084 to buy or not to buy?

[lohan808]

So the CAD is acting up again. Looking at an 084. Reasonably priced. Have dealt with the seller in the past. What I am asking for is good info and experience.
Parts availability?
At 122cc, does it compare to the ostensibly overpriced 880/881?
From the folks who have owned and used it, a better milling piece or better in the woods?
Or just don't bother...
I have some imaginings of making some stuffs and having a beast if needed but I don't have any experience with such a large saw. My line always stopped at the modded 660 in the past. Your candor is appreciated.

 

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

So the CAD is acting up again. Looking at an 084. Reasonably priced. Have dealt with the seller in the past. What I am asking for is good info and experience.
Parts availability?
At 122cc, does it compare to the ostensibly overpriced 880/881?
From the folks who have owned and used it, a better milling piece or better in the woods?
Or just don't bother...
I have some imaginings of making some stuffs and having a beast if needed but I don't have any experience with such a large saw. My line always stopped at the modded 660 in the past. Your candor is appreciated.

Have you got one and can offer any advise mate? @rogue60

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

@lohan808 : From the 881 side of things:

If a ported 660 is a hot-rod gas engine truck the 088/880/881 is a diesel-fueled World War 2 tank.
- The awesome power-to-weight ratio of the 660 is not a consideration.
- If you set any petroleum product next to an 088/880/881 it stretches a suction hose over and hoovers it up--why they didn't throw a few of these in the ocean when the Exxon Valdez spilled is beyond me...
- It's in a different bar/chain class (3002) so unless you do some grinding almost nothing fits until you open your fat wallet and hand it to the saw gods.
- There are no "lightweight" bars because the monstrous torque can eat them for lunch on a bad day, along with any "lesser" bar you've taken a die grinder to so you could stick it to the massive powerhead. A 3003-mount MS 661 LIGHT bar trembles in fear at the thought of being put on a 121cc powerhead and won't hold still for modification.
- RPM stands for Revolutions Per Millennia.
- Sawdust piles are replaced with wood chip mounds.
- If you can afford the bar and chain, no tree is too big.
- Everyone will notice you own an 121cc-size saw. Especially gas station owners.
- Each newly purchased saw comes with a Refinery Discount Card.
- Women will flock to other men knowing they can't compete for your attention--that and you're flat broke. (I warned you big chain ain't cheap...)
- STIHL 121cc saws always start by the third pull. Or your arm falls off. (That's right in the Owner's Manual.)


(a small, twiggy tree)

 

[lohan808]

@lohan808 : From the 881 side of things:

If a ported 660 is a hot-rod gas truck the 088/880/881 is a diesel-fueled WW-II tank.
- The awesome power-to-weight ratio of the 660 is not a consideration.
- If you set any petroleum product next to an 088/880/881 it stretches a suction hose over and hoovers it up--why they didn't throw a few of these in the ocean when the Exxon Valdez spilled is beyond me...
- It's in a different bar/chain class (3002) so unless you do some grinding almost nothing fits until you open your fat wallet and hand it to the saw gods.
- There are no "lightweight" bars because the monstrous torque can eat them for lunch on a bad day, along with any "lesser" bar you've taken a die grinder to so you could stick it to the powerhead. A 3003-mount MS 661 LIGHT bar trembles in fear at the thought of being put on a 121cc powerhead and won't hold still for modification.
- RPM stands for Revolutions Per Millennia.
- Sawdust piles are replaced with wood chip mounds.
- If you can afford the bar and chain, no tree is too big.
- Everyone will notice you own an 121cc-size saw. Especially gas station owners.
- Each newly purchased saw comes with a Refinery Discount Card.
- Women will flock to other men knowing they can't compete for your attention--that and you're flat broke. (I warned you big chain ain't cheap...)
- STIHL 121cc saws always start by the third pull. Or your arm falls off. (That's right in the Owner's Manual.)

View attachment 398725
(a small, twiggy tree)

LMFAO! What an apt description.

 

[Tim N]

I had a ported 084. It was no joke. I got rid of it because of parts availability. Seems like now the aftermarket is making a lot of parts for them

 

[maulhead]

So the CAD is acting up again. Looking at an 084. Reasonably priced. Have dealt with the seller in the past. What I am asking for is good info and experience.
Parts availability?
At 122cc, does it compare to the ostensibly overpriced 880/881?
From the folks who have owned and used it, a better milling piece or better in the woods?
Or just don't bother...
I have some imaginings of making some stuffs and having a beast if needed but I don't have any experience with such a large saw. My line always stopped at the modded 660 in the past. Your candor is appreciated.

If you have the itch, then scratch it.

I'll thrown in my own two cents, take with a grain of salt. I've owned a few of each, 084's, 088's and one 880. All were mostly stock. And my stock 661 would out run the 122cc saws, all with 3 foot bars, in big 4-5 foot wood.

To me they are like cinder blocks with blades. Maybe if I was into milling I would of kept them, but I decided to let all the 122cc saws go down the road. I don't miss them at all.

 

[Fun2Cut]

@lohan808 : From the 881 side of things:

If a ported 660 is a hot-rod gas engine truck the 088/880/881 is a diesel-fueled World War 2 tank.
- The awesome power-to-weight ratio of the 660 is not a consideration.
- If you set any petroleum product next to an 088/880/881 it stretches a suction hose over and hoovers it up--why they didn't throw a few of these in the ocean when the Exxon Valdez spilled is beyond me...
- It's in a different bar/chain class (3002) so unless you do some grinding almost nothing fits until you open your fat wallet and hand it to the saw gods.
- There are no "lightweight" bars because the monstrous torque can eat them for lunch on a bad day, along with any "lesser" bar you've taken a die grinder to so you could stick it to the massive powerhead. A 3003-mount MS 661 LIGHT bar trembles in fear at the thought of being put on a 121cc powerhead and won't hold still for modification.
- RPM stands for Revolutions Per Millennia.
- Sawdust piles are replaced with wood chip mounds.
- If you can afford the bar and chain, no tree is too big.
- Everyone will notice you own an 121cc-size saw. Especially gas station owners.
- Each newly purchased saw comes with a Refinery Discount Card.
- Women will flock to other men knowing they can't compete for your attention--that and you're flat broke. (I warned you big chain ain't cheap...)
- STIHL 121cc saws always start by the third pull. Or your arm falls off. (That's right in the Owner's Manual.)

View attachment 398725
(a small, twiggy tree)

Btw boss, your blade is upside down…

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

Btw boss, your blade is upside down…

That's so the Husky guys don't know what brand it is and can appreciate the picture.

 

[Kiwioilboiler]

@markds2
You have irl experience here. Can help the OP brother out?

 

[markds2]

I have owned and rebuilt several 084's and currently have one which has been ported by Tony Moy from NSW Australia, which I use for long bar work and milling. They are a really tough old saw but fairly uninspiring stock (lots of torque tho!) and are let down by certain parts being almost unobtainble (Mufflers and brake flags spring to mind). Check the saw carefully before committing to it, and check the muffler for cracks, they are prone to it. Get a good one and you wont regret it. If you find the oiler stingy, there,s a faily simple mod that greatly increases oil output: https://opeforum.com/threads/modifying-the-stihl-084-oil-pump-for-increased-flow.25547/

 

[markds2]

On a side note a friend of mine recently custom fabricated a new muffler for an 084 by using the back half of an 026 muffler and the front half of an 066. Lots of work tho!

 

[lohan808]

On a side note a friend of mine recently custom fabricated a new muffler for an 084 by using the back half of an 026 muffler and the front half of an 066. Lots of work tho!
View attachment 398849View attachment 398850View attachment 398851View attachment 398852View attachment 398853

Agreed. I would call it a milling horse. They are too heavy for casual use.

 

[Fun2Cut]

That's so the Husky guys don't know what brand it is and can appreciate the picture.

Figured you just thought “husky guys”were so simple we’d stand on our heads to read it… Don’t worry, I didn’t.

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

Agreed. I would call it a milling horse. They are too heavy for casual use.

That would be like your girlfriend saying your banana is too big...



...your wife might say that, but not your girlfriend.

 

[lohan808]

That would be like your girlfriend saying your banana is too big...

View attachment 398862

...your wife might say that, but not your girlfriend.

True that. She would say it's like throwing a hot dog down a hallway.