Bogie's MS661 chainsaw build - Page 2

Thumper · 02-02-2024, 12:05 PM

I have an MS660 clone saw (Holz G660). I put a 24" bar on it, but it should be longer! After numerous heat cycles mid-Winter at 25:1, I dropped to 30:1 and begin using it a year and a half ago. It is amazing (oregon bar and chain). The thing has remarkable compression. I use that compression release button!
HolzG660.JPG
In fact, I was so amazed, I bought a 70cc class Husqvarna clonesaw- the Holz G372XP Pro. I don't have many hours on it yet, but It was so easy to tune these saws and they start easily and rip through wood. The top quality bar and chains do help

372Pro.JPG

So I got a little arborist Joncutter CSG 2500 25cc clone for under $100.

The thing is balls of fire, easy one handed limbing from a ladder. It came with a bar and chain!
1hpArboristLimber.JPG

When I need to refresh the top end on these saws, I will do some porting, but for now, I have RANGE!

bogieboy · 02-02-2024, 12:16 PM

@Thumper the clone saws are decent, keep an eye on the fuel lines and intake boots though, they are known to dry out rather quickly...

as for range, i also have a stihl MS170, MS280, an old mccullugh Mac 1-10, and a poulan 1800 top handle... i got range too...LOL

Thumper · 02-02-2024, 02:54 PM

That MS280 looks like a versatile saw. I had the equivalent Husqvarna Rancher. It was difficult to deal with the three-staged on/off/choke lever, was hard to start. The rubber mounting was way too soft and flexible, so the bar would bounce, even with a good sharp chain! I got $300 for it (with couple of new chains) and it paid for the 372 clone powerhead. That bar certainly does not bounce, but it is a bigger and heavier saw. I am left with no 50cc saw/16" bar! The 372 and teeny 2500 will have to do for now.

bogieboy · 02-02-2024, 03:01 PM

for its size, the MS280 can hit way above its pay grade, with a simple muffler mod it can pull a full chisel 3/8 chain on a 20" bar... not quite as fast as the 044 does, but it works...LOL not sure i am gonna keep the ms280 though, because why wouldn't i run the ported 044 now? LOL i currently have an 18" .325 bar on it, but it has almost no use...LOL the downsides to the saw are its a "homeowner" saw, and its case is half plastic, vs the pro saws from stihl being full cast magnesium, for more strength, and light weight... its also hard to get parts for, as it was a fairly short run saw, with mostly proprietary parts... and no aftermarket support... most all of the pro saws have some aftermarket support, upto and including complete kits...LOL

bogieboy · 03-17-2024, 07:56 PM

Got to run the 661 again this past week, figured go big or go home now... fabbed a bark box style muffler cover, and threw the .404 skip tooth square ground full chisel chain on it... (thats stihl 46RSLF if anyones wondering) and set it into some wood again... easy logs to get to were spruce this time...

bogieboy · 03-21-2024, 10:37 PM

As happenstance would have it, i aquired one of the bucket list saws today to complete out my saws... tree guy mildly blew up a low hr ms194t, and gave it to me, as the RIGHT way to fix it is a new jug and slug, totalling about $375 with labor, for a $450 saw...

However, the RIGHT way and the BOGIE way are 2 different things... so the damage to the saw is that the piston. Ring snapped and lodged in/gouged out one of the transfer ports... put a chip in the wall/plating, as well as chipped a tiny spot on the piston crown... smooth out the chips and get every thing back round, and now you have one transfer port with slightly longer duration than stock...LOL slap a new ring (from a chinese bore kit i had for another saw model that used the same size rings) and stick it all back together... and she runs!

bogieboy · 03-22-2024, 07:39 PM

Aaaaaand it stayed stock precisely 23 hrs in my posession....LOL muffler mod and a 6° timing advance really open this thing up.... its pulling a 3/8 low profile chain, full chisel with a nasty hook filed in it for more bite... according to stihl, this saw isnt supposed to have this chain because it cant pull it.... hehehe

02-02-2024, 12:05 PM	#16
Thumper Join Date: Feb 2021 Location: Kansas City Posts: 2,195	I have an MS660 clone saw (Holz G660). I put a 24" bar on it, but it should be longer! After numerous heat cycles mid-Winter at 25:1, I dropped to 30:1 and begin using it a year and a half ago. It is amazing (oregon bar and chain). The thing has remarkable compression. I use that compression release button! HolzG660.JPG In fact, I was so amazed, I bought a 70cc class Husqvarna clonesaw- the Holz G372XP Pro. I don't have many hours on it yet, but It was so easy to tune these saws and they start easily and rip through wood. The top quality bar and chains do help 372Pro.JPG So I got a little arborist Joncutter CSG 2500 25cc clone for under $100. The thing is balls of fire, easy one handed limbing from a ladder. It came with a bar and chain! 1hpArboristLimber.JPG When I need to refresh the top end on these saws, I will do some porting, but for now, I have RANGE! __________________ -2022 5 speed Templar X Orange, OEM 51T rear sprocket, 14T front sprocket -NOS 2020 KTM 250SX (2-stroke motocross), less than 10 hours on it
	1

02-02-2024, 02:54 PM	#18
Thumper Join Date: Feb 2021 Location: Kansas City Posts: 2,195	That MS280 looks like a versatile saw. I had the equivalent Husqvarna Rancher. It was difficult to deal with the three-staged on/off/choke lever, was hard to start. The rubber mounting was way too soft and flexible, so the bar would bounce, even with a good sharp chain! I got $300 for it (with couple of new chains) and it paid for the 372 clone powerhead. That bar certainly does not bounce, but it is a bigger and heavier saw. I am left with no 50cc saw/16" bar! The 372 and teeny 2500 will have to do for now. __________________ -2022 5 speed Templar X Orange, OEM 51T rear sprocket, 14T front sprocket -NOS 2020 KTM 250SX (2-stroke motocross), less than 10 hours on it
	0

02-02-2024, 12:16 PM	#17
bogieboy Join Date: May 2013 Location: finger lakes NY Posts: 2,042	@Thumper the clone saws are decent, keep an eye on the fuel lines and intake boots though, they are known to dry out rather quickly... as for range, i also have a stihl MS170, MS280, an old mccullugh Mac 1-10, and a poulan 1800 top handle... i got range too...LOL
	2

02-02-2024, 03:01 PM	#19
bogieboy Join Date: May 2013 Location: finger lakes NY Posts: 2,042	for its size, the MS280 can hit way above its pay grade, with a simple muffler mod it can pull a full chisel 3/8 chain on a 20" bar... not quite as fast as the 044 does, but it works...LOL not sure i am gonna keep the ms280 though, because why wouldn't i run the ported 044 now? LOL i currently have an 18" .325 bar on it, but it has almost no use...LOL the downsides to the saw are its a "homeowner" saw, and its case is half plastic, vs the pro saws from stihl being full cast magnesium, for more strength, and light weight... its also hard to get parts for, as it was a fairly short run saw, with mostly proprietary parts... and no aftermarket support... most all of the pro saws have some aftermarket support, upto and including complete kits...LOL
	0

03-17-2024, 07:56 PM	#20
bogieboy Join Date: May 2013 Location: finger lakes NY Posts: 2,042	Got to run the 661 again this past week, figured go big or go home now... fabbed a bark box style muffler cover, and threw the .404 skip tooth square ground full chisel chain on it... (thats stihl 46RSLF if anyones wondering) and set it into some wood again... easy logs to get to were spruce this time...
	2