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

I'm partial to Echos myself.  Cost a little more up front, worth it to me in the long run.  Made in the good ole US of A in Lake Zurich IL.

As far as brand, I don't think you can go wrong with a Stihl, Husqvarna, Jonsered or Echo for your type of use. I think Echo has one the best small 2 cycle engines made.  As far as the rest of the saw, others will have better opinions than I.

Husqvarna

Jonsered

Echo

Stihl

If I didn't welcome you before, welcome to the forum.

Hi...


Why a 20" bar ?  Cutting thru 40+" trees ?

I agree with Marshall's recomendations...
But... I'm only an occasional chainsaw user...

Have had my Stihl 025 about 10 years now...  no problems... except starting sometimes...
Use to cut  about 1 cord of wood a year for the fireplace...

Researched and checked out a little bit bigger saw last year... got new land...
I chose a Husky... didn't end up buying anything... just kept usin' the Stihl...

Like most OPE... the current models ar not the same as the 10-year -old ones...
Maybe better... maybe not...


Dave...

ROFLMFAO

Bill D, you squeeked by on that Avatar, OPE related and no bare necessities showing. You're a clown! 

Edited the P*rno, don't need to be coming up on any of those internet searches.

16 to 20 inch bars are ideal, or you might consider an 18, the longer bars mean you have to bend over less say in a limbing scenerio, ive got a poulan and a stihl of equal size, the stihl's lighter but uses more gas. if you go with  a midrange size saw, .325 chain will work fine.....the larger (horsepower) saws should have a 3/8 chain. what ever saw you buy be sure it has  anti vibe handles, as the vibration from a solid handled saw is murder on the hands and forearms.

I like my 270 Woods Boss from Stihl.     But, the most important thing about saw long life, no matter what the brand, is DO NOT LET ANYONE USE IT BUT YOU - ESPECIALY FAMILY! 

My dad did not let me take his saw from his sight, because some one could drop it, bang it, saw rocks, saw dirt, saw stones, use the wrong mix, and never tell you about it.  Don't use anyone elses saw lest they blame you for its problems.  Happy shopping.

                                                                                       18 degrees

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

Please click here for information regarding Stihl Chainsaws

Hi Wrecked

Welcome,    I was in the same boat as you when I bought my Echo.  Check out my review

My only complaint about it being sometimes hard to start, is probably an adjustment problem which I need to have looked at (while its still under warranty).
Once its warmed up, it restarts easily.

I would highly recommend this saw for your use.  Its big enough to work all day, yet small enough that it won't wear you out.

Good luck in your hunt!

Emmo

Wrecked - To narrow the field, which saws are you currently looking at?

A 20" bar does not necessarily  indicate the power or performance of a chainsaw.  For cutting firewood, I prefer a 16" bar due to the safety factor of keeping the kickback area of the upper bar tip from contacting solid objects.

While I have Husky, Jonsered, Stihl & a collection of older Homelites, I prefer the Stihl's for any serious cutting, especially in hardwoods.  The Stihl chains are the most durable, in my opinion.

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.

Majorxlr8n wrote:

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.

wrecked wrote:
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.

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

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, 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

wrecked wrote:
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)

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

Solution...

Self starting...

No messy fuel mixing...

No chain replacing...








Dave...

Cute, But much higher maintenance You can't leave alone in the garage for months on end...

Dave___in___CT wrote:
You know the old saying......save a tree....................

Hi gang this is my first post so be kind. Let me introduce myself, My name is Pat and I have been a OPE sales representative for 12 years in Atlantic Canada. First of all as far as the length of the bar is concerned they must grow pretty big trees where you guys are to need a 20" bar. That would mean you are cutting trees up to 40" in diameter. Remember you start with your notch and can then walk around the tree. Now the kickback issues, lets think about a pendulum, the more weight the longer it swings, well when a saw kick back it is very similar, kickback occurs when the top part of the tip comes on contact with the log, the chain grabs and the spinning chain "pushes" the bar upwards. Now with a smaller bar there is less weight and better chance to control kickback if it is not severe.  The other thing to consider is that with a longer bar the balance of the saw is not right, making it harder to use, it is heavier, and will have less power to the chain due to longer length. Now as for the topic of priming, most new epa carbs will dump any excess fuel you primed right back into the fuel tank. That way there is not excess fuel to be burned and therefore less polution.

Okay - so you are what I would call a typical homeowner. (Remembering that I work in a small engine repair shop and my main focus is chain saws)

My first question to yu would be what do you intend to do.  You've all ready answered that.

My next question, how much will you be using the saw.  You've answewred that.

As soon as anyone says firewood - I steer them away from the smaller saws.  Usually 50cc's and under.  Firewood is the hardest thing a saw owner can do with a saw, therefore the smaller saws don't tend to far so well.

Something starting at 50cc's nothing longer then an 18" bar is what I would recommend.  Unless you are getting mammoth sized firewood or have large trees on your property.

Now I do realize that we live in totally different areas.  I do serve a lot of the men and women that work in the forestry industry around here and they choose different brands of saws for different reasons.  So the brand that you choose should be researched well.  I can go on about what's popular here for the work you want to do, but that doesn't mean that it's going to be popular where you are.  For instance, there are a lot of firewood cutters here using the 359 Husqvarna, the RedMax G5000 and Shindaiwa 488.  I haven't seen the Shindaiwa name listed here before (or if I did I forgot), but they are good saws.  If you asked someone here about Echo or Poulan they'd look at you like you had horns.  Different places - different faces type deal.

That's just my $0.01 worth.

Sherri

Some good points Sherri, now let me add to that. There are a few things that can make a difference in the price of a saw, one is the motor, is it an open port or a closed port motor, another is the crankcase is it metal or plastic, the brake, inertia or not. But what also has to be said is that today chainsaws are massed produced, with high quality material and excellent quality control. Most problem with chainsaws are customer induced. If you buy a Husqvarna, Jonsered (these 2 are the same) Stihl, Echo, Shindaiwa (my choice) what you have to look at also is where are you buying it. If you go buy your Ech at Home depot, do you bring it back for service there? Please please please, look very closely at your OPE dealer. Look at his showroom, is it clean, and well stocked, his parts dept, well stocked? His service dept is it neat and tidy.Thses simple things will reflect on the quality of work that the dealer does. I suggest you purchase what you can afford and a saw that is designed to do the job you want to do with it.

Okay - as most of the home owners around this area have found out, "box stores" may be cheap, but because of the mass production, quality maybe affected.  We have models here that are rated for 5 hours use, throw it away and buy new ones.

"Box stores" dictate how much they are willing to pay for a product and the manufacturer has to then look at how (more then likely less $$$) they can adapt the product.  More then likely the quality of the item is going to suffer.

If the "box store" you are looking at has a repair/part spot by all means go there.  But if not you have to find out where the servicing dealer is and maybe check around and see if there have been any complaints with his/her service.  Everything should be run and safety features checked, before saw is put into new owners hands.  Whether it be a saw, snowblower, lawn mower, etc...

Now with having that (I'm running, covering my head) out of the way, if you are not choosing a "box store" find a dealer in your area that is willing to talk to you and spend time talking to you about your needs.  If the dealer doesn't seem to have time for you - go else where.  If they don't have time to sell you something - what is the repair time going to be like?  Is the part you need going to be easy to get or are you going to have to sit your equipment up for long periods of time? 

There is so much that needs to be said here, but I figure that I must be rambling by now, so I'll let it go atthat.

Sherri

"find a dealer in your area that is willing to talk to you and spend time talking to you about your needs.  If the dealer doesn't seem to have time for you - go else where."

Could not have said it better myself. Also some companies offer a money back guarantee, that if you are not happy with your purchase they will exchange the saw or refund your money, I know Shindaiwa does and I think Stihl, and funny, both of these models are sold throught servicing dealers ONLY.

Pat

People have recommended some excellent saws, but many of these saws are in the $350-$400 range.   If  money is not a serious issue, this may be a great way to go.  If  money is an issue, it seems like saws at the $200-$250 range make more sense for the amount you're going to use it.  Also,  if you have a good dealer, they are a real asset and they may even guide you toward a brand of saw.  My experience has been that a good fraction of dealers in my area are not really much of a resource and they end up charging you for an extra level of "service" that they fail to provide.  Be careful in evaluating the dealer and listening to their advice.

I ended up at a good dealer and bought a $400 saw - so I am not saying that  it's a bad way to go.  But I heat with wood and did not mind spending the money.  Your needs may be different.  Regardless, I recommend including Kevlar chaps and a helmet in your chainsaw budget.   They're not fool-proof, but they are at least fool-resistant.

Steve

PS - I started with a $100 poulan special, and while I never use it anymore because it has no safety features, it still runs fine and cut a lot of wood in its day.   I would not recommend the super-low-cost saw market, because its a gamble, but it is not like every cheap saw fails and every pricey saw is trouble-free.

if you are on a budget  then heres the best i can suggest.

buy a small professional saw .you can get one for  around 200 to 300 range.it wont be super powerfull but it will be reliable .and if you learn how to file it it should be around for as long as you care to use.

nothing will send you back to the garage faster than a cheep saw that wont start or runs poorly .

do a little more homework and find out whats available in your area.

it dosent matter where you buy it although i prefer th real dealer.what matters is can you buy a chain or sparkplug on a saturday afternoon that actually fits it.

you know the drill the wife is on your case to finish up that bit of firewood or maybe tidy up that tree that got smashed up in the last icestorm.you go for thesaw and woops the chain is past its prime ,you need a new one .

just make sure its not some oddball that nobody stocks.

you would be suprised at howmany people come in and have no idea what kind of saw they have let alone chain fits it.

dont even bother coming in and saying its a red 20 inch blade. thats narrows it down to about oh 6 possible chains and only one will fit.

im not saying you have to go out and buy all kinds of spare chains ,if your like me you couldnt find it when you need it anyway cause you put it where you wont loose it ...yea right .i might as well toss it out the windo on the way home  cause ill never find it till after a buy a new one.

later chris 

snowshoveler wrote:
Chris,

Do what I do. Just leave it in the back of the truck, with everything else.

You stiil won't be able to find it. But you will know where it is. If and when you do find it, you won't remember what it fits, but it must be good or it wouldn't be in the truck. Better save it.

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.