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Abby’s Guide > Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) > Discussions > Looking for advice - Chainsaws

Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

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wrecked


Never leave fish to find fish

Location: Central Jersey
Joined: Jan 8, 2005
Points: 7

Looking for advice - Chainsaws
Original Message   Jan 30, 2005 6:39 pm
I know this is neither the season nor the OPE that comes to mind in the dead of winter but I am looking for advice on the purchase of my first chainsaw. Giving the thoroughness of the reviews of snowblowers, I believe the same expertise is there for other OPE's such as chainsaws. Looking for a chainsaw for home use that includes managing timber on my property and maintaining an adequate supply of firewood. No problem splitting the wood with a wedge and sledge. I understand Stihl is outsatnding quality and friends recommend that I get a 20 inch bade. I would expect to use the saw 2-4 times/year. Beyond that I'm looking to see what other say with respect to size, manufactures, model numbers, etc. Thanks in advance. Chris

OPE:John Deere 180 w/plow,Toro 724, Redmax EB6200, Craftsman 2400 psi PW, 24 Grady w/Mariner 200 Offshore
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Jonathan


I am a marvelous housekeeper. Every time I leave a man I keep his house. -Zsa Zsa

Location: Near Albany NY
Joined: Sep 12, 2004
Points: 320

Re: Looking for advice - Chainsaws
Reply #11   Jan 31, 2005 1:18 pm
I have a Poulan 3400 Countervibe that I bought in the early '80s. Still starts and runs great and have had to do no repairs at all. I don't know however, if the quality of the brand has dropped off in the past 20 years.

2004 Ariens 11528LE, Troybilt Horse "Big Red" Tiller (original), Troybilt Tuffy Tiller (original), Sears LT1000 mower, Lawn Boy 7073 21" mower, Stihl FS55 RC trimmer, Poulan Countervibe 3400 chainsaw
spottedpony


Joined: Aug 23, 2004
Points: 301

Re: Looking for advice - Chainsaws
Reply #12   Jan 31, 2005 1:34 pm
Majorxlr8n wrote:
Wrecked - Echo is an excellent saw & always comes to mind anytime anyone asks for a recommendation. Many tree service guys in my local area use Echo's. If needed, parts are easy to get. As SpottedPony mentioned, an 18" bar is a good compromise for bar length & even 16" would suit most of your needs.

Marty



my first choice is still the 20"  on my saws (old poulan 3300 & stihl 026) it seems the 20 balances them better for me.  it gives me a bit more reach without bending quite so far. a fact my back thanks me for after several hours of cutting. in all honesty i have both 16 and 20 inch bars for both saws, & i keep a 16 on one and 20 on the other.  i like the 16 when cutting logs laying on the ground because particularly with timber under 12 inchs or so its easier to get the end of the 20 inch bar into the dirt dulling the chait. for anything over that or limbing a down tree i prefer the 20. A 16 inch bar & chain, will use a bit less horsepower although ive never noticed a lack of power on either saw going between 16 and 20. another advantage of the 20 inch with the longer chain  is there are a few more teeth so with every revolution of the chain the saw cuts a bit more and the chains seem to stay sharp a little longer.

What ever saw/bar combination you decide upon, pick the one that feels and balances best for you & to get the best performance learn how to sharpen  the chain properly. either with one of the file systems available or an electric sharpener (my preference) file the rakers occsionally checking with a raker guage,to maintain proper cutting depth of the saw teeth and keep the chain properly tensioned.

terrapin24h


The more I learn the less i know

Location: Rochester NY, USA
Joined: Dec 18, 2003
Points: 628

Re: Looking for advice - Chainsaws
Reply #13   Jan 31, 2005 1:56 pm
wrecked wrote:
I know this is neither the season nor the OPE that comes to mind in the dead of winter but I am looking for advice on the purchase of my first chainsaw. Giving the thoroughness of the reviews of snowblowers, I believe the same expertise is there for other OPE's such as chainsaws. Looking for a chainsaw for home use that includes managing timber on my property and maintaining an adequate supply of firewood. No problem splitting the wood with a wedge and sledge. I understand Stihl is outsatnding quality and friends recommend that I get a 20 inch bade. I would expect to use the saw 2-4 times/year. Beyond that I'm looking to see what other say with respect to size, manufactures, model numbers, etc. Thanks in advance. Chris

There's never a wrong time to buy a chainsaw :)

Were i you, i'd go with a 16" or 18" bar.  20" is darn long when that sucker is spinnin around.  Also, it's easier to ground a longer bar than a shorter.  One of the nice things about a long bar though is the kickback zone of the bar will be further away from you(and what you are cutting) when you are cutting right up tight to the saw body. 

Now, just a few months ago, i too was looking for a saw for about the same amount of use you seem to have(but i don't have a fire place) and i ended up with a craftsman 18" 42cc saw for 200 bucks with tax.  So far, i've done alot of  limbing in the 4-8" range, i've dropped a pine, cut down a huge "tree bush" in our yard and processed it,  done limbing for friends and family (i second the note about not lending your saw to anyone- ever) and I have to say the lil bugger is a tough little saw!  I've prob got a little over 20 hours on it, and it's really nice to use.  It has a quick style chain tension adj that's neat to use once you get the hang of it, and it has anti vibe handles that make it a dream to use.  I would have liked to have gotton the same size stihl(def my fav saw) or husq or echo, but I couldn't afford it.  It was either use my cordless recip saw(which is quite handy for trimming high up) or buy the craftsman.  If i'm not mistaken, the craftsman chainsaws are made by poulan.

--chris
2001 Homelite VacAttack Blower
2001 6hp Toro PPace 22" mower
2001 Ariens 824LE
2002 6hp 2400 PSI Excell Powerwasher
2004 18hp Craftsman 27375 42" mower
2004 42cc Craftsman 18" chainsaw
wrecked


Never leave fish to find fish

Location: Central Jersey
Joined: Jan 8, 2005
Points: 7

Re: Looking for advice - Chainsaws
Reply #14   Jan 31, 2005 9:16 pm
Thanks all for the advice. Its great to see the diverse esperience and the recommendations from the "school of hard knocks". I do want a saw that's easier to use and I'm concerned about the kickback and based on all the responses, an 18 inch bar should meet my needs. In addition, it seems that the anti vibe handle and overall balance are serious considerations. I'm somewhat surprised to hear that some of you have difficulty starting your saws. I imagine that the same fuel problems that plague snowblowers due to infrequent use also effects chainsaws. For two cyle oil I use Stihl that has preseervative incorporated into the mixture. If I plan to use the saw 2-4 times per year should I store it full or run it dry following each use? What other factors make chainsaws diffuicult to sart? I fully agree with not lending equipment and if one asks I offer to give that person a hand with the work. With chainsws you also have liability considerations because people do hurt themselves with the equipment more times than one would expect. Chris

OPE:John Deere 180 w/plow,Toro 724, Redmax EB6200, Craftsman 2400 psi PW, 24 Grady w/Mariner 200 Offshore
terrapin24h


The more I learn the less i know

Location: Rochester NY, USA
Joined: Dec 18, 2003
Points: 628

Re: Looking for advice - Chainsaws
Reply #15   Feb 1, 2005 10:32 am
Moreso than liability concerns, people that aren't used to them (or don't pay for them) tend to be stupid with chainsaws.  I wouldn't say my saw is hard to start per se, but if you don't follow the start procedure, it can get cranky.  They do alot of fancy stuff to the saw engines today with turbo air cleaners, and pressure relief valves and such, and when you are talking about a cold engine,  it starts to get absolutely critical that you have the perfect amount of gas and air ready to go.  No kidding, over or under priming my saw by as little as 1 bulb push can (and does) make all the difference.  I have never know chainsaws to be as easy starting as lawnmowers, snowblowers, powerwashers, string trimmers, etc.

--chris
2001 Homelite VacAttack Blower
2001 6hp Toro PPace 22" mower
2001 Ariens 824LE
2002 6hp 2400 PSI Excell Powerwasher
2004 18hp Craftsman 27375 42" mower
2004 42cc Craftsman 18" chainsaw
wrecked


Never leave fish to find fish

Location: Central Jersey
Joined: Jan 8, 2005
Points: 7

Re: Looking for advice - Chainsaws
Reply #16   Feb 1, 2005 7:11 pm
Chris, Do you see the starting issue related to it being a two cycle engine as opposed to four or just the added complexity of the machinery? It appears to me to be the latter. My RedMax does start up quickly but it is sensitive to flooding if it is overprimed. How often do you use your saw and how is it stored between used? Using it a couple of times a year I can see myself draining iteach time but I do not know what is best. Chris

OPE:John Deere 180 w/plow,Toro 724, Redmax EB6200, Craftsman 2400 psi PW, 24 Grady w/Mariner 200 Offshore
terrapin24h


The more I learn the less i know

Location: Rochester NY, USA
Joined: Dec 18, 2003
Points: 628

Re: Looking for advice - Chainsaws
Reply #17   Feb 1, 2005 8:46 pm
wrecked wrote:
Chris, Do you see the starting issue related to it being a two cycle engine as opposed to four or just the added complexity of the machinery? It appears to me to be the latter. My RedMax does start up quickly but it is sensitive to flooding if it is overprimed. How often do you use your saw and how is it stored between used? Using it a couple of times a year I can see myself draining iteach time but I do not know what is best. Chris

I see it as a combination of both.  Lower stressed 2 cycle engines(at least what i see as lower stressed) in leaf blowers and weed wackers seem to always be easier to start than chainsaws-generally speaking, and seem more tolerant of overpriming, at least to me.  When i look at all the 2 cycle ope that i have used, the saws stand out as the cranky ones- especially the three stihls i've used.  One thing that i'm sure doesn't help are the "EPA" carbs that we have to deal with now.  When i store my saw for the winter, i squirt some 2 cycle oil down the plug hole and cranks it gently and then replace the plug.  that's it.  the Gas is stabalized (my premix has synthetic and has stabs added- i think most prob are that way)

--chris
2001 Homelite VacAttack Blower
2001 6hp Toro PPace 22" mower
2001 Ariens 824LE
2002 6hp 2400 PSI Excell Powerwasher
2004 18hp Craftsman 27375 42" mower
2004 42cc Craftsman 18" chainsaw
Termy


Location: Washington
Joined: Oct 24, 2004
Points: 960

Re: Looking for advice - Chainsaws
Reply #18   Feb 2, 2005 3:11 am
2-cycle engines are sensitive to flooding. However, if you follow the standard operating instructions for starting, you never will flood the engine. Now as a engine gets old, the documentation becomes boges and you will have to learn your machine to the way it is. I think if you follow stihls starting instructions, that should work for most 2-cycle chainsaws


Dave___in___CT


Deliberate often...
...decide once...


Location: West-Central Connecticut
Joined: Sep 17, 2002
Points: 3159

Re: Looking for advice - Chainsaws
Reply #19   Feb 2, 2005 6:15 pm
Solution...

Self starting...

No messy fuel mixing...

No chain replacing...








Dave...

Whether you think you can or you can't... you're right.
Henry Ford

   BCS Tractor & snowblower

wrecked


Never leave fish to find fish

Location: Central Jersey
Joined: Jan 8, 2005
Points: 7

Re: Looking for advice - Chainsaws
Reply #20   Feb 2, 2005 6:56 pm
Cute, But much higher maintenance You can't leave alone in the garage for months on end...
This message was modified Feb 2, 2005 by wrecked


OPE:John Deere 180 w/plow,Toro 724, Redmax EB6200, Craftsman 2400 psi PW, 24 Grady w/Mariner 200 Offshore
Replies: 11 - 20 of 31Next page of topicsPreviousNextNext page of topicsAllView as Outline
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