck a new chain on a Husky 257 with a 262 top end. So, I have a lot of fun with a lot of different saws. Couldn't pick ONE favorite, but can mention a few of them.

Small saws: 242XP family has no equal IMO, and likely never will.

Medium: 262 and 562 are both good saws, but I've got this ugly, tweeked Jonsered 2156 built from junk that I love. One side of the crankcase is orange, one side's red. Never gets demoted to the "off duty" pile. Already beat up, so I don't care how much more it gets scuffed up.

Large: If I pick between the 272/670 chassis and the 372/2171 chassis I'll only change my mind in the morning. Like 'em both. (But I'm afraid the 572 is lights out the top dog and I won't bring one home)

XL: Got a thing for the Jonsered 920/930 Supers. First choice for me when I need to run a 90cc class saw. Like them better than the 288's. The 820 I was working on tonight only has a 20" bar and I use it to rip large blocks like the oak from last week. Call that one "Jack the Ripper". :)

XXL: Kevin can tell ya more about the 2100's than I can. :)

Favorite old saw: Absolutely has to be the Jonsered 70E.

Favorite Homelite: 925

Favorite mac: PM 850

Husqvarna-Jonsered
Ashokan Turf and Timber
845-657-6395

Al_Smith

Those GTG's were a lot of fun .You might see something you never knew existed .Some old ones all dolled up that looked like they were brand new . You might see an old Mac run neck and neck with a modern saw over the blocks and make everybody scratch their heads .I've done that by the way .
I think the last one I came home with half a truck full of weed wackers ,blowers etc people had brought on purpose to give to me from all over the state of Ohio .Which BTW I did get every one  of them running eventually .Last summer under the lock down I spent most of the summer on my back patio under a big umbrella working on that stuff in the hot sun . Come 3 pm I put them away and enjoyed a few barley pops in the afternoon sun .Retirement  does have it's benefits . ;)
 

gspren

  35 years ago a Stihl 041 was my favorite firewood saw, the no anti-vib eventually pushed me into a 044 with a 20" and 24" bar so 15 years ago I thought it couldn't get better than the 044. Got into my 60s and now the 261 is my favorite but the 044 still gets broke out for much bucking over about 14". I keep an old chain on the 041 for cutting stumps close to the ground so none are for sale.
Stihl 041, 044 & 261, Kubota 400 RTV, Kubota BX 2670, Ferris Zero turn

Real1shepherd

Anything 30" or larger and it automatically gets cut with the Husky 2100. Predictable, smooth...if they even burp, they get fixed/looked into.

Anything large and just under 30" gets cut with the J'reds 2094. Screaming saw, filter never gets 'dirty' and has given me zero trouble so far. I have a lot of respect for this saw.

When using smaller bars, I defect always to the J'red's 80....40+ yrs now on that saw with me. Predictable and runs like no 80 I've seen on YouTube.....real hot dawg.

On a job when I know I'm not gonna need anything larger than a 32" bar, I take the J'reds 80 with a 28" bar and the J'reds 90 with the 32" bar.

I have three 910's in various stages of completion.....I hope to work them in someday.

I have a J'reds 621 for small stuff and fence posts.

Would like to pick up a nice J'reds 70e, but have also been thinking about the Echo 7310.

Kevin


Gere Flewelling

I started out in the 70's with a small Poulan saw.  Possibly the poorest excuse for a saw in that day!  Saved up and bought a McCollough 10-10 in my junior year of high school.  Ran that saw for 20 years cutting firewood of all kinds.  It was the toughest saw I have yet to come across.  It survived falling out of my pickup  onto the road and getting run over with a tractor once.  This  might qualify for the "Did Something Dumb" category more than this.  I ran the saw until I couldn't find carb parts anymore.  I still have it up in the barn as a keepsake.
Moved on to a Stihl MS290 which is ok except it is fragile as an egg compared to the old McCollough.  Rolled off a log once and dropped a couple of feet to the ground and broke the main handle right off.  Had to replace half the saw it seemed to repair it.  Got an old Husqvarna (medium size saw)given to me that was seized.  Put a new jug and piston in it and it runs pretty well, but not as well as the Stihl.  Tried a new small Poulin to use around my sawmill.  Same results as 40 years ago.  Ended up taking to the dump as that seemed the best place to store it.
As much as I loved the old McCollough, I could never run it anymore as it had no safety features, vibrated so bad it would make your hand go numb in no time, and it is really loud by todays standards.  It was a young mans saw.
Old 🚒 Fireman and Snow Cat Repairman (retired)
Matthew 6:3-4

Al_Smith

I don't know why but some Mac 10-10's would rattle so badly it would rattle the teeth right out of your head but the next size up.70 cc would not .However they were definitely tough . In my little collection I have them from early right hand start up to the last year of production .That latest model is a 10-10 super and looks almost brand new and it doesn't rattle .

weimedog

Not sure they have changed even though I run different saws now....evolve is more like it for me. All time favorites Homelite 925 is still somewhere at the top, just it's harder for me to run them so they don't get as much time. Ditto my Big Jonsered 920's. 372's and variants. They are up there, about the most "practical" saw design of all time to the point of boring. SO I had to spice things up with the 48mm giant killer builds. I have really gravitated to the 562 builds and variants this last few years so THEY have moved up the stack as they "grow" on me. I'm using them now.

The two "new" to me saws that compete in that "favorite" place are the Husqvarna L77's and 565's. The 565 right now is beginning to challenge the 372's as the most practical. The L77's are very new to me and the new fish in the fish bowl. IF I can get through a full bearings up build, they will move past some for certain as the most fun for me vintage saw.

Saws I have on the "wish list" include building a 2163 ( have the bones to do this ) and a Jonsered 621. Been wanting to go to those two saws for years.....just the L77 came in and shuffled the deck.

The beauty of this saw hobby is you can't cover all the interesting ground in a lifetime.

Right now the project focus is on 562 builds, 565 for block and tackle, and L77's for the vintage kick.
Husqvarna 365sp/372xpw Blend, Jonsered 2171 51.4mm XPW build,562xp HTSS, 560 HTSS, 272XP, 61/272XP, 555, 257, 242, 238, Homelite S-XL 925, XP-1020A, Super XL (Dad's saw); Jonsered 2094, Three 920's, CS-2172, Solo 603; 3 Huztl MS660's (2 54mm and 1 56mm)

Al_Smith

A lot of hype and hoopla about which brand and model is the best .It's more of "my dogs is better than your dog ".Fact is they all cut wood or at least used to cut wood .I mean it's not like anybody would use an 084 Stihl as a climbing saw or a mini Mac to drop a 40" oak tree . 

bulldozerjoe

Always ran stihl, 066, 029,029super, 021.. bought a husky 572. Last year.. really like it... smooth 
New holland tc 45
Fransguard 4000
Sthil 021-028super-029-066

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