CHAIN SAW PURCHASE ADVICE

[billrv]

Always have had good luck with Sthil, never have tried any others.

 

[BluesBrother]

Stihl hands down. A-1 Small Engine in Pace.

 

[pete repete]

Stihl hands down. A-1 Small Engine in Pace.

you prefer them to the tool shack in gulf breeze?

 

[BluesBrother]

you prefer them to the tool shack in gulf breeze?

I have no experience with Tool Shack. They might be just as good. I just have no experience with them.

 

[BluesBrother]

you prefer them to the tool shack in gulf breeze?

I don't have experience with Huskvarna saws either. From what I hear they're one of the good saw. I have seen toppers use Echo as well. I've never had one. But I've seen people who's livelihood depends on a saw use them way up in a tree.

 

[pete repete]

thanks to all for the input, i really appreciate it.

 

[Jevaughn]

I bought my home in 2019 and I have a ton of oaks that need trimming. Got tired of borrowing a saw so decided to buy one. My dad's been in a volunteer FD for 40+ years and has a lot of experience with what saws hold up the best over time, especially with infrequent use.
He informed me that they'd recently switched to battery tools, and I was skeptical. I ended up buying a walmart special Poulan, used it a couple times, and then put it in my garage and forgot about it until Sally. I got it out and after rebuilding the carb and cleaning out the fuel system because I stored it without draining it, I got to work cutting up a couple of water oaks that had fallen. Man, it was underpowered. So, I called pops and asked him how those battery saws were handling all the trees they were clearing out of roads and such, and he said they were doing great. So, I went and bought one.
I cannot recommend the 60v DeWalt chainsaw enough. If I used a saw more frequently than just doing some occassional pruning and cutting a little bit of firewood for the backyard pit, I'd probably go gas, but I cannot stress just how powerful that DeWalt is. It outperforms a 41cc Stihl saw hands down. Only downside is the batteries are damned expensive and you really need 2 or 3. I only have the 1, and it takes 45 minutes or so to charge.

 

[Fodderwing]

I had a live oak in my yard trimmed up last week, the crew was using Stihl saws.

I have a Stihl saw and a combi-unit. I burn non-ethanol fuel and use the Stihl brand oil to make the mix.

I use non-ethanol fuel in my ATV, boat, generator and lawnmower as well.

We have WaWa convenience stores and they all offer non-ethanol gas so it is easy for me to refill my fuel jugs.

 

[pete repete]

here is what i have gleaned from my research and from online advice: stihl is by far the favorites of proffessional tree trimmers, aquaintences and folks on this forum. stihl has two authorized service centers in my immediate area (milton florida) while husky has several in neighboring alabama, almost an hour drive. stihl has a 1 year warranty, expandable to 2 if you buy fuel at the time you buy the saw. husky has 3 year warranty expandable to 5 if you do the same. stihl parts are only available locally at the dealers/service centers. husky parts are available at tractor supply and lowes. the prices are very comparable for similar powered and sized saws.

i am leaning toward stihl, but that warranty does give me pause.

 

[5lima30ret]

Dutchman's on US-98 between Elberta & Foley is a reputable Husqvarna dealer and service.

 

[boatbum101]

For trimming , pruning & 95% of homeowner needs can be handled by the newer battery-powered stuff . As stated above get a couple of spare batteries . For the real deal gotta cut a bunch of post-storm stuff a serious gas-powered saw & couple of pre-sharpened / new chains IMHO is hard to beat . For topping / in the tree stuff them little Echo's are handy . Can run them one-handed . Pole saw a must if you got trees .

 

[Grits1/5]

Pete, I’ve used chainsaws a good bit in my life, although never on a daily basis unless it was hurricane season. I’ve had the best luck with Stihl, and I have several of them. As others mentioned, I also feel like the older ones were better than newer ones. I have one or two that are 30 years old and run great. The newer ones just have more plastic parts that don’t seem to hold up as well, but are still good saws.
Considering that most people don’t use chainsaws too frequently, the warranty will probably expire before you put much wear on the saw, unless you are using it commercially. Electric may be lighter, but I will always have a gas saw, especially for emergencies like hurricane season when charging a battery may not be possible. And lithium batteries only last so long, even if you keep them charged.

I’ve always worked on my own saws, typically they are easy to work on. I do like to use the Stihl brand ultra hp oil and I only use non ethanol gas. I’m not too particular about bar lube brands, and I’m not above just using 30 weight oil, or even used oil, in an emergency.
Start and run the saw every few months, if you are storing it with fuel in it. The most common problem that I see is carburetor problems. Carbs get dirty, jets get clogged and instead of rebuilding the original carb, people buy $15 Chinese carbs on Amazon. Those cheap aftermarket carbs ruin a good tool. If you are lucky, it will run right for a month, and then it won’t work.

 

[Welldoya]

I’m not sure if it’s still the case but when they started selling Husqvarna at big box stores there was a big difference between the “homeowner” models and the pro models sold only at servicing dealers.
I’ve got a Husky weed-eater that I bought in 1996 from A-1 when they were on Hwy 29 (yes, they used to sell Husqvarna) that’s probably the best machine I’ve ever owned.
Made in Sweden.
I don’t believe the ones you buy in Home Depot could match up to it.

 

[Rebel_Rider1969]

Just used mine to lop off some dead ones. Left the stumps high for redneck benchrest shooting.

 

[DustyDog]

If you don't use it frequently for heavy use I would go with a cordless! I've got a 60 volt Power works (same as Green works) that does all I need to limb and trim. Good luck!

Yep... I have a Craftsman 24v/10" that I use 90% of the time. Fine for anything up to even 12", and the ticket for anything smaller. My biggest is a Poulan Pro 20", and it is a fine saw. Hasn't missed a beat since Michael in 2018. I haven't kept up with the latest, but it appears manufacturers have consolidated, so the Poulan is probably under the same umbrella as some of the pricier brands now.

EDIT: (from Wikipedia) "The Poulan brand name is used primarily for outdoor power equipment, such as chainsaws, lawn mowers, and leaf blowers, aimed at the mid-level consumer market. Since Poulan is owned by Husqvarna, the two brands often share technologies. In recent years Poulan has offered a more upscale "Poulan Pro" brand employing a black and gold color scheme instead of Poulan's traditional green. As a result, Poulan products have been pushed even further upmarket."

So "Poulan Pros" are "cheap Husqvarnas" ?

Oldest gas is a McCulloch 16" from the early '90s (bought for Hurricane Andrew cleanup)... only recently became hard to start, but I'll bet I can fix it. It's nice because I can... or at least used to be able to... totally one-hand it. And I have a Remington corded electric 16" even older than that. You want to keep the cord out of the way with those so heavier branches don't snag it and yank the saw out of your hand : )

I finally started using the Tru-Fuel a few years ago, just to avoid problems as well as for convenience. Some have said that you get reduced power with it, but running a saw at max rpm gives me the willies anyway, so...

I'm going to start using the 40:1 in the Poulan even though it calls for 50:1; I think they do that just to make it look "greener" to the EPA, but the 40:1 is probably better for the saw.

 

[DustyDog]

Just used mine to lop off some dead ones. Left the stumps high for redneck benchrest shooting. View attachment 296852

*STUMP-rest*

Good idea! Every time I cut something, I'm thinking "How can I make the most out of this?", so...

 

[Rebel_Rider1969]

Used it today on a bigger tree. Dull as hell blade ate the battery quick. Damm it's hot. Bride will drag with the tractor when she gets home. Im not tractor certified yet. Luckly the charger has a cool down before it charges, needed it today. Had enough juice left to limb it but decided I NEEDED A BREAK.

 

[Sixgun]

Didn't see if you answered this yet, but how big are the trees you are trying to cut? How often or many?

Stihl or Husq is the way to go unless you are just doing minor limbing. In that case you could probably get by and save with your favorite battery tool brand.

If I could pass on anything it would be a sharp chain. Doesn't matter how expensive or big of saw. Whatever you buy, get the correct chain sharpener that fits your saw's chain size and keep it sharp. I use the Stihl 2-1. Quick and almost idiot proof.

 

[capt.joe]

I had a poulan pro for years. It even sat flooded at my fish camp once for 6 weeks before I could flush it. One winter I goofed and left the gas in it. Took it and a weed eater to trim a lawn. They put Chinese carbs in them. Ran worse than when I took them in for repairs. Now I have a Ryobi electric that does great on everything except oak.

 

[pete repete]

Used it today on a bigger tree. Dull as hell blade ate the battery quick. Damm it's hot. Bride will drag with the tractor when she gets home. Im not tractor certified yet. Luckly the charger has a cool down before it charges, needed it today. Had enough juice left to limb it but decided I NEEDED A BREAK.View attachment 297648

the little 40volt kobalt is amazing the heck out of me. i can imagine what the larger one would be like. i still havent bought that Stihl MS 271 farm boss yet (thats what i think i am going with) because im still processing the smaller limbs.