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

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

For the record, Jonsered is made by Husky, but is the lower end of their consumer grade saws. The longevity and robustness of the engines are not he same, which of course is reflected in the price. Also, alot of consumer chainsaws come with rather amitious bar lengths. EG: My Craftsman 42cc (a 42cc Craftsman is no where close in power or torque to a pro grade 35-45cc) came with an 18" bar and an "ok" chain. By dropping to a 15" bar and a better grade chain dramatically improves performance. This is information given to me by our Local Authorized Stihl/Husky/Jonsered dealer. Instead of trying to sell me the New farm Boss wich I coveted or a Husky XPR, they offered to "upgrade" my Craftsman...now that's service.

Hi guys, I'm new here but I'm not at all new to the firewood game.

I've ran husky pretty well exclusively but it doesn't make it the best . I would however have to agree with everyone's advice as to buying from a dealer. Dealers usually will take care of you if something goes wrong with your saw, you may have to wait a while for a box store to help you if you need it.

For firewood I use a Huqvarna 365special with a 20 in bar. Its heavier than most saws and has a 65cc engine that has a max rev of 12500rpm .Yeah it's not as fast as some saws (XP models) but it has lots of torque for bulling through big hardwood. It is also very reliable.

If you have a small woodlot to maintain a Husqvarna 357XP is a lovely saw to work with , as well as a Stihl 38.