well,,,i guess you need to decide

are you just trying to go thru stuff on the trails, or are you trying to rip thru the big stuff

if you arent in a hurry i would wait for a good ebay or craigslist deal on maybe an arborist saw like quint mentioned,,,and then maybe a ms310 or ms380, so you can have the best of both worlds

If I was going to buy one saw for what you describe,,,,it would be a ms290 or an older 029 farmboss and throw a skip chain on an 18" bar. That will get you thru the big stuff fast,,,,even if 2 cuts are needed. My buddy's new ms290 does pretty well with my 25"bar and skip chain off my 044, its kind of impressive. The key is keeping the rpms up,,,,which is where the skip chain really helps.

I hear what you are saying about a used saw,,,,but hold out for the right deal,,,,it will present itself

My 044 would have cost me almost $900 new,,,,i took a gamble on a saw on ebay (out of olympia) that was sold as a "strong runner" with light use, and based on the way the powerhead looked (virgin),,,,i figured if it needed a little attention,,,I still had a $600 margin to work with. Since then I have cut more than 20 cord of wood,,,,with ease and speed,,,,,no problems at all. The saw is toughas nails,,,,I am very happy.

Check ebay constantly. It is a really good barometer for market value. Watch the bidding on a few different saws that interest you and let em slide by. You will see what they are selling for and what a good deal is,,,,then make your move when people are snoozing [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

Just dont be in a hurry,,,,and if you are in a hurry,,,,then buy a new one.

 

check it out

 

Bing: I am trying to go thru the stuff on the trails. Some is small some is big. I want a nice mix of a saw, not too big not too small and not too heavy.

Mabye I will start looking at pawn shops again.. You right If i can hold out for a good deal then it will be better. I missed s MS250 on ebay last wednesday. I found one, virgin, never fired, no gas or oil in it. Case, chain , lube,mix. $250.00

I didnt know what they were worth, called the local shop, was on the phone for 2 minutes max. Went back to buy it.. Gone. BIN.. By the way, the saw new from Stihl.. $388.00 plus tax..

I was sick... U snooze u loose.

By the way what is a skip chain???

I will checkc back tonight.. Im going riding today.. We got 1 inch of snow here local, in the mountains there should be alot more !

Ill think of yall when I am having fun [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

a skip chain has half as many teeth as a regular chain (cutter on every other link as opposed to every link)

if there are too many teeth in the wood at one time,,,,it can clog in soft wood or it can be hard to keep the rpms up on a weaker saw,,,or a longer bar

 

First, take my reply with a grain of salt, as the saying goes. I'm from the opposite side of the country so I don't know what all you're up against. But, my suggestion would be look for a cheaper saw and I'll tell you why.

I've cut timber in the woods of South Ga. We used Poulans 4200's and 5200's for years and they were good saws. We did however switch to Huskys which we thought were better although a good bit more expensive. My line of reasoning is that at todays prices for the Poulans, Homelite ect. you could buy a new saw every two years or so and still get the service you would from one of the premium saws. Also consider the abuse the saw will take on the ATV, the more years in service, the more banged up it will be. I speak from experience, the cheaper saws will handle the abuse just as well as the premium saws. Besides why beat up a really nice saw just because you can.

The key to having the saw (whatever brand) perform for you is maintenance and planning your job before you start. One of the worst things I saw people do in the woods was letting the bar touch the ground. Obviously, the edge on the chain is gone at that time. As stated in earlier posts, keep a sharp chain and a spare with you. Also, make sure you're aware of how a tree may fall. Not being sure of your level of expertise with a saw, I'll throw this out. Many times I've seen trees "sit back" on a saw bar when you're about half way through the tree. This not only will "pin" your saw but it can pinch the channel in the bar where the chain rides. This can also happen if you cut a branch that is in a bind.

Anyway, I'll step down from my soapbox, wish you the best in finding a good saw. Just don't forget the possibilities I've mentioned here.

 

Mudslinger, there is something to be said for the cheaper saws... I have 30 year old Homelite that was my grandfathers, and it runs great still... beast up and scratched all to h&ll but cuts like you would not believe. One a side note I see in your sig you have a '53 CJ3A... me too. It too was my grandfathers, and it was in the barn for 20 years until I started taking her down to bare frame to fix her up. It's been in the family since '57.

 

lol....a 30 year old homelite is a good saw,,,,they dont make em like that anymore

a newer home depot homelite special is a POS,,,same with poulan,,,and the rest of them

 

viper get a ms192 arborist saw this is what i carry with me. take the bar and chain off and it will fit in a small cooler or box. it runs a long time on a tank of fuel and cuts fairly well for a small saw hope this helps

 

If your set on a Stihl, let me know and I'll sell you my Stihl Farm Boss 290. We can discuss price, 5 yrs old probably only cut 3 - 4 cords of wood. I just never use now that I've fallen in love w/ Husky 346XP(2 of them in stable).
If interested I can send pics, and we can discuss fair price, also have the case and 3 chains (only file taken to them, so lots of life).

 

I've got the same saw. It's a nice little saw. Very lightweight and cuts great for a little saw. I've cut tons of wood with it and mine just runs and runs. Never have had bit of trouble with it. I've got a 200T also. It's a little bigger and heavier but not much. I hardly ever get to use it though. It walked off and never seems to find it's way home unless the chain is dull. You know how that goes.