chainsaw or arborist forums

[allen thunem]

I am in the market for a newer, larger chainsaw and am wondering about forums similar to this one where I can get some good information prior to making a purchase.

[Al Wasser]

Stihl! Now figure out how big you want, ie, what size trees are you going to be dealing with

[Tony Rozendaal]

I have learned some stuff on this site: forestryforum.com/

I was on here just yesterday, learning how to use my new, high quality, Harbor Freight chainsaw sharpener;): arboristsite.com/

I have a Stihl and like it, but a lot of it is about the dealer in your area that gives the best support and stocks spare chains and the like for when you need them. It's all well and good to recommend a brand, but if the closest dealer is 100 miles away, you may be better off with something that can be supported locally.

Find a local dealer and see what they recommend for the type of use that you have planned for the saw. If you are planning to saw with the grain to prepare turning blanks, be prepared for "I never heard of that before."

[John Keeton]

Save yourself a lot of effort! It matters little which forum you go to, there will principally be two camps - Stihl and Husqvarna. Both are superb saws and those that own either will swear by them. There will be other saws mentioned, but these will be the main two brands that are readily available in the marketplace. Buy the largest saw you can handle for two hours of straight cutting. It is easy to get caught up in "bigger is better" only to find out that the weight of the saw starts to cause fatigue and that is dangerous when using a chainsaw.

[Reed Gray]

The professionals all use Stihl or Husquavarna. I haven't seen any others used out there in the forest or with the urban arborists.

robo hippy

[daryl moses]

I probably use my chain saw more in a week than most use in a year. Stihl makes a great saw but my Huskys have never let me down.

[Steve Nix]

I purchased a larger Stilh 290 w/20" blade a few month back to replace my 25+ year old 16" saw. Great saw.

[carl mesaros]

Mr. Keeton offers excellent advice. Buy the largest saw you can handle for 2 hours of straight cutting.
Both Stihl and Husquavarna are good saws. We have several Sthil dealers in our area so that's the direction I went.
After studying the different models, I purchased the MS262, which is the smallest in the profesional line. It has more than enough power to handle a 20" bar and weighs in around 12lbs.
The professional line offers several nice features including compression release and a spring type mounting system instead of rubber. Also all die cast aluminum instead of plastic.

[robert baccus]

I have used Husquavarna for 30 years but the chainsaw repair guys tell me they are being made by Pouland now and all recommend ECHO as does consumer reports. I have yard tools by them and they run great. My last Husky had to have a new carburator within 6 months. Things change.

[david privett]

also look at jonsered saws I think tractor supply carry's them now they are owned by husky but are a little different in air induction. And for what it is worth I like a 3/8 standard - 50 chain not, low profile. get a full chisel chain not a safely chain and watch the wood fly . I also like to stay at least 55 cc's or better. you will need it to run above chain. if you need to rip baileys will make you a skip tooth rip chain in 3/8- 50 also.

[Roger Chandler]

I have used Husquavarna for 30 years but the chainsaw repair guys tell me they are being made by Pouland now and all recommend ECHO as does consumer reports. I have yard tools by them and they run great. My last Husky had to have a new carburator within 6 months. Things change.
The parent company that owns Viking sewing machines, Husqvarna saws, what used to be Electrolux [now Areus] and a number of other machines including Poulan is an umbrella manufacturing conglomerate with diversified products.

I have a local servicing dealer who carries both Stihl and Husqvarna power equipment. Their main mechanic worked for the Stihl factory that makes the chainsaws for 12 years before taking his position here as the head mechanic at this dealership. He told me personally that for the professional model saws made by both Stihl and Husqvarna that the Husky was made a bit more heavy duty in the internals, but most folks would not be able to tell much difference in the performance in the two lines for similar size cc motors. I have a friend who is a professional commercial logger who used to use Stihl exclusively, but about 9 years ago had 3 saws that broke the crank inside the motor. He switched to the Husqvarna lineup, and says he gets twice the life out of them than he did the Stihls.

I have turner friends who swear by the Stihl saws......they are good saws. I went Husqvarna, and have gotten power and performance and reliability. I believe the mechanic that worked for Stihl [he left on good terms, just wanted to move back to his local roots] when he says the Husky's are built a little heavier internally in the professional line. Both companies make homeowner grade, but for heavy everyday use like a professional logging operation has, then that is the performance and build that I personally want........that is why I have a 390XP, And a 359. The 359 and 357XP were actually made for Husqvarna by Jonsered, but they have been great and reliable saws.

[Bob Bergstrom]

Chainsaw repair forum and arborist.com are both good sources for new and used equipment. Lots of talk about which are good everyday cutters and what is not. Also lots on modifying saws for more power. I have a stihl 362 with a 25" bar. It is a little Heavey for light work, but great for ripping out large bowl blanks. All brands mentioned here will out work most of us and smaller saws will still get the job done, just takes a little longer. If the lathe you turn on has a 14" throw, a 25" bar would be a lot of overkill? 25" throw = 25" bar.

[Don Frank]

One more suggestion is that you can fudge a little on the size of saw you use. I have a Stihl 310 and a 20" bar. I needed a 25" bar, but from the reviews on a lot of the sites, the consensus was the saw I owned wouldn't handle it as is. I started seeing a lot of references to "porting" the exhaust. All modern chainsaws have EPA restrictions for sound/emissions. After doing a lot of research, I ported the exhaust on my Stihl instead of purchasing a larger saw. That sounds difficult but really isn't. It is basically cutting additional holes in the muffler plate to ease the restriction of exhaust. The same reason guys run straight headers on cars at the drag strip. After doing this you have to make a minor carb adjustment as well. I purchased a bar and chain from Baileys and the saw cuts as well with the 25" bar as it used to with a 20". The beauty of this arrangement is that I have a saw that is lighter and easier to handle that handles a 25" bar well, and for my purposes of cutting bowl blanks it's perfect! I also took the time to make a RoboHippy style chainsaw/chopsaw bed and I can't say enough good things about that set up.

[john taliaferro]

arbor site should help you find what you need in a saw or saws .

[Mike Goetzke]

Allen - I've been turning a little for about two years now. Based on suggestions here I bought a 20" Husky for my 20" swing lathe. I at least paid for it the first time I acquired a large haul of wood. My muscles ached more from loading that wet wood into my Suburban than any of the chainsawing. Anyway, again from info. here I later purchased a 16" Makita corded chainsaw. This electric saw performs as well any gas saws I have used. I use it in the garage and around the house so as not to disturb the neighbors too much. So depending what you are going to cut the Makita could be a candidate.

Mike

[Denny Tudor]

I heat my house with an outdoor water stove that circulates hot water in floor. Very large house 5200sf ( all needed for wife's stuff). I cut and split 9 cords each year. I have a Maruyama 50 cc 18 inch and have no trouble with hickory and oak up to 18 inches. The saw is made in Germany by Dolmar and as far as I know is Maruyama is the only company that guarentees all its products for 5 years. Husky and Stihl are only 3.

I also rip cut with it using a a regular chain I sharpened to 10 degrees. certainly not as good as a real skip tooth rip chain but lots cheaper and fine for me. But making lumber - just small Jess than 4-5 feet long no wider than 15 inches for small projects.


What ever you buy the best other investment you can make is an air compressor to keep your saw cleaned on regular basis. I blow it out every time I come in.

[Jeramie Johnson]

As mentioned, two main camps, both good saws. There are others out there also, but local service can be handy when in a bind.
For me, the two are serviced by my local stores. I have two Husky XP models.

Whatever you choose, keep em clean, well oiled, keep the blades sharp, keep the blades out of the dirt and bark whenever possible, and they will treat you well.

[hu lowery]

Sawhawgs and arborist.com can give you more information than you will ever need and both are fairly willing to get away from the big two. There are usually three lines of saws. Big box store homeowner saws, plastic cases, essentially throwaways. Then the pro saws, Dolmar/Makita is right up there with Stihl and Husqvarna in performance, lacks dealer support. There is a Husky brand, probably started just to mislead people, junk as far as I know.

Anyway, the third line of saws is of interest to wood turners. Classified farm/ranch saws, they vary by model. Some are detuned pro saws, some are upgraded plastic toy saws. choosing the right ones of these can save some money and give a turner excellent service. Was the route I was headed down until I fluked into a steal on a Makita 6401. It's a beast after a few mod's and putting quality chain on it. My little plastic saw that came with a shop I bought out actually runs pretty well too, when it runs. Harder to keep running than my bigger saw so I always grab the big one even for light work. Electric saws are worth having one of just for in the shop and trim work near the house. I like the harbor fright unit with a two year warranty. Catch it on sale for about $75 including extended warranty and you are guaranteed a shop chainsaw for two years.

The real deal is quality chain. Can buy other stuff but Bailey's sells Stihl chain at a good price and it is tough or impossible to beat. I see little safety advantage to safety chain but to each his own. You need good safety gear regardless and some solid equipment between your ears. Chainsaws may be the most dangerous tool you can hold in your hands, certainly nothing can kill you faster. They have safe(r) zones just like lathes, handy to know. Good cutting saws are a lot safer than those you have to fight so good sharp chain on a quality saw are genuine safety benefits.

Buy a Granberg or similar sharpener so you can file your own chains as needed. I bought a tachometer also. Finding that my saw was detuned almost four thousand RPM and putting pro chain on it woke it up and turned it into a saw! Bar length has as much to do with how much chain you can oil as how much you have the horsepower to pull. I think I ended up with a 32" bar on my saw rated for a 28" maximum bar but since that is mostly to save me from reaching down bucking or delimbing it works fine. Noodling wet wood I haven't had issues either. Using a wide drive tooth helped with oiling.

Choose carefully and buy all of the saw you can afford in the size you want. The new electronically controlled saws have brains about like your car and like your car seem to work great in the Stihl and Husqvarna lines. I don't know which other lines have brains now or how good they are. For easy starting and self tuning to your gas and weather I would definitely get a smart saw if money allows. I have an itch for a big smart saw now but I don't have the scratch and the truth is I don't really need it. Kinda like an American Beauty, it would sure look good in my shop!

Saws like premium gas and synthetic oil. Makes life easier to feed them what they like. An additive makes 10% ethanol OK but I prefer nonethanol gas.

Short course on saws. You will hear more of the same on arborist.com and sawhawgs. The members are a little rough around the edges but generally very good people both places. The combined knowledge on saws and sawing is awesome.

Hu

[Hilel Salomon]

As with most tools, I have a slew of chainsaws. I wonder what you mean by "big" If, as some above have recommended, you want to cut for two hours, then very big will become a very heavy burden on your back, arms and even legs. I have a total of 15 saws, consisting of Stihls, Husqvarnas, Echos and one Solo. The last one is ok, but I wouldn't recommend it. The one thing that I would advise is to buy whatever you choose from an actual dealer and buy quality. That pretty much eliminates Ryobi, Homelight, Poulan, McCullough and Sears(which is made by Ryobi) and buying from Lowes or HD. The cheaper Stihls and Husqvarnas are, IMO, not worth getting. Echo at the middle level and higher makes excellent saws with great warranties. They are extremely easy to start. For work that requires hours of continuous operation, though, I would suggest the higher end Stihls and Huskies. One additional note: In the old days, we were told to empty our saws and other gas/oil tools. That is no longer a good idea. If you are going to go a long time without using the tool, put a high octane non-gasohol and oil mix and fill it up. When you start it, after a lengthy period, run it for a short while and then empty the tank and put in a fresh mix. There is a ready mix which-although expensive- is good to have for the first fill-up. Gasohol, besides being a boon for corn growers, plays havoc on motors that have carburetors. Good luck

[Dale Bonertz]

Something to watch for Allen is the location of the chain tensioning screw. I have Huskies and when you get into the larger models the tensioning screw is located in the front of the saw between the bar and exhaust. Kinda of a pain to see and get to. The last size in the bigger ranges is the 390XP (I think). I have the 394XP and the screw is in the front. A friend bought the 390XP and his is on the side. The rest of my saws all have them on the side which is much more convenient. Just some nuances for you to consider. Not sure about other brands but I would look for a side tensioning screw in whatever you choose.

[Roger Chandler]

Something to watch for Allen is the location of the chain tensioning screw. I have Huskies and when you get into the larger models the tensioning screw is located in the front of the saw between the bar and exhaust. Kinda of a pain to see and get to. The last size in the bigger ranges is the 390XP (I think). I have the 394XP and the screw is in the front. A friend bought the 390XP and his is on the side. The rest of my saws all have them on the side which is much more convenient. Just some nuances for you to consider. Not sure about other brands but I would look for a side tensioning screw in whatever you choose.
Dale....you are correct that the tension mechanism is on the side on the Husqvaena 390XP. I have the 28" bar on mine, but it will easily handle a 32" bar. My dealer and I discussed the selection of saws available in both their Stihl and Husqvarna lineup. I wanted a larger, reliable yet manageable saw......he told me that the 390XP is a saw that a number of professionals use daily, both loggers and tree arborists. He said they almost never get one back for repairs, and they are a workhorse of a saw....I took his advice....they had done other work for me on mowers and snow throwers, and know their stuff. I have been VERY pleased with the power and performance.

[Dale Bonertz]

Roger,

Your 390XP will handle a bar up to around 42". My buddy has one for his that he uses on really big logs. On my 394XP I have a 32", 36", 42" and 46" bar and it handles them all just fine. I would imagine using a 28" and 32" on your 390XP that it just screams through material.

Some have mentioned the weight of the saw which is a concern but not that big of a concern in my opinion. I have two 372XP saws with 24" bars that work well. However on really big logs that max out the bar or a little bigger I can get through them but it takes longer. I think it is easier on me to grab the little heavier 394XP which cuts through these logs quicker thus less wear and tear on my body.

I don't know the size of logs you intend to cut Allen but if I had to work with only one saw I would own the 390XP or equivalent in another brand and have like Roger does a 28" and 32" bar. Big enough saw if you want to add a larger bar later if needed. Small enough with a side screw tensioning for the bar for convenience.

Allen you have my number so if you want to try these saws give me a call or email me and we can go over and cut some blanks. I get some free labor and you get to try different size saws. I do need to get both of my 372XP saws serviced but they are working.

[Hilel Salomon]

Some good advice above. I belong to several forums dealing with chainsaws. The problem with them is that they offer an even more exaggerated version of the "mine are better than yours" opinions. If you follow our turning forum, you will run into the fans of Sorby, Hamlet, Crown, Thompson and others, as well as advocates of Oneway or Vicmarc. The vast majority of turners are-at least- polite about their preferences. Chainsaw devotees tend to be a little more like the politicians running for the presidency.
You can't go wrong with the higher end of Stihl, Husqvarna or Echo, and I've heard great things about Jonserud as well. The important thing, IMO, is to buy from outfits that service their brands.

[Hayes Rutherford]

Hilel, well put. The winner is usually that one with the sharper chain.

[Olaf Vogel]

You can't go wrong with the higher end of Stihl, Husqvarna or Echo, and I've heard great things about Jonserud as well. The important thing, IMO, is to buy from outfits that service their brands.

Depending on where you are locateed: city or country, might a difference in servicing. I have only Stihl saws and the local Stihl dealers were not great in the servicing. Then I was at my cottage, asked the local farmers who does small engine repair. Eventually I found a retired guy who does small engine repair on the side and is AWESOME. In short order is got everything running perfectly again.

If you do cut big stuff, a big saw is really nice. It will slice big logs cuts quickly, where a smaller saw may choke.
But, may be a bear to wrestle for delicate cuts.

One thought is to consider if you want gas or electric.
its cold around here, so being to use the electric inside the shop in the winter, is a great benefit.

So i keep a small Stihl w 16" bar, and 088 with a 36" bar for big stuff and an electric with 18" for inside.
All used, older and great saws.

Olaf