New chainsaw recommendations

[Eric Gourieux]

I've got a Stihl 026 with an 18" chain. I'm wanting to purchase a larger chainsaw for cutting blanks. I'm at the upper limit with my saw when I cut up some of the logs I've recently acquired for bowl blanks. I recently came across a HUGE maple with heavy ambrosia staining and want to take advantage of the size of this tree. When I look at the specs on larger Stihl saws, most will only accept up to a 20" chain/bar. Any suggestions? Are these specs too conservative? I really like the Stihl saws.

And while we're on the topic, does anybody notice a difference between brands of chains? Is a Stihl chain really worth the difference in price?

[Jeremy Leasure]

I purchased a Stihl MS362 back in early February. It can accept a 25" bar and from using it over the past several months I don't think it would be a problem using one with it. I couldn't be happier with the saw. As for chain, I've only ever used Stihl chain on my Stihl saw, but I've used Oregon chains on the small Paulan and such available at Wal-Mart and the like. The Stihl is definitely better. With how many sharpenings you can get from a single chain barring major mishap I think it's more than worth it.

I couldn't be happier with the saw I purchased, and will likely be getting one of the big boys from Stihl when funds permit. Ideally I'd like to have two saws. One with a dedicated ripping chain and one with a regular crosscut.

[Bob Bergstrom]

Moved from a 028 to a 362. Good professional saw. It took about 5 tanks of gas and there was an increase in power and rpm. It is heavier and with the 25" bar it is more nose heavy. Once in the log it cuts well. Of course even then at times you would like a bigger saw, but the weight really becomes a factor. Cutting smaller pieces can be tiring.

[allen thunem]

take a look at this saw
http://www.husqvarna.com/us/products/professional-chainsaws/3120-xp/

[Brian Libby]

I highly recommend Stihl saws. The Stihl MS 441 will take a 16 to 32 inch bar.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I have a Stihl 362 with a 18" and bought a 25" bar. It definitely cuts well.

[Mike Cruz]

Is Stihl the best? Not necessarily. Is it a good saw? Oh, heck yeah... Bottom line, you have to compare apples to apples. You can look at the orange one that starts with an H and has every letter of the alphabet in it...some in sequence that are not allowed in the English language, but that alone turns me off to them. ;) If you do, or if you compare the Stihl's to any other brand, just make sure you are comparing similar sized motors (cc's).

I have a 290 Farm Boss. It works well. Could another saw cut better or faster? Yeah, I'm sure they could. For me, it does what I need and was in the price range I was willing to pay.

As for chains, yeah, of course they make a difference. I have found that no chain that I've ever purchased held an edge longer than a brand new Stihl chain. Now, why don't they hold an edge as long after they are brand new? Probably 'cause I use them past when I should and might sometimes blue them. They aren't HSS. Overheating them WILL mess them up. But I have bought other brand chains that cut great out of the box, but didn't last as long as the Stihl chains that I've bought.

I've never bought the H brand chains, so they might be great, too. I would just avoid a bargain chain...you get what you pay for...

[Jeremy Leasure]

As for chains, yeah, of course they make a difference. I have found that no chain that I've ever purchased held an edge longer than a brand new Stihl chain. Now, why don't they hold an edge as long after they are brand new? Probably 'cause I use them past when I should and might sometimes blue them. They aren't HSS. Overheating them WILL mess them up. But I have bought other brand chains that cut great out of the box, but didn't last as long as the Stihl chains that I've bought.


This is why I finally gave up getting my Stihl dealers (two different locations, two different states) to sharpen my chains. At first I couldn't figure out why the freshly sharpened chain would only make one decent cut before doing nothing more than slowly sanding away at the log. Finally, I started inspecting the chains and noticed they blued the tips on ever single link on every chain I'd given them. This is a bit of a problem, because I'm not a super forester born with a chainsaw in my hands. I've gotten fairly decent at sharpening now, but eventually the chain just needs to be reground on a machine to get it back and ready for my slow mangling.

[curtis rosche]

Is Stihl the best? Not necessarily. Is it a good saw? Oh, heck yeah... Bottom line, you have to compare apples to apples. You can look at the orange one that starts with an H and has every letter of the alphabet in it...some in sequence that are not allowed in the English language, but that alone turns me off to them. ;) If you do, or if you compare the Stihl's to any other brand, just make sure you are comparing similar sized motors (cc's).

I have a 290 Farm Boss. It works well. Could another saw cut better or faster? Yeah, I'm sure they could. For me, it does what I need and was in the price range I was willing to pay.

As for chains, yeah, of course they make a difference. I have found that no chain that I've ever purchased held an edge longer than a brand new Stihl chain. Now, why don't they hold an edge as long after they are brand new? Probably 'cause I use them past when I should and might sometimes blue them. They aren't HSS. Overheating them WILL mess them up. But I have bought other brand chains that cut great out of the box, but didn't last as long as the Stihl chains that I've bought.

I've never bought the H brand chains, so they might be great, too. I would just avoid a bargain chain...you get what you pay for...


i as well have the form boss. works great for cutting any wood i throw at it, i use it for blanks and everything else. the only thing i would suggest if you have the money,, the next model up, is a tiny less power, but a few pounds lighter, this is helpful if your doing alot of limb work like i was the other week,,,,

and i love the stihl chains

[Eric Gourieux]

Thanks for all of your opinions. The Stihl 362 has come up a few times in this thread. I hope to stop by the Stihl dealer later this week, and I'll check 'em out. I do think I'll try a few Stihl chains to see if they are worth the $. I just dropped off 8 chains at my local sharpener's house, so I'll have a good comparison.

Wait till you see the ambrosia haul I'm making this week. Pics to follow next week.

[Jeff Myroup]

I use a husqvarna 460 Rancher. It does everything I need it to do.

[Mike Cruz]

Eric, there are a couple of chains that Stihl offers. Of the "normal" ones, one is the anti-kickback and if you look at the cutter teeth's profile, they are rounded over on the sides. There is a more aggressive one that, if you look at the profile from the same direction (straight on...down the bar from the tip), the they should be square. This second one does a better job at ripping (cutting blanks).

[Roger Chandler]

I use a Husqvarna 359 which is getting into the professional lineup. It has a 20 inch bar. I have a professional chain sharpening machine just like the saw shops use..........makes a huge difference in getting an absolutely correct angle on the cutter and makes sharpening fast.

I take 3 or 4 chains along when I know I am going to be doing a lot of cutting..........that Husqvarna will cut all day long!

At times I would like to have a bigger saw.........probably something like a 576XP with a 32 inch bar.............a lot of saw when you really need one..........probably in the cards before long!

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Not wanting to pile on the S vs H debate, but I have 3 Stihls, Im pretty happy. If you buy any of the quality saws, you cant go wrong, just remember as mentioned, compare apples to apples when comparing brands. I think Stihl chains are much better than the Oregon chains, but just my opinion. PROBABLY since Im a Stihl owner.

As a side note, if you bring 8 chains to sharpener to get sharpened, Id say you should invest in a sharpener. I got a cheapo Timber Tuff sharpener from the Tractor Supply Co. It is NOT the best Ive used, the Oregon sharpener is a great sharpener. But at 150 bucks, its a good buy, and for the semi pro with [only] 8 chains at a time, it should last. The instructions are lacking, but it's not difficult to sharpen chains. It also comes with 3 grinder wheels, so you can probably sharpen any chain out there.

[Scott Hackler]

I agree with Kyle about a power sharpener, but I went el cheapo and bought the Harbor Freight (Central Machinery) one. It was about $30 and WORTH EVERY PENNY! I have 3-4 chains and will sharpen them all at once. Once you have the jig adjusted for the particular side of teeth set, you can easily repeat the grind throughout that side and then rotate, reset and sharpen the other side. I can, now, sharpen a chain from start to finish in about 15 minutes.

On the chainsaw side, I researched them all and ended up with a Husquavarna 353 18" bar. It is a fantastic saw with lots of power and not too heavy. If I was to buy another saw it might be a smaller (limber) because after a couple hours I get tired of the weight of my current saw (even though its not too bad). I just got done processing a monster Sycamore score and the 18" bar wouldn't come close to cutting or ripping the longs in one pass but walking around to the other side isn't that hard! :) On another note, my lathe will only spin a 16" black so my 18" saw is pleanty long.


I also recommend a dealer, not the big box stores. The saws they sell are "home owner" versions and NOT built for heavy use. When I researched saws my dealer sold Stihl and Huquavarna. I asked the fella there which was best and he said they were basically the same quality and very similaer in price. He, personally leaned a smidge toward the Husq, becuase he said their air filter was slightly better. (BTW this fella was a serviceman as well, so he's taken apart both brands regularly).

[Rick Markham]

This thread interests me, and I've actually done a fair amount of research in the past, still haven't made a decision yet. there are Die hard fans in either direction for Husq. and Stihl. There are some major differences in the professional grade saws, and the "home or ranch" saws (or so say the pros) it can be overwhelming (and expensive) decision. I think the most important consideration is how big of a bar do you want to run on it? I'd pick the saw based on your bar length. Is it going to be dedicated as a "big saw" or are you going to want to use it for all of your blank cutting. I've been tempted in the past with a MS440 and the MS441

[Mike Cruz]

Rick, there's no doubt that it is like a Chevy vs Ford debate. You have your favorite and stick up for it.

The H saws are good saws. The Stihls are good saws. I have and like my Farmboss 290. It does a good job cutting firewood and blanks with a 20" bar. Could I go bigger? Oh, yeah! Do I want to spend the money on a 30+" bar? Um, no. So, I have to make due.

The other thing to think about is that the bigger the saw you go with, the heavier it is going to be. That weight can wear you out, but good. There is no doubt that I've drooled over some of the big guns and wished I had them for some of the really big (for me) stuff I've cut up where my 20" bar didn't make it all the way through. I just have to weigh how much I want/need that big boy. Of course, now that I'll have a lathe with a 28" swing...:rolleyes:

[Gary Max]

I use a Husqvarna 372-----running a 24 inch bar. Best saw I have ever owned and the most expensive.

[David DeCristoforo]

Sigh........

...once again I find it necessary to invoke a reality check. Some of the saws suggested might be "OK" for most folks but why not just get what everyone really wants right up front....

234458

[Roger Chandler]

Sigh........

...once again I find it necessary to invoke a reality check. Some of the saws suggested might be "OK" for most folks but why not just get what everyone really wants right up front....

234458

David..........that is a two-man saw! :D:D:D As if?!!!

[Mark Levitski]

Eric,

Definitely research the Husky's. I'm with Gary. My wife and I have two of those 372's. They have been wonderful saws--start w/ three pulls EVERY time, no matter what temp., lightweight, very powerful. We have the usual 24" bar, a 36" bar, and also use the two of them at opposite ends of our 6' chainsaw mill.

I've had a couple Stihls, but would not go back.

Mark

[Kevin Bourque]

I've bought a Stihl MS 361 about 6 years ago. I cut about 8-10 cords of wood a year with it, mostly hickory and ash. I sharpen my own chains and do my own maintenance and have never had any problems whatsoever.

I never use safety (anti kickback) chains. They suck!

[Ryan Baker]

To step up from your 50cc class saw (the 260) you need to go to a 70cc class saw. The MS361/362 are good saws, but they would be a wasted step over the 260. They should normally run a 20" bar, only stepping to 25" for occasional jobs. Once you are into the 70cc class, you can comfortably run a bar from 20" up to 32-36" with tons of power and speed. In the Stihl line, you need to be looking at a 441, or even better the 461 (not a cheap saw). Husky has their equivalents too that will serve well. Go to a real dealer. Anything you can find in a box store is cheap and heavy with marginal performance.

Yes, Stihl chain really is significantly better than other brands. It holds an edge much better. Don't let any dealer grind your chains. They all ruin them, and it costs way too much. Get a file and sharpen your chains by hand ... it only takes literally a couple minutes. You need to be touching them up at least every couple tanks of fuel. Don't wear them down to stumps before you try to sharpen them. You don't need a grinder at all unless you rock a chain, or hit some big metal, etc.

[Jerrimy Snook]

Here is a chainsaw for neanders.
234460

Husqvarna's are for quilt makers and seamstresses.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4057/4475904691_9be9dd9735.jpg

[David DeCristoforo]

"...that is a two-man saw!"

The other man comes with it....

[Nathan Hawkes]

Okay, Ford rules, Chevy sucks, blah blah blah.

I have one Husqvarna and three Stihls. All are "pro" grade. The ones you want to look at in either line are the white colored handles in Stihl, and the "XP" models in Husqvarna, as well as their "359" model, mentioned already. Very good saw for the money! Buy the absolute biggest you can afford, if you think you're going to use it. Since you have an 026, I know you appreciate quality--the pro models cost about 2/3 more, almost 2x the price of the farm boss homeowner series. They're worth it.