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Stihl MS290 (Farm Boss)??

A

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member
Hey Folks,
I have an MS250 and like it real well but always have the urge to get something bigger. I want to buy the last saw I'll ever need. No great big stuff (max 12 inch) and conditions would be mostly cutting delivered wood or trees that are already cut and laying by the right of way.
Thought about a 270 wood boss but it costs more than the 290 and I don't know enough to make a smart comparison.
Will the MS 290 take care of me and be reliable or should I look at something else?
Stihl is real expensive over here (MS 290 costs right at $1000) so I'll have my buddy pick up one and mail it to me after I get enough advice to decide.

Thanks, Dave
 
My FIL has the 029 super stihl, basically the same saw as the ms290, great saw, never had any problems with it. I think as long as youdo the maint, and the upkeep and run the correct gas oil ratio in them they are a bullet proof saw! Plenty of power for any thnig you would want to cut im sure, I have the older 028 super wood boss with a 20 inch bar on it, little smaller than the ms290 but i aint afraid to cut anything down with it! Bob
 
(quoted from post at 13:27:33 09/21/10) Hey Folks,
I have an MS250 and like it real well but always have the urge to get something bigger. I want to buy the last saw I'll ever need. No great big stuff (max 12 inch) and conditions would be mostly cutting delivered wood or trees that are already cut and laying by the right of way.
Thought about a 270 wood boss but it costs more than the 290 and I don't know enough to make a smart comparison.
Will the MS 290 take care of me and be reliable or should I look at something else?
Stihl is real expensive over here (MS 290 costs right at $1000) so I'll have my buddy pick up one and mail it to me after I get enough advice to decide.

Thanks, Dave
Click to expand...

I have an MS310 and man it works great.
 
(quoted from post at 05:27:33 09/21/10) Hey Folks,
I have an MS250 and like it real well but always have the urge to get something bigger. I want to buy the last saw I'll ever need. No great big stuff (max 12 inch) and conditions would be mostly cutting delivered wood or trees that are already cut and laying by the right of way.
Thought about a 270 wood boss but it costs more than the 290 and I don't know enough to make a smart comparison.
Will the MS 290 take care of me and be reliable or should I look at something else?
Stihl is real expensive over here (MS 290 costs right at $1000) so I'll have my buddy pick up one and mail it to me after I get enough advice to decide.

Thanks, Dave
Click to expand...

The 290 has a plastic crankcase and is not a great saw. It's just marketed towards the weekend user. I have a 280 and a Dolmar 5100. The Dolmar will outwork the 280 3 to 1, and the 280 is a better saw than the 290.
 
I also have an MS250 and have a similar desire for a bigger saw. My issue power to weight ratio, I don't want to carry around a heavier saw just to get a little more power.

The MS290 is about 27% more powerful than yours, but is also 30% heavier. I don't think reliability is a problem, but if you are only cutting 12" logs do you really want to lug around that much more weight?

If you are happy with the MS250, consider an MS260. It costs about $520, as compared to $360 for the MS290. The MS260 is a professional grade saw with 6% more power than the MS250, but no more weight. An MS362 might not be a bad choice either if $660 doesn't scare you away. It has 53% more power than your current saw for only 30% more weight.

The conclusion I came to, was that unless I get a good deal on a used saw it wasn't worth the money to upgrade.
 
IIRC, the 290, 310, and 390 all weigh the same. Never knew why anyone would carry a 290, when the 390 has more power, at same weight. I looked at all three, but ended up buying a 361. It is a professional grade saw, aluminum crankcase, and lots more power. It is also lighter than any of the saws you mentioned.
 
The 290 has an aluminum crankcase. The plastic tank housing covers it up. I have worked at a Stihl dealership for over 30 years. Stihl never made a saw with a plastic crankcase.
 
Dave. Another stihl saw, one my son has and won"t let me run it's an 044(seriously)lol. Had issue with gas using lower rating then saw required. Lost piston,head.Took it to J.Deere dealer. wanted $500.00 to fix the saw. Said it cost more to repair then it was worth. B.S. Went to a place that carrys same brand and got the new head,piston gaskets etc for $200.00.took the saw apart replaced the damaged head piston etc. Put it back together and it"s been going now for the last 8 years,No problem.What a saw!! My son cuts in excess of 10 loggers cord every year plus down and leaning trees.Like A Hot knife through butter.Sthil makes a dandy saw. Luck in getting one on the cheap.You know, I like the looks of the sthill saw with a 6ft guide bar. Oregon timber cutters saws. Still cant use the saw. lol.
LOU.
 
To be perfectly honest, your ms250 is the last saw you will ever need. If what you say is true about your cutting conditions, that current saw will work just fine. We have an 025 (similar model, different numbers) with a 16" bar that we have been using for close to 15 years now. Primary use is in a small pecan orchard cutting up limbs and firewood, as well as felling trees up to two feet across. Your current saw will do all of this, including everything you listed in your post.

With that said, it is your money and your saw. If a bigger chainsaw makes you happy, by all means go ahead and get one. I'm sure you will enjoy it.

Kevin
 
Was starting to worry about you; haven't heard from you in a while.

The MS 290 Farm Boss will cut everything you need at 12 inch maximum diameter.

We use ours on the "heavier" limbs and logs we drag up to the house.

It is used to cut only the wood that we split.

Hope this helps.
 
(quoted from post at 09:35:01 09/21/10) To be perfectly honest, your ms250 is the last saw you will ever need. If what you say is true about your cutting conditions, that current saw will work just fine. We have an 025 (similar model, different numbers) with a 16" bar that we have been using for close to 15 years now. Primary use is in a small pecan orchard cutting up limbs and firewood, as well as felling trees up to two feet across. Your current saw will do all of this, including everything you listed in your post.

With that said, it is your money and your saw. If a bigger chainsaw makes you happy, by all means go ahead and get one. I'm sure you will enjoy it.

Kevin
Click to expand...

Twist my arm and make me save some money will ya???

I'll just run mine til it's wore out (or I am)...

Thanks,

Dave
 
(quoted from post at 08:07:48 09/21/10) The 290 has an aluminum crankcase. The plastic tank housing covers it up. I have worked at a Stihl dealership for over 30 years. Stihl never made a saw with a plastic crankcase.
Click to expand...

Nope. You're all wrong.

You'd think with over 30 years of experience you'd know these things, but the crankcase in indeed plastic. I know you'd never admit it as a dealer, but the 290 is a junk saw designed for and marketed towards the suburban guy who will start it three or four times a year. It is a high profit item, and that's why the dealers push it.
 
I have a 6 year old MS290 with a 16 inch bar. I sell around 30 cord of firewood per year and this is the only saw I own. The only thing I have ever done to it is have the gas line changed. Great saw, more than enough power.
 
I've got an 044 myself and I LOVE it! I cut hardwoods, (oak, hedge and locust) and 3 people can't drag off the brush and pick up the small stuff fast enough to keep up with me, let alone split anything. That said, if a 290 is $1000 where Dave is , I don't even want to guess what a MS-440 would cost.
 
Matt - I had pretty much the same impression as you about it being marketed toward weekend warriors. After reading your post I had to see for myself and looked on ebay at the parts listed for MS290 and agree that the body of the saw is plastic. The fuel/oil tanks are molded right into it. The same frame is used for the MS310 and MS390, which explains why they all weight about the same. Inside this frame lies the aluminum jug and pan. So, yes the part that holds the crankshaft is metal, but the rest of it is plastic.

Incidentally, the MS250 saws that Dave and I have use the same design structure. It simplifies the design and reduces weight.
 
He also mentioned he would have a buddy ship one to him, impling he might get it from the states. At the very least he can use the prices for comparison. If it's double in price here, it won't be cheaper there...
 
The 290 is a heavy saw for the displacement and does cost less than the 250 IIRC. There is a reason for this. The 260 is a real good saw but also really pricey. When I looked at saws about 5 years ago, I went with a Husqvarna 55 Rancher. The dealer sold Huskies and Stihl and that was their only business. The one guy there said he usually recommends Stihl over Husky for the smaller saws except in the case of the 55 Rancher. It's discontinued now, but at the time, it had been in production for a long time because everyone really liked it. The salesman said it was the best saw for the money and quite a bit cheaper than the Stihl equivelant (MS250). Dave
 
If you're going to the trouble of shipping a saw from the US, go with the MS260. Same power as the MS290, but lighter. I have an 029 (older version of the MS290), and although it will last me the rest of my life, I really regret not spending a little more money for the 026 (aka MS260).
 
(quoted from post at 11:25:13 09/21/10) Dave is across the BIG pond, so those prices aren't correct for him.
Click to expand...

That's why I have someone send me stuff from home.......The exchange rate was a little weaker then, but my MS250 cost $229 and $15 to mail it. Had it in a week and saved $500.

Dave
 
MS361. It's a bit smaller displacement but it's a pro grade saw. The 390 is a mid grade. If you need heavier I think I'd go with the MS440 or MS441.
The 361 is a 55cc, the 390 is I think 65 cc and the 440/441 is ~72cc...
I find that unless you're consistently cutting wood large enough to fully use a 16" bar then the 361 is enough. It really only powers out when the bar is fully utilized...

Rod
 
Take one apart. The pieces that contain tha crankshaft and bearings are CAST ALUMINUM, not plastic. The tank or engine housing is plastic. The sealed parts of the engine are cast. As I said, take one apart and then tell me the piece that contains the crank and bearings is plastic.
 
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