[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Chainsaw guys (Page 1 of 4)
Posted: 9/28/2013 10:13:26 AM EDT
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This is one of those things every man should have and I'm finally in the position financially to be able to afford a good one. What in your opinion is a minimum for that "every man should have chainsaw" for winter/ice storm downed limbs occasional firewood stocking?
I do know it's gotta be a Stihl or Husq. |
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Quoted: This is one of those things every man should have and I'm finally in the position financially to be able to afford a good one. What in your opinion is a minimum for that "every man should have chainsaw" for winter/ice storm downed limbs occasional firewood stocking? I do know it's gotta be a Stihl or Husq. ETA: I say you need at least an 18in bar |
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For occasional/small scale saw work I would recommend the Stihl MS180 "Miniboss" with a 14" or 16" bar.
It's small enough to pack around in a truck box, has enough power and RPM to do whatever small work you need, and lasts quite a long time for such an inexpensive saw. My experience with this saw: My family has a small tree farm in which I am part owner. I have 6 Stihl saws all together and 3 of them are 180's. We use them for small firewood collection on remnant trees, down trees, limbing... If you want a little more size then go for the Farm Boss... Whatever saw you get if you are an occasional user make sure you run it completely out of fuel to avoid carb clogging and use Stabil in the gas mix. edit:sp |
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Stihl MS362 is what I use, and it's used for more than occasional firewood, that's what I heat with. One of the advantages of using a saw with that power is that you can fit a 28" bar and not suffer any loss of power. Before someone says a 28" bar is too long for the diameter trees you're going to deal with, the length of the bar is two fold. With a longer bar once you've felled the tree and are bucking it into desired lengths, you're able to stand straight and buck the logs, with a shorter bar you're bending over at the waist when using the saw, that gets old really quickly. |
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Stihl MS250 or Farmboss ETA: I say you need at least an 18in bar Quoted:
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This is one of those things every man should have and I'm finally in the position financially to be able to afford a good one. What in your opinion is a minimum for that "every man should have chainsaw" for winter/ice storm downed limbs occasional firewood stocking? I do know it's gotta be a Stihl or Husq. ETA: I say you need at least an 18in bar I have the ms250 too, just came inside from using it on a 3 foot round oak... Pure win with Stihl. |
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This is one of those things every man should have and I'm finally in the position financially to be able to afford a good one. What in your opinion is a minimum for that "every man should have chainsaw" for winter/ice storm downed limbs occasional firewood stocking? I do know it's gotta be a Stihl or Husq. To keep it simple: Stihl or Huskvarna Mid Range or Pro Model About 50cc (low three HP saw), maybe up to 60cc 18" bar |
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Quoted:
Stihl MS250 or Farmboss ETA: I say you need at least an 18in bar Quoted:
Quoted:
This is one of those things every man should have and I'm finally in the position financially to be able to afford a good one. What in your opinion is a minimum for that "every man should have chainsaw" for winter/ice storm downed limbs occasional firewood stocking? I do know it's gotta be a Stihl or Husq. ETA: I say you need at least an 18in bar This is sound advice. I have a ms250 with 18 inch bar on my line up for smaller trees and branches. Me and my ole man cut 20-30 plus cords of wood a year.. The old Husq we had doesn't hold a candle to the new Stihl we bought to replace it. |
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This sounds counter-intuitive, but it's advice that I should have heeded: Buy the smallest saw that you can get away with.
Here's the reasoning: 1. The heavier the saw, the faster the operator becomes fatigued. Operator fatigue is a major factor in chainsaw accidents. On the other end of the spectrum, though, an underpowered saw isn't safe, either. I'd say that any of the Stihl homeowner saws are a good choice in terms of power/weight ratio. 2. The longer the bar, the greater the chance for accidental injury. This is especially true if you are an occasional chainsaw operator. Most of the time, the average homeowner is cutting wood under 12", so a 14" bar is plenty. 3. A small saw with a short bar and a sharp chain trumps a big saw with a long bar and a dull chain. Learn to file your chain sharp, or use diamond burrs with a Dremel, They are available cheap on Amazon, sized exactly for whatever chain you are using. Touch up the chain every time you refuel. Caveat: If you intend to heat your home with wood, and you intend to process all the firewood yourself, you should educate yourself in felling, chain and saw selection and safety. You'll need a big saw for felling and a smaller saw for limbing and bucking. Don't buy a homeowner saw. Visit arboristsite.com and start reading. A little education will make the work a lot easier and enjoyable. |
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Quoted: I hate it when that happens...  Quoted: Quoted: I'm happy with my Stihls. MS 361 for my main saw; MS 200 for limbing overhead or at awkward angles. Or when I misread a cut and get the big one pinched.  I hate it when that happens... |
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Yep, I'm glad I'm not the only one... Quoted:
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I'm happy with my Stihls. MS 361 for my main saw; MS 200 for limbing overhead or at awkward angles. Or when I misread a cut and get the big one pinched. I hate it when that happens... It happens to everyone, if they cut enough wood. You try to get by without pounding in a wedge or you're just working too fast and snap, it all comes to a screeching halt. Just when I think that I'm a good woodcutter, something like that reminds me that I'm getting lazy or not paying enough attention to what I'm doing. It's nice to have a second saw to dig out the first one that you stuck, but another, cheaper solution is to just have a second bar and chain. Baily's has a really good pry bar for freeing stuck saws, too, but dragging that out into the woods means admitting that you are going to stuck a saw! 
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Absolute Min?
Stihl MS250 and 16" Bar. Set up for .325 Stay away from the 3/8 Lo pro/Picco Micro or PM. The 250 will pull .325 just fine. Great homeowner saw that will tolerate abuse reasonably well. Bad points are the air filter design blows goats, and the end tabs break easy in the cold. Replacement air filters are 20 bucks. They are a bitch to work on, but thankfully it's rarely needed and that's what Stihl Dealers are for. Stupid fixed high speed jet, means no adjustments available for fine tuning. Husqvarna 450 16-18" bar .325 Better anti vibe, and air filtration than anyone else. Fully adjustable carb. Faster while being similar weight to the 250 Durable as hell for a homeowner saw, with plenty of parts available for much less than Stihl. Bad points are the dealer connection locally. Stay the fuck out of the Box stores. If you don't have a full line Husqvarna dealer locally, go Stihl, or learn to work on your own. Best buys right now are used Pro saws. Stihl MS260 and 361 Can be rebuilt forever and make good power for the weight. Husqvarna 346XP and 357XP Lighter, faster, better anti-vibe and 87 times better air filtration than stihl. Can be rebuilt forever. Stay the sam hell away from the stupid Stihl MS290 Farm Boss. Damn things are heavy, gutless terds that were beefed up and dumbed down for the mass market. Reliable but overpriced and over hyped. A used MS260 will be 1/3 lighter, and half again faster, for less $$$. |
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If I could only have one saw it would be a Stihl 260 or 261. +2 I think I am going to sell my MS 290 (Farm Boss) so I can put the money toward a MS 261. For a smaller saw I chose the MS 192 over the MS 180 because of the weight savings. It has slightly less horsepower, but I've never wished I had more in a smaller saw. If I need more I'll grab the bigger saw. My next big saw will be the MS 441. We have about five acres of old growth Oak, and a bigger saw would be nice. I also plan on getting some sort of lumber maker when I start taking down some of those old trees. ETA: Basically I'm looking to stick to the "professional series" of saws. |
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Stihl MS250 or Farmboss ETA: I say you need at least an 18in bar Quoted:
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This is one of those things every man should have and I'm finally in the position financially to be able to afford a good one. What in your opinion is a minimum for that "every man should have chainsaw" for winter/ice storm downed limbs occasional firewood stocking? I do know it's gotta be a Stihl or Husq. ETA: I say you need at least an 18in bar This. MS 250 or MS 260 and you'll be good for life for 99% of anything you need to do. |
| I bought a Husqvarna Rancher 55 when I graduated HS. It's great for felling and cutting up large trunks, but it will wear you slick on limbing or trimming jobs. We got my dad a reconditioned Husqvarna 235 from northern tool for christmas last year. It is an extremely nice saw for $180. It's also very light so it won't wear you out fast. |
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I hate it when that happens... Quoted:
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I'm happy with my Stihls. MS 361 for my main saw; MS 200 for limbing overhead or at awkward angles. Or when I misread a cut and get the big one pinched. I hate it when that happens... I'm usually not felling trees; I'm cutting leaners and tangled up blowdown off my little piece of heaven. After Isabell, I had a clump of 10" to 14" pines all lying across each other from the ground to ten feet in the air. The tree guys quoted me $2000 to clear it out. Fuck that. I'm really acrophobic and I did not like cutting into that shit off an eight foot step ladder. I'd have sucked the Devil's dick for a pole saw. I got both of them pinched a couple times and had to cut them loose with an axe. I was ripshit. My penultimate love said he was almost fifty and he'd never heard a woman talk like that before. 
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Bars are easily changed.
Have a few bars on hand. Work with the shortest bar that will get the job done. +10 on chisel chain. Stay away from the "low kickback" chain that comes with a new saw, unless you like cutting wood with a butter knife. Read up on what situations can lead to kickback and just don't do those things. Safest thing you can do is have a really sharp chain, hold on to the saw, and pay attention. Wear safety chaps and gloves and a helmet. Steel tip boots are mucho recommended. http://www.bchw.org/Tech%20tips/SawCertification/chain_body.gif Keep a cell phone with you when you are cutting in case of injury. If you want to buy a used saw: Take the muffler off and you'll see the piston. Disconnect the spark plug and run the piston up and down. If it's scored/scratched, don't buy the saw. It may have had straight gas run in it. |
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I've taken a MS260, 440 and 200T to two hurricanes and an ice storm for power restoration. The 260 got the most use for clearing out ROW to pick wire back up. It cut the majority of stuff with an 18" bar, and some of the bigger stuff with a little technique. It was nice to not have to haul around a heavier saw for 16 hrs.
Be sure to get some chaps and saftey glasses at a minimum for PPE.  A couple of extra chains, non-metallic wedges and an ax make things easier.
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I used to fall/buck old growth timber in Wa. state.We ran 36 " and 42" bars on our small saws and 48/60 and 72 on big saws[usually Stihl 90].
I also pruned Holly trees with a saw the size of a 44 mag. pistol. Anyway, get a longer bar because bucking is much easier[if you have some upper body strength] Stihl saws are very good. |
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I used to fall/buck old growth timber in Wa. state.We ran 36 " and 42" bars on our small saws and 48/60 and 72 on big saws[usually Stihl 90].
I also pruned Holly trees with a saw the size of a 44 mag. pistol. Anyway, get a longer bar because bucking is much easier[if you have some upper body strength] Stihl saws are very good. |
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a Stihl 441 or 461 with a 28-32" bar if you want a longer bar go with a 660 or 880, at work we use the 660's.
In reality it depends on your tree sizes and what you budget is, you will need a spare chain or two, sharpener, oil, etc. I know you are on ARFcom and make 7 figures a year but budget is a actual factor to most people. The Farm Boss is a heavy saw for the size and ability but is a good durable saw, those saws I mentioned above are more of a professional grade saw. If this an emergency type saw that may sit around and not be used for a year or two at a time, go Farm Boss. If you have money to spend, go to a dealer and buy the saw that fits your needs. |
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I'm usually not felling trees; I'm cutting leaners and tangled up blowdown off my little piece of heaven. After Isabell, I had a clump of 10" to 14" pines all lying across each other from the ground to ten feet in the air. The tree guys quoted me $2000 to clear it out. Fuck that. I'm really acrophobic and I did not like cutting into that shit off an eight foot step ladder. I'd have sucked the Devil's dick for a pole saw. I got both of them pinched a couple times and had to cut them loose with an axe. I was ripshit. My penultimate love said he was almost fifty and he'd never heard a woman talk like that before. Quoted:
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I'm happy with my Stihls. MS 361 for my main saw; MS 200 for limbing overhead or at awkward angles. Or when I misread a cut and get the big one pinched. I hate it when that happens... I'm usually not felling trees; I'm cutting leaners and tangled up blowdown off my little piece of heaven. After Isabell, I had a clump of 10" to 14" pines all lying across each other from the ground to ten feet in the air. The tree guys quoted me $2000 to clear it out. Fuck that. I'm really acrophobic and I did not like cutting into that shit off an eight foot step ladder. I'd have sucked the Devil's dick for a pole saw. I got both of them pinched a couple times and had to cut them loose with an axe. I was ripshit. My penultimate love said he was almost fifty and he'd never heard a woman talk like that before. I think I love you.
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I'm happy with my Stihls. MS 361 for my main saw; MS 200 for limbing overhead or at awkward angles. Or when I misread a cut and get the big one pinched. A woman who owns and runs chainsaws? What a rare and exquisite creature! Sigh!
OP, We use Stihls exclusively at my FD, because we must have saws that are utterly reliable. My neglected personal saw is a 16" Stihl, I pulled it out to cut a phone pole in half (building the kiddies a tree fort) can't remember the last time I ran it, years. Figured to have to dump the tank and blow the carb at least, but nope, fired on the third pull, just like it always does. Must of remembered the Stabil! 
My partner on 40 acres a few years back grew up in Ohio running a portable saw mill with his family, buying wood lots , felling the timber and milling it on site was their living. He would use three saws, Husky, Stihl or Jonsard. Nuff said! |
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Bars are easily changed. Have a few bars on hand. Work with the shortest bar that will get the job done. +10 on chisel chain. Stay away from the "low kickback" chain that comes with a new saw, unless you like cutting wood with a butter knife. Read up on what situations can lead to kickback and just don't do those things. Safest thing you can do is have a really sharp chain, hold on to the saw, and pay attention. Wear safety chaps and gloves and a helmet. Steel tip boots are mucho recommended. http://www.bchw.org/Tech%20tips/SawCertification/chain_body.gif Keep a cell phone with you when you are cutting in case of injury. If you want to buy a used saw: Take the muffler off and you'll see the piston. Disconnect the spark plug and run the piston up and down. If it's scored/scratched, don't buy the saw. It may have had straight gas run in it. ...And never cut if you can't read the logo on the side of the bar. If it does kick back it will miss your face. |
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This sounds counter-intuitive, but it's advice that I should have heeded: Buy the smallest saw that you can get away with. Here's the reasoning: 1. The heavier the saw, the faster the operator becomes fatigued. Operator fatigue is a major factor in chainsaw accidents. On the other end of the spectrum, though, an underpowered saw isn't safe, either. I'd say that any of the Stihl homeowner saws are a good choice in terms of power/weight ratio. 2. The longer the bar, the greater the chance for accidental injury. This is especially true if you are an occasional chainsaw operator. Most of the time, the average homeowner is cutting wood under 12", so a 14" bar is plenty. 3. A small saw with a short bar and a sharp chain trumps a big saw with a long bar and a dull chain. Learn to file your chain sharp, or use diamond burrs with a Dremel, They are available cheap on Amazon, sized exactly for whatever chain you are using. Touch up the chain every time you refuel. Caveat: If you intend to heat your home with wood, and you intend to process all the firewood yourself, you should educate yourself in felling, chain and saw selection and safety. You'll need a big saw for felling and a smaller saw for limbing and bucking. Don't buy a homeowner saw. Visit arboristsite.com and start reading. A little education will make the work a lot easier and enjoyable. Agreed. I'm no expert, but I've had one all my life, used them and taught their use in the fire Service, and am a Carded Forestry Sawyer. I've spent a lot of time hanging around experts. Kind of like rifles and pistols, everybody wants the big magnum, but they'd probably shoot better with a lighter caliber. |
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...And never cut if you can't read the logo on the side of the bar. If it does kick back it will miss your face. Sage advice http://valleychainsaw.org/sitebuilder/images/chainsaw-kickback-213x307.jpg |
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The 260 is a bigger saw? Quoted:
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Have a Stihl 260 pro and a mini boss. I'd take the mini boss with a sharp blade anyday. It doesn't wear you out like the bigger saw. The 260 is a bigger saw? It's bigger than the mini boss! That little saw just blazes through wood. It's easy to operate, the chain can be replaced in minutes without tools, and its light. If the OP is looking for an "emergency saw" I'd look no further. It doesn't sound like he's talking about cutting cords of firewood or felling trees. |