Husky chainsaws

[FredBuddy]

Friends:

I have two of them, have used them some
for firewood and cleanup - say low to moderate
wear & tear. The other day I had a cleanup job,
got 'em out, couldn't start 'em. Can't overcome
the compression to get them going.

Took them to my buddy for a look-see, he started
them up, ran fine, no problem. I still can't start
the buggers. Old age setting in, I guess.

Gonna go down to the local Stihl dealer and
see what he wants to do. Electric or something
easier to start.

Any ideas ?

[BLAHUT]

Electric or a new kid ??

[dverna]

Some have a decompression button

[elmacgyver0]

You need to push that little button in on the side like dverna said.
I'm 72 and can still start mine even if I forget the button, but when I do, I realize I didn't push it.
Brings up memories of an old JD tractor back on the farm, no electric start, a little brass petcock on each side.
You started the tractor by opening each petcock then pulling over the flywheel.
When the engine started, you closed the petcocks.
I really miss that farm, all houses now.

[DCB]

for what its worth. fresh gas if it has set for a while. if it has a primer bubble pup it up some times it may take 15- 20 pumps
turn on the start pull out the choke. slowly pull the cord to get the gas moving and build compression. when it fires push the choke off should start on the first or second pull. other things to check, make sure you are using the right mix most are 50:1 shake it up REALLY good.
clean or replace the plug. make sure the brake is clean. chips in and around the brake band will keep it from turning freely and IF the chain is not too tight. check the nose gear on the bar if its tight you may have pinched the bar.
for me this is basic saw check to keep them running smooth. I have 3 saws an o45 about 40 yrs old, a 450 rancher and a 365. All are Huskys and the run great most of the time.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I think it's time for a old man to get a battery powered saw.

[Electrod47]

Me and 54 year old son taking turns on the saw. Big Oak on our deer property blocking the best shooting. 5 yr/old Stihl starts on the 3rd lick after sitting a year. But, yeah I was looking at the battery rig also. Those are more powerful than one would think possible.


319136319135

[panhed65]

I am 75, and of my 4 chainsaws, 2 are stihl, 2 are husky. for me, the husky starts easier. one most used is a 455, has one of the primer bulbs and a compression release. rare for it to not be running on second pull. except in hunting season or rain days, it gets run nearly every day. my stihl's start ok, but not this easy.
Barry

[ulav8r]

Had a Husky for 11-12 years. One day it would not start, no spark. Contacted dealer, no parts for saws over 10 years old. That was before I had internet service so no way to determine if there were alternate resources to get it going. Haven't owned a Husky since.

[Minerat]

I have an corded electric for around the yard or for minor cutting where I don't want to have to gas up the Stihl 310 for some minor cutting. It's 18 inch blade does all I need for light trimming or the occasional resizing a log too big for the stove. I run the gas saw dry before storing it and only use pure gas none of the alcohol mix do it usually starts after the 3rd pull or so.

[MarkP]

Stihl 261 is a very light and powerful saw. Right at 4 hp and 10.7 lbs and has a decompression valve. I know when I am tired from cutting all day starting my Stihl 661 I notice may take an extra pull to start as I am not as quick when tired.
I know some that drop start thier saws.

[1eyedjack]

As an old poot battery saws are getting more appealing especially for a quick nip off of a small limb.
Alcohol free gas in ALL my small engines and proper oil for 2 stroke. Costs more up front but run better and causes less problems down the road

[upr45]

I have a husky, used infrequently, have in a plastic case cause it leaks chain oil. Starts within 2-3 pulls. i never use alcohol gas, so starts even when not used > 6 months.

[M-Tecs]

A buddy converted his saws to use a cordless drill similar to the video.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FckBIMatYzo&t=101s

[beemer]

I sort of prefer Husky's but there is almost no dealer service although it seems they are sold everywhere. I am leaning toward Stihl because of the dealer network. They do make a fine product and we have a good dealer in town.

[Finster101]

I have a nice Echo 16" saw. It's not big, but all I need. It runs great, but when it dies it will be the last gas saw that I buy. The new generation electric saws for an occasional user like me are the way to go and certainly do not lack power to get it done.

[dverna]

A buddy converted his saws to use a cordless drill similar to the video.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FckBIMatYzo&t=101s

That was neat

[Lloyd Smale]

had two stihl gas saws. wife bought me a battery stihl a couple year back for my birthday and a month later i gave both gas saws to my son in law. if i still burned wood i would have kept the big one but as is i have no use for it. last year i decided i wanted a second battery saw to leave in the jeep all the time found i could get a dewalt 20vt with a battery for the cost of just the battery for my stihl. i have mostly 20v dewalt tools so it made sense. it doesnt seem to have quite the power the stihl has but its close and half the price. then this fall i bought 2 of the milwaukee hatchet saws. they are a smaller 1 hand 12v saw. one stays in my polaris general and the other has cooking oill in the chain oiler and is used to butcher deer

[nanuk]

are you talking Husqvarna? or Husky?

I have had both.... one's Ok, one's junk

I now have many Stihls, and half as many Husqvarnas.

I was rebuilding them and selling them locally.
I want to get back to doing that.... can make a few bucks this way

[FredBuddy]

Thanks for the responses, friends.
The saws are Husqvarna. Going to look
at Stihl e-z pulls and electric, however
this is Amish country and I doubt our
Amish dealer keeps many battery tools
around. I think JonP hit the bullseye.

[Baltimoreed]

Just found one at Lowes. Wanted a 12 inch bar and was looking for a short bar and chain for my poulan but for 125.00 I thought it was a good deal. Was used by the store, still had gas and oil in it but was on the shelf? I’m sure that was a violation of some sort. Ive used it several times and found that you don’t have to choke it after you've run it and then sat it down for a while. If you do it floods and won’t restart. 319156

[beemer]

The last Husqvarna I bought had a carb out of adjustment. Had an odd screw head, ordered a set of assorted screw drivers from Amazon. They are cheap and have one to fit almost anything. I have a Stihl with the easy start, sort of odd till you get used to it.

[GONRA]

FredBuddy - GONRA HIGHLY recommends Stihl e-z pulls / CANNED FUEL as ya get older / weaker / etc.
>>> Don't cheep out and drive yersef nuts mixing yer own 2 stroke fuel anymore.... <<< !! !!!!
(Dunno wot the deal is on the "canned fuel" but its clearly a Big Deal for Instant Starting, etc.
Maybe its "Completely Synthetic" stuff? ???
Bet you experts out there no! !!
Hint Hint .....)

[GONRA]

FredBuddy - GONRA HIGHLY recommends Stihl e-z pulls / CANNED FUEL as ya get older / weaker / etc.
>>> Don't cheep out and drive yersef nuts mixing yer own 2 sroke fuel anymore.... <<< !! !!!!

[ioon44]

I am 73 and have been using Husqvarna for the last 25 years, currently have a 450 with 16" bar, so far, I don't have any problems starting it or mixing fuel.

[firefly1957]

I have a 4375 watt max. 3500 watt constant load H.F. generator I put on a trailer pulled by lawn tractor, for use around the property I use it to run a 110 volt pole saw and chain saw. The generator starts very easy at 67 I no longer lift it on trailer but use ramps or tilt the trailer . Though small the 3500 watts constant runs the entire house when power is out and it is very quiet!
I have a larger Coleman generator I quit using it because it is so very loud I even added a muffle with little sound reduction!

I worry about those rechargeable lithium batteries they cost more then some of the tools and there is a fire risk with them that is more then the older Ni-Cad batteries . I have a new Drill & impact Driver that has a smart charger that monitors temperature of both charging area and battery and shut off if to cold or hot for safety.

I do have a total of 5 chain saws the newest is a Husky made for sears in 2005 (though Husky will deny that) it does cut better then electric , The other I use is a McCullough 65 CC and it really cuts well . The other are quite old but will still run two are Pioneer one has a O.M.C. name on it the third is a Clinton 6 H.P. Chain saw all three of those are very heavy!

[dverna]

Some of the new battery saws are decent tools. Unless someone is doing a lot of cutting, they are good option. This is especially true if you need a saw to deal with a fallen tree or large limb that happens occasionally. Nice to not have any issues with fue, and starting. The low noise is another plus.

Last year I sold the Husqvarna 455. I kept the Shindaiwa 488 just in case. But for quick jobs, a cheap HF 40V Lynxx gets used the most.

I am looking at an upgraded battery saw and waiting for a good deal on one. I wish DeWalt made a twin 20V battery saw as I have a lot of their 20V tools. I do not believe their 20V saw is powerful enough for my needs and their 60V saw is over $300. By the time I add a second battery the 60V option comes to over $500.

Right now, looking for a spare battery for the Lynxx. It is a cheap saw but works not too badly.

[10x]

I have a Homelite XL super 2 that has been dependable for 42 years. 16" bar and I have worn out 2 bars and many chains.
I upgraded to a Husqvarna saw 6 years ago - nice saw, runs faster than the Homelite, the chain oiler does not leak and it is more reliable starting.
the Homelite runs 20:1, the Husqvarna runs 50:1, I use synthetic oil in both and run premium (zero alcohol) fuel
I dump the fuel out of the carb and pump the button a couple of times for storage and the Husqvarna starts first pull on new fuel .
the Homelite starts second or third pull, and it also needs fuel dumped out for storage.
I hold the kill button and give 3 or 4 pulls to get the fuel out of the carb so the carb does not gum up.
It seems to work well.
I have two 117V AC electric saws, They also work well when the teeth are sharp and the rakers are set to the correct height.
Electric can not compete with internal combustion, and battery powered gives you 20-30 minutes of careful cutting power.

[Lloyd Smale]

Some of the new battery saws are decent tools. Unless someone is doing a lot of cutting, they are good option. This is especially true if you need a saw to deal with a fallen tree or large limb that happens occasionally. Nice to not have any issues with fue, and starting. The low noise is another plus.

Last year I sold the Husqvarna 455. I kept the Shindaiwa 488 just in case. But for quick jobs, a cheap HF 40V Lynxx gets used the most.

I am looking at an upgraded battery saw and waiting for a good deal on one. I wish DeWalt made a twin 20V battery saw as I have a lot of their 20V tools. I do not believe their 20V saw is powerful enough for my needs and their 60V saw is over $300. By the time I add a second battery the 60V option comes to over $500.

Right now, looking for a spare battery for the Lynxx. It is a cheap saw but works not too badly.

depends on what you use it for don. if your going to cut your firewood for the year dont waste your money on any battery saw. even if you have 10 batterys i just dont know how long they would last using them that much. what there for is cutting up a tree that fell in the yard or across the road or tree trimming. like i said when i bought a second battery saw it was a 20vt dewalt because like you i already have many 20vt dewalt batterys and the dewalt saw cost less then a second battery for my stihl. its a tiny bit slower cutting then the stihl but youd have to run them side by side to notice it. battery life is better in the stihl but because it has a honking big heavy battery. like i said i have lots of dewalt batterys and just carry spares. its in a duffle bag in the back of the jeep with a dewalt 1/2" drive impact and a dewalt compressor that all use the same batterys. the stihl stays home and is used around the house. all that said the 20vt dewalt works fine for what a battery saw is good for. just bring extra batteries and not those junk clone batteries and dont bother with any batteries under 5ah

[dverna]

depends on what you use it for don. if your going to cut your firewood for the year dont waste your money on any battery saw. even if you have 10 batterys i just dont know how long they would last using them that much. what there for is cutting up a tree that fell in the yard or across the road or tree trimming. like i said when i bought a second battery saw it was a 20vt dewalt because like you i already have many 20vt dewalt batterys and the dewalt saw cost less then a second battery for my stihl. its a tiny bit slower cutting then the stihl but youd have to run them side by side to notice it. battery life is better in the stihl but because it has a honking big heavy battery. like i said i have lots of dewalt batterys and just carry spares. its in a duffle bag in the back of the jeep with a dewalt 1/2" drive impact and a dewalt compressor that all use the same batterys. the stihl stays home and is used around the house. all that said the 20vt dewalt works fine for what a battery saw is good for. just bring extra batteries and not those junk clone batteries and dont bother with any batteries under 5ah

Lloyd,

This is what I use for putting up firewood:

https://valleeforestryequipment.com/product/firewood-processor-27-tons-deluxe/?v=7516fd43adaa

It has a hydraulic saw and I added a log table that hold enough logs to process a face cord at a time.

Thanks for the comments on the DeWalt 20V's. I may just pull the trigger on one. It is impossible to get spare batteries for the HF saw.

[DCB]

Don Thats how you do it, /My ole 28t Huskee with a single wedge is pretty slow. i did 2 ricks the other day and I had about 4 hours tied up just in splitting.

[FredBuddy]

Well, friends, I settled on the Stihl e-z pull.
It is amazing easy to start and pairs well with
the canned gas I use in other equipment.
Now I'm on the same page as GONRA !

Thanks to all for contributing your experience.

[farmbif]

I got one of those 180's with ez pull used at a pawn shop about 10 years ago worked great every time I pulled it out till last year. pulled the carburetor and tried to rebuild it. still would not run. got a new carb for about $15 on amazon I think , put it in and started on about 2nd pull and is still going strong. its very convenient being very light, starts right up and enough power to cut stuff as long as the bar. big difference in cutting speed and power compared to the ms261, 360 or 044 but for what it is gets lots of workout and still going strong after more than 10 years. the only other work or maintainace done to the 180 is air and gas filters, changed and sharpened genuine stihl chains and flipped the bar a few times and I did have to clean out the spark arrestor screen in the muffler after it got built up with carbon deposits.
I only use non ethanol 93 octane from farmers coop mixed with stihl oil in the orange bottle
husky does make a saw every bit as good as stihl. big difference compared to poulan, craftsman ect. ive had a few and my experience by the time you get one started your a pulling pro.

[Lloyd Smale]

Lloyd,

This is what I use for putting up firewood:

https://valleeforestryequipment.com/product/firewood-processor-27-tons-deluxe/?v=7516fd43adaa

It has a hydraulic saw and I added a log table that hold enough logs to process a face cord at a time.

Thanks for the comments on the DeWalt 20V's. I may just pull the trigger on one. It is impossible to get spare batteries for the HF saw.

my son in law has a more industrial version of those that works with his skid steer. pretty cool it about cuts and splits as fast as you load it and dumps it right in the trailer. but he sells cut and split wood. i havent burned wood in over 10 years but if i was to go back id serious look at one like yours.

[Finster101]

My buddy bought the 60V DeWalt saw when his gas saw died after Hurricane Ian. I was the with my 16" Echo gas saw and I will say the DeWalt matched it in cutting ability. We were going through 14-16 inch limbs on downed oak trees. When we got to the trunks we had to go around the trees for multiple cuts since we only had 16" bars, but it's all firewood being seasoned now. That 60V made me a believer. He also had a 20v 8" pole saw that worked flawless as well.

[shooterg]

Expect with some work the Dewalt battery adapters might be retrofitted to the HF tools ? Less than 10 bucks on the interweb - I used one to adapt the Dewalt battery to run my grandsons little John Deere battery powered tractor.

[FergusonTO35]

Just found one at Lowes. Wanted a 12 inch bar and was looking for a short bar and chain for my poulan but for 125.00 I thought it was a good deal. Was used by the store, still had gas and oil in it but was on the shelf? I’m sure that was a violation of some sort. Ive used it several times and found that you don’t have to choke it after you've run it and then sat it down for a while. If you do it floods and won’t restart. 319156

What model is that, a 135? Really good for a low cost saw. Are you happy with how it runs? Sounds like it has no problem with a hot start. Get a Husky X-Cut chain for it and you'll be impressed. Holla at me if you need any help, I've been using and repairing small engines since I was a kid.

[GregLaROCHE]

I’ve had mostly Huskies for over forty years. Hard to recall how many I had. Easy to start and they would run for years. I bought one of the first electronic models. Cut really well and was good on gas, but it was very difficult to start. Finally someone was using it to cut some firewood for me. It malfunctioned and started running really fast. I could hear it in the distance, but there was nothing I could do. It trashed the cylinder. I bought another the same size hoping they had the bugs worked out. It’s often almost impossible to start at times too. I swear if I buy another, it will be a Sthil.

On another note, my wife uses a Ryobi battery chainsaw and it’s amazing how much wood she cuts around the house for our cook stove. It seems to stay sharpened for a long time too.

[indian joe]

I have a stihl 026 - bought over 20 years ago -
of late been using cheap Chinese saws - they cost me about what a bar and chain for the Stihl costs - dont last - the Chinese havent figured out how to make a petrol tank that stays together - and the cheap fuel lines disintegrate and need replacing - but they start better (first pull most times) than the old Stihl ever did - similar weight - bigger engine - nice to use and the later ones come with an easy start - that can be replaced for a bit over 20 bucks - most of these come with a skinny (top to bottom) 20 inch bar - hard to keep those cutting straight but if you can get same saw with a 16 inch blade they are really good - skip tooth chain too if you can get it. Have three of these in work now, one with a tungsten chain for nasty stuff, the Stihl comes along for the ride but doesnt get a start most times anymore.

[MrWolf]

I have a Husqvarna 455 Rancher. Great saw except she started leaking oil real bad when it sits. Guess that is another project for the list. Never gave me any problems all these years.