Posted: 1/9/2012 4:13:35 PM EDT
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Getting a stove and have been out of the wood cutting business for awhile. What's the best for the money?
Thanks. TC |
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there was a HUGE post back in the summer on the best chainsaw - just like ford vs chevy - everyone has a favorits..
BUT as mentioned stihl and Husky are the top picks .. BUT keep in mind each make various levels of saws for price point (ie cheaper parts for the casual consumer, heavier parts for more used saws).. The stihl farm boss and ranch boss have always gotten good reviews.. BUT for some more money you could jump up to the pro stihl line (260 or 361 ) and get a professional quality saw Brian |
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Johnny Red––Johnsered. Same as a Husky. My father has one from 1976 that's still running. I'd like to say he takes care of his equipment, but...
I bought mine in '04. 2159 turbo with an 18' bar. Runs great. It found itself under my CAT skidsteer once  After my initial at the operator––me––I pulled the dirt and crud off. It looked no different than before. Anecdotal to be sure, but it's never let me down.
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I've got some husqvarnas (2) and some stihls (4), they range from 14" 30cc to 48" 118cc and $300-$2k, I cut/burn my own wood (for years) and am on a Disaster Relief team for my church (5 years now).
you won't find a lot of husky/stihl/brand name guys ever giving you this advice, but in all honesty, you can spend a lot of money, but if you want to cut a lot of wood for little $. Get two poulan wild things and some safety gear and cut wood. (one is backup/spare). You can also easily modify them (simple muffler mod and retune) and get approx 20-25% more power (via videos of timed cuts). $129 ea. If you want to buy something with a "brand name" I'd go with a stihl ms290 farm boss, or a husqvarna 455 rancher. The stihl is made in the usa, the husqvarna (sweden) has an arguably better air filter system. Both are around the $400 range, and both will cut a lot of wood. good chaps, $60-90, helmet/ears/face protection, $50-60, and good gloves, boots etc based on personal choice. As far as "the best dealer" point that will be brought up if it hasn't already, I don't use any local dealers and have done fine. If something breaks within the warranty period, it'll be covered from the factory, not the dealer. If it breaks after the warranty, any saw shop worth it's salt can fix it, not just a brand dealer. I support my local saw shops and small engine shops etc, but don't jump on that old saw about "local dealer support" myself. What kind of support is he going to give you that will be better than my local small engine guy that I've used for years? I've given some "non standard" advice and take it for what it's worth, good luck with your purchases. Be careful out there. |
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I never had a Poulan that didnt break when I needed it most. and I've got a neighbor that's got over 40 chords on one $100 tractor supply special poulan and others that have hot rodded them so that they'll cut so well they'll embarrass others at the saw get togethers... Of course it breaks when you need it. That's when everything breaks. ETA: forgot to add, I had a Poulan 8500 running a 40" bar that would hog down damn near anything you could cut with a hand held saw... sure, they're different than the $150 saw, but you can't lump all of the models into one brand bash. |
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Stihl MS 361/362 MS 260 Pro I own those two saws and they're very solid. With that said, if somebody with no bias asked me to suggest a brand I'd point them toward Echo. I really don't care for what Stihl has done to their saws in the last few years: more plastic, more emissions crap, worse performance, higher price. 
I was talking to the sales guy at my lawn and garden dealer and he put it well: "Stihl's selling a lot of saws right now based on their name alone." 
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Whichever one has the dealer who takes the best care of you. Budget in all the safety goodies too. Helmet with earpro and mesh face guard and Kevlar chaps are MUSTS. Probably even more important for the seasonal homeowner than for the 365-day pro... The is the correct answer. In my case Stihl was closer but Husky would have worked too. I bought a Pro level saw MS361 just because it didn't cost that much more. I'm glad I didn't get the MS260Pro as I don't think it would have had the power I would have wanted in the end. I took down two 60' trees (Ash, Elm) Saturday and it ran like a champ. One didn't fall the right way(and I didn't run the right way) but that's another story....I'm just glad it all ended up alright and I didn't get hurt. |
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Stihl MS 361/362 MS 260 Pro I own those two saws and they're very solid. With that said, if somebody with no bias asked me to suggest a brand I'd point them toward Echo. I really don't care for what Stihl has done to their saws in the last few years: more plastic, more emissions crap, worse performance, higher price.
I was talking to the sales guy at my lawn and garden dealer and he put it well: "Stihl's selling a lot of saws right now based on their name alone."
I didn't like it not having a primer ball. Yeah I guess one could say well clearly they dont need it but visually verifying that you are priming fuel its a perk IMHO. |
. But I can handle his too.
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PREFACE: I am a full time EMT-B. as in my sig. Secondly, I also work full time hours as an Assistant Operations Manager for a Tree Removal Co.
SO... I wont recommend any particular brand. I will tell you my personal saw is a Stihl MS260. Not the pro, just the regular. I use this saw to cut roughly 4 FACE Cord of wood a year at hunting camp. (Emphasis on face, as a full cord is a big difference!) Never, have been dissatisfied with it. I also carry it in my work truck as a back up. I could not be happier. As for within the company, we have: (3)MS260 Pros - Not worth the extra (3) MS361 - Excellent saw, if I did not have my own I would buy this for myself. **THESE ARE NOW MS362** (2) MS441's - Overkill for personal use. (2) MS660 - Again overkill. (4) MS201's - Not meant for ground work. (1) MS880 - Again, overkill. Only experience should run this one if it's got a big daddy bar on it. So, this is my 0.02 
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PREFACE: I am a full time EMT-B. as in my sig. Secondly, I also work full time hours as an Assistant Operations Manager for a Tree Removal Co.
SO... I wont recommend any particular brand. I will tell you my personal saw is a Stihl MS260. Not the pro, just the regular. I use this saw to cut roughly 4 FACE Cord of wood a year at hunting camp. (Emphasis on face, as a full cord is a big difference!) Never, have been dissatisfied with it. I also carry it in my work truck as a back up. I could not be happier. As for within the company, we have: (3)MS260 Pros - Not worth the extra (3) MS361 - Excellent saw, if I did not have my own I would buy this for myself. **THESE ARE NOW MS362** (2) MS441's - Overkill for personal use. (2) MS660 - Again overkill. (4) MS201's - Not meant for ground work. (1) MS880 - Again, overkill. Only experience should run this one if it's got a big daddy bar on it. So, this is my 0.02
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Johnny Red––Johnsered. Same as a Husky. My father has one from 1976 that's still running. I'd like to say he takes care of his equipment, but... I bought mine in '04. 2159 turbo with an 18' bar. Runs great. It found itself under my CAT skidsteer once After my initialat the operator––me––I pulled the dirt and crud off. It looked no different than before. Anecdotal to be sure, but it's never let me down.I have a late 70's (78 i think) johnserd its beast |
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sthil and husky as a close second. you're right ......husky and stihl as a close second.  I have a 12ish yr old Husky 371xp that is getting its first trip to the shop today. I also have a Stihl MS180c and MS170 that have been good saws but have been very frustrating a few times. Both are only a few years old. When I purchase another mid sized saw it will be a professional series Husky not the shit sold at the big box stores. I have a lot of respect for Stihl being an independent dealer only company but I still love my Huskys. Grove |
| I picked up a refurbished Husky 445 at vminnovations for $160 on sale. Can't beat it for the price. I had a hard time starting it the first time, but then found some directions on line that worked better than what the manual suggested. Runs fine. Cuts great. Can't complain. Might be worth a look at the others they have there. You can decide how much you want to spend and what you need. I don't make a living with my saw. I don't heat with wood at this time, so I didn't need a super saw. For price/performance, I couldn't beat it. |
| The best firewood saw for the money is the Stihl 290 Farm Boss. Some may poo-poo this, but it's a solid, powerful saw for $350.00 that can run up to a 20" bar. It's well built, and will probably last you 20 or more years if you run fresh fuel, good oil like HP ultra, and keep it reasonably clean. It also has an outstanding dealer network to back it up, and a privately owned company that actually gives a shit about its customers to back those dealers up. |
| I have used Stihls and Husqvarnas and they are both great saws. I would say figure out what dealer is going to treat you best and go with him. Don't forget the safety gear. The saws are great at cutting wood but will cut legs just as well and one trip to the hospital trumps what you would pay for the safety equipment by a lot. And yes thats personal experience |