Chainsaw question

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Posted: 4/1/2002 2:50:31 AM EDT

I guess if someone can ask about weed whackers I can ask about these. The oaks in my woods have a nasty habit of dropping large limbs on my yard and stone wall, armed with a hand saw I have only trimmed them down over the years, I need to remove the remainder. Plus I have to redo a retaining wall which will require me to cut some pressure treated 6x6's. So what is a good size for general work ? The limbs i need to remove are about 24" circumference. Also brands ?, i was thinking stihl or husquvarnia.

Posted: 4/1/2002 3:13:59 AM EDT

[#1]

Either you mention are excellent saws. I use a Stihl 018 or is it an 021? with either a 16" or 18" guide bar.

Posted: 4/1/2002 3:43:06 AM EDT

[#2]

No experience with Husquavarna but Stihl makes good saws.

Posted: 4/1/2002 4:05:31 AM EDT

[#3]

I have three Stihl's and love them. I would avoid the ones like the 017 as the small ones are fairly cheaply built, although they may do for occasional use. If you spend about $300 or more you will get a good one--something along the lines of an 029--032. My smallest one is an 019T that is a "medium" grade saw and very high quality and handy for what you are going to do. It is made specifically for trimming. They seem to make three grades--POS, excellent, and professional. The pro's cost over $500 and you will not use it enough to get your money's worth. The 019T has a 14" bar. You may want a 20" bar for cutting oak. It is a good all-around length. By all means, learn basic safety techniques as you cannot imagine how easy it is to seriously injure yourself. It's not much different than being shot--there are no "little" chainsaw injuries! Also, cutting from on a ladder is a bitch. The branches like to just fall suddenly, with no warning, and this is especially true with oaks, for some reason. Be careful!

Oh, buy an extra chain (about $25.00), that way you always have a sharp one handy. Sharp is very, very important. I keep my spare in a cloth money bag that I filched from my bank.

Edited to add: this early in the morning, please talk [i]diameter[/i] of branches as it's just too damned early for [i]pi[/i] x r squared! LOL

Posted: 4/1/2002 4:17:20 AM EDT

[#4]

The beekeeper knows his saws. I aquired a 017 directly from the Stihl factory, it has held out well for occasional use but its no professional saw, it'd last only a few hours in in the Maine woods. Buy the best one you can afford and you'll still have it when your old and grey. .02

Posted: 4/1/2002 4:23:54 AM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
I have three Stihl's and love them. I would avoid the ones like the 017 as the small ones are fairly cheaply built, although they may do for occasional use. If you spend about $300 or more you will get a good one--something along the lines of an 029--032. My smallest one is an 019T that is a "medium" grade saw and very high quality and handy for what you are going to do. It is made specifically for trimming. They seem to make three grades--POS, excellent, and professional. The pro's cost over $500 and you will not use it enough to get your money's worth. The 019T has a 14" bar. You may want a 20" bar for cutting oak. It is a good all-around length. By all means, learn basic safety techniques as you cannot imagine how easy it is to seriously injure yourself. It's not much different than being shot--there are no "little" chainsaw injuries! Also, cutting from on a ladder is a bitch. The branches like to just fall suddenly, with no warning, and this is especially true with oaks, for some reason. Be careful!

Oh, buy an extra chain (about $25.00), that way you always have a sharp one handy. Sharp is very, very important. I keep my spare in a cloth money bag that I filched from my bank.

Edited to add: this early in the morning, please talk [i]diameter[/i] of branches as it's just too damned early for [i]pi[/i] x r squared! LOL

View Quote

This is all excellent advice. Husqvarna is what all the pro loggers use here, and is highly respected. As TBK1 said, stay away from "consumer" grade saws. Also do not allow the saw to sit for long periods of time(weeks,months...) with gas in the tank. "Old" gas will make it very difficult to start.

If you decide to sharpen your own chain, remember it is important to do the same amount of filing on the teeth on each side. The saw will not cut straight if you don't.

Posted: 4/1/2002 4:46:08 AM EDT

[#6]

What they said....

That being said, KEEP IT SHARP

Like a knife, the sharper the better, less chance of binding, or kickback. Cuts straighter, faster and easier.

Did I say keep it sharp?

BTW I prefer Sthil

Posted: 4/1/2002 5:06:42 AM EDT

[#7]

Buy a Stihl, but stay away from the -9s. My small saw is a 026, and it's three times the saw that the 029 is. You probably don't need the compensating carb of the Pro series, but it's nice if you're going to run it all day.

BTW, the 026 is about $150 more than the 029. If money is a problem, buy one from a pawn shop. I've seen newer (made in USA, instead of Germany) models go for well under $200 that were in mint condition. That's about the same money as a Pullan or Echo, and it will probably last through the weekend!

Posted: 4/1/2002 5:27:35 AM EDT

[#8]

Husqvarna. Mine has cut a lot of wood and has NEVER failed to start or run. Never put a dime into it other than bars and chains.

Posted: 4/1/2002 5:34:50 AM EDT

[#9]

Personally I like Stihl..

However!!!

just how much cutting are you going to do in a given year?

I do not think that you can justify the extra expense if you are only going to use it once or twice a year for an hour or so.

For "General" use I would go Poulan. They are cheap and they are "ok"

Now if you start to burn wood to heat your house ( you do say that you have woods) then the Stihl is they way to go....you might also want to look at Husky.

Posted: 4/1/2002 5:46:05 AM EDT

[#10]

The stihl "farm boss" with a 18" bar is a good deal for the money and can handle anything a weekend warrior can throw at it. Keep your chains sharp!!

Posted: 4/1/2002 6:05:00 AM EDT

[#11]

Maybe you can rent a saw and see if you like it first. It has to be comfortable to use for safety reasons, so don't rent the biggest saw thinking bigger is alwys better. Myself I have a Stihl 026, and a small Echo with a 14" bar for trimming.

I'm more concerned in control than power when it comes to a chainsaw, if it don't feel right it ain't coming home with me.

24" diameter limbs, man that is a lot of wood?
You probably can make a deal with someone that has saw for the wood, just make sure he knows what he is doing.

Posted: 4/1/2002 6:30:10 AM EDT

[#12]

Stihl 019T is my favorite tree saw. I have used one for the past five years and realy beats out the Echos for power in a trimming saw. The only problem I have with it is the handle assembly is rather difficult to put back together. Having used many saws working for my old boss who is a professional arborist, I think Stihls last the longest. If you work all day the anti-vibe handle on the 026 is a definite plus over the 029.

And like everyone else said, keep your chains sharp. I woulds suggest that you have them sharpened by a local shop that has a mounted chain sharpener. They will always get the angle right on the teeth so you wont have any left or right cutting chains. The local shop here charges about seven bucks for sharpening a chain from a 3ft bar so it is worth your money.

Posted: 4/1/2002 6:47:05 AM EDT

[#13]

buy chaps. i don't care what brand of saw you buy...just buy a pair of chaps. wear goggles or a face shield. wear gloves, preferrable ones with a rubber grip palm.

i own 2 homelites, 2 stihls amd a poulan pro. they all cut about the same. given proper care and not abused, any saw will return good service on the dollar invested. my "cheap" homelites are probably older than a lot of guys on this board.

unless you buy the pro grade stihls and husky's, boh mount their crank bearings in a plastic crankcase (ya gots to pay a premium to buy an aluminum crankcase in both lines).

what? no jonsored or olympik fans?

Posted: 4/1/2002 7:06:40 AM EDT

[#14]

Chida66 I would like to know where I may find the test results that allow you to make such a goofy statement about the TREMENDOUS power advantage that the Sthil 019 has over the ECHO. I have used my Echo for 6 years and am compleatly satified with it and would not hesitate buying another.

And by the way, I never have had to take the handle apart on my Echo. HAHAHA.

Posted: 4/1/2002 7:49:32 AM EDT

[#15]

I happen to like Huskies but the Stihl is an excellent saw, I think more important is the bar length if you use a short bar you are bent over and reaching(makes for a very long day.) I use a 20" bar with plenty of saw to run it for normal use.

Posted: 4/1/2002 8:34:52 AM EDT

[#16]

Just remembered, get a saw with a spike, many of the smaller saws are limbing saws and don't have a spike you should have one for cutting.

Posted: 4/1/2002 10:13:02 AM EDT

[#17]

I have a Husky; very pleased with it. Much better that "warehouse brand" saws I previously owned. Good quality, starts easily and cuts quickly. I think both Stihl and Husky are great saws, but one thing that sold me on the Husky was that the saw seems a little narrower than a comparable Stihl. I like that. And yes, keep it sharp. [chainsaw]

Posted: 4/1/2002 10:52:01 AM EDT

[#18]

My father in law owns a tree company and vegetation control business, they use Husqvarnas, Stihls and Jonsareds depending mostly on where they can get the best deal. They only buy the professional grade saws.

Absolutely wear chaps and helmet with faceshield, plsu hearing protection. The chaotic high frequency sound produced by chainsaws will wreck your hearing fast.

Posted: 4/1/2002 11:13:18 AM EDT

[#19]

Stihl's great saws...
Have owned and used Partners, Pioneers, Jonsrudds. Havent owned a Husky but they make great motors...

Posted: 4/1/2002 3:29:27 PM EDT

[#20]

Thanks for all the great advice, now armed with your input I have a better idea what to look for.
-roger

Posted: 4/7/2002 4:38:53 PM EDT

[#21]

Well, i ended up getting a saw that no one mentioned, I bought a John Deere CS40, I am very happy with it and in comparisons it was much better than stihl or husq. (forged rod, caged bearings, etc)

http://www.chainsaws4u.com/husqvarnachainsaws.htm

Posted: 4/7/2002 4:46:00 PM EDT

[#22]

Smack, take that! for asking our opinions and not listening to us. [;)]

JohnDeers's make excellent thing, though expensive, and I'm sure you made a good choice. Enjoy.

Posted: 4/7/2002 4:51:08 PM EDT

[#23]

You know what surprised me, when i was researching Deere, i stumbled upon some ads for their gun safes, I had no idea they sold them (i assume they are made by another company)

Posted: 4/7/2002 5:01:58 PM EDT

[#24]

maculloch
two in this family and they've lasted for about 15 years so far and no problems. sharp chains increase longevity and make things safer in terms of binding and such

Posted: 4/7/2002 5:19:34 PM EDT

[#25]

ah,,,but i did mention those brands! all three of them!!!

you see, john deere does not make a chainsaw...they buy them from people that do.

j.d. bought out homelite and sold green/yellow saws under the j.d. name, for a short period of time. after being disappointed by the quality, they dropped their own company, and relegated it to selling the familiar red homelite brand at home depot. the fate of homelite is still undecided, last i heard.

the smaller j.d. "pro" saws are manufactured by poulan, and are very close stock versions of the poulan "pro" line of yellow and black (not the lime green) saws. a guy i work with bought one off ebay and showed it to me...a dead ringer for my poulan pro. same case molding in a different color.

the more expensive saws (larger, and heavier duty) may be the solo or olympik (both german) brands. from the $339 model up, they have the magnesium crankcase, instead of plastic.

someone please correct me if i got the models of the high end j.d. line crossed up, but they sure look like solo's to me.

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