OK, OK...so the POO-lan finally broke...

Re: OK, OK...so the POO-lan finally broke...

RonZ

>I'm really happy with my Echo and I recommend you do a search and see that5 many other pros are, too. One factor is the economical price and low price for replacement parts. Do check that that Stihl is not made in the USA, I heard there are issues with them.

Why am I not surprised!

Ron in Drums PA

>Stihl 310 would be my first choice followed by the Stihl 290

Re: OK, OK...so the POO-lan finally broke...

Fog Tanner

>I've been happy with my Stihl 290. I bought it with a 20" bar and paid $350 a little over a year ago. One of the club members has one and it has been well used and no complaints from him either. Another has the larger Stihl (can't remember the model no) with a 36" bar - we call him when we find really big logs.

Husky 353...

Jorge Castaneda ~ Downeast Maine

>Bubba,

I heat with wood and manage our 20 forested acres, I have the husky 353 and never felt the need for a bigger heavier saw, I have the 16" bar.

I swear by it,

you will love it,

Jorge

Re: OK, OK...so the POO-lan finally broke...

Jerry Whitaker

>I have an Echo with a 16 in bar and you can put a 18 inche on it if you want to. It is light weight, starts easy and is a heck of a good saw. I will buy another one if it ever goes bad.

Re: OK, OK...so the POO-lan finally broke...

tdaniel

>BB, all things being equal on the saws you mentioned I would go with Stihl. Stihl impressed me a few years ago with their concern and help after one of their dealers sold me some "smokeless" mix. The dealer told me the stuff was approved and he highly recommended it. Soon after my saw was burned up; the dealer would not stand behind the problem but Stihl stepped in and rebuilt my saw, n/c. The dealer now sells Poolans only.

Another saw that you should consider is the Jonsered 2149 Turbo if that number is still good. Ask the guys at the Hickory turning club; the little sucker starts first pull almost everytime (cept when out of gas). STihl, Husky, Jonsered are all good I know; Echo is good I hear.

TD

Re: OK, OK...so the POO-lan finally broke...

tek-Brunswick, Ohio

>I've had a Stihl 026 with a 18" bar for 16 years now. I've replaced; the bar once, a few chains, the air filter, the fuel filter, and repalce the sparkplug every season. That is all it has needed. I cut 2 or 3 cords of firewood every year and my turning wood with it. Yes! I would buy one again.

Re: OK, OK...so the POO-lan finally broke...

David Dixon

>I vote for the Stihl's. I've tried the Husky's and Stihl liked the Stihl's better. I've got 3 of them.2 are old ones and a small newer one. I like the older models better than the new ones. I've got an old 041 farm boss that will start up on the second pull and its 23 years old. David

Ditto...

Peter Teubel

>I borrowed a friend's 290 for a couple weeks when I had two big trees taken down on my property. Loved it so much, I bought one soon after returning it to him...well, I actually bought the 390, which weighs exactly the same, but more power (grunt, grunt). I real pleasure to use. Smooth and powerful.

Old 041

Andy Halterman: After work bike ride!

>I've got one of those older 041s too. It's a beast. It gets heavy after a while. I just scored a new MS210c today so I don't have to use the big dog for all my cutting. Got a good deal on it too. After all that I suppose you can figure out where my loyalty lies.

Andy Halterman

Forgot to snag extra chains for the new saw in Hendersonville, NC™

From the answers I'd say...

BubbaBob

>...I can't go wrong with any of the ones I am looking at.

That brings the answer down to, first, power (can't have too much power, right? A la Tim the Tool Man), then who to buy from, since price is close....so...

Husky 359 vs Stihl...close in price, identical displacement, same basic color (LOL)...I can buy the Stihl locally while the local price for the Husky is kinda steep...gotta go online to get it under $400.00 (under by a dollar). I guess the Ellijay Ace Hardware just sold a Stihl 310 tomorrow morning after the first cup of coffee.

Thanks for the input, guys.

I still feel like a traitor to my POO-lan.

BubbaBob

Re: OK, OK...so the POO-lan finally broke...

Barry Irby

>I just bought my second Stihl. The first one was a little one thirty years old with a 12" bar. This one is a MS 390 with a 20 inch bar. I bought this one based on highly scientific research. I knew I wanted a Stihl and this is the one that was in stock. The little rubber button thingy that makes it easy start was about a hundred extra and I would not have bought it if they had had a 310 in stock, but I was on the move to go cut trees and determined to have a chain saw with me. I am really liking the saw. We have a number of Stihls out there cutting the trees and this one is getting the most use.

Also, It has the best chain on it I have ever seen. Every other chain I've ever had got dull in a hurry. This one takes a beating and keeps going. We even managed to cut through fence wire grown into the trees several times and it keeps throwing nice chips. The chain may be worth more than the saw.

Re: From the answers I'd say...

Gary Evans, Tallassee, TN

>Hi Bob,

I reached the same conclusion based on your original info. I've had Huskies and Stihls and would take either one. The Stihl you mentioned had two big advantages in my mind:

1. Bigger engine for the least money.

2. Most important: INSTANT GRATIFICATION!

Also, it's good to have a local dealer if you do happen to get a bad one out of the box (not likely with Stihl.) Reduces the stress level.

Aside from that, keeping my money in the local community is important to me.

Gary

Keeping money local...

BubbaBob

>...was a big factor here too...not to mention the instant gratification thingy.

Now, in true Tim the Tool Man tradition, I'm going to try to figger out how to adapt a small jet engine to this thing to give me a little power boost...

BubbaBob

Re: Keeping money local...

Fog Tanner

>You want serious horsepower without that sissie jet engine "stuff". There never was any facination in getting power from a jet, all real racers use pistons.....

I just happen to have about 7-9 gallons of liguid chainsaw power that would fit your bill. It is 72% nitromethene, 18% synthetic oil and the remainder is methanol. That's what I ran in my highperformance raceplanes - really serious horsepower. You will have to richen up the carb to get the max power. the factory settings are on the ragged edge for gasoline. Nito is oxygen bearing and will require more fuel. But you will easily double your horsepower - could probably move on up to a 30" bar. I checked the price of nitro this past weekend and its around $50 a gallon, so a gallon of high performance "chainsaw" fuel is not going the be as cheap as a gallon of gas. But, it sure beats that JP4 stuff in those smelly jets. BTW, a fuel dragster will outrun a jet in a 1/4 mile...

Re: The way things are going...

Gary Evans, Tallassee, TN

>It may not be long before nitro is cheaper than unleaded regular!

Gary

I know what...

BubbaBob

>...nitromethane will do. 30 yrs ago my fun weekends were spent with an Ed Pink powered FFC strapped between my thighs...

But it will prolly melt the piston in the Stihl.

BubbaBob

Re: I know what...

Fog Tanner

>The nitro wouldn't melt the chainsaw piston any more so than any other piston. It can melt them all equally the same.. You just have to change the factory setting on the richness. The EPA has mandated a number of rules. The result is the setting on the carb on the Stihl is on the verge of being lean. Of course they don't take into account the different air we can get, when it can go a little lean. I talked to a Stihl rep and found that the engines would run better, last longer, and make more power if they were set a little richer. But, then they wouldn't pass some EPA rule. I'm trying to get my hands on the book for the carb to find the richness adjustment. That done, then you could run the competition nitro fuel and relive those days of a throaty rumble and flames out the exhaust. I still love the smell of fresh nitro in the morning.

What FC did you drive back then, was it one of the touring cars or local. I remember when FC's started out, and there were a lot of great cars. Still remember Jungle Pam and Jungle Jim - she always rated first ;-). Saw them run 4.70's this past weekend at around 327. Far cry from 30 years ago.

30 yrs ago...

BubbaBob

>...when I strapped it on, I rode less HP than an A/FC carries today. F/FC then was about 2500 HP...today it's over 7500.

BubbaBob