Went on a wee road trip yesterday, to pick up what was described to me as a one owner 281XP, wearing a 20" bar 3/8 chain- only known fault was a broken brake flag.
About a 45 minute drive over the next province, I arrived to find a Gentleman that has been retired from forestry for three years- after 50 years in the game, the owner of the 281 that is now deemed too heavy for the owner to use and had been replaced by a smaller more modern Stihl.
First impressions- VERY tidy saw. First glance shows the 300 year anniversary badge, so an '89 model, looking closer, the old 3 point dog on the inside, more modern 4 point on the outer. Says XP on the top cover, small square 281XP on the recoil- but the case tag is silver and says 181SE.
Who cares, it is tidy, it runs and it is an 80cc Husqvarna with a proven reputation, be it 181-281 or whatever- all parts are genuine, if not the same model.
Asking price was $150 of our dollars, roughly US$100- which I gladly hand over. Then the owner says it comes with some spare chains- 6 of them!
After talking some more about saws and forestry back in the day, turns out we know and have worked with some of the same people over the years and then he turns and heads to another part of the workshop, says he found this while cleaning up the day before and if I can use it I can have it- an almost complete 266XP.
So, it was a happy drive home, instead of one saw for a bargain sitting in the back of the truck, there were two.
That old 181/281 though, helps you appreciate the decomp on the 288's!
View attachment Video.mov
About a 45 minute drive over the next province, I arrived to find a Gentleman that has been retired from forestry for three years- after 50 years in the game, the owner of the 281 that is now deemed too heavy for the owner to use and had been replaced by a smaller more modern Stihl.
First impressions- VERY tidy saw. First glance shows the 300 year anniversary badge, so an '89 model, looking closer, the old 3 point dog on the inside, more modern 4 point on the outer. Says XP on the top cover, small square 281XP on the recoil- but the case tag is silver and says 181SE.
Who cares, it is tidy, it runs and it is an 80cc Husqvarna with a proven reputation, be it 181-281 or whatever- all parts are genuine, if not the same model.
Asking price was $150 of our dollars, roughly US$100- which I gladly hand over. Then the owner says it comes with some spare chains- 6 of them!
After talking some more about saws and forestry back in the day, turns out we know and have worked with some of the same people over the years and then he turns and heads to another part of the workshop, says he found this while cleaning up the day before and if I can use it I can have it- an almost complete 266XP.
So, it was a happy drive home, instead of one saw for a bargain sitting in the back of the truck, there were two.
That old 181/281 though, helps you appreciate the decomp on the 288's!
View attachment Video.mov
