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

I am looking for a chainsaw to do very small work around my house (mainly 3 or 4" branches that fall, occasional firewood size logs when a bigger branch comes down).  I saw a Sears 35066 16" chainsaw and a 16 " Homelite chainsaw.  Each are about $125, each has about a 33cc - 36 cc engine.  I was wondering if anyone has experience with either of these, with strong convictions either way about them.  It will probably be used about one hour per year total.

Another possibilility is to go Echo or other "bigger brand but used".  I read the other post about chainsaws and found that information very helpful.  If I can find a used saw at a comparable price I will evaluate that route.  Agent Orange sells their used saws from time to time, although they are about $250, and if I was going to buy that I could get a new smaller Echo. 

Thank you, in advance, for any information you can give me.

Best regards,

Walt 

Homelite is not a brand that is customer friendly. They are VERY hard to start, run rough, and tend to have several problems with each model, which wears one or more peices out beyond repair. Another reason you should stay away from Homelite is because the company is in financial trouble. About 2 years ago John Deere bought the company, but only to obtain the patents for the trimmers. They shortly after dumped Homelite, so when Bill said that the repair place had the saw for 8 weeks, it's not B.S.. The top 3 brands are Stihl, Echo, and Husqvarna, in no particular order. Stihl is a good brand and tends to take care of their customers, unless you were to do something like run straight gas in it or run the saw with/out the air filter. I have not really dealt with Echo, or Husqvarna, but i heard they are good brands also. Below is a link to a Stihl chainsaw that i would recommend. Also are links to Echo and Husqvarna saws. Hopefully this has helped you in your purchasing decision.

http://www.stihlusa.com/chainsaws/MS170.html

http://www.echo-usa.com/prods_item.asp?Model=CS-305&Category=CHAINSAW

http://www.usa.husqvarna.com/

Walt, I would go one of the smaller Echo's or Stihl's. How many times have we all experienced paying a little more and being glad we did? I don't think this need is any different, you'll be using it for many seasons and finding other uses too, I imagine.

Had a 16 inch Homelite at the old house once. PIA to start. But once you got it going, it did the job. Looking back, I would have gone with an electric one given the chores it had to do.... 3-4 inch branches or so.

Main reason I would have gone electric is that I would not have to deal with mixing gas and oil (lazyness) Plus the jobs were small and simple.

At this point I have no need for one and the previous one went to my father-in-law who would use it for small jobs here and there. Still a PIA to start though.

I would like to thank everyone who gave me input concerning my questions.  It appears that with chainsaws either go heavy duty, electric, refurbished name brand, or not at all. 

Again, many thanks for your time and efforts to my inquiry.  It is, and will be, greatly helpful.

Best regards,

Walt

"I would like to thank everyone who gave me input concerning my questions.  It appears that with chainsaws either go heavy duty, electric, refurbished name brand, or not at all. "

Clear as mud huh? LOL

Marshall,

Yes, but do not cut mud with your chainsaw...I learned that from the other post. (it really angers the saws owner!)

Walt

Very true, I do remember the post. Sad, sad, sad.

Back to you're saw, how much do think you'll end up using it? How many years are you going to expect to get out of what you buy or, maybe better, how many do you realistically want to get? Do you want to screw with an extension cord?

To me, extension cords are a pain the a$$, I hate em! They're time consuming, can be a henderence in a machines use and can be potentially dangerous. I keep mixed fuel anyway for my blowers, trimmers, etc. It's so much easier to me pull a cord once or twice and go get it on without somthing trailing me, getting caught on obsticles, having to wind it up, being limited to how far i can go until I need a another cord, etc. Yuk!

That said, I have electric hedge trimmers instead of gas. LOL

I do hate them though but I use them so little I can deal with it.

Marshall, I'm shocked, and disappointed!!!!!   Go and buy the hedger attachment for your Echo split boom at once!!!    I'll vouche for it.  It's a nice piece!!

Bill,

I guess you told him!

Marshall,

One thing I forgot to mention in my original post, (bad Walt!), is that the times when I do get some firewood it is because one of my neighbors oak trees comes down and a branch or two takes out my power line.  The wood on my lawn or driveway becomes mine, the township clears the street, and my neighbor lets the other stuff rot in the woods.  Otherwise, electric could serve my purpose well as I need to cut up branches that fall off my trees (Hybrid Poplar and Pine mainly).

As a rule, I don't care for extension cords.  Although my need for a saw is about 1 or 2 hours per year, mostly to cut up branches for disposal.  Although I could end up with anything, The "$450 Husq" would be like using a two stage snowblower to clean off your porch.  I am looking for something in comparison to your B&D drill, but for limb trimming. 

(Marshall, Snow is white stuff that falls from the sky.  In OK you get hail storms.  picture snow as something like a hail ball that you smashed, then make it 2 feet deep all over the place)

Walt  

I have a craftsman 18" bar 42cc saw(can't recall model # now, it was just short of 200 bucks--and its not the one that comes with an extra chain)  that works great.  It can be finicky to start if i don't follow the starting instructions PRECISELY.  I bought mine for trimming-medium duty occaisional use.  It's got an inertial chain brake, anti vibe springs all over, thier "ez adjust" bar, and the low profile "skinny" chain.  Nice and light for handling up a tree, and it idles nice once warmed.  It too like every other saw i've used, will tend to weep bar oil for a bit after being used.  I just set a rag under it in its case.  A neighbor of mine has one of the smaller craftsmans, and he actually got me thinking about them, He does more cutting than i do and says the little bugger never lets him down, and his is 3 or 4 years old now.  I do subscribe to the buy more than you need theory, but there comes a point where you can very quickly find yourself buying a ferrari to go to the grocery store.  Sounds like your needs are similar to mine, you might want to consider a higher end poulan or craftsman.