Chain Saw ... what to buy?

[IHateMyJob2004]

I need (OK, want) a chainsaw. I'm sick of borrowing them once a year (or thereabouts). Time to just get one. I plan on buying it this week from Lowe's or Home Depot.

I would get an Echo but the pricing is higher. Are there any less expensive brands I should consider or not consider?

I do have some large trees to cut down or chop up in my back yard. I giure an 18"+ blade is in order.

Prices of 18" saws:
Home Depot:
Homelight: $125
Ryobi: $150
Poulan(?huh?): $170
Echo: $300

Lowes
Earthquake: $180
Poulan: $170
Husqvarna: $250
Tanaka: $280

I prefer Husquavarna or Echo. My father in law has a Poulan that seams OK.

Are Echo worth the extra cash? I don't want to save money if the thing is just going to cause me headaches.

Consumer grade or pay for heavy duty?

 

[NutBucket]

Stihl!

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

I'd love a Stihl but the price is so damned high. It's easy to show my wife this $150 toy. But $300+. That's not good.

Read this review of 7 saws. The Poulan doeasn't sound bad:
http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/reviews/outdoor-tools/4283685#slide-1

 

[arkcom]

The poulan will work great for a season, but don't expect to get it started the next year.

 

[jagec]

I'd love a Stihl but the price is so damned high. It's easy to show my wife this $150 toy. But $300+. That's not good.

That's because you only have to buy it once.

Used Stihl on CL?

 

[LevelSea]

That's because you only have to buy it once.

Used Stihl on CL?

MS 290 Farm Boss

 

[lxskllr]

If you think you'll use it a lot, I'd go with Stihl. I have a Poulan Pro, and so far it's worked great for my purposes, but there's a big difference in quality compared to Stihl.

 

[W.C. Nimoy]

http://www.stihlusa.com/products/chain-saws/professional-saws/

Best off with something from the pro stihl lineup above, the ms260, or 261 it looks like is the current entry pro grade model.


If you have to go homedepot/lowes, at least get the echo. BUt really a chainsaw is something worth splurging on. Definitely no poulans etc.

 

[Gillbot]

One from Craigslist?

 

[DrPizza]

I bought a Poulan Pro. Wore it out, short lifespan. Kids got me a new chainsaw for Christmas. Damn it... Another Poulan Pro. I always mix my fuel one gallon at a time, and leave it a little short of a gallon, so there was never an issue of not enough oil in the mix, yet I burned up the new one in less than a year. Junk, sufficient only for someone who might have a couple of *small* trees.

Got a husqy when Tractor Supply had a close out, before switching to Jonsered (another good brand). It blows away the Poulan. Far more power to pull that chain through wood - it doesn't get bogged down on tough wood. And most importantly, the vibration isolation. An hour on the Poulan, and my hands would have that horrible prickly/numb feeling. Not so with the new chainsaw. The new saw is only 16", instead of 18, but it handles the heavier wood just fine. In fact, I used it to carve up a log that was roughly 3 feet in diameter. Did I say it had vibration isolation? Off the top of my head, I think it was highly recommended to get a minimum of 35 cc. If you do some googling for guys who do this for a living, I think that's where I got the number. A couple said that sure, they have much bigger saws for big jobs, but for typical jobs, it's nice to have a lighter saw, but under 35cc, and it just doesn't have enough power.

 

[ra1nman]

I picked up a refurb Husky 435 from here a little over a year ago for $150.... http://www.vminnovations.com/Produc...aw-16-Inch-40-9cc-Refurbished-435-BRC-RB.html

 

[LTC8K6]

Out of the list in the OP, I'd take the Husqvarna.

 

[kage69]

In my opinion, the only brands you should be looking at are Husqvarna or Stihl.

Get an 18" bar, and one of those grease injectors for the lube ports at the end of it. Don't just buy 1 or 2 files, get a whole box.

If you're able to, I'd also recommend not running ethanol blends through them. I'm lucky in that a gas station chain near me always has non-ethanol premium. If you do have to run shitty ass ethanol in your mix, try a 40 to 1 blend instead of the general 50 to 1.

Or just buy the premixed Husqvarna gas and syn oil blend at Lowe's, etc. More expensive, but if you treat your Stihl or Husqie right they will serve you for a long, long time.

Edit: Echo makes great stuff, but I don't think their chainsaws are quite up to the Stihl/Husqie level. My old man taught me how to saw and tend to saws when I was 13. Living in the sticks of Maine there was no shortage of practice material either. He had experience working on a real logging project out in Oregon back in the 80s. Spent a couple years clearing ridges with his hunting buddies, partying and chasing elk whenever they weren't working. I remember helping him bring out all his saws for a good clean, lube and run once. He had several, even one of the huge ones with a 5ft bar on it. All were worn looking, dinged up, had signs of heavy use - but all of them started on the first pull with fresh gas and sounded damn near new when you gunned it. His entire collection of maybe 9 or so chainsaws were all Stihl and Husqvarna, with the exception of one that his father had left to him, which was made by a long gone company I'd never heard of before.

Those Poulans and such are for the weekend warrior crowd who tend to a couple trees every now and then. The Stihls and Husqvarna saws are what a lot of people in heavily wooded states like Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, etc use to earn a living. Big difference in quality.

 

[Majcric]

Imo, the stihl is better in the 18". Get the Stihl and you'll be set for a long, long time.

 

[weadjust]

I picked up a refurb Husky 435 from here a little over a year ago for $150.... http://www.vminnovations.com/Produc...aw-16-Inch-40-9cc-Refurbished-435-BRC-RB.html

I got the same Husqvarna 16" refurb from Northern Tool for $150 about a year ago. Arrived in like new condition, cranks easily, and does what I need it to do.

The 18" refurb is $190. http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200499437_200499437

 

[Bartman39]

Stihl!

I have an old antique 28V farm boss that I used just a couple of days ago that runs, cuts like brand new and always has even stored for over a year at a time (just use stabil and good fuel)... Cannot even tell you how old it is but I would put it up against any new saw that cost $300 or less... Just cannot beat a Stihl...:thumbsup:

 

[Bull Dog]

Another vote of support for Stihl here as well. My Dad bought an 036 Pro over 12 years ago. Our use case is go into the mountains and use it to buck up 2-3 of truck loads of wood to haul home every summer. All these years later, It still starts and runs like new.

 

[olds]

Out of the list in the OP, I'd take the Husqvarna.

This.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Can I get the cheap Stihl or do I need to get a higher grade?

I might get a cheap Husqvarna:
http://www.lowes.com/Outdoor-Power-...0zc4v&N[]=1z140lj&Ns=p_product_price|0&page=1

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Local place:

16" bar, Stihl MS 171: $199

http://www.stihldealer.net/productd...05-toplvl-2-catid-2-subcat-2-catprods-38.aspx

 

[JCH13]

I have a Stihl that my Dad bought over 12 years ago. It only gets used occasionally, but runs well and is easy to use.

Keep the chain sharp, bar and chain oil topped up, use good gas, and it'll last you a long, long time.

Once you have one you'll find tons of other things to chainsaw.

I feel obligated to say this: buy chaps, a hard-hat, hearing protection, and good eye protection. Ideally you should get some formal training in how to use a chainsaw. They are VERY dangerous tools than can quickly injure, maim, and kill if they're not used carefully. If you want the horror stories, just google "chainsaw accident". I don't suggest doing this at lunch though.

 

[Meghan54]

Local place:

16" bar, Stihl MS 171: $199

http://www.stihldealer.net/productd...05-toplvl-2-catid-2-subcat-2-catprods-38.aspx

I'd look into moving up one or two models to this:

http://www.stihldealer.net/productd...27-toplvl-2-catid-2-subcat-2-catprods-38.aspx

 

[Meghan54]

I bought a Poulan Pro. Wore it out, short lifespan. Kids got me a new chainsaw for Christmas. Damn it... Another Poulan Pro. I always mix my fuel one gallon at a time, and leave it a little short of a gallon, so there was never an issue of not enough oil in the mix, yet I burned up the new one in less than a year. Junk, sufficient only for someone who might have a couple of *small* trees.

Got a husqy when Tractor Supply had a close out, before switching to Jonsered (another good brand). It blows away the Poulan. Far more power to pull that chain through wood - it doesn't get bogged down on tough wood. And most importantly, the vibration isolation. An hour on the Poulan, and my hands would have that horrible prickly/numb feeling. Not so with the new chainsaw. The new saw is only 16", instead of 18, but it handles the heavier wood just fine. In fact, I used it to carve up a log that was roughly 3 feet in diameter. Did I say it had vibration isolation? Off the top of my head, I think it was highly recommended to get a minimum of 35 cc. If you do some googling for guys who do this for a living, I think that's where I got the number. A couple said that sure, they have much bigger saws for big jobs, but for typical jobs, it's nice to have a lighter saw, but under 35cc, and it just doesn't have enough power.

I'd agree with darned near everything you mentioned.

Few realize buying cheap ends up buying twice, and then you've paid more than the "expensive" one you should've purchased in the first place.

For instance, during my riding mower ordeal, we tried several with various B&S motors, up to 24 hp. Granted, they had power but nowhere near the level of vibration damping, quietness and smooth running that the lower power Kawa motor has.

Even at its rated 18.5hp, the Kawa performs as well as the 24 hp Briggs motors but doesn't sound or feel like it's about to fly apart at any moment, you don't feel nearly as much vibration through the wheel and seat, and the wife says she cannot hear the mower running from inside the house, something she said she could do when I started any of the Briggs powered mowers.

The same should and will apply to chain saws, string trimmers, etc. The better built ones, and the more costly ones, will vibrate less, be quieter and just last longer.

 

[jagec]

I feel obligated to say this: buy chaps, a hard-hat, hearing protection, and good eye protection. Ideally you should get some formal training in how to use a chainsaw. They are VERY dangerous tools than can quickly injure, maim, and kill if they're not used carefully. If you want the horror stories, just google "chainsaw accident". I don't suggest doing this at lunch though.

I've watched "Texas Chainsaw Massacre", I think I know the dangers.

 

[JCH13]

I've watched "Texas Chainsaw Massacre", I think I know the dangers.

Which one are we talking about? There are different body counts for different brands, clearly one of them has to be more dangerous to use...

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) The first saw in the series is the poulan 306a. Gunnar Hansen handled this baby with ease but rest assured, this saw is very heavy. one of poulan's best made saws, it is now a collectable. the saw was made from 1972 to 1980.

Chainsaw part 2 (1986) The next is a craftsman 4300. Bill Johnson used this saw in the show. It was produced by Poulan for craftsman and was made from 1982 to 1988. "Grandma's saw" at the end of the show was a Poulan 361. The silver saw Lefty Enright used was a Dolmar chainsaw. It was only made for 2 years and the model is unknown.

Leatherface III (1991) This saw is one of creation. you can't just buy a saw like this. It is a Stihl 066 magnum. This saw was built and cromed out by a dealer in Ca. It had a custom built 36" bar. these saws were built from 1987 to 1996.

The Next Generation (1997) This saw used by Robert Jacks, is a run of the mill McCulloch 700. The 700 and 10-10 models are very close in looks and is often mistaken for the saw in the original. These saws were made from 1976 to 1998.

The Remake: TCM (2003) This saw used by Andrew is a husquvarna 359. this one was also fitted with a 36" bar. this saw hit the market in 1996 and is still being made today.

The Prequel: TCM (2006) The same saw as the remake!

:biggrin: