Old age and Injury have changed my priorities, EASY starting, LIGHT weight!

weimedog · October 30, 2018, 08:30:34 PM

Are the new priorities vs. "bling" brand appeal and power, SO set off to find out of the saws in the current work fleet here on the farm, WHICH is easiest to live with, beginning with which one starts easiest. That is huge now, a few years back it didn't matter. Now it does...SO here are the results displayed in video:

What Will Start Faster? Autotune Husqvarna's? OEM Husqvarna's With Carbs? AM Saws? - YouTube

Grandpa · October 31, 2018, 07:40:39 AM

Nice to see someone focusing on what I call the "useability" of a chainsaw instead of worrying about a second or two in the cut.

According to the mechanic, my 562 averages 2 minutes of run time per start. That saw has hundreds of hours on it. That is a lot of starts. If it didn't start good it would have gone down the road a long time ago.

KEC · November 20, 2018, 06:45:44 PM

I have hated hard starting pull start motors for years and, especially, since I went against my father's advice against having too many birthdays. Something that you may want to try with chain saws, mowers and other pull start is to take a hair blow dryer and warm up the head just prior to starting. Beats ripping up your arm and shoulder. I first tried it on a mower that had been sitting all winter; it would not fire even though it was warm outside. I yanked and yanked, then tried the blow dryer and she took off on the next pull.

petefrom bearswamp · November 20, 2018, 07:00:39 PM

I would need either a very log cord for the hair dryer or a battery operated one.
I dont like yanking any better than the next guy.
my gas saws start OK but could be better
The exception is the little Echo cordless I keep at the mill, no yank only just pull the trigger and great for trim work
Also I dont see any ages on your profiles, I am a certified geezer still doing lots of stuff albeit a lot slower.

KEC · November 21, 2018, 07:55:41 PM

Oftentimes, I start a saw up at home in the garage and run it enough to warm it up before heading out; usually re-starts easy. Also, I cut a piece of wood about 16" long X 3" wide and 3/8" thick. Put the saw on the ground, put the end of the board through the saw handle, stand on the board and pull the cord using 2 hands. Just trying to offer ideas. I'm 67 and my wrists and elbow are really giving me a bad time. A thought that just came to me is to get a piece of flex pipe to put over your tractor or truck exhaust and heat up the head on the saw with that; try it ! I have a newer Jonsered 2252, nice little saw, but if you don't get 'er on the first couple of pulls it's tough to start. One of those technological wonders.

HolmenTree · November 22, 2018, 11:05:20 AM

Guys, running a saw like a young man you need good hands. And the best thing for your hands is heated handles, even in the summer.

Last saw I owned with heated handles was a 064 over 30 years ago but today my next new saw (MS462) will be heated.
For the first time I got a heated steering wheel in my new pickup and I would never own another pickup without it. I can drive 10 hrs straight and that heat is so nice on the hands, no fatigue.

I'm only 60 but I've always worked like a dog since before I was 10 on the farm,
so while on the subject of getting old the only thing that annoys me the most is new customers who don't take this old guy seriously running a tree removal service by himself without employees. :D

WV Sawmiller · November 22, 2018, 12:29:52 PM

I have not investigated the sizes they make them in but if starting is an issue you might check out the Sthil EZ start models which start on the reverse stroke. I don't know if other manufacturers make them or not. You slowly pull the cord which winds inside and when it reaches a point where it is fully wound it releases and starts on the unwind cycle. You don't pull hard or fast - just steady. (There may be a better description but that is it in a nut shell). They make them for women and people with bad backs or shoulder injuries who can't pull hard and fast. My wife bought one and you can start it with 2 fingers. She can't start my MS 440 or 441 but can start hers to cut a limb or small tree off the fence in an emergency.

Ianab · November 22, 2018, 12:36:42 PM

You can get a MS 291 with the easystart system, which is a decent enough firewood saw.

Al_Smith · November 22, 2018, 06:17:25 PM

A couple weeks ago I threw my shoulder out starting a Stihl 200T in a tree .A life time of working with my hands above my shoulders has done a number on them .

Ed · November 22, 2018, 10:15:19 PM

Been impressed with the 261C, starts quick & easy.

Really love it on a warm start, saw can sit for 1/2 hour, no guessing on choke or not. Give it a tug and start cutting.

Ed

HolmenTree · November 23, 2018, 06:54:22 AM

Same here Ed. A separate fast idle position on the switch is not even needed.
I can put the 261 on full choke position and leave it there for about 30 seconds while the saw warms up then click the trigger to put it in run position.
The CM sure works super efficient.

PA_Walnut · November 23, 2018, 07:29:02 AM

Fuel type/quality has a LOT to do with starting. That ethanol gas must have been invented by small engine manufacturers in order to sell more engines...replacements. >:(

KEC · November 23, 2018, 01:12:49 PM

My procedure when buying gas for my small motors: Select high test/non-ethanol gas at the pump, put the first 2 gallons in my pickup to purge the pump and lines, then fill my cans for chainsaws, mowers , little yard tractor, or boat motor. No exceptions.

sawdusty1 · November 23, 2018, 04:01:25 PM

My 550xp is the easiest starting saw I own.

weimedog · November 23, 2018, 06:21:58 PM

My two 562's are the easiest saws I own and the UOMS with is essentially a 560 IS the easiest of those and the easiest starting saw short of my 120i I've experienced..

HolmenTree · November 23, 2018, 09:35:31 PM

Even when hot after a good workout?
Had my 562 many years and will only start on fast idle every time when warmed up.
550XP was worse.
Good cold weather saws though.

sawdusty1 · November 24, 2018, 09:54:55 AM

The early 550's had teething problems, but I think they are a good reliable saw now. I like a saw that spools up fast for limbing. I can let my saw sit for an hour and turn the switch on, not fast idle, and it starts with one pull. I don't even pump the bulb on cold starts, it stays full. Again, it is the easiest saw to crank that I own. Sounds like the dealer that you bought your 550 from was a moron. Stihl and Husqvarna are good saws, but I was raised on Huskies and they have served me well over the years.

HolmenTree · November 24, 2018, 10:17:57 PM

Hey Dusty, read my Official MS261cm versus 550XP Test thread . Lot's of good reading there with a new 550 and 261. ;D

Al_Smith · November 25, 2018, 10:53:38 AM

I've found out that while chainsaws much like women are sisters in a manner of speaking but they are not identical twin sisters .With that in mind and not selling short good solid advice they are all going to be slightly different in the way they act .FWIW I can kind of understand them which differs greatly with the mystery of trying to read a womans mind which is nearly impossible .Ponder that thought

weimedog · November 25, 2018, 07:02:19 PM

I hear all the stuff about the hard starting on 562's...and have to restart on high idle...not mine. All three of mine start within 2 or 3 pulls cold and one pull warm without touching the multi function switch. Here I'll post this yet again for those who need a visual..

Saw Basics: How To Start A Husqvarna 562xp ( Autotune ) & Jonsered cs2260 - YouTube

HolmenTree · November 25, 2018, 08:08:55 PM

Quote from: HolmenTree on November 23, 2018, 09:35:31 PM
Even when hot after a good workout?
Had my 562 many years and will only start on fast idle every time when warmed up.
550XP was worse.
Good cold weather saws though.

Quote from: weimedog on November 25, 2018, 07:02:19 PM
I hear all the stuff about the hard starting on 562's...and have to restart on high idle...not mine. All three of mine start within 2 or 3 pulls cold and one pull warm without touching the multi function switch. Here I'll post this yet again for those who need a visual..

Saw Basics: How To Start A Husqvarna 562xp ( Autotune ) & Jonsered cs2260 - YouTube

Walter,
You did that demonstration in 17-20F that's way below freezing at 32F/0C.
Those saws were not warmed up sitting there idling in those temps. You didn't even have them switched over to the winter pre heater kits.
They were cold and seeing the blue smoke proved they were still cold.
Like I said in my above quote warmed up after a good workout.
As a matter of fact the warm start was so bad with the 550/562 that Husqvarna had to print the proper procedure in both saws manuals with the fast idle set. Plus purge the warm fuel out of the carb back into the fuel tank with 6 pumps on the primer bulb.
Not good if you just shut the saw off for a minute.

Here's what my 550 and 562 manuals say. Both saws have identical printed instructions.
Yep pretty complicated starting procedures.

weimedog · November 25, 2018, 08:24:44 PM

Never had any of those issues. A huge difference between online and paper reality and the experiences of folks that have them. There have been a few guys that did have issues so I'm certain Husqvarna has to respond to the worst case scenario's. Been using mine for 3 years now....and they act the same regardless.I have new and old ones. el48's and el46's. So spin all that stuff u want, bottom line is your experience is not mine and I have had plenty of time to run them. And I'm not trying to sell anything. No Official sales pitch, just saying what I've seen and experienced. No more and no less.

Don't want to dump video's all over but I do have plenty from the summer time where they reacted EXACTLY the same way.

Al_Smith · November 25, 2018, 11:26:18 PM

Well I don't have a horse in the race nor a dog in this hunt but like I said they are not all twin sisters .

If they were one would could be a sweetheart and the other a fickle teen age prom queen and they both came from the same egg ---so to speak .

Grandpa · November 26, 2018, 09:28:15 AM

Al pretty much hit the nail on the head. I have 2 562's. Both are 2014 model year, and both have the el48 carb. One is like Walt describes, the other is like Holmen tree describes.
Makes you wonder how 2 supposedly identical saws can be so different.

ZeroJunk · November 26, 2018, 10:29:57 AM

I pulled out my old flat top 066 Thanksgiving Day to get a tree off of my Grandmas old house. Pulling the rope is not the big deal but the kick back is just awful. I got it going and used it for what I needed. But, I think I will sell it and maybe get a MS661.

I have had several 056 Mag II's, several MS660's, even a 2101XP, but I have never had a saw as mean as this one.

Or, as the OP says, I'm just old.