Ultimate "Firewood" Saw

[Nutball]

Could always get someone to port a 390 cylinder with a Cross popup piston to put in your 290, making it a 65cc. I hear that easily doubles the power over stock.

 

[dmb2613]

390 top end and pop up piston, cut 1/3 off the flywheel key and open up the muffler and it will cut its ass off

 

[Mastermind]

Laying all joking around aside.....I'm too far behind to even consider taking on any used saws. I just don't have time. There are plenty of men here that build as good, or better saws than I do. Count me out before you start counting. LOL

 

[ucm931]

Who's that hack?

Some crazy fugger from Michigan with fingers that would make even a proctologist cringe.

 

[huskihl]

Some crazy fugger from Michigan with fingers that would make even a proctologist cringe.

Don't judge me

 

[TreeLife]

Sell the 290. Get a hot rod 60cc saw. 036 or 361 or husky variant. And port the 661. Nothing you won’t be able to handle.

Best answer material right here.

 

[Al Smith]

So what is"ultimate" ,it would not be an 084 Stihl cutting 8" pecker poles nor would it be a Mini Mac cutting 36" oak .Size the saw for the wood if you have that many to choose from .

 

[Nutball]

If weight is any kind of incentive, I'd use a 490 or 261 for all things up to 20". If weight is not an issue, then a 90cc all the time. You could do quite well with just one saw, just don't get it pinched. The "ultimate" might be a ported 572 with a 28", that should just get you by in 50" wood, while being light and powerful.

 

[ucm931]

@AlfA01 could get you a MS500i.

 

[rogue60]

Don't ask my old man what is the best firewood saw is he'd say 090 for real lol
Reckons Stihl only stopped selling them because they last forever and Stihl wasn't selling new saw's...
This is him and me late 70's cutting firewood for home one of his 090's.
At that time in life I think he was cutting cordwood for the hospital boilers.

 

[CR888]

I'm not sure what saw would best suit the OP, his original post says he wants something that'll pull a 50" b/c & do it well. Also says his 661 is not near up to the job. So he really needs a 120cc/+ saw & new there are only a few options. I think he should get a clean 090av and a 395xp. Sell the 661 & 290 & buy a 261 & 462. 50/70/95/137cc. Then you'll have 2 sporty short bar saws and 2 long bar saws that'll get the job done as good as any. Porting is great & all but he has a displacement issue more than a performance/speed issue IMO. You wanna go big if your running a 50"b/c.

 

[Locust Cutter]

If I lost all my saws again (lost 4 once n a fire and that's all owned at the time) and were to buy new they'd be: a ported MS241, a ported 60-70cc saw, and a ported 395xp. I love my 9010, but it's a bit hard finding parts for, so it's likely going down the road soon. I personally love my 562xp Husky and really like Dolmar/Makita 6100's. a 462 wouldn't hurt my feelings at all though.

For your situation, best bang for the buck: Step 1: Port the 661 and buy a Stihl 25" (actually 24") bar for your 661 and have a good laugh while quickly bucking smaller pieces. Now you hae 2 bars sized for different applications, and les teth to file for smaller wood. Step 2: sell the 290 to buy either a MS241, MS261 or Husky 550xp (any of them ported), then IF you still need/want a middle option, try a few and make a decision leading to step 3.

In the mean time, you have a bucking/felling saw and a canopy saw. I have 10 saws right now, but usually a firewood outing for me sees my MS201T, a 50cc saw (I have 3), and a 60-70cc saw (I have 3). If I need bigger, I have a ported MS660 and Ported 9010 to choose from. The 10th is a McCulloch that belonged to my Grandfather, that I keep for sentiment, and to remind myself why I appreciate newer saws. Google McCulloch 35 and you'll see why. On the note of chains, you can't have too sharp of a chain, and that's the single best mod you can make to any saw.

Good luck, and always ask questions, as earning the easy way hurts the body, mind and pocket book much less than the hard way!!

A few pics for reference:

The 034 Super in the pic below isn't mine, but a friend's recent acquisition from another friend of mine. This was a rare instance where I didn't use any of my Huskies. L-to-R: MS261, 034 Super, Ported MS660, MS201T (all of them at least muffler modded and timing advanced) I used both my 24" and 36" bars on my 660 that day, and it had the 24" for that picture. It's always nice having options.

 

[huskyboy]

OP are you running full comp chain or skip on the 661? Might want to try semi skip or full skip if you haven’t. Would help the power a bit on the 36” bar and would be less filing to do. While you pass the time waiting to mod it, open up the hole under the muffler deflector a bit with the muffler off the saw, clean it up and reinstall. Those two things would help.

 

[FordTruckMan]

Pushing the pin in allows the control bolt to turn a full 1/4 turn, rather than approximately 1/8 in stock form. Should be an easy check with a screwdriver that way

OK I double checked this morning, I did indeed have the pin pushed in and the oiler a full 1/4 turn.

Sell the 290. Get a hot rod 60cc saw. 036 or 361 or husky variant. And port the 661. Nothing you won’t be able to handle.

When you say hot rod 60cc saw, do you mean getting one of those models ported as well? Do guys port the smaller saws too?

 

[FordTruckMan]

OP are you running full comp chain or skip on the 661? Might want to try semi skip or full skip if you haven’t. Would help the power a bit on the 36” bar and would be less filing to do. While you pass the time waiting to mod it, open up the hole under the muffler deflector a bit with the muffler off the saw, clean it up and reinstall. Those two things would help.

I am not running a skip chain, just the basic full chisel chain from Stihl. I think they call it a Rapid Super?

 

[Xr650jkallen]

I run a 056 magnum ii 90% of the time. I just use the appropriate bar for the wood I'm cutting that day. Limbing I use an old loud as hell homelite super 2, or just the 056 and don't bend over. I like having power headroom. I'm not going to kid myself though, I want a 70cc saw also

 

[FordTruckMan]

Could always get someone to port a 390 cylinder with a Cross popup piston to put in your 290, making it a 65cc. I hear that easily doubles the power over stock.

390 top end and pop up piston, cut 1/3 off the flywheel key and open up the muffler and it will cut its ass off

OK this really has my attention. What the heck is a pop up piston? Is this little 290 going to implode if I nearly double the HP? What I mean is will all the peripheral components hold up? Like crank bearings, clutch shoes, etc.

 

[Armbru84]

OK I double checked this morning, I did indeed have the pin pushed in and the oiler a full 1/4 turn.



When you say hot rod 60cc saw, do you mean getting one of those models ported as well? Do guys port the smaller saws too?

Yes sir. Port down to about the smaller saw you can get. But a ported 60cc saw can haul the mail...could run up to a 28” if needed but mine wear a 20” for firewood.

 

[redline4]

OK this really has my attention. What the heck is a pop up piston? Is this little 290 going to implode if I nearly double the HP? What I mean is will all the peripheral components hold up? Like crank bearings, clutch shoes, etc.

A pop up piston is one with a dome on it to increase compression.
@Fruecrue has an 039 on a pipe.
I also vote to sell the 029 and if staying stihl, pick up an 036. Get that ported. For what the 029's seem to bring, shouldnt have to kick in much cash to do it.
@drf256 did an 036 for me and it's a cuttin mutha.

 

[Fifelaker]

A pop up is a bump on top of the piston which raises compression. The rest of the engine will hold up as they are the same components in the 290 and the 390.