chainsaw?

[curtis rosche]

so the chainsaw we use for firewood went bad. it was a huskvarna 55. i need some suggestions on new saws and where to get them. we have ten acres of trees and we cut about 3-4 cords of wood a years to keep the stove going. it needs to be able to run a 20+ inch bar, and also be used for cutting blanks. any ideas on a saw that will take alot of abuse? i was thinking stihl probably, since we have gone through a couple huskvarnas in the past 10 years. i know purchasing a saw at one of the big box stores is a bad idea. but what about a place that rents and sells large equipment? or a place like tractor supply?

[Thom Sturgill]

Curtis, I always hear good about both Stihl (what I own) and Huskvarna with the caveat N_E_V_E_R buy from the big box. Find a dealer. I use mine only for blanks and rarely at that, but still went to a Stihl dealer to buy, and the dealer talked me down a model from what I expected to get.

[Jake Helmboldt]

Curtis, lots of threads on chainsaws. Some are worth more than others. One thing to consider is size/weight. How big of a saw do you really need? They get heavy after a couple hours of cutting.

So..if you want a big saw at a good price go to HD and look at their Makita rentals. They sell them with low hours. Makita owns Dolmar, the company that invented the chainsaw. For about $350 you can get a $700 saw that has low hours of use.

I have a Husqvarna 359 that has been bulletproof. Stihl and Hsuq are the Ford and Chevy of the saw world but there are several other top names to look for; Solo, Partner, Efco, Dolmar/Makita, Shindaiwa (some of the best commercial string trimmers made). Service is always a consideration. Find local dealers that actually service saws. Some dealers just contract with other local places for service. As Thom said, avoid big box stores; they only sell lower-end stuff.

[Jack Mincey]

Which ever brand you buy get a pro saw. Stihl and Husky both sell home owner quality saws and pro saws. I think it is worth the extra money for the pro saw since they are built to be used daily. Have the shop set the saw up as well. Most saws come adjusted lean to meet the new EPA standards. This can cause the saw to wear out premature. The other thing to look for is buy it from a shop that has a good reputation for working on saws. The guys at these shops tend to know how to adjust the carb on a new saw. The best place in my area for buying saws is at two hardware stores one sells Husky and the other sells stihl. They both have great mechanics and carry pro quality saws. You can get brochures and they list the home owners saws and the pro saws.
Happy shopping,
Jack

[curtis rosche]

Curtis, lots of threads on chainsaws. Some are worth more than others. One thing to consider is size/weight. How big of a saw do you really need? They get heavy after a couple hours of cutting.



at 19, with a few pounds to lose, i can deal with the extra weight and call it a work out :)

[Mike Spanbauer]

Hi Curtis,

As has been mentioned you need to pick a pro-line saw if you want ease of repair and longevity. The 455 rancher is a fair saw (I've used them and I know many own them) it is not part of Husky's pro line. Those that end in xp designations are the pro models - I have a 346xp and it's bombproof.

Don't get tempted with the craigslist "deals" either, too many people poorly maintain their saws and you may end up w/ a cracked head or other very expensive repair from that 'deal'.

Also, it might be worth looking at getting a larger head w/ a small bar. That way you have the option eventually (or interchangeably) use a larger bar if the occasion calls for it. A club member has a Dolmar w/ a 24" bar I believe though it'll take a 34". This results in little to no stress on the motor and of course a chain that simply won't bog down.

g'luck!
mike

[Jon Nuckles]

Curtis, When I was shopping earlier this year, I found that the big box stores didn't even carry a decent saw, much less know anything about them. I have heard people say you can get a good deal buying one that the big box stores rent out, as they get good saws for that and take care of necessary maintenance. The tree guy that gives me wood advised me against buying used, though, and said to buy stihl or husqvarna. You can buy husqvarna online, but stihl only sells through dealers. I like my husqvarna, but I have never heard anyone say a bad word about a stihl. If you go to their websites, you can see pretty quickly what saws will fill your needs.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I would get a stihl and not look back.

[Scott Hackler]

I bought a Husqvarna 353 and its a BEAST. I opted for an 18" bar and it tears up the wood, now! There is a huge difference in the Husqvarna or Stihl the the big box stores have and the dealers. The big box ones are light light duty and will NOT hold up to real heavy use. Yeah you spend more at the dealer, but you'll get a saw that will last a very long time. Mine is not the XP model, but the dealer said the only real difference was a higher RPM limiter (XP runs faster) . I decided I didn't want to spend the premium for that and bought the 353 for about $385. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

[Chris Barnett]

Stihl 310 Farm Boss....a bit heavy and with an aggressive chain, a real brute. If you get the aggressive chain, grab a good hold before it touches wood.

[Roger Chandler]

The Husqvarna 359 is in the pro lineup of Husky saws.........it is the same motor as the 357 XP, only tuned a little differently so the rpms are a bit higher on the 357 XP. I have had mine about 6 or 7 years with Zero issues and have cut some big trees and have cut many loads of firewood...............it is a fine saw!

[Nathan Hawkes]

The 359 is a good saw. The 357XP has a bit more power, I think a couple minor differences, but I've put some time on a 359; its a runner for sure. I have a Stihl 361; this is a pro/commercial grade saw, and is definitely $$$. I've used it hard, and it keeps running strong. It'll run you over $600, as will the 357XP. I have a couple larger saws that will cost you a lot more too; stick with the 60cc or close saws. Anything much smaller will "run" a 20" bar, but to run it well, you need around 60cc--this means the Husqvarna 357XP, 455, 359, Stihl 361, 310/311, etc. Makita and Dolmar are the same saw; made in Germany. The 6410 is a very good model, in the same ballpark as the Husqvarna and Stihl pro models. Spend the $$ on a pro level saw and you'll have it ten or fifteen years from now if you take care of it. Save the money, and you'll be buying another saw in ten years. Just my $0.02

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Curtis....you have gotten some good advice here. Buy from a local dealer who sells and services chain saws. Don't buy the bottom end saw. In 1977 I bought a chain saw. I went to a local dealer in Bend, OR and told him....I didn't want a home owner's chain saw, I wanted a professional quality chain saw. He sold me a saw with a 16" bar stating I could go to a larger bar and work in the timber if I wanted. I paid a big price for it then....over $250. The company went out of business or was bought out by the competition. It's a McCoullough (sp?). If the thing would quit working, I'd buy a replacement but it just keeps on chugging along.

Buy from a local dealer who services what he sells and don't buy the bottom end, cheapest model.

[Dan Hintz]

avoid big box stores; they only sell lower-end stuff.
I picked up my Husqvarna 455 Rancher at Lowes... used a 20% off coupon from Harbor Freight and got it for $320. I'd call that a steal. They also sell the next model up, but that was only online, and due to the storm I needed it now.

[Darryl Hansen]

Try Bailey's for supplier also NPC both carry different brands will provide advice and are suppliers to the forestry trade. Only donw side on Sthil is only thier dealers can get parts.

[Rex Guinn]

I have a 40 year old Echo and it still works great for my needs, but I only cut blanks no firewood. There was a tree service cutting a large oak last week next door. I was talking to the owner and he would only use stihl has tried them all over the last 25 years and stihl is the only one that hangs in there and just works.

[Richard Jones]

Depending upon the year, the 55 can be a great saw. Have you priced a repair/rebuild? What's the problem with the saw now?

I run a 20" bar on my 2003 55 and it does a great job with whatever.

Rich

[Chris Burgess]

You can also check Craigslist. I picked up a Stihl Farm Boss 18" with 2 extra Stihl chains for $150. What a steal. I chose Stihl becasue there are dealers and shops all over and it is much easier to get them repaired.

[Roger Turnbough]

I have 2 saws. A Husky 455 Rancher, and a Stihl MS460. The husky has a 16" bar on it and is a fine limbing saw. Nice and light and you can tote it around all day long. Right now it has an unknown chain on it that I will file before we go to cut tomorrow. At around 55cc, this saw does just an OK job at halving rounds. It does an acceptable job at bucking.

The Stihl MS 460 is in a whole different class. At 76cc this thing is a wood cutting beast. I run a 24" bar on this saw, with the Stihl safety chain. I looked at prices at the dealer last week and this saw will set you back a little over $1000. This saw is heavy at around 15lbs, and will wear you down over a long day of cutting wood. With a nicely sharpened chain, and with the power band this saw has, you just cannot slow this saw down.

As a general recommendation, I would consider no saw that has less that 55cc. You will be much better off with a saw in the 60-70cc range. More power, higher rpm's= less time in the wood, and a little heavier saw absorbs the vibrations a bit better than a light saw. Consider a Stihl MS361 or a Husky 372XP. Both saws are in the 60cc class, and fully capable of running a 24" bar.

Buy from a dealer, not a big box store, run the recommended Mix oil and keep your chain sharp. Your saw will last you a long long time.

Roger

[curtis rosche]

the problem with the current saw was it needs a new carb and is rusted pretty good. we kept it in the shed which has ooen windows and didnt always shut the door to,,,, the new saw will be better taken care of.
part of the reason for this thread is to concinve my mother we need a good saw. she knows we need a saw but she said "why dont i just get the cheapest one down at the hardware store" and i knew that wouldnt cut it for the amount of work we put it through. so thanks for helping to justify the sticker shock a little bit

[Ralph Lindberg]

Depending upon the year, the 55 can be a great saw. Have you priced a repair/rebuild? What's the problem with the saw now?

I run a 20" bar on my 2003 55 and it does a great job with whatever.

Rich

Good point, my old (first) one I snapped the shaft. My dealer told me it would be cheaper to buy a replacement then have him repair it, so I did.

It's been said there are only two brands of Chainsaw worth buying, both are Orange

[curtis rosche]

so i have one suggestion to stay away from craigslist adds and one saying to go for it. which is better? if i find a stihl on craigslist, can i take it into a dealer and have them check it out for me before i buy it? and will they suport the product even though it wasnt bought directly from them?

[Jim Heikes]

This is beating a dead horse but I would only buy Stihl chainsaw (and ONLY from a Stihl dealer). My Farm Boss is pushing 40 years and still runs like new. Upfront cost is well worth the money............

[Joe Meirhaeghe]

I have 3 Stihl saws all of them were bought new in 1980 & all see regular use & at 31 yrs old all 3 still run like new.
That said save up & buy a New Quality saw. That way you know exactly how it's been taken care of. Use a premium quality 2 cycle oil mix ( I only use Stihl oil mix ) & keep your gas fresh & run the saw dry or empty the gas from the saw after each use & enjoy it for many years to come.
Be leery of used saws even the name brand ones unless you can really trust the owner. It's amazing how many people know how to totally trash a new saw in on time at all.
Take a look at ebay & see all of the good looking Stihl saws that are listed as for repair or parts only...
Buyer beware.

[Hilel Salomon]

Curtis,
Lots of people have had good luck with McCullough, Poulans and even Homelites which they bought many years ago. Lots of people have had luck with saws that they bought at Lowe's or HD. The trouble is that lots of people have had very bad luck with recent models of the above names, and mixed luck with the DIY saws. Furthermore if a saw you buy at Lowes or HD goes bad, they won't fix it. Dealers will fix saws that are under warranty, but how do you prove that to them if you bought it through an ad. If you know a good deal about saws, you can have great success buying through Craig's list or from private persons. If you are going to use a saw a few times a year, you can definitely do well with a mid range saw. If, on the other hand, you'll be depending on your saw for firewood coming out of ten acres, you really need a good, professional saw. I have Stihl in 036 pro, in 66 pro as well as their 200T and 190T. They're excellent, very heavy duty professional saws (the last two being limb saws). They're also heavy. In Husqvarna, I have two 372X's and a 365. They too are great saws. My experience with the 45 , 55 and some other Husqvarna's has been mixed. I would not recommend them for heavy, continued multi-year use. Stihl makes excellent saws and their dealers tend (though I know of one exception) to be very reputable. I also have a Makita (Dolmar) and a Solo for light to medium use. They're pretty good. Believe it or not, I also have and really like Echo's mid range saws for light to medium use and for trimming bowl blanks which I can't get onto a BS. The Echos start like charms.
If you have a friend who knows a fair amount about saws, maybe you and he/she can look at used ones for sale. Otherwise, stick to a local dealer and stick to a brand that has a good reputation. One caveat about anything but Stihl, Husqvarna and Echo is that you may not have dealers who can service them. There is, for example, no dealers in Columbia who service the Dolmar/Makitas and few dealers who service the Solos and Shindaiwas.
Luck,
Hilel

[Mark Levitski]

My wife and I have 45 wooded acres and own two Husky 372XP's. We also have a smaller Stihl. Our recommendation is to get a Husky--we have not had as good of a time with the Stihl. Spend the money on a bigger saw. It will last longer, cut better, and will be worth more money used if you ever need to sell it. The 372's are really nice--light for their size, powerful, and they always start with three pulls for us. Between firewood and turning, your most important tool besides the lathe would be a good chainsaw.

[Josh Bowman]

Get a stihl, you might be a candidate for a farm boss model.

[Jacob Reverb]

I like my Stihl 361 a LOT.

Open up the exhaust with a muffler mod, and richen up the carb, and she'll pull a 28" B&C.

[Nathan Hawkes]

Get a stihl, you might be a candidate for a farm boss model.


Unfortunately, these days you get what you pay for. The current farm boss is at the lower end of Stihl's product line, and is consequently one of the cheaper-made models. My father's saw, a brand new "farm boss" Stihl, just came out of the shop, after the switch broke THE FIRST TIME HE USED IT. I've since heard of several of the same incidents. Look at ONLY the heavy duty or professional models if you are going to use your saw a lot. If its only several times a year, go for the farm boss; if you plan on using your saw to cut several cords of firewood every year, then you should do a cost/benefit analysis of how much you want to spend, then factor in the repair costs that you're going to pay if you get a homeowner grade saw. FWIW, one of the saws I own is an older Stihl the "wood boss", probably bought sometime in the early to mid 80's. I let it sit too long with gas in it, and needs a carb rebuild, but until then, it ran great!

Edit; when purchasing a Stihl, look for the "white handle" saws; they are the mid and professional grade. The orange handles signify those saws not meant for demanding use.

[curtis rosche]

i bought the farmboss from a very good local dealer. it runs great, maybe i will get some pictures up later this month

[Craig Matheny]

Curtis talked to a buddy of mine that does commercial tree trimming and he strongly suggested Stihl easy to get parts for and is a work horse. He owns 20+ assorted small and 5 of their MS660 pro series. Hope this helps