Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Property Projects & Construction Suggest A Small Limbing Chainsaw

LOL, no but my back would hurt enough after about a half hour I would not be able to stand up straight anyway. I don't use the 310 over about a half hour at a time without a rest in between. I have already had three back operations over a six year period and the Dr. said he did not want to see me back cause the next time would not be as much fun. He told me to get a different occupation but I was not smart enough for that. That has been about ten years ago now and I have finally learned not to push it so hard.

My sons have the big dog saws (not sure if the biggest one is a 660 or an 880). At my age I don't want to work that hard. Come to think of it, I didn't want to work that hard when I was younger, but thought I needed to.

Found out my local Ace Hardware is factory authorized repair shop for Echo and Stihl. They are getting in a MS192T tomorrow. Will compare it with the Echo CS-271T side by side.

Not to get off subject, but here is a pic of me and my late dad in Nov 2012. That Huskqvarna in the picture was OLD when I was a kid in the 70s. I used it that day to cut up a fallen pine. Old as the hills, that thing still starts up on the 2 or 3rd pull. They don't make them like that anymore.

The bow bar is cool, but also somewhat dangerous. That huge nose radius provided a lot of room for "tip" contact, which often resulted in kickback.....not good.

Esshup, looks like a Clinton or a David Bradley? Either way I bet that exhaust makes your eardrums itch something fierce.

On the subject of Poulan saws made today: In my opinion they make excellent jonboat anchors, but you have to supply your own rope.....and hope it's not too windy outside when you want to go fishing.

If Poulan would include the rope in the box, along with instructions advising that the saw not even be gassed up initially, but instead proceed directly to the anchor application, they would have a lot more satisfied customers.

sprkplug, I graduated from a Poulan to a Stihl MS170 for a limbing saw about 14 years ago...thought I'd died and gone to Heaven. I still have that saw, and it is still running great.

I agree with your boat anchor idea.

Tony, now all I have to do is get you in the Bahco cult, and I bet our outdoor tool stash would look almost identical.

Tony, you got it - Clinton. If the "spark arrestor" isn't made from Stainless, it disappears after one tank.

Believe it or not, both saws in the pic wear the same size bar, and are the same HP. The Clinton weighs twice as much as the Dolmar.

roadwarrior:
See if the dealer will let you fire them both up (see which one is easier to start). Cutting with them should be about the same since they are both brand new. If the Stihl has the flippy caps on the gas/oil, take them off and put them back on to see how you like them.

+1 on the Echo limbing saw...light and mobile and reliable love mine.

Poulan makes a fine saw once a little work has been done...

The last little one I had ran and started fine. I think it was a little over a hundred bucks and I wore out three or four chains before giving it to my grandson. Not a commercial unit by any means, but it did quite a bit of limbing for me. Think I had the Huskvarna for a bigger saw then so it only cut small stuff. I would not be afraid of using one, but I do like my Sthil 180.

Here it is after a little more tuning...

Does it still require a pair of channel locks to take that crazy threaded fuel cap on and off....just to keep it from leaking all down one leg while you're using it?

"Wild Thing.....you make my skin sting.....leaky, dripping, Wild Thing"

Geez, why all the hate...First it was the flippy caps and now the horribly course threaded screw caps...

Honest opinion about saws... PROPER TUNING AND MAINTANANCE will make most any saw last a lifetime...Sometimes the proper tuning requires modding right out of the box to eliminate EPA regs... (example, removing limit caps on carb)

The problem is people don't know how to properly tune a saw and due to new EPA regs some can't be richened up enough right out of the box..

As Tony mentioned, find a servicing dealer that knows what they are doing...One that starts the saw and properly tunes it before you take it home...And if you are not comfortable tuning yourself take back annually to have it tuned.. Always use fresh gas and drain if going to be sitting for extended periods on time..

Uh-oh, now you've went and done it Sean....advocating for removal of the government mandated limiter caps on a public forum....you see that strange black SUV parked outside your location right now?

Of course you don't.....they don't want to be seen.

Seriously though, I don't have a problem with the flippy caps. They do not like a heavy-handed application though...you can't force them.

But the threads on those Poulan tanks...wow.

Sean makes a great point in that maintenance, and storage procedures are one of the keys to being satisfied with your saw purchase. Today's gasoline doesn't have much of a shelf life, and can cause problems if left sitting in the tank.

Getting tired of fighting the Poulan and asking for opinions before my next purchase (thanks Sprkplug), I bought the ECHO last fall. For the first time it felt like I was using a real chainsaw.

Now with the Poulan still sitting in it's case, no wait, I used the case for my ECHO, the only thing I guess I'm missing now is a rope!

And to think I didn't know what to do with that old Poulan

Still learning

After draining the gas out, I'm guessing one should run it until it dies out to get rid of all the gas in the carb?


@Spark: I hear ya on the dangerous bow design. I'm guessing that's why they don't make those any more. No other safety features on that old saw either.

@esshup: I'll ask if they'll let me fire them both. Wouldn't be surprised if they said no, but its free to ask.

@outdoor: What tuning to the carb should be done right out of the box? Richer? I don't know much about chainsaw A/F ratios.

My Stihl 034 is on its last legs and I cannot buy parts anymore. Its only 30 years old. Why do these things where out so fast! I will need to go shopping for another one very soon.

There is so much that comes into play today on setting a carb.. Possibly even having to pull the limit caps to properly tune.. And putting them back on of course.. Most dealers send their techs to school to learn how to do just that.. As well as other things depending on the level of service the dealer chooses.. As for most saws without a limited ignition they have a max rpm setting that they will set with a tach, hopefully under for a couple of tanks then have you bring it back in for a retune..

Good techs that can hear a saw 4 stroke and have a piece of wood to run the saw in can teach you what to listen for by burying the saw in a piece of wood and letting up to hear it clean up in the cut then 4 stroke as they let up..

Once your learn to hear what four stroking is vs running away lean you will cringe when you hear people with a box store saw and a dull chain...

Some of these new saws turn over 14,000 rpm out of the box... Not much room for error with those kind of rpm's...

The 034 are professional constructed saws with a magnesium crankcase and replaceable head.. Most parts will interchange with the 036, so don't just go throwing that saw away..

Of course!!......

I caution anyone who decides to "crank up" their stock saw by leaning the fuel mixture. Yes, it can be done, but with today's equipment already running on the ragged edge due to emission concerns, coupled with the high rpm that Sean spoke of, you better know what you're doing.

I've seen the results of some backyard supertuners handiwork. they usually say the same thing: "It was running fantastic right up until it quit....now I can't pull the rope!"

Sean's right, it's better to find someone who's familiar with your saw to show you how to adjust it.

Ok, I'll dumb things down a little. Why would I want to tune a chainsaw?

I assume the factory sets them up for maximum life and easy starting, and that's what I want. By tuning, would I just be making sure the factory setting are set correctly?

I sharpen and set the tension on the blades before each use, and only use 100% gas in my power tools. Am I missing something?

Some of the plastic parts on my 034 are so worn that I can no longer make the switch that controls the choke and shut-off work. I have gone through many bars and sprockets on this one, so I was thinking that money would be better spent on a new one. That said, I may just pull it apart, clean everything, and see if I can keep it working another season. In any case, it will go in the barn with everything else.

In my opinion Al, no you're not. The vast majority of the population will do just fine using the correctly sized saw right out of the box, with no adjustments needed. Once in awhile there may be an issue with the fuel mixture, such as altitude compensation, or maybe a little tweaking, but most often it's gas and go.

It's a different matter on a hot saw, where you're after every bit of performance you can get. But as with automobiles, those kinds of enhancements often involve a trade-off in another area, which may limit its practical, everyday application.

Keep doing what you're doing Al, sounds like you have a pretty good handle on things!

Those 034's were good saws.....don't pitch it, somebody will buy it.

Okay okay, busted...

My arsenal of saws is considerable smaller that it once was and is probably still to big...LOL

I have 5 saws I use on a regular basis...

Husqvarna 346XP... 50cc.. Stock 16" for limbing..

Husqvarna 359... 60cc.. Wears anywhere from 15" to 25" bars.. Has been ported and head was machined for a pop up piston..

Stihl MS460... 76cc.. Normally wears a 25" bar.. Light porting and a MM..

Stihl 064/066.. 90cc..Wear 25" to 36" bars regularly.. Major modding and port work to fit 066 topend on 064 case...

Stihl 084... 121cc.. Wears 30" to 41" bars.. Just heavy and enough power to wear you out..

Tuning comes into play for me a lot because of what I have invested in these saws...Kind of took saws as serious as most of you take your ponds...Anything from changing bars to the size of wood makes a huge difference in these saws...

Ok, thanks Tony. I have the utmost respect for chainsaws, and have found out over the years that a dull poorly running chainsaw is the most dangerous weapon on the property.

I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something.