pretty cool info I will have to make sure I get a "new" one

For new one have you considered Husqvarna? Husqvarna 450 18 inch for 370 or 20 inch for 450 with warranty and all servise.  http://jonsguide.org/best-chainsaws-review it's waht you need to make a chose.

 


I fo'ed. It's sitting in my garage right now, haven't had time to fire it up yet, but I'll report back when I do. $300 total with tax and shipping.

This morning between raindrops I took a older Jonsered from work to try out it had a 18" bar I was cutting oak seemed to do pretty good if I got real deep into the log it would bog a bit but I was very happy and impressed with it. Took some time to change the chain as the tensioner screw was a little goobered up but got it working no problem I started with and without the decomposition valve when the saw was hot it did like to have a little throttle/air to start

I was surprised how much they look like husky saws even that it is older I know husky owns them but they seem very similar. It did a real good job of absorbing vibration and had zero issues with weight but my lower back did start to hurt from bending over so I did end up kneeling (I know I shouldn't do that ) now i have some more ideas what I would like in a professional saw I would be very interested in hearing what people think of the reconditioned husky saws I just am unsure since they are not a professional saw

For those following this, I did end up pulling the trigger today and I bought a Husqvarna 450 rancher with 20" bar. The price was right I paid $330 +tax and then I got a $38 gift card for the store I bought from. which I will end up using on a 2nd chain or even a 18" bar setup. I think this will suit my needs well.

Some like the Huskies, not me. Dad picked up a 55 Rancher from a pawn shop and only used it for a couple seasons before it started going out. The pull rope assembly is a major weak point, it had to be replaced twice. We ended up getting it running again and pawned it for enough doe to buy a new 20" bar for the old Stihl 034 Super.

We just picked up a used MS260 Pro 20" with 4 chains for $220. Bringing the stable up to 5.

Echo 4400 18"
MS260 18"
MS260 Pro 20"
034AV Super 16" + 20"
MS461 30"

The little Echo holds it's own for small to medium stuff, but the 260s are a step above.

Today I did pick up a old Stihl 026 non pro that said bad compression/ junk so I did find that the spark plug was loose I did find that the threads were kind of goobered up but I did tighten the plug and got the saw to fire right up. It looks like it has been threw hell and back. But it may be a good saw for a good cleaning and rebuild. what makes your pro better and can run a 20" bar? this 026 has a 16 I think I will keep it 16-18"

I used my husky yesterday to cut a large maple tree was about 28-34" around the saw did good bogged down a bit when I got to a wet part of the tree. I was lucky and found some bullets in the tree that threw some sparks so now I get to sharpen. I ended up taking a pickup load full and now I need to rent a splitter to get it all split

I don't know what, if any, difference there is between the saws that carry the Pro badge and those that don't. My Pro does have a decompression button while the other does not.  The 026 is the predecessor to the MS260. Which means it's a good saw and well worth rebuilding if needed.

I do feel an 18" bar is a better fit for a 50cc saw. When I wear out the 20" chains that came with the 260, which also unfortunately happen to be .325, I'll probably replace the bar and sprocket with an 18" 3/8.

I plan on avoid cleaning and inspection on this 026 I will get a parts list hope I don't have more than this is worth fixing it

I totally forget what stihl I got for my dad when he had a ton of trees around his house taken down by professionals.  I wound up using it the most anyway.  I know it was smaller than the farmboss and what not.  I think it was rated for an 18 or 20 inch bar and I stuck maybe a 16 inch bar on it.



For what we were planning it did not need awesome chains and what not.



I talked to a local place I liked and that place had earned my business by offering good products, standing behind those products, helping out if warranty was needed, and overall they were easy as heck to talk to and deal with before I bought something and after I bought something.



Made a package deal and yeah dealer prices can be high, but sometimes they have the ability to make it up somewhere.



New saw, case, 2 cycle oil mix bottles, chain oil, chaps, helmet with facesheild and hearing protection, and several chains and other spare parts worked out to not nearly as bad as I expected.  I had priced all but the saw elsewhere if needed.   He made up the chains off his spool of chains and included several sharpenings as well as me bringing the saw back a few times for quick check and if it needed adjustment they would handle it.  Heck I checked on the saw as well but dang it I prefer to buy local even if it costs a little more.



I think we had 3 or 4 chains and the saw is just for around my dad's house mostly and with where he lives it might be needed after a storm to get out if the storm takes down some trees.



I might have also added in a 2nd bar just cause the shop owner asked for my parts wish list and said he would beat or match everything I found priced elsewhere if he could do so.



Having that many chains it was easy to drop a couple off to be sharpened if I hit dirt or something and get em when we got em.  Never ever were we down due to a chain.



Having the case was nice to protect the saw if taking it somewhere and I agree on an ammo can or something similar for the extras.  



I have a buddy who swings by to help out my dad these days, I live elsewhere now.



He commented first time he needed a chainsaw and my dad told him to go find that case in the shed.  My buddy said he knew he would not be stuck having to go chase a plug or this or that and he also likes the shop we got everything from.  



I am sort of finally to where I want/need a saw even though I rent.  I keep getting into odds and ends.



I plan to do similar with a stihl again.  I don't need anything major.  When I take some trees down I might have to make a couple cuts for it to fall but I never had any issues.



And I agree on lots of plastic wedges, I might have 4 or 5 in my dad's setup.



As with most things, guns or cars or trucks or animals, it is not really the purchase price of the item but the proper feeding and care of it that can make the true cost known.



I despise running for parts.

Today I bought a splitting Maul and another chain for my Husky Saw. I started splitting some wood this afternoon man its some work due to the wood being green still. I hate to say it but I may have to let it dry/season a bit before I split most of it. when I was out getting chain I looked at a case for my saw and $50 for a plastic case is crazy I may have to find other storage options for saw itself.

Today when I was building a butcher block top for my work toolbox I ran across a chain from my grandfathers Mac 14" saw which is kind of neat as I just got the saw running late winter/early spring.



Question what is everyones opinion for storing split wood? I have a small metal shed 10x8x5' with junk in it would this work for storing or do you think a quick fabbed shelter would be best to get air on all sides ?

Something like the wood grenade might work well for green wood.  I bought a splitting maul, 12 lb maybe, and it was a bit heavy for me when I started.  I tended to use an axe on dry stuff.



The wood grenade and even a small 3lb ball peen or something will work.



I don't heat with wood but spent some time cutting and splitting all the wood I mentioned in the first post.  Hauled it out to the country and had many a campfire in my front yard.



I just stacked it off the ground, use pallets or something, and used metal T posts driven in the ground to give me something to stack against.  Lots of people put something on top of the stacks, plywood or something, so rain can't directly hit on the wood.  This allows lots of airflow.



I wound up with a stack going for 25 yards maybe when all was said and done.  Some campfires turned into bonfires as well.



I miss having a 9.5 acre yard.

Ya my yard isnt 9 acres, its all farm ground. I plan on doing more splitting and stacking tomorrow.

For the people that have rebuilt the stihls where can you all buy parts or is it something I will have to go into a dealer to buy? I plan on pulling apart my 026 tomorrow and giving it a look over see what it may need

first, make an account on AS and post in the "beg for manuals" thread.  you need the IPL (illustrated parts list) and SM (shop manual) for the 026.   someone will PM you the docs or links to same.  just walk away, and don't thank anyone in the thread specifically for them, you know the drill.  any possible document required for any possible saw is available from someone in that thread.  the IPL will have the part numbers for all of the bits and pieces in your 026.


once you have the OEM part numbers for the parts you need, you can figure out where to get the parts.

obviously, your local stihl dealers are excellent with parts.  every stihl dealer is required to be a combination sales, service, and parts dealer, so they all provide everything.  if you go in any of them, and as for stihl PN xyz, it should be the same price everywhere.  stihl parts they do not have typically take 1 week from order date.

common engine and carb parts are also available from third parties such as Baileys -- things like pistons and rings and so on.  stihl pistons and rings are generally Mahle, with some exceptions, so you are getting the same goods just in different packaging.  things you will not be able to get from Bailey's etc are stihl-specific parts, like decompression handles and so on.  on the other hand, stihl carbs are made by a variety of third parties, including Walbro and Zama, so repair parts are readily available from third parties.

also see this thread,
https://www.ar15.com/forums/t_10_19/647745__ARCHIVED_THREAD____Chain_saw___I_need_one_.html&page=1#i11046994

ar-jedi

ETA
ps
i can't stress enough that you should be wearing proper PPE when cutting. the problem with a chainsaw injury is that the cutting action removes about a 1/4" swath of tissue the length of the wound -- this is extraordinarily difficult to effectively repair. it's not like a nice clean cut from a kitchen knife which can be sewn/stapled back together in a few minutes. instead, a chainsaw injury site is ripped/missing tissue with tons of unwanted foreign debris embedded. this is all bad.

see att'd pic -- most chainsaw injuries are on the legs and feet due to incidental contact with a moving chain once the cut is complete, or loss of balance while cutting due to log shift or foot slippage. so... chaps are a must -- the Labonville brand chaps sold by Baileys are a good value. next, a sturdy pair of leather boots with steel toe guards. in addition, a combo-hemlet/visor/muffs setup is a good idea. and finally, good cutting gloves.

someone will be along shortly to explain that they have been cutting for 30 years without PPE gear on, and without incident. yet everyone who has posted their chainsaw injury saga on Arboristsite starts off their tale by saying the same thing...

I cant thank you enough for the help! I did the above looking for SM and IPL I pulled the exhaust off of my 026 this morning and it actually looked pretty good in there. very very minor scoring on the piston. I may just do a piston replacement and replace my fuel and impulse lines along with gaskets and a clean of the carb, this thing is so nasty I could make prob a dozen little firestarters from all the oil/fuel/sawdust mix on the saw. I am going to have a job just cleaning the dang thing up

I am pretty glad I did get a project to tinker with I do enjoy the process of cleaning/rebuilding items so that for me is very relaxing

as far as PPE I am pretty good with using it. I dont always have ear protection but I seem to always have gloves/eye protection and quality leather/steel toe boot chaps are still on the to get list but with our first kid due any day now I have been putting off any purchases for the time being.

18 minutes.  

AS has deep resources, man.


ar-jedi

when they get like that, just take everything apart, remove the electrical bits (like the coil etc), and dunk the carcass and all the plastic parts (pretty much everything) in a 5 gallon pail filled with a water/simple green (or similar water soluble biodgradable) mix -- and when i say "everything" i'm including the oil/gas tank assembly as well.  let things soak it for a couple of hours or so.  then thrash it all vigorously up and down in the pail.  this process will remove 99% of the oil/crud/sawdust mix and leave you with something you can actually work on.  just getting the crap out of the bar oil and fuel reservoirs will save you a lot of trouble down the road.

ar-jedi


------  BEFORE








------  AFTER

Yes, Now just to print everything off. I spent a little over an hour cleaning the thing up.

oh man your before looks like mine about 30min into cleaning I know I still have a long way to go.

Around my home in suburbia (0.2 acres), I've managed okay with my electric Poulan 14".  Just did light cleanup here and there.  But trying to cut firewood was a pain.  Borrowed father-in-law's Stihl 025 a few times to cut more firewood and it sure is nice.  Like a warm knife through butter.  Wife tells me today we need to upgrade, who am I to argue?   At 3pm she starts digging through her facebook swapmeet site.  She tells me she found a Husqvarna 450 Rancher with 20" bar for $250, practically new.  The guy bought it last year as a backup, only started it a few times; never used it though.  Still had the box, manual, and scrench.  

Did I do okay?

For split wood, the best storage is outside, in the sun and wind, and covered.

Get it off the ground. Old pallets work, as does 4-5  4-5" pecker poles under the stack.
Barn tin, or a tarp over the top to keep rain and snow off, is all that is needed.

The 450 is the strato update of the old 350....which was a solid little homeowner saw, with a few minor hangups that were addressed later in production.
Keep up on the Mant., keep ethanol out of it, and you wont live long enough to wear it out.

Ya did good.

Some sickos have swapped 346XP top ends on the things, to make sleepers.
They RIP!

I would say you did pretty good, that's what I bought new was a 450 rancher with 20" bar keep the chain sharp and it has worked flawlessly for me. I paid about 310 with all coupons and discounts for the store I bought it at. I was kind of mad/upset that I did not find out about husqvarnas program where you buy 6 bottles of oil at same time and you get a 4year warranty. Oh well lesson learned.
I am in the process of rebuilding a Stihl 026 I got for free because it was trashed I have 80% of my parts ordered for that one. And also got another one that has had some parts robbed off of it which I will either build or keep for spare parts.



I have not had a chance to build firewood storage yet as I seem to have about 200 other things going on at the moment it bugs me to see the pile sitting in a mess but I need to get it all covered up and it will be good to go. I have been searching CL for a cheep log splitter to use otherwise I will rent one or wait for my pieces to dry then split with a maul and re stack.

MS291 Stihl 20'

https://www.ar15.com/forums/t_10_17/662278__ARCHIVED_THREAD____what_do_you_think_of_my_erection_.html

ETA  

LoL at my own catchy thread title.

ar-jedi

That's a long ass bar.

that 20' bar is still not as heavy as the MS291 powerhead.

ar-jedi

To anyone following I got my 026 running yesterday it started the morning as a pile of parts and it was going later in the day. I started it up ran pretty good a little bit of low end bog but that could be to my fuel line leaking a bit I need to order a new one and ditch the Chinese one I got. I plan on maybe fixing my 2nd 026 and seeing if I can trade 2 for one large saw for a chainsaw mill or something or for a non running larger saw to fix for a mill. I must say the 026 was a pretty simple once you think about it all. I really enjoyed the build and am ready for the next one ASAP I'm already looking for my next one

So now that I have this 026 running I need a bar and chain for it, the bar I have is JUNK and a Stihl 18" bar is around $45 then chain.and its 100%

but once I have this built what is something like this worth do you people have any idea? I am thinking of either keeping this and selling my Husky saw or trying to trade this for something else. I want a big boy saw something that I can use on a chainsaw mill I am looking for something that maybe is gassed or similar and I can rebuild. so what is a blown up 044 or 066 worth if I can even find one on CL or do you think something like that is a fleebay thing ?

Just wanted to pop in & say "thanks" to all who have given info. I just picked up a new MS211C and some PPE an hour ago, and have much reading to do. Not sure I'm thrilled with it having an 18" instead of a 16" bar, but that's what the dealer says is recommended, and I'm a newbie.

Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile

With only 35cc's I'd have wanted a 16" as well. Still, keep the chain sharp and it shouldn't bog too much on any reasonable sized log.

CAD.

chainsaw addiction disease.




ar-jedi, recovering.