|
|
Post by polardoo on Oct 6, 2009 7:15:34 GMT -5
I was just wondering what everyone thinks the cutoff point of what a "good" Homelite saw is, age and models. I hope there are newer saws out there that have run forever and run well. I love the older saws but also might like a newer one to cut firewood or trim with
|
|
|
|
Post by lesorubcheek on Oct 6, 2009 7:51:17 GMT -5
Latest saws I have are 330, 410, 540 and 8800. All these started getting "plastic" on 'em for air filter covers and starter housings, but still seem OK ;D. I don't think people talk too poorly of the 290/340 saws, but I've yet to try them. Late '80s or early '90s mark the end of saws I'd think are nice to have.
Dan
|
|
|
|
Post by sugarcreeksaws on Oct 6, 2009 8:04:35 GMT -5
Good morning,
Just wanted to give a little input from my Sunday,....I have 11 acres of timber behind me and I had a dead tree on a fenceline that was hanging over a neighbor's property. He had told me that, when I got ready, he would help me cut it down. I think he really just wanted to "exercise a Stihl 041 that someone had just given him. The saws that I was going to use, for the day, were my Super XL-925 and my XL-103 for limbing.
Well, he got anxious and started the notch before I could get there. Once I got there, I graciously pointed out that we would need to move the notch about 50 degrees to the right or the tree would take out one of his yard trees. I pulled out the SXL-925, finished the notch quickly and dropped the tree right where I wanted it. The main trunk was about 24" in dia.
I put down the SXL-925 and picked up the XL-103 to start limbing. Meanwhile, he would cut for a while and then fiddle with his 041 and cut for a while. I noticed that he would start a cut and the saw would bog down. It had speed, but, it couldn't "stay in the cut" and hog through it. My XL-103 acted like it was on roids! It never missed a beat. I will bet that I limbed about 2 to 1 against that 041.
Well we got down to the main trunk....I cut wood all the way up to 14 inches wide with that XL-103.....it is my favorite model. At that point, my neighbor had benched his 041 and was watching me. I pulled out my SXL-925 and proceeded to "make pieces" out of that trunk. Just like the XL-103, it didn't skip a beat and cut through it smoothly and quickly.
I tell you all this to make a point,...it took us a little under 2 hours to cut and clean up that tree. The SXL-925 isn't a saw that I would want to lug around all day, however, mine cuts so well, that it spends more time "in the cut" then being lugged around! Anything over 12-14 inches, it is a beautiful saw to see working.
As for limbing, the XL-103 is light and powerful. I get more enjoyment watching saws like these out perform plastic wanna-bes. Just my two cents worth.....I am partial,....no doubt about it.....magnesium forever. Shoot, I even brought my 700D to the party and was having so much fun with the other two, I forgot to pull it out! I started it after we were done just to hear it run!
As a side note, I almost also brought along my 350. It is a newer Homelite,...still before they went to plastic, but, newer. It has about the same displacement as the XL-103, however, is a faster running saw. Head to head, I still like the XL-103 better. It is lighter and has more low end torque. I would much rather have the torque to power through a cut and see a saw do it without stalling rather that speed through a cut with an occasional stall. Don't get me wrong, the XL-103 wasn't slow at all, so I really didn't give anything up.
Wow, did I ramble on.....sorry about that,....have a good one and most importantly enjoy and preserve the old saws!
Talk to you soon!
Joe
|
|
|
|
Post by MCS on Oct 6, 2009 17:12:20 GMT -5
Well we got down to the main trunk....I cut wood all the way up to 14 inches wide with that XL-103.....it is my favorite model. At that point, my neighbor had benched his 041 and was watching me. I pulled out my SXL-925 and proceeded to "make pieces" out of that trunk. Just like the XL-103, it didn't skip a beat and cut through it smoothly and quickly. Joe I've always thought the XL-1xx saws were light and compact and great for the "not-too-big" stuff. I have a XL-101 and a VI-123. The VI is Ok but it does have a few extra ounces with the VI mounting. The 101 is nice to work with but I have to use my thumb  The XL-923 was the largest saw we carried at the hardware store and for all practical purposes, it was more that enough saw for the wood in that area of MN. Both my XL-800 and XL-903 at 5.0 cu in are great saws. They hold plenty of gas and oil and don't mind a 24" with 3/8. Love that whole XL lineup.  |
|
|
|
Post by Urbanchainsawer on Oct 6, 2009 18:04:01 GMT -5
We have a late 80s - early 90s little plastic XL2 at work. This saw has been used by ten different guys (think rental car) on mostly small things like limbing, small tree felling and an ocassional larger tree for about 20 years. Now I'm talking literally hundreds, if not over a thousand times this thing has been started and used. Nobody takes care of it or maintains it. It can sit for months at a time with fuel in it and I can take it out of its case and fire it up in three pulls. Things are jury rigged (in some cases better than factory) and it never fails me. This is one of the testimonies that has added to my interest in Homelites. Like Joe (Sugarcreek), I still prefer the older metal ones (especially those 103s), but I think they were good ol' American saws up until their death in the early nineties. My 2cents.
|
|
|
|
Post by polardoo on Oct 6, 2009 21:07:41 GMT -5
My newest are my super EZ(wonderful saw) and my 350(awesome, I want to try a 330) I have the idea that a 240, 290, 340 might be a decent saw, just need to come up with one cheap to experiment with. There is a 540 at a pawn shop but too rich for my funds.
|
|
|
|
Post by mikevan on Oct 7, 2009 5:50:28 GMT -5
Last fall & this past spring, I dropped some 200 trees [average 15"dbh] with an XL 400, did most of the limbing with an XL 101. I see no reason the go buy new [plastic] junk saws of any brand for hundreds of $$$$$ when these still get the job done. Joe, I'd like to tune up your neighbors 041, as mine will out cut my XL 400 any day. I put a 28" bar on it when needed  The 28" bar is just coming out the otherside of this locust. |
|
|
|
Post by werners on Oct 7, 2009 9:27:25 GMT -5
Hello I've bought a XL-660 for about 50$ a few days ago. Today I've changed the airfilter and sparkplug. (Wanted to change the fuel-filter also, but there is no one ;D ) Put gas in it and starts on the 3rd or 4th pull!! (Layed over 10 years in a barn..) Now it ran on the first pull and has a lot of power!!! My father said for him it's the best saw homelite ever build. greets Werner   |
|
|
|
Post by lesorubcheek on Oct 7, 2009 13:17:23 GMT -5
Awesome looking saw Werner! Mr. Acres shows it at 4.5 cu. in. Maybe it was an export version of the XL-500 ? Anyway, beautiful find.
Congrats!
Dan
|
|
|
|
Post by lesorubcheek on Oct 7, 2009 13:27:15 GMT -5
I have the idea that a 240, 290, 340 might be a decent saw, just need to come up with one cheap to experiment with. There is a 540 at a pawn shop but too rich for my funds. 240s really caught my eye back 5-6 years ago when i was getting hooked on this saw stuff. For some reason though, the more I got into it, the less I wanted one. Never have got ahold of one. Mentioning it here got me thinkiing about them again though. Guess its time to bump it up on the list. Dan |
|
|
|
Post by mikevan on Oct 7, 2009 16:18:36 GMT -5
Werner, nice saw - It looks a lot like the XL 400, which is a Super XL with a bigger bore.
|
|
|
|
Post by OBR on Oct 7, 2009 21:41:48 GMT -5
240? Are we talking about the same 240 I've got? If so I wouldn't recommend wasting your time with one...granted its a decent saw motor-wise...but the oiler is so worthless it make the whole saw worthless. I'd opt for a 245 (manual oiler added version of a 240) if you want to get into this line of saws.
|
|
|
|
Post by lesorubcheek on Oct 8, 2009 6:54:12 GMT -5
240? Are we talking about the same 240 I've got? If so I wouldn't recommend wasting your time with one...granted its a decent saw motor-wise...but the oiler is so worthless it make the whole saw worthless. I'd opt for a 245 (manual oiler added version of a 240) if you want to get into this line of saws. Yes, I heard the oilers stink on these. One of several reasons haven't picked one up yet. Again, just something about them that seems appealing, yet I still can't reasonably convince myself to spend over $20 for one. Dan |
|
|
|
Post by blackoak on Oct 10, 2009 0:08:38 GMT -5
Last fall & this past spring, I dropped some 200 trees [average 15"dbh] with an XL 400, did most of the limbing with an XL 101. I see no reason the go buy new [plastic] junk saws of any brand for hundreds of $$$$$ when these still get the job done. Joe, I'd like to tune up your neighbors 041, as mine will out cut my XL 400 any day. I put a 28" bar on it when needed The 28" bar is just coming out the otherside of this locust. +1 on the 041 tune up. I know this is a Homelite site, but them old 041's are some fine saws and there's no plastic on them. |
|
