Need Chainsaw Recommendations

[Mennoniteman]

You guys are awesome. Thanks for the responses.

Initially, I'll use this to cut felled trees for firewood at my new house. We had to take 35-40 trees down to put the new house where we wanted it. I had the tree guy give me a big discount by just stacking the logs on the side of the yard rather than haul them away. The new house will be done in June, so I have a mountain of wood to cut into logs. I do have a hydraulic splitter to help with the splitting.

Once that work is done, I'll take the bigger saw up to the Lodge in WI. Always something to cut up there - trees across trails, etc.

Let us know what you bought. Pics are nice too!

 

[dogghr]

I'm a stihl man also even tho my logging buddy swears by Huskies. I would suggest get the pro level stihl. Mine is 9 yrs old, run regular gas with ethanol, never put in tx, let sit most of summer, fires up every time.

 

[Jeff H]

My 30 + year old Stihl 034 Super has never been rebuilt. A couple carb cleanings and one new bar is all. Fires up and cuts like a beast! The tag on it says "made in Germany". Some of the lower end Husky's are made by Poulan. I think the higher end Husky's are still made in Sweden and are much better saws that the Poulan made ones. My Husky (Poulan made) starts and runs and cuts well but it leaks bar oil which is more irritating than anything. The Poulan made Husky's are known for the oil leak. It's repairable but I've not made the time to break it down and repair it. As well the Husky's bar oil reservoir is too small and it will run out of oil before it runs out of gas (without the oil leaking). So if your not careful you can run your bar dry. I compensated by reducing the size of the fuel tank (I placed a large marble in it). Both are annoyances and don't really effect the way it runs and cuts. Just poor design I guess.

 

[OkieKubota]

My 30 + year old Stihl 034 Super has never been rebuilt. A couple carb cleanings and one new bar is all. Fires up and cuts like a beast! The tag on it says "made in Germany". Some of the lower end Husky's are made by Poulan. I think the higher end Husky's are still made in Sweden and are much better saws that the Poulan made ones. My Husky (Poulan made) starts and runs and cuts well but it leaks bar oil which is more irritating than anything. The Poulan made Husky's are known for the oil leak. It's repairable but I've not made the time to break it down and repair it. As well the Husky's bar oil reservoir is too small and it will run out of oil before it runs out of gas (without the oil leaking). So if your not careful you can run your bar dry. I compensated by reducing the size of the fuel tank (I placed a large marble in it). Both are annoyances and don't really effect the way it runs and cuts. Just poor design I guess.

In December 2013 I bought a Poulan Pro 20" bar chainsaw brand new and used it some on our 10 acre place...The thing came in a case and I think the main reason for the case is to somewhat try to contain all of the oil leaks when you are hauling it...When it is running bar oil is flying everywhere and your pants will be soaked with it in a short period of time from it flinging off the bar...Did I mention it doesn't run very well at all...not recommended...

 

[George]

George, do you have a sense as to whether the professional models are worth the extra coin? Why?

Not really Tom, those two saws are all I've ever known as an adult. I have met up with my neighbor on the pass who owns a mid range Stihl and I can have my truck bed filled while he is still piecing up his first tree, other variables to be considered. Homelites, Poulans, Mccullochs, as kids we always spent way more time trying to run than cutting.

I can say, however, that the computer chip in the higher end model Stihls is worth the money. I was having gas issues above 10,000' with my conventional 036. The 362 just runs balls to the wall, of course it is new and hasn't been beat on for 25 years.

G

 

[George]

The forest service was reluctant the first year, or two, that chip was introduced according to my new Stihl Man, the chip has since took over.

G

 

[Gator]

Another Stihl vote. I have a 250 and a 391. 391 is a beast when it comes to cutting a big oak trunk down to size for firewood.

 

[Mo-Ape]

Stihl vote here, have a Stihl Farm Boss 291 and two MS 170's...all still purr like kittens


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[alldaysit]

I have a Stihl Farm Boss MS290 and it runs flawless. I bought a lighter Husqvarna 204 for hinging... and I like it as I can run it all day and not get tired. Next time I'll buy the cheapest Stihl though. The kill switch on the Husq quit working, now the carb is acting up and fades the rpm when wide open from low to high. Doesn't matter much though as when your hinging you use it for only a little bursts of wide open.


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[H20fwler]

Another vote for Stihl...I've got the MS271 Farm Boss with an 18" bar and love it, it's a tree eater.

 

[boot]

I used to work at a forest service division in Colorado and for a tree removal company a few years back, all both ran was Stihl, from the smallest to the largest models they are work horses, easy to maintenance and super reliable.

 

[Vandy]

Stihl without a doubt