Are you happy with a stock saw ?

[thomas1]

It's a magic file that only Thomas knows how to use properly .

Not at all, but I'd bet lots of people don't mind spending money on a ported saw, only to waste the performance gains by using a chain that's not as good as it could be.

 

[odin]

All three of mine are stock, but two are going to get a bit of home-modding. I've got an MS440 that's headed toward the standard homeowner mods (muffler, air filter, base gasket delete and timing advance). And an 024s that's slowly becoming an 024s/029/044/Echo CS400 rat rod of sorts, but still no porting (gotta get it together and running first).

Should I score a "wrecked" 024s or 044/440 cylinder... well, then I'll most likely take the plunge. But I don't dare trash a perfectly good running saw to gain 15 percent faster cut times over basic DIY mods.

 

[skippy]

Not at all, but I'd bet lots of people don't mind spending money on a ported saw, only to waste the performance gains by using a chain that's not as good as it could be.

i agree with this statement...

 

[super3]

All my firewood saws are stock with the muffler opened up.

I can still cut more in an hour than I want to split and move the rest of the day.

 

[skippy]

All my firewood saws are stock with the muffler opened up.

I can still cut more in an hour than I want to split and move the rest of the day.

Especially by hand

 

[Nitehawk55]

Absolutely the chain is critical to cutting performance .
Hope you're passing that knowledge around Thomas , getting good at filing is a challenge that takes a lot of practice .
I'm OK at it but not nearly as good at it as I would like to be , I wear glasses now and find I can't focus well if the lighting conditions aren't good .

 

[skippy]

I have had some real growing pains with square file chains.... I think I'm passed that now .. not positive but I have progressed..

 

[Nitehawk55]

One saw I tried that impressed the hell out of me recently was the MS 241C-m , for a 42cc saw stock it was impressive .
I would also like to try a Dolmar 421 or Makita EA4300 as well . There is a Dolmar dealer about 2 1/2 hours away having a clearance sale , If he still has a 421 left in stock in a few weeks I may go on a road trip .

 

[Nitehawk55]

I have had some real growing pains with square file chains.... I think I'm passed that now .. not positive but I have progressed..

My Tech manager at Stihl was really good with setting up chain for his race saws , I wish I had taken the time to get some lessons from him .

 

[rburg]

I have 2 ported saws and 1 that has a mm. The other 7 are stock. I cut the majority of the wood I cut with the stock saws. The ported saws I have are strong runners and fun to run, but I don't know how much the cutting time is actually reduced by using the ported saws. The actual hauling, splitting, and stacking take much more time than the cutting. My favorite cutting jobs are the ones where I cut the wood for people who have someone else that wants the wood.

 

[cobey]

I like saws.... ported or not
Im Not an ace at porting.
All the saws I have done I have sold.
I have one good ported saw ,
And a race saw. I have a bunch
Of muffler modded, advanced, and carb work saws. I use everything, and tinker
Alot. I cut wood with everything from
A 370 echo to a 064. I use super xl's
And a 360 homelite. I dig running
My awol ported 590 alot.

Uh I'm a saw nerd

 

[mdavlee]

I liked that 590 you've got.

 

[wildroamer]

It's taken me awhile, but I am now regularly putting a near-perfect filing on my chains.
















of course I am using a Timberline sharpener...

 

[JT78]

I liked stock saws for a long time until I ran a ported saw. Fastest stock saw I ran was my 7900. I've always been really detailed about how sharp my chains are and was really happy when I started running square. Now when I am cutting some really dirty wood I like to run semi chisel and I run round on my 42 just cause I can sharpen it faster. Most stock saws feel like slugs to me.

 

[skippy]

As long as they are running and throwing chips it's all good .... But I prefer ported pits a larger grin on the face .

 

[MustangMike]

Not all my saws are ported, but none of them are stock. I agree with those who say it depends on the saw if it needs to be ported. Some come pretty good from the factory, others do not.

Most of the time, using a bone stock saw is like watching grass grow.

And, I almost always run square ground chain (hand filed). A strong saw and a sharp chain equal a smiling face!

 

[Time's Standing Stihl]

Only saws I own that aren't ported are under 40cc. And they all have a muff mod

Sent from my SM-G900R4 using Tapatalk

 

[CoreyB]

My 6100 is completely stock and it is an impressive saw. At least to me. My 421 has a muffler mod. It responded very well to that.

I do have a 395xp project that will be going under the knife to make a solid milling machine.

 

[Definitive Dave]

Stock??? Stock!?!? Surely you jest.
Extra Bananas in this little guy.
I tried the 12" pico .050 on it with semi chisel Oregon and full chisel Stihl chains and there was only a narrow gain on the full chisel, I will probably give it a try with the stock .043 pico 14" setup before swapping in a rim sprocket setup to go bigger than the standard 6 tooth.
This is running in a 11" four month old dry pine cant today.
Stock??? Pshaaaw

 

[CR888]

If your clever in the models you choose, one can have a high performance fleet that is totally stock. Many factory hotrods out there if you know what they are. I love a performance increase if it makes sense and works. I'm in the process of welding up the added gills on a muffler of a ported saw. Its just way too loud to use in residential backyards being gutted with to big exit ports. I blocked off the gills and noise went down a good 50% but could not notice a decrease in power. Targeted mods that are properly thought out are great, over porting a muffler cause 'all builder's do dat' ain't so much. I can use my M/M 660 in a residential backyard no problems but a screaming 50cc saw I cannot. I really like a well ported work saw and a well ported factory saw.