Chain Saws

[PAkev]

My only experience with chain saws has been as a borrower. One was a Stihl which cut very good but was very tough to get started. The other was a Husquvarna which started easily but was a little too heavy and quite tiring after an hour of use.

Now I need to buy one of my own which will be used mostly for clearing brush and trimming trees. I'm thinking of something with around a 16" to 18" bar which should afford me a little extra reach but not be too heavy.

One of the guys that lent me a saw previously suggested I stay away from the department store and home improvement store saws as these are not industrial grade and will sponge a lot more $$ in the long run for replacement parts.

Thinking of a light model Husquvarna! Helpful advice appreciated!

 

[joed]

Re: Chain Saws

Husky and Stihl are the best in my opinion. Stick with either of them and you won't be sorry. Go to the dealer and try out different models for weight and balance etec.

 

[Windykid]

Re: Chain Saws

Stihl MS240. I own one, I bought to clear land and for fire wood etc.... It is the ranch model. It is a great all around chain saw that will last a lifetime. You can get a 16 or 18 inch bar. I have had mine for 3 years now and have only had to change and sharpen the chain.

In my opinion the stihl is the best chain saw. Its a little pricey but it will last a life time. Cheaper than buying a new cheap one every couple of years.

You can look up stihl on line and find a certified dealer.

 

[mudmagnet63]

Re: Chain Saws

I have a wood burning stove for heat so I use my saws quite a bit. I have a Sthil 440 big saw for felling trees and large Limbs. My favorite is the Poulan I think it's a 120 frow Wally World $ 150 with case. I have used this little saw for way more than it should be used for and it has never failed to start. It's light, Came with 14" bar. I have changed that to a 16" with roller tip. I know 2 other people who have Poulans and they are great machines. This will be it's 11 th year. The stihl was 3 times the price and a bear to start. Poulan has been around for many years.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Chain Saws

I have a Stihl thats about 20 years old.It was one of the ranch models.It can set in the shed for a year and still fire right up.They will last forever.The only work i have done to it was replace the chain,spark plug and clean the filter..great saw.

 

[Fingernip]

Re: Chain Saws

There is nothing like a good gas chainsaw but if your on a budget and only doing pretty light duty cutting i would suggest an electric saw. For their size and weight they have a ton of torque and cut very well. They spin much slower though so an easy cut takes a bit longer. Also of course unless you can find a cordless saw your gonna have to watch out for the cord.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Chain Saws

Cutting brush with a chain saw is a PITA. You will constanly be clogging it with debris and the most effective method is to wear heavy clothes and bull your way to the main branches. Having a longer bar will not extend your reach but cause you to hit the smaller branches.

Regardless of what you get make sure it has a good kickback brake. I have cut alot of brush with a stihl and that is my second favorite brush weapon. I also have a small 12" chain saw attachment for my trimmer also a #2 favorite. The number one brush weapon is fire!

I really am serious that a longer bar is not better (I use 16 and 18 only) and if they were not long enough I stepped in closer. Better to be balanced on your feet than reaching.

 

[Lone Duck]

Re: Chain Saws

I personally like the husky or the jonsered because they are easier to work on, and I do my own repairs. I find that with sthil you have to remove to many parts to get to the trouble spot. The best you can do is to not buy the consumer model of any brand. Buy the smallest pro model and you will be farther ahead in the long run. espeacialy if you plan on putting a lot of hrs. on it.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: Chain Saws

I too burn wood and do a tremdous amount of cutting. For felling I use my Stihl Farmboss MS310. It came with a 20" bar and I bought a 24" bar for the big stuff. It takes a few pulls to start but has lots of torque. With the 24" bar it is a bit underpowered, but with a good sharp chain it gets the job done. I've had it for 5 years now and haven't done nothing to it except clean the air filter.

For trimming the small branches and use in the bucket truck, I use a 14" in Poulan Woodshark. Its light, easy to start even when up in the trees. For the stuff that is out of reach I use my pole saw with a 4 stroke Troybuilt power head. With the woodshark, it is easy to use with one hand if need be. I call it my throw away saw. For 100 bucks and the amount of wood it cuts, it is not feasable to get it fixed. For the backyard DIYer, this is the saw I suggest.

If you plan to cut a lot of wood, my best suggestion other than the saw itself is to get several chains and a good sharpener. I have over 2 dozen chains. If one gets where it slows on cutting, I change it out. Never overheat the chain or it will never hold a good edge. This is worse than letting the chain dig into the dirt (which will dull quickly).

With my part time tree service, I haven't had to buy fuel oil since September 2005 and I still have 90 gallons in my tank. I did have to get another woodburner and do some chimney work, but I figure I'm still not paying anything to heat my house. Sure is great getting paid to remove trees and then getting the wood to either sell or heat my house with.

 

[gss036]

Re: Chain Saws

Whatever saw you buy make sure use the good oil. I could not believe but I did manage to burn up a (new) Husky 359 this year, (it was 3 years old). I really didn't do anything wrong as far as the saw repair man said. But he did recommend using the mfg's oil. So I bought the synthetic oil for chain saws. You really don't use enough to consider the little bit of extra cost, may be 75 cents on a gallon of gas mix.
I do have an old Stihl 032 that has run good for the past 25-30 years but got to where it would not start. A friend has it to see if it is worth fixing, but that Stihl probable cut about 100 cord of wood over the years. I also burn a wood stove.

 

[newbie4life]

Re: Chain Saws

I personally like the husky or the jonsered because they are easier to work on, and I do my own repairs. I find that with sthil you have to remove to many parts to get to the trouble spot. The best you can do is to not buy the consumer model of any brand. Buy the smallest pro model and you will be farther ahead in the long run. espeacialy if you plan on putting a lot of hrs. on it.

I too have a Jonsered and just purchased a new Husqvarna over the Stihl. While the Stihl has it's good points, it is a very torque-y saw at low end speeds. It doesn't have the quick throttle of the Husqvarna or Jonsered, nor the upper RPMs (I was told the RPMs aren't as high by the Stihl dealership.)

I would get around a 50cc or a little more for what you want to do. I cut 30 - 40 cord of wood each year with my little Jonsered 2150 (50cc), and it's light. They should run you around $300-400 or so.

The professional versions of the Jonsered/Husqvarna lines have a magnesium crankcase, instead of a plastic one (which seems as though most manufacturer's are going to.) I'm gonna purchase a new Husqvarna 357XPG within the next month... More powerful than the 359 and gets away from the plasic crankcase. On the other hand, it's also $650.

 

[muskie hunter]

Re: Chain Saws

I too heat 100% with wood. I have a Husquvarna 372xp, 455 Rancher and a Husquvarna 350. More often than not I reach for the 350. It is a 50 cc saw runs an 18" bar very nicely and weights about 2-3 lbs less than the other saws mentioned. The saw retails for 299.00. You wont find another saw with more bang for the buck. Check out arboristsite.com. This site is full of folks who work in the industry. Do a search on Husquvarna 350. I think you will be pleasantly suprised at what they say about the 350.


Steve

 

[Lone Duck]

Re: Chain Saws

newbeforlife;
My pet is a 2165 johnnyred. The other is a 365 husky

 

[rwise]

Re: Chain Saws

I like my 14" bar, does everything I need I bought it 16 years ago used it one winter. The *wife* decided we had enuf money we could afford to pay fuel costs for heating. so 15 years ago I put it down and did not pick it up again until this winter wife is now *X*. Replaced the fuel lines and it started on the second pull! It is a low end saw not for constant use, its a homelite XL auto oiling and I'll cut along side any other saw as long as I hold up!

If your going to use it for occasional use I would get a cheaper saw, you ( I ) can kill a chain and bar on any saw

 

[newbie4life]

Re: Chain Saws

I too heat 100% with wood. I have a Husquvarna 372xp, 455 Rancher and a Husquvarna 350. More often than not I reach for the 350. It is a 50 cc saw runs an 18" bar very nicely and weights about 2-3 lbs less than the other saws mentioned. The saw retails for 299.00. You wont find another saw with more bang for the buck. Check out arboristsite.com. This site is full of folks who work in the industry. Do a search on Husquvarna 350. I think you will be pleasantly suprised at what they say about the 350.


Steve

Well, I lied... I was GONNA buy the 357XP.... But then I made it to the dealer, and after looking at the differences, I decided on the 372XP. I'm pretty happy with it so far. I also had the Carlton Pro chain stuck on it. HUGE difference between it and the Oregon chain that comes with it.

 

[arboldt]

Re: Chain Saws

Had a chainsaw that my wife took in for service for me. (She's incredibly capable -- I call her Wonder Woman). As she talked to the tech he showed her why the saw had in fact died. When she described what she saw, I concurred. Anyway, the tech told her to avoid anything with a Poulan-made engine. That includes almost every chainsaw sold retail / big box / home center stores. (e.g. Poulan, Craftman, Homelite, Husqvarna). If you only use it a couple times a year, and consider it a throw-away tool, it might be ok. I did, and it did. But a low-end Stihl isn't that much more, and it'll last a lifetime. He strongly recommended either a low-end Stihl or Jonesrud (?). Now the once or twice a year I need one, I borrow my son's.

 

[newbie4life]

Re: Chain Saws

Had a chainsaw that my wife took in for service for me. (She's incredibly capable -- I call her Wonder Woman). As she talked to the tech he showed her why the saw had in fact died. When she described what she saw, I concurred. Anyway, the tech told her to avoid anything with a Poulan-made engine. That includes almost every chainsaw sold retail / big box / home center stores. (e.g. Poulan, Craftman, Homelite, Husqvarna). If you only use it a couple times a year, and consider it a throw-away tool, it might be ok. I did, and it did. But a low-end Stihl isn't that much more, and it'll last a lifetime. He strongly recommended either a low-end Stihl or Jonesrud (?). Now the once or twice a year I need one, I borrow my son's.

I agree with your tech on the Poulan, Craftsman, and Homelite....

but that's where she stops.

Your tech has some mis-information. Jonsered IS A HUSQVARNA. Husqvarna makes the Jonsereds, and many parts are interchangeable. The cheaper saws of ANY make are typically cheaper quality. Just because they're trying to compete in that portion of the market..... When you start to spend over $500 for a saw, you'll get some noticable quality differences. Then, throw out the chain that comes with it, and buy a decent one (that doesn't say Oregon on the package).



Loggers all over are using Jonsered, Husqvarna or Stihl. I've yet to see my logging buddies head to the woods with a Poulan Wild Thing.

 

[muskie hunter]

Re: Chain Saws

I agree with your tech on the Poulan, Craftsman, and Homelite....

but that's where she stops.

Your tech has some mis-information. Jonsered IS A HUSQVARNA. Husqvarna makes the Jonsereds, and many parts are interchangeable. The cheaper saws of ANY make are typically cheaper quality. Just because they're trying to compete in that portion of the market..... When you start to spend over $500 for a saw, you'll get some noticable quality differences. Then, throw out the chain that comes with it, and buy a decent one (that doesn't say Oregon on the package).




Loggers all over are using Jonsered, Husqvarna or Stihl. I've yet to see my logging buddies head to the woods with a Poulan Wild Thing.

You hit the nail right on the head!! The Husquvarna 142 for example is made for Husqvarna by Poulan. It is made to husky standards using Husky supplied parts, but is still built by Poulan. The Husquvarna 350 Is made by Huskqvarna in Sweeden and is the smallest non pro saw that Husky makes and offers. You can get one at Lowes for $299.00. This is a great saw that will last for many years. Do not bother with Poulan,Crapsman or Homelite.
Oh I almost forgot... The Makita chainsaw is made by Dolmer (inventer of the 1st chainsaw) This is also a great saw with alot of dealer support.

Thanks Steve

 

[Lone Duck]

Re: Chain Saws

Newbeforlife;
jonserred and husky used to be built in the same factory. Now they are built in seperate locations. They no longer are the same saw. They are like the diference between chev and gmc. the jonserred is the gmc. Also I agree do not buy low end saws made for other companies buy polund.

 

[newbie4life]

Re: Chain Saws

You hit the nail right on the head!! The Husquvarna 142 for example is made for Husqvarna by Poulan. It is made to husky standards using Husky supplied parts, but is still built by Poulan. The Husquvarna 350 Is made by Huskqvarna in Sweeden and is the smallest non pro saw that Husky makes and offers. You can get one at Lowes for $299.00. This is a great saw that will last for many years. Do not bother with Poulan,Crapsman or Homelite.
Oh I almost forgot... The Makita chainsaw is made by Dolmer (inventer of the 1st chainsaw) This is also a great saw with alot of dealer support.

Thanks Steve

I didn't realize it until I looked it up, but Husqvarna (parent company) owns Poulan, and McCulloch, as well and Jonsered and a few others.

Lone Duck.... I understand that they're not built in the same factory.... Don't recall saying they were. But I do still stand by the fact that they have some interchangeable parts. There's a local chainsaw guy up here that sells Husky and Jonsered.... When I was looking at buying, I asked him, 'Which is the better saw?'

He says, 'What is your favorite color?' After that there's very little difference. RPMs rev the same (cubic centimeter for cubic centimeter), same 3 piece crankshaft, only difference is the outside case/cosmetics. They even have the same anti-vibration stuff on it. Check it out for yourself.

I think it really comes down to what your dad used. Most people buy whatever they learned on, or their family has used/recommended.

P.S. Don't tell me you're buying into the whole GMC is a 'professional' grade of Chevy propaganda......