Chainsaw advise.

Hello all. I need to get a chainsaw, tired of having to borrow and I seem to need one often enough. Anyways, I would think that one with a 16-18 inch bar would suffice. Most of my cutting will be around home, trimming trees, taking down a few trees, and cutting a little firewood. I do not need top of the line, but do now want junk either. Just wondering if any of you can render some advise as to brand, engine size, features, etc… Thanks in advance. – Rob

Husqvarna makes a quality chainsaw. Here is a link to their site. web page

Check out the 455 Rancher.

Check this one out. I have a ECHO, I love it. But if I was to get another, it would be a Husqvarna, lighter and lots of cutting power.

Husqvarna

ECHO

big G

Check out Stihl chainsaws as well..My dads used them forever and Ive always got his hand me downs..very reliable and fast cutting..good cuttin…Jay

I went through the same decision last year… I ended up with a Husqvarna 350 with an 18″ bar. It does all that I want. I have no regrets. The one thing I would really consider besides name brand is service. Saws will always need work or parts eventually. It may cost a little more to buy local but it may pay off to get one from a shop that you can drive to for service.

solo chainsaws are kind of new to the US but well worth a look. My dad bought one last year and I am Very impressed.
http://www.solousa.com

We have cut firewood for years and have had just about every brand chain saw out there, Husqvarna. Johnsrud make a good saw I have come to really like Stihl saws. There chain speeds and power just seems to outcut anything I have used in the past. I go with a longer bar at least 20 inches ( if the saw you decide on supports it ) it helps so I don`t have to bend over so much.

I wouldn`t go too small of a saw it makes it more work for you and a smaller saw will get you in trouble. For your use I would try and stay around minumum 3.5 4.5 horse.

As long as you stay away from the off brands that don`t build there own saws you should be good to go.

I used to have a Stihl Farm Boss, it was a cutting machine!! I had a 20″ bar on it and it would cut great. I also have a Poulin saw now and I’m real happy with it. When we first maoved back to Iowa we strictly burnt wood for heat and that first winter I cut all my wood with a Poulin 16″ saw.

Ed

I have a Stihl MS 390 and I love it. It’s fairly light and it has all the power I need. I have a 18″ bar on it.

Husquvarna and Stihls are both quality saws. Husky’s are more expensive than Stihls in comparitive models. You should be able to pick up a Stihl 290 Farm Boss with a 16″ Bar for $349.00 till the end of this month. Jonseruds make Husk’s or vise versa. Echo’s are a decent saw also. I would say that Stihl’s and Husky’s are the most popular.

I would go with the Stihl hands down.

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I have a Stihl MS 390 and I love it. It’s fairly light and it has all the power I need. I have a 18″ bar on it.

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I have the same saw, works great, tons of power, and cuts like butter. The main thing with any saw is at least a 3.5 HP, 18″ Bar, and of course a sharp chain. I researched a ton of saws and for the buck I couldn’t beat the Stihl and the local service. Saws eventually do breakdown and your local provider is worth the extra $30-$40. My .02

I feel blessed. I inherited my dad’s old ECHO, I know for sure it’s at least 20 years old…. never seen a repair shop !!! Plugs, gas, oil, and a few bars & chains along the way It’ll cut right next to them new saws, only thing is, it’s made out of real steel, so it is a little heavier, no plastic on that baby

big G

These saws wont hold up to the big name saws(price tag either), but the $199 Poulan with a 20″ bar from Home Depot has taken my abuse for the last couple years doing storm damage. Other than sharpening the chain I havent had to do any maintenance.

It seems to be a great saw for the price. How long it will last? It hasnt skipped a heartbeat yet.

Let me tell you what not to buy and thats a Poulan. I only needed a saw to cut 4×4’s I get free from work for the fire pit. I saw the wild thhing for $149.00. Thought hell I don’t really need a good saw just for these. Long story short I bought a 10 dollar cheeper saw beacuse it didn’t have “wild thing” on the bar, same damn saw just no purple and its a pile. Wish I would have asked for advice first.

I have owned 2 Poulans, both bought used for $20.00 apiece. Never had a problem with them, I know the Stihl is a far superior saw and if you plan on doing a lot of cutting would go with it, but I have no complaints with Poulin.

Ed

I have a older Husky 40, it has cut allot of wood and still works awsome

I also have a MS 390 Stihl and I really like it. I went with a 20 inch bar because I cut 20 to 30 cord of firewood per year. Last year I bought a MS 260 for my son to use it has a 16 inch bar and it seems to be a good saw for under 300 bucks.

Lots of good info, thank you all very much!

ROBBY
I worked for asplundh tree service for 5 years ,we used stihl and huskys everyday i would say one is as good as the other.There is a stihl dealer on blackhawk road in rockisland called parrs they are pretty good place as far as service and knowledge. prices are about the same as anywhere.

I have a couple Stihls and a Mucculloc.The Stihls are a great saw if you are using them a lot but if you just want a tree trimmer and maybe cut up a few logs here and there you can get a Mucculloc for pretty cheap.I think I paid around a $100 for this one but that was a long time ago so they might be a little more now.It is small and light and runs good for the price.Works great around the yard.Just another option.

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I would go with the Stihl hands down.

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same here. I have had the O44 and the new model MS-440 with 24″ bar.

Not a cheap saw But a GREAT one!!

Stihl is my choice. I have two. One is a model 034 with a 16 inch bar and I also carry a MS170 now. It is extreamly light and after the tree hits the ground I use the 170 to take off all the branchs. Throw those in a pile and go back to the 034 and cut it up into splitting size. We heat completely with wood and the Stihl saws are what I will stick with.
Steve

I work for a large tree service, we run stihl professionals exlusively and they are great saws, i’ve never used one of their home-owner models though. Whatever brand or model you choose, most offer an estimated life/hour rating for the engine, which may help you in making your choice.

Stihl for this guy

I bought a poulan too. I use it 3-4 times a year around the house and its fine. I can tell its not the best but it gets the job done each time. I’ve cut quite a few full sized trees down and a bunch of brush jobs too.