STIHL 35 years of progress at Stihl

[Thumper88]

35 years of progress between the first 064's and the 500i and for the same horsepower the 500i weighs .5 a lb less lol. This is not a jab on the 500i, its my favorite new saw. I just found it interesting that all this time and the two saws are still splitting hairs with weight, power etc. This is PHO on both saws and both saws full of fuel and oil. Both saws are wearing big dogs, 3/4 wrap handles and west coast covers.

 

[ElevatorGuy]

What are the times in the cut though? I know the 064 is a torque beast and I’m sure the 500i cuts faster a lot of the time. Long bar the 064 probably still wins.

 

[jacob j.]

The 064/084/034/024 were revolutionary saws when they came out, and those designs pretty much changed the game for all the OEMs.

My dad pre ordered two 064s before they were available in North America, picked them up when they arrived, sent one off for porting immediately, and ran the other stock until he got the ported saw back.

 

[Thumper88]

What are the times in the cut though? I know the 064 is a torque beast and I’m sure the 500i cuts faster a lot of the time. Long bar the 064 probably still wins.

I can measure some cuts this weekend with the 28" bar on both, but thats not really a fair fight. The 064 is tree monkey ported and pushing almost 10 hp on the dyno. The 500i is stock and barely broken in.

 

[JugHead27]

I'm thankful for the fact in this day in age we can at least still have quality saws while everything else is chinese made junk falling apart.

 

[huskyboy]

Both the 064 and the 288 I have beat the 500i I had tested last summer. But not really a fair comparison with the other two saws being bigger cc. A 7900 is a closer match for the 500i.

 

[Al Smith]

I second or two cutting a 9" poplar cant has very little to do with a work saw .I have ported saws which are fun but it's not the whole story .Dependability IMO has more to do with the big picture than bragging rights at the picnic races but to each their own .
As far as the brand I like them but I also like other brands .Mine are old but even some 40 years old will run with anything made today although the later models aren't quite as heavy .The way the so called pro models are made if you can find the parts they could be rebuilt forever .However if you don't get stingy with the mix oil it would take a lot of use to wear one out . Then again some could destroy an anvil with a turkey feather .

 

[Sagebrush33]

Soooo many saws I desire.

BUT, see below

 

[Al Smith]

You can get up to your hip pockets in chainsaws before you know it if your pockets are deep enough .If they aren't rare or have the ability to be enhanced and are relatively inexpensive I have no interest in them .Besides that I have enough saws to keep me busy most likely the rest of my life but must admit some are boat anchors or door stops or shin busters .No doubt I'll get more because they seem to be like stray cats ,they just show up ---broken of course .

 

[BonScott46]

My 462 weighs the same as an 044 and doesn't run as strong. My 064 walks all over my 500.

 

[Woodpecker]

Wanna take it a step further and have a more apples to apples comparison? Run that 500i up against a dolkita 7900. They are damn close in every measurable except the 7900 gets the nod in fuel usage and price. Another 30 year old saw design. Granted the 7900 was as ahead of its time as the 064.

 

[Al Smith]

The EPA forced them to detune our saws just like early on they did to our automobiles .As far as Stihl the only models I've ran were the 201T and the 441 neither one preformed as well as what they replaced .However mine is a limited experience because I don't own any of the 1 suffix numbered models .At my age I may never own one for that matter except a freebie if one comes along .

 

[Thumper88]

Wanna take it a step further and have a more apples to apples comparison? Run that 500i up against a dolkita 7900. They are damn close in every measurable except the 7900 gets the nod in fuel usage and price. Another 30 year old saw design. Granted the 7900 was as ahead of its time as the 064.

My 500i wont touch my 7900 with a 20" bar, but its XS ported. That 7900 turned me into a Dolkita fan really quick

 

[Woodpecker]

My 500i wont touch my 7900 with a 20" bar, but its XS ported. That 7900 turned me into a Dolkita fan really quick

It’s a close call even if both saws are ported. I did beat a new xs 500i with my xs7910 but my saw was well broken in. Don’t get me wrong I like the 500i. Good ergonomics and a very smooth saw. But at almost half the price me love the 7900 long time!

 

[Al Smith]

I looked up the price of those things--wow .

 

[Tim N]

I looked up the price of those things--wow .

Saws are getting almost to the same as farm ground. They are both so expensive that you will never make your money back off them. People here won't bat an eye giving 12000 an acre for ground. It's crazy

 

[Al Smith]

Speaking of which, ground I've got my eye on 5 acres of woods and thicket adjoining .To get it I need to be the one with the last bid at the auction .FWIW good farm ground around here is 9 grand more or less an acre .
One thing about ground is they don't make any more of it plus for all intents it never decreases in value but you need to pay the taxes .So in essence it's kind of like the stock market kind of a passive way of building wealth .In the market of course you have to pay taxes on the dividends but the growth, if you pass it on they pay nothing unless the amount it exceeds several million bucks .My estate will only go two ways .For an old red neck country boy I've done just fine .However it didn't happen because I bought $30,000 Harleys and Corvettes for twice ,three times that or $14-$ 1800 chainsaws .----but to each their own . Off topic,don't get me going .