Richard D.South Australia
- 2 reviews
Used and abused for 20 years.
Bought this saw brand new in 2000 as we had moved onto acreage and the Husky 45 special was just too small for the red gum I had available. At the time it was a pricey saw just under a thousand dollars. There is no decompression with this model, so starting is not fun for the weak of arm. It needs a powerful few pulls to prime up and it will snatch back hard if you are half hearted about it. Once started it is rock solid and will start easily with a drop or ground start when warm. I have always stuck with the 20 inch bar and cut timber up ...Read more
to 36" as needed - I have rarely had the luxury of cutting green or soft timber so this saw is basically hammered through hard abrasive Oz timber all the time. In the whole time I have had the saw I've serviced it myself apart from an annual dealer service, always run quality synthetic lube at 40:1 and name brand chain and bar oil. Fuel always mixed at the time and dosed with Sta-bil. Mostly I've run 95 octane in recent years to avoid ethanol. I have no idea if using fuel that may have had ethanol in it caused the early demise of the fuel pickup tubing in the early years, about year three and five from memory but since I have strictly stuck to 95 fuel and dosed it the current pickup is fifteen years old. Only other fault I had was in the first few months when changing the chain one of the studs wound out - took it back to the dealer and they fixed it cheerfully, never had an issue since. Gone through three or four drive sprockets, about ten bars and I have no idea how many chains... Never bothered hotting up or fiddling as it does just fine dead stock for me, I tune a little on the rich side to cover hot days and really can't feel that the saw is weaker than new, certainly gets through the same volume of wood in a day as it ever has - not sure if I can say the same about myself... I sharpen my chains on a machine now days and generally have three or four spares ready to go. When out cutting wood I just swap out chains as they lose sharpness and no longer sharpen in the field - way faster and keeps the momentum going. I had this saw rattling around in the tray of the ute for years ready to clear a fence or road, didn't worry about it getting wet or sunburned, I probably strip and clean the saw up once a year so it tends to look very uncared for, and I should clean the air filter much more often. But every time I grab it it fires up and does whatever is asked of it. Keeping the chain tension right is a bit of an art form. Always pays to have the chain tension loosened of when finished to avoid it tightening up and straining or bending the crank. When I first use it even though the tension is bang on to start with it will slacken off significantly after the first few cuts so regular adjustment is needed. Only time I fitted a 24" bar it was too big, unless you run a skip tooth chain which would let you probably run a much longer bar - realistically this is a serious domestic saw, but it is not a professional saw. As this one ages I admit to considering picking up another one second hand rather than going for the latest model - this one has been so reliable it is hard to see how a new one can improve matters. A decompression device would be nice as I head into my late fifties, so far so good though - really that's the only grizzle I've ever had with this saw, starting requires total commitment. Everything else has been fantastic.Purchased in June 2021 for A$899.00.
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MS390 GET ONE IF YOU CAN, EVEN SECOND HAND ! BEST EVER
Got my MS390 5 years ago, been cutting Australian Hardwood to fuel our furnace which heats a large Queenslander home. We get down to minus 11c in winter outside. This saw has not missed a beat and we go through a lot of wood! My wife likes the house very, very warm. Would not swop this saw for a new model, just replace anything that needs it. Keep up the oil. Mods done, Polish the ports & open up the muffler and "super tuned" (google it). Run a full chisel teeth and keep them sharp. If you can persuade someone to sell you one second hand, grab it with both hands.
Purchased in January 2021 at private seller for A$600.00.
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Other Petrol Chainsaws
Stihl MS 170 / 171 MiniBoss
4.0(58)Husqvarna 395XP
4.5(14)Stihl MS 381
4.1(18)Shindaiwa 488 / 488P
4.4(7)Stihl chainsaw is a disgrace
I bought a Stihl chainsaw 3 years ago. Didn't use it much because I didn't have time. Now I'm retired and have trees that need cut. Got it out of my climate controlled garage, and the housing cracked when I started to use it. Bar oil just runs out of it. Took it to dealer to find out the housing costs as much as the saw did. I haven't cut 2 chords of wood with it. It is junk. I will never buy a Stihl product. This saw is very disappointing.
Purchased in August 2021 at Stihl Dealer for A$399.00.
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Find out how Stihl MS 390 compares to other Petrol Chainsaws
Know better, choose better.
Fantastic saw
Owned my 390 since 2008 it’s always started and cut over 100 ton of hardwood, jarra, stringy bark yellow box iron wood black wood white gum
It’s always started you have to follow the procedure
Choke on pull till it has the first fire then flick the choke to fast idle put chain break on then it starts flick the accelerator and it idles
I always clean the air filter and measure my oil with a measuring cup to 5 litres of petrol
After use I always take the bar off and clean with compressed air I run a file across the teeth at 30-35 degrees to sharpen only 2 passes needed
I've never taken it in to a dealer iv changed the plug once in 10 years
I just cut 10 ton of wood this week thought how good this saw is !!!
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Stihl - Excellent chainsaws
We bought two of these saws. Used both for cutting wood all day long. Sharpen one while the one one is cutting. Used a 20" blade for low down torque. Excellent saws. Had them for years now and never let us down. Yes they can be a bit temperamental, but what chainsaws don't? Far better than any other brand I've owed. Crushed oleo-mac it was that bad... Great saws, still have them. For those who don't know how to start them, push the fuel primer six times, then pull the choke and pull start until it wants to start. Then push it back in and pull start. It should start every time like this. Had these saws for many years now and very seldom had an issue if you follow this procedure given by dealer.
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wish I would have never bought it!
Really hard to start in any weather. Floods fast. Like Luke said, "shop shelf decoration". some tell you to pull it ounce on full choke, ounce on half choke, then switch to run, and it will start. Wrong! Others say, pull on full choke till fake start, then on half, at witch point it will start. then release the trigger back to idle. Wrong!
No wonder they discontinued it. Also went through an ignition coil before it had 50 hours on it.
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Good
Would give it five stars if it wasn't so difficult to start when cold. It even drives a 25 inch bar which is handy for large trees. I can't remember when I bought it but it must be at least five years ago. I don't envisage needing another saw for a long time. It is very robust and forgiving.
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CROCO29AU
- 8 reviews
- 3 likes
The legend lives on
I had my farm boss 390 for 6 years now and its been a good performer, I have used it to cut yellow box and other hardwoods and it performs well, I find it has plenty of power for the toughest timbers.
The farm boss resonably easy to hold on to for a large saw and isnt too heavy, which is a plus when using it all day, I havent had anything go wrong with it in 6 years, only the chain sharpened, which is a must if you want top performance out of your saw.
Stihl after sales is another great thing that I like you can get service for them just a...Read more
bout anywhere, thers a stihl dealership in every town. Now heres my gripe this would have to be one of the hardest thing to start out of all my small engines on the farm,my fathers old 40 yearold +chainsaw is easier to start than my farm boss is, you push the decompression button in and set the choke lever in the right position and it seems to kick back and just about rips your arm off and then you got too push the decompression button back in and do the process over again and then its a lottery if it will flood or not, so please stihl make the next model easy to start, I have got the knack to a point, but its still a lottery if it will start good for me without flooding. In general the farm boss has been a good saw.Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
Questions & Answers
Cautious wifeasked
Why don’t they make the MS 390 anymore? Did this model have a safety issue? Did it have machanical issues that caused it to be discontinued? We recently purchased one second hand and I am having trouble finding parts for it. It runs great now but if parts have to be ordered are the parts for the ms 391 compatible to the ms 390? It also came with the Rollomatic Es guide bar that is 25 in. I have learned after my research this is not the origina guide bar for this machine. Will this cause any safety issues? My husband is experienced with chainsaws. I am only wondering because he will be using this more often to cut down and slab cedar and cypress trees and the occasional problem branch/tree for family and friends.
3 answers
After having a n MS390 for over five years and it having a hard life, In my humble opinion they stopped making them because no one in their right mind would ever part with the old MS390. Best machine ever ! As a manufacturer they need you to keep buying NEW machines. It is call Built in redundancy.
I'd agree with that, hundreds of tonnes of gnarly Oz hardwood cut with a very reliable Farmboss. Used up many chains and four or five bars now plus a couple or three spark plugs and drive sprockets - only issue I have had in the 20 odd years I've had it are a couple of fuel pickup tubes. That's it. Always run Stihl oils and mix fuel on the day or close to it. Used it for two seasons cutting firewood for sale and frankly don't look after it at all well but it seems to love it... Mines pre de-compression button so if you don't get it to turn over smartly when cold it bites back - starting is not for the weedy of arm that's for sure. Once warm can drop start with no real effort although use that technique with discretion if at all...
Just some friendly advice- drop starting affects the shoulder girdle. You are better off holding the chainsaw handle between your knees with the left hand bracing the saw. The right hand pulls the starter.
Cheers
Adrocketasked
What's the best bar size for ms390 and am I struggling to cut hardwood coz of a 20 inch bar and semi chisel chain?
1 answer
Go 20 inch but full chisel, but be mindfull of the increased kick back risk. It will bite much better.
Other Petrol Chainsaws
Stihl MS 170 / 171 MiniBoss
4.0(58)Husqvarna 395XP
4.5(14)Stihl MS 381
4.1(18)Shindaiwa 488 / 488P
4.4(7)Echo CS-352ES
5.0(1)Husqvarna 390 XP
5.0(1)Shindaiwa 452s
5.0(2)Efco 162
5.0(1)Makita DCS231T
4.5(4)Baumr-AG SX45 MK II
4.0(1)Stihl MS 181
3.6(7)Husqvarna 445 E-Series
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