I need to buy a decent chainsaw. It will be used mostly for cutting firewood I heat my shop with a wood-fired boiler) and trimming trees, etc. I am looking for something in the 16-18″ range. I already have a 12″, and a friend has a couple of 24″‘s, so I am looking for something in between.
Right now I am kind of between a Stihl and a Huscvarna. I have heard the Husky’s rpms are a little high. I have also heard about a Red Max brand.
Any experience with any of them?
Thanks!
-Randy, N. IL
Replies
Go with either the Husky or stihl. Find out who has better service for that area. In the north east, Husky has a better dealer network and its much easier to get parts. Every tree company around my area uses the Husky for that reason. Other than that, they are very similar. Most of the saws will come stock as a 20". Get one with a chain pitch of 3/8, it will cut more agressively.
I have a Husky 359 20"
Edited 2/25/2005 6:01 pm ET by DDay
No matter what ya get, the other guy has a better one..get what ya feel comfortable with both pricewise and duty for call of it's job.
http://www.baileys.com is a start..I hope the link flys, if not google the link and hit similar to.
They got the good stuff.
Get earmuffs..nomatter what.Â
edit..sorry, wrong link, but a good one!...Bailys w/o the e maybe..I'll dig it up.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Restoring, Remodeling, Reclaiming The Quality..
Edited 2/25/2005 6:16 pm ET by SPHERE
As long as it says Stihl on it, you won't regret it.
Kipherr
An all Husky family here .......... but Stihl is good- no saw is better than it's local dealer. I currently have a 51 and used to run a 61, brother has a 257, Pop's old 40 is running strong, and a friend who cut's wood for a living runs a 254XP. All have been good reliable saws.
Edited 2/25/2005 7:13 pm ET by jc
Stihl 029 Have had it for over 12 years, never a tune up, never a problem. Well I bent the bar but it still ran great.
Huskys are great and they do zoom-zoom like hi-rpm formula one cars.Speed is of an essence when ur making felling cut when cutting timber and especially veneer quality trees. Baileys is a great resource. They have great deals on a german brand they remarket and stand by their stuff.
I suggested one to Sphere .. dont know if he checked them out.
not try'n to get off track... but i have a 24" JohnsRed... got it at a junk store several years ago.. i'd never heard of em... and it just looked "quality" if ya know what i mean... and for $35 you can't go too wrong... been a great saw... but still have never seen another one
pony
I've had real good luck with $20 to $50 Sears and Homelite saws bought at garage sales, cant go wrong at that price. Ony type that have been dogs even for $5 were remington.
Dont get nuthin less than 3.5ci.
Art, you paid $50 for only one saw?
I have a Stihl 034 AV - gets heavy after awhile.
A cheapo Poulon that needs the oiler fixed and a couple little electrics, a McCulloh(?) & something else I don't remember.
Joe H
Stihl 16" all the way.,,, vaaaarooooom.!!!
STIHL is the deal
I bought the husky only because of the higher rpm's. I got the 257 with a 20 inch bar. I like it real well and its never given me any trouble.
Go and check out your dealers on either the Husky or the Stihl. talk to the service dept head... get a feel for how they take care of their repairs and what the average turn-around time is.
I love my Stihl... but I have heard nothing but good about the Huskvarna. It all boils down to service in my eyes.
While you are at it... be sure to buy a good chain sharpener (I think all new saws should be required to come with one). That saw will last a LOT longer and work MUCH better with a freshly sharpened chain... no matter the brand.
I have a Polan and have had excelent service from it. It is the biggest one that they had at the time without going into the commercial sizes. I have a 24'' bar on it and it can pull up to a 32'' bar.
SPHERE is right in your buying one that is comfortable in price and duty, but left out a couple of other things too. One is how it feels in your hands. My Polan is very heavy and my wife couldn't use it. She now has a smaller version of the same brand with a 16'' bar. An other thing is if you want a saw that has a 16'' bar on it make sure that it can pull a bar that is at least one size longer, such as a 24'' bar. If you find that you need to cut a log 48'' across it is much cheaper to buy a 24'' bar and chain then to buy a whole new saw.
I also suggest that you buy from a small engine shop rather then from Lowes or Home Depot. Buying from a small engine shop you will get something that you know you can get service on. These home improvment centers don't service anything that they sell.
I hope that this will be of some help to you.
Dane
Thanks for all the comments. I was leaning toward a Stihl, based partially on a local tree trimmer, but after calling around for prices, I found about 200 good reasons to get the Husky instead. I got a 345 at a local lawn & garden equipment store. I got the saw, an extra chain and two bottles of engine oil for about $320 (tax incl.) The guy even threw in a gallon of low temp. bar oil.
I think I got a good saw. It cuts through old pine barn timbers like a hot knife through butter.
Happy sawing!
-Randy
Congrats on the saw. I'm a Stihl guy, but the Husky is good too. Now get the chain sharpening tools and learn how (and when) to use them. No chain saw is worth diddly with a dull chain. Several years ago, a friend was ready to toss his Homelite into the dumpster. I spent around a half hour working on the chain and he decided to keep it after all. - lol
We have a Stihl Farmboss w/ longer 18" bar. Pretty light, starts easy (just replace filter on reg. basis).
Our use has been light clearing - I'd go w/ Stihl, Huskevarna, or Echo.
daveinnh