Chain saw advice

[85Hokie]

these guys are in your neck of the woods :

https://buckeyepowersales.stihldealer.net/products/chain-saws/homeowner-saws/ms180/


perfect saw for the homeowner

best 200 bucks you'll spend!

 

[Grouse Feathers]

For entertainment, asking about chainsaws runs a close 2nd to asking about oil for your tractor. There is a big diversity of opinion and no bad answer unless you are doing some serious commercial cutting. A lot of saws get good reviews and a few get bad reviews, for a homeowner cutting a few trees just stay away from the saws with bad reviews.

 

[Tooljunkie]

Ford Chevy Dodge.
You get the idea.
A small saw i would consider 50cc.
65cc will cut whatever you need but is heavy. Not many low end saws have this high displacement.
Premium gas quality oil and fuel stabilizer.

 

[Missouribound]

For what its worth I worked in a 12000 acre nature park and every chain saw was Stihl. We had about 6 different sizes for different jobs and a pole saw as well.
Well worth the money over the big box store selection. They also have a new starting system that you may be interested in...very easy to start with one pull.

 

[Tooljunkie]

For what its worth I worked in a 12000 acre nature park and every chain saw was Stihl. We had about 6 different sizes for different jobs and a pole saw as well.
Well worth the money over the big box store selection. They also have a new starting system that you may be interested in...very easy to start with one pull.

Parks equipment maintenance mechanic.6 years. Doesent matter what saw. Some guys are good at breaking them.
Stihl was the primary product but they all have issues and moreso if they arent cared for.

 

[bgk]

Parks equipment maintenance mechanic.6 years. Doesent matter what saw. Some guys are good at breaking them.

Stihl was the primary product but they all have issues and moreso if they arent cared for.

You're right. Nothing is ever bullet proof (nor idiot proof). However, I'm a Stihl guy. Best overall saws out there in my opinion.

 

[8upbowhunter]

I'm a Stihl guy also. MS310 with 20" bar, 12 years old or so has never failed to start and does everything I have asked of it.


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[helomech]

I have the smallest Echo my kubota dealer sells and I think it cost around 300. It has been a great saw, use it a lot. If I could just learn to sharpen a blade worth a damn.

 

[skeets]

I had a husky 360 and ran the snot out of it came from lowes, I know it had over 100 cords of wood in the time I had it but it self destructed,, nothing lasts forever they say. And as soon as I can move around Im going to pick up an Echo. I think I read/heard that jonsonred and still are one and the same now I could be wrong though. I will however say here that if your going to use it for limbs around the yard or just mucking about, you would be OK with the cheap one. But if you plan on cutting wood for heat, then you will be better served by going to a CHAINSAW dealer and buying one, even if it is a smaller one than you might like. You will be happy with it, it will cut and a dealer will always have the parts you might need. just MHO

 

[Treckerzeug]

And as soon as I can move around Im going to pick up an Echo. I think I read/heard that jonsonred and still are one and the same now I could be wrong though.

Hello Skeets,

Husqvarna owns Jonsered and Mc Chulloch,
The latter being more home owner type saws,
Jonsered is not sold everywhere,

The two big players Stihl and Husqvarna have different saws for different users.
Hobby, home owner, farmer, semi professional, profi,
To get a low spec saw from them you ll get nothing better when the other european brands, i would not buy chinese ...

Take it, move it, feel how it is balanced, try it out if possible.

That s how i bought my first Husqvarna, a model 40, i had it for 15 years , never any major problems, once a spring at the grip suspension, once a drve sprocket,
After 15 years sold at auction for a quarter of the purchase price.
This experience made me buy a Husqvarna 353,
Medium grade saw, big 51 cc engine, very good, i use it since four years for felling, delimbing all jobs,
It is powerful but not heavy yet

Only advice
Try it out yourself, feel it

Regards

Robert

 

[PW1967]

As stated above is another good reason to visit a dealer,

The bonafied dealers here carry both stihl and husky

 

[eipo]

Little late to the game here..... but I'll offer some advice as well.

If it's just a general use saw for the occasional fallen tree or branch, a homeowner saw will fit the bill nicely.

If your intention is to heat with wood where the saw will see 5+ full cords of use every year, a ranch or pro saw will last longer, not be as heavy and have better anti vibration. Weight and vibration are the two factors that will wear you out faster than you would think.

I'm biased towards stihl and most of that is because I have a phenomenal dealer that I've known for going on 20 years. Husky makes a great saw, Dolmar, some of the echo line are all just fine. If you get into the "homeowner" line of saws, if it's something other than orange or orange and white, do your homework.

As for a specific recommendation, the stihl 261 is hard to beat EXCEPT for the 241. Yes the 241 is a small saw, but it's light, nimble, and it's gets the job done. I have one with a 12" bar on it and I couldn't be happier with it given the displacement and that I'm running chisel tooth chain on it.

But to be fair, I'm a "saw wears 1 bar length" kinda guy. I don't like swapping bar lengths on power heads since the wood I cut varies and my processing setup works best with a 28" bar. So I have 4 saws.

Don't get to caught up in the notion that you have to run the longest bar you can. A 14" bar can cut through a 24" tree/round. Yes it takes longer, but the alternative is either slow or expensive.


Sent from a field

 

[eipo]

So I just looked at the link for the echo, I would recommend getting a ms180 from a stihl dealer for the same price. You'll gain the benefit of dealer support and in house warranty repair.


Sent from a field

 

[RCW]

I'm with eipo - a Stihl guy for 40 years.

I grew up with a 056 Super, and cut hundreds of cords of hardwood firewood and spruce pulpwood with it. Pulpin' is tough with a saw that big....

Now have a 046 Magnum w/ 20" and 24" bars, and a little MS211 w/ 16" bar. As I get older, I grab that little MS211 much more than the big one.

The other guys mentioned a 261 - great saw, light and good power. Almost bought a 361 last year because the 046 is just getting to be too much.

 

[BAP]

Stihl makes just as many crappy box store saws as any other brand. The diehard Stihl enthusiast will try to make you believe differently. I have owned and used both Stihl and Husquavarna saws over the years. Went away from Stihl's when because there was no dealer support in the area. Sucks logging when you can't get your saw fixed. Don't let anyone fool you, if you use them enough, they will eventually need fixing. If you want a good saw, any brand, buy it from a small equipment dealer not a box store. The ones that a dealer carries will be the better quality version. Plus, they are there to fix it when it needs fixing. If you want a saw that will actually cut, buy one with professional chain, not the homeowner anti kick chain.

 

[85Hokie]

"Stihl makes just as many crappy box store saws as any other brand"

Stihl to my knowledge DOES NOT sell in the box stores.....BECAUSE they do not want to water their product down to a cheaper version.

Took a "field trip" the stihl manufacturing plant in Virginia Beach many years ago - Jesus what a place! The big wig there told a story how a big box store sent him and others to Hawaii on an old expense paid "trip" - trying to get Stihl to sell in bulk, story I was told, the big wig got off the plane - shook a hand or two and thanked the rep - "We will never sell in bulk via a big box store, we will always sell via our network,"but WE WILL enjoy this trip!!!!!

Stihls breaks like anything else, just like Fords and GM's and Dodges and what not.....

BUT I will tell you this, Buy one - break it in correctly (they say run the hell out of it hour one!) and mix everything correctly and it will last damn near forever.

I have owned 4 stihl products 2 saws and 2 weedeaters, and I will tell you, pound for pound, and ounce for ounce it is a better saw - period.

And if left to make a decision on an ECHO or other product OR a STIHL......the other would have to be given to me for free!!! Stihl is another ORANGE company, much like.....what's that company that makes good ol orangen tractors again???? My short term memory sucks!

Unless you have a ECHO dealer in your backyard, go to the STIHL place - talk to the owner/seller and see what he/she recommends. THEN make your decision.

Just because they are the #1 seller .....should say a little something :

http://beforeitsnews.com/business/2...e-share-growth-and-forecast-2016-2987465.html

now can we get back to oils and trucks???

 

[Kubota Christian]

I appreciate all the replies. Ended up going with a Stihl 170. I'm sure the Echo would've been good but the Stihl was 2" longer and $20 cheaper. Thanks again!

 

[Russell King]

Now that you have a saw you may look into some type of mini mill and rip chain. I have one but should have gotten a longer bar and chain to make it easier.
You can cut logs into halves to make benches, cut slabs to make signs or shelves or whatever. The rip chain makes it quicker and smoother surface than using cross cut chain.

I don't burn much wood in Texas so have to do something with the larger logs.


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[Lil Foot]

I am planning on getting a Stihl, if I live long enough to outlast my 1977 McCulloch ProMac 650. It just keeps running. It's heavy, but it eats wood with relish. About ten years ago, it became hard to start- then I realized it still had the original spark plug. Bought a new plug, & it fires right up. The saw pictured below isn't mine- mine looks like new. I did have to put a new starter rope on it a few years ago; maintenance is killing me.

 

[eipo]

Stihl makes just as many crappy box store saws as any other brand. The diehard Stihl enthusiast will try to make you believe differently. I have owned and used both Stihl and Husquavarna saws over the years. Went away from Stihl's when because there was no dealer support in the area. Sucks logging when you can't get your saw fixed. Don't let anyone fool you, if you use them enough, they will eventually need fixing. If you want a good saw, any brand, buy it from a small equipment dealer not a box store. The ones that a dealer carries will be the better quality version. Plus, they are there to fix it when it needs fixing. If you want a saw that will actually cut, buy one with professional chain, not the homeowner anti kick chain.

Stihl doesn't sell outside of their dealers. You wont find a piece of genuine Stihl equipment inside anything but an authorized Stihl dealer.

Husky used to be the same way and when I started doing business with my dealer he sold both. He held onto them for awhile after Husky decided to start selling a watered down version of their saws in big box stores, but decided to stop selling the same product as Lowes because the casual consumer didn't understand why his prices were a little higher on the same item.

It sounds like your issue with Stihl is that you lost your dealer support. Thats not a short coming of the product itself. And yes, every product line has its 'red headed step child', thats a given.

I don't personally have any specific love for Stihl. I'm not really all that brand loyal. What I do have is a phenomenal dealer that happens to sell Stihl products. The only reason all my OPE is Stihl is because not only do they work, but if I ever have any issues, I know he will stand behind them. Hes the kind of guy that runs his business as if its his name on the equipment.