general purpose chain saw

A Polarious or even a Honda rancher would be nice. I'm renting a small mini storage near my property. I'll likely buy an ATV and store it there when we get a little closer to moving.


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I carried my gear in and out of my north forty Sanctuary. For another 2.4lbs you get .69 more horses between 261 and 362.

G
 
I like my Stihl 210. Not much heavier than the 170 but has more power. I think I run a 16” bar. Reminds me I need to drop off some chains to sharpen.
 
Ms261 c-m pro model. Best all around saw I have. Comes with 18" bar. I put s 16" bar on mine

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Last edited:
weekender21 said:
I plan to leave 95% of the tops where they lay. I'm clearing some of the logged areas between now and April for plots and orchards and I'm sure I'll need to cut a few to get them along the way.

There are also several areas I've already planted trees that have aggressive stump sprouts and other saplings near by. I'll need to keep those in check to prevent them from shading out my trees.

Everyone's advice is much appreciated, thank you!


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For me, I feel it often safer and easier to clear the fell trees off the roads and such if the tops are separated 1st. I like to lighten up and de-stress the main trunks by trimming back the tops 1st. That's where I like a smaller saw, or at least a shorter bar. There's a lot less chance for the tip to hit non target limbs and create kick back.
There is no perfect size of saw. Something that can handle an 18"-20" bar plus a short light saw is the way to go. Hell, you often need the second saw to free the other saw when a bar gets inevitably pinched.
I have an old Stihl 028 with an 18" bar. It's been great. I also have a newer Echo that's small and lighter. They both have their place.
And look at what the pros use. Almost all of them use a Scandinavian saw...Stihl, Husky, Echo. I'd choose one of those brands and base my choice on how close the nearest parts and service is.
 
Lot's of great advice, I'm definitely more educated on the topic than I was a few days ago.

Thanks again!
 
I use the Stihl MS250C, and love it. Perfect for the work you described that you want to do. On a side note if you buy a Polaris I would not buy an extended warranty. Read all the reviews online how people are not getting theirs honored and they did not honor mine and I bought a 5 year extended from Polaris.
 
Satguy said:
I use the Stihl MS250C, and love it. Perfect for the work you described that you want to do. On a side note if you buy a Polaris I would not buy an extended warranty. Read all the reviews online how people are not getting theirs honored and they did not honor mine and I bought a 5 year extended from Polaris.
Click to expand...
Yamaha
 
Ive got 3 saws. I like my semi pro model Husqy 545. LIght weight is easier on you. Though 455 rancher is good general purpose saw, little heavier, and little out of your range.

I got a cheap Stihl 180, that I wouldn't worry if it got stolen. Actually does ok for a homeowner saw. You need to keep it sharp. Any saw, but maybe the little ones more.

Get some chaps. I prefer my stihl chaps, they run short. Also got husqy chaps. This year I also bought Stihl hard hat with muffs and face shield. Really like it. Doesn't fog up like safety glasses.

Myself, I really don't care about dealer support.
 
If you get a smaller stihl don't get one of those new fangled machines with the wheel to tighten the chain. I despise that design. Get the tried and true two nut system with a tightening screw in the middle. I hade a smaller stihl (i think a 150 or 170) that I liked because of its light weight but that wheel made me hate it and sell. I ended up buying a 250 for small stuff and a 311 for bigger stuff and hope to buy a 460 or bigger to do some stabbing someday. The 311 is quite a bit heavier and sturdy than the 250.
 
I've posted about it before but I have had a bad experience with two of the Stihl ms farm boss saws. Stihl makes great chain saws and has very good dealer support but the consumer grade saws don't deserve to wear the orange. If it were me, I'd either spend the money for a Stihl pro saw or buy a used Stihl pro saw. Or give husqavarna a try for a consumer grade saw. I would ensure that the saw has the standard two nut bar retention and that you can manually adjust the oiler. That's the biggest issue with the consumer grade saws, the oiler isn't adjustable and they don't throw any oil off the chain. The lack of oil means the chain dulls quickly if doing any real work. I've witnessed this issue with 3 (2 of mine and an uncles) Stihl farm boss saws.
 
I have the Stihl Farm Boss MS271 with a 20" bar, great saw but a little big for light trimming. It flat out eats trees up.
 
I'll add that any saw should be running the professional style chain. The anti-kickback chains don't cut nearly as well.
I switched over to the pro chains a few years ago and I really like them and I haven't noticed any level of kick-back with them.
 
Dolmar 3410 lots of power, small and handy. It's the go to saw when it's a full day of cutting. I have a bigger saw for large trees but the older I get the more I like the Dolmar.


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