August 22, 2010
Mike
Lincoln, MA
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Husqvarna 435 saw
The last Husqvarna we owned lasted over 10 years and cut something like 40 to 50 cords with very little maintenance. At one point, under heavy use, the plastic starter-wheel broke. I noticed that on this newer 435 saw, the plastic wheel is a larger diameter, thus there is less force on it.
Nevertheless the user manual gives good advice. Pull the cord slowly until the starter pawls engage, then pull sharply. This is important because the engine simply will not start unless the cord is pulled very sharply. And pulling sharply without engaging the pawls first is likely to wear-out and/or break the plastic wheel.
When I first got this saw it would not start. Eventually we discovered that the spark-plug gap was too deep, and was probably never adjusted to spec by the dealer. Even still, this Husky is more difficult to start than others past, and I'm not exactly sure why. Perhaps the magneto is a bit undersized. Perhaps it's just a lean running engine.
The emissions of the 435 are approved for California. The engine must use some sort of lean-burn technology because this 2.2 HP saw will run for 1 hour on just a 1 1/2 cups of fuel, that's 12 fl.oz., the volume of a soda can or a typical coffee mug.
With a very sharp (new) chain, the performance of this saw is amazing. The issue I have is that the stock chain dulls after just an hour or two. To maintain acceptable performance on this chain, it is important to sharpen both the top and side of the tooth, and file down the depth-gauges to spec. This is tedious work to do for all 66 teeth but it saves time later when sawing.
At first glance, the newly designed plastic lever for the choke appeared flimsy and weak, but so far (after a few months of use) it has not been an issue. The extensive use of plastic is probably just to reduce weight.
When I first started sawing, I did not want a saw any heavier than 10 lbs, so the 435 was a good choice. However, after sawing several times a month, I've gotten used to the weight, and now I prefer a heavier, more powerful saw.
So to prospective buyers I would say that if you plan to saw a lot, and/or you expect to strengthen your biceps, then I would recommend choosing a larger saw.
Of course, one should always cut in a way that avoids pinching the bar, and especially pinching the tip of the bar, since this can damage the bearing and destroy the bar. I learned this the hard way, and had to purchase a new bar.
Having extra chains on hand is not really necessary, only a convenience in some cases. For instance if you prefer to sharpen multiple chains at once, and/or you prefer to saw with multiple sharp chains. The last Husqvarna we owned lasted over 10 years and cut something like 40 to 50 cords with very little maintenance. At one point, under heavy use, the plastic starter-wheel broke. I noticed that on this newer 435 saw, the plastic wheel is a larger diameter, thus there is less force on it.
Nevertheless the user manual gives good advice. Pull the cord slowly until the starter pawls engage, then pull sharply. This is important because the engine simply will not start unless the cord is pulled very sharply. And pulling sharply without engaging the pawls first is likely to we... more
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